THE GREEK WORD DIDACHE MEANS "TEACHING"/ 'TRAINING" AN ACTIVITY ( OFTEN DISTINGUISHED FROM 'PROCLAMATION'; KERUGMA) BUT IT IS THE TITLE OF THIS TEXT. IT'S THE STUFF OF A SCHOLARS' DREAM AND THE PLOT OF A HUNDRED FILMS. A YOUNG LIBRARY- BOUND-ACADEMIC TURNS OVER THE LEAF OF ANCIENT MANUSCRIPT AND THERE BEFORE HIS EYES, IS A LONG LOST TEXT. PEOPLE HAD HEARD OF IT. AND WONDERED ABOUT IT, BUT NOW, WITHOUT A DOUBT HE HAS FOUND IT WHO? HAS FOUND IT? DIDACHE "1873." PHILOTHEOS BRYENNIOS WAS BORN IN CONSTANTINOPLE (ISTANBUL) IN 1833. HIS FAMILY LIVED IN A GREEK AND CHRISTIAN SUBURB OF WHAT WAS THEN THE CAPITAL OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE.THE FAMILY WAS VERY POOR BUT THEY MANAGED TO OBTAIN SOME BASIC EDUCATION FOR THEIR SON AND THIS ALLOWED HIM TO BECOME LEADER OF THE SINGING IN HIS CHURCH. A CHANCE DISCOVERY BY BRYENNIOS IN 1873, AS BRYENNIOS WAS WORKING IN THE LIBRARY OF THE CONSTANTINOPLE HOUSE OF THE MONASTERY OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE (JERUSALEM), WHEN HE FOUND A MANUSCRIPT WRITTEN IN AD 1O56, FOUND THE "DIDACHE" WHICH TRANSLATES LITERALLY AS 'THE LORD'S TEACHING TO THE NATIONS THROUGH THE TWELVE APOSTLES. MOREOVER, IT IS THE SAME TITLE AS THAT REFERRED TO IN ANCIENT WRITERS WHO MENTION THAT THERE WAS A BOOK WITH THIS TITLE USED BY THE EARLIEST CHRISTIANS. SO WHAT IS THE TEACHING'?
IT IS BASIC INFORMATION ABOUT THE GROUP'S LIFE STYLE AND THEIR ACTIVITIES
AS THE "NEW PEOPLE" ON THE WAY OF LIFE.. ONCE ONE HAD ABSORBED THIS TEACHING, ONE HAD FINISHED ONE'S OWN APPRENTICESHIP AND WAS READY TO ENTER FULLY INTO THE BODY OF CHRIST. THEN, HAVING MASTERED THE TEACHING, ONE WAS IN THE POSITION, WITHOUT NEEDED BOOKS OR ANYTHING ELSE TO ACT AS A MENTOR IN THE PROCESS OF SHAPING OTHERS AS APPRENTICE CHRISTIANS. THE DIDACHE WAS NOT JUST FOR TEACHING CLASSES OR FOR TEACHERS, IT WAS NOT JUST A SET OF LESSONS, IT WAS MEANT TO BE ABSORBED SO ITS POSSESSOR WOULD FUNCTION AS A PART OF CHRIST. (ROM.12). AND HELP OTHERS TO 'JOIN THE WAY.' (ACTS 9. 2) OVER 125 YEARS THE DIDACHE HAS BEEN STUDIED IN USUALLY AS A SUPPORTING DOCUMENT, BY BIBLICAL SCHOLARS, HISTORIANS, OF THE EARLY CHURCH, LITURGISTS. THAT THERE WERE WANDERING CHRISTIANS KNOWN AS 'APOSTLES AND PROPHETS' FROM THOSE WHO WERE USING THE GOSPEL FOR THEIR OWN END. SO THE DIDACHE SETS UP A TEST: THEY MUST ONLY STAY FOR ONE DAY AS GUESTS, TO A POOR COMMUNITY THIS RULE PROVIDED FOR A WELCOME.
"HENRY FORD SAID THAT HISTORY IS BUNK." SOMEONE ELSE PASSED OVER HISTORY AS SIMPLY 'PROLOGUE"; BUT, FOR CHRISTIANS, HISTORY IS REVELATION.
IF A CHRISTIAN IS TO UNDERSTAND TODAY, WE MUST REMEMBER YESTERDAY. OR AS CARDINAL NEWMAN PUT IT: [ THE HISTORY OF THE PAST ENDS IN THE PRESENT]; AND THE PRESENT IS OUR SCENE OF TRIAL AND TO BEHAVE OURSELVES TOWARDS ITS VARIOUS PHENOMENA DULY AND RELIGIOUSLY, WE MUST UNDERSTAND THEM;
WE MUST HAVE RECOURSE TO THOSE PAST EVENTS WHICH LED TO THEM. THUS THE PRESENT IS TEXT AND THE PAST IS TODAY'S
INTERPRETATION.
( NEWMAN, 1890,
AS THE TEACHING OF THE LORD GIVEN TO THE GENTILES BY THE "TWELVE APOSTLES."
IN MOST TRANSLATIONS, THERE ARE NOTES INSERTED INTO THE TEXT OR PLACED IN FOOT NOTES POINTING TO SOURCES OR OVERLAP WITH OTHER ANCIENT TEXTS.
SUCH APPARATUS BELONGS TO THE WORLD OF READING, AND WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN HEARD WHEN THE DIDACHE WAS BEING USED; RATHER THE TEXT WOULD HAVE "RANG BELLS IN THE MEMORIES OF THE AUDIENCE AS THEY LISTENED WITHOUT BEING DISTRACTED AS WE TEND TO BE BY NOTES. SO AS TO LET THE TEXT SIMPLY RING BELLS IN THE MEMORY, THIS TRANSLATION IS WITHOUT NOTES.
1.1 THERE ARE TWO WAYS: ONE IS THE WAY OF LIFE, THE OTHER IS THE WAY OF DEATH, AND THERE IS A MIGHTY DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THESE TWO WAYS. IF YOU WENT TO JOIN A CHRISTIAN CHURCH; DURING THIS TIME THE MINISTER WOULD ASK YOU. DO YOU WANT THE WAY OF LIFE, OR THE WAY OD DEATH.
1.2 THE WAY OF LIFE IS THIS: FIRST, YOU SHALL LOVE GOD WHO CREATED YOU; SECOND, YOUR NEIGHBOR; ALL THOSE THINGS WHICH YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE DONE TO YOU, YOU SHOULD NOT DO TO OTHERS.
1.3 THE TRAINING ABOUT THESE WORDS IS THIS:
BLESS THOSE WHO CURSE YOU;
PRAY FOR THOSE WHO CURSE YOU;
PRAY FOR THOSE WHO WHO PERSECUTE.
PRAY FOR THOSE WHO ARE YOUR ENEMIES;
DO FASTS FOR THOSE WHO WHO PERSECUTE YOU.
WHAT BENEFIT IS IT IF YOU LOVE THOSE WHO LOVE YOU?
DO NOT EVEN THE GENTILES DO THAT? RATHER, YOU MUST LOVE THOSE WHO HATE YOU, AND YOU ARE NOT TO TREAT THE OTHER PERSON AS YOUR ENEMY.
1.4 ABSTAIN FROM CARNAL DESIRES.
IF SOMEONE STRIKES YOUR LEFT CHEEK, THEN TURN THE RIGHT TOWARDS HIM ALSO, AND YOU WILL BE PERFECT.
IF SOMEONE MAKES YOU GO ONE MILE, THEN GO THE EXTRA MILE WITH HIM.
16:4 THEN WHEN LAWLESSNESS IS INCREASING, PEOPLE WILL HATE AND PERSECUTE AND BE TREACHEROUS WITH ONE ANOTHER. THEN THE DECEIVER OF THIS WORLD WILL APPEAR AS IF HE IS THE "SON OF GOD" AND HE WILL DO SIGNS AND WONDERS AND THE EARTH WILL BE DELIVERED INTO HIS HANDS AND HE WILL COMMIT LAWLESS ACTS SUCH AS HAVE NEVER BEEN SEEN SINCE THE WORLD BEGAN.
16.5 THEN ALL PEOPLE WILL BE BROUGHT THROUGH THE TRIAL OF FIRE. THEN MANY WILL FALL AWAY AND WILL PERISH; BUT THOSE WHO STAND FIRM IN THEIR FAITH WILL BE SAVED BY THE CURSED ONE HIMSELF.
16:6 AND THEN, THE SIGN'S OF TRUTH WILL APPEAR:
THE FIRST SIGN WILL BE THE HEAVENS OPENING;
THEN [SECOND,] THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET;
AND, THIRD, THE RESURRECTION OF THE DEAD-
16.7 BUT NOT OF EVERYONE, BUT AS IT HAS BEEN SAID:' THE LORD WILL COME AND ALL HIS SAINTS WITH HIM.
16.8 THEN THE WORLD WILL SEE THE LORD COMING UPON THE CLOUDS.
THE DIDACHE CONCERNS AND PRIMARY PURPOSE WAS THE TRAINING OF NEW MEMBERS OF A COMMUNITY, NEW BELIEVERS IN CHRIST, AND TO GUIDE NEW PEOPLE ON THE WAY. IT WAS A TASK THAT WAS UNDERSTOOD AS PERTAINING TO EVERY EXISTING MEMBER OF THE CHURCH- THOUGH IT WAS MOST UNLIKELY EVERY CHRISTIAN TOOK AN EQUAL SHARE IN IT. HOWEVER, WHAT IS IMPORTANT IS THAT THE COMMUNITY WAS LOOKING OUTWARDS AND WAS ADAPTING ITS APPROACH TO THE LAW. ONE CAN CREATE THE MOST ELABORATE EXPLANATION OF WHY THERE CANNOT BE INTERCOMMUNION BETWEEN CHRISTIANS, BUT FAIL TO NOTICE THAT THE EUCHARIST WAS NOT INTENDED AS A BOUNDARY RITUAL BUT AS A UNIFYING AND SUSTAINING RITUAL, THE ASSUMPTION WAS THAT "BAPTISM" FORMS THE BOUNDARY, AND THEN PEOPLE'S OTHER DIFFERENCES ARE RECONCILED IN THE UNITY OF CHRIST AT HIS TABLE . WHILE NOT WISHING TO DOWN PLAY. WE HAVE ACTS WHICH SHOWS US HOW CHRISTIANS WERE FORMULATEING THEIR BELIEFS, WE HAVE IN THE DIDACHE WE SEE THEIR APPROACH TODA-TO DAY LIVING. IT PRESENTS US WITH A STRING OF INSIGHTS INTO WHAT THEY CONSIDERED TO BE THE IMPORTANT ISSUES THAT HAD TO BE GOT RIGHT. IF THEY WERE TO BE DISCIPLES ON THE WAY OF LIFE. JESUS PREACHED AND FORMED A PEOPLE AND THE PEOPLE FORMED BY THE "DIDACHE" ONLY A GENERATION LATER. WHEN WE VIEW IT THIS WAY, WE CAN SEE THAT IF THIS LITTLE TEXT IS A "SPOILED CHILD", THEN IT REPAYS THE ATTENTION PAID TO IT.
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
Saturday, June 23, 2018
MOSES SAYS GOODBYE. DEUTERONOMY!
THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY IS A SERMONIC REVIEW GIVEN BY MOSES JUST PRIOR TO HIS DEATH. THE NAME DEUTERONOMY COMES FROM TWO GREEK WORDS WHICH WERE TO USED TO FORM THE SEPTUAGINT TITLE; MEANING "SECOND," AND NOMOS, MEANING "LAW" SO, THE WORD REALLY MEANS " SECOND LAW." IN EFFECT, IT WAS THE SECOND GIVING OF THE LAW. AFTER THE ISRAELITES ARRIVED IN THE TRANS-JORDAN, IN THE YEAR 14O6B.C., MOSES RECOUNTED TO THE NEW GENERATION ALL THE PAST EVENTS OF THE PREVIOUS FORTY YEARS. IN DEUTERONOMY 1:1 WE READ:" THESE BE THE WORDS WHICH MOSES SPAKE UNTO ALL ISRAEL ON THIS SIDE JORDAN IN THE WILDERNESS, IN THE PLAIN OVER AGAINST THE RED SEA." [VERSE 5] GIVES FURTHER CLARIFICATION OF THE LOCALE,
" ON HIS SIDE OR JORDAN, IN THE LAND OF MOAB, BEGAN MOSES TO DECLARE THIS LAW." THIS IS THE SETTING THROUGHOUT THE BOOK. DEUTERONOMY [34:1] SAYS, " MOSES WENT UP FROM THE PLAINS OF MOAB UNTO THE MOUNTAIN OF NEBO" IN [34:5 ff]: " MOSES... DIED THERE IN THE LAND OF MOAB...AND MOSES WAS AN HUNDRED AND TWENTY- YEARS OLD. AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WEPT FOR MOSES IN THE PLAINS OF MOAB THIRTY DAYS." WE LOOK AT PROMISES TO BE KEPT.
AS THE ENTIRE HOST OF ISRAELITES REMAINED ON THE EAST SIDE OR TRANS- JORDAN AREA, PREPARATIONS WERE BEING MADE FOR A MILITARY MOVE ACROSS THE JORDAN TO OCCUPY CIS-JORDAN. ALMOST SEVEN HUNDRED YEARS BEFORE, THIS ENTIRE AREA HAD BEEN PROMISED TO ABRAHAM AND HIS DESCENDANTS. IN HIS DAY, THE CUP OF "THE INIQUITY OF THE AMORITES IS NOT YET FULL" [GEN15:16]. THE PERIOD OF GRACE HAD COME TO AN END AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE READY TO OCCUPY THE LAND. THIS OCCUPATION WAS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO FULFILL THE PROMISE TO ABRAHAM THAT "I WILL MAKE OF THEE A GREAT NATION. (GEN12:2). THE PEOPLE WHO LEFT THE LAND OF EGYPT WERE A PEOPLE, BUT THEY WERE NOT YET A NATION. IT TAKES THREE THINGS TO BE A NATION AND ONE OF THESE THREE IS THAT THERE MUST BE A PEOPLE. THEN THERE MUST BE A CONSTITUTION. ON MOUNT SINAI, WHEN GOD GAVE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND THE ORDINANCES FOR WORSHIP, GOVERNMENT, AND DAILY LIFE, THE CONSTITUTION YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS THEY WERE A PEOPLE WAS PROVIDED. SO FOR FORTY YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS THEY WERE A PEOPLE WITH A CONSTITUTION. ALL THAT REMAINED FOR NATIONAL IDENTITY WAS THE LAND. JUST AS WHEN THE JEWS OCCUPIED THE LAND IN 1948, THEY BECAME A NATION. IT SERVED AS GOD'S HOLY WAR AGAINST THE INHABITANTS OF CANAAN. WE READ IN DEUTERONOMY 9:4 ] SPEAK NOT THOU IN THINE HEART, AFTER THAT THE LORD THY GOD HATH CAST THEM OUT FROM BEFORE THEE, FOR MY RIGHTEOUSNESS THE LORD HATH BROUGHT ME IN TO POSSESS THE LAND: BUT FOR THE WICKEDNESS OF THESE NATIONS THE LORD DOTH DRIVE THEM OUT BEFORE THEE. IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE CORRUPT SYSTEM THAT GOD WAS OFFENDED TO THE POINT OF COMMANDING TOTAL EXTERMINATION OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND OF CANAAN. COMPLETELY OCCUPIED THE LAND AND NEVER LOST A MAN IN BATTLE.
BACK IN ["NUMBERS 31:49], FOLLOWING A BATTLE IN WHICH THE THE MEN OF WAR WERE COMPLETELY OBEDIENT, THE BIBLE RECORDS THE REPORT GIVEN MOSES, " THY SERVANTS HAVE TAKEN THE SUM OF MEN OF WAR WHICH ARE UNDER OUR CHARGE, AND THERE LACKETH NOT ONE MAN OF US. THIS WAS GOD'S WAR AND HE WAS NOT GOING TO SUFFER THE LOSS OF ANY OF HIS WARRIORS, IF THEY FOUGHT ACCORDING TO HIS ORDINANCES AND HIS COMMANDMENTS. FINALLY, IN REGARD TO THE RELIGION OF THE LAND, DEUTERONOMY [11:16-17] GAVE THE ISRAELITES ADVANCE WARNING OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. MOSES SAID: TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES, THAT YOUR HEART BE NOT DECEIVED, AND YE TURN ASIDE, AND SERVE OTHER GODS, AND WORSHIP THEM.; AND THEN THE LORD'S WRATH BE KINDLED AGAINST YOU, AND HE SHUT UP THE HEAVEN, THAT THERE BE NO RAIN, AND THE LAND YIELD NOT HER FRUIT; AND LEST YE PERISH QUICKLY FROM OFF THE GOOD LAND WHICH THE LORD GIVETH YOU. CHAPTER [11] REAFFIRMS THE FACT IT IS GOD, THE LORD JEHOVAH, AND NOT BAAL, THE CANAANITES GOD WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FERTILITY IN ALL OF CREATION. GOD KNEW THAT ONCE THE PEOPLE BEGAN TO PRACTICE THOSE ABOMINATIONS OF BAALISM THAT THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS, THEIR HUSBAND AND WIVES, WOULD GET INVOLVED IN THE FORMAL WORSHIP SYSTEM OF THE LAND, AND THAT EVEN ISRAELITE MEN AND WOMEN WOULD BECOME PROSTITUTES IN THE HOUSES OF BAAL. (CHAPTER 23:17-18
HAS THIS WARNING " THERE SHALL BE NO WHORE OF THE DAUGHTERS OF ISRAEL, NOR A SODOMITE OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL. THOU SHALL NOT BRING THE HIRE OF A WHORE, OR THE PRICE OF A DOG[ THAT IS, THE MALE CULT PROSTITUTE] INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD THY GOD FOR ANY VOW: FOR EVEN BOTH THESE ARE ABOMINATION UNTO THE LORD THY GOD. YOU WILL REMEMBER, HOW AFTER THE EXODUS, SOME FORTY PRIOR TO DEUT. 25, ISRAEL ENCOUNTERED AMALEK IN BATTLE UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF JOSHUA. AT THE TIME GOD WARNED THEM THAT THERE WOULD BE A BATTLE WITH AMALEK FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION. MOSES REMINDED IN DEUTERONOMY [25: 17-19] . MOSES REMINDED THE PEOPLE ONCE AGAIN OF WHAT HAPPENED SO THEY WOULD NOT FORGET THEIR INVOLVEMENT WITH AMALEK FOR WHAT HE DID. FORTY YEARS AFTER THE FIRST ATTACK, THE PROMISE JUDGEMENT AGAINST AMALEK WAS REAFFIRMED. AND CARRIED OUT 350 YEARS LATER.
"SONG OF MOSES".
ONE THING THAT SEEMS TO BE ROOTED IN OUR SINFUL HUMAN NATURE IS THAT THE YOUNGER GENERATION FORGETS OR IGNORES WHAT THE PREVIOUS GENERATION LEARNED. WE KNOW THAT IT WAS ADAM'S JOB TO PASS ON THE TRUTH TO HIS DESCENDANTS, AND HE FAILED. IT WAS NOAH'S JOB TO PASS ON THE TRUTH TO HIS DESCENDANTS, AND HE FAILED. IT WAS THE JOB OF ABRAHAM TO PASS ON THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD TO HIS DESCENDANTS, AND HE FAILED. "MOSES LIKEWISED WAS INSTRUCTED VERY PLAINLY TO PASS THESE TRUTHS ON TO THE SONS AND THE SONS' SONS, AND BY THE WORD OF MOUTH METHOD, THE TRUTH OF GOD WAS TO BE TRANSMITTED FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION (DEUT 6:7; 31:12-13). BUT, IMAGINE IF YOU WILL, WHAT THE RESPONSE WAS TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE FIVE AND SIX GENERATIONS REMOVED FROM ADAM TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT HE HAD BEEN CREATED AND WALKED IN THE COOL OF THE DAY WITH GOD. I AM SHORE THAT WICKED GENERATION LAUGHED AND THOUGHT HE WAS INSANE. WHEN NOAH TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO HIS DESCENDANTS, SEVERAL GENERATIONS REMOVED, THAT HE HAD EXPERIENCED THE FLOOD; AND WHEN HIS SONS-SHEM, HAM, AND JAPHETH,ATTEMPTED TO EXPLAIN TO THEIR GRANDCHILDREN AND GREAT GRANDCHILDREN THAT AT ONE TIME THE ENTIRE EARTH HAD BEEN COVERED WITH WATER AND THEY HAD LIVED- IN A PRE FLOOD ERA, I'M AM SURE THEY WERE ALSO THOUGHT TO BE INSANE. WE KNOW HOW AFTER SEVERAL GENERATIONS, THE TRUTH THAT IS ATTEMPTED TO BE PASSED ON IS MOCKED AND SCOFFED AT AND ASSUMED TO BE WORTHLESS., MYTHICAL INFORMATION. BECAUSE OF THIS, OMNISCIENT GOD TOLD MOSES THAT HE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. HE DESCRIBED IN 31:16 THAT SOON AFTER THEY WERE SETTLED IN THE LAND, THEY WOULD PLAY THE HARLOT. WITH STRANGE god's
' AND FORSAKE ME, AND BREAK MY COVENANT WHICH I HAVE MADE WITH THEM.
