Category: Christ’s earthly ministry

Confused Counsellors #2

Monday, November 22, 2021

“In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight” (Luke 10:21 KJV).

Yea, the “wise and prudent” still lack insight into the things of Father God—and the “babes” are still able to perceive them.

Matthew 11:25,26 (Luke’s companion passage): “[25] At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. [26] Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.” Here (see context, verses 12-24), and in today’s Scripture (see context, verses 10-20), Jesus responds to unbelief and opposition to the truth. His three-year-long earthly ministry halfway over, He denounces three particular faithless cities wherein He did most of His mighty works (Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum). They cannot see the truth because they do not want to see it!

Now, Matthew 15:12-14: “[12] Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying? [13] But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. [14] Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.” These “blind leaders of the blind” are Israel’s tradition-worshipping religious leaders, whose unbelieving “scholarship” has influenced the whole nation to be apostate (fallen from the truth). Such people saw no need for Jesus, for they were “skilled” in all religious matters. How dare He come and teach them what their Hebrew Bible said (what they had been expected to believe but had not)!

The Holy Spirit remarks concerning such souls: “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,…” (Romans 1:21,22). Unfortunately, many such “fools” have been leading our churches and seminaries for two millennia, transmitting their natural-man thinking to us as ancient Israel’s leaders did to her….

Ecstasy

Saturday, November 20, 2021

“And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment” (Mark 5:42 KJV).

“Ecstasy” is “an overwhelming feeling of great happiness or joyful excitement.” (Of course, it lends its name to the illegal drug that causes these effects.) It is also “a spiritual trance-like state.” This word is from the Greek “ekstasis,” literally meaning “standing out oneself” (a displacement of the mind). Our Authorized Version translators rendered it various ways.

The first instance is today’s Scripture: “And straightway the damsel arose, and walked; for she was of the age of twelve years. And they were astonished with a great astonishment [“ekstasis”].” The Lord Jesus had raised Jairus’ little girl from the dead—and such fear and wonderment, joy and excitement, would cause anyone to stand out their mind! Upon learning from the angel that Jesus had resurrected, “And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed [“ekstasis”]: neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid” (Mark 16:8). These women could not believe it!

When Christ healed the “man taken with a palsy” (paralytic), the Bible remarks: “And they were all amazed [“ekstasis”], and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, We have seen strange things to day” (Luke 5:26). Again, the bewilderment or awe was mind-boggling! The Apostles Peter and John, heading to pray at the Jerusalem Temple, encountered a 40-year-old lame man crippled from birth. In the name of Jesus Christ, Peter heals him: “And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement [“ekstasis”] at that which had happened unto him.” The crowds are stupefied!

As the Lord prepares Peter to preach to Gentile Cornelius, the Apostle beholds an extraordinary sight and hears startling words in a vision: “And he became very hungry, and would have eaten: but while they made ready, he fell into a trance [“ekstasis”],…” (Acts 10:10; cf. Acts 11:5). Lastly, as Christ readies the Apostle Paul for his ministry, “And it came to pass, that, when I was come again to Jerusalem, even while I prayed in the temple, I was in a trance [“ekstasis”];…” (Acts 22:17).

A Better Biography #3

Sunday, November 14, 2021

“For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:14,15 KJV).

How can the truths of today’s Scripture lead us to have better biographies?

According to the Bible, the Law of Moses was not God’s original agreement with Israel. Galatians chapter 3: “[16] Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. [17] And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. [18] For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise. [19] Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.”

The Law was “added because of transgressions” (verse 19). In the Abrahamic Covenant, given over four centuries earlier, God had promised to do some things with Abram (Abraham). Genesis 12:1-3: “Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and [I will] make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: And I will bless them that bless thee, and [I will] curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.” The LORD is working to make a people for Himself—Abraham is not working to form this nation! So Israel would learn she could not be God’s people based on her performance, but solely on the LORD’S performance, He introduced the Law Covenant. By failing under the Law, she would come to better appreciate the grace of the Abrahamic Covenant….

A Better Biography #2

Saturday, November 13, 2021

“For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:14,15 KJV).

How can the truths of today’s Scripture lead us to have better biographies?

