Category Archives: Jesus

THE PRICE OF LIBERTY

10 Wednesday Jul 2019

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One can’t live in this country without hearing from some the significance of those who have gone on before us, some even paying a high price for liberty so you and I can live in freedom. I agree with this expression in whatever form it may be expressed. I was willing to serve my country because I believe in the ideals of its founding. While some are chipping away at those foundations, doing their best to make us pay for the mistakes of those who have gone before us, it’s the Lord who reminds us that when we put our trust in Him, the dreadful mistakes of the past are carried and paid for by Him. What He requires of us is our commitment to His way, which expresses itself in faith and obedience. The price of Liberty is that Jesus paid a debt I could not pay. RT

 

Jesus, Growing in Grace

05 Sunday May 2019

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It does not take much wisdom to understand the importance of growing up physically; with one’s physical growth there is to be growth in the maturation of one’s mind. In life, one who is retarded in growth due to circumstances outside their control generates compassion from many people; vulnerabilities and the innocent can be preyed upon.

When Jesus was but a little boy, he would have experienced the same things other little boys would have enjoyed. Perhaps he played in the dirt, got muddy, had a messy room (so to speak). With Jesus, just as with other little boys, he grew both physically, mentally and emotionally. With him, however, there was something different than other little boys experienced. Sometimes we have difficulty putting our arms around the fact that he was similar to us because he was so different. Yet, though different, the Scripture says, “And as Jesus grew older He gained in both wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man” (Luke 2:52, Weymouth English Translation).

Whatever difference there might have been in Jesus in comparison with other children his age, the fact is, he had parents dedicated to the Lord’s will in their own lives. Jesus’ education would have been, like it should be in our case, was at home from his parent tutelage. He grew into a mature young man in a dark world of sin. Jesus saw all that was about him; by the age of twelve, he had a clear sense, more than his parents did, of what his mission would be. He asked them a question when they came looking for him, thinking something might have happened to him that was terribly horrifying.  “Why were you looking for me? Didn’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” (Luke 2:49, New English Translation or NET).

As Jesus was in his Father’s house, we are to be also. It’s not a physical structure that is in view, but the Lord’s church. Because of obedience to the holy will of God, the Lord took each of those who obey his will from the realm of darkness and placed them in the realm of light; the apostle Paul wrote to the Christians in Ephesus, “for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light” (Eph. 5:8, ESV). This expression pertains to growth in the Lord; just a few verses later, Paul said, “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is” (5:17).

There is a natural process in growth, if the body is given what it needs. If not, then growth is stunted, it is retarded and in short-order withers. This applies to one’s physical well-being and it also applies to one’s mental faculties, but even more so, in our context, to one’s spiritual health. If one does not grow in the Lord’s grace, then the one who does not grow is not prepared spiritually.

In the long ago, Jeremiah struggled greatly in handling the oppressive spirit of the people. The Lord understood, but the Lord’s understanding was expressed in an exhortation that was to generate in Jeremiah the proper response of preparing himself for the struggle ahead. “If you have raced with men on foot, and they have wearied you, how will you compete with horses? And if in a safe land you are so trusting, what will you do in the thicket of the Jordan?” (Jer. 12:5, ESV).

To grow as the Lord would have his saints grow takes effort, but it also takes desire. Within your heart you need to instill the Lord’s word because it is the Lord you seek to please. One can’t please the Lord without knowledge. Thus, to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord, one needs to learn his will and make specific applications to living a holy life.  RT

 

Genesis 3:15 and the Messiah

15 Friday Mar 2019

Posted by in Jesus, Sound Doctrine, Uncategorized

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It was Paul’s habit to go into a community of Jews and reason with them from the scriptures. Paul did this because of his conviction; he wrote to the church in Rome, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16, KJV). Paul did not pursue an intellectual path, discussing the finer points of the Law of Moses. Instead, he made it his mission to convert those of his country, his heritage (cf. 1 Cor. 9:19-22; Rom. 9:1-5).

It was Paul’s intent to persuade and convince those of his heritage that Jesus was the Christ, the anointed of God. Many of the Jewish community rejected this, although some were convinced.

The approach Paul took has intrigued me for years. I do not live nearby a Jewish synagogue, but if I did would I be capable of doing the same? No, I could not. Because I was not able to, I set in motion for myself to learn from Rabbinic writings what they say about the Scriptures, especially in relation to Messianic passages of Scripture.