" IN RETURN VERSE (17); I WILL TURN MY FACE FROM THEM. IN A ATTEMPT TO PREVENT THIS, HE COMMANDED MOSES TO COMPOSE A SONG SO THAT GENERATIONS AND CENTURIES LATER THEY WOULD REMEMBER THAT THEY HAD BEEN WARNED ABOUT THEIR BEHAVIOR. THOUGH MANY THINGS MAY PASS AWAY, A SONG OR AN EPIC POEM WOULD BE LEARNED AND SUNG AND PASSED DOWN FROM ONE GENERATION TO ANOTHER. IT WAS DESIGNED TO MAKE THEM REMEMBER BACK TO A TIME WHEN GOD FIRST GAVE IT AND ITS TITLE COULD BE "AGAINST FORGETFULNESS." THE PURPOSE OF THIS SONG (EPIC POEM) WAS TO REMIND THE PEOPLE THAT GOD HAD ANTICIPATED THEIR FAILURE, AND THAT THERE WAS STILL HOPE IF THEY WOULD REPENT THE POEM REQUIRES FORTY-THREE VERSES IN CHAPTER 32. IN THIS MARVELOUS PIECE OF POETRY, GOD REMINDS THEM THAT HE MADE THEM DRINK HONEY FROM THE ROCK AND OIL FROM THE FLINTY ROCK, BUT THEY DECIDED TO SERVE IDOLS AND OTHER DEMONS THAT CLAIMED TO BE GOD'S WARNED THEM IN THE SONG THAT HE WOULD HEAP MISFORTUNE UPON THEM, AND ASSURED THEM IN THE END OF HIS VENGEANCE AND THAT BLOOD WOULD BE AVENGED WHICH HAD BEEN SHED BY THE ENEMIES OF HIS SERVANTS. THE REMAINDER OF CHAPTER 32 CONTAINS GOD'S INSTRUCTIONS TO MOSES REGARDING HIS DEATH, AND THE REASON IIT WOULD OCCUR PRIOR TO ENTERING THE LAND BECAUSE HE HAD FAILED IN THE MATER OF STRIKING THE ROCK. IN CHAPTER 33, MOSES BLESSED THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WHICH IS RECORDED IN CHAPTER 34.
IN DEUTERONOMY 34:7 RECORDS THAT HE LIVED TO BE 12O YEARS OLD.
WITH THE DEATH OF MOSES IN 14O6 B.C., AFTER THE DEATH OF MOSES, THE NEW GENERATION OF PEOPLE WAS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE JORDAN RIVER. THE LEADER THEY KNEWW FOR MANY YEARS WAS DEAD THE BATON OF LEADERSHIP HAD BEEN PASSED TO JOSHUA, AND THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND OF CANAAN
WERE ANTICIPATING MILITARY ACTIVITY AS THEY LOOKED EASTWARD ACROSS JORDAN. THE ISRAELITES WERE EAGER ENTER THE LAND.
" ON HIS SIDE OR JORDAN, IN THE LAND OF MOAB, BEGAN MOSES TO DECLARE THIS LAW." THIS IS THE SETTING THROUGHOUT THE BOOK. DEUTERONOMY [34:1] SAYS, " MOSES WENT UP FROM THE PLAINS OF MOAB UNTO THE MOUNTAIN OF NEBO" IN [34:5 ff]: " MOSES... DIED THERE IN THE LAND OF MOAB...AND MOSES WAS AN HUNDRED AND TWENTY- YEARS OLD. AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WEPT FOR MOSES IN THE PLAINS OF MOAB THIRTY DAYS." WE LOOK AT PROMISES TO BE KEPT.
AS THE ENTIRE HOST OF ISRAELITES REMAINED ON THE EAST SIDE OR TRANS- JORDAN AREA, PREPARATIONS WERE BEING MADE FOR A MILITARY MOVE ACROSS THE JORDAN TO OCCUPY CIS-JORDAN. ALMOST SEVEN HUNDRED YEARS BEFORE, THIS ENTIRE AREA HAD BEEN PROMISED TO ABRAHAM AND HIS DESCENDANTS. IN HIS DAY, THE CUP OF "THE INIQUITY OF THE AMORITES IS NOT YET FULL" [GEN15:16]. THE PERIOD OF GRACE HAD COME TO AN END AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WERE READY TO OCCUPY THE LAND. THIS OCCUPATION WAS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO FULFILL THE PROMISE TO ABRAHAM THAT "I WILL MAKE OF THEE A GREAT NATION. (GEN12:2). THE PEOPLE WHO LEFT THE LAND OF EGYPT WERE A PEOPLE, BUT THEY WERE NOT YET A NATION. IT TAKES THREE THINGS TO BE A NATION AND ONE OF THESE THREE IS THAT THERE MUST BE A PEOPLE. THEN THERE MUST BE A CONSTITUTION. ON MOUNT SINAI, WHEN GOD GAVE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS AND THE ORDINANCES FOR WORSHIP, GOVERNMENT, AND DAILY LIFE, THE CONSTITUTION YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS THEY WERE A PEOPLE WAS PROVIDED. SO FOR FORTY YEARS IN THE WILDERNESS THEY WERE A PEOPLE WITH A CONSTITUTION. ALL THAT REMAINED FOR NATIONAL IDENTITY WAS THE LAND. JUST AS WHEN THE JEWS OCCUPIED THE LAND IN 1948, THEY BECAME A NATION. IT SERVED AS GOD'S HOLY WAR AGAINST THE INHABITANTS OF CANAAN. WE READ IN DEUTERONOMY 9:4 ] SPEAK NOT THOU IN THINE HEART, AFTER THAT THE LORD THY GOD HATH CAST THEM OUT FROM BEFORE THEE, FOR MY RIGHTEOUSNESS THE LORD HATH BROUGHT ME IN TO POSSESS THE LAND: BUT FOR THE WICKEDNESS OF THESE NATIONS THE LORD DOTH DRIVE THEM OUT BEFORE THEE. IT WAS BECAUSE OF THE CORRUPT SYSTEM THAT GOD WAS OFFENDED TO THE POINT OF COMMANDING TOTAL EXTERMINATION OF THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND OF CANAAN. COMPLETELY OCCUPIED THE LAND AND NEVER LOST A MAN IN BATTLE.
BACK IN ["NUMBERS 31:49], FOLLOWING A BATTLE IN WHICH THE THE MEN OF WAR WERE COMPLETELY OBEDIENT, THE BIBLE RECORDS THE REPORT GIVEN MOSES, " THY SERVANTS HAVE TAKEN THE SUM OF MEN OF WAR WHICH ARE UNDER OUR CHARGE, AND THERE LACKETH NOT ONE MAN OF US. THIS WAS GOD'S WAR AND HE WAS NOT GOING TO SUFFER THE LOSS OF ANY OF HIS WARRIORS, IF THEY FOUGHT ACCORDING TO HIS ORDINANCES AND HIS COMMANDMENTS. FINALLY, IN REGARD TO THE RELIGION OF THE LAND, DEUTERONOMY [11:16-17] GAVE THE ISRAELITES ADVANCE WARNING OF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN. MOSES SAID: TAKE HEED TO YOURSELVES, THAT YOUR HEART BE NOT DECEIVED, AND YE TURN ASIDE, AND SERVE OTHER GODS, AND WORSHIP THEM.; AND THEN THE LORD'S WRATH BE KINDLED AGAINST YOU, AND HE SHUT UP THE HEAVEN, THAT THERE BE NO RAIN, AND THE LAND YIELD NOT HER FRUIT; AND LEST YE PERISH QUICKLY FROM OFF THE GOOD LAND WHICH THE LORD GIVETH YOU. CHAPTER [11] REAFFIRMS THE FACT IT IS GOD, THE LORD JEHOVAH, AND NOT BAAL, THE CANAANITES GOD WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR FERTILITY IN ALL OF CREATION. GOD KNEW THAT ONCE THE PEOPLE BEGAN TO PRACTICE THOSE ABOMINATIONS OF BAALISM THAT THEIR SONS AND DAUGHTERS, THEIR HUSBAND AND WIVES, WOULD GET INVOLVED IN THE FORMAL WORSHIP SYSTEM OF THE LAND, AND THAT EVEN ISRAELITE MEN AND WOMEN WOULD BECOME PROSTITUTES IN THE HOUSES OF BAAL. (CHAPTER 23:17-18
HAS THIS WARNING " THERE SHALL BE NO WHORE OF THE DAUGHTERS OF ISRAEL, NOR A SODOMITE OF THE SONS OF ISRAEL. THOU SHALL NOT BRING THE HIRE OF A WHORE, OR THE PRICE OF A DOG[ THAT IS, THE MALE CULT PROSTITUTE] INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD THY GOD FOR ANY VOW: FOR EVEN BOTH THESE ARE ABOMINATION UNTO THE LORD THY GOD. YOU WILL REMEMBER, HOW AFTER THE EXODUS, SOME FORTY PRIOR TO DEUT. 25, ISRAEL ENCOUNTERED AMALEK IN BATTLE UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF JOSHUA. AT THE TIME GOD WARNED THEM THAT THERE WOULD BE A BATTLE WITH AMALEK FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION. MOSES REMINDED IN DEUTERONOMY [25: 17-19] . MOSES REMINDED THE PEOPLE ONCE AGAIN OF WHAT HAPPENED SO THEY WOULD NOT FORGET THEIR INVOLVEMENT WITH AMALEK FOR WHAT HE DID. FORTY YEARS AFTER THE FIRST ATTACK, THE PROMISE JUDGEMENT AGAINST AMALEK WAS REAFFIRMED. AND CARRIED OUT 350 YEARS LATER.
"SONG OF MOSES".
ONE THING THAT SEEMS TO BE ROOTED IN OUR SINFUL HUMAN NATURE IS THAT THE YOUNGER GENERATION FORGETS OR IGNORES WHAT THE PREVIOUS GENERATION LEARNED. WE KNOW THAT IT WAS ADAM'S JOB TO PASS ON THE TRUTH TO HIS DESCENDANTS, AND HE FAILED. IT WAS NOAH'S JOB TO PASS ON THE TRUTH TO HIS DESCENDANTS, AND HE FAILED. IT WAS THE JOB OF ABRAHAM TO PASS ON THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD TO HIS DESCENDANTS, AND HE FAILED. "MOSES LIKEWISED WAS INSTRUCTED VERY PLAINLY TO PASS THESE TRUTHS ON TO THE SONS AND THE SONS' SONS, AND BY THE WORD OF MOUTH METHOD, THE TRUTH OF GOD WAS TO BE TRANSMITTED FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION (DEUT 6:7; 31:12-13). BUT, IMAGINE IF YOU WILL, WHAT THE RESPONSE WAS TO THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO WERE FIVE AND SIX GENERATIONS REMOVED FROM ADAM TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO THEM THAT HE HAD BEEN CREATED AND WALKED IN THE COOL OF THE DAY WITH GOD. I AM SHORE THAT WICKED GENERATION LAUGHED AND THOUGHT HE WAS INSANE. WHEN NOAH TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO HIS DESCENDANTS, SEVERAL GENERATIONS REMOVED, THAT HE HAD EXPERIENCED THE FLOOD; AND WHEN HIS SONS-SHEM, HAM, AND JAPHETH,ATTEMPTED TO EXPLAIN TO THEIR GRANDCHILDREN AND GREAT GRANDCHILDREN THAT AT ONE TIME THE ENTIRE EARTH HAD BEEN COVERED WITH WATER AND THEY HAD LIVED- IN A PRE FLOOD ERA, I'M AM SURE THEY WERE ALSO THOUGHT TO BE INSANE. WE KNOW HOW AFTER SEVERAL GENERATIONS, THE TRUTH THAT IS ATTEMPTED TO BE PASSED ON IS MOCKED AND SCOFFED AT AND ASSUMED TO BE WORTHLESS., MYTHICAL INFORMATION. BECAUSE OF THIS, OMNISCIENT GOD TOLD MOSES THAT HE KNEW WHAT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN. HE DESCRIBED IN 31:16 THAT SOON AFTER THEY WERE SETTLED IN THE LAND, THEY WOULD PLAY THE HARLOT. WITH STRANGE god's
' AND FORSAKE ME, AND BREAK MY COVENANT WHICH I HAVE MADE WITH THEM.
" IN RETURN VERSE (17); I WILL TURN MY FACE FROM THEM. IN A ATTEMPT TO PREVENT THIS, HE COMMANDED MOSES TO COMPOSE A SONG SO THAT GENERATIONS AND CENTURIES LATER THEY WOULD REMEMBER THAT THEY HAD BEEN WARNED ABOUT THEIR BEHAVIOR. THOUGH MANY THINGS MAY PASS AWAY, A SONG OR AN EPIC POEM WOULD BE LEARNED AND SUNG AND PASSED DOWN FROM ONE GENERATION TO ANOTHER. IT WAS DESIGNED TO MAKE THEM REMEMBER BACK TO A TIME WHEN GOD FIRST GAVE IT AND ITS TITLE COULD BE "AGAINST FORGETFULNESS." THE PURPOSE OF THIS SONG (EPIC POEM) WAS TO REMIND THE PEOPLE THAT GOD HAD ANTICIPATED THEIR FAILURE, AND THAT THERE WAS STILL HOPE IF THEY WOULD REPENT THE POEM REQUIRES FORTY-THREE VERSES IN CHAPTER 32. IN THIS MARVELOUS PIECE OF POETRY, GOD REMINDS THEM THAT HE MADE THEM DRINK HONEY FROM THE ROCK AND OIL FROM THE FLINTY ROCK, BUT THEY DECIDED TO SERVE IDOLS AND OTHER DEMONS THAT CLAIMED TO BE GOD'S WARNED THEM IN THE SONG THAT HE WOULD HEAP MISFORTUNE UPON THEM, AND ASSURED THEM IN THE END OF HIS VENGEANCE AND THAT BLOOD WOULD BE AVENGED WHICH HAD BEEN SHED BY THE ENEMIES OF HIS SERVANTS. THE REMAINDER OF CHAPTER 32 CONTAINS GOD'S INSTRUCTIONS TO MOSES REGARDING HIS DEATH, AND THE REASON IIT WOULD OCCUR PRIOR TO ENTERING THE LAND BECAUSE HE HAD FAILED IN THE MATER OF STRIKING THE ROCK. IN CHAPTER 33, MOSES BLESSED THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL WHICH IS RECORDED IN CHAPTER 34.
IN DEUTERONOMY 34:7 RECORDS THAT HE LIVED TO BE 12O YEARS OLD.
WITH THE DEATH OF MOSES IN 14O6 B.C., AFTER THE DEATH OF MOSES, THE NEW GENERATION OF PEOPLE WAS ON THE EAST SIDE OF THE JORDAN RIVER. THE LEADER THEY KNEWW FOR MANY YEARS WAS DEAD THE BATON OF LEADERSHIP HAD BEEN PASSED TO JOSHUA, AND THE INHABITANTS OF THE LAND OF CANAAN
WERE ANTICIPATING MILITARY ACTIVITY AS THEY LOOKED EASTWARD ACROSS JORDAN. THE ISRAELITES WERE EAGER ENTER THE LAND.
Friday, June 22, 2018
MESSIANIC PSALMS.
THE STUDY OF PSALMS ARE USED, IN THE CHURCH HOMILY ON "GOOD FRIDAY" MESSAGE. THESE ARE PSALMS CONCERNED WITH THE MESSIAH. THEY WERE GIVEN BY THE LORD JESUS CHRIST TO THE PSALMIST IN HIS PRE-INCARNATE ETERNAL STATE.
AS THE LORD JESUS LOOKED DOWN THROUGH THE CORRIDORS OF TIME FROM ETERNITY PAST, HE POURED OUT HIS HEART IN ANTICIPATION OF THE SUFFERINGS AND SORROWS THAT HE KNEW HE WOULD ENDURE A THOUSAND YEARS LATER. IN THESE PSALMS, WE HAVE A GLIMPSE OF WHAT HE KNOWINGLY FACED FOR US. MANY MESSIANIC PSALMS WERE WRITTEN BY "DAVID" BETWEEN 1O1O AND 97O B.C., ONE THOUSAND YEARS BEFORE THE CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF "MESSIANIC PSALMS. THE FIRST CAN BE IDENTIFIED AS "TYPICAL." IN A TYPICAL MESSIANIC PSALM THERE IS SOME FEATURE IN THE LIFE OF THE PSALMIST THAT IS INTENDED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BE A PICTURE OR TYPE OF THE COMING MESSIAH. SOME PARTICULAR FEATURE OR ASPECT OF HIS LIFE, OR SOME CHARACTERISTIC OF THE INDIVIDUAL, OR SOMETHING HE DOES OR EXPERIENCES, IS A TYPE OF MESSIAH. IN THE TYPICAL MESSIANIC PSALM," WE DO NOT SAY THAT ALL THE PSALMIST LIFE, ACTIVITIES, OR CIRCUMSTANCES MENTIONED, ARE MESSIANIC. OTHERWISE IN MANY INSTANCES WE WOULD END UP WITH HERESY. ONLY SOME PARTICULAR FEATURE OF THE PSALM IS THE TYPE. [PSALM 69] IS AN IDEAL EXAMPLE.
"69" IS A LAMENT PSALM, OR REMINDER PSALM. VERSE 5 DEMONSTRATES THAT THE ENTIRE PSALM IS NOT MESSIANIC. IT READS, "O GOD THOU KNOWEST MY FOOLISHNESS; AND MY SINS ARE NOT HID FROM THEE." WE KNOW THIS CANNOT REFER TO THE MESSIAH BECAUSE HE WAS SINLESS BUT THEN IN VERSE 7, "BECAUSE FOR THY SAKE I HAVE BORNE REPROACH; SHAME HAS COVERED MY FACE." WITH THAT, DAVID'S EXPERIENCE BECOMES A TYPE OF THE MESSIAH. HE CONTINUES IN VERSE 8, "I AM BECOME A STRANGER UNTO MY BRETHREN, AND AN ALIEN TO MY MOTHER'S CHILDREN." NOTICE THE SYNONYMOUS PARALLELISM IN THESE TWO VERSES. AGAIN, DAVID'S EXPERIENCE MADE HIM A TYPE OF CHRIST, WHO IN HIS LIFETIME BECAME A STRANGER AND AN ALIEN BECAUSE HIS RELATIVES BELIEVED HE WAS "BESIDE HIMSELF".
WE CARRY ON CONTINUING IN PSALM 69, VERSE 9 SAYS, " FOR THE ZEAL OF THINE HOUSE HATH EATEN ME UP." AS A THEOCENTRIC INDIVIDUAL, DAVID WAS SO CONSUMED WITH THE WORSHIP OF JEHOVAH, THAT HE SPENT HOURS AND DAYS IN WORSHIP AT THE ARK IN JERUSALEM AT THE TABERNACLE AND BRAZEN ALTAR IN GIBEON. IN THIS PSALM HE SAID, "I AM JUST CONSUMED WITH GOD:" I AM CONSUMED WITH WORSHIPPING GOD." A THOUSAND YEARS LATER, WHEN THE APOSTLE JOHN SAW THE LORD JESUS IN HIS ZEAL FOR THE TEMPLE, HE RECORDED IN JOHN 2:17, " AND HIS DISCIPLES REMEMBERED THAT IT WAS WRITTEN, THE ZEAL OF THINE HOUSE HATH EATEN ME UP." IN THAT RESPECT, THEY IMMEDIATELY LIKENED THE LORD JESUS TO HIS ANCESTOR DAVID AND LINKED WITH THIS PSALM.
AGAIN, IN VERSE 12, DAVID EXPERIENCE IS A TYPE OF CHRIST: " THEY THAT SIT IN THE GATE SPEAK AGAINST ME: AND I WAS THE SONG OF DRUNKARDS." PSALM 69. VERSES 19 AND 20: " THOU HAS KNOWN MY REPROACH, AND MY SHAME, AND MY DISHONOR:... REPROACH HAS BROKEN MY HEART; AND I AM FULL OF HEAVINESS; I LOOK FOR SOME TO TAKE PITY, BUT THERE WAS NONE; AND FOR COMFORTERS, AND I FOUND NONE.
