Harmony #63: The Fire of God (Luke 12:1-9, 11-12; 49-56; 6:40; Matthew 10:17-20, 22-36)

Meanwhile, when many thousands of the crowd had gathered so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.

Do not be afraid of them, for nothing is hidden that will not be revealed, and nothing is secret that will not be made known. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light, and what is whispered in your ear in private rooms, proclaim from the housetops.

I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body,[1] and after that have nothing more they can do, because they cannot kill the soul. But I will warn you whom you should fear: Fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body[2], who has authority to end them both in Gehennah. Yes, I tell you, fear him!

Aren’t five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten before God, or falls to the ground apart from your Father’s will. In fact, even all the hairs on your head are numbered. So do not be afraid; you are more valuable than many sparrows.

I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before men, the Son of Man, will also acknowledge in the heavenly court before the angels and my Father in heaven. But whoever denies me before people, I will deny him also before my Father in heaven and before his angels.”[3]

I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves. Beware of people, because they will hand you over to councils and bring you before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, and flog you in their synagogues. And you will be brought before governors and kings because of me, as a witness to them and the Gentiles.

But when they bring you before the synagogues, the rulers and the authorities, and hand you over for trial, do not worry about how you should make your defense or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you must say. For it is not you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.[4]

All the nations will hate (denounce, persecute[5]) you because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. Whenever they persecute you in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.[6]

A disciple is not greater than his teacher, nor a slave greater than his master. It is enough for the disciple to become like his teacher, and the slave like his master. Everyone when fully trained will be like his teacher. If they have called the head of the house ‘Beelzebul,’ how much more will they defame the members of his household!”

I have come to bring fire on the earth—and how I wish it were already kindled! I have a baptism (of suffering) to undergo, and how hard pressed I am until it is finished![7]

Do you think I have come to bring peace (wholeness[8]) on earth? No, I tell you, my arrival is bring disunion of opinion and conduct![9] I have not come (to help everybody smooth over their differences), but to wield a sword (of the Spirit, the word of God.)[10]

For from now on there will be five in one household divided, three against two and two against three. They will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against mother-in-law. A man’s enemies will be the members of his household.[11]

* * * * *

There are multiple points to be made this week. Apply as needed :)

Guard against hypocrisy. I feel like we covered this last week.

We are sheep, not wolves. Watch out for the wolves; identify them, and don’t be like them. Jesus then identifies the wolves: councils, synagogues, rulers, authorities, governors and kings. Those with power. Religion has never done well when wedded with power; Judaism and Christianity are no exception. I think one reason is that it takes wolves to keep power – or maybe power makes us wolfish. God does not intend for us to go into hostile spaces and fight with the weapons of the hostile.

 The Good Shepherd’s Sermon on the Mount is the template for us sheep. Poor in spirit; mourning our brokenness; meek/gentle; hungering for righteousness; merciful; pure in heart; peacemakers; willing to endure persecution. (Matthew 5) That’s how sheep go into the territory of wolves. It feels so opposed to what we want to do, but it’s the path the Good Shepherd gave to us.

Proclaim truth boldly, show wisdom/sensibility, and live blamelessly. Representing Jesus well calls us to a faithful attitude, a discerning presentation, and a righteous lifestyle. First, we ought not be embarrassed or cowardly about our faith. We don’t have to be obnoxious, but Jesus said, “Acknowledge me before others.” When we have light for the darkness, we make sure it shines. Second, we need to pray for Holy Spirit help to ‘read the room’ when we present or defend our faith. What do people need in the moment? Not every field is harvested the same way; don’t take a combine to a melon patch. Third, we need to make sure we live in habits of faithfulness and righteousness. If faith without deeds is a dead faith, surely the presentation of our faith without the commentary of our deeds to accompany it is equally problematic. Our actions and words should tell the same story.

Truth is divisive. Expect pushback and persecution. Your translation might say, “All the people will hate you.” I think the better translations use “nations.” Jesus’ language clearly wasn’t meant to apply to every individual. The early church grew very, very quickly. Jesus is simply noting that everywhere they go, there will be pushback and minimum and persecution at maximum from somebody. I’ve talked with some followers of Jesus who just assumed that the larger amount of people who disliked them, the more faithful they must be. That… might not be what’s happening. The early church exploded because so many people really liked what they heard and saw in the first followers of Jesus.

That sword Jesus brings is elsewhere called “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God” (Ephesians 6:17) that “is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12) The message and means of peace with God was a foolish stumbling block for some. (1 Corinthians 1:23) Just like the same light can illuminate or blind, the same truth can land very differently in the eyes of different people.

If God’s truth divides us from others or brings disdainful attitudes on us, so be it. Let’s just be sure we don’t give reasons other than God’s truth for those things to happen.

Disciples of Jesus need not be afraid of the One who truly deserves their fear/awe/reverence.[12] Within the space of a paragraph, we read “fear God/don’t fear God.” I think that contrast is purposeful. We are supposed to wrestle with it. So here’s where I wrestled to J We are so used to being afraid of power, because so often power has been used to abuse. But God is Great AND God is Good (as we used to sing before meals). Jesus, right in front of them, is showing that God is using His power to save the world. Jesus is watching sparrows in person. The power is stunning; so is the love and provision. Peter will be a recipient of this. Even after denying Jesus and bringing on himself the punishment of a traitor, Jesus draws him back. When Jesus resurrects, he tells people, “Don’t be afraid.” He wasn’t on a revenge tour. He was there to seek and save the lost.

God’s Spirit will empower you. You don’t have to have perfect preparation or extensive training to represent Jesus. You just need to be faithfully present. Preparation is not a bad idea: “Be ready always to give a reason for the hope that lies within you, with gentleness and respect.” (1 Peter 3:15) Just remember that when we are weak, He is strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9) We won’t ever stand in front of the Sanhedrin, but we will stand in front of family members, and co-workers, and classmates. Be wise and gentle, but be bold. God’s Spirit is with you.

‘Baptism by fire’ is part of God’s plan. It will purify us.

The fire of God is a beautiful and terrifying gift. The imagery is used generously throughout the Bible.

OLD TESTAMENT EXAMPLES[13]

·  “For you, O God, have tested us; you have tried us as silver is tried. You brought us into the net; you laid a crushing burden on our backs; you let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and through water; yet you have brought us out to a place of abundance.” (Psalm 66:10-12) 

· “The crucible is for silver, and the furnace is for gold, and the LORD tests hearts.” (Proverbs 17:3)

· “Take away the dross from the silver, and the smith has material for a vessel…” (Proverbs 25:4)

· “I will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy.” (Isaiah 1:25)

· “The sinners in Zion are afraid; trembling has seized the godless: ‘Who among us can dwell with the consuming fire? Who among us can dwell with everlasting burnings?’ He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises the gain of oppressions, who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking on evil.” (Isaiah 33:14-15)

· “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction.” (Isaiah 48:10)

· “And it shall come to pass in all the land, says the LORD, that two- thirds in it shall be cast off and die, but one-third shall be left in it; I will bring the one-third through the fire, will refine them as silver is refined, and test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, and I will answer them. I will say, ‘This is My people’; and each one will say, ‘The LORD is my God'” (Zech. 13:8-9).

· “Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not.” (Lamentations 3:22)

· “But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10).

·“Behold, I will refine them and test them, for what else can I do, because of my people?” (Jeremiah 9:7)

·  “But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver…. ‘So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me,’ says the LORD Almighty. ‘I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.’ (Malachi 3:2-6)

NEW TESTAMENT EXAMPLES

· “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.[14] His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matthew 3:11-12)

· “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.” (Hebrews 12:28-29)

· “ Their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work… If anyone’s work is burned up, it will be lost, but he will be saved; yet it will be like an escape through fire. ” (1 Corinthians 3:13-15)

·  And have mercy on those who waver; save others by snatching them out of the fire.” (Jude 1:22-23)

· “Your faith will be like gold that has been tested in a fire. And these trials will prove that your faith is worth much more than gold that can be destroyed. They will show that you will be given praise and honor and glory when Jesus Christ returns.” (1 Peter 1:7)

· “By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames. (1 Corinthians 3:10-15)

· “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.” (1 Peter 4:12) 

· “And if your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into Gehenna, where ‘the worms that eat them do not die, and the fire is not quenched.’ Everyone will be salted with fire.” (Mark 9:47-49)

So…. when the Bible talks about fire in this life, be it real or metaphorical, it always does two things: fire judges and purifies. The judgment of that which is evil also purifies the land or the person by getting rid of that which is destructive and evil.[15] The fire of judgment is a mercy to the victims of evil; the fire of purification a gift to the one doing the evil.

In the In the New Testament’s unveiling of the New Covenant, this fire seems to be two key things, both of which offer a judgment (by revealing what it pure and good) and a purification (since what is left is pure and good).

God’s Word

“’For what has chaff to do with wheat?’ declares the Lord. ‘Is not my word like fire,’ declares the Lord, ‘and like a hammer that breaks a rock in pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:28-29)

Foresters will occasionally do a “controlled burn” for the health of a forest. It gets out dead grass and trees, fallen branches, and thick undergrowth.

“By ridding a forest of dead leaves, tree limbs, and other debris, a prescribed burn can help prevent a destructive wildfire. Controlled burns can also reduce insect populations and destroy invasive plants. In addition, fire can be rejuvenating. It returns nutrients to the soil in the ashes of vegetation that could otherwise take years to decompose.

 And after a fire, the additional sunlight and open space in a forest can help young trees and other plants start to grow. Some plants, such as certain pine species, require fire before the cones or fruits containing the seeds can release them. These cones or fruits need fire to melt a resin that holds the seeds inside. As a result, without fire these species cannot reproduce.”

Apply these principles generously to the fire of God’s Word in our lives. God’s word will bring life, but there will be a prescribed burn. It’s taking up our cross to follow Jesus. It’s “dying daily,” like Paul described his life.  It’s being pruned. If God’s word does not at times feel like a fire burning away your sin, we aren’t taking the Bible seriously enough. Let’s try a couple verses.

“Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless.” (James 1:26)

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” (Ephesians 4:32)

“If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?” (1 John 3:17)

Trials/Tests

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4)

Greek scholar, Kenneth Wuest, provides a beautiful illustration of God’s refining fire.