“Wherefore the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good” (Romans 7:12). There is nothing wrong with the Law of Moses; it is God’s Word, His standard of righteousness. However, there is a problem with us—sin. “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:19,20).

As the Lord Jesus remarked, all 613 rules and regulations of the Law of Moses can be recapitulated with two simple statements. One is Deuteronomy chapter 6, verses 4 and 5: “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.” The other is Leviticus chapter 19, verse 18: “Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself: I am the LORD.” Each commandment of the Law involves either a Jew’s relationship with God, or a Jew’s relationship with another human.

Let us concentrate on these two “great commandments.” Firstly, do we love God with “all our heart, all our soul, and all our might?” Do we love Him with every ounce of being within us, constantly? No. That is what sin is. Secondly, do we love our neighbor “as we love ourselves?” Do we love others to the degree we love self? Do we always put their welfare ahead of our own? No. That is what sin is. God’s standards are high—yea, impossible for sinners to reach. The Law condemns us….

A Better Biography #1

Friday, November 12, 2021

“For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” (2 Corinthians 5:14,15 KJV).

How can the truths of today’s Scripture lead us to have better biographies?

Once, a preacher described himself using this brief statement on his social-media profile: “I am trying to love God and love my neighbor as myself.” This is wonderful and commendable—except for one problem. How successful has he been in this regard?

The Lord Jesus Christ summarized the Law of Moses with two commandments: “And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

“And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question” (Mark 12:28-34; cf. Matthew 22:35-40; Luke 10:25-28). As stated in Matthew, “On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.”

Under the assumption Jesus’ above words are successful Christian living, people have taken His earthly ministry and forced it into our dispensation. Let us see if this has helped them or harmed them….

Hangers-On

Wednesday, November 10, 2021

“And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him” (Luke 19:48 KJV).

The Lord Jesus has less than one week to live. He is in the Jerusalem Temple, ministering to the Jewish crowds who have come for Passover. These multitudes have travelled from every nation under heaven to assemble in the city of the great King. Behold, the hangers-on!

We read today’s Scripture in context: “[45] And he went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought; [46] Saying unto them, It is written, My house is the house of prayer: but ye have made it a den of thieves. [47] And he taught daily in the temple. But the chief priests and the scribes and the chief of the people sought to destroy him, [48] And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.” Jesus is a threat to organized religion—and Israel’s apostate spiritual leaders are desperate to eliminate Him from the picture through whatever means necessary.

They just cannot seem to overcome one problem. While the Lord’s disparagers would like to forever rid themselves of Him, the multitudes are paying attention to Him as He teaches His Father’s words. “And the common people heard him gladly” (Mark 12:37b). As long as the people listen to Him, any arrest will be noticed and cause a riot—and they cannot afford to look evil in front of the people they have hithertofore fooled with their pretend religiosity. We want to concentrate on the Greek word rendered “very attentive” in today’s Scripture: “And could not find what they might do: for all the people were very attentive to hear him.” This is “ekkremamai,” literally meaning, “hanging from” (as in, suspended from the speaker’s lips): the people are hangers-on, followers, of the Lord!

Dear friends, we can learn a simple lesson from this one verse. As long as we “hang on” to the Lord’s lips—those which speak His words rightly divided—absolutely no amount of false teaching and no measure of surreptitiousness can take Him away from us. Let us be “very attentive” to hear Him!

Arrayed in Hypocrisy

Sunday, October 31, 2021

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:27,28 KJV).

“Looks can be deceiving” is not only true during Halloweentime, but confirmed year-round within Christendom.

Today is Halloween, when children dress up and feign themselves to be creatures they are not. Likewise, many church leaders today wear “Christian” garbs, but their ministries do not bring the Lord Jesus Christ glory and honor. They promote their denomination, and seek to perpetuate it, rather than serve and exalt the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. The Bible manifests these who appear to be good, as “wolves in sheep’s clothing.”

In today’s Scripture, Jesus Christ exposed Israel’s corrupt religious leaders who misled the nation in His day. In His Parable of the Tares, Matthew 13:24-30,37-43, Christ explained how just as He had sown good seed (wheat, believing Jews) in Israel, Satan had also sown tares/weeds (unbelieving Jews). Tares resemble wheat; unbelieving Jews resemble believing Jews. The unbelieving Pharisees and scribes, for instance, looked like God’s people (believing Israel). Judas Iscariot was another example of Satan’s tares—the apostles never realized who Judas really was until it was too late!