AS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WAS ON THE CROSS ONE THOUSAND YEARS LATER, LOOKING AT THE FACES STARING UP AT HIM, HE SAW THEM SHOOTING OUT THE LIP, WAGGING THEIR HEADS, MOCKING HIM AND SAYING, " THOU SON OF GOD COME DOWN FROM THE CROSS AND SAVE THYSELF." AS THE PSALMIST SAID, HE FOUND NO PITY IN ANY OF THE EYES OR FACES LOOKING UP AT HIM IN SULLEN PRIDE AND ARROGANCE. IN THE BEGINNING WE SAW ONE OF THE THREE TYPES OF MESSIANIC PSALMS, THE FIRST WAS "TYPICAL" ( PROPHETIC) FINALLY IN VERSE 21, THE PSALMIST SAYS " THEY GAVE ME GALL FOR MY MEAT; IN MY THIRST THEY GAVE ME VINEGAR TO DRINK." WE HAVE NO EVIDENCE THAT THIS EVER HAPPENED TO DAVID. THEREFORE, WHEN HE USES THIS KIND OF VOCABULARY, HE STEPS BEYOND THE CATEGORY OF A TYPICAL-PROPHETIC MESSIANIC PSALM. UP TO THIS POINT, HISTORY HAS BEEN IN PLAY IN DAVID'S LIFE. HE EXPERIENCED THE REBUKE OF FRIENDS WHEN HE FLED FROM SAUL, AND WAS ABUSED BY SHIMEI WHEN HE FLED FROM ABSALOM. WHEN HE WAS ACROSS THE JORDAN AFTER ABSALOM HAD INVADED JERUSALEM, I AM CERTAIN HE WAS THE SONG OF THE DRUNKARDS, AND EVEN LATER ON DURING THE REBELLION OF SHEBA. SO IN THOSE PORTIONS OF THE PSALMS, DAVID WAS EXPERIENCING IN HIS OWN LIFE THOSE THINGS THAT THE LORD JESUS WOULD LATER EXPERIENCE. IT IS NOT TO BELIEVE THAT DAVID EVER
EXPERIENCED THE GALL AND VINEGAR. SO, WE FIND THAT IN A TYPICAL PROPHETIC MESSIANIC PSALM, THAT HISTORY IS NOT THE ONLY FORCE IN PLAY. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE PSALMIST THOUGHT AS HE WROTE SUCH WORDS UNDER THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. HE MAY HAVE BELIEVED IT WAS FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE, AND WHAT MAY SOMETIMES HAVE EVEN APPEARED TO BE HYPERBOLE
WAS LITERALLY FULFILLED IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
MUCH OF THE CENTER OF. THOUGHT IN THE MESSIANIC PSALMS HAS TO DO WITH THE SUFFERINGS OF LORD JESUS. WHICH OF US CAN REALLY KNOW THE SUFFERINGS OF CRUCIFIXION? CERTAINLY I DO NOT. BUT WE DO KNOW IT WAS AN AGONY BEYOND COMPARE. WE DO HAVE A HOLLYWOOD STEREOTYPE CRUCIFIXION. WE HAVE SEEN A TALL CROSS STANDING HIGH ABOVE THE HORIZON IN MANY FILMS. IN REALITY THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. THE ROMAN CROSS WAS SHORT. IN FACT, THE VICTIM OF CRUCIFIXION WOULD LIVE TWO OR THREE DAYS IN AGONY.
DURING CRUCIFIXION, THE VICTIM WAS FIRST PUT ON THE CROSS. WHICH WAS LYING ON THE GROUND. NAILS WERE DRIVEN THROUGH THE HANDS AT THE JUNCTURE OF THE WRIST AND THEN THROUGH THE FEET TO SECURE HIM IN THAT POSITION. THE CROSS WAS THEN RAISED AND DROPPED INTO A PREVIOUSLY DUG HOLE. WHEN IT STRUCK BOTTOM OF THE OLE, THE IMPACT WOULD USUALLY PULL LOOSE THE SHOULDER JOINTS AND LIGAMENTS, AS THE ENTIRE BODY WEIGHT PULLED AGAINST THE WRISTS WITH THE FORCE OF THE CROSS BEING DROPPED.
IN THIS DISTENDED POSITION, WHICH IMMEDIATELY REDUCED BREATHING TO BECOME SHALLOW AS THE VICTIM SANK LOWER, HE BEGAN TO SUFFOCATE. IN ORDER TO BREATHE, AND TO RELIEVE THE PAIN IN HIS HANDS, HE WOULD PUSH HIMSELF BACK UP WITH HIS FEET. BUT THIS ACTION CAUSED THE PAIN IN HIS FEET TO BE SO EXCRUCIATING,, HE WOULD AGAIN START TO SAG TO RELIEVE IT. AS DEATH BEGAN TO CREEP IN SLOWLY ON HIM, A SEMI RIGOR MORTIS SET IN. BONES BEING PULLED OUT OF JOINT, BECOMING EXTREMELY THIRSTY ADD TO THAT THE FACT THAT HE WAS IMPALED NAKED AND HELPLESS FOR ALL TO SEE. IT WAS PAIN, AGONY, AND HUMILIATION BEYOND COMPARE. AND IF THAT WAS NOT SUFFICIENT, THE LORD JESUS SUFFERED WITH A CROWN OF THORNS AND A MUTILATED BACK AS HE BORE OUR SINS THERE ON CALVARY'S TREE. WE COULD WISH HIM NO GREATER DIADEM, THAN THAT CROWN OF THORNS BECAUSE OUR MINDS GO BACK TO THE CURSE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN, WHEN GOD SAID THAT NATURE WOULD BRING FORTH THORNS AS A RESULT OF ADAM'S FALL WHEN THEY MADE A CROWN OF THORNS AND PRESSED THEM ON THE HEAD OF THE SAVIOR, HE HUNG THERE SUSPENDED BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH, WITH THE BLOOD STREAMING DOWN HIS FOREHEAD, THE THORNY DIADEM HAD A GREAT SIGNIFICANCE. HE WAS BEARING THE CURSE FOR ALL MANKIND AND ALL OF CREATION, AS HE PERFORMED THE ACT OF REDEMPTION. THE SCRIPTURE IS VERY PLAIN WHEN IT SAYS, " IT PLEASED THE LORD TO BRUISE HIM"(ISA. 53:1O). BECAUSE HE WAS THE LAMB SLAIN FROM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, IN ANTICIPATION OF HIS AGONY TO BE ENDURED FOR OUR SAKES, CHRIST OPEN HIS HEART TO THE PSALMIST AS HE PENNED PSALM 22:1, " MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?" WHY ART THOU SO FAR FROM HELPING ME? DAVID WAS IN DESPERATE TROUBLE WHEN HE PENNED THIS, AND THE MESSIAH WOULD BE IN MORE DESPERATE TROUBLE WHEN HE USED THOSE WORDS AS HE WAS ON THE CROSS. [VERSE 7] ALL THEY THAT SEE ME LAUGH ME TO SCORN: THEY SHOOT OUT THE LIP, THEY SHAKE THE HEAD. (PSALM 22).
[VERSE 14] I AM POURED OUT LIKE WATER, AND ALL MY BONES ARE OUT OF JOINT:
AND MY HEART IS LIKE WAX. ( PSALM 22)
LOOK AT [VERSE 16]: " THEY PIERCED MY HANDS AND MY FEET.." THERE IS NO HISTORICAL RECORD DAVID EVER HAD HIS HANDS AND FEET PIERCED. AS HE PENNED THIS, HE MUST HAVE WONDERED WHAT HE WAS SAYING: BUT A THOUSAND YEARS LATER THE LORD JESUS LITERALLY EXPERIENCED THIS. THE PROPHECY CONTINUES IN [VERSE 18]: THEY PART MY GARMENTS AMONG THEM, AND CAST LOTS FOR MY VESTURE." IN NO WAY CAN THIS BE HISTORICAL. IT IS PROPHESY AS CHRIST HIMSELF INSPIRED DAVID TO WRITE WHAT HE WOULD EXPERIENCE WHEN HE PAID THE ULTIMATE PENALTY FOR SIN ON CALVARY'S CROSS.
AMEN.
AS THE LORD JESUS LOOKED DOWN THROUGH THE CORRIDORS OF TIME FROM ETERNITY PAST, HE POURED OUT HIS HEART IN ANTICIPATION OF THE SUFFERINGS AND SORROWS THAT HE KNEW HE WOULD ENDURE A THOUSAND YEARS LATER. IN THESE PSALMS, WE HAVE A GLIMPSE OF WHAT HE KNOWINGLY FACED FOR US. MANY MESSIANIC PSALMS WERE WRITTEN BY "DAVID" BETWEEN 1O1O AND 97O B.C., ONE THOUSAND YEARS BEFORE THE CRUCIFIXION AND RESURRECTION OF THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF "MESSIANIC PSALMS. THE FIRST CAN BE IDENTIFIED AS "TYPICAL." IN A TYPICAL MESSIANIC PSALM THERE IS SOME FEATURE IN THE LIFE OF THE PSALMIST THAT IS INTENDED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT TO BE A PICTURE OR TYPE OF THE COMING MESSIAH. SOME PARTICULAR FEATURE OR ASPECT OF HIS LIFE, OR SOME CHARACTERISTIC OF THE INDIVIDUAL, OR SOMETHING HE DOES OR EXPERIENCES, IS A TYPE OF MESSIAH. IN THE TYPICAL MESSIANIC PSALM," WE DO NOT SAY THAT ALL THE PSALMIST LIFE, ACTIVITIES, OR CIRCUMSTANCES MENTIONED, ARE MESSIANIC. OTHERWISE IN MANY INSTANCES WE WOULD END UP WITH HERESY. ONLY SOME PARTICULAR FEATURE OF THE PSALM IS THE TYPE. [PSALM 69] IS AN IDEAL EXAMPLE.
"69" IS A LAMENT PSALM, OR REMINDER PSALM. VERSE 5 DEMONSTRATES THAT THE ENTIRE PSALM IS NOT MESSIANIC. IT READS, "O GOD THOU KNOWEST MY FOOLISHNESS; AND MY SINS ARE NOT HID FROM THEE." WE KNOW THIS CANNOT REFER TO THE MESSIAH BECAUSE HE WAS SINLESS BUT THEN IN VERSE 7, "BECAUSE FOR THY SAKE I HAVE BORNE REPROACH; SHAME HAS COVERED MY FACE." WITH THAT, DAVID'S EXPERIENCE BECOMES A TYPE OF THE MESSIAH. HE CONTINUES IN VERSE 8, "I AM BECOME A STRANGER UNTO MY BRETHREN, AND AN ALIEN TO MY MOTHER'S CHILDREN." NOTICE THE SYNONYMOUS PARALLELISM IN THESE TWO VERSES. AGAIN, DAVID'S EXPERIENCE MADE HIM A TYPE OF CHRIST, WHO IN HIS LIFETIME BECAME A STRANGER AND AN ALIEN BECAUSE HIS RELATIVES BELIEVED HE WAS "BESIDE HIMSELF".
WE CARRY ON CONTINUING IN PSALM 69, VERSE 9 SAYS, " FOR THE ZEAL OF THINE HOUSE HATH EATEN ME UP." AS A THEOCENTRIC INDIVIDUAL, DAVID WAS SO CONSUMED WITH THE WORSHIP OF JEHOVAH, THAT HE SPENT HOURS AND DAYS IN WORSHIP AT THE ARK IN JERUSALEM AT THE TABERNACLE AND BRAZEN ALTAR IN GIBEON. IN THIS PSALM HE SAID, "I AM JUST CONSUMED WITH GOD:" I AM CONSUMED WITH WORSHIPPING GOD." A THOUSAND YEARS LATER, WHEN THE APOSTLE JOHN SAW THE LORD JESUS IN HIS ZEAL FOR THE TEMPLE, HE RECORDED IN JOHN 2:17, " AND HIS DISCIPLES REMEMBERED THAT IT WAS WRITTEN, THE ZEAL OF THINE HOUSE HATH EATEN ME UP." IN THAT RESPECT, THEY IMMEDIATELY LIKENED THE LORD JESUS TO HIS ANCESTOR DAVID AND LINKED WITH THIS PSALM.
AGAIN, IN VERSE 12, DAVID EXPERIENCE IS A TYPE OF CHRIST: " THEY THAT SIT IN THE GATE SPEAK AGAINST ME: AND I WAS THE SONG OF DRUNKARDS." PSALM 69. VERSES 19 AND 20: " THOU HAS KNOWN MY REPROACH, AND MY SHAME, AND MY DISHONOR:... REPROACH HAS BROKEN MY HEART; AND I AM FULL OF HEAVINESS; I LOOK FOR SOME TO TAKE PITY, BUT THERE WAS NONE; AND FOR COMFORTERS, AND I FOUND NONE.
AS THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WAS ON THE CROSS ONE THOUSAND YEARS LATER, LOOKING AT THE FACES STARING UP AT HIM, HE SAW THEM SHOOTING OUT THE LIP, WAGGING THEIR HEADS, MOCKING HIM AND SAYING, " THOU SON OF GOD COME DOWN FROM THE CROSS AND SAVE THYSELF." AS THE PSALMIST SAID, HE FOUND NO PITY IN ANY OF THE EYES OR FACES LOOKING UP AT HIM IN SULLEN PRIDE AND ARROGANCE. IN THE BEGINNING WE SAW ONE OF THE THREE TYPES OF MESSIANIC PSALMS, THE FIRST WAS "TYPICAL" ( PROPHETIC) FINALLY IN VERSE 21, THE PSALMIST SAYS " THEY GAVE ME GALL FOR MY MEAT; IN MY THIRST THEY GAVE ME VINEGAR TO DRINK." WE HAVE NO EVIDENCE THAT THIS EVER HAPPENED TO DAVID. THEREFORE, WHEN HE USES THIS KIND OF VOCABULARY, HE STEPS BEYOND THE CATEGORY OF A TYPICAL-PROPHETIC MESSIANIC PSALM. UP TO THIS POINT, HISTORY HAS BEEN IN PLAY IN DAVID'S LIFE. HE EXPERIENCED THE REBUKE OF FRIENDS WHEN HE FLED FROM SAUL, AND WAS ABUSED BY SHIMEI WHEN HE FLED FROM ABSALOM. WHEN HE WAS ACROSS THE JORDAN AFTER ABSALOM HAD INVADED JERUSALEM, I AM CERTAIN HE WAS THE SONG OF THE DRUNKARDS, AND EVEN LATER ON DURING THE REBELLION OF SHEBA. SO IN THOSE PORTIONS OF THE PSALMS, DAVID WAS EXPERIENCING IN HIS OWN LIFE THOSE THINGS THAT THE LORD JESUS WOULD LATER EXPERIENCE. IT IS NOT TO BELIEVE THAT DAVID EVER
EXPERIENCED THE GALL AND VINEGAR. SO, WE FIND THAT IN A TYPICAL PROPHETIC MESSIANIC PSALM, THAT HISTORY IS NOT THE ONLY FORCE IN PLAY. WE DO NOT KNOW WHAT THE PSALMIST THOUGHT AS HE WROTE SUCH WORDS UNDER THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. HE MAY HAVE BELIEVED IT WAS FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE, AND WHAT MAY SOMETIMES HAVE EVEN APPEARED TO BE HYPERBOLE
WAS LITERALLY FULFILLED IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
MUCH OF THE CENTER OF. THOUGHT IN THE MESSIANIC PSALMS HAS TO DO WITH THE SUFFERINGS OF LORD JESUS. WHICH OF US CAN REALLY KNOW THE SUFFERINGS OF CRUCIFIXION? CERTAINLY I DO NOT. BUT WE DO KNOW IT WAS AN AGONY BEYOND COMPARE. WE DO HAVE A HOLLYWOOD STEREOTYPE CRUCIFIXION. WE HAVE SEEN A TALL CROSS STANDING HIGH ABOVE THE HORIZON IN MANY FILMS. IN REALITY THIS WAS NOT THE CASE. THE ROMAN CROSS WAS SHORT. IN FACT, THE VICTIM OF CRUCIFIXION WOULD LIVE TWO OR THREE DAYS IN AGONY.
DURING CRUCIFIXION, THE VICTIM WAS FIRST PUT ON THE CROSS. WHICH WAS LYING ON THE GROUND. NAILS WERE DRIVEN THROUGH THE HANDS AT THE JUNCTURE OF THE WRIST AND THEN THROUGH THE FEET TO SECURE HIM IN THAT POSITION. THE CROSS WAS THEN RAISED AND DROPPED INTO A PREVIOUSLY DUG HOLE. WHEN IT STRUCK BOTTOM OF THE OLE, THE IMPACT WOULD USUALLY PULL LOOSE THE SHOULDER JOINTS AND LIGAMENTS, AS THE ENTIRE BODY WEIGHT PULLED AGAINST THE WRISTS WITH THE FORCE OF THE CROSS BEING DROPPED.
IN THIS DISTENDED POSITION, WHICH IMMEDIATELY REDUCED BREATHING TO BECOME SHALLOW AS THE VICTIM SANK LOWER, HE BEGAN TO SUFFOCATE. IN ORDER TO BREATHE, AND TO RELIEVE THE PAIN IN HIS HANDS, HE WOULD PUSH HIMSELF BACK UP WITH HIS FEET. BUT THIS ACTION CAUSED THE PAIN IN HIS FEET TO BE SO EXCRUCIATING,, HE WOULD AGAIN START TO SAG TO RELIEVE IT. AS DEATH BEGAN TO CREEP IN SLOWLY ON HIM, A SEMI RIGOR MORTIS SET IN. BONES BEING PULLED OUT OF JOINT, BECOMING EXTREMELY THIRSTY ADD TO THAT THE FACT THAT HE WAS IMPALED NAKED AND HELPLESS FOR ALL TO SEE. IT WAS PAIN, AGONY, AND HUMILIATION BEYOND COMPARE. AND IF THAT WAS NOT SUFFICIENT, THE LORD JESUS SUFFERED WITH A CROWN OF THORNS AND A MUTILATED BACK AS HE BORE OUR SINS THERE ON CALVARY'S TREE. WE COULD WISH HIM NO GREATER DIADEM, THAN THAT CROWN OF THORNS BECAUSE OUR MINDS GO BACK TO THE CURSE IN THE GARDEN OF EDEN, WHEN GOD SAID THAT NATURE WOULD BRING FORTH THORNS AS A RESULT OF ADAM'S FALL WHEN THEY MADE A CROWN OF THORNS AND PRESSED THEM ON THE HEAD OF THE SAVIOR, HE HUNG THERE SUSPENDED BETWEEN HEAVEN AND EARTH, WITH THE BLOOD STREAMING DOWN HIS FOREHEAD, THE THORNY DIADEM HAD A GREAT SIGNIFICANCE. HE WAS BEARING THE CURSE FOR ALL MANKIND AND ALL OF CREATION, AS HE PERFORMED THE ACT OF REDEMPTION. THE SCRIPTURE IS VERY PLAIN WHEN IT SAYS, " IT PLEASED THE LORD TO BRUISE HIM"(ISA. 53:1O). BECAUSE HE WAS THE LAMB SLAIN FROM BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD, IN ANTICIPATION OF HIS AGONY TO BE ENDURED FOR OUR SAKES, CHRIST OPEN HIS HEART TO THE PSALMIST AS HE PENNED PSALM 22:1, " MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAST THOU FORSAKEN ME?" WHY ART THOU SO FAR FROM HELPING ME? DAVID WAS IN DESPERATE TROUBLE WHEN HE PENNED THIS, AND THE MESSIAH WOULD BE IN MORE DESPERATE TROUBLE WHEN HE USED THOSE WORDS AS HE WAS ON THE CROSS. [VERSE 7] ALL THEY THAT SEE ME LAUGH ME TO SCORN: THEY SHOOT OUT THE LIP, THEY SHAKE THE HEAD. (PSALM 22).
[VERSE 14] I AM POURED OUT LIKE WATER, AND ALL MY BONES ARE OUT OF JOINT:
AND MY HEART IS LIKE WAX. ( PSALM 22)
LOOK AT [VERSE 16]: " THEY PIERCED MY HANDS AND MY FEET.." THERE IS NO HISTORICAL RECORD DAVID EVER HAD HIS HANDS AND FEET PIERCED. AS HE PENNED THIS, HE MUST HAVE WONDERED WHAT HE WAS SAYING: BUT A THOUSAND YEARS LATER THE LORD JESUS LITERALLY EXPERIENCED THIS. THE PROPHECY CONTINUES IN [VERSE 18]: THEY PART MY GARMENTS AMONG THEM, AND CAST LOTS FOR MY VESTURE." IN NO WAY CAN THIS BE HISTORICAL. IT IS PROPHESY AS CHRIST HIMSELF INSPIRED DAVID TO WRITE WHAT HE WOULD EXPERIENCE WHEN HE PAID THE ULTIMATE PENALTY FOR SIN ON CALVARY'S CROSS.