This article and some following articles will give attention to this very matter. Whether we live near or in a Jewish community, the principles of Paul should be applied by each New Testament Christian as one seeks to reason with people of faith, seeking to learn together and persuade others about New Testament Christianity, getting back to the Bible, doing Bible things in Bible ways as well as speaking with Bible words.

Messianic Passages in Genesis

In the beginning, the Lord created Adam and Eve putting them in His garden, the Garden of Eden. It was there the Lord directed they were to work. They could eat of anything the Lord put in that garden, but not from one specific tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The Lord had His reasons for this prohibition, and it was the obligation of the first couple to comply with the Lord’s directive.

God desired man to experience the joys of living in His created world, but this joy could not (and cannot) be realized as God intends if man is disobedient to His revealed will. History told us the first couple failed to enjoy God’s intended blessings in this life. The Lord responded to this failure:

And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life: And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel. Unto the woman he said, I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. (Genesis 3:14-16, KJV).

I want to notice the words of the Lord to Eve and the one who generated the temptation. Notice: 1) there was separation between the pinnacle of God’s creation (human beings) and the beasts of the field (represented by the serpent); 2) the serpent was controlled by the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4) utilizing deception and lying to bring down God’s pinnacle; 3) the beast of the field was subservient to human beings; 4) man’s great adversary (Satan) as represented by the serpent would have his head crushed; 5) man’s great adversary will not go down without a fight (so to speak) for he will bruise or sting; 6) human beings cannot crush the serpent’s head, that is, overcome the great adversary. This can only be done by God’s hope given to humanity as revealed in these words.

In the words of the Holy Spirit to Adam and Eve there was hope given by God. Admittedly, the hope is not easily seen, but it is there. From the New Testament, we know it is there. Notice: “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” The pinnacle of God’s creation will be (and is) hurt terribly, but the tempter is crushed. Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor. 15:55-57). Where did that “sting of death” come from, but in the Garden! Paul wrote to Timothy, “But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel” (2 Tim. 1:10).

What did the Rabbis teach on Genesis 3:15? I was disappointed in what I read, for it was not at all what I thought I would see. Some of interpretations move from the reasonable into strange and weird speculation (completely useless). There is nothing said in what they wrote about hope overcoming Satan except to say this will occur with the study of the Torah (the Law of Moses as revealed in the first five books of the Bible). Nothing is said about the serpent’s head being crushed by man, except to make known to a reader what intentions the serpent had (who had hands and feet walking uprightly), “The serpent’s plan was to have Adam die and to then marry Chavah [Eve].” Michael Brown, in a footnote, gave attention to Genesis 3:15 being understood by some (not all) in the Jewish community as Messianic.

I thought I would consider what some through the centuries said on the passage. Jerome, biblical scholar of the 5th century, wrote, “Later revelation will confirm this first vague message of victory [Gen. 3:15] and specify the manner in which the victory will be attained.” Alfred Edersheim, a 19th century authority on Jewish ways and teachings, did not give attention to what the Rabbis taught in regards to Genesis 3:15, but did offer his perspective that the passage is Messianic in early form (protoevangelium). The 16th century reformers are on both sides as to whether the passage is Messianic or not, most thinking it is. In fact, of the 18 citations, only two (John Calvin and Johannes Oecolampadius) doubted the exegetical application. “If we should cite this text to dispute against the Jews, I fear we would more likely be ridiculed than accomplish anything” (Reformation 161).

Exegetically Understood

Can Genesis 3:15 be exegetically understood to refer to the Christ? Even though Judaism does not regard the Messiah as being a necessary interpretation here , clearly a case for the Christ must start here. Admittedly, it is from a New Testament context and from an overall picture of the Old Covenant that one is better able to see it unfold. Consider the following points. First, there is an adversarial relationship between what the serpent represents and man. In Revelation 12:9, the serpent is the dragon making war against those of God’s creation. “And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ” (12:17). Second, the enmity between the woman and the serpent was separation, hostility, hatred. Satan is the father of lies (John 8:44) and his only intent is to separate man from his Creator, developing within him hatred and bitterness toward the Almighty. He has had great (numerical) success at this. Third, the serpent will bruise the heel of man, but man will crush the head of serpent. Coffman, who is dismissive of those who reject the protoevangelium, said, “‘Thou shalt bruise his heel…is undoubtedly a reference to the Crucifixion.’ The reason many scholars fail to see this is because ‘[t]heir blindness is due to their failure to recognize that the key to understanding the O.T. is Jesus Christ (2Cor. 3:15-16). The terminology of this verse is such that it cannot apply to anything in heaven or upon earth except the long spiritual conflict between Christ and Satan’.”

