The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #273
Description
He would give up his life to save mankind
Old Testament Prophecy
Isaiah 53:12b
because he poured out his soul to death
New Testament Fulfillment
Luke 23:46
Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And having said this he breathed his last.
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
As some may know, I walk in the morning prior to going into the office. During my walk, I try to pray, and ask the Lord for strength for the day, for each of my children, that they would understand the goodness of God, for my wife and her continued blessing to others (primarily thinking selfishly here somewhat), and for friends, siblings and those who come to mind.
Of course during this time, I confess my weakness, my failings, my sin before God and my regrets. Sometimes this becomes a focus of my time alone with Him and it becomes “all about me”. Don’t get me wrong in this, for I recognize that in our fellowship with the Lord, we must address, agree with and confess our failings, weakness and sin before Him, just to reside in truth with Him.
Yet at times I find I dwell on my own experience, my own condition, my own trials. During these times, I also tend to sense something pushing me, something that is motivating me to dwell on my sin, in some way to make up for my failings. A selfishness, even in my confession of being selfish, a sort of penitence to appease my conscience? I can’t say and I refuse to dwell on my dwelling on my failures. (See a rabbit hole starting to open up?)
This is a deadly trap in my opinion, for it can become a downward cycle for the believer. True repentance is absolutely required when sin is in the life. But repentance is a result of godly grief, and the godly grief is not an end of itself. Note that Paul, in speaking to the Corinthians, does not focus on a believer experiencing grief (or sorrow), but that the godly sorrow produces a repentance. Once repentance occurs, the grief is assumedly gone.
2 Corinthians 7:9-10
As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.
So in all of my dwelling in confession and contrition, I first off need to realize that the grief is merely a vehicle taking me to a solution, an opportunity to confess sin (or to reject the false guilt!) and repent (change my mind). Upon repentance, I may experience (or I am to receive by faith) the active forgiveness the Lord provides based on His faithfulness and justice!
In all of this discussion, I have somewhat veered from the purpose of the post, for I was intending to ask my reader, as I have recently asked myself during my prayers and confessions.
What motivates me to follow Him? Why?
This question needs to be reviewed in the believers life occasionally and during my walk that one morning it seemed to be crystalized in the following thought.
Am I following Him to stay out of hell, (pushed by fear), or am I following Him to know Him, (pulled by love)?
I confess my Christian life has been primarily fueled by a fear of hell. My testimony is available to read for any who may want to understand my background. The details of hell are not the issue, for as many may know, there are multiple ways to understand hell as described in the Bible, all of which is horrible! But that is not the issue in this post. The issue is what motivates a believer to follow after Him?
Is fear a proper motivator for the mature Christian life? Let me ask a bit better question, for there is a place for the believer to walk in the “fear of the Lord”. I suppose the better, or more focused question would be – Is fear of our destiny a proper motivator for a mature Christian life?
Some corollary questions that rise from this thinking might be suggested as follows
Does fear produce the fruits of the Spirit?
Is a walk of fear described by Paul in his writings as the normal expectation for the believer?
Will fear perfect the believer?
This last question hits the mark for my thinking on the subject, and as “luck” would have it, is directly discussed by the apostle the Lord loved, when he wrote his first letter.
1 John 4:16-18
16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world.
18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.
John begins this portion with two actions on the part of the believer – that is to know and the believe God’s love for us.
To Know
To know is to understand, perceive, to get acquainted with. This is the knowledge of experience, and not of a cold calculated factual head knowledge. This is the same “know” that is used as a Jewish idiom for sexual intercourse. Very experiential. Very relationship based. This knowledge also has the implication of a time element, for experiential knowledge demands time to be developed.
To Believe
To believe is synonymous with commitment. To believe God’s love is to be committed to it, to place confidence in that love, and this is a (hopefully) ongoing result of experientially knowing the love of God in your life, whether it be through blessing or suffering, for the love of God is not limited by either.
Through this experiential knowledge and commitment, through an abiding in love and of love abiding in us, we may find love being perfected in us.
Now what does “perfected” mean or imply? To be perfect in our modern thinking implies something that is absolutely without blemish, error or stain. Irreproachable, impeccable, flawless and indefectible.
Is this John’s message for us? It seems the Greek word John uses has the meaning of “finished” or that which is wanting nothing for completeness. I find it surprising that this term is used to describe some believers within the most morally corrupt church in the New Testament.
1 Corinthians 2:6 Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away.
The mature (same Gk word as perfect in 1 John) referred to in this verse are still in need of wisdom, which Paul is describing in this passage. This maturity/perfection described here is a relative perfection. Much to be gained yet.
1 Corinthians 14:20 Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.
Paul speaks to the same church, and tells them not to think like children, but like mature adults.
This term also speaks of integrity and virtue. Consider Hebrews 5:14, where the apostle refers to the mature/perfect as having their powers of discernment trained by continual practice.
14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.
These believers completeness is in the midst of training, or a period of growth if I understand the passage.
As John speaks of love being perfected in us, I am beginning to see that this is describing the continuing growth process of the believer, leaving behind the self absorbed life and fear driven motivation that typifies someone I know.
I realize this “Let Me Tell You a Story” post has slipped into a bit of a study, but that morning in the garage was one more time when the Lord showed me an aspect of mercy in relating to Him. My focus is not to be on me me me, but to be on Him. As I relate to Him and His absolute perfection in love, holiness and righteousness, the love that resides in my life (due to Him) will be relatively perfected, or matured as He continues to work for His will in and with me.
If you have read this and experience the same understanding, please let me know. If you understand an alternative perspective to this glorious verse, please inform. Your experience may be a blessing to those who read and will be an encouragement to myself.
Thanks again for coming by and sharing in the experience of a pilgrim with the Lord.
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #272
Description
Exalted by God because of his sacrifice
Old Testament Prophecy
Isaiah 53:12a
Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong,
New Testament Fulfillment
Matt 28:18
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
After my series on the parables, I found I was drawn to look into the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels. I have never studies the mighty works of Jesus as a focused effort before and am looking forward to finding nuggets of truth that we can be encouraged by.
I have provided a general introduction, with an opportunity to download two files for your reference in my initial post Signs and Mighty Works of Jesus – Introduction. I found that the format I used for the parable posts were useful to keep me on track, and will continue to use them for this series, with some minor tweaks. With that said, let’s take a look at
Jesus Heals a Deaf and Dumb Man
Mark 7:31-37
Then he returned from the region of Tyre and went through Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis. And they brought to him a man who was deaf and had a speech impediment, and they begged him to lay his hand on him. And taking him aside from the crowd privately, he put his fingers into his ears, and after spitting touched his tongue. And looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.” And his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly. And Jesus charged them to tell no one. But the more he charged them, the more zealously they proclaimed it. And they were astonished beyond measure, saying, “He has done all things well. He even makes the deaf hear and the mute speak.”