AMEN.
Sunday, June 17, 2018
FOURTH SUNDAY AFTER EPIPHANY MARK 1: 21-28
WE HAVE ALL DEALT WITH AUTHORITY FIGURES IN OUR LIFE. SOME WE SEE AS NOTHING BUT PAPER TIGERS WHO HAVE INFLATED THE VIEW OF THEMSELVES, BUT WITH NO REAL AUTHORITY TO GET ANYTHING DONE. IN OUR TEXTS FOR TODAY THE WRITERS ALL POINT TO THE PERSON THE LORD WILL SEND WHO WILL HAVE UNDISPUTED AUTHORITY TO SPEAK FOR GOD, THAT PERSON, AS WE SEE IN THE GOSPEL OF MARK, IS JESUS. THOSE WHO ENCOUNTERED JESUS WERE SOMETIMES QUITE SURPRISED BY HIS ABILITY TO TAKE OLD TEACHINGS AND MAKE THEM COME ALIVE. WITH NEW RELEVANCY. REAL AUTHORITY IS ABLE TO CUT THROUGH RED TAPE AND GET THINGS DONE, AND JESUS THROUGH HIS AUTHORITY OVER SIN AND DEATH, HAS DONE EXACTLY THAT. HE HAS SWEPT AWAY EVERY IMPEDIMENT THAT WAS IN THE WAY AND HAS GIVEN US THE GIFT OF FORGIVENESS, WHOLENESS, AND THE PROMISE OF EVERLASTING LIFE.
AS CHRISTIANS WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF THE WRITTEN WORD, WHICH IS SCRIPTURE; THE SPOKEN WHICH IS THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL; AND THE WORD MADE FLESH, JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF.
JOHN GIVES PERFECT TESTIMONY TO THE POWER AND PRESENCE OF THE WORD WHEN HE WRITES: "IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD. ALL THINGS CAME INTO BEING THROUGH HIM, AND WITHOUT HIM NOT ONE THING CAME INTO BEING.
WHAT HAS COME INTO BEING IN HIM WAS LIFE, AND AND THE LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF ALL PEOPLE. THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS, AND THE DARKNESS DID NOT OVERCOME IT" ( JOHN 1:1-5).
THEY WENT TO CAPERNAUM, AND WHEN THE SABBATH CAME, JESUS WENT INTO THE SYNAGOGUE AND BEGAN TO TEACH. THE PEOPLE WERE AMAZED AT HIS.
TEACHING, BECAUSE HE TAUGHT THEM AS ONE WHO HAS AUTHORITY, NOT AS TEACHERS OF THE LAW. JUST THEN A MAN IN THEIR SYNAGOGUE WHO WAS POSSESSED BY AN EVIL SPIRIT CRIED OUT."WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH US JESUS OF NAZARETH?' HAVE YOU COME TO DESTROY US? I KNOW WHO YOU ARE- THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL. (JESUS IS NOT GOING TO WAIT FOREVER ISRAEL).
"BE QUIET" SAID JESUS STERNLY. " COME OUT OF HIM" THE EVIL SPIRIT SHOOK THE MAN VIOLENTLY AND CAME OUT OF HIM WITH A SHRIEK. THE PEOPLE WERE ALL SO AMAZED THAT THEY ASKED EACH OTHER, " WHAT IS THIS TEACHING? A NEW TEACHING- AND WITH AUTHORITY! HE EVENS GIVES ORDERS TO EVIL SPIRITS AND THEY OBEY HIM. NEWS ABOUT HIM SPREAD QUICKLY OVER THE WHOLE REGION OF GALILEE. JOHN TELLS US THAT AFTER PERFORMING HIS FIRST MIRACLE IN CANA OF GALILEE TOGETHER WITH HIS MOTHER AND BROTHERS MOVED TO CAPERNAUM, IT'S SITUATION ON THE SHORE OF TE SEA OF GALILEE AND THE INTERSECTION OF SEVERAL IMPORTANT TRADES ROUTES MADE CAPERNAUM AN IDEAL BASE. FOR CARRYING THE GOSPEL INTO THE REGION OF GALILEE AND BEYOND. BESID
ES, CAPERNAUM WAS ALSO THE HOME OF ZEBEDEE AND HIS SONS. JAMES, JOHN, AND THE HOME OF PETER, WHOSE MOTHER-LAW- WAS LIVING WITH THEM.
ON THE SABBATH FOLLOWING THEIR SELECTION TO BECOME FISHERS OF MEN, PETER, JAMES, JOHN, ANDREW, TOGETHER WITH JESUS ATTENDED THE SYNAGOGUE SERVICE. SINCE SYNAGOGUES HAD NO RESIDENT ORDAINED MINISTERS, THE RULERS OF THE SYNAGOGUE WOULD INVITE SOME RABBI (TEACHER) OR SCRIBE PRESENT TO TEACH THE LESSON. SO IT HAPPENED THAT JESUS WAS OFTEN INVITED
TO ADDRESS THE CONGREGATION. WHAT JESUS SPECIFIC MESSAGE WAS ON THIS PARTICULAR SABBATH MARK DOES NOT TELL US, BUT HE DOES TELL US ABOUT THE IMPRESSION HIS PREACHING MADE ON THE WORSHIPERS. THEY WERE AMAZED. JESUS DID NOT TEACH AS THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW DID. THEY ALWAYS APPEALED TO THE INTERPRETATION OF PAST RABBIS. JESUS IN.STEAD ALWAYS PROCLAIMED THE GOSPEL OF GOD. HE QUOTED NO EXPERTS, BUT PROCLAIMED THE GOOD NEWS ON HIS OWN AUTHORITY. THIS WAS ONE FIRST LESSONS THE DISCIPLES HAD TO LEARN, NAMELY, THAT CHRIST IS MORE THAN JUST A WISE TEACHER OR A MODEL TO PATTERN OUR LIVES AFTER. IT WAS THE DEVIL WHO CAUSED A MAN IN THAT SYNAGOGUE TO CRY OUT AGAINST JESUS. THE D
EVIL KNEW, THAT CHRIST IS THE FINAL AUTHORITY. HE IS THE ONE THROUGH WORD AND DEED REVEALS TO US THE UNDESERVED LOVE OF GOD FOR SINNERS INCORPORATED IN HIS OWN PERSON. HOWEVER SATAN AND THE EVIL SPIRIT WHICH POSSESSED THE MAN KNEW WHO JESUS OF NAZARETH WAS AND WHAT HIS PURPOSE WAS. THEY KNEW HE WAS THE SON OF GOD AND THAT HE HAD COME TO DESTROY SATAN HOLD OVER MANKIND. WITH HIS WORD"SATAN REVEALED HIMSELF WISER THAN MANY THEOLOGIANS. THIS KNOWLEDGE DID HIM NO SPIRITUAL GOOD. IT ONLY FILLED HIM
WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING. HE KNEW HE FACED HELL AND THE GOSPEL WAS NOT MEANT FOR HIM. OUR LORD HAD COMPASSION ON THE MAN POSSESSED BY THE EVIL SPIRIT," THE LORD COMMANDED WITH A SIMPLE COMMAND " COME OUT OF HIM, AND THE SPIRIT HAD TO OBEY.; JESUS WAS LORD. JESUS THE HOLY ONE OF GOD, POINTS TO THE SCRIPTURES AND TESTIFIES : YOUR WORD IS TRUTH." NEWS WAS MADE THAT DAY. SO AT THE HEART OF CHRISTIANITY, THE CLUE TO ITS ASTONISHING HISTORY AND PERSISTENT POWER WE FIND A CONTRAST. A CONTRAST IS THAT BETWEEN, A TRANSFORMATION IS THAT OF MANS LIMITED NATURE. THE LIFE BEFORE CALVARY IS THE PASSION, THE GREAT GESTURE OF CHARITY IN WHICH ST. JOHN SAYS "WE KNOW LOVE." THAT MARKS THE TRANSITION AND MAN IS POSSESSED OF A MYSTERIOUS POWER AND FREEDOM.
A FRESH KIND OF LIFE, SPENDING THIS LIFE WITHIN OUR EVERYDAY EXISTENCE
TO SERVE AND SAVE MEN. THOSE WHO GIVE THEMSELVES TO THIS LIFE OF THE SPIRIT ARE BOUGHT, BIT BY IT, AS THEY CAN BEAR IT AND RESPOND TO IT. THEY ARE FACED BY THE DEMAND OF COMPLETE SURRENDER, AN ACT OF UNCONDITIONAL TRUST FROM THIS WORLD, GOD WILL SEPARATE YOU FROM THIS WORLD. WHEN YOU GIVE YOUR LIFE TO THE LORD, YOU LIVE A BETTER LIFE. ONLY THOSE WHO ARE GENEROUS UP TO THE LIMITS OF SELF-LOSS CAN HOPE TO BECOME CHANNELS OF THE GENEROSITY OF GOD. SO THE CROSS WHICH IS THE PERFECT SYMBOL OF GENEROUS SACRIFICE. HE WAS CRUCIFIED, DEAD, AND BURIED- ROSE AGAIN AND ASCENDED. AS DYING AND BEHOLD WE LIVE, DEATH AND LIFE IN AWFUL COMBAT. AN
AS CHRISTIANS WE BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF THE WRITTEN WORD, WHICH IS SCRIPTURE; THE SPOKEN WHICH IS THE PROCLAMATION OF THE GOSPEL; AND THE WORD MADE FLESH, JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF.
JOHN GIVES PERFECT TESTIMONY TO THE POWER AND PRESENCE OF THE WORD WHEN HE WRITES: "IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD AND THE WORD WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD. ALL THINGS CAME INTO BEING THROUGH HIM, AND WITHOUT HIM NOT ONE THING CAME INTO BEING.
WHAT HAS COME INTO BEING IN HIM WAS LIFE, AND AND THE LIFE WAS THE LIGHT OF ALL PEOPLE. THE LIGHT SHINES IN THE DARKNESS, AND THE DARKNESS DID NOT OVERCOME IT" ( JOHN 1:1-5).
THEY WENT TO CAPERNAUM, AND WHEN THE SABBATH CAME, JESUS WENT INTO THE SYNAGOGUE AND BEGAN TO TEACH. THE PEOPLE WERE AMAZED AT HIS.
TEACHING, BECAUSE HE TAUGHT THEM AS ONE WHO HAS AUTHORITY, NOT AS TEACHERS OF THE LAW. JUST THEN A MAN IN THEIR SYNAGOGUE WHO WAS POSSESSED BY AN EVIL SPIRIT CRIED OUT."WHAT DO YOU WANT WITH US JESUS OF NAZARETH?' HAVE YOU COME TO DESTROY US? I KNOW WHO YOU ARE- THE HOLY ONE OF ISRAEL. (JESUS IS NOT GOING TO WAIT FOREVER ISRAEL).
"BE QUIET" SAID JESUS STERNLY. " COME OUT OF HIM" THE EVIL SPIRIT SHOOK THE MAN VIOLENTLY AND CAME OUT OF HIM WITH A SHRIEK. THE PEOPLE WERE ALL SO AMAZED THAT THEY ASKED EACH OTHER, " WHAT IS THIS TEACHING? A NEW TEACHING- AND WITH AUTHORITY! HE EVENS GIVES ORDERS TO EVIL SPIRITS AND THEY OBEY HIM. NEWS ABOUT HIM SPREAD QUICKLY OVER THE WHOLE REGION OF GALILEE. JOHN TELLS US THAT AFTER PERFORMING HIS FIRST MIRACLE IN CANA OF GALILEE TOGETHER WITH HIS MOTHER AND BROTHERS MOVED TO CAPERNAUM, IT'S SITUATION ON THE SHORE OF TE SEA OF GALILEE AND THE INTERSECTION OF SEVERAL IMPORTANT TRADES ROUTES MADE CAPERNAUM AN IDEAL BASE. FOR CARRYING THE GOSPEL INTO THE REGION OF GALILEE AND BEYOND. BESID
ES, CAPERNAUM WAS ALSO THE HOME OF ZEBEDEE AND HIS SONS. JAMES, JOHN, AND THE HOME OF PETER, WHOSE MOTHER-LAW- WAS LIVING WITH THEM.
ON THE SABBATH FOLLOWING THEIR SELECTION TO BECOME FISHERS OF MEN, PETER, JAMES, JOHN, ANDREW, TOGETHER WITH JESUS ATTENDED THE SYNAGOGUE SERVICE. SINCE SYNAGOGUES HAD NO RESIDENT ORDAINED MINISTERS, THE RULERS OF THE SYNAGOGUE WOULD INVITE SOME RABBI (TEACHER) OR SCRIBE PRESENT TO TEACH THE LESSON. SO IT HAPPENED THAT JESUS WAS OFTEN INVITED
TO ADDRESS THE CONGREGATION. WHAT JESUS SPECIFIC MESSAGE WAS ON THIS PARTICULAR SABBATH MARK DOES NOT TELL US, BUT HE DOES TELL US ABOUT THE IMPRESSION HIS PREACHING MADE ON THE WORSHIPERS. THEY WERE AMAZED. JESUS DID NOT TEACH AS THE TEACHERS OF THE LAW DID. THEY ALWAYS APPEALED TO THE INTERPRETATION OF PAST RABBIS. JESUS IN.STEAD ALWAYS PROCLAIMED THE GOSPEL OF GOD. HE QUOTED NO EXPERTS, BUT PROCLAIMED THE GOOD NEWS ON HIS OWN AUTHORITY. THIS WAS ONE FIRST LESSONS THE DISCIPLES HAD TO LEARN, NAMELY, THAT CHRIST IS MORE THAN JUST A WISE TEACHER OR A MODEL TO PATTERN OUR LIVES AFTER. IT WAS THE DEVIL WHO CAUSED A MAN IN THAT SYNAGOGUE TO CRY OUT AGAINST JESUS. THE D
EVIL KNEW, THAT CHRIST IS THE FINAL AUTHORITY. HE IS THE ONE THROUGH WORD AND DEED REVEALS TO US THE UNDESERVED LOVE OF GOD FOR SINNERS INCORPORATED IN HIS OWN PERSON. HOWEVER SATAN AND THE EVIL SPIRIT WHICH POSSESSED THE MAN KNEW WHO JESUS OF NAZARETH WAS AND WHAT HIS PURPOSE WAS. THEY KNEW HE WAS THE SON OF GOD AND THAT HE HAD COME TO DESTROY SATAN HOLD OVER MANKIND. WITH HIS WORD"SATAN REVEALED HIMSELF WISER THAN MANY THEOLOGIANS. THIS KNOWLEDGE DID HIM NO SPIRITUAL GOOD. IT ONLY FILLED HIM
WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING. HE KNEW HE FACED HELL AND THE GOSPEL WAS NOT MEANT FOR HIM. OUR LORD HAD COMPASSION ON THE MAN POSSESSED BY THE EVIL SPIRIT," THE LORD COMMANDED WITH A SIMPLE COMMAND " COME OUT OF HIM, AND THE SPIRIT HAD TO OBEY.; JESUS WAS LORD. JESUS THE HOLY ONE OF GOD, POINTS TO THE SCRIPTURES AND TESTIFIES : YOUR WORD IS TRUTH." NEWS WAS MADE THAT DAY. SO AT THE HEART OF CHRISTIANITY, THE CLUE TO ITS ASTONISHING HISTORY AND PERSISTENT POWER WE FIND A CONTRAST. A CONTRAST IS THAT BETWEEN, A TRANSFORMATION IS THAT OF MANS LIMITED NATURE. THE LIFE BEFORE CALVARY IS THE PASSION, THE GREAT GESTURE OF CHARITY IN WHICH ST. JOHN SAYS "WE KNOW LOVE." THAT MARKS THE TRANSITION AND MAN IS POSSESSED OF A MYSTERIOUS POWER AND FREEDOM.
A FRESH KIND OF LIFE, SPENDING THIS LIFE WITHIN OUR EVERYDAY EXISTENCE
TO SERVE AND SAVE MEN. THOSE WHO GIVE THEMSELVES TO THIS LIFE OF THE SPIRIT ARE BOUGHT, BIT BY IT, AS THEY CAN BEAR IT AND RESPOND TO IT. THEY ARE FACED BY THE DEMAND OF COMPLETE SURRENDER, AN ACT OF UNCONDITIONAL TRUST FROM THIS WORLD, GOD WILL SEPARATE YOU FROM THIS WORLD. WHEN YOU GIVE YOUR LIFE TO THE LORD, YOU LIVE A BETTER LIFE. ONLY THOSE WHO ARE GENEROUS UP TO THE LIMITS OF SELF-LOSS CAN HOPE TO BECOME CHANNELS OF THE GENEROSITY OF GOD. SO THE CROSS WHICH IS THE PERFECT SYMBOL OF GENEROUS SACRIFICE. HE WAS CRUCIFIED, DEAD, AND BURIED- ROSE AGAIN AND ASCENDED. AS DYING AND BEHOLD WE LIVE, DEATH AND LIFE IN AWFUL COMBAT. AN
Thursday, June 14, 2018
FIRST TEMPTATION. [GENESIS 3:16]. PRIESTLY BENEDICTION.
FIRST WE LOOK AT A "PRIESTLY BENEDICTION": THAT I HAVE HAD SINCE THE [1980] STUFFED IN AND OLD, OLD, BIBLE, UNEXPECTEDLY FOUND IN A SMALL EXCAVATION IN A IRON AGE CEMETERY OUTSIDE OF THE CITY OF JERUSALEM, THERE WAS RECOVERED TWO SMALL SHEETS OF SILVER WITH TEXTS FAINTLY ENGRAVED UPON THEM WHICH, AFTER THE MOST DELICATE LABORS OF CONSERVATION AND DECIPHERMENT, PROVED TO BE PASSAGES SIMILAR TO TWO FAMOUS VERSES OF THE BOOK OF NUMBERS; CHAPTERS [6: 24,26,] " THE LORD BLESS THEE AND KEEP THEE, THE LORD MAKE HIS FACE SHINE UPON THEE, AND BE GRACIOUS UNTO THEE; THE LORD LIFT UP HIS COUNTENANCE UPON THEE AND GIVE THEE PEACE.
NOT ONLY DID THESE SMALL SLIPS OF SILVER, HAVE THE OLDEST FRAGMENTS OF THE BIBLE TEXTS YET DISCOVERED ENGRAVED ON THEM, BUT THEY ALSO CONTAINED THE EARLIEST KNOWN MENTION OF "JEHOVAH" IN HIS CITY OF JERUSALEM. THE TWO SILVER SHEETS HAD BEEN CAREFULLY ROLLED UP AND TIED AROUND THE NECKS OF TWO DEAD CHILDREN.
"GENESIS 3:16 ".
SOMETIMES A NARRATIVE OF THE FIRST TEMPTATION FOUND IN GEN.3:16, THE ACTIONS OF THE NARRATIVE ARE FOUND IN A STRAIGHT FORWARD RECOUNTING OF THE TEXT: NOW THE SERPENT WAS MORE CRAFTY THAN ANY OF THE WILD ANIMALS THE LORD GOD HAD MADE. HE SAID TO THE WOMEN, "DID GOD REALLY SAY, YOU MUST NOT EAT FROM ANY TREE IN THE GARDEN? THE WOMEN SAID TO THE SERPENT, " WE MAY EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREES IN THE GARDEN, BUT GOD DID SAY: YOU MUST NOT EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GARDEN, AND YOU MUST NOT TOUCH IT, OR YOU WILL DIE." " YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE," THE SERPENT SAID TO THE WOMEN. "FOR GOD KNOWS THAT WHEN YOU EAT FROM
IT YOUR EYES WILL BE OPENED, AND YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD, KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL." WHEN THE WOMEN SAW THE TREE WAS GOOD FOR FOOD AND PLEASING TO THE EYE, AND ALSO DESIRABLE FOR GAINING WISDOM, SHE TOOK SOME AND ATE IT. SHE ALSO GAVE SOME TO HER HUSBAND, WHO WAS WITH HER, HE ATE IT. (SATAN'S TEMPTATION OF EVE CAN BE CONCEPTUALIZED IN "SIX STEPS" STEPS THAT CAN BE SEEN IN SATAN'S TEMPTATION OF BELIEVERS TODAY.
"STEP ONE" IS FOUND IN VERSE ONE. THE HEBREW MAY BE PARAPHRASED IN THE FOLLOWING WAY: NOW THE SERPENT WAS MORE CRAFTY THAN ANY WILD CREATURE THE LORD GOD HAD MADE. HE SAID TO THE WOMEN."IS IT REALLY A FACT THAT GOD HAD PROHIBITED YOU FROM EATING OF ALL THE TREES OF THE GARDEN?