“The picture here is of an ancient goldsmith who puts his crude gold ore in a crucible, subjects it to intense heat, and thus liquefies the mass. The impurities rise to the surface and are skimmed off. When the metalworker is able to see the reflection of his face clearly mirrored in the surface of the liquid, he takes it off the fire, for he knows that the contents are pure gold. So it is with God and His child. He puts us in the crucible of Christian suffering, in which process sin is gradually put out of our lives, our faith is purified from the slag of unbelief that somehow mingles with it so often, and the result is the reflection of the face of Jesus Christ in the character of the Christian. This, above all, God the Father desires to see. Christlikeness is God’s ideal for His child. Christian suffering is one of the most potent means to that end.”

Why did Jesus bring a fire to the earth? Because the fire of God produces purified men and women of God. Because God is a Good Father, he desires the best for His children. He desires us to flourish as transformed image bearers living in the path of life, expanding the Kingdom of God wherever we go.

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[1] In 4 Maccabees, a first-century Jewish text about the martyrdom of a man named Eleazar and his seven sons, we read, “Let us not fear him who thinks he is killing us... . For if we so die, Abraham and Isaac and Jacob will welcome us, and all the fathers will praise us.” (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds of the New Testament)

[2] “The Lord Almighty is the one you are to regard as holy, he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread.” (Isaiah 8:13)

[3] “Before that glorious throng of heavenly beings, whose existence was a part of the creed of every true Jew; before the mighty angels, the awful seraphim; before that countless crowd of winged and burning ones who assisted at the awful mysteries of Sinai, would they who witnessed for him, and suffered because of him, be acknowledged by him. Their sufferings…would be recounted before the angels by the same King of heaven, when he returned to his home of grandeur and of peace in heaven.” (Pulpit Commentary)

[4] An example is seen in Peter’s testimony in Acts 4:8-12.

[5] https://biblehub.com/greek/3404.htm

[6] How could this happen in their lifetime? Many commentaries agree with the ESV Reformation Study Bible: “The ‘coming’ refers to the destruction of Jerusalem in a.d. 70 as an act of judgment against the nation of Israel. This understanding retains the note of urgency and fits the experience of the church prior to a.d. 70… That event was terrible in intensity and fell on what had been the central visible symbol of God’s presence, the temple.

[7] “If Jesus refers here to the “baptism” with fire he may be suggesting that he will first experience the judgment in others’ place.” (NRSV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible)

[8] “Wholeness, i.e. when all essential parts are joined together (HELPS Word Studies)

[9] Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. This is the only time this word is used in the New Testament.

[10] Ephesians 6:17)

[11] “The passage recalls Micah’s description of the social disintegration in Israel leading up to the Assyrian conquest, when “a man’s enemies are the members of his own household” (Mic. 7:6). The rabbis interpreted this Old Testament passage with reference to the great time of crisis before the coming of the Messiah, when “children shall shame the elders, and the elders shall rise up before the children.” (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds of the New Testament)

[12] The Greek word for “fear” can mean the obvious “afraid”, but also “awe and reverence”. We can see which meaning is intended based on the context. Luke 12:4-7 is Jesus telling the listeners to whom they ought to owe allegiance; instead of revering human rulers, who do not control the afterlife, we ought to obey God, who does. (Expositors Bible Commentary)

[13] Moses saw a burning bush from which God spoke. (Exodus 3:1-3)  A pillar of fire led the people of Israel from Egypt. (Exodus 13:20-22)  A fire hovered over the Holy of Holies in the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:38) – the same fire that hovered over the converts in Acts, identifying people as the temple of God.

[14] Probably a reference to the event in Acts when the Holy Spirit appeared like “divided tongues of fire… and rested on each one of them.”(Acts 2:3)

[15] “It is difficult to determine the precise meaning of "fire" because the word can signify either judgment or purification. The immediate context suggests judgment; while Jesus came to bring salvation rather than judgment (Lk 4:19; Jn 3:17), his coming also meant judgment (Jn 9:39). But it may also signify purification. John the Baptist promised that Jesus would "baptize . . . with the Holy Spirit and fire" (see comments on 3:16). It is possible that this fire was to be "kindled" by the baptism of the Spirit (Ac 2:1-4), something that could only occur after his own "baptism" of death (v.50), the thought of which distressed him greatly.” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary)

Harmony #62: How To Be A Hypocrite: A Guide For Beginners

(Matthew 12:38-42; Luke 11:16, 29-32)

Then some of the experts in the law along with some Pharisees answered him, “Teacher, we want to see an authenticating sign from you.” As the crowds were increasing, Jesus answered them, “This evil and adulterous generation[1] asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah.

For just as Jonah was in the belly of the huge fish for three days and three nights, so the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth for three days and three nights. For just as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so the Son of Man will be a sign to this generation.

In fact, the people of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented when Jonah preached to them—and now, something greater than Jonah is here!

The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with the people of this generation and condemn it, because she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon—and now, something greater than Solomon is here!”

In other words, those hearing his words had the authenticating sign of Jesus himself, with his teaching and miracles; in addition, they were going to have the most blatantly obvious sign ever given in human history: Jesus’ resurrection. If prior pagan audiences (Ninevah and the queen of the South) responded to a fraction of this, how much more responsible were the people seeing Jesus in person. Next, Jesus uses the image of a lamp to challenge them to see the truth right in front of them.

“No one after lighting a lamp puts it in a hidden place or under a basket, but on a lampstand, so that those who come in can see the light (if you’ve got light, you should use it).  Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eye is pure/healthy/clear, your whole body is full of the light of truth, but when it is diseased/evil/clouded, your body is full of the darkness of spiritual ignorance and moral decay.[2]

“If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness! Therefore see to it that the light in you is not darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, with no part in the dark, it will be as full of light as when the light of a lamp shines on you.”[3]

And now, an example of what happens when the light within you is darkness.

(Luke 11:37-54; Matthew 23:2-4, 13-36; Mark 12:40)

As he spoke, a Pharisee invited Jesus to have a meal with him, so he went in and took his place at the table. The Pharisee was astonished when he saw that Jesus did not first wash his hands before the meal. But the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and the plate, but inside you are full of greed, wickedness and self-indulgence.

You are foolish, lacking understanding! Didn’t the one who made the outside make the inside as well? You Pharisees are spiritually blind! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside may become clean too! Give alms[4] of what you have (what’s in the cup and plate) to those in need, and then you will be clean.[5]

What terrible sorrow awaits you Pharisees! You love (to be rewarded for your religiousness with) the best seats in the synagogues and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces! You love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; you love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others. Meanwhile, you cheat widows out of their homes.

What terrible sorrow awaits you! You are like unmarked graves, and people walk over them, becoming unclean without realizing it!” One of the experts in religious law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us too.”

Jesus replied, “What terrible sorrow awaits you experts in religious law as well! You tie up heavy loads (of religious laws that are) hard to carry, and put them on the shoulders of others, yet you yourselves refuse to touch the burdens with even one of your fingers in order to help them!

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples: “The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.  So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.  

What terrible sorrow awaits you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites (two-faced actors)! You have taken away the key to knowledge[6] and you keep locking people out of the kingdom of heaven! For you neither enter yourselves nor permit those trying to enter to go in. (You self-appointed gate-keepers have shut the gates.)

“What terrible sorrow awaits you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You cross land and sea to make one convert, and when you get one, you make him twice as much a child of Gehenna as yourselves!

What terrible sorrow awaits you, blind guides, who say, ‘Whoever swears by the temple is bound by nothing. But whoever swears by the gold of the temple is bound by the oath.’ You are foolish[7] and blind! Which is greater, the gold or the temple that makes the gold sacred?

 And, ‘Whoever swears by the altar is bound by nothing. But if anyone swears by the gift on it he is bound by the oath.’ You are blind! For which is greater, the gift or the altar that makes the gift sacred? So whoever swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And whoever swears by the temple swears by it and the one who dwells in it. And whoever swears by heaven swears by the throne of God and the one who sits on it.

What terrible sorrow awaits you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You give a tenth of your mint, dill, cumin, rue and every herb, yet you neglect what is more important in the law—justice, mercy, faithfulness and love for God! You should have done these things without neglecting the others. You are blind guides! You strain out a gnat yet swallow a camel![8]

What terrible sorrow awaits you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs that look beautiful on the outside but inside are full of the bones of the dead and of everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you look righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.

What terrible sorrow awaits you, experts in the law and you Pharisees, hypocrites! You build tombs for the prophets and decorate the graves of the righteous[9] whom your ancestors killed. And you say, ‘If we had lived in the days of our ancestors, we would not have participated with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’

By saying this you testify against yourselves concerning whose children you are:  you are descendants of those who murdered the prophets. You approve of the deeds of your ancestors, because they killed the prophets and you build their tombs (while you continue their legacy)[10]! Fill up then the measure of your ancestors! You snakes, you offspring of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to Gehennah?

“For this reason also the wisdom of God said, ‘I am sending you prophets, and apostles, and wise men and experts in the law, some of whom you will kill and crucify, and some you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.’

So, this generation will be held accountable for the blood of all the righteous prophets shed on earth since the beginning of the world, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah son of Barachiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar. Yes, I tell you the truth, this generation will be held responsible for all these things!”

 When Jesus went out from there, the experts in the law and the Pharisees began to oppose him bitterly, and to ask him hostile questions about many things, plotting against him, to catch him in something he might say.

* * * * *

“The teachers of the law and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat.  So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.” What terrible sorrow awaits those who live as hypocrites. Of all the ‘call outs’ Jesus gave, what he said to hypocrites is the most sobering.

I’d like to offer a contrast today: how to be a hypocrite vs. how to be a committed disciple.

How To Be A Hypocrite: A Guide For Beginners

·  Don’t worry about your heart. Nobody can see it; all they can see is the outside. The best way to cover up is to overcompensate by being legalistic. Don’t worry about Big Picture principles like justice, mercy and love. Learn how to focus on good, observable things that are much smaller and that you can do really well. So, don’t worry about your crude thoughts; just never use crude language. Don’t worry about pride; just always use self-effacing language. Don’t worry about your bitter unforgiveness; just raise your hands during worship. Do small things everyone can see and approve of. Keep the outside of the cup clean!