General Observations
If I’m looking at a map of Tyre and Sidon, and Jesus’ eventual destination in this passage, that is the Sea of Galilee, it appears the route is unnecessarily long. And why head north, when the Sea of Galilee is southeast of Tyre?
Is Mark implying that Jesus had a specific purpose in the area of Sidon that He doesn’t refer to. This is definitely a possibility for the Lord performed so many miracles and taught so many folks, that this may be a location that has simply not been recorded for our instruction. After all, as John tells us…
… there are also many other things that Jesus did. Were every one of them to be written, I suppose that the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
An alternative reason He went through Sidon to eventually go southeast may have been simply an opportunity for Jesus and His disciples to finally get an extended time of quietness. Much had occurred in the recent weeks and the Lord had mentioned a number of times that they as a group needed to regroup and find some solitude. (See Mark 6:31, Mark 7:24 for examples)
Questions to Consider
Who were the audience?
The only ones present, per the text, was the Master, those who brought the deaf man, and a crowd. Yes even in the Decapolis, where He had been banished from due to the swine incident, He had accumulated a gathering, a crowd of those who followed Him as He was on His way.
The deaf man brought to the Messiah had a speech impediment of some kind, implying at the least that he had been deaf his entire life and his speech reflected this condition. Could the man communicate at all? Was it that he could not make a sound, or that in making the sound, no one could easily understand? Given that the ones who brought the deaf man begged Jesus to lay His hands on the deaf man, I am leaning to understand the man couldn’t communicate clearly.
As a matter of fact, the last verse mentions that those who were astonished at this miracle proclaim that He (Jesus) makes even the deaf hear and the mute to speak! Was this specific to this miracle? Possibly, or the fame of the Master simply preceded Him!
It is interesting that Mark mentions they were in the region of the Decapolis, a region that encompassed ten cities, (hence the name Deca – polis.) To be in the Decapolis was to be in a Gentile majority population, on the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee. The Decapolis was in the region belonging to the half tribe of Manasseh, so technically they were still in the promised land, but the Jewish influence was minimal, and the Gentile population looked down upon the Jewish way of life.
It isn’t the first time the group was in the region, for Jesus was in the area when He healed the demon possessed man and sent the swine swimming. At that time, He had been booted out of the area by the locals. Seems it didn’t stick!
Why did the Lord perform this mighty work?
Since the Lord charged the deaf man and all who witnessed the miracle to tell no one, it seems obvious that the mighty sign was not provided in order to get the news out of the Messiah having come. Jesus wanted this one to be a miracle that was without outward purpose, one that was a response only to the recipient, and his friends. This intended purpose was frustrated, as it seems the group began to speak of the miracle after being charged not to by the One who provided the miracle. Even after numerous times of being charged by Jesus to stay quiet, they continued to proclaim the miracle.
It appears the Lord’s will was frustrated by a group of “thankful” witnesses! He gave hearing and speech to the deaf man, and it is safe to assume He could take it away. Yet, He sought their obedience to refrain from speaking of the miracle, and in their disobedience of preaching, brought about an even greater group of those who followed Him.
But was this a positive outcome?
Of course every one of this increasing group may be following after Jesus for the right reason, but there is going to be a winnowing of the group soon. Those who were following simply for the “eye candy” of miracles, (or in this instance “ear” candy?) or for the food that may be provided would be given teaching that would cause a falling away. This may have been a reason the Lord charged them to remain quiet, for the group needed to be reduced, not enlarged, for it to be effective for His purposes.
High numbers of adherents do not equal great strength in this instance!
What was the message for the original audience?
The Word states that He took the deaf man aside from the crowd, seemingly continuing with the theme of keeping this particular miracle an isolated, non spreading work of God. Being pulled aside from the crowd, Jesus touched both this mans ears and his tongue, those members of his body that were dead or crippled, and He provided life to them through a simple command.
The message of the miracle was two fold.
Open Up
First, to the one receiving the miracle, the message was of healing. For his ears and tongue to be opened. Open up. Be opened thoroughly.
Shut Up
Given that the original audience had been reduced to a few for the sake of witnessing the miracle, the second message is also clearly evident.
Shut up! Do not tell anyone. Do not mention it, do not proclaim it, do not say anything about it, do not declare it! Just walk away, take the miracle and just SHUT UP!
Just think of the first thing this deaf man heard. Tell no one. He had just received the gift of communication, and was immediately restricted from using the gift. Yet does not the One who provides for us all good gifts, have the right to tell us to self restrict the gifts He provides?
What is the message for us today?
In our daily lives, it seems clear that to provide the message of God’s self sacrificing love is a message that is to have no restrictions. Preach it far and wide!
And yet in the providence of God’s timing, my wife and I were just in the Gospel of Matthew, where the Lord speaks thus.
Matthew 7:6 “Do not give dogs what is holy, and do not throw your pearls before pigs, lest they trample them underfoot and turn to attack you.
As we chatted about this verse it seemed that Jesus was giving His church a restriction in order to provide a safeguard for themselves. The issue my wife and I still are unsure of, is the nature or identification of who the pigs and dogs are in our lives.
What characteristics would specifically identify these two groups for us, in order to give us guidance in not throwing our pearls before them? I find it coincidental at the very least that Peter uses the same two animals (dogs and swine) in a verse describing a particular group of people he also warns the church of.
2 Peter 2:22
What the true proverb says has happened to them: “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.”
Jesus was not the only One who spoke hard or difficult sayings. Peter, like his Master, brought up a very uncomfortable topic by referring to both dogs and pigs. So does Peter give us some guidance on who dogs and pigs are when they are referred to in the Word. The verse immediately proceeding 2:22 gives us plenty to consider!
2 Peter 2:21
For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.
Peter begins this lengthy passage in chapter 2 with the topic of false prophets/teachers, and describes them as irrational animals in verse 12 (as the proverb Peter refers to also describes them). These teachers knew the truth but had abandoned it!
He provides examples of false teachers bringing in destructive heresies (vs 1), forsaking the right way (vs 15), being entangled and overcome by defilement (vs 20) and finally as those turning back from the way of righteousness (vs 21). Peter summarizes his warning of false teachers in the last few verses of the chapter, in the specific verse we are considering.
So where is the false teacher in your circle of experience? Peter said they would enter in and be among us.
Please don’t consider this an encouragement to start heresy hunting! The issue in my mind is that hunting for false teachers is an exercise in futility somewhat. If we know the Word, (or better yet, if we are increasing in the knowledge of the Savior), the teaching these heretics provide will stick out like a sore thumb.
Also, my estimation of a false teacher may be different than yours, not because we do not have an absolute standard to judge by, but due to our growing but limited ability to understand the standard to be judged by. The standard I refer to is the Spirit provided Word of God of course.
When I first became a believer, I considered every teacher not adhering to my narrow understanding of the denominational teaching I was a part of to be somewhat heretical. This is to my shame, since I elevated a denomination over the Word itself. The denomination is not perfect in their understanding, as I surely am not.