WHAT IS THE DYNAMIC HERE? WHY DID SATAN ASK THIS QUESTION? HE OBVIOUSLY KNEW WHAT GOD HAD SAID TO ADAM AND EVE, OR HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ASK WHAT HE DID. FURTHERMORE, HE DELIBERATELY DISTORTED WHAT GOD HAD SAID. " IS IT REALLY A FACT THAT GOD HAD PROHIBITED YOU FROM EATING OF ALL THE TREES OF THE GARDEN?" SATAN'S PLOY IS RATHER OBVIOUS HE WAS GETTING "EVE" TO TAKE HER EYES OFF ALL THE THINGS GOD HAD GIVEN HER TO ENJOY, AND TO FOCUS ON ONE THING GOD HAD FORBIDDEN. THERE WERE PROBABLY THOUSAND PLEASURABLE THINGS "EVE" DONE IN THE GARDEN, BUT NOW ALL HER ATTENTION WAS FOCUSED ON ONE THING SHE COULD NOT DO. WE MIGHT CALL THIS MAXIMIZING THE RESTRICTION.
EVE WAS NOW PREPARED FOR SATAN'S NEXT STEP. EVE'S STATEMENT THAT GOD SAID EATING OF THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WOULD RESULT IN DEATH, SATAN BOLDLY
DECLARED: YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE.." THE RESULTS OF SUCH-AND SUCH AN ACTION WON'T REALLY BE AS BAD AS GOD HAS SAID. SATAN MINIMIZING THE
CONSEQUENCES OF SIN IN TWO WAYS, BY TELLING EVE THAT THE CONSEQUENCES WOULD NOT BE AS BAD AS STATED TO BE., AND SECOND, BY EVENTUALLY FOCUSING HER ATTENTION SO COMPLETELY ON THE TREE, THAT SHE FORGOT ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES ENTIRELY. (V.6) THE THIRD STEP SATAN TOOK MIGHT BE CALLED "RELABELING" THE ACTION. IN VERSE 5 HE SAYS: " FOR GOD KNOWS THAT WHEN YOU EAT OF IT YOUR EYES WILL BE OPEN, AND YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL." HERE SATAN PLANTED THE SUSPICION IN EVE'S MIND. THAT IT WAS NOT THE FRUIT OF THE TREE THAT WOULD INJURE HER, THAT GOD HAD FORBIDDEN HER TO EAT IT, BUT BECAUSE HE DID NOT WISH HER TO BE LIKE HIMSELF. SATAN DEFTLY TRIED TO REMOVE HIS TEMPTATION FROM THE CATEGORY OF SIN BY LABELING IT. IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, PARTAKING OF THE FRUIT WAS RELABELED AS A WAY OF EXPANDING HER CONSCIOUSNESS . SHE WOULD BECOME A MORE COMPLETE PERSON. BEFORE THIS TIME "EVE" HAD THOUGHT OF THE FORBIDDEN ACTION AS DISOBEDIENCE: NOW SHE SEES IT AS A NECESSITY IF SHE IS TO BECOME A COMPLETE AND MATURE PERSON. SATAN THEN QUICKLY ADDED ANOTHER ASPECT WHICH MIGHT BE CALLED "MIXING GOOD AND EVIL."
VERSE 6) READS: " THE WOMEN SAW THAT THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WAS GOOD FOR FOOD." C.S. LEWIS HAS COMMENTED THAT EVIL IS OFTEN A PERVERSION OF SOMETHING GOOD THAT GOD HAS CREATED. IN THIS INSTANCE SATAN ADDED POTENCY TO HIS TEMPTATION BY MIXING GOOD WITH EVIL: "EVE" SAW THAT THE TREE WAS GOOD FOR FOOD.
THE FIFTH ASPECT OF EVE'S TEMPTATION FOUND IN THE MIDDLE PART OF VERSE 6:) 'SHE SAW THAT THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WAS... PLEASING TO THE EYES." THIS MIGHT BE CALLED MIXING SIN WITH BEAUTY. TEMPTATION OFTEN COMES WRAPPED IN THE FORM OF SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL, SOMETHING THAT APPEALS TO OUR SENSES AND DESIRES. IT IS OFTEN NECESSARY TO THINK TWICE BEFORE WE RECOGNIZE THAT A BEAUTIFUL OBJECT OR GOAL IS REALLY SIN IN DISGUISE. IN THIS INCIDENT "EVE" FAILED TO DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN THE BEAUTIFUL PACKAGE AND THE SINFUL CONTENTS THAT THE PACKAGE CONTAINED.
FINALLY "EVE" TOOK A SIXTH STEP: THE NARRATIVE TELLS US THAT "SHE SAW THAT THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WAS... DESIRABLE FOR GAINING WISDOM." IN ESSENCE SHE SWALLOWED THE DEVIL'S LIE. THIS STEP MIGHT BE CALLED MISUNDERSTANDING THE IMPLICATIONS. ALTHOUGH THIS MAY SEEM A LESS SIGNIFICANT POINT IN THE TEMPTATION PROCESS, IT IS PERHAPS THE MOST CRUCIAL. IN EFFECT, BY ACCEPTING SATAN'S STATEMENT, "EVE" WAS CALLING GOD A LIAR; EVEN THOUGH SHE MIGHT NOT HAVE RECOGNIZED THOSE IMPLICATIONS OF HER ACTION. SHE ACCEPTED SATAN'S ANALYSIS AS THE TRUTH TELLER OF THE SITUATION INSTEAD OF GOD'S, TEMPT MANY OF THE SAME DYNAMICS OF EVE'S TEMPTATION ARE OFTEN PRESENT IN SATAN'S TEMPTATIONS OF BELIEVER'S TODAY.
WITH ONLY BRIEF INTROSPECTION HIS TACTICS OF MAXIMIZING THE RESTRICTION, MINIMIZING THE CONSEQUENCES, RELABELING THE ACTION, MIXING GOOD AND EVIL, MIXING SIN WITH BEAUTY CAN FREQUENTLY BE FOUND OPERATING IN OUR OWN LIVES. THIS IS CALLED PRINCIPLIZING WHICH FOCUSES ON THOSE PRINCIPLES IMPLICIT IN A STORY THAT ARE APPLICABLE ACROSS TIMES AND CULTURES. THE DETAILS MAY CHANGE, BUT THE PRINCIPALS ARE THE SAME: SATAN e.g., SATAN MAY CONTINUE TO TEMPT US BY MAXIMIZING A RESTRICTION, BUT IS NOT LIKELY TO DO SO BY USING A FRUIT TREE. FROM A THEOLOGICAL STANDPOINT, THE MEANING AND PRINCIPAL'S DERIVED FROM A STORY MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH ALL OTHER TEACHINGS OF SCRIPTURE A DEDUCTIVE PRINCIPAL DRAWN FROM A NARRATIVE WHICH CONTRADICTS THE TEACHING OF SOME OTHER SCRIPTURAL PASSAGE. TO WHAT ARE THOSE INTERPRETERS WHO BELIEVE THAT OFTEN SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPAL'S AND THEIR BEHAVIORAL COMMANDS ALWAYS SHOULD BE APPLIED
LITERALLY WITHIN THE CHURCH TODAY. THE MAJORITY OF EVANGELICAL CHURCHES HAVE IMPLICITLY AGREED THAT SOME BIBLICAL COMMANDS ARE NOT TO BE ADOPTED WHOLESALE INTO OUR TIME AND CULTURE. FOR EXAMPLE THE COMMAND TO GREET ONE ANOTHER WITH THE HOLY KISS IS MADE FIVE TIMES IN THE "NEW TESTAMENT" YET VERY FEW CHURCHES OBSERVE THIS COMMAND TODAY.. LIKEWISE, FEW PROTESTANT CHURCHES OBSERVE WOMEN TO WEAR VEILS WHEN PRAYING (1 COR. 11:5) FEW CHURCHES CONTINUE THE PRACTICE FOOT WASHING, SPOKEN OF IN JOHN (13:14), BECAUSE THE CHANGING CULTURES AND TIMES HAVE LESSENED THE NEED AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PRACTICE. MANY EVANGELICALS, MEN AND WOMEN ALIKE, ARE WONDERING WHETHER THE TRADITIONAL ROLES, WHERE WOMEN PREACH, ALTHOUGH PAUL STATED IN (1 TIMOTHY 2:12), THAT HE PERMITTED NO WOMEN TO TEACH OR HAVE AUTHORITY OVER MEN. MANY EVANGELICALS, MEN AND WOMEN ALIKE, ARE WONDERING WHETHER THE HUSBAND -WIFE ROLES DELINEATED IN (EPHESIANS 5) AND OTHER PASSAGES ARE TO BE CONTINUED IN OUR CULTURE AND TIME? WHEN GOD ASKED ADAM, "WHERE ARE YOU?" ADAM ANSWERED, " I WAS HIDING' (GENESIS 3:9-10) HE CONFESSED HIS TRUE CONDITION. THIS CONFESSION OPENED HIM TO GOD. WHEN WE PRAY WE COME OUT OF OUR SHELTERS AND NOT ONLY SEE OUR NAKEDNESS BUT ALSO SEE THAT THERE IS NO ENEMY WHO HAUNTS US, ONLY A FRIEND WHO WOULD LOVE NOTHING BETTER THAN TO CLOTH US WITH A NEW COAT. HOWEVER, PRAYER DOES NOT LEAD US TO SHAME, BUT RATHER TO THE JOYFUL DISCOVERY THAT WE ARE ONLY HUMAN, THAT GOD IS TRULY GOD. IF WE CLING TIGHTLY TO OUR OWN WEAKNESS, OUR FAULTS, SHORT COMINGS, AND OUR TWISTED PAST; TO ALL THE EVENTS, FACTS AND SITUATIONS WHICH WE WOULD PREFER TO CUT OUT OF OUR OWN HISTORY. WE ARE ONLY HIDING BEHIND A HEDGE THROUGH WHICH EVERYONE CAN SEE. BUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS TO NARROW OUR WORLD TO A SMALL HIDING PLACE, WHERE WE TRY TO CONCEAL OURSELVES, SUSPECTING RATHER PITIFULLY HAS SEEN US ALL ALONG. ( HENRI NOUWEN.) "WITH OPEN HANDS".
NOT ONLY DID THESE SMALL SLIPS OF SILVER, HAVE THE OLDEST FRAGMENTS OF THE BIBLE TEXTS YET DISCOVERED ENGRAVED ON THEM, BUT THEY ALSO CONTAINED THE EARLIEST KNOWN MENTION OF "JEHOVAH" IN HIS CITY OF JERUSALEM. THE TWO SILVER SHEETS HAD BEEN CAREFULLY ROLLED UP AND TIED AROUND THE NECKS OF TWO DEAD CHILDREN.
"GENESIS 3:16 ".
SOMETIMES A NARRATIVE OF THE FIRST TEMPTATION FOUND IN GEN.3:16, THE ACTIONS OF THE NARRATIVE ARE FOUND IN A STRAIGHT FORWARD RECOUNTING OF THE TEXT: NOW THE SERPENT WAS MORE CRAFTY THAN ANY OF THE WILD ANIMALS THE LORD GOD HAD MADE. HE SAID TO THE WOMEN, "DID GOD REALLY SAY, YOU MUST NOT EAT FROM ANY TREE IN THE GARDEN? THE WOMEN SAID TO THE SERPENT, " WE MAY EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREES IN THE GARDEN, BUT GOD DID SAY: YOU MUST NOT EAT FRUIT FROM THE TREE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GARDEN, AND YOU MUST NOT TOUCH IT, OR YOU WILL DIE." " YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE," THE SERPENT SAID TO THE WOMEN. "FOR GOD KNOWS THAT WHEN YOU EAT FROM
IT YOUR EYES WILL BE OPENED, AND YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD, KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL." WHEN THE WOMEN SAW THE TREE WAS GOOD FOR FOOD AND PLEASING TO THE EYE, AND ALSO DESIRABLE FOR GAINING WISDOM, SHE TOOK SOME AND ATE IT. SHE ALSO GAVE SOME TO HER HUSBAND, WHO WAS WITH HER, HE ATE IT. (SATAN'S TEMPTATION OF EVE CAN BE CONCEPTUALIZED IN "SIX STEPS" STEPS THAT CAN BE SEEN IN SATAN'S TEMPTATION OF BELIEVERS TODAY.
"STEP ONE" IS FOUND IN VERSE ONE. THE HEBREW MAY BE PARAPHRASED IN THE FOLLOWING WAY: NOW THE SERPENT WAS MORE CRAFTY THAN ANY WILD CREATURE THE LORD GOD HAD MADE. HE SAID TO THE WOMEN."IS IT REALLY A FACT THAT GOD HAD PROHIBITED YOU FROM EATING OF ALL THE TREES OF THE GARDEN?
WHAT IS THE DYNAMIC HERE? WHY DID SATAN ASK THIS QUESTION? HE OBVIOUSLY KNEW WHAT GOD HAD SAID TO ADAM AND EVE, OR HE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ASK WHAT HE DID. FURTHERMORE, HE DELIBERATELY DISTORTED WHAT GOD HAD SAID. " IS IT REALLY A FACT THAT GOD HAD PROHIBITED YOU FROM EATING OF ALL THE TREES OF THE GARDEN?" SATAN'S PLOY IS RATHER OBVIOUS HE WAS GETTING "EVE" TO TAKE HER EYES OFF ALL THE THINGS GOD HAD GIVEN HER TO ENJOY, AND TO FOCUS ON ONE THING GOD HAD FORBIDDEN. THERE WERE PROBABLY THOUSAND PLEASURABLE THINGS "EVE" DONE IN THE GARDEN, BUT NOW ALL HER ATTENTION WAS FOCUSED ON ONE THING SHE COULD NOT DO. WE MIGHT CALL THIS MAXIMIZING THE RESTRICTION.
EVE WAS NOW PREPARED FOR SATAN'S NEXT STEP. EVE'S STATEMENT THAT GOD SAID EATING OF THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WOULD RESULT IN DEATH, SATAN BOLDLY
DECLARED: YOU WILL NOT SURELY DIE.." THE RESULTS OF SUCH-AND SUCH AN ACTION WON'T REALLY BE AS BAD AS GOD HAS SAID. SATAN MINIMIZING THE
CONSEQUENCES OF SIN IN TWO WAYS, BY TELLING EVE THAT THE CONSEQUENCES WOULD NOT BE AS BAD AS STATED TO BE., AND SECOND, BY EVENTUALLY FOCUSING HER ATTENTION SO COMPLETELY ON THE TREE, THAT SHE FORGOT ABOUT THE CONSEQUENCES ENTIRELY. (V.6) THE THIRD STEP SATAN TOOK MIGHT BE CALLED "RELABELING" THE ACTION. IN VERSE 5 HE SAYS: " FOR GOD KNOWS THAT WHEN YOU EAT OF IT YOUR EYES WILL BE OPEN, AND YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL." HERE SATAN PLANTED THE SUSPICION IN EVE'S MIND. THAT IT WAS NOT THE FRUIT OF THE TREE THAT WOULD INJURE HER, THAT GOD HAD FORBIDDEN HER TO EAT IT, BUT BECAUSE HE DID NOT WISH HER TO BE LIKE HIMSELF. SATAN DEFTLY TRIED TO REMOVE HIS TEMPTATION FROM THE CATEGORY OF SIN BY LABELING IT. IN THIS PARTICULAR INSTANCE, PARTAKING OF THE FRUIT WAS RELABELED AS A WAY OF EXPANDING HER CONSCIOUSNESS . SHE WOULD BECOME A MORE COMPLETE PERSON. BEFORE THIS TIME "EVE" HAD THOUGHT OF THE FORBIDDEN ACTION AS DISOBEDIENCE: NOW SHE SEES IT AS A NECESSITY IF SHE IS TO BECOME A COMPLETE AND MATURE PERSON. SATAN THEN QUICKLY ADDED ANOTHER ASPECT WHICH MIGHT BE CALLED "MIXING GOOD AND EVIL."
VERSE 6) READS: " THE WOMEN SAW THAT THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WAS GOOD FOR FOOD." C.S. LEWIS HAS COMMENTED THAT EVIL IS OFTEN A PERVERSION OF SOMETHING GOOD THAT GOD HAS CREATED. IN THIS INSTANCE SATAN ADDED POTENCY TO HIS TEMPTATION BY MIXING GOOD WITH EVIL: "EVE" SAW THAT THE TREE WAS GOOD FOR FOOD.
THE FIFTH ASPECT OF EVE'S TEMPTATION FOUND IN THE MIDDLE PART OF VERSE 6:) 'SHE SAW THAT THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WAS... PLEASING TO THE EYES." THIS MIGHT BE CALLED MIXING SIN WITH BEAUTY. TEMPTATION OFTEN COMES WRAPPED IN THE FORM OF SOMETHING BEAUTIFUL, SOMETHING THAT APPEALS TO OUR SENSES AND DESIRES. IT IS OFTEN NECESSARY TO THINK TWICE BEFORE WE RECOGNIZE THAT A BEAUTIFUL OBJECT OR GOAL IS REALLY SIN IN DISGUISE. IN THIS INCIDENT "EVE" FAILED TO DISCRIMINATE BETWEEN THE BEAUTIFUL PACKAGE AND THE SINFUL CONTENTS THAT THE PACKAGE CONTAINED.
FINALLY "EVE" TOOK A SIXTH STEP: THE NARRATIVE TELLS US THAT "SHE SAW THAT THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WAS... DESIRABLE FOR GAINING WISDOM." IN ESSENCE SHE SWALLOWED THE DEVIL'S LIE. THIS STEP MIGHT BE CALLED MISUNDERSTANDING THE IMPLICATIONS. ALTHOUGH THIS MAY SEEM A LESS SIGNIFICANT POINT IN THE TEMPTATION PROCESS, IT IS PERHAPS THE MOST CRUCIAL. IN EFFECT, BY ACCEPTING SATAN'S STATEMENT, "EVE" WAS CALLING GOD A LIAR; EVEN THOUGH SHE MIGHT NOT HAVE RECOGNIZED THOSE IMPLICATIONS OF HER ACTION. SHE ACCEPTED SATAN'S ANALYSIS AS THE TRUTH TELLER OF THE SITUATION INSTEAD OF GOD'S, TEMPT MANY OF THE SAME DYNAMICS OF EVE'S TEMPTATION ARE OFTEN PRESENT IN SATAN'S TEMPTATIONS OF BELIEVER'S TODAY.