·  Fall in love with power and reputation. See the church as your platform for glory. There are lots of opportunities. Make the spotlight your goal. To not be noticed is to not matter. In general, remember, bigger is better, so see small opportunities for what they are – stepping stones to the greatness that awaits you.

·  Require standards not written in Scripture. How do you observe the day of rest on Sunday? That’s the only way. Demand that your standards for entertainment are the only godly way. Sit in Moses’ seat when it comes to how long and how often people should have devotions, or what the best way is to study the Bible, or just how healthy you have to be to treat your body like a temple. If your adding to their yoke, make it heavy.

·  Practice guilt by association. Accuse people of being unclean, unrighteous or full of compromise when they are friends with people of other faiths, or no faith at all, or who have lifestyles contrary to Scripture. Ask them why they eat and drink with sinners. (If that was a good enough question for Pharisees then, it’s a good one now!)[11] Meanwhile, only hang out with people just like you in as many ways as possible. If there is one thing you don’t want to do, it’s be in uncomfortable, uncertain spaces where you constantly have to rely on Holy Spirit wisdom.

·  Expect more from others than you expect for yourself. Be hard on others and easy on yourself. Learn how to give yourself a pass when you would demand an apology from others. I mean, you have reasons you snapped at someone, or unwittingly ignored them, or gossiped, or judged them unfairly. You’re only human. You were hangry. Work was terrible. There are plenty of excuses. But when it happens to you? It’s time to rise in indignant judgment and demand an apology, followed up with a clear message that they are fortunate to have a long – suffering and forgiving friend like you.

·  Refuse to help others on their spiritual journey. You don’t have time to help people walk in the path of Life. It’s exhausting to keep the outside of the cup as pristinely clean as you do. Besides, the more they struggle, the better you can feel about yourself. You can always convince yourself, “Well, I’m not THAT bad. I must be doing alright!” As far as techniques for avoiding holy self-reflection, this is gold!

·  Feel free to really dislike people who sin differently than you do.  Never forget your excuses for your clearly minor sins that a more like mistakes, really. But give no quarter for those whose sins are different and clearly major. Odds are good that, while your heart is really in the right place and you are just prone to mistakes, they are almost certainly gleefully evil and should be feared. After all, it’s their sin, not yours, that is a threat to everybody around them.

·  Learn to use the word “discernment” when you unrighteously judge the heart and intents of others. Call it judgment when someone else does it to you because, well, it is. Except when you do it.

·  Demand humility, repentance and self-awareness in others, but do not practice it yourself. Being wrong is a sign of weak. Acknowledging sin to others means you can’t maintain that near-perfect facade. Asking forgiveness suggests you failed to do the right thing, and you might be tempted to think that all your justifications were lies. This is not okay.

·  Find ways to interpret the Bible that let you do what you want to do. It’s important to ignore the full testimony of the Bible and rich history of church teaching. You have to get good at isolating individual verses that fit and ignoring the ones that don’t. Also, find a teacher online who tells you what you want to hear, and then just sit in that information bubble. When done correctly, you can convince yourself that the Bible to say precisely what you thought it said about, well, anything.

·  Major on the minors. This is so important. Did someone bring a physical copy of the Bible with them to church? Can they instantly recite verses from all over the Bible? You need to make that matter more than whether or not they follow the teachings of the Bible during the week. On Easter and Christmas, be sure to note who dressed the best or the worst. What’s more important: that someone showed up to seek God, or how they showed up to seek God? Easy call.

·  Refuse to learn from the sins/mistakes of others. You will need to become efficient at whitewashing history rather than studying it seriously. That way you can put people on pedestals, and they will never fall, and you don’t have to do the hard work of separating wheat from chaff. Truth is dangerous; ignorance is safe. Stay safe.

·  Undermine those who are living righteously around you. How are you going to look good in the presence of those who actually are good? Downplay their successes. Continue to point out things they can still work on rather than rejoicing when they rejoice. Be sure to keep majoring on the minors; when you find out how generous they have been financially with someone in need, highlight how successful you have been in tithing your mint. When they talk about the beauty of finally being able to forgive someone, be sure to have a story about a worse offense and how quickly you let it go. Maybe suggest to them that they are enabling instead of forgiving. Be creative. 

·  Never let anybody question you, correct you, or disagree with you. If they do, dodge, deflect, bully them, shame them until they leave you alone. You HAVE to be right and good in every way. If the outside of the cup cracks, they are going to see what’s inside. You weren’t mean; you were speaking truth boldly. You weren’t gossiping; it was a prayer request. You weren’t judgmental – THEY are judgmental right now, and how dare they?

* * * * * *

Matthew’s account contains Jesus' conclusion right after his critique.

"O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing, Look, your house is left to you desolate...'" (Matthew 23:37-39)

“What terrible sorrow awaits you.” Luke’s account notes that Jesus wept over Jerusalem (Luke 19:41-44). He’s angry, but he’s also mourning, because he sees the spiritual desolation and knows it doesn’t have to be like this. This isn’t a story about Jesus writing people off. He’s challenging their hypocrisy for their good. He knows that their path leads to spiritual desolation (and probably relational disaster), and He cares about that. He loves His children. God’s disciple and pruning is intended to be redemptive, to bring life and flourishing in place of death and failure.

Jesus knows the goodness of lives lived with integrity in the Kingdom. Here, then, is my attempt at offering a practical contrast that shows God’s plan for what it looks like to live a life that leads away from terrible sorrow and desolation rather than more deeply into it.

How To Live With Righteous Integrity Starter Pack

·  Integrate a righteous heart with righteous hands. The cup has two sides  - the inside and outside – and you should be committed to cleanliness of both. You can do one without neglecting the other. Be generous -  while praying for a generous heart and studying what the Bible has to say about the blessedness of generosity. Guard your eyes from lust-inducing things - while praying for a pure heart and meditating on Scripture’s teaching on how to honor others. Guard your tongue - while praying for a heart that is passionate to bring life into the world through words. Study the Word so that it transforms the way you think and feel about the world. Find some people with whom you can do life in transparent friendship and deep accountability.

·  Learn to love humble service. The greatest in the kingdom often seem like the least in the eyes of the world because they aren’t fixated on how the world measures success. See the church as a platform for God’s glory, which is highlighted by the gospel transformation of our heart, soul, mind and strength so that we remind people more and more of Jesus. You won’t need the applause of people to be fulfilled - though, no doubt that is gratifying and often appropriate for others to give to you. But’s that’s not why you do it. The applause of heaven is enough. You do good because you love doing good in response to the good God has shown you.

·  Expect more from yourself than you expect from others. Learn how to give others a grace-filled pass instead of holding grudges. Practice assuming the best in people unless they force you to conclude otherwise. Give the benefit of the doubt until you are proven wrong. Remember: they might be hangry; they might have had a horrible day at work; maybe they are dealing with physical pain, or deep grief – the kinds of things that scrub out filters and leave us pretty raw. Whatever kind of grace you hope others extend to you, extend to them. Do unto others as you would have them do to you. That rule is Golden.

·  Help others on their spiritual journey. Walk with them in their struggles (“bear one another’s burdens”[12]). Weep and rejoice with those who do the same. We are all in this together. You can learn from others. You can grow together. If was prophesied of Jesus, “A bruised reed he will not break.”[13] Pass on that legacy. There are bruised reeds all around you. Please, don’t break them. Nurture them. Stabilize them. Offer hope. As you do this, you will increasingly enter into a relational rhythm with those around you of knowing and being known, learning to love them more fully the more fully you know them.

·  Be consistently generous and compassionate. Be unrelentingly kind. Look for opportunities to help those around you. Just like Jesus “saw” people in crowds,[14] pray for the discernment to “see” those around you who are struggling. It will feel overwhelming if you try to help everybody, but there’s a reason we live in community. There are others who can help too. Find a need that matches the resources God has given you and meet that need with loving provision.

·  Conform your life to the Bible, not the Bible to your life. Get to know all of the Bible. Read from a variety of Christian traditions to broaden and deepen your understanding of our faith. Then, be honest about what the Bible is saying, and let the Bible critique you. It’s good to do this in groups. In a multitude of counselors there is wisdom.[15] It will sometimes be rewarding, sometimes unsettling, sometimes revelational, sometimes convicting. It will all be important.

·  Major on the majors and minor on the minors. Both are important; keep them in the right place.  Discern what hold in a ‘closed hand’ and which to hold in an ‘open hand’. (For example: Close your hand around the truth that Jesus will return; hold an opinion about end times theology in an open hand.) Have your daily devotions - and love mercy. Tithe your mint - and fight for justice. Memorize the Bible - and walk humbly with God.

·  Learn from the sins/mistakes of others. Study biblical, family, church, and national history honestly. Know the historical legacy into which you have been placed so you can know where to build on it and where to do some remodeling. The Old Testament writers modeled this by showing the successes and failures of so many key figures in our Judeo-Christian history. It turns out that a fight between good and evil rages in our of our hearts, and none of us can cast the first stone[16], because we all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.[17] Let’s not turn a blind eye to the complex reality of being human. Even the redeemed have not entered into perfection. Look. Learn. Be honest. Grow. Mature. Like Jesus when he was a boy, we can increase in wisdom, in health, and in favor with God and others individually and corporately.

·  Love truth. As Proverbs 23:23 says, “Buy truth, and do not sell it.” Seek truth about God, His world, yourself. Fill yourself with Scripture; study God’s world; learn from truth-tellers of all kinds. Speak truth (with grace). Let the Bible be a mirror in which you see yourself honestly. Pray for wisdom, humility, and boldness. You need all of those if you want to not only love but also live truth.

·  Be humble enough to consider questions, disagreements or rebukes with an open mind. None of us have arrived; none of will arrive on this side of Heaven. We can always think more clearly about God and His creation; after all, as Paul said, we see through a darkened window until we see God face to face.[18] That’s all of us. We always have room to grow. So… maybe you are wrong – or right; challenges are an opportunity to confirm which one it is. New information is not an enemy; it’s an opportunity to either put down deeper roots or grow new branches, and sometimes both. Listen; pray; seek counsel; study. Learn. God has started a good work in you; He continues it because you haven’t arrived. Embrace the journey that unfolds as we await God’s completion of His work in us.