So where does this lead me? A sense of humility and a guarded stance to those I understand, at this time, to be false teachers. How shall I respond to this miracle, and the command to SHUT UP in my situation? Provide nothing holy to false teachers. No effort of correcting them, no time spent watching them, and definitely not supporting them with prayers or financial gifts. They are the enemy in the camp!
Instead seek the Lord in the Word and through prayer. Continue to compare teachers in your circle with the message of the Word. Charlatans, seeking a following by tickling your ears are actually exploiting you, treating you like a commodity, and eventually will abandon you in your hour of need, as the Lord described the hired hand in John 10:12.
Follow after the Messiah, and if He tells you to shut up, SHUT UP!
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #271
Description
The sin-bearer for all mankind
Old Testament Prophecy
Isaiah 53:11c
and he shall bear their iniquities.
New Testament Fulfillment
Heb 9:28
so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
1:24 But to remain in the flesh is more necessary on your account.
Given that Paul has considered the resurrection of his own body, and the glory of being with Christ, he turns to the immediate need of others.
Is this not typical of One who follows after the Master. Taking personal desires, and subjugating them to the needs of others. Self sacrifice for the life of another is the hallmark of love that the Lord exhibited on the cross for each of us.
My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.
This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.
I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.
Psalm 45:13-17
All glorious is the princess in her chamber, with robes interwoven with gold. In many-colored robes she is led to the king, with her virgin companions following behind her. With joy and gladness they are led along as they enter the palace of the king. In place of your fathers shall be your sons; you will make them princes in all the earth. I will cause your name to be remembered in all generations; therefore nations will praise you forever and ever.
With our final portion of Psalm 45 before us, we see the procession of the princess to the King, of her glory, typified by her wedding robes.
Her procession to the King is described as joyous and with gladness. She is not described as being of a sober nature but with anticipation for the ceremony of marriage to be performed. Note that she has those who minister to her, not unlike the church today, where we have ministering spirits.
Hebrews 1:14
Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?
Verse 14 states, “She is led to the King”, and the following verse speaks of her being “led along as they enter the palace of the King”. The bride is led, and not allowed to determine her course of entry before the King. Her and her companions are dependent on some unknown servant of the King to bring her to Him. A servant that is not described, a silent servant that is not directly referred to.
When I consider the act of leading for the believer today, I invariably turn to John 16.
John 16:13-14
When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
The Spirit does not speak of Himself but of the Master. The Spirit will guide us, as the Bride was guided (or led) to the King. As the One leading the Bride in this passage, the Spirit is One who serves the King, directs all attention to the King, leads those who follow to the King and not to Himself. In our modern church, this truth may need to be considered for some who may place an emphasis not wholly on the Son of God.
Verse 16 speaks of sons and fathers. In the midst of the theme of the Bride being instructed to “forget he fathers house”, the passage speaks of a replacement of the fathers with sons. In a marriage, children would be expected, and typically become the focus of the bride. In the typology of this Psalm, I understand that the emphasis described in this passage of the marriage would be to produce sons. Multiplication of the Kings nature and character would be the emphasis, as opposed to looking backward to the fathers of the faith.
And don’t miss the intended outcome for these sons. They are to become princes in all the earth. Princes! How wonderful that the church will be elevated to a status of princes, no – not just princes but to a status of a joint heir.
Romans 8:17
and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him.
And yet let us not forget that in all of the marriage and family discussion within this wonderful psalm, one purpose is to be remembered. One end result of each of the previous actions is to be realized. and what is that end goal, the purpose of each action and description above?
It is simply that His name is to be remembered, and the nations praise Him. God, in all His glory and attributes, in all His wisdom and strength, in all His mercy and grace is to be recalled, and based on His excellent glories, the nations will praise Him forever and ever.
The marriage of the King to His bride has one intended long-term effect, and that is to glorify the Godhead and bring praise from the nation to His throne.
Romans 11:36
For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.
Let us take part in this today, as we go about our daily lives. Remember Him, think of His many acts of grace toward you, and praise Him in the midst of your day. For He is good, all the time!
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #270
Description
God’s servant would justify man
Old Testament Prophecy
Isaiah 53:11b
by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous,
New Testament Fulfillment
Rom 5:8-9, 18-19
but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.
Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men.
For as by the one man’s disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man’s obedience the many will be made righteous.
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
Romans 8:12-14 12 So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
I am sure my readers will agree with me that the 8th chapter of Romans is speaking to believers, those who are on the path of following Jesus, seeking to obey Him. There is some that may think Paul was referring to himself as an unbeliever in the previous chapter, but I know of no argument that claims Paul is not speaking to (and of) true believers in this chapter. As a matter of fact, this passage begins with
“So then, brothers, we…”
Paul even includes himself in this group he is addressing in this passage.
In this passage he speaks of our obligations and uses a financial image to make his point. He is coming back to a similar financial concept he used in Romans 6, where he spoke of “wages” of sin. In this passage, he brings in the financial thought of being a debtor, one who is obliged to pay something to another party.
In Paul’s mind (I think) he is drawing for us a picture of obligation to align our thinking towards who we are to serve. If I am obliged to pay someone something, due to a debt incurred, my efforts will result in paying the one I am in debt to.
Think of a mortgage. I receive the right to live in a house and say it is mine, but every month I go to work in order to have funds to make a payment to my bank. My bank receives the fruit of my labor throughout each month of working simply because of this agreed upon debt. I am a debtor to the bank. The bank is the master in this situation, for I am obliged to pay the bank an agreed upon sum of funds to maintain my living conditions. My end of the bargain is the eventual owning of the building I call home. I will eventually own the home. Eventually.
Let’s return to the passage we started with. Paul is speaking to believers, to brothers, defining who we are in debt to, who we owe our service to, who we are obliged to pay with our lives.
Prior to our salvation, we were debtors to the flesh, to the old nature that drove us away from the True God. Our end of the bargain with the flesh was that we were provided wages, and the wages of this sinful bent away from God was death, or separation from God. A definitely bad “mortgage” situation!
In delivering a sinner from this dreadful condition of slavery to the flesh and of receiving a payment of death, the Spirit of God has given life to our mortal bodies. (Romans 8:11) Out of this amazing gift of life, obligations are now “up for grabs”, for it appears the believer has a choice.
Remain in the old life, obligingly paying the flesh service (without requiring to!) or to live to the Spirit, putting to death the deeds of the body. This seems so obvious and such a slam dunk for the believer to understand and to obey. But let me ask you.
What are the deeds of the body? What is the result living by the Spirit, in that the deeds of the body are put to death? How can I kill the deeds of the flesh?
A few years ago, I heard a teacher refer to Galatians as Paul’s practice book for his magnum opus letter of Romans. (Some practice book!) But there may be something to this thinking, since large swaths of Romans seems to have seed thoughts in the book of Galatians. One passage I would refer you to is in Galatians 5, where Paul speaks of walking in the Spirit, with the result being the believer not fulfilling the lust of the flesh. Echoes of Romans 8?