WITH ONLY BRIEF INTROSPECTION HIS TACTICS OF MAXIMIZING THE RESTRICTION, MINIMIZING THE CONSEQUENCES, RELABELING THE ACTION, MIXING GOOD AND EVIL, MIXING SIN WITH BEAUTY CAN FREQUENTLY BE FOUND OPERATING IN OUR OWN LIVES. THIS IS CALLED PRINCIPLIZING WHICH FOCUSES ON THOSE PRINCIPLES IMPLICIT IN A STORY THAT ARE APPLICABLE ACROSS TIMES AND CULTURES. THE DETAILS MAY CHANGE, BUT THE PRINCIPALS ARE THE SAME: SATAN e.g., SATAN MAY CONTINUE TO TEMPT US BY MAXIMIZING A RESTRICTION, BUT IS NOT LIKELY TO DO SO BY USING A FRUIT TREE. FROM A THEOLOGICAL STANDPOINT, THE MEANING AND PRINCIPAL'S DERIVED FROM A STORY MUST BE CONSISTENT WITH ALL OTHER TEACHINGS OF SCRIPTURE A DEDUCTIVE PRINCIPAL DRAWN FROM A NARRATIVE WHICH CONTRADICTS THE TEACHING OF SOME OTHER SCRIPTURAL PASSAGE. TO WHAT ARE THOSE INTERPRETERS WHO BELIEVE THAT OFTEN SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPAL'S AND THEIR BEHAVIORAL COMMANDS ALWAYS SHOULD BE APPLIED
LITERALLY WITHIN THE CHURCH TODAY. THE MAJORITY OF EVANGELICAL CHURCHES HAVE IMPLICITLY AGREED THAT SOME BIBLICAL COMMANDS ARE NOT TO BE ADOPTED WHOLESALE INTO OUR TIME AND CULTURE. FOR EXAMPLE THE COMMAND TO GREET ONE ANOTHER WITH THE HOLY KISS IS MADE FIVE TIMES IN THE "NEW TESTAMENT" YET VERY FEW CHURCHES OBSERVE THIS COMMAND TODAY.. LIKEWISE, FEW PROTESTANT CHURCHES OBSERVE WOMEN TO WEAR VEILS WHEN PRAYING (1 COR. 11:5) FEW CHURCHES CONTINUE THE PRACTICE FOOT WASHING, SPOKEN OF IN JOHN (13:14), BECAUSE THE CHANGING CULTURES AND TIMES HAVE LESSENED THE NEED AND SIGNIFICANCE OF THE PRACTICE. MANY EVANGELICALS, MEN AND WOMEN ALIKE, ARE WONDERING WHETHER THE TRADITIONAL ROLES, WHERE WOMEN PREACH, ALTHOUGH PAUL STATED IN (1 TIMOTHY 2:12), THAT HE PERMITTED NO WOMEN TO TEACH OR HAVE AUTHORITY OVER MEN. MANY EVANGELICALS, MEN AND WOMEN ALIKE, ARE WONDERING WHETHER THE HUSBAND -WIFE ROLES DELINEATED IN (EPHESIANS 5) AND OTHER PASSAGES ARE TO BE CONTINUED IN OUR CULTURE AND TIME? WHEN GOD ASKED ADAM, "WHERE ARE YOU?" ADAM ANSWERED, " I WAS HIDING' (GENESIS 3:9-10) HE CONFESSED HIS TRUE CONDITION. THIS CONFESSION OPENED HIM TO GOD. WHEN WE PRAY WE COME OUT OF OUR SHELTERS AND NOT ONLY SEE OUR NAKEDNESS BUT ALSO SEE THAT THERE IS NO ENEMY WHO HAUNTS US, ONLY A FRIEND WHO WOULD LOVE NOTHING BETTER THAN TO CLOTH US WITH A NEW COAT. HOWEVER, PRAYER DOES NOT LEAD US TO SHAME, BUT RATHER TO THE JOYFUL DISCOVERY THAT WE ARE ONLY HUMAN, THAT GOD IS TRULY GOD. IF WE CLING TIGHTLY TO OUR OWN WEAKNESS, OUR FAULTS, SHORT COMINGS, AND OUR TWISTED PAST; TO ALL THE EVENTS, FACTS AND SITUATIONS WHICH WE WOULD PREFER TO CUT OUT OF OUR OWN HISTORY. WE ARE ONLY HIDING BEHIND A HEDGE THROUGH WHICH EVERYONE CAN SEE. BUT WHAT WE HAVE DONE IS TO NARROW OUR WORLD TO A SMALL HIDING PLACE, WHERE WE TRY TO CONCEAL OURSELVES, SUSPECTING RATHER PITIFULLY HAS SEEN US ALL ALONG. ( HENRI NOUWEN.) "WITH OPEN HANDS".
Monday, June 11, 2018
CHRISTIAN PRAYER [PRIVILEGE]. THE LORD'S PRAYER.
CHRISTIANS MAY SPEAK WITH THE CREATOR AND PRESERVER OF THIS IMMENSE UNIVERSE AND ADDRESS HIM AS "FATHER," (MATTHEW 6:9. ON OCCASION, JESUS PRAYED, "ABBA FATHER," (MARK 14:36). IN ANCIENT ISRAEL, A SMALL CHILD USED THE TERM "ABBA" WHEN ADDRESSING HIS FATHER. THE ON.LY ENGLISH WORD WHICH CONVEYS ITS TRUE MEANING IS ".DADDY." PAUL TWICE SAYS THAT CHRISTIANS CAN PRAY TO THE FATHER AS JESUS DID, ROMANS 8:15; GALATIANS 4:6. WE PRAY WITH CONFIDENCE TO A GOD MOST CONCERNED ABOUT OUR WELL- BEING.
THOUGH WE HUMANS ARE SO SMALL AND SINFUL, WE MAY APPROACH GOD IN PRAYER WITH BOLDNESS AND CONFIDENCE, HEBREWS [4:16]. JESUS GIVES US TO HIS PRESENCE (ROMANS 5:2;) EPHESIANS 2:18; 3:12), AND PRAYS FOR US, (ROMANS 8:34); (HEBREWS 9:24); 10:22. JESUS FATHER IS NOW OUR FATHER, JOHN (20:17.)
THOUGH GOD IS INVISIBLE, HE IS NOT DISTANT FROM US. IN PRAYER, WE SPEAK WITH A HEAVENLY FATHER WHO IS CLOSE TO US. (PSALM 139:1-18). HE HAS FORGIVEN OUR SIN, AND DECLARED US HOLY IN "CHRIST." ( 1 CORINTHIANS 1:2).
HE EARNESTLY DESIRES FELLOWSHIP WITH US. GOD DOES NOT NEED OUR PRAYERS.
HE CAN SURVIVE VERY WELL WITHOUT THEM. HE "COMMANDS" US TO PRAY "FOR OUR SAKE, FOR HE KNOWS WE NEED HIM. HIS CONCERN IS NOT HIS EGO, BUT OUR WELFARE. PRAYER IS TALKING WITH GOD NOT MERELY TO HIM. THE DIFFERENCE IS IMPORTANT. (PSALM 27:11). IF PRAYER WERE MERELY TALKING "TO GOD," IT MIGHT BE THOUGHT OF MERELY AS A MEANS OF INSTRUCTING GOD ABOUT OUR SITUATION TO ENSURE HIS AID. GOD DESIRES TO SPEAK WITH US THROUGH PRAYER, TO OPEN HIS HEART TO US, TO REVEAL HIS TRUTH TO US, AND TO TEACH US TO WALK THROUGH LIFE HIS WAY, (JAMES 1: 2-5; (PHILIPPIANS 4: 4-7.) HE SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS WORD. THE PERSON WHO HAS LISTENED TO GOD IN PRAYER WILL UNDERSTAND MUCH BETTER WHAT HE SHOULD SPEAK TO GOD ABOUT, (COLOSSIANS 3:17). THE NEW TESTAMENT MAKES NO MENTION OF JESUS ASKING HIS FATHER TO GIVE HIM ANY OBJECT, ANY MATERIAL THING. HE THANKS HIS FATHER FOR WHATEVER HE GIVES, AND PRAYS FOR POWER TO DO HIS WILL., (MARK 14: 32-42). THE LORD'S PRAYER, READ (MATTHEW 26, 51,52.) WHY DID JESUS DISCIPLE DRAW HIS SWORD? WHY DID JESUS COMMAND HIM TO REFRAIN FROM USING IT?
MARTIN LUTHER ONCE SAID THAT IF YOU SEE AN ARMY MARCHING INTO BATTLE, AND CARRYING THE CROSS OF CHRIST AT THE HEAD OF THE COLUMN , YOU SHOULD FLEE FROM THAT ARMY AS FROM THE DEVIL HIMSELF. WHY DID HE INSIST ON THAT COURSE OF ACTION? (EPHESIANS 6:10-18). WHAT WEAPONS DO WE USE?
WHAT EVENTS LEAD UP TO THE GIVING OF THE LORD'S PRAYER IN-(MATTHEW 6:1-9?
AND IT CAME TO PASS, THAT AS HE WAS PRAYING IN A CERTAIN PLACE, WHEN HE CEASED, ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES SAID UNTO HIM, LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY, AS JOHN ALSO TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES. AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, WHEN YE PRAY, SAY; OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME. THY KINGDOM COME. THY WILL BE DONE, AS IN HEAVEN, SO IN EARTH. GIVE US DAY BY DAY OUR DAILY BREAD (FOOD). AND FORGIVE US OUR SINS; FOR WE ALSO FORGIVE EVERY ONE INDEBTED TO US. AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION; BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL; FOR THOU ARE THE POWER AND GLORY FOR EVER AND EVER. (MATT 6:1-9.)
WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF "OUR?" WHO ART IN "HEAVEN?"
THERE IS GOOD REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE WORDS, "ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN" QUALIFY THE FIRST THREE PETITIONS, WHICH ARE THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD AS:
"HALLOWED BE THY NAME ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN ?"
"THY KINGDOM COME ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN."
" THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN." WHAT IS THE POINT OF ON EARTH IT IS IN HEAVEN?
WHAT IS MEANT BY GOD'S "NAME," AND HOW DO WE HALLOW IT?
WHAT IS GOD'S "KINGDOM" AND HOW DOES IT COME?
WHAT IS GOD'S "WILL", AND WHO IS TO DO IT?
HAVE YOU ASKED GOD FOR DAILY BREAD AND OTHER NEEDS EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE?
IF YOU WERE NEVER AGAIN TO ASK HIM FOR THESE THINGS, WOULD HE SUPPLY THEM? WHY, THEN, BOTHER TO PRAY?, " GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD? WHY PRAY "US" AND "OUR" IN THIS PETITION ("AND FORGIVE... ETC) WE ASK THAT WE BE IMITATORS OF GOD IN OUR DEALINGS WITH OTHERS.
WHAT DOES THIS IMPLY?
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF FAILING TO DO SO (MATTHEW 18: 23-35)?
THE FINAL PETITION MIGHT WELL BE TRANSLATED, " BUT DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE (SATAN)." IF THE PETITION IS UNDERSTOOD THIS WAY- WHAT IS THE OVERARCHING CONCERN OF THE TWO CLOSING PETITIONS?
AND WHAT " FRONT LINE, IN THE TRENCHES MENTALITY ARE WE TO ADOPT AT ALL TIMES.
THOUGH WE HUMANS ARE SO SMALL AND SINFUL, WE MAY APPROACH GOD IN PRAYER WITH BOLDNESS AND CONFIDENCE, HEBREWS [4:16]. JESUS GIVES US TO HIS PRESENCE (ROMANS 5:2;) EPHESIANS 2:18; 3:12), AND PRAYS FOR US, (ROMANS 8:34); (HEBREWS 9:24); 10:22. JESUS FATHER IS NOW OUR FATHER, JOHN (20:17.)
THOUGH GOD IS INVISIBLE, HE IS NOT DISTANT FROM US. IN PRAYER, WE SPEAK WITH A HEAVENLY FATHER WHO IS CLOSE TO US. (PSALM 139:1-18). HE HAS FORGIVEN OUR SIN, AND DECLARED US HOLY IN "CHRIST." ( 1 CORINTHIANS 1:2).
HE EARNESTLY DESIRES FELLOWSHIP WITH US. GOD DOES NOT NEED OUR PRAYERS.
HE CAN SURVIVE VERY WELL WITHOUT THEM. HE "COMMANDS" US TO PRAY "FOR OUR SAKE, FOR HE KNOWS WE NEED HIM. HIS CONCERN IS NOT HIS EGO, BUT OUR WELFARE. PRAYER IS TALKING WITH GOD NOT MERELY TO HIM. THE DIFFERENCE IS IMPORTANT. (PSALM 27:11). IF PRAYER WERE MERELY TALKING "TO GOD," IT MIGHT BE THOUGHT OF MERELY AS A MEANS OF INSTRUCTING GOD ABOUT OUR SITUATION TO ENSURE HIS AID. GOD DESIRES TO SPEAK WITH US THROUGH PRAYER, TO OPEN HIS HEART TO US, TO REVEAL HIS TRUTH TO US, AND TO TEACH US TO WALK THROUGH LIFE HIS WAY, (JAMES 1: 2-5; (PHILIPPIANS 4: 4-7.) HE SPEAKS TO US THROUGH HIS WORD. THE PERSON WHO HAS LISTENED TO GOD IN PRAYER WILL UNDERSTAND MUCH BETTER WHAT HE SHOULD SPEAK TO GOD ABOUT, (COLOSSIANS 3:17). THE NEW TESTAMENT MAKES NO MENTION OF JESUS ASKING HIS FATHER TO GIVE HIM ANY OBJECT, ANY MATERIAL THING. HE THANKS HIS FATHER FOR WHATEVER HE GIVES, AND PRAYS FOR POWER TO DO HIS WILL., (MARK 14: 32-42). THE LORD'S PRAYER, READ (MATTHEW 26, 51,52.) WHY DID JESUS DISCIPLE DRAW HIS SWORD? WHY DID JESUS COMMAND HIM TO REFRAIN FROM USING IT?
MARTIN LUTHER ONCE SAID THAT IF YOU SEE AN ARMY MARCHING INTO BATTLE, AND CARRYING THE CROSS OF CHRIST AT THE HEAD OF THE COLUMN , YOU SHOULD FLEE FROM THAT ARMY AS FROM THE DEVIL HIMSELF. WHY DID HE INSIST ON THAT COURSE OF ACTION? (EPHESIANS 6:10-18). WHAT WEAPONS DO WE USE?
WHAT EVENTS LEAD UP TO THE GIVING OF THE LORD'S PRAYER IN-(MATTHEW 6:1-9?
AND IT CAME TO PASS, THAT AS HE WAS PRAYING IN A CERTAIN PLACE, WHEN HE CEASED, ONE OF HIS DISCIPLES SAID UNTO HIM, LORD, TEACH US TO PRAY, AS JOHN ALSO TAUGHT HIS DISCIPLES. AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, WHEN YE PRAY, SAY; OUR FATHER WHICH ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME. THY KINGDOM COME. THY WILL BE DONE, AS IN HEAVEN, SO IN EARTH. GIVE US DAY BY DAY OUR DAILY BREAD (FOOD). AND FORGIVE US OUR SINS; FOR WE ALSO FORGIVE EVERY ONE INDEBTED TO US. AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION; BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL; FOR THOU ARE THE POWER AND GLORY FOR EVER AND EVER. (MATT 6:1-9.)
WHAT IS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF "OUR?" WHO ART IN "HEAVEN?"
THERE IS GOOD REASON TO BELIEVE THAT THE WORDS, "ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN" QUALIFY THE FIRST THREE PETITIONS, WHICH ARE THEN TO BE UNDERSTOOD AS:
"HALLOWED BE THY NAME ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN ?"
"THY KINGDOM COME ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN."
" THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN." WHAT IS THE POINT OF ON EARTH IT IS IN HEAVEN?
WHAT IS MEANT BY GOD'S "NAME," AND HOW DO WE HALLOW IT?
WHAT IS GOD'S "KINGDOM" AND HOW DOES IT COME?
WHAT IS GOD'S "WILL", AND WHO IS TO DO IT?
HAVE YOU ASKED GOD FOR DAILY BREAD AND OTHER NEEDS EVERY DAY OF YOUR LIFE?
IF YOU WERE NEVER AGAIN TO ASK HIM FOR THESE THINGS, WOULD HE SUPPLY THEM? WHY, THEN, BOTHER TO PRAY?, " GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD? WHY PRAY "US" AND "OUR" IN THIS PETITION ("AND FORGIVE... ETC) WE ASK THAT WE BE IMITATORS OF GOD IN OUR DEALINGS WITH OTHERS.
WHAT DOES THIS IMPLY?
WHAT ARE THE CONSEQUENCES OF FAILING TO DO SO (MATTHEW 18: 23-35)?
THE FINAL PETITION MIGHT WELL BE TRANSLATED, " BUT DELIVER US FROM THE EVIL ONE (SATAN)." IF THE PETITION IS UNDERSTOOD THIS WAY- WHAT IS THE OVERARCHING CONCERN OF THE TWO CLOSING PETITIONS?
AND WHAT " FRONT LINE, IN THE TRENCHES MENTALITY ARE WE TO ADOPT AT ALL TIMES.
Saturday, June 9, 2018
JOHN THE BAPTIZER'S DOUBT.
QUESTION : OF JOHN THE BAPTIZER, JESUS SAID: " HE WAS THE LAMP, SET AFLAME AND BURNING BRIGHT ( JOHN 5:35). YET JOHN SENT HIS DISCIPLES TO ASK JESUS: " ARE YOU' HE WHO IS TO COME' OR DO WE LOOK FOR ANOTHER.?" (MATTHEW 11:11)
ANSWER: THAT THE PRECURSOR COULD HAVE DOUBTS SHOULD NOT DISTURB US AT ALL. IN FACT THE LESSON GIVEN HERE IS A VERY PRECIOUS ONE.
IT TEACHES FIRST OF ALL THAT NO ONE IS SAFE FROM INVOLUNTARY WEAKNESS, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM DIRECT OR IN DIRECT REJECTION OF GOD'S DIVINE AND FREE GIFT OF FAITH. JOHN CERTAINLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE VOICE FROM HEAVEN PROCLAIMED AFTER CHRIST'S BAPTISM. HE UNDERSTOOD THAT HE WAS THE "SON OF GOD." BUT HE ALSO REALIZED THAT THIS DIVINE FAVOR RESTING ON JESUS AND THE "SPIRIT OF GOD." DESCENDING ON THIS "CHOSEN ONE" DID NOT COINCIDE WITH THE HYMN OF THE SUFFERING SERVANT (ISAIAH CHAPTER 42). THE POEMS OF THE SERVANT IN THE PROPHETIC BOOK FORM A COMPLETE WHOLE, AND THE LAST AND MOST POIGNANT (ISAIAH 53:7) IN PARTICULAR) FURNISH THE BEST EXPLANATION FOR THE MYSTERIOUS TITLE "LAMB OF GOD" WHICH THE PRECURSOR GIVES TO CHRIST. (JN 1:29; 36). SO JOHN'S WAS TRULY AN ENLIGHTENED FAITH. HE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE KINGDOM OF JESUS WAS NOT OF THIS WORLD, AND THAT "THE LAMB" WOULD BE SLAIN. BUT THE DISCIPLE IS NOT ABOVE HIS MASTER.; AND THAT IS THE SECOND PART OF THE MESSAGE.
JOHN'S VOCATION WAS NOT ONLY TO PREPARE WITHIN HIMSELF AND AMONG OTHERS THE WAY OF THE LORD. HE WAS ALSO CALLED TO SHARE THE NIGHT OF GETHSEMANI AND CHRIST'S ABANDONMENT ON THE CROSS. IN ANSWER TO A QUESTION CONCERNING THE COMING OF ELIJAH, WHO ACCORDING TO LATER TRADITION OF JUDAISM WAS TO PRECEDE THE MESSIAH'S COMING, JESUS SAID:
" I ASSURE YOU, THOUGH, THAT ELIJAH HAS ALREADY COME, BUT THEY DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM AND THEY DID AS THEY PLEASED WITH HIM. THE SON OF MAN WILL SUFFER AT THEIR HANDS IN THE SAME WAY. THEN, MATTHEW ADDS, THE DISCIPLES REALIZED THAT HE HAD BEEN SPEAKING TO THEM ABOUT JOHN THE BAPTIZER" (MATTHEW 17;12-13; ALSO "MARK 9:12-13). WITH THESE WORDS CHRIST EXPLICITLY SITUATED HIS PRECURSOR'S TRAGIC DEATH IN THE CONTEXT OF HIS OWN SACRIFICE. AND SO NOTHING MAY BE LACKING TO JOHN'S SACRIFICE, IT SEEMS THAT JOHN EXPERIENCED SOME OF THE SENSE OF DERELICTION THAT HIS MASTER WAS TO ENDURE LATER. THIS WOULD BE THE MEANING OF THE BAPTIZERS RATHER SURPRISING QUESTION, ADDRESSED FROM HIS PRISON TO CHRIST THROUGH "HIS " OWN DISCIPLES. JOHNS VERY FAITH WAS BEING PUT TO THE TEST. CERTAINLY WHAT HE HAD SEEN AND CONFESSED THROUGH HIS PROPHETIC INSPIRATION, WHAT HE HAD SEEN AND HEARD WHEN HIS HAND TOUCHED THE HEAD OF THE DIVINE BAPTIZED ONE, MUST HAVE REMAINED IN HIS MEMORY, BUT IT HAD PROBABLY LOST THE POWER OF CONVICTION OF FIRST HAND EVIDENCE. ON THE EVE OF HIS EXECUTION, WHEN HE WAS ABOUT TO DIE NOT FOR BEARING WITNESS TO CHRIST BUT FOR HAVING REMINDED HEROD OF A PRINCIPLE OF NATURAL LAW, IS IT NOT PROBABLE THAT THE PRECURSOR SPENT A NIGHT OF THE SPIRIT SOMEWHAT COMPARABLE TO CHRIST'S AGONY IN THE GARDEN? IT IS NOT THE LEAST OF PARADOXES OF THIS STRANGE LIFE THAT SUCH AN ENDING CAME AFTER SUCH A BEGINNING. WHAT A CONTRAST BETWEEN HIS DEATH IN PRACTICALLY TOTAL ABANDONMENT AND HIS MIRACULOUS BIRTH! WHEN HE CAME INTO THE WORLD, WE SEE A THRONG PRAYING AND REJOICING , THE APPARITION OF AN ANGEL, A TWOFOLD MIRACLE, AND ALMOST CONSTANT DIVINE INTERVENTION. AT HIS DEATH, WE FIND A DRUNKEN AND LEWD GATHERING, A LAX AND CRUEL KING AND THE WHOLE EARTH SCENE WRAPPED IN THE SILENCE OF GOD. JOHN THE BAPTIZERS SPIRITUAL EXPLOITS WERE DESTINED TO THIS TRAGIC ENDING. AND IT IS THIS ENDING THAT GIVES THE FULL MEASURE OF HIS GREATNESS
ANSWER: THAT THE PRECURSOR COULD HAVE DOUBTS SHOULD NOT DISTURB US AT ALL. IN FACT THE LESSON GIVEN HERE IS A VERY PRECIOUS ONE.