But Satan’s counterfeit believers are not confined to Israel’s program. Today, within local assemblies of the Body of Christ, there are people feigning themselves to be Christians: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

Beloved, beware of the church leaders who are arrayed in hypocrisy, “and avoid them” (Romans 16:17b). If their teaching does not agree with the rightly divided King James Bible, you have no business as a child of God to be listening to them.

*This is excerpted from a larger Bible study with the same name. The Bible study can be read here or watched here.

You may also see our special study, “Should Christians celebrate Halloween?”

The Lowest Room #4

Friday, October 29, 2021

“But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee” (Luke 14:10 KJV).

What is this “lowest room?” Can we gain any counsel from today’s Scripture?

Read Christ’s words immediately following: “For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted” (verse 11). Their fundamental problem, of course, was that ugly sin of pride! Never should we forget this concerns religion, self-righteous people who considered themselves gods and therefore worthy of worship. “I give more than anyone else, pray more than anyone else, and fast more than anyone else!” The Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 6:1-18, exposes and condemns this attitude.

Also bear in mind that expression appears in another religious context, Luke chapter 18: “[9] And he spake this parable unto certain which trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: [10] Two men went up into the temple to pray; the one a Pharisee, and the other a publican. [11] The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican. [12] I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. [13] And the publican, standing afar off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me a sinner. [14] I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

Finally, we dare not forget Matthew 23:12, also regarding religious pride: “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted” (see entire chapter for context). The arrogant will be brought low, for apostate Israel will be destroyed in God’s wrath; however, believing, humble Israel will be magnified in God’s Kingdom (Matthew 18:1-4).

Let us summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

Our two latest Bible Q&As: “What does ‘choler’ mean?” and “What does ‘sith’ mean in Ezekiel 35:6?”

The Lowest Room #3

Thursday, October 28, 2021

“But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee” (Luke 14:10 KJV).

What is this “lowest room?” Can we gain any counsel from today’s Scripture?

How embarrassing it would be to assume we warranted a seat reserved for someone of a higher rank! Yet, the guests at this Pharisee’s house were so egocentric they were carefully placing themselves into the most admired spaces. As the Lord Jesus noted, “When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room” (verses 8,9).

Instead of praising themselves, they were to let someone else honor them. Far better was it for the host to bring them to a higher seat, than for them to assume they deserved the higher seat but then be forced to vacate it when the more praiseworthy person arrived. The Book of Proverbs had already educated Israel: “Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips” (27:2). Yet, like with Proverbs 25:6-7, unbelieving Israel ignored these precious words of God.

Luke 14:10 again: “But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee.” The King James translators have been faulted for rendering the Greek “doxa” as “worship” here, for, they are allegedly insinuating Jesus encouraged people to “worship” others. However, while “doxa” is often rendered “glory” in the Authorized Version New Testament (almost 150 times), Jesus’ usage of “worship” here is sarcasm or mockery. Essentially, “If you conceited people are seeking worship from your fellow man, here is how you get it! You let the host do it, not yourself!”

Now, let us make application….

The Lowest Room #2

Wednesday, October 27, 2021

“But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee” (Luke 14:10 KJV).

What is this “lowest room?” Can we gain any counsel from today’s Scripture?

Re-read the context of today’s Scripture: “[7] And he put forth a parable to those which were bidden, when he marked how they chose out the chief rooms; saying unto them, [8] When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; [9] And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. [10] But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. [11] For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”

Let us describe the scene the Lord has just beheld. Guests are arriving at the feast and carefully selecting the “chief rooms”—the most prominent empty seats or reclining couches. Today, we would consider these the chairs at the head of the table, places that would naturally draw attention and evoke a sense of admiration. “Look where he sits! He must be the most important person here!” The “elite” of Judaism were so conceited or focused on themselves they had forgotten what their own Hebrew Bible had taught them through King Solomon centuries before. In order to rebuke them, Jesus cited Proverbs 25:6,7: “Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men: For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.”

To fail to heed God’s advice would result in embarrassment….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Can you explain ‘enmity?’”