Let’s take a moment to consider Paul’s list of the works of the flesh he provides us in Galatians 5:19- 21.
Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Now before we go any further, please do not fall into the trap I fell into by seeking to set up rules that would restrict these activities. Doing this breeds pride, which blooms into strife, dissensions envy and the such. Sure I wasn’t drunk, but I dang well made sure made everyone knew of my religious achievements! And how much better I was than them! Wow.
Such foolishness, for Paul is not telling us to restrict our activities from some list in order to attain some status, for he doesn’t even give us a full list that we can check off. At the end of the passage, he adds to the list of specific works of the flesh “things like these”. How can I check off a non specific work – so frustrating! But that may be the point!
Both in Romans and in Galatians, the focus is on following Someone, not on some set of rules or self determination that will keep us from obeying these dastardly former debtors called the deeds of the flesh. For if we walk by the Spirit, these works of the flesh will not be evident in our lives. The fruit produced in our lives will be of the Master’s character.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Notice that we are not even to follow after the fruits of the Spirit, but the Spirit Himself, and in doing so, the fruits will be evident in our lives. With all this said, let’s return to our original passage in Romans 8, and the key phrase that drives this particular post. Notice that Paul speaks of the believer dying.
Read Romans 8:13 one more time.
For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live.
How are you doing so far in your pilgrimage? In your walk with the Lord, has the fruit of the Spirit become evident in your life?
Please understand that continual fruit produced in our lives is an extended life long goal, and that recurring temptations (and the falling into these temptations) may produce setbacks, but is not to be the overall trajectory of the believers life. Following the Master, since He is so different than own nature, suggests periods of confusion, disappointment, struggle and failure in our own lives, as we learn of His ways.
My friends, an honest evaluation is encouraged for those who claim to be believers in the Messiah. He has given us great encouragement that by following Him, He provides fruit in our lives for others to see.
Can we be open to an honest assessment of our walk with the Lord? Golly, the judgement of a non-believer may be beneficial for our learning. If we hear from family, close friends or acquaintances that we are a judging, hateful or divisive person, we should consider their words! A discerning spirit is required, but sometimes the harshest statements I have heard have been the most beneficial for my spiritual life.
One thing I want to make clear though is that I am definitely not advocating a self judgement here, a navel gazing exercise that produces no good result. A bit further into this passage, Paul speaks of the Spirit bearing witness with our spirit. This is an additional witness the Lord provides, but out of our current passage, and with the reference to fleshy deeds being indicative of the believer living according to the flesh, I would like to encourage the reader to understand how others interpret our lives in relation to deeds of the flesh / fruit of the Spirit.
Seek out an honest friend, or a mature believer, one that you know speaks the truth. Do not seek out a “nice” person! Not much good hearing nice things about yourself, for if you are like me, nice things are always being said in my head about wonderful me!
Also, better if this person has a history with you for an extended period of time. Ask difficult questions, for this is the time to check.
Living according to the flesh will pay out in death and the clock is ticking!
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you would like to receive daily posts from Considering the Bible, click on the “Follow” link below
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #269
Description
God fully satisfied with His suffering
Old Testament Prophecy
Isaiah 53:11a
Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied;
New Testament Fulfillment
John 12:27
Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour.
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
After my series on the parables, I found I was drawn to look into the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels. I have never studies the mighty works of Jesus as a focused effort before and am looking forward to finding nuggets of truth that we can be encouraged by.
I have provided a general introduction, with an opportunity to download two files for your reference in my initial post Signs and Mighty Works of Jesus – Introduction. I found that the format I used for the parable posts were useful to keep me on track, and will continue to use them for this series, with some minor tweaks. With that said, let’s take a look at
Jesus Heals a Gentile Woman’s Demon-Possessed Daughter
Matthew 15:21-28
And Jesus went away from there and withdrew to the district of Tyre and Sidon. And behold, a Canaanite woman from that region came out and was crying, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David; my daughter is severely oppressed by a demon.” But he did not answer her a word. And his disciples came and begged him, saying, “Send her away, for she is crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” And he answered, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire.” And her daughter was healed instantly.
Mark 7:24 -30
And from there he arose and went away to the region of Tyre and Sidon. And he entered a house and did not want anyone to know, yet he could not be hidden. But immediately a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit heard of him and came and fell down at his feet. Now the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by birth. And she begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter. And he said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs.” But she answered him, “Yes, Lord; yet even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.” And he said to her, “For this statement you may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.” And she went home and found the child lying in bed and the demon gone.
General Observations
Tyre specifically has had a very interesting past. Ezekiel prophesied of Tyre’s destruction in the 26th chapter of his book, with that destruction coming in waves, like the sea. A very interesting passage for another time!
Babylon, under Nebuchadnezzar besieged the island city about 600 yrs before Jesus visited. Tyre then came under attack by Alexander the Great, who eventually built the earthen causeway to the island in order to defeat the city/state.
By the time the Lord arrived, the city had been rebuilt, and the Roman dominance of the area made Tyre an influential center. Thirteen centuries after the Masters visit, the original city finally fell.
Questions to Consider
Who were the audience?
Jesus entered into a house. No mention of the house’s inhabitants are included in the telling of this miracle, but we can safely assume it had a limited audience, including the house owner’s family, the disciples and this woman, this Gentile, Syrophoenician woman. Mathew calls her “a Canaanite woman”. Jesus refers to her as a dog.
Wow Can this woman catch a break? Well, it seems she caught a break before the story closed!
An interesting thing to notice of Tyre (and Sidon) is that although they were considered Roman cities during the time of Jesus, these two cities were within the promised land designated to the allotment of Asher. Therefore, as Jesus entered the region of Tyre and Sidon, He was not in Roman territory, but remained in the promised allotment of Asher, one of Jacobs 12 sons. Although this region was in the promised land, the population of the area was predominantly Roman, with a small Jewish population.
To the Jewish population, Jesus was sent. To a minority within a larger population.
Why did the Lord perform this mighty work?
This Syrophoenician woman had great faith. The dogged, non-stop faith of this desperate mother earned her the honor of this positive answer. Jesus went beyond His own stated mission (of being sent to the lost sheep of Israel) in order for this miracle to be performed.
He went beyond His stated purpose, His stated mission, His word.
What was the message for the original audience?
The interaction between the Lord and this woman deserves a few moments to consider, for this woman faced a number of barriers or restrictions in getting what she desperately needed.
Restriction 1 – Seeming Indifference
Initially she had to ignore the Lord’s seeming indifference to her plea. He simply did not answer a word.
Restriction 2 – Obvious Rejection
On top of this disappointment, the disciples sought the Lord to rid themselves of her annoying crying. They actually begged Jesus to get rid of her. (At least they referred to Jesus for the decision to reject her, instead of simply getting rid of her on their own!)