I assume that the opposite of “what terrible sorrow awaits you” is something like, “what glorious joy awaits you.”

This path will not leave us desolate. It is life, life more abundant[19] that is only found through the person and in the path of Jesus.

___________________________________________________________________

[1] “Under the old covenant, the Jewish nation was represented as in a marriage contract with the Lord of hosts; as believers, in the new covenant, are represented as the spouse of Christ. All unfaithfulness and disobedience was considered as a breach of this marriage contract; hence the persons who were thus guilty are denominated adulterers and adulteresses. But, independently of this, there is the utmost proof, from their own writings, that in the time of our Lord they were most literally an adulterous race of people: for, at this very time, R. Jochanan ben Zacchai abrogated the trial by the bitter waters of jealousy, because so many were found to be thus criminal.” (Adam Clarke)

[2] “The good eye belongs to the person whose motives are pure, who has a single desire for God’s interests, and who is willing to accept Christ’s teachings literally. His whole life is flooded with light.” (Believer’s Bible Commentary)

[3] “Luke’s point is that Jesus’ ministry is a public light to those entering the kingdom of God. Failure to respond properly is similar to failing to see properly because of a diseased or blind eye.” (Africa Bible Commentary)

[4] “Not only in this passage but also in others you have revealed how great grace is. ‘Alms deliver us from death.’ (Tobit 12:9) ‘Store up alms in the heart of the poor, and it shall obtain help for you on the evil day.’ (Sirach 29:12)” (Ambrose, 300s. Tobit and Sirach were popular among the Jews.)

[5] “Meaning either what was within the dishes spoken of before; or what was within their houses or power: or what they had at hand…Cease from spoiling the poor by wicked exactions, rather give them alms of every thing you possess; and when a part of every thing you have is sincerely consecrated to God for the use of the poor, then all that remains will be clean unto you; you will have the blessing of God in your basket and store, and every thing will be sanctified to you. These verses are very difficult, and are variously translated and interpreted by critics and divines. I have given what I believe to be our Lord's meaning.” (Adam Clarke) 

[6] “The knowledge of our Lord’s manifestation which was in the prophecies.” (Ephram the Syrian, 300s)

[7] We get our modern word “moron” from this Greek word, moros.

[8] Pharisees would strain the water they drank to make sure they did not drink a dead insect, as being in contact with anything dead made them unclean.

[9] “For the martyrs do not rejoice when they are honored by gifts for which the poor paid for with their tears. What kind of justice is it to give gifts to the dead and to despoil to living….and offer it to God?” (Anonymous, recorded in Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

[10] “By determining to honor those who were killed, they accused the others of doing wrong. They, who condemned their ancestors….were about to become guilty of equal crimes and commit the same, or rather more abominable, offenses.” (Cyril of Alexandria)

[11] Got the previous two from here: https://mycharisma.com/culture/r-t-kendall-you-might-be-a-pharisee-if/

[12] Galatians 6:25

[13] Isaiah 42:3

[14] “Jesus Sees The Individual.” https://www.mcdonoughvoice.com/story/lifestyle/faith/2020/02/13/jesus-x201c-sees-x201d-individual/1302944007/

[15] Proverbs 15:22

[16] John 8:7

[17] Romans 3:23

[18] 1 Corinthians 13:12

[19] John 10:10

Easter Is Personal

“By this gospel you are saved: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day.” (1 Corinthians 15:2–4) 

Over church history, there have been a variety of ways of explaining what happened on the Cross,[1] that combine the diverse language of biblical writers with cultural moments in which the message of the Cross was being preached. Scott McKnight compares it to a set of golf clubs: they all matter at the right time and place.

 A foundational view everyone builds on is called Christus Victor: Christ the Victor, or Christ victorious. Jesus’ death and resurrection demonstrated victory over the greatest foes: evil, sin, death, Satan, Hades. Jesus triumphed over them all, freeing humanity from bondage to them.

• Jesus drove out the “ruler of this world” (John 12:31), setting spiritual captives free (Luke 4:18; Eph. 4:8).

• He destroyed “the one who has the power of death” in order to “free those held in slavery by the fear of death” (Heb. 2:14-15). 

• He overpowered the “strong man” (Luke 11:21-22), “disarming the rulers and authorities…triumphing over them” (Col. 2:15)

Jesus, the Messiah, truly is the long awaited Liberator of our souls.[2] This is foundational to what happened on the cross.

 Add Recapitulation Theory[3] to that foundation. This simply notes that Jesus is the second Adam who is getting right what the first Adam got wrong.[4]

“For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.” (I Corinthians 15:21-22; see also Romans 5:17) [5]

Adam might have messed up the beginning of the story, but that doesn’t mean he controls the end of the story. The Second Adam is the Great Physician who has arrived “so that the world might be saved.” (John 3:17)[6]

Ransom Theory focused on the biblical teaching that Jesus died as a ransom for the debt of our sins.

“For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

Ransom language fit the ancient Greco-Roman world well. Conquest was familiar to those who lived in or had been conquered by Rome; a redemptor could buy the freedom of someone taken prisoner. [7] Ransom language reminds us that we are in a spiritual war. Adam and Eve sold us into slavery to sin and death, and we can’t buy our way out. If the wages of sin is death[8], then the ransom of Jesus’ life satisfied the debt, and Satan cannot claim his due. C.S. Lewis uses this approach in the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.

In the 11th century, Anselm focused on Satisfaction Theory. Anselm lived during Medieval European feudalism, where honor to one’s earthly master or lord was incredibly important.[9] In the feudal hierarchy of serf/lord/king, dishonoring the one above you was a huge deal. The more noble the person you offended, the greater your reparation.[10] Anselm said that our sin has dishonored God, and honor must be restored. God’s honor is satisfied when reparations are paid – which he paid Himself in Jesus through the cross.[11]

God made him who had no sin to be a sin offering for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21) 

This approach is still a primary approach used by missionaries introducing the Gospel in honor/shame cultures around the world.

 A contemporary of Anselm named Abelard focused on what it now called Moral Influence Theory. To Anselm, the most important thing was that Jesus is our example, our moral leader. We see this focus in WWJD or the classic Charles Sheldon book In His Steps.

“He demonstrated the act of the greatest love by laying down his life for his friends. Follow God’s example, therefore, as dearly loved children and walk in the way of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Ephesians 5:1-2)

Abelard focused on a God who demonstrated his love for humanity through the death of Jesus to show us a righteous way of living.[12]

The Reformers (1500s) reframed Ransom and Satisfaction theory in what we call Penal Substitutionary Atonement (PSA), the one with which we in the US are generally most familiar. They added a legal framework to Satisfaction Theory, a court-centered “balancing of the ledgers” between what is owed and what is paid.[13] 

Here, Jesus was not repaying God for lost honor; rather, he was paying the penalty of death to satisfy the demands of justice. Once again, God Himself, through Jesus, satisfies the demands of justice himself. 

"He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness."(1 Peter 2:24) 

"For Christ also died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God." (1 Peter 3:18) 

I remember being taught an analogy of a judge (God) taking off his robe and stepping down off the bench to stand in the place of the criminal (me) and take my place in jail.[14]

In all of these views, the foundational truth shines through. Jesus’ death on the cross changed everything, and His resurrection proved it.

* * * * *

Easter doesn’t just celebrate a historical event (though it does that); it doesn’t just highlight a theological atonement theory (though that’s important). Easter is not meant to be merely a corporate gathering once a year where we ponder ideas about atonement as an intellectual exercise.

Easter is personal. A person – Jesus – did something for persons: you and me. Jesus didn’t just give himself through his life, death and resurrection out of love for the world in a vague sense, he did it for me and you in an intensely personal sense.  

We live in a broken world. This is not a secret. The Bible talks about how all of creation mourns[16] in the midst of the brokenness. There are Big Picture issues like the war between Ukraine and Russia, and Israel and Hamas. There is famine, and human trafficking, and bridges collapsing. There are also family tragedies, and sickness, and despair.

Sometimes we participate in the breaking.  It’s another way of saying we step outside of God’s design and we sin. We bully, and slander, and demean. We lust, and fight, and deceive. We are the perpetrators of abuse and hatred. We have dishonored God and others. We know that we are part of the problem of the brokenness in the world.

Sometimes, we have been broken by it. This past year I have had to come to grips with the reality that some bad things were done to me when I was a kid, things that my brain put on a shelf until I was 54.  They were the kind of things that rob a kid of  innocence and trust, and that leave a mark for a long time. It's been draining, and insightful, and terrible, and healing, and it’s ongoing.

We call Crucifixion Friday “Good Friday” not only because we have a Savior who atoned for us that day, but because in his living and dying we know that God understands us because Jesus experienced the worst of what it is like to live in this broken world.

“On the cross, Jesus insists that God is in the hard things, the low things, the scandalous things. The gritty, messy, broken things.  God does not hold God’s self remote from the worst of this world.”[17]

Then, resurrection.

In the light of dawn, the Light of the World reveals himself. All was not lost; all is not lost. “Behold,” Jesus said, “I make all things new.” (Revelation 21:5)  As Tolkien described it, because of Jesus’ Resurrection, everything sad will become untrue.[18] Now it is clear that all that is evil has been conquered by the Risen Jesus. Crucifixion will not have the last word; Resurrection will.

• We may see part of our lives burn to ashes, but Jesus makes beauty from ashes.

• We may feel like death has come for our hearts and souls, but Jesus specializes in bringing dead things back to life.

• We may take our own Prodigal path, but Jesus, the Good Father, waits to embrace us with joy and feasting.

• There is night, but there will be a morning characterized by rejoicing, whether in the life or the next.

 This is the hope: the brokenness of our history is not our destiny.

His love, as displayed on the cross, covers a multitude of our sins. His power, as shown through His resurrection, shows us that when he says he can make something new, he can make something new.

There is nothing in us so broken he cannot mend it; so foul he cannot cleanse it; so evil he cannot save it; so worthless he cannot refurbish it; so useless he cannot rehabilitate it; so lost he cannot find it; so dead he cannot revive it; so parched he cannot refresh it; so bitter he cannot sweeten it; so in despair that he cannot fill it with hope.