IT TEACHES FIRST OF ALL THAT NO ONE IS SAFE FROM INVOLUNTARY WEAKNESS, WHICH IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM DIRECT OR IN DIRECT REJECTION OF GOD'S DIVINE AND FREE GIFT OF FAITH. JOHN CERTAINLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT THE VOICE FROM HEAVEN PROCLAIMED AFTER CHRIST'S BAPTISM. HE UNDERSTOOD THAT HE WAS THE "SON OF GOD." BUT HE ALSO REALIZED THAT THIS DIVINE FAVOR RESTING ON JESUS AND THE "SPIRIT OF GOD." DESCENDING ON THIS "CHOSEN ONE" DID NOT COINCIDE WITH THE HYMN OF THE SUFFERING SERVANT (ISAIAH CHAPTER 42). THE POEMS OF THE SERVANT IN THE PROPHETIC BOOK FORM A COMPLETE WHOLE, AND THE LAST AND MOST POIGNANT (ISAIAH 53:7) IN PARTICULAR) FURNISH THE BEST EXPLANATION FOR THE MYSTERIOUS TITLE "LAMB OF GOD" WHICH THE PRECURSOR GIVES TO CHRIST. (JN 1:29; 36). SO JOHN'S WAS TRULY AN ENLIGHTENED FAITH. HE UNDERSTOOD THAT THE KINGDOM OF JESUS WAS NOT OF THIS WORLD, AND THAT "THE LAMB" WOULD BE SLAIN. BUT THE DISCIPLE IS NOT ABOVE HIS MASTER.; AND THAT IS THE SECOND PART OF THE MESSAGE.
JOHN'S VOCATION WAS NOT ONLY TO PREPARE WITHIN HIMSELF AND AMONG OTHERS THE WAY OF THE LORD. HE WAS ALSO CALLED TO SHARE THE NIGHT OF GETHSEMANI AND CHRIST'S ABANDONMENT ON THE CROSS. IN ANSWER TO A QUESTION CONCERNING THE COMING OF ELIJAH, WHO ACCORDING TO LATER TRADITION OF JUDAISM WAS TO PRECEDE THE MESSIAH'S COMING, JESUS SAID:
" I ASSURE YOU, THOUGH, THAT ELIJAH HAS ALREADY COME, BUT THEY DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM AND THEY DID AS THEY PLEASED WITH HIM. THE SON OF MAN WILL SUFFER AT THEIR HANDS IN THE SAME WAY. THEN, MATTHEW ADDS, THE DISCIPLES REALIZED THAT HE HAD BEEN SPEAKING TO THEM ABOUT JOHN THE BAPTIZER" (MATTHEW 17;12-13; ALSO "MARK 9:12-13). WITH THESE WORDS CHRIST EXPLICITLY SITUATED HIS PRECURSOR'S TRAGIC DEATH IN THE CONTEXT OF HIS OWN SACRIFICE. AND SO NOTHING MAY BE LACKING TO JOHN'S SACRIFICE, IT SEEMS THAT JOHN EXPERIENCED SOME OF THE SENSE OF DERELICTION THAT HIS MASTER WAS TO ENDURE LATER. THIS WOULD BE THE MEANING OF THE BAPTIZERS RATHER SURPRISING QUESTION, ADDRESSED FROM HIS PRISON TO CHRIST THROUGH "HIS " OWN DISCIPLES. JOHNS VERY FAITH WAS BEING PUT TO THE TEST. CERTAINLY WHAT HE HAD SEEN AND CONFESSED THROUGH HIS PROPHETIC INSPIRATION, WHAT HE HAD SEEN AND HEARD WHEN HIS HAND TOUCHED THE HEAD OF THE DIVINE BAPTIZED ONE, MUST HAVE REMAINED IN HIS MEMORY, BUT IT HAD PROBABLY LOST THE POWER OF CONVICTION OF FIRST HAND EVIDENCE. ON THE EVE OF HIS EXECUTION, WHEN HE WAS ABOUT TO DIE NOT FOR BEARING WITNESS TO CHRIST BUT FOR HAVING REMINDED HEROD OF A PRINCIPLE OF NATURAL LAW, IS IT NOT PROBABLE THAT THE PRECURSOR SPENT A NIGHT OF THE SPIRIT SOMEWHAT COMPARABLE TO CHRIST'S AGONY IN THE GARDEN? IT IS NOT THE LEAST OF PARADOXES OF THIS STRANGE LIFE THAT SUCH AN ENDING CAME AFTER SUCH A BEGINNING. WHAT A CONTRAST BETWEEN HIS DEATH IN PRACTICALLY TOTAL ABANDONMENT AND HIS MIRACULOUS BIRTH! WHEN HE CAME INTO THE WORLD, WE SEE A THRONG PRAYING AND REJOICING , THE APPARITION OF AN ANGEL, A TWOFOLD MIRACLE, AND ALMOST CONSTANT DIVINE INTERVENTION. AT HIS DEATH, WE FIND A DRUNKEN AND LEWD GATHERING, A LAX AND CRUEL KING AND THE WHOLE EARTH SCENE WRAPPED IN THE SILENCE OF GOD. JOHN THE BAPTIZERS SPIRITUAL EXPLOITS WERE DESTINED TO THIS TRAGIC ENDING. AND IT IS THIS ENDING THAT GIVES THE FULL MEASURE OF HIS GREATNESS
Friday, June 8, 2018
HERESIES ANCIENT [GNOSTICISM]
IN THE EARLY CHURCH, MANY FOUND IT DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE GOD'S TRUTH. THE PROBLEM WAS THAT WANDERING TEACHERS WERE A DIME A DOZEN, SINCERE AND PERSUASIVE. IT WAS NOT ALWAYS EASY TO SEPARATE THE GRAIN FROM THE CHAFF. A HERESY WHICH TROUBLED THE EARLY CHURCH FOR SEVERAL CENTURIES WAS GNOSTICISM. THE TEACHINGS OF GNOSTICISM TAUGHT THAT GOD WAS ALL SPIRIT. HE HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MATTER OF ANY KIND. THOUGH GOD DID NOT CREATE THE MATERIAL WORLD, HE CREATED LESSER DIVINE BEINGS WHICH THE GNOSTICS REFERRED TO AS "AEONS" OR "EMANATIONS;" EACH WAS LOCATED AT AN INCREASINGLY GREATER DISTANCE FROM GOD. THE MOST DISTANT ONE MADE THE WORLD AND MAN'S BODY. FRAGMENTS OF "DIVINE LIGHT" FROM GOD DEPARTED FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE TRUE GOD AND BECAME IMPRISONED IN THE BODIES OF PEOPLE ON EARTH. THEY FORGOT WHERE THEY CAME FROM AND WHERE THEY BELONGED. GNOSTICISM DENIED THE INCARNATION, WHICH STATES THAT WHEN JESUS CHRIST WAS CONCEIVED, GOD TOOK INTO HIMSELF A HUMAN NATURE. IT TAUGHT THAT THE "CHRIST" AND "JESUS" WERE TWO SEPARATE BEINGS. THE CHRIST ENTERED THE BODY OF MAN, JESUS WHEN THE LATTER WAS BAPTIZED AND USED HIM AS A TEMPORARY DWELLING PLACE FROM WHICH TO OPERATE DURING HIS EARTHLY MISSION. HE DEPARTED FROM JESUS PRIOR TO THE LATTER'S CRUCIFIXION AND DEATH. THE TRUE GOD SENT THE CHRIST TO EARTH TO TEACH TRUE KNOWLEDGE TO THE LOST AND IMPRISONED FRAGMENTS OF DIVINE LIGHT: THEIR ORIGINS, THEIR PLIGHT AND THE WAY BACK TO WHERE THEY BELONGED- THE PRESENCE OF THE TRUE GOD. THE CHRIST'S MISSION INCLUDED TEACHING THEM THE NECESSARY PASSWORDS TO GET THEM PASSED THE AEONS AND EMANATIONS WHO CONTROLLED THE SPHERES. TWO VIEWS PREVAILED CONCERNING THE USE A GNOSTIC COULD MAKE OF HIS BODY. SOME TAUGHT A PERSON COULD DEVOTE THE BODY TO ANY USE. AFTER ALL, IT WAS MATERIAL, AND WOULD BE DISCARDED AT DEATH. A PERSON COULD THEREFORE LIVE MERELY TO EAT, DRINK AND BE MERRY. ( NEW AGE) WARMED OVER GNOSTICISM. "ANTINOMIANISM."
OTHERS TAUGHT THAT A PERSON SHOULD BRING A PERSON'S APPETITES UNDER CONTROL THROUGH TABOOS, SUCH AS " TOUCH NOT, TASTE NOT, HANDLE NOT." COLOSSIANS 2:20-23 "LEGALISM" GNOSTICISM DENIED THAT IN JESUS CHRIST, GOD HIMSELF ENTERED INTO FLESH. " EVERY SPIRIT THAT CONFESSES JESUS CHRIST HAS COME IN THE FLESH IS OF GOD, AND EVERY SPIRIT WHICH DOES NOT CONFESS JESUS CHRIST IS NOT OF GOD, "1 JOHN 4:2,3. ( HEREBY KNOW YE THE SPIRIT OF GOD: EVERY SPIRIT THAT CONFESSETH THAT JESUS CHRIST IS COME IN THE FLESH IS OF GOD. AND EVERY SPIRIT THAT CONFESSETH NOT THAT JESUS CHRIST IS COME IN THE FLESH IS NOT OF GOD.: AND THIS IS THAT SPIRIT OF THE AN-TI-CHRIST, WHEREOF YE HAVE HEARD THAT IT SHOULD COME; AND EVEN NOW ALREADY IS IT IN THE WORLD. GNOSTICISM DID NOT TREAT SIN SERIOUSLY. ' IF WE SAY WE HAVE NO SIN, WE DECEIVE OURSELVES, AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN US. IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST. AND WILL FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS," 1 JOHN 1:8,9. IT DENIED THE ATONEMENT FOR SIN THROUGH CHRIST; IT SAW NO NEED OF IT.
THIS IS HE WHO CAME BY WATER (BAPTISM) AND BLOOD, (THE CROSS), JESUS CHRIST NOT WITH WATER ONLY BUT WITH WATER AND THE BLOOD," 1 JOHN 5:6.
NOTE JESUS CHRIST, ONE PERSON, TOOK PART IN BOTH BAPTISM AND CRUCIFIXION.
GNOSTICISM DEVELOPED A SPIRIT OF SNOBBERY IN ITS FOLLOWERS. THEY LOOKED DOWN ON THOSE LESSER CREATURES INCAPABLE OF TAKING IN GNOSTICISM'S "SUPERIOR KNOWLEDGE." ITS ADHERENTS DID NOT DEVOTE LIFE TO THE SERVICE OF OTHERS. HE WHO DOES NOT LOVE HIS BROTHER WHOM HE HAS SEEN, CANNOT LOVE GOD WHOM HE HAS NOT SEEN. AND THIS COMMANDMENT WE HAVE FRON HIM, THAT HE WHO LOVES GOD SHOULD LOVE HIS BROTHER ALSO 1 JOHN 4 : 2O,21.
THE APOSTLE JOHN EXHORTED HIS READERS"... TO TEST THE SPIRITS TO SEE WHETHER THEY ARE OF GOD, 1 JOHN 4:1. WE TODAY NEED TO BE ABLE TO TEST THE SPIRITS. AS WE DO, WE FIND THAT MANY MODERN HERESIES ARE MERELY ANCIENT HERESIES DRESSED UP IN CONTEMPORARY TERMINOLOGY. REFERENCES TO FALSE TEACHINGS OF THE GNOSTICISM ARE FOUND IN 1 AND 2 CORINTHIANS, EPHESIANS, COLOSSIANS, 1 AND 2 TIMOTHY, TITUS, 2 PETER, 1 AND 2 JOHN, THE REVELATION TO JOHN.
THE "FALSE DOCTRINE" OUTLINED IN THE CASE HISTORY BELOW DESCRIBES AN ATTITUDE THAT CONSTITUTES A DANGEROUS THREAT TO THE EFFECTIVE WORK AND WITNESS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY CHRISTIAN CHURCH. WHAT IS THIS ATTITUDE?
PASTOR SMITH WAS A VERY POPULAR DURING HIS FIRST FEW MONTHS IN THE CONGREGATION. EVERYONE COMMENTED ABOUT HIS PLEASANT NATURE, ABOUT THE FACT THAT HE WAS EASY TO GET ALONG WITH. NO DOUBT, MANY WERE GLAD JUST TO HAVE A MINISTER AGAIN; THEY HAD BEEN WITHOUT ONE FOR TWO YEARS.
HOWEVER, AFTER PASTOR SMITH HAD BEEN IN THE CONGREGATION FOR A FEW MONTHS, SOME OF THE MEMBERS BEGAN TO GET DISTURBED. ONE NIGHT HE JUST DID NOT SHOW UP FOR A MEETING OF THE CHURCH COUNCIL. WHEN THE CHAIRMEN EVENTUALLY SPOKE TO HIM ABOUT HIS ABSENCE, HE SMILED AND SAID THAT HE JUST HAPPENED TO MEET UP WITH AN OLD FRIEND WHO HAD INVITED HIM TO ATTEND ASOCIAL EVENING WHERE SOMEONE GAVE AN ILLUSTRATED LECTURE
ABOUT HIS VACATION TRAVELS. HE ACCEPTED THE INVITATION ALSO BECAUSE HE FELT HE WAS THE ONLY ONE- AND THERE WERE PLENTY OF OTHERS WHO WOULD BE AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING. SOME OF THE MEMBERS GOT A LITTLE UPSET WHEN PASTOR SMITH BEGAN TO ATTEND ONLY OCCASIONAL MEETINGS OF THE ADULT BIBLE STUDY FELLOWSHIP. WHEN ONE OF THE REALLY ZEALOUS SUPPORTERS OF THIS VENTURE SPOKE TO HIM ABOUT ONE OF HIS ABSENCES, HE REPLIED THAT HIS WIFE ASKED HIM TO REPAIR SOME PLUMBING IN THE KITCHEN-AND HE THOUGHT HE BETTER DO IT THEN AND KEEP HER HAPPY. ONE NIGHT HE FORGOT TO SHOW UP FOR EVENING SERVICES. TRUE ENOUGH, A VISITING PREACHER WAS ENGAGED TO CONDUCT THE SERVICE- BUT THE MEMBERS THOUGHT THAT THEIR OWN MINISTER SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE ALSO. AFTER ALL EVENING SERVICES WERE POORLY ATTENDED AS IT WAS.. HOWEVER PASTOR SMITH SAID HE AND HIS FAMILY WENT FOR A DRIVE THAT AFTERNOON AND HE WAS RATHER TIRED WHEN THEY GOT BACK. HE JUST DID NOT FEEL LIKE GOING TO THE SERVICE THAT EVENING. THINGS REALLY CAME TO A HEAD WHEN HE BEGAN ARRIVING LATE FOR THE REGULAR MORNING SERVICES. HE WOULD ARRIVE ABOUT TEN MINUTES LATE, AND THEN WALK AROUND TO BEGIN THE SERVICE AS THOUGH NOTHING HAD HAPPENED. WHEN THE ELDERS SPOKE TO HIM ABOUT HIS LACK OF PUNCTUALITY, HE REPLIED THAT HE GOT INTO THE HABIT OF GETTING UP LATE, AND DID NOT SEEM TO BE ABLE TO DO MUCH ABOUT IT. THERE CAME A DAY WHEN
HE DID NOT COME TO THE SERVICE AT ALL. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN LATE FALL, AND HE AND HIS FAMILY WANTED TO MAKE USE OF THIS LAST OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE FALL COLORS. HE THOUGHT HE WOULD NOT BE MISSED BECAUSE HE SAW SO MANY MEMBERS OUT DRIVING ANYHOW.
THE CONGREGATION CALLED A SPECIAL MEETING, AND PASSED THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION:
" BE IT RESOLVED THAT PASTOR SMITH BE RELIEVED OF HIS PASTORAL DUTIES IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT HE CANNOT BE THE MINISTER OF THIS PARISH IF HE INSISTS ON ACTING JUST LIKE THE REST OF THE MEMBERS."
OTHERS TAUGHT THAT A PERSON SHOULD BRING A PERSON'S APPETITES UNDER CONTROL THROUGH TABOOS, SUCH AS " TOUCH NOT, TASTE NOT, HANDLE NOT." COLOSSIANS 2:20-23 "LEGALISM" GNOSTICISM DENIED THAT IN JESUS CHRIST, GOD HIMSELF ENTERED INTO FLESH. " EVERY SPIRIT THAT CONFESSES JESUS CHRIST HAS COME IN THE FLESH IS OF GOD, AND EVERY SPIRIT WHICH DOES NOT CONFESS JESUS CHRIST IS NOT OF GOD, "1 JOHN 4:2,3. ( HEREBY KNOW YE THE SPIRIT OF GOD: EVERY SPIRIT THAT CONFESSETH THAT JESUS CHRIST IS COME IN THE FLESH IS OF GOD. AND EVERY SPIRIT THAT CONFESSETH NOT THAT JESUS CHRIST IS COME IN THE FLESH IS NOT OF GOD.: AND THIS IS THAT SPIRIT OF THE AN-TI-CHRIST, WHEREOF YE HAVE HEARD THAT IT SHOULD COME; AND EVEN NOW ALREADY IS IT IN THE WORLD. GNOSTICISM DID NOT TREAT SIN SERIOUSLY. ' IF WE SAY WE HAVE NO SIN, WE DECEIVE OURSELVES, AND THE TRUTH IS NOT IN US. IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, HE IS FAITHFUL AND JUST. AND WILL FORGIVE US OUR SINS AND CLEANSE US FROM ALL UNRIGHTEOUSNESS," 1 JOHN 1:8,9. IT DENIED THE ATONEMENT FOR SIN THROUGH CHRIST; IT SAW NO NEED OF IT.
THIS IS HE WHO CAME BY WATER (BAPTISM) AND BLOOD, (THE CROSS), JESUS CHRIST NOT WITH WATER ONLY BUT WITH WATER AND THE BLOOD," 1 JOHN 5:6.
NOTE JESUS CHRIST, ONE PERSON, TOOK PART IN BOTH BAPTISM AND CRUCIFIXION.
GNOSTICISM DEVELOPED A SPIRIT OF SNOBBERY IN ITS FOLLOWERS. THEY LOOKED DOWN ON THOSE LESSER CREATURES INCAPABLE OF TAKING IN GNOSTICISM'S "SUPERIOR KNOWLEDGE." ITS ADHERENTS DID NOT DEVOTE LIFE TO THE SERVICE OF OTHERS. HE WHO DOES NOT LOVE HIS BROTHER WHOM HE HAS SEEN, CANNOT LOVE GOD WHOM HE HAS NOT SEEN. AND THIS COMMANDMENT WE HAVE FRON HIM, THAT HE WHO LOVES GOD SHOULD LOVE HIS BROTHER ALSO 1 JOHN 4 : 2O,21.
THE APOSTLE JOHN EXHORTED HIS READERS"... TO TEST THE SPIRITS TO SEE WHETHER THEY ARE OF GOD, 1 JOHN 4:1. WE TODAY NEED TO BE ABLE TO TEST THE SPIRITS. AS WE DO, WE FIND THAT MANY MODERN HERESIES ARE MERELY ANCIENT HERESIES DRESSED UP IN CONTEMPORARY TERMINOLOGY. REFERENCES TO FALSE TEACHINGS OF THE GNOSTICISM ARE FOUND IN 1 AND 2 CORINTHIANS, EPHESIANS, COLOSSIANS, 1 AND 2 TIMOTHY, TITUS, 2 PETER, 1 AND 2 JOHN, THE REVELATION TO JOHN.
THE "FALSE DOCTRINE" OUTLINED IN THE CASE HISTORY BELOW DESCRIBES AN ATTITUDE THAT CONSTITUTES A DANGEROUS THREAT TO THE EFFECTIVE WORK AND WITNESS OF THE TWENTIETH CENTURY CHRISTIAN CHURCH. WHAT IS THIS ATTITUDE?