Restriction 3 – Purpose of the Messiahs Mission
In response to the disciples, He reminded them of His mission to the lost sheep of Israel. He had a mission, and was focused on this mission, at least for the disciples sake.
This message must have been heard by the woman, for she did not give up. Her child was possessed and in dire need. She was desperate, and in need of the miracle workers touch. His mission was of no importance to her, and she kept pleading, begging for her daughters life, begging with a simple plea –
Matthew 15:25 ….Lord, help me
In the context of Jesus mission to the lost sheep of Israel, He responds with a somewhat shocking statement.
Matthew 15:26 ….It is not right to take the children’s bread and throw it to the dogs
He, in the context of the passage refers to the lost sheep of Israel as children, and that His ministry is likened to bread for their sustenance.
Throwing bread to the dogs is not right! A couple additional clarifications helps me in understanding this response.
Restriction 4 – Focus of His Mission
First off, the term “throw” refers to “casting”, “scattering” or to “let go of a thing without concern of where it lands”. Jesus has spoken of His focused ministry, and to “throw” miracles around without any care of where they land is the next wall she has to climb over to get her daughters health.
I don’t know about you, but veiled references of rejection hurt, since the comment gives an element of interpretation that forces the hearer/receiver to juggle the message around in the skull. A veiled rejection bugs me more than a straight out clear statement! But don’t worry, we may be coming up to a full on derogatory reference that is a clear rejection!
Restriction 5 – Derogatory References?
It is amazing how often I have to be corrected. Yesterday, when my wife and I were having our morning tea/coffee, we read through this short passage and I mentioned that the term “dogs” referred to the wild dogs that roamed the countryside, and that the Lord used this terminology to set up one final wall for this woman to climb over to get what she wanted. I think I am a fool. For you see, the term Jesus used was kynarion, and it is used in the New Testament four times, each of these times in this discourse with this Canaanite woman.
If Jesus had intended to refer to this woman as a wild dog (as I incorrectly thought), He may have used the term kyōn. This term, meaning “wild cur” is always reproachful, and is used five times in the New Testament. Three of these uses follow
Matthew 7:6 “Do not give dogs what is holy…. Philippians 3:2 ESV – Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers…. Revelation 22:15 ESV – Outside are the dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral …
No, the Lord softened the message, and did not continue in building a wall for this woman to mentally crawl over. This message may have been in response to her plea for help in Matthew 15:25 – Help me Lord. Let me try to explain.
I think He was sending a message to her that, although she was not of the “lost sheep of Israel” she was in the house, for this term was often used to describe “little dogs”, dogs that lived in the house, that were within the household. He was setting her up, giving her a picture of children at a table with “little dogs” nearby.
Yes, it seemed He wasn’t going to intentionally divert His focus from the lost sheet of Israel by “throwing” a piece of bread to a pet. That message seemed to be caught by this woman, for her faith spoke of her request as simply a crumb falling from the table! Her humility is astounding, for she not only reduced the image of the request (from bread to merely a crumb), but also the method of delivery, (from the Lord “throwing” to simply falling from the table.)
A crumb accidentally falling from the Master’s table. She was no longer asking for a piece of bread – no – simply a crumb, a little morsel, that which wouldn’t be missed, available due to His ministry to the lost sheep of Israel, a surplus from provisions given to the children at the table.
This woman fought to get her miracle. She did not give up, she saw the opportunity the Lord provided in His response and continued with her request, modifying the understanding of the plea, but never giving up on the request. The size of the bread and the method of receiving were of no importance to the woman. It was who provided the crumb which was the core issue. This is the nature of faith that Jesus commended her for.
What is the message for us today?
I am sure there are many messages for our learning today, but the following two speak to me, and hopefully to you.
Fighting Faith
We are to have a “fighting faith”, but by speaking of a “fighting faith” I do not mean the type of faith that argues every point of doctrine that is possible. No – not at all. That is simply a sign of insecurity and immaturity.
A fighting faith refers to a determined hanging on to the faith that was delivered to us, and for us to live under. A faith that is continuous, consistent, and that it does not simply take the first answer it gets. A faith that is worked out by love.
Galatians 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
Certainly, a desperation of circumstances plays a role in the working out of our faith, for this woman was in front of the Messiah due to her desperate circumstance, a daughter severely appressed by a demon. We must remember that as we venture through this life, emergencies, trials, difficulties, problems, adversities and hardships will be about us, sometimes seemingly everywhere, and may appear there is no overcoming of. Some of these trials may remain, some are to be climbed over. Either way, disappointments are inherent in exercising faith, for without disappointments, faith would not be required. A fighting faith will continue to look to Him for answers, even in the midst of seeming restrictions.
Catch the Message
Yet this Gentile woman teaches us to “catch a message”. She caught the implication of the Lord’s use of “little dogs”, and continued the pursuit, finding opportunity in the message she heard. Truly an amazing discussion between the Lord and a “little dog”.
Do you approach the Word looking for opportunity or restrictions? I know, as a natural pessimist, I tend to see restrictions. This woman, this “little dog”, this non-Israeli, looked for opportunity, and in the search found the request she sought.
Not only did she receive her daughter back, she provided an example to us of one who looked for an opportunity before God, and kept asking util she found it! Truly a tenacious woman in front of our Good God. Somewhat reminiscent of a non-Israelite named Abraham, fighting for his nephew Lot in the City of Gomorrah.
Those non-Israelites sure provide stellar examples of seeking and finding God!
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #268
Description
He would prosper
Old Testament Prophecy
Isaiah 53:10d
the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.
New Testament Fulfillment
John 17:1-5
When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you,
since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him.
And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.
I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do.
And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
1:23 I am hard pressed between the two. My desire is to depart and be with Christ, for that is far better.
Paul now admits to being caged in, restricted, press together between these two option, that of living for the brethren and dying to be with Christ. Paul’s confession of his desire to be with Christ must surely have had a profound effect on his church in Philippi, for they knew of his love for them, and yet Christ was the priority, the lynchpin of Paul’s life, the very goal. This must have translated to the individuals of the tiny church he speaks to, for they must also focus on the Lord, as we in the modern church need to realize.
Paul’s desire is to depart (note that he doesn’t day die) and to be with Christ.
As the apostle often taught of resurrections, he must mean the departure from this existence, not necessarily from his body, for he surely expected a resurrected body to be granted to him. Resurrection day is approaching my friends.
My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.
This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.
I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.
Psalm 45:10-12
Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear: forget your people and your father’s house, and the king will desire your beauty. Since he is your lord, bow to him. The people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts, the richest of the people.
With the beginning of verse 10, our view transitions from the King/Bridegroom, to the Bride.
Instructions hearkening back to the original “leaving of your parents, cleaving to your husband” ring true in this passage, as the Bride is directed to hearken, incline her ear, and consider to forget her people and her father’s house. In our modern world (with our modern thinking), this seems so harsh, so destructive to a positive relationship with the brides family.
Consider some of the saintly women in the Old Testament that left their family behind, to be joined to a man for life.