“I’ll remind you of just one beautiful image of God, evident in the Christ of the Gospels: he’s the Restorer of lives. Jesus is the One who sat by the well and restored the Samaritan woman to her place in her community. He restored Zacchaeus’ integrity and offered him friendship. He saved and restored the woman caught in adultery to morality and life.  

He restored the paralytics, the blind and the deaf to wholeness. He restored outcasts such as lepers and the bleeding woman. He restored the sanity of the demonized. Even harshest rebukes were offers of restoration to the unrepentant. When we see Jesus in action, we are seeing the true heart of God, the Restorer of lives.” (Brad Jersak) 

I don’t know the history of your wounds, the length of your scars, the depth of your sin and failure. But I do know this: Jesus came so that we might be saved from the sinful ravages of this broken and fallen world. He offers real life in His Kingdom starting now and continuing into the ages to come. He offers a new life in exchange for your old one, over and over and over.

Christ is Risen (He is risen indeed).

_________________________________________________________________________________

[1] https://www.sdmorrison.org/7-theories-of-the-atonement-summarized/

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/essay/history-theories-atonement/

[2] “For the earliest Christians, the story of salvation was one of rescue all the way through: the epic of God descending into the depths of human estrangement to release his creatures from bondage to death, penetrating even into the heart of Hades to set the captives free, recall his prodigal children and restore a broken creation.” (D.B. Hart)

[3] https://faithrethink.com/7-atonement-theories-from-church-history/

[4] “God became what we are so that we might become what He is.” – Irenaeus

[5] Scott McKnight thinks Jesus is recapitulating Israel also. “Jesus quotes from Deuteronomy 8:3; when tempted to jump off of the temple, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:16; and when tempted to seize the kingdoms, Jesus quotes Deuteronomy 6:13. Each of these texts is from Israel’s wilderness experience. Jesus is being depicted as a second Israel in a second wilderness. He became what Israel was to undo what Israel did.” 

[6] These two views remain the heart of the Eastern Orthodox position. https://orthodoxbridge.com/2018/07/22/orthodox-christians-on-penal-substitutionary-atonement/

[7] https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/april/bonnie-kristian-atonement-theories-historical-context.html

[8] There was/is disagreement about to whom that ransom is owed. Was it Satan? The grave? Meanwhile, Isaiah 43 talks about God trading nations as ransom for Israel, but that looks like picturesque language about the depth of their bondage, not an actual trade.

[9] https://faithrethink.com/7-atonement-theories-from-church-history/

[10] https://andrewspringer.medium.com/five-views-on-the-atonement-of-christ-d71dddca9b84

[11] Jesus offered an overflow of satisfaction to human beings so they can satisfy God’s honor. https://faithrethink.com/7-atonement-theories-from-church-history/

[12] “1 Peter 2:22, “For this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps.” https://andrewspringer.medium.com/five-views-on-the-atonement-of-christ-d71dddca9b84  See also Mark 10:42-45, Romans 12:1-21, and 1 John 3:16.

[13] “John Calvin, who studied law before becoming a Reformer, replaced the image of a serf trying to satisfy his lord with a courtroom where God as righteous judge condemns sinners who violate his law... [it] is immediately intelligible in the world of the Reformation, Renaissance, Enlightenment, and Industrial Revolution.” https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2022/april/bonnie-kristian-atonement-theories-historical-context.html

[14] Reformers talked of “imputed righteousness” where Jesus literally took upon himself all of mankind’s sins and in exchange transferred (or imputed) his righteousness to the repentant sinner. https://faithrethink.com/7-atonement-theories-from-church-history/

[16] Romans 8:22

[17] https://www.journeywithjesus.net/essays/3362-cruciform

[18] Samwise to Gandalf

Harmony #61: Satan’s Divided Kingdom (Matthew 12:22-37, 43-45; Mark 3:22-27; Luke 11:14-22, 24-27)

Then they brought to Jesus a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesus healed him so that he could speak and see. All the crowds were amazed and said, “Could this one be the Son of David?”

But the Pharisees, the experts in the law who came down from Jerusalem, said, “He is possessed by Beelzebul. He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons!” (Because, they said, he had an unclean spirit). Now when Jesus realized what they were thinking, he called them and spoke to them in parables.

“How can Satan cast out Satan? Every kingdom divided against itself is destroyed[1], and no town or house divided against itself will stand. So if Satan casts out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then will his kingdom stand? I ask you this because you claim that I cast out demons by Beelzebul.

“Now if I cast out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your sons cast them out? For this reason they will be your judges. But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God (the finger of God- Luke), then the kingdom of God has unexpectedly overtaken you.

 “When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his possessions are safe and no one is able to enter his house and steal his property. But when a stronger man attacks, ties him up and conquers him, he takes away the first man’s armor on which the man relied. Then he can thoroughly plunder his house and divide up his plunder.

As he said these things, a woman in the crowd spoke out to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed!” But he replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it!”

 “Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. And so I tell you, every kind of sin and slander can be forgiven, but blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever keeps on speaking against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age about to come.

“Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit. You brood of vipers, how can you who are evil say anything good? For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 

But I tell you that everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for every empty word they have spoken. For by your account/words you will be acquitted, and by your account/words you will be condemned.”

* * * * * *

I found today’s passage to be one of the most challenging I have covered in this series.

1. It mentions what is often called the Unforgiveable Sin: blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. It turns out that there is a wide range of opinions on what to do with this.

• Having an Unforgivable Sin seems counterintuitive to the overwhelming testimony of Scripture that God forgives all sins, so many theologians add *unless they repent in their commentary.

• Others claim it was a sin that could only be committed by eyewitnesses to Jesus, while God was embodied in front of them.

• Others define it simply as the rejection of the testimony of the Holy Spirit to the divinity of Jesus at any time.

2. Jesus seems to say, “You can blaspheme me, and that will be forgiven, but not the Holy Spirit.” The implication is that there is only one member of the Trinity against whom one can commit the Unpardonable Sin – which seems…odd to me, considering our Trinitarian theology. Those three persons have one essence. God doesn't exist in parts. The Trinity isn’t separable.[2] Jesus says things like, “If you have seen me, you have seen the Father (John 14:9.” It’s a package deal. So whatever reading we have here can’t undermine the Trinity.

3. In the Jewish community, exorcisms were done, but the more I read, the more I suspect that the Pharisee’s sons were not accomplishing what they thought they were (more on this later). Maybe that’s one of the reasons Jesus elsewhere tells the Pharisees they are making disciples of hades (Matthew 23:15).

4. Is “will not be forgiven” the same as “will be damned?” Does it mean something like, “The consequences cannot be avoided while you are sinning,” or more like, “They can never recover from it?” What did Jesus’ original audience think when they heard this? Is there something from the Old Testament or Jewish culture that can help us understand what Jesus audience heard him teach here.

5. What is ‘this age and the age to come’? There is clearly something profoundly serious being communicated here about the nature of the sin, but it’s a surprisingly tricky phrase to translate for a variety of reasons that we will cover.

With those questions in mind, I offer a commentary/translation that is packed full of all kinds of Scriptural and cultural insight and context from 1st century Judaism. There are soooo many footnotes and endnotes to this - including opinions that differ from mine, because I want to be clear I am offering my understanding of this passage, and I could be misunderstanding it. There is no Message+ today, so perhaps our discussion this week can be in the company of church voices throughout history.

There is lots of commentary to ‘flesh out’ the what Jesus is saying about blasphemy and its penalty because it lands pretty hard but…I won’t revisit it. Read the notes. After we (hopefully) clarify the passage, I have one main point to make today about the clash between two kingdoms competing for our souls.

* * * * * *

Then they brought to Jesus a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute. Jesus healed him so that he could speak and see. All the crowds were amazed and said, “Could this one be the Son of David?”

 The Pharisees, the experts in the law who came down from Jerusalem, said, “He is possessed by demons from Beelzebul.[3] He does not cast out demons except by the power of Beelzebul, the ruler of demons!” Now when Jesus realized what they were thinking, he called them over and spoke to them in parables.

“I have a question for you. Do you think Satan casts out Satan? If Satan casts out Satan, he would be divided against himself, destroying his own Kingdom. Is that what you are claiming?  Some of your sons – your disciples - claim to cast out demons, right?

Eleazar claimed to use a signet ring and a root to draw out a demon through the nostrils of a possessed man; Tobias claimed to cast out a demon by forcing it to smell a fish’s liver and heart. Your disciples follow them in the Solomon’s tradition, with incantations and relics and fish guts. [4]  

So, are they and all the others you have trained in this tradition also casting demons out by the power of God or Beelzebul? Ah, I see some of your disciples are here with us today. I will let them judge your opinions on the matter.”

As the Pharisees and their disciples began a heated conversation, Jesus turned to the crowd.  “You know this passage from the Torah about the plagues in Egypt: ‘When the magicians tried to produce gnats by their secret arts, they could not…the magicians said to Pharaoh, “This is the finger of God.”

The Testament of Levi (18:12)[5] says of the awaited Messiah, “And Beliar [Satan] shall be bound by him. And he shall grant to his children the authority to trample on wicked spirits.”

This I have done. I cast out demons not with rings or roots or fish guts, but by the spirit of God, with the finger of God Himself.[6] The King over Beelzebul and all his demons is here. The kingdom of God has arrived,[7] and even the powers hiding behind the gates of Hades will not prevail.[8]

When a Strong Man like Beelzebul, fully armed with his demons, guards his own spiritual palace behind the gates of Hades, his possessions – literally, the people he possesses - are safe from being stolen, and no one is able to enter his house and steal his property.

But when a stronger man attacks, ties him up and conquers him, he takes away the demonic armor on which the Strong Man relied. Then he can thoroughly plunder his palace and re-home the people Beelzebul once possessed.[9]

I have plundered the Strong Man’s Kingdom. I am taking those he has possessed away from him. And when I set someone free, and my Spirit remains on them, they remain free. However, if someone attempts to do this with any other power, what looks like deliverance is not.

When an unclean spirit goes out of a person and can’t find another home, it says, ‘I will return to the home I left.’  When it returns, it finds the house ready for habitation. So it fills this home with spirits more evil than itself. When this happens, that person is worse off than they were before.