A case can be made that Genesis 3:15 is the first reference to man’s hope, albeit an obscure reference and one that can only be seen in the context of the whole of Scripture.

 

The Chumash with the Teachings of the Talmud, The Milstein Edition, p. 30.

Michael Brown, Answering Jewish Objections: Messianic Prophecy Objections, Vol. 3; Baker Books, p. 198.

The Jerome Biblical Commentary, Prentice Hall, 2:28, p. 13.

Alfred Edersheim, Bible History: Old Testament, Hendriksen Publishers, p. 14.

Reformation Commentary on Scripture: Genesis 1-11, Vol. 1; IVP Academic, pp. 156-162.

“In Judaism, the estrangement caused by the innate human appetite for evil does not require an act of messianic redemption to be healed” (The Jewish Study Bible, p. 18).

James B. Coffman, Commentary of Genesis, pp. 68, 67.

PEACE ON EARTH….

24 Sunday Dec 2017

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For generations, people have lived with the idea when man’s Savior came to this earth, peace would dwell amongst all men. Yet, as we look at society, we readily see this is not the case. What then are we to understand when one reads a passage like this: “And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men” (Luke 2:12-14, KJV).

This is complicated all the more when we note the words of the Lord to His disciples, sending them out in what is called the “limited commission”, that is, when the disciples were sent to the house of Israel only to preach the Lord’s coming to their community. He told them, in essence, “I want you to understand that you are being sent out as sheep among wolves…“And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 10:21-22).

One can clearly see the “peace” of Luke 2, is not peace at all in Matthew 10, but as it reads in, there is much resistance. What the angels meant was not peace between people, family members, communities or nations; what the Lord meant when He sent the angel to declare was something far more important. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope: And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us”  (Romans 5:1-5).

The Lord’s peace, then, is in relation to Him who is Lord over all. It is wisdom of God that each who loves the Lord to understand this and to adopt the Lord’s way of thinking in regard to life lived. “Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matthew 10:34-37).

I can’t imagine a single person who desires conflict in life; the apostle Paul exhorted us to live peaceably with all as much as is possible (Rom. 12:18), but some can do as much as still have conflict. The Lord did; we also will. Nevertheless, let us not forget the “peace” of the Lord that surpasses all understanding is in relation to a relationship with the Lord Jesus; let us think the way He thought, walking the way He walked, and being willing to give up life for His cause, rather than our own.

This holiday season, have you lost sight of this important point?

The Gift(s)

18 Thursday Dec 2014

Posted by in Holidays, Jesus, Salvation

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Mary and Joseph’s troubles had only begun. The joy of a newborn is magnified when one (Mary) learns from the Lord’s angel (Gabriel) that the child she would carry would be the Lord’s anointed. In accordance with Jewish law/tradition, Mary and Joseph circumcise their Son on day eight after his birth. Rather ordinary; the ordinary then turns to marvel when a very old man, Simeon, speaks praise to the Lord and then speaks plainly to both (Mary especially) that their newborn child will bring much joy and anguish to the nation of Israel. In fact, the message and life of the child (then adult) will pierce the heart of his mother (Luke 2:25-35).

This is the part of the “Christmas” story that is often forgotten. So often it is that we hear the joy of the message that God’s Son was brought into the world with that joy expressed in gifts given. But in this joyous occasion it is the forgotten message that He is God’s gift to man. Why would God give a gift to humanity?

The experience of Mary and Joseph illustrate why God gave His unique (one of a kind) Son to man. They learned from the Lord that Herod, a raging and jealous king, was seeking to destroy the child recently born. This insecure man was a servant of Satan. “Now the dragon’s tail swept away a third of the stars in heaven and hurled them to the earth. Then the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child as soon as it was born. So the woman gave birth to a son, a male child, who is going to rule over all the nations with an iron rod. Her child was suddenly caught up to God and to his throne, and she fled into the wilderness where a place had been prepared for her by God, so she could be taken care of for 1,260 days” (Revelation 12:4-6, NET).