Sarah left her family behind, following Abraham into a wilderness. left her family on the witness of a servant, without seeing Isaac, her future husband. Rachel also left her family behind, although Jacob did stay with her family for two decades. Eventually, she also left her parents and family.
Yet the bride is instructed, not only to leave her family behind, but also her people, or the tribe/nation she was associated with. Her entire identity was to be “lost” in order to find her new life with the Bridegroom.
My very own wife has experienced both these separations in a stepped process, as the very day of our wedding was the day we left her hometown and family and moved 4 hours away. Of course, we had the modern convenience of transportation to visit her family on a rare occasion, but eventually our lives pulled us farther and farther away, eventually leaving the nation we grew up in. My favorite has went through numerous cultural and national transitions in her commitment to her hubby. The passage goes on to say …
and the king will desire your beauty
Now don’t get me wrong, for I am no king, but as I have grown old with my favorite, I have caught myself staring at her, desiring her more every year we are together. My view of her beauty has evolved from seeing a gorgeous lady to a deeper realization of who this lady is. Of course I love to look at her, for she is “pertier” today than when I married her. But beyond my favorites physical appearance, and with each experience we have, my understanding of her character, personality and commitment shines through.
Is this not the very call of God on each of His people. Our identity in and with this world is to be lost in order to gain the name of Christ.
Galatians 6:14 ESV – But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
My wife and I have been together for over 40 years now, through thick and thin. Her commitment to his family is fierce and her heart breaks for every pain we go though. She goes without in order to provide, and is willing to be stretched to ease her families times of trouble. My estimation of this lady has consistently grown and my desire has only increased as she works out this principle.
This Psalm directs the Kings bride to forget her own people and family, in order to focus on her mate. Out of this commitment, the King will greatly desire her beauty. Note that transition. The Psalm speaks of the brides responsibilities of abandoning her family and friends in order for the King to greatly desire her. The King seeks full and total allegiance from His bride, and out of this loyalty or fidelity to the King, the King’s desire would increase.
As the bride of Christ, our fidelity to Him is to be absolute. Is it fair to say that as we fight the good fight to be faithful to the true King, our efforts, desires and willingness increase the Kings love toward us? Is that heresy? I think not, for even while walking with us on this ball of mud, the Savior had those He attended to more than others. His love for each of us is exorbitant, and it is hard to understand the grace He has exercised toward us. Yet, in some way that I fear I am failing at describing, our fidelity to Him does effect His desire toward each of us.
If that is so, let us seek to “forget our people and our father’s house”, in order to remember Him and His great love toward us. Let us consider His ways, and walk in them, in order for all to see that we have a Bridegroom that we love.
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #267
Description
Resurrected and live forever
Old Testament Prophecy
Isaiah 53:10c
he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
New Testament Fulfillment
Rom 6:9
We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
No one who denies the Son has the Father. Whoever confesses the Son has the Father also. Let what you heard from the beginning abide in you. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, then you too will abide in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he made to us–eternal life. I write these things to you about those who are trying to deceive you. But the anointing that you received from him abides in you, and you have no need that anyone should teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about everything, and is true, and is no lie–just as it has taught you, abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink from him in shame at his coming. If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him. – 1 John 2:15-29 ESV
Although this entire passage is very excellent, verse 24 is where I would like to draw your attention. John is placing the responsibility of abiding in doctrinal truth squarely on the disciples shoulders.
What? Carl – are you saying we have to maintain doctrinal purity to keep our salvation? Be careful before you jump into too many assumptions. The doctrinal purity being referred to here is in one subject, that is the person of Jesus being the Christ.
North American Christians have classified biblical teaching into a multiplicity of compartments, splitting hairs over issues that are of no eternal significance. John is dealing with the person of the Christ in this passage, – not how many angels fit on the head of a pin.
As disciples, we are responsible to follow the One who delivered us. We should desire and seek to please the right Person. This Person is described in the apostolic teaching we have been given in the New Testament.
Do you seek to understand who He is? Are you constantly referring back to the Biblical record for answers, and to compare the Scriptures against any and all teachers?
John is addressing the gnostic error that teaches that Jesus isn’t the Christ. But Carl – everyone knows that Jesus’ last name is Christ – no worries!
I think there is a bit more to it than that!
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you would like to receive daily posts from Considering the Bible, click on the “Follow” link below
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #266
Description
An offering for sin
Old Testament Prophecy
Isaiah 53:10b
when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
New Testament Fulfillment
Matt 20:28
even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
Gal 3:13
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us–for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”–
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
After my series on the parables, I found I was drawn to look into the miracles of Jesus in the Gospels. I have never studies the mighty works of Jesus as a focused effort before and am looking forward to finding nuggets of truth that we can be encouraged by.
I have provided a general introduction, with an opportunity to download two files for your reference in my initial post Signs and Mighty Works of Jesus – Introduction. I found that the format I used for the parable posts were useful to keep me on track, and will continue to use them for this series, with some minor tweaks. With that said, let’s take a look at
Jesus Heals Many Sick in Gennesaret
Matthew 14:34-36
And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
Mark 6:53-56
When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret and moored to the shore. And when they got out of the boat, the people immediately recognized him and ran about the whole region and began to bring the sick people on their beds to wherever they heard he was. And wherever he came, in villages, cities, or countryside, they laid the sick in the marketplaces and implored him that they might touch even the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
General Observations
Gennesaret is a land that was incredibly fertile, to the point the Rabbi’s called it the Garden of God”. The very name Gennesaret comes from two Hebrew words. “Gan” in the Hebrew means garden, with the second portion from the Hebrew “sarim”. meaning prince. Gennesaret may mean “princely gardens” and in the days of Christ, this small area of the northwest coast of the Sea of Galilee (also known as the Sea of Gennesaret) was home to an area full of fruits and vegetables. The land could produce not only a multiple variety of food stuffs, but each crop would produce an abundant harvest!
Gennesaret, being just west of Capernaum was a central base of operations for the Lord during His early ministry, when the miraculous acts of the Lord increased in intensity. This very passage speaks of the healing of many. And the apostles provide very little information when compared with the many miracles that are spoken of. It’s almost as if the apostles are starting to see a pattern in the physical healing and the effect of it.
Yet as we continue in our series on the mighty works of Jesus, we will begin to see the Lord leaving this northern region where He performed so many of His miracles, and where His ministry went through a period a tremendous popularity. As we see Him moving into His next phase of ministry, it is good to remember that His time in the north was planned from centuries before.
The prophet Isaiah spoke of the Messiahs ministry in the land of Zebulon and the land of Naphtali in his 9th chapter and Matthew connected Jesus’ ministry with this prophecy.
Matthew 4:14-16 so that what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles– the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.”
The people had seen a great light, and on them a light had dawned. This period of time when the Lord was in the region provided multiplied proofs of His identity, and at no time since has a people had such a bright light shine (in relation to miracles produced).