PASTOR SMITH WAS A VERY POPULAR DURING HIS FIRST FEW MONTHS IN THE CONGREGATION. EVERYONE COMMENTED ABOUT HIS PLEASANT NATURE, ABOUT THE FACT THAT HE WAS EASY TO GET ALONG WITH. NO DOUBT, MANY WERE GLAD JUST TO HAVE A MINISTER AGAIN; THEY HAD BEEN WITHOUT ONE FOR TWO YEARS.
HOWEVER, AFTER PASTOR SMITH HAD BEEN IN THE CONGREGATION FOR A FEW MONTHS, SOME OF THE MEMBERS BEGAN TO GET DISTURBED. ONE NIGHT HE JUST DID NOT SHOW UP FOR A MEETING OF THE CHURCH COUNCIL. WHEN THE CHAIRMEN EVENTUALLY SPOKE TO HIM ABOUT HIS ABSENCE, HE SMILED AND SAID THAT HE JUST HAPPENED TO MEET UP WITH AN OLD FRIEND WHO HAD INVITED HIM TO ATTEND ASOCIAL EVENING WHERE SOMEONE GAVE AN ILLUSTRATED LECTURE
ABOUT HIS VACATION TRAVELS. HE ACCEPTED THE INVITATION ALSO BECAUSE HE FELT HE WAS THE ONLY ONE- AND THERE WERE PLENTY OF OTHERS WHO WOULD BE AT THE COMMITTEE MEETING. SOME OF THE MEMBERS GOT A LITTLE UPSET WHEN PASTOR SMITH BEGAN TO ATTEND ONLY OCCASIONAL MEETINGS OF THE ADULT BIBLE STUDY FELLOWSHIP. WHEN ONE OF THE REALLY ZEALOUS SUPPORTERS OF THIS VENTURE SPOKE TO HIM ABOUT ONE OF HIS ABSENCES, HE REPLIED THAT HIS WIFE ASKED HIM TO REPAIR SOME PLUMBING IN THE KITCHEN-AND HE THOUGHT HE BETTER DO IT THEN AND KEEP HER HAPPY. ONE NIGHT HE FORGOT TO SHOW UP FOR EVENING SERVICES. TRUE ENOUGH, A VISITING PREACHER WAS ENGAGED TO CONDUCT THE SERVICE- BUT THE MEMBERS THOUGHT THAT THEIR OWN MINISTER SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE ALSO. AFTER ALL EVENING SERVICES WERE POORLY ATTENDED AS IT WAS.. HOWEVER PASTOR SMITH SAID HE AND HIS FAMILY WENT FOR A DRIVE THAT AFTERNOON AND HE WAS RATHER TIRED WHEN THEY GOT BACK. HE JUST DID NOT FEEL LIKE GOING TO THE SERVICE THAT EVENING. THINGS REALLY CAME TO A HEAD WHEN HE BEGAN ARRIVING LATE FOR THE REGULAR MORNING SERVICES. HE WOULD ARRIVE ABOUT TEN MINUTES LATE, AND THEN WALK AROUND TO BEGIN THE SERVICE AS THOUGH NOTHING HAD HAPPENED. WHEN THE ELDERS SPOKE TO HIM ABOUT HIS LACK OF PUNCTUALITY, HE REPLIED THAT HE GOT INTO THE HABIT OF GETTING UP LATE, AND DID NOT SEEM TO BE ABLE TO DO MUCH ABOUT IT. THERE CAME A DAY WHEN
HE DID NOT COME TO THE SERVICE AT ALL. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN LATE FALL, AND HE AND HIS FAMILY WANTED TO MAKE USE OF THIS LAST OPPORTUNITY TO SEE THE FALL COLORS. HE THOUGHT HE WOULD NOT BE MISSED BECAUSE HE SAW SO MANY MEMBERS OUT DRIVING ANYHOW.
THE CONGREGATION CALLED A SPECIAL MEETING, AND PASSED THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION:
" BE IT RESOLVED THAT PASTOR SMITH BE RELIEVED OF HIS PASTORAL DUTIES IN VIEW OF THE FACT THAT HE CANNOT BE THE MINISTER OF THIS PARISH IF HE INSISTS ON ACTING JUST LIKE THE REST OF THE MEMBERS."
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
" ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN."
IN THE LORD'S SUPPER WE CELEBRATE THAT IN CHRIST WE ARE ALREADY PART OF THE HEAVENLY HOST. WE ASK GOD TO MOVE US TO PRACTICE FERVENT LOVE AND SERVICE OF ONE ANOTHER. WE NEED TO GIVE THE MATTER SERIOUS THOUGHT, LEST WE REDUCE WORSHIP FORMS TO RITUALS DONE FOR THEIR OWN SAKE. IN 1 CORINTHIANS [13:1-3]. IS BASED ON THE FIRST VERSE OF THIS CHAPTER. ( 1 COR. 13-4-7, PAUL DESCRIBES THE DISPOSITION OF LOVE, AND POINTS TO ITS ETERNAL QUALITY [13;8-13]. GOD GIVES MANY SPIRITUAL GIFTS TO HIS PEOPLE- SUCH AS PROPHECY, TONGUES, KNOWLEDGE, FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE. HE REFERS TO THE TEMPORARY NATURE OF THE FIRST THREE; THE LAST THREE LISTED STILL "ABIDE"- AND THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE. WHAT DOES THIS MEAN. 1) FAITH MEANS BELIEVING IN THINGS WE CANNOT SEE, BELIEVING IN A GOD AND A LIFE TO COME BEYOND HUMAN SIGHT. HOWEVER, WHEN WE ENTER HEAVEN ITSELF, THERE WILL BE NO MORE NEED FOR "FAITH" IT WILL GIVE WAY TO "SIGHT." HENCE, FAITH ( IN THE SENSE IN WHICH IT IS USED IN THIS PASSAGE) WILL CEASE.
2. HOPE MEANS LOOKING FORWARD WITH JOY TO THINGS YET TO COME, IN PARTICULAR TO THE ETERNAL LIFE WE POSSESS ONLY IN FAITH. WHEN WE ENTER HEAVEN, "HOPE" WILL GIVE WAY TO "EXPERIENCE." HOPE WILL CEASE.
LOVE WILL NOT CEASE. IN THE LIFE TO COME WE SHALL USE LIFE TO SERVE GOD AND ONE ANOTHER. HENCE, "LOVE" IS THE GREATEST GIFT BECAUSE IT IS ETERNAL; GOD'S PEOPLE PRACTICE IT NOW AND FOREVER.
THE DESIRED OUTCOME OF PARTICIPATION IN THE LORD'S SUPPER IS NOW CLEAR. IN THE CLOSING PRAYER OF THE COMMUNION LITURGY, WE ASK GOD TO HELP US DO NOW WHAT WE SHALL DO THEN, TO DEMONSTRATE HEAVENLY BEHAVIOR DURING OUR EARTHLY LIFE.
2. HOPE MEANS LOOKING FORWARD WITH JOY TO THINGS YET TO COME, IN PARTICULAR TO THE ETERNAL LIFE WE POSSESS ONLY IN FAITH. WHEN WE ENTER HEAVEN, "HOPE" WILL GIVE WAY TO "EXPERIENCE." HOPE WILL CEASE.
LOVE WILL NOT CEASE. IN THE LIFE TO COME WE SHALL USE LIFE TO SERVE GOD AND ONE ANOTHER. HENCE, "LOVE" IS THE GREATEST GIFT BECAUSE IT IS ETERNAL; GOD'S PEOPLE PRACTICE IT NOW AND FOREVER.
THE DESIRED OUTCOME OF PARTICIPATION IN THE LORD'S SUPPER IS NOW CLEAR. IN THE CLOSING PRAYER OF THE COMMUNION LITURGY, WE ASK GOD TO HELP US DO NOW WHAT WE SHALL DO THEN, TO DEMONSTRATE HEAVENLY BEHAVIOR DURING OUR EARTHLY LIFE.
Tuesday, June 5, 2018
PURPOSE OF PARABLES.
OUR WORD "PARABLE" IS RELATED TO THE GREEK WORD PARABALLO which means " TO THROW OR PLACE ALONGSIDE." THUS A PARABLE IS SOMETHING PLACED ALONGSIDE SOMETHING ELSE FOR THE PURPOSE OF COMPARISON. THE TYPICAL PARABLE USES A COMMON EVENT OF NATURAL LIFE EMPHASIZE OR CLARIFY AN IMPORTANT SPIRITUAL TRUTH. JESUS THE MASTER TEACHER, USED PARABLES REGULARLY AS HE TAUGHT. THE GREEK WORD FOR PARABLE OCCURS FIFTY TIMES IN THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS IN CONNECTION WITH HIS MINISTRY, SUGGESTING THAT PARABLES WERE ONE OF IS TEACHING DEVICES. SCRIPTURE REVEALS TWO BASIC PURPOSES OF PARABLES. THE FIRST OF THESE IS TO REVEAL TRUTH TO BELIEVERS (MATT. 13: 10-12); MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN ORDINARY DISCOURSE. FOR EXAMPLE, CHRIST COULD HAVE SAID, " YOU SHOULD BE MORE PERSISTENT IN YOUR PRAYER LIFE." A STATEMENT HIS HEARERS WOULD PROBABLY HAVE SHRUGGED OFF AND PROBABLY QUICKLY FORGOTTEN. INSTEAD HE TOLD THEM OF A "WIDOW" WHO KEPT BEGGING AN UNJUST JUDGE TO HELP HER, UNTIL THE JUDGE FINALLY DECIDED TO ANSWER HER PETITIONS TO STOP HER COMPLAINING. CHRIST THEN TAUGHT THE LESSON OF THE PARABLE: IF AN UNJUST JUDGE WHO CARES NOTHING ABOUT A WIDOW CAN BE SWAYED BY PERSISTENT BEGGING, HOW MUCH MORE A LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER ANSWER THOSE WHO CONSISTENTLY PRAY TO HIM.. SIMILARLY, CHRIST COULD HAVE SAID, " YOU SHOULD BE HUMBLE," WHEN YOU PRAY." INSTEAD HE TOLD HIS AUDIENCE OF THE PHARISEE AND THE TAX COLLECTOR WHO WENT UP TO THE TEMPLE TO PRAY (LUKE 18: 19-14). THE RIDICULOUSNESS OF THE PHARISEES PRIDE AND AUTHENTICITY OF THE TAX COLLECTORS HUMILITY TEACH CHRIST'S LESSON IN A SIMPLE BUT UNFORGETTABLE WAY. IN REVEALING TRUTH PARABLES ARE ALSO USED EFFECTIVELY IN SCRIPTURE TO CONFRONT BELIEVERS WITH WRONGDOING IN THEIR LIVES. IF A BELIEVER POSSESSES BASICALLY SOUND MORAL STANDARDS COGNITIVELY AND YET FAILS TO LIVE UP TO THOSE STANDARDS IN SOME AREA OF HIS LIFE, A PARABLE CAN BE AN EFFECTUAL MEANS OF POINTING OUT HIS DISCREPANCY. CONSIDER THE CASE OF DAVID AND NATHAN AS TOLD IN (2 SAMUEL 12 ;1-7). THE CONTEXT OF THIS INCIDENT IS THAT DAVID HAD JUST HAD URIAH KILLED IN ORDER THAT HE MIGHT MARRY URIAH'S WIFE. THE TEXT READS: THE LORD SENT NATHAN TO DAVID. WHEN HE CAME TO HIM, HE SAID, " THERE WERE TWO MEN IN A CERTAIN TOWN, ONE RICH, THE OTHER POOR. THE RICH MAN HAD A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF SHEEP AND CATTLE, BUT THE POOR MAN HAD NOTHING EXCEPT ONE LITTLE EWE LAMB HE HAD BOUGHT. HE RAISED IT, AND IT GREW UP WITH HIM AND HIS CHILDREN. IT SHARED HIS FOOD, DRANK FROM HIS CUP AND EVEN SLEPT IN HIS ARMS. IT WAS LIKE A DAUGHTER TO HIM. NOW A TRAVELER CAME TO A RICH MAN, BUT THE RICH MAN REFRAINED FROM TAKING ONE OF HIS OWN SHEEP OR CATTLE TO PREPARE A MEAL FOR THE TRAVELER WHO HAD COME TO HIM. INSTEAD, HE TOOK THE EWE LAMB THAT BELONGED TO THE POOR MAN AND PREPARED IT FOR THE ONE WHO HAD COME TO HIM. DAVID BURNED WITH ANGER AGAINST THIS MAN AND SAID TO NATHAN, AS SURELY AS THE LORD LIVES, THE MAN WHO DID THIS DESERVES TO DIE! HE MUST PAY FOR THAT LAMB FOUR TIMES OVER, BECAUSE HE DID SUCH A THING AND HAD NOT PITY." THEN NATHAN SAID TO DAVID, " YOU ARE THE MAN!" DAVID A MAN OF MORAL PRINCIPAL, IDENTIFIED WITH THE GREAT WRONG THAT HAD BEEN DONE TO THE POOR MAN IN THE STORY. A PARABLE HIDES TRUTH FROM THOSE WHO HARDENED THEIR HEARTS AGAINST IT. (MATT. 13: 10-15; MARK 4:11-12; LUKE 8:9-10). IT MAY SEEM DIFFICULT TO RECONCILE THIS PURPOSE WITH OUR CONCEPTION OF GOD AS A LOVING BEING WHO ANNOUNCES TRUTH RATHER THAN HIDES IT. IT MAY BE THAT MAN RESISTS TRUTH AND YIELDS TO SIN, HE BECOMES LESS AND LESS ABLE TO UNDERSTAND SPIRITUAL TRUTH. THUS THE SAME PARABLES THAT BROUGHT INSIGHT TO FAITHFUL BELIEVERS WERE WITHOUT MEANING TO THOSE THAT HARDENEDING THEIR HEARTS AGAINST THE TRUTH, WHICH REMOVES FROM GOD ANY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE PHARISEES SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS. [I'm back!].
Friday, June 1, 2018
REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST.
THE INEVITABLE CONFLICT BETWEEN CHRISTIANITY AND THE ROMAN EMPIRE WAS LONG POSTPONED THROUGH IMPERIAL POLICY OF RELIGIOUS TOLERATION AND THE POLITICAL QUIETISM OF THE CHRISTIANS UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF PAUL. PERSECUTION CONFINED TO SUCH INDIVIDUALS SUCH AS PAUL AND PETER., NOW OVERTOOK ALL CHRISTIANS WHO WERE UNWILLING TO PURCHASE SAFETY CONFORMING TO THE ROMAN RELIGION. IN THIS DARK HOUR OF SUPPRESSION AND THREATEN EXTINCTION, THE BOOK OF REVELATION WAS WRITTEN BY JOHN, A PROPHET OF EPHESUS, IN CIRCUMSTANCES SIMILAR TO THOSE IN WHICH THE BOOK OF DANIEL HAD BEEN COMPOSED TWO CENTURIES EARLIER. STEEPED IN THE APOCALYPTIC LITERATURE EZEKIEL, ZECHARIAH, AND DANIEL, THE AUTHOR CONSTRUCTED A PICTURE OF THE APPROACHING OVERTHROW OF ROME AS THE VERITABLE KINGDOM OF ANTICHRIST FORETOLD BY THE PROPHETS. THOUGH THE INFLUENCE IS EVIDENT IN THE PROLOGUE, THE SPIRIT OF THE WORK IS ESSENTIALLY HEBRAIC RATHER THAN CHRISTIAN.
JOHN TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES WHICH ARE IN ASIA: GRACE BE UNTO YOU, AND PEACE, FROM HIM WHICH IS, AND WHICH WAS, AND WHICH IS TO COME AND FROM THE SEVEN SPIRITS WHICH ARE BEFORE HIS THRONE.; AND FROM JESUS CHRIST, WHO IS THE FAITHFUL WITNESS, AND THE FIRST BEGOTTEN, AND THE PRINCE OF THE KINGS OF THE EARTH. UNTO HIM THAT LOVED US, AND WASHED US FROM OUR SINS IN HIS OWN BLOOD, AND HATH MADE US KINGS AND PRIESTS UNTO GOD AND HIS FATHER, TO HIM BE GLORY AND DOMINION FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN.
BEHOLD HE COMETH IN THE CLOUDS; EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM, AND THEY ALSO WHICH PIERCED HIM: AND ALL KINDREDS OF THE EARTH SHALL WAIL BECAUSE OF HIM. EVEN SO:amen. "I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE BEGINNING AND THE ENDING,"
SAITH THE LORD, WHICH IS, AND WHICH WAS, AND WHICH IS TO COME, THE ALMIGHTY.
I JOHN, WHO ALSO AM YOUR BROTHER, AND COMPANION IN TRIBULATION, AND IN THE KINGDOM AND PATIENCE OF JESUS CHRIST. THERE IS NO FEAR IN LOVE; BUT PERFECT LOVE CASTETH OUT FEAR: BECAUSE FEAR HAS TORMENT. HE THAT FEARETH IS NOT MADE PERFECT IN LOVE. WE LOVE HIM, BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US. IF A MAN SAY, " I LOVE GOD AND HATES HIS BROTHER, HE IS A LIAR; FOR HE WHO LOVES NOT HIS BROTHER, WHOM HE HAS SEEN? HOW CAN HE LOVE GOD WHOM HE HAS NOT SEEN.AND THIS COMMANDMENT HAVE WE FROM HIM, THAT HE WHO LOVES GOD, MUST LOVE HIS BROTHER ALSO. DOMINATED BY CONCEPTIONS OF WAR AND REVENGE, THE WORK IS ETHICALLY ON A LOWER PLANE THAN THE REST OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, BUT FROM THE STRICTLY LITERARY POINT OF VIEW.
IT IS THE MOST MAGNIFICENT OF THE LATER BOOKS OF THE BIBLE. IT IS FITTING THAT THE BIBLE SHOULD CLOSE WITH THIS CULMINATING EXAMPLE OF THE APOCALYPTIC FORM, SO DEEPLY INFUSED WITH THE PROPHETIC SPIRIT, A KIND OF RESURRECTION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT IN CHRISTIAN GUISE.
JOHN TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES WHICH ARE IN ASIA: GRACE BE UNTO YOU, AND PEACE, FROM HIM WHICH IS, AND WHICH WAS, AND WHICH IS TO COME AND FROM THE SEVEN SPIRITS WHICH ARE BEFORE HIS THRONE.; AND FROM JESUS CHRIST, WHO IS THE FAITHFUL WITNESS, AND THE FIRST BEGOTTEN, AND THE PRINCE OF THE KINGS OF THE EARTH. UNTO HIM THAT LOVED US, AND WASHED US FROM OUR SINS IN HIS OWN BLOOD, AND HATH MADE US KINGS AND PRIESTS UNTO GOD AND HIS FATHER, TO HIM BE GLORY AND DOMINION FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN.
BEHOLD HE COMETH IN THE CLOUDS; EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM, AND THEY ALSO WHICH PIERCED HIM: AND ALL KINDREDS OF THE EARTH SHALL WAIL BECAUSE OF HIM. EVEN SO:amen. "I AM ALPHA AND OMEGA, THE BEGINNING AND THE ENDING,"
SAITH THE LORD, WHICH IS, AND WHICH WAS, AND WHICH IS TO COME, THE ALMIGHTY.
I JOHN, WHO ALSO AM YOUR BROTHER, AND COMPANION IN TRIBULATION, AND IN THE KINGDOM AND PATIENCE OF JESUS CHRIST. THERE IS NO FEAR IN LOVE; BUT PERFECT LOVE CASTETH OUT FEAR: BECAUSE FEAR HAS TORMENT. HE THAT FEARETH IS NOT MADE PERFECT IN LOVE. WE LOVE HIM, BECAUSE HE FIRST LOVED US. IF A MAN SAY, " I LOVE GOD AND HATES HIS BROTHER, HE IS A LIAR; FOR HE WHO LOVES NOT HIS BROTHER, WHOM HE HAS SEEN? HOW CAN HE LOVE GOD WHOM HE HAS NOT SEEN.AND THIS COMMANDMENT HAVE WE FROM HIM, THAT HE WHO LOVES GOD, MUST LOVE HIS BROTHER ALSO. DOMINATED BY CONCEPTIONS OF WAR AND REVENGE, THE WORK IS ETHICALLY ON A LOWER PLANE THAN THE REST OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, BUT FROM THE STRICTLY LITERARY POINT OF VIEW.
IT IS THE MOST MAGNIFICENT OF THE LATER BOOKS OF THE BIBLE. IT IS FITTING THAT THE BIBLE SHOULD CLOSE WITH THIS CULMINATING EXAMPLE OF THE APOCALYPTIC FORM, SO DEEPLY INFUSED WITH THE PROPHETIC SPIRIT, A KIND OF RESURRECTION OF THE OLD TESTAMENT IN CHRISTIAN GUISE.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)