That’s not just true for people. It’s what is happening right now, in this generation of Israel.[10] The Pharisees are like whitewashed tombs, looking righteously beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of hypocrisy and wickedness.”[11] The Pharisees think they are cleaning out the evil among you; instead, all the devils are moving back in.”[12]

As he said these things, a woman in the crowd spoke out to him, “Your mother is the most fortunate of women to have you as her son. Blessed is the womb that bore you and the breasts at which you nursed!”

 But he replied, “Blessed rather are those who not only claim to be teacher of the Law, but who hear the word of God and obey it! Whoever does not join with me and gather others into this Kingdom with me scatters them into other kingdoms.” 

He turned to the Pharisees. “This is why you must speak carefully. You dare not scatter the children of God into other kingdoms by misleading them. You know what the Law says about insulting or showing contempt to God.[13]

 ‘Because he has despised the Lord’s message and has broken his commandment, that person must be completely cut off from among his people.[14] His iniquity will be on him.’ (Numbers 15:30-3)

Like a little yeast spreads through the whole loaf of bread, so contempt for God spreads through a community.[15] The Kingdom of God cannot be divided against itself; those who show contempt for the presence, the power, and the path of God must be sent away.

You Pharisees have seen, through me, the Spirit of God at work over and over again; you have persisted in settled hostility, denying and insulting the Spirit’s obvious work.

 And so I tell you, according to the Torah, those who those who bring the leaven of heard-hearted mockery against the Spirit of God [16] and poison the spiritual life of the whole community of the Kingdom will be disfellowshipped from God’s Kingdom community[17]  both now, in this age[18] of the Torah, and in the coming age[19]of the Messiah.” [20] 

 “When a tree is good, its fruit will be good; when a tree is bad, its fruit will be bad. The quality of a tree is recognized by the quality of its fruit.[21] It’s the same with people.” David reminded us that the righteous are like trees that bring forth good fruit. The book of Proverbs calls Lady Wisdom and the righteous, ‘trees of life.’[22]  

Here Jesus turned to the Pharisees. “You are like poisonous snakes, poisoning all that you touch. How can you who evil say anything good? You speak blasphemy, and what you speak is a reflection of what fills your heart.  Speak carefully: everyone will have to give account on the day of judgment for even the most empty and careless words they have spoken. It is by the testimony of your own words that we will see what kind of tree you are.”

* * * * *

I think the key focus of this passage is more on the clash of Kingdoms than it is about the response of the Pharisees (though that is important too). I say this because the theme of conquering Satan’s Kingdom has been ongoing:

• the 70 disciples returned from a mission in which they cast out demons while telling people the Kingdom was coming.

• Jesus responded, “I was watching Satan fall from Heaven.”

• Then, when he demonstrates how to pray, he includes, “Deliver us from the Evil One.”

• Then, Jesus Himself ‘binds the Strong Man’

There are two Kingdoms competing for your allegiance. This is not some mystical battle. This is every day, in every way.

One kingdom is characterized by chaos, degradation, fear, manipulation, evil, injustice, hatred, exploitation, abuse, greed, mockery, lies, selfishness, meanness, unforgiveness, revenge, pride, and self-destruction. It’s path leads to destruction, and the payout is death.

The other Kingdom is characterized by order, growth, hope, persuasiveness, goodness, justice, love, stewardship, gentleness, generosity, encouragement, truth, community, kindness, forgiveness, and human flourishing for all. It’s path leads to righteousness, and it’s payout is Life.

The two opposing spirits we see in today’s events give us a clear snapshot.

The spirits of the Evil One -  - the demonic spirits – at times actually possess in order to control us to our destruction. In contrast, the Spirit of God indwells in order to help us flourish as the image bearers God made us to be.

Those who make disciples of Hades – the blasphemers as described in this story – are also in the control of the Kingdom of Satan, though it’s more subtle. This isn’t those on a genuine spiritual journeys to “work out their salvation with fear and trembling.”[23] There is generous space for those who are questioning, deconstructing bad theology and  reconstructing good theology as a foundation for their faith. This is about (in today’s terms?):  

• the manipulative charlatan who uses the Kingdom of Heaven as a cover for sin

• the mocking accuser who makes everyone around them cynical about the power of God even when it’s obviously at work

• the person so hardened in their prideful arrogance that they refuse to acknowledge that God is working through others.  

• It’s spiritual wolves in the clothing of sheep

Someone living in allegiance to the ways of the Kingdom of Satan may actually do more damage than someone possessed by the minions of the Kingdom. It’s easy to look at possession and say, “No thanks.” It’s a lot harder to look at what appears to be successful, polished spiritual leaders and see through the deception and chaos that is their fruit.

* * * * *

It’s possible to think too much about the spiritual war being wages for our souls. It’s also possible to think too little about it. It is important for us to be aware and engaged without living in fear.

• Is there a Strong Man? Yes. Remember this. Then, remember that we worship the one who binds him and plunders His kingdom.

• Are there demons? Yes. Remember this. Then remember that we worship the one who casts them out and fills up that space with the Holy Spirit that brought us the freedom.

Last week, we were reminded of how Jesus told us to pray: “Deliver us from the Evil One.” May that be our consistent prayer, followed by meditation on the kingdom, the power and the glory of our King

 ______________________________________________________________________________________

Here’s some commentary that I am including to give you an idea of the kind of discussion swirling around today’s passage.

·      “St. John Chrysostom teaches that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit would be forgivable if a person were to repent of it. Jesus makes this declaration knowing that those who blaspheme the Spirit are calling pure, divine goodness “evil,” and are beyond repentance by their own choice.” (Orthodox Study Bible)

·      “The immediate meaning of that refers to something only those who saw Jesus in person could do: to see a miracle from Christ and attribute it to Satan. In the most literal sense, that's a sin which no one today can commit.” (bibleref.com)

·      “The only ‘unpardonable sin’ occurs when a person consciously and willfully rejects the operation of the Spirit bearing witness to the reality of Jesus as the Savior and rejects the convicting power of the Spirit in his or her life. (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds of the New Testament)

·      “It is a contrast between slandering "the Son of man" in His veiled condition and unfinished work—which might be done "ignorantly, in unbelief" (1Ti 1:13).. To blaspheme Christ in the former condition—when even the apostles stumbled at many things—left them still open to conviction on fuller light: but to blaspheme Him in the latter condition would be to hate the light the clearer it became, and resolutely to shut it out; which, of course, precludes salvation.” (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary)

·      “By rejecting the Spirit’s revelation about the person and work of Jesus, one cuts himself off from the very source of salvation.” (NKJV Evangelical Study Bible)

·      “As for the Jewish leadership, Jesus says that they have taken a route that ends in this irreversible state. All that they can produce is bad fruit, such as attributing Jesus’ deeds to Beelzebub. Their words are so poisonous that he calls them a brood of vipers. Their poison will kill those touched by it, unless proper treatment is given. Such leaders are doing a great disservice to the kingdom of heaven, and will be judged for it.”  Africa Bible Commentary

·      “To blaspheme the Holy Spirit is a sin for which there is no forgiveness in this age or in the millennial age to come. When Jesus said in this age, He was speaking of the days of His public ministry on earth. There is reasonable doubt whether the unpardonable sin can be committed today, because He is not bodily present performing miracles.” (Believer’s Bible Commentary)

·      “The Hebrew word olam (age) means ‘in the far distance’. When looking off in the far distance it is difficult to make out any details and what is beyond that horizon cannot be seen. This word is frequently translated as ‘eternity’ or ‘forever,’ but in the English language it is misunderstood to mean a continual span of time that never ends. In the Hebrew mind it is simply what is at or beyond the horizon, a very distant time. A common phrase in the Hebrew is "l'olam va'ed" and is usually translated as "forever and ever" but in the Hebrew it means "to the distant horizon and again" meaning "a very distant time and even further" and is used to express the idea of a very ancient or future time.”  http://www.ancient-hebrew.org/27_eternity.html

·      “The Hebrew word olam… in contexts where it is traditionally translated ‘forever,’ means, in itself, no more than ‘for an indefinitely long period.’ … In the New Testament, aion is used as the equivalent of olam.”  (Encyclopedic Dictionary of the Bible)

·      There exists considerable ambiguity about the meaning of the phrase olam haba (the age to come). Did it refer to the final state of man or to the one intermediate between the life of this world and the disposition of his soul in…the eternal abode after the last judgment… or Gehenna, the miserable dwelling place of the wicked.” (Jewish Virtual Library)

·      “The word aion originally meant ‘vital force,’ ‘life;’ then ‘age,’ ‘lifetime.’ It is, however also used generally of a (limited or unlimited) long space of time …” (The Interpreter’s Dictionary of the Bible)

·      In a discussion on Biblical Hermeneutics Stack Exchange, one writer noted, “The word ‘age’ is the Greek word, "aion" which is directly transliterated into the English "eon," a period of time with a beginning and an ending. We are in the "current evil eon" (Galatians 1:3-5); that is ‘this age’ in our critical phrase. ‘The eon to come’ is Christ's Millennial Kingdom. The final eon which follows  is the eon of the New Heaven and Earth. In this eon and in the next, this sin will not be forgiven.”

FOOTNOTES

[1] Perhaps a reference to the division of the Jewish nation under the reign of Jereboam?

[2] In 1 John, the disciple John will say that those who deny that Jesus is the Christ are the antichrist (2:22-23) Yikes. That doesn’t seem less serious, and yet they can be forgiven. Hmmmm.

[3] Beelzebub, or Baal, whom Jesus associates with Satan, was the prince of “the dung heap” or lord of “the flies”—a god worshipped by the Philistines (2 Kings 1:2–16).

[4] “Exorcisms were well known among the Jews. Josephus recorded Solomon developing the art of incantations for healing and exorcism. He wrote about Eleazar, a Jewish exorcist of his day as read in my commentary. Tobias is found in the book of Tobit (Tobit 8:1–3).” (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds of the New Testament)

[5] A popular extra-biblical Jewish writing.

[6] Exodus 8:19 chronicles the miracles Moses did that the court magicians could not repeat. It makes we wonder if the “children” Jesus references here are actually casting out demons or if they were frauds like the magicians.