Everyone recognized Him and they all understood He was a great miracle worker, but for some reason this region fell under condemnation by the Lord later in His ministry.
Matthew 11:21-24 “Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”
Questions to Consider
Who were the audience?
Per the passage, everyone in the region of Gennesaret were either witnesses or recipients of the Lord’s presence. When I say everyone, (and being an engineer by trade), I automatically think of the population that would be in the area. This was difficult to determine with a desktop search, but the area itself is generally considered to be about 3 miles long from south to north and about 1¼ miles broad, form shore to rocky foothills. Given that this area was predominantly a farmers paradise, I intended to calculate a potential population, assume a percentage of sick amongst the population and provide a number of healings performed. I nixed that foolishness, since even within the passage the author describes the extent of coverage as being “all that region”. I will not attempt to define the limits of “all that region” for that may cover cities like Capernaum, maybe even Bethsaida. Dang it all if even as I read the passage again, the verse speaks of going into villages and cities also.
This explosive burst of miracles performed by the Lord might well have encompassed many more than I first thought. Nevertheless, the audience was massive, most likely (in my humble opinion) greater than the 5,000 He recently fed.
He sure was popular!
When did the Lord perform this mighty work?
One additional assumption of mine that was wrong when I first considered this miracle, or should I say period of miracles, is the duration described within this short passage. The passage speaks of the Messiah going from village to city, and throughout the countryside. This surely was not an hour stint (as I assumed) where He stopped for a quick visit. We are not even told if He had plans upon arriving here that was interrupted by the crowds!
Again, the duration of this prolonged period of miracles can only be guessed at, yet it seems to beg a day or two, maybe more. He travelled through the area, and the population retrieved the sick to meet with Him. This was not a efficiently planned ministry stop over that catered to the Messiah’s crowded day planner!
The passage does not provide a motivation of the Lord in the healing of multitudes, and it seems He was somewhat passive in the act of healing. Yes, the passage speaks of the crowd imploring Him, requesting healings, yet the action of healing also is described as the woman with a blood disorder. See Jesus #14 – Jesus Heals a Woman in the Crowd.
Remember that the woman simply took the healing. She didn’t approach the Master for permission, but simply took power from Him by touching the fringe of His garment. (Desperate for a healing or great faith?)
The fringe of his garment seemed to be a key for the crowds in getting what they wanted, for in both passages in describing this mighty work, the fringe of His garment is referred to. Even as the crowd clambered about Him, grabbing and clutching, He provided the light necessary, in the form of miracles to see the truth of His person.
But I have to ask myself if the physical healing became a stumbling lock to receiving spiritual healing? Nothing in this specific passage addresses this concern of mine, yet I wonder…
What was the message for the original audience?
The message to the original audience was that He was a patient and beneficent miracle healer. At no time in either of these passages in Matthew or Mark is there any description of those being healed as confessing Him for who He was. Now I realize silence is not a good basis to build a teaching on, yet the intent of the miracles, if I understand them correctly, is not simply the physical healing, but identification of the Great Healer being present, the One of whom the nation of Israel (and the world) needed to recognize as the Messiah, the Deliverer sent by God.
Yet, and it seems anticlimactic to say this, but all we have is many multiple physical healings, and that is all. And since this region came under condemnation by the Master a bit later in His ministry, I assume this display, or notification of His arrival was not received as intended.
What is the message for us today?
The message that screams out to me is the tremendous patience and goodness of God in the person of Jesus Christ. Let’s recall that this period of time originally began with the Master seeking a time of rest and regrouping with His men.
Mark 6:31 And he said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.” For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat.
This intended plan was dashed, for instead of rest, He fed five thousand, spent a night in prayer, rescued the disciples on the sea (walked on the water out to their boat in the early morning), and now was besieged by even greater crowds than the day before. Yet He continued in the midst of tiredness, frustration of intended effects, and a broken expectation of rest with His disciples.
One item that seems to echo in my thoughts is that the display of miracles by the Master did not produce a vibrant Christian experience, or revolutionize the area, produce a spiritual revival or initiate a great missionary effort. It was simply physical healing for multitudes that seemingly produced no real spiritual fruit.
Sad, since this area is known as a fruitful garden!
Might that be something for us to understand in our efforts to those who are outside the Body? Is the existence of miracles, (or at least the claim of miracles), automatically a sign of healthy spiritual life and fervor? Do miracles produce spiritual life!
Matthew 7:22 – 23 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’
As I mentioned above, it seemed Jesus was mighty popular during this period of His ministry, yet the popularity didn’t translate into the intended effect of changed lives. No repentance or true faith is spoken of, yet He sure was popular!
Jesus is somewhat popular in our society nowadays, and yet when I ask who He is, I receive many various descriptions from declared believers. Popularity of Jesus is dependent on the understanding we each have of Him, and if we see Him only as a miracle healer, One who is there to serve us, this may be replicating the people of Gennesaret.
Did I mention that this region was never spoken of in a positive manner after this explosion of light?
Food for thought.
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you know someone this blog may bless (or challenge), send them a link, so they may join us in our discussion
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #265
Description
God’s will that He die for mankind
Old Testament Prophecy
Isaiah 53:10a
Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief;
New Testament Fulfillment
John 18:11
So Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into its sheath; shall I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
For this series in Philippians, I am going to limit each post to one verse, and hopefully produce a short, succinct read for my friends who follow.
1:22 If I am to live in the flesh, that means fruitful labor for me. Yet which I shall choose I cannot tell.
If. What a huge word. The unknown “if”, of course, implies choice, options, possibilities. Some options are out of our reach, only to be completed by the One who has the power to direct our lives. Some options are open to us, and yet knowing the Lord’s will, may become untenable though possible.
Paul speaks of choosing in this passage, and it seems he is considering the desires of his heart, not the actual decision to live or die – No that is beyond him. Authorities above him will determine his time of death. I speak as a fool here, for we know the Authority Who determines our time of release.
It is the desire of living for Christ or dying that he is hashing out in his mind. He is looking at two options, both of which a good options in his mind. This is instructive to consider.
When you approach a fork in the road, do you consider one way to be wrong and one way to be right? Surely this may occur, yet I would suggest that forks in the road of your life may both be beneficial. The decision may be difficult only in that you seek God’s will, but that either path will be of good effect on your life.
This is the conundrum Paul faces. Are you in the midst of a conundrum? Work it out, looking to the Lord for resolution, or to find peace in the matter.
My wife and I are reading through the Psalms in our evening reading and occasionally a nugget of the Psalms jumps out of the page. Don’t you love it when, after years of reading the “Old Book” passages become alive, reinforcing old teachings or simply warming your heart.
This is the book of Psalms, and it is rich.
I pray I can communicate a portion of the blessing we receive from this wonderful book.
Psalm 45:6-9
Your throne, O God, is forever and ever. The scepter of your kingdom is a scepter of uprightness; you have loved righteousness and hated wickedness. Therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions; your robes are all fragrant with myrrh and aloes and cassia. From ivory palaces stringed instruments make you glad; daughters of kings are among your ladies of honor; at your right hand stands the queen in gold of Ophir.