God’s gift to man is not understood; what is learned is rejected exactly because of the efforts of the “dragon” one reads in Revelation. He is the “god of this world” (2 Cor. 4:4), and he seeks to destroy as many as he can.

Though Christmas is not a Bible holiday, it is a time when the Lord’s saints can do much good in helping others learn the true significance of why Jesus came into this world. Whatever gifts are given, it is God’s gift that is truly the most important.

A Feeding Trough

15 Monday Dec 2014

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Jesus is so well known as a historical person that it is a wonder there is still much dispute about Him. Why it is this way is because of His message; that He existed would be of no importance if it was not the message He preached. The life He lived was not an easy life, the words He spoke were not easily heard, but both accomplished was His mission.

Just before the Lord was born into this world, His parents were themselves on a mission. They knew, of course, that Mary was chosen of God to bring forth into the world One who would change the world. They did not understand, however, the jealousy and opposition that would be against Him, and by connection, against them. How could they!

After Joseph was given clarity to the tremendously perplexing situation he was facing (Matthew 1:18-23), he was called upon by Rome to register himself properly, along with his wife, in Bethlehem (Luke 2:1-5). Coming from Nazareth, a distance of some 3 to 5 days journey (80-100 miles), as pregnant as Mary was, they both carried anxiety with them. Add to this burden another anxiety directly connected to jewish society. If it was understood that Mary was pregnant before her marriage to Joseph, then judgment could be very severe! Their anxiety was heightened.

They arrive in Bethlehem and were unable to find a guest room. This is not unexpected, being that Bethlehem was as small as it was. Bethlehem being small, travelers being many, rooms would have been few. Mary, at this time, was unable to wait any longer; the child in her womb was ready to come into the world—exactly as spoken by the prophet Micah (5:2). Jesus was resting in a feeding trough when Mary and Joseph are greeted by shepherds from the field (Luke 2:8-20).

Something so ordinary was not ordinary at all. While Mary, Joseph, and Jesus were resting quietly, the shepherds told of an amazing visit from the angels. Those shepherds had no real idea just how amazing the story and message of the baby in an animal’s feeding trough was really going to be. We do!

A New Groom

29 Monday Sep 2014

Posted by in Doctrine, Jesus

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In Romans 7, the Lord’s apostle expounds on the significance of the Law of Moses in relation to the Lord’s New Covenant. In this exposition, he speak of marriage and adultery. To the Jew, to obey a law other than the Law of Moses, one was guilty of adultery, and adultery is punishable by death (cf. Deut. 17:1-5). In fact, this theme is seen throughout the writings of the prophets.

To those of Jewish persuasion, Paul knew he had a case to make. This he does in his letter to the church at Rome, just as he did when went into the synagogues each Sabbath day when the local Jewish community gathered for study of the Torah and Prophets (cf. Acts 17:3).

As long as the Law of Moses was sanctioned by God and in active force, for one who was a Jew, to obey something that was different than the Law of Moses was to be liable to punishment. However, if the Law of Moses was no longer sanctioned by God and in active force, to obey the New Covenant not only relieved one from the punishment of death, but actually liberated those who obeyed from the heart (6:16-18) from sin, something they could not be relieved from by the Law of Moses (Acts 13:39).

Using the illustration of marriage, Paul makes his point. A woman is married, but when her husband dies she is no longer married (but a widow). According to the Lord, the Law of Moses died (Colossians 2:14); thus, those who “marry” the New Covenant, now live life with a new groom.

Jesus forbids sectarianism

05 Friday Sep 2014

Posted by in Doctrine, Jesus

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            Some years ago I read an article by a brother who excoriated the writing of another brother because of his use of Mark 9:38-41 in relationship to unity. I was so put off by the tone of that article that I resolved to no longer consider anything he said on any topic. That was (and is) an unfair approach that I took because in many areas of teaching I could see that he was “spot on.”

            Unfair or not, it was my approach, and until recently, I had really given no serious attention to the passage except to read it in my regular Bible readings. Using the Gospel Advocate’s Foundation series quarterly Bible study in our adult class, it is my custom to study the whole chapter of the text of our lesson for that week. Mark 9:2-13 was our text, so I did a textual study of the whole chapter, with a particular interest in 9:38-41.