[7] Many Jews believed that the Spirit, which had been quenched after the OT prophets, would be poured out again in the end time. Jesus presents his activity by the Spirit as evidence that the end-time kingdom had come. (NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible)

[8] Jesus said this another time (Matthew 16:18), but he’s making the same point.

[9] The binding of Satan was a symbol of the messianic age in Jewish apocalyptic literature. (ESV Reformation Study Bible)  Testament of Levi 18:12 quote found in Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds of the New Testament.

[10] “Jesus implies that… he was driving out demons; “this wicked generation” was welcoming them back in!” (NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible)

[11] Matthew 23:27-28

[12] That last sentence is how The Message concludes the paragraph.

[13] “What Is Blasphemy? - Biblical Meaning, Definition and Examples.” https://www.christianity.com/wiki/christian-terms/what-is-blasphemy-meaning-definition.html

[14] A popular book called The Book of Jubilees said of this kind of sin, “And there is therefore for them no forgiveness or pardon so that they might be pardoned and forgiven from all of the sins of this eternal error.” (15:34)

[15] Paul’s insight in Galatians 5:9.

[16] “It is not thought that this was a blasphemy which under no circumstances could be forgiven if right repentance followed it.” (Augustine) “Many at least of those who said these words believed afterward, and all was forgiven them. What is it then Christ was implying? That this sin is above all things inexcusable.” (Chrysostom)

[17] I think an example of this in the early church is when Paul told the church in Corinth what to do with a man living in blatant, destructive sin: “hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 5:5)

[18] An age - in the Old Testament Hebrew, olam; in the New Testament Greek, aion - could be a person’s lifespan, an indefinite period of time, or a future without an end in sight.

[19] A list found at hebrew4christians.com chronicles the 5 ages that the Jewish people of Jesus’ day believed covered history: :[19] the Age of Tohu (desolation) from Adam to Abraham; the Age of Torah (instruction) between then and the coming of the messiah; the Age of the Messiah; the Age of Souls as we await resurrection; and the Age of Resurrection.  

[20] “I am fully satisfied the meaning of the words is this: neither in this dispensation, (the Jewish,) nor in that which is to come (the Christian). Olam Ha-ba, the age to come, is a constant phrase for the times of the Messiah in the Jewish writers. ” (Adam Clarke) 

[21] If the ‘sons’ of the Pharisees are their fruit, this makes me think their ‘sons’ were not actually casting out demons like they thought they were.

[22] Proverbs 3:18; 11:30

[23] Philippians 2:12

Harmony #60: “The Lord’s Prayer” (Luke 11:1-13; Matthew 6:9-15, 7:7-11; Mark 11:25)

Now Jesus was praying in a certain place. When he stopped, one of his disciples said to him, “Lord, teach us to pray, just as John taught his disciples.” So he said to them, “When you pray, say: Our Father in heaven, may your name be hallowed/ honored;  may your kingdom come, may your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.  

 Give us today the bread (of life?), and forgive us our transgressions/debts, for we also forgive everyone who has transgressions/debts against us. And do not lead us into trials, but deliver us from the evil one. 

 “Whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him. For if you forgive others their sins, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others, your Father will not forgive you your sins.”

Jesus offered this prayer to his disciples as sort of a model. There’s nothing magical in the recitation of it, but in it we see foundational principles in how to pray, and why.

Our Father In Heaven…

“Our Father” starts us off with good theology. God is not a deistic God, aloof and uncaring. God is not a pantheistic God that is just part of nature. God is not the Force. God is personal,[1]relational, immediate, accessible. With this opening, we not only acknowledge God, we exercise faith that God will, indeed, relate to us as a perfectly good and loving Father relates to His children.

“Our Father” reminds us that he’s our father. Not just mine; ours. We cannot forget when we pray this that we are raised from death into new life in a family, a Christian community. In this, we are recognizing that while God is for us, He is for all of us. I cannot be content to simply think of God in terms of “me and God.” It’s “us and God.”

“This at once takes away hatred, quells pride, casts out envy and brings in the mother of all good things, charity…It shows [the equality of] the king and the poor person in all those matters that are most indispensible and of greatest weight.” - Chrysostom

“Our Father” reminds us of our status as Christians. It reminds us whose we are. We are meant to  approach God as a child approaches her father. 

 Galatians 4:6 “Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, ‘Abba, Father!’” 

Romans 8:15, 16 “You received the spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father!’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”

Think of “Abba” as the word children say before they can fully pronounce the word.[2] It’s the best expression of a deep, gut-level, unrestrained cry of joy when daddy walks into the room; it’s the instinctive wail of his title when a child in pain believes only daddy will make it better. It’s a word that is used only in a relationship of safety, trust, and love.

“Our Father” reminds us that God cares for us. God will guide and discipline us for our growth into maturity, but he does so because of His love. So just in this opening, we establish a theology of God, our status with Him, and our place within the Christian community.

May Your Name Be Hallowed/Honored…

“Hallowed be your name” is a plea, not a statement of fact. It’s saying, “Please, make your name revered or holy.” It’s asking for God to start the process in a world full of people – including the one praying – who takes the name of Jesus too casually. It’s asking that God’s character and nature be recognized as great by all who dismiss, insult or ignore it. This should humble us, because that includes us.[3]

It’s also a plea of both humility and hope. “Help me not to take your name lightly. Help me to appreciate the majesty of God. May the entirety of my life reflect that great weight and value I give to you; with your help, all I think, say and do will offer an accurate representation of you. ”   

“The prayer to hallow God’s name corresponds with what Jesus has previously taught: ‘Let you light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven…’ In effect he is saying, ‘Enable us to live so purely that through us all may glorify you’ It points us again to mature self-control, that we may present to all a life so irreprehensible that every one of those who observe may offer to the Lord the praise due him for this.” - Chrysostom

May Your Kingdom Come, May Your Will be Done, On Earth As It Is In Heaven

This is another phrase of hope and humility. Robert Law writes,

"Prayer is a mighty instrument, not for getting [our] will done in heaven, but for getting God’s will done.”

Whenever we pray for justice, mercy, hope, and love, truth, and holiness, we are praying with hope that we will see these heavenly realities part now what we will see fully in the life to come.

It’s humbling in that we are asking God to reign in our lives in ways He does not now - emotions, desires, thoughts and commitments.

We want His desire to be our desires; His will to be our will; His loves to be our loves; His holiness to be ours. It’s also a reminder that, at the end of the day, we want God’s will to be done, not ours.

It’s not always easy to tell if we are within God’s will, or if we are selfishly motivated. It’s not possible for us to see all that God sees, so in many situations our best prayer is one where we ask God for life to unfold in a way that makes complete sense to us – but it might not be in the will of a God who has faultless wisdom, love and power. Even Jesus prayed:

“Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” (Luke 22)

This is another part of praying in God’s name. Praying in his name means praying in tune with God’s nature and character, and therefore praying for something to happen as God would have it happen.

In prayer we call on him to work out his purpose, not simply to gratify our whims.   (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary[4])

It’s also challenging. This part of the prayer reminds us that others are praying this too. If we are excited to see God’s will for ourselves or the earth accomplished through the Holy Spirit and the people of God – well then, people of God, buckle up. What if I am the thing God uses in answer to someone else’s prayer?

• When the poor pray for finances, will I be willing to help?

• When the lonely pray for a friend, am I available?

• When the desperate pray for help, am I ready?

Give Us Today The Bread (of life) …

Literally, “that which is sufficient for our life.”  In ancient literature, this word is only found in the Bible and only twice, so there is uncertainty about how to translate it. It almost looks like Jesus coined a new word to make his point. It can convey everything from bread today, to bread tomorrow, to the bread of heaven that will sustain us for eternity.[5] Jerome called it “bread that is above all substances and surpasses all creatures.”[6]

This is a prayer about trusting God to provide what we need. We can take for granted that we can take care of ourselves. If that fails, our family, church or government will provide. This part of the prayer reminds us that our blessings find their source in him. For that reason, we thank God ultimately for supplying for our needs. It’s a constant reminder that life is saturated with the presence and work of God, and even in our greatest accomplishments or in the most generous deeds of others it is God who sustains and provides.

 There is a future hope here as well. We are trusting that God will sustain us into and through eternity, which will require the true “bread of life,” Jesus Christ.

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh for the life of the world.” Jesus, in John 6:51

And Forgive Us Our Transgressions/Debts, For We Also Forgive Everyone Who Has Transgressions/Debts Against Us.

Apollonius of Tyana was a Greek philosopher, a contemporary of Jesus whom a number of scholars have compared with Jesus. They shouldn’t. He once prayed, “Give me that which is my due—pay me, ye gods, the debts ye owe to me.” This is not the prayer of one who understands Jesus or the Christian faith.

Here is the first acknowledgment: We have all sinned, broken God’s law and harmed ourselves and others as we have stepped out of the path of Life. We are in desperate need of someone to free us from the wages of sin. This is a plea for God, in His mercy, to cover the cost of our sins and repair that which has been broken by us or in us.

The second acknowledgment is that we must forgive those who sin against us. This is much tougher than praying that God forgives us of our sins. We must forgive those who have sinned against us: our spouse, our parents, cruel people at work or school. This list includes users and abusers, manipulators and liars. We all have sinned; we all are in desperate needs of God’s forgiveness. We want God to forgive us; as representatives bearing His name, we must offer forgiveness as well.

This portion of the prayer is what Augustine called “a terrible petition.” If we pray these words this while harboring unforgiveness, we are actually asking God not to forgive us. We would be saying, “I haven’t forgiven my friend/spouse/neighbor yet, so please don’t forgive me.” John and Charles Wesley wrote of this passage that, if we pray this while harboring unforgiveness, it is as if we were saying, “Do not forgive us at all…We pray that you will keep our sins in remembrance, and that your wrath may abide upon us.”

Scripture teaches that God forgives even when we don’t deserve it (Isaiah 43-44 is a powerful passage on this note). I don’t think this is a demand that we perfectly remember all the ways we need to extend forgiveness, because we aren’t perfect. I think this is about a crucial spiritual marker of an ongoing commitment to purposeful and sincere forgiveness, which will say something about the sincerity of our ongoing surrender and discipleship.