Earlier, in our previous posts, we have stated their are implications that this King in not the common, run of the mill King that ascended the throne of Israel, and then descended into shame and eventually death. This King was gracious, and received blessing for ever! We have seen where the passage describes this King as meek, and the battle not as expected.
In our next passage, the Psalmist blurts it out. He can’t hold it back. It is boiling over, the identity of this King cannot be retrained any further. Any why should it be, for this King is the ultimate King, a King that is a King over all other Kings.
The author of Hebrews sees this passage as descriptive of the Lord Jesus, and His identification as God.
Hebrews 1:8 But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
The Son is God, and His throne is forever and ever. This is the cornerstone of Christianity, the foundation of our faith, the center and circumference of all we understand. The eternal God, in the person of Jesus Christ is the ruling King.
The psalmist continues his description of the King, describing His scepter as a scepter of righteousness. As monarchies are a fading method of government in our modern societies, it may serve us well to understand the accoutrements of the King.
For a King, three outward forms of recognition are commonly associated with his royal identity.
The Throne
The passage speaks of the Kings throne, and this is the only fixed item of the three. The King would go to the throne, ascend the throne, and the throne was for no other. Since the psalmist describes this throne as the throne of God, and remembering the eternal nature of God, this ascension could not be speaking of the Father God and His ascending, since that would imply a time of His not being King. This ascension, in my understanding, is of the God-man Jesus Christ, after His resurrection, after the period with His disciples, when He visibly rose to the heavens in bodily form, to reign over the Kingdom of God.
The Scepter
Our passage also describe the scepter of the King and this item is not as familiar to our modern way of thinking. What did a scepter represent? First off, the scepter is typically a staff held by the monarch during his time on the throne, and represents the Kings authority, or sovereignty. His authority to make decisions that will without any formal recourse will be implemented simply on the desire of the King.
A common misconception is that sovereignty is synonymous with control, and I have yet to find this association in the Word. Authority of a King is not lessened by his granting a measure of freedom to His subjects. As a matter of consideration, a wise and benevolent King would grant a measure of freedom to his subjects in order to express their allegiance or rebellion. Complete and absolute control of a “king” over his subject’s every decision would mimic a dictatorship, and not a healthy kingdom.
The scepter represented the Kings authority, and provided the King a symbol, or a tool, to exhibit His decision to an audience. His internal ruminations of all aspects required to be considered in the making of a wise and righteous decision could be communicated to his audience by the use of his scepter. The scepter did not posses the authority, but only represented it
The Crown
Of course a crown identifies the ruler as the head of the nation, in combination with the throne and scepter. The crown is often associated with a coronation ceremony, mixing the crown and the anointing of the King together, and represents a symbol of achievement, or attainment for the one crowned.
Our King wore a crown, and it brought blood to His brow. The crown of thorns the guards impaled on our Saviors head, was a wretched attempt by the Romans to mock His claim of authority. The mockery He endured
Yet it wasn’t just mockery that this one (of many) evil acts was intended to inflict on our Lord.
Many identify this crown of thorns as being woven from a plant called Euphorbia. If this is the correct plant, it has a toxic sap that irritates the skin and eyes, causing painful inflammation. Considering the massive suffering He would undergo in the next hours, with the whipping and the eventual crucifixion, this initial effort of humiliation brought with it an associated physical pain.
Each aspect of His suffering carried with it multiple areas of attack, including the physical, emotional, volitional and spiritual arenas of His life. In every arena of possible suffering, He experienced depths of pain, loneliness, shame and abandonment that I can not imagine, or comprehend.
Sometimes it is good to dwell on one aspect of His suffering for us, for the entire passion is unfathomable. Take a few minutes considering the Messiah’s crown of thorns.
He is the King, yet He suffered prior to His glory.
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #264
Description
No deceit in his mouth
Old Testament Prophecy
Isaiah 53:9c
and there was no deceit in his mouth.
New Testament Fulfillment
1 Pet 2:22
He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth.
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.’ And they began to celebrate.
How often have I told myself about the parables, that they aren’t intended to build doctrine from, for they were intended as a life lesson for the audience, usually intended for a specific topic for a specific audience.
I admit the parable of the prodigal was intended to rebuke the Pharisees in their rejection of sinners and tax collectors coming into the kingdom. (The love of the Father in seeking and receiving His rebellious son is the set up for the end of the parable!) The punch of the parable is the last few verses of the parable, where Jesus addresses the older brother, and the jealous anger toward sinners and tax collectors coming into the kingdom that the older brother (Pharisees) exhibited.
But verse 24, couched in the middle of the parable provides some support for the conditional security teaching if we read of this rebel as a son of the Father. He, as a son, rebels against the Fathers love, and leaves his home. As we know the story, he eventually realizes his mistake and comes back looking for work. Little did he know (or remember) the immense love of His Father.
In talking with the older brother, the Father described His son as dead and yet he lives again. The son left his Father, literally walking away from his Father, breaking relationship with his Father and acting as if the Father no longer existed. Remember dear reader, he originally asked for his share of the inheritance, revealing his desire to see his own Father dead. The son’s rejection seemed absolute, and yet we need to deal with his initial and continued description as a son by Jesus and the Father in the parable.
It is noteworthy to recall that the son initiated this action, and that in all of the telling of this parable, the Father is seen as the One who sought wholeness and relationship within His family. The Father is never described as One initiating, encouraging or supporting any attitude of broken relationship within His family. It was the son’s decision only, and as the Father watched the son walk away, I am sure the heart broke and the tears flowed!
Remember, as I mentioned at the beginning of the post, this secondary understanding of the parable is only a possibility. If in my studies I had not found other scriptural support for this teaching, I am sure I would not mention (or even notice) this topic in reviewing this passage.
What do you think? Is there any support for the teaching of conditional security within the parable of the prodigal son. Let me know in the comments.
Be blessed.
Thanks again for coming to visit. I hope you found something of interest in this post and would appreciate a comment, to begin a discussion. If you would like to receive daily posts from Considering the Bible, click on the “Follow” link below
The prophecy of the Lord Jesus for our consideration and edification, written centuries prior to His earthly existence is
Prophecy #263
Description
Innocent and had done no violence
Old Testament Prophecy
Isaiah 53:9b
although he had done no violence,
New Testament Fulfillment
Luke 23:41
And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”
John 18:38
Pilate said to him, “What is truth?” After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.
If you are just joining this blog, or are a first time visitor, welcome to Considering the Bible. We would like to offer a document that provides over 350 prophecies of the Messiah found in the Old Testament for your consideration.
I make no claim to be able to comment on every one of these amazing prophecies in the future, but will occasionally bring one to the readers attention for their edification.
Hopefully you will follow “Considering the Bible” and begin an interaction with us
Considering the Bible 