            Here is what the four verses teach in summary. First, Jesus was questioned concerning the propriety of others not associated with Him and His disciples (9:38). Second, Jesus prohibited the disciples, especially John, from preventing those sympathetic to Jesus from “casting out demons” (9:39). Third, those sympathetic to Jesus and His teachings are actually “on our side” and shall receive their reward (9:40-41).

            Let us understand what Jesus said and was saying in the larger context. First, in 9:33-37, Jesus taught what discipleship was all about to His chosen twelve. Discipleship under the “banner” of Jesus’ name is not about who is the greatest, but humility and servitude as seen in the form of a child. The theme of this teaching extends itself in the next paragraph (9:38-41). Second, as the disciples needed to learn about humility and servitude, they also needed to learn about sectarianism. Sectarianism is similar to partisanship. In other words, one’s attitude toward another of a different perspective is not as charitable as it should be. That is Jesus’ point. The disciples did not receive or like the one doing good in Jesus’ name, so they wanted the Lord to stop him completely. The Lord would not.

            Let us make an application to what Jesus said. Jesus does not address what some might call “doctrinal” points of difference. The Lord addresses an attitude of charity toward others not of a particular group. There is no chance the Lord would compromise His teaching for unity’s sake, and neither will He tolerate His disciples doing that (Galatians 1:6-9). As we think about the passage, for some it is easy to misapply it because of a desire to look at one’s sincere devotion rather than the truth as expressed by God. We would be mistaken if we thought and said that others who teach differently will be accepted by the Lord. To do so would result in two things: 1) miss the point of the context, 2) compromise what the Lord said elsewhere.

Pilate’s Tough Spot

20 Thursday Mar 2014

Posted by in Behavior, history, Jesus, Leadership

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The Bible does not paint Pilate in a very good light. There is, of course, good reason for this. He was Rome’s representative in Judea, administering Roman justice to a people in constant turmoil because of Rome’s presence. Moreover, the name “Pilate” has gone down in history as an infamous name, one that will always be tied to the crucifixion of Jesus.

In John 19 the tough spot Pilate was in was how best to deal with a crowd that had the single interest of killing an innocent man (19:6), and for him to maintain loyalty to Rome. The crowd did not originate this desire of theirs to kill Jesus (cf. Acts 19:32); rather, they were complicit with those who did originate the desire (Matthew 27:20; cf. John 12:19; 11:45-50). Pilate knew this (Matthew 27:18), and desiring to satisfy the crowd he gave Jesus over to their will (Mark 15:10-15).

Pilate was in a tough spot, don’t you think? Not really. He knew Jesus was innocent of the charges leveled against him. Knowing this and allowing justice to hold sway meant that he was not in a tough spot at all. Pilate’s way of thinking, however, was not one that allowed justice to hold sway; what did hold sway was his political fortunes. Because that was his priority the Jews had him over a barrel (as the saying goes). Pilate knew this and turned it around on them. Pilate cried out: “What shall I do with your King?” They replied, “We have no king but Caesar!” (John 19:14-16). What Pilate had just accomplished, unbeknownst to the Jews at the time, was to make the Jews succumb (worship) to the emperor of Rome. More than that, however, even in their denial that Jesus was their king, the Roman administrator, made it a point to label Jesus as their king with the sign he nailed on the wood (John 19:17-22). Pilate was in a tough spot; our tough spots don’t have to be so dramatic if we allow God’s justice to hold sway in our lives. Surely, we don’t want “Pilate” to accomplish the same with us, do we?

 

Knowing When and How

07 Friday Mar 2014

Posted by in Communication, God, Jesus, Teaching

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Didn’t Jesus always seem to have exactly what he needed for the occasion when people laid traps for him? In Luke 20:20-26, the people marveled as His answer to those who desired to trap Him in His answer to a question that was loaded with trouble. “Why is it that I can’t be as effective as Jesus!” we express ourselves in frustration. A couple of things to remember that might help us. First, Jesus was God and God is never flat-footed. Second, with regard to us, it is by experience that we learn what and how to say what needs to be spoken. Perhaps there is a third point to add to this: just as it is with us, it was with the Lord also—people did not always accept the answer given (Luke 11:53-54).