“God sees His own image reflected in His forgiving children; to ask God for what we ourselves refuse to men, is to insult Him.” (Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary)

We must be committed to being deliberately and habitually forgiving.[7] 

And here I must note something. So far, this prayer is full of excellent requests: “Make you Kingdom come alive in me; provide for my physical and spiritual needs every day.” But here it’s different: here we are asking God to mirror our commitment to life in the Kingdom. Some commentators call this a ‘covenantal’ part of the prayer. I’d like to suggest that this is the line in the prayer that does two things:

• Reminds us we aren't passive participants in the Kingdom

• Highlights the heart of the Kingdom: forgiveness

We’ve been asking so far for God to give us incredible gifts: He hallows his name; He brings His Kingdom into reality in our hearts; He nourishes us with what we need for this life and the next.  So, what do we do with all this provision He has provided?  It turns out that God is equipping us to do the thing that is central to the character and nature of God: forgive. As Chrysostom noted,

“Nothing makes us so like God as our readiness to forgive the wicked and the wrongdoer.”

And do not lead us into trials,[8] but deliver us from the evil one.

• Trial: “trouble sent by God and serving to test or prove one's faith, holiness, character.” 

• Temptation: “an enticement to sin, arising from outward circumstances, within, or from Satan” (Luke 8:13; 1 Corinthians 10:13; James 1:12; 1 Timothy 6:9; Luke 4:13).[9]

The commentaries I have been reading note that “lead us not into temptation” is better understood as “lead us not into trials/testing.” Wuest’s Translation says:

“Do not bring us into the place of testing where the circumstances in which we are tested lead us on to the place where we are solicited to do evil.”

So this is once again humble and hopeful. It’s humbling in that we acknowledge we are people in need of the refining result that trials can bring. This prayer asks for us to be able to mature without trials (wouldn’t that be great???). Please, dear God, if at all possible, let this cup pass from me. Jesus prayed it; we can too.  But if a trial is what it takes, keep us from giving into the temptation from the Evil One (Luke 4:13; James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:8) and from from the lusts within ourselves that undermine us (James 1:14; 4:1-4). It’s a prayer to save us from moral failure within and the ravages of moral evil all around.[10]

It is so easy for a maturing test to push us away from God instead of toward God. Deliver us, Lord, from the Evil One, who would turn what you plan to use to bring us spiritual life into something that brings spiritual death.

But there is the hopeful reminder in this request: we know that God is a Deliverer. The Old Testament shows us that, time after time, God faithfully guides his people through trials and delivers his people from the snares of sin and power of temptation.

For Yours Is The Kingdom, And The Power, And The Glory Forever, Amen.

This phrase is not in the earliest manuscripts, but it was written in the margins beside this prayer so often that the early church added it relatively quickly – think of it as a doxology, a short closing song. After focusing on our needs, our troubles, our frailty, we return to the glory of God.  N.T. Wright says,

“If the church isn't prepared to subvert the kingdoms of the world with the kingdom of God, the only honest thing would be to give up praying this prayer altogether, especially its final doxology.”

All kingdoms answer to God. All power comes from God. All glory belongs to God. In a world where kingdoms rise and fall, and power corrupts, and glory is tarnished and fleeting, it’s a reminder that God is uncorrupted, lasting, powerful and good, and true glory is found only in him.

* * * * * * * * * *

So, “Lord, help us to: Never forget your holiness and majesty; pray for your will and reign, not ours; trust for daily and eternal provision; constantly forgive others; mature through trials without giving in to evil.” 

That’s a lot. It’s a high bar. I’ve said several times that it’s hopeful and humbling. Here’s where I add, “This sounds almost impossible.” But…Jesus isn’t done with this teaching. I believe the next thing he says addresses that fact that when God calls us, God equips us. Don’t think of what I am about to read as the next ‘episode.’ This all flows together. 

Luke 11:10-13; Matthew 7:7-11

“So I tell you: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened. 

What father among you, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead of a fish? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? Or if he asks for bread, will give him a stone? 

If you then, although you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the good gift of the Holy Spirit to those who ask him! 

There it is. The solution. The equipment for the life to which we have been called. The Spirit of God himself resides within us. God has not left us to our own devices to live the way he has designed us to live. He is personally helping us flourish as image bearers of God, as children of God, as ambassadors for God.

________________________________________________________________________________________

[1] http://www.biblesociety.org.au/news/god-is-a-person-but-what-does-this-mean

[2] I first heard this point made by Tim Keller in a sermon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqxXABgRhVo

[3] I pulled some ideas about the radical nature of the Lord’s Prayer from this excellent article: “The Lord’s Prayer Advert Has Been Banned For Being Offensive - Which It Is.” http://thinktheology.co.uk/blog/article/the_lords_prayer_advert_has_been_banned_for_being_offensive_which_it_is\

[4] “The prayer of Gethsemane—“If it be possible, let this cup pass from Me: nevertheless, not My will, but Thine be done,” should teach what prayer in the name and spirit of Christ means.” (Ellicot’s Commentary)

“ ’In My name’ corresponds to “according to My character” and thus is parallel to other texts that require us to leave room for God’s will to overrule ours.” (The Apologetics Study Bible)

[5] From Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers: “The form of the word admits of the meanings, (1) bread sufficient for the day now coming; (2) sufficient for the morrow; (3) sufficient for existence; (4) over and above material substance… I find myself constrained to say that the last meaning seems to me the truest. Let us remember: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4… I think, to see that He meant His disciples… we mean not common food, but the “Bread from heaven, which giveth life unto the world.”

[6] I believe all the quotes from the early church fathers comes from the commentary in the series Ancient Christian Commentary On Scripture.

[7] “The parables of the Two Debtors (Luke 7:41) and of the Unforgiving Creditor whose own debt had been forgiven (Matthew 18:23-35) were but expansions of the thought which we find in its germ in this clause of the Lord’s Prayer.” (Elliot’s Commentary For English Readers)

[8] I lean toward “trials” as being the best way to translate the word. However, Tertullian (an early church father) represented what it looks like to read it as “temptations.” He reads Jesus as saying, “Do not allow us to be led by the Tempter.”

[9] Both these words use the same root word; translations will differ on the usage at times. (http://biblehub.com/greek/3986.htm). 

[10] How does God  answer this prayer and deliver us? His Word. (Psalm 119:11; Proverbs 6:20-24); Prayer (Matthew 26:41; Luke 22:40); The Armor of God (Ephesians 6); Wise Boundaries (1 Corinthians 7:5; Proverbs 5-7); Resistance and flight (1 Timothy 6; James 4:7; Matthew 18:8-9; Proverbs 1:10-15; Genesis 39:7-10; Daniel 1:8).

Harmony #59: Loving Your Neighbor: The Good Samaritan (Luke10:25-37)

This passage continues the theme of the presence of the kingdom:

• the sending of the seventy (“The Kingdom is coming.”) (10:1-16)

• the announcement of Satan’s fall (10:17-20)

• praise for God’s revelation in the Son incarnated (10:21-24)

The question that prompts the Parable of the Good Samaritan is a teacher of the Law basically asking, “How do I participate in this Kingdom?”[1] Before we get into the story, let’s set the background for why it matters that the hero of the parable is a Samaritan.

Samaritans and Jews had notoriously bad relations. The following Jewish texts give just a few examples.

• Sirach 50:25-26: “Two nations my soul detests, and the third is not even a people: Those who live in Seir, and the Philistines, and the foolish people that live in Shechem (Samaria).”

• Testament of Levi 7.2: “Shechem shall be called ‘City of the Senseless,’ because as one might scoff at a fool, so we scoffed at them.”

• Rabbi Eliezer used to say: “He that eats the bread of the Samaritans is like to one that eats the flesh of swine.”[2]

Their intense disliked played out in practical ways.

• At the time of Antiochus Epiphanes (2nd century BC), the Samaritans denied being related to the Jews and renamed their temple a temple of Zeus to avoid persecution.[3]

• Josephus records that at one point Jewish people destroyed the city with the temple down to rubble. Meanwhile, the Samaritans desecrated the Jerusalem Temple by scattering bones in it one night during Passover (shortly before 9 A.D. which would have been close to the Jesus, as a 12-year-old, was hanging out at the temple as recorded in Luke 2).

This brings us to the text.

Now an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus, saying, “Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus said to him, “What is written in the law? How do you understand it?”

The expert answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind, and love your neighbor as if your neighbor were yourself.” Jesus said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” But the expert, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell into the hands of robbers, who stripped him, beat him up, and went off, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a priest was going down that road, but when he saw the injured man he passed by on the other side.

So too a Levite, when he came up to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan who was traveling came to where the injured man was, and when he saw him, he felt compassion for him. He went up to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them.

Then he put him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, ‘Take care of him, and whatever else you spend, I will repay you when I come back this way.’

“Which of these three do you think became a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” The expert in religious law said, “The one who showed mercy to him.” So Jesus said to him, “Go and do the same.”

Let’s talk about the Priest and Levite first.

At the time of Jesus' ministry in Palestine, Roman military occupation was causing breakdown in local law enforcement. The road from Jerusalem to Jericho was notoriously dangerous, with robbers often setting set ambushes for people travelling the road. Finding a dude beaten near to death and robbed meant bandits were close by. The first two men might have hurried on because they thought the guy was already dead and they feared being attacked. They may have thought the whole thing was a trap, like Loki’s “Get help!” in Thor:Ragnarok.

Also, priests were prohibited from having contact with corpses except those of close relatives,[4]and this exception was not allowed to the high priest[5] or a Nazarite.[6] Since you could be defiled just by being in contaminated air, the rabbis established a ‘six feet of distance minimum’ rule.[7]

I can imagine the early audience nodding along at this point. Of course. These were holy men. They couldn’t afford to get defiled; if it was a potential trap, they were just being wise.

However…. Let’s say the Priest and Levite thought he was dead. Jewish people were commanded to bury a neglected corpse, as were priests and Nazarites.

Second, for most Jews, saving a life was far more important than ritual uncleanness. Whether the priest and the Levite thought he was dead or alive is unclear, but in either case they had the obligation to help, either to bury the corpse despite defilement or to assist the man in need.[8]

So, now maybe think of Jesus’ audience nodding along: “Yep. This is a “real world” tension on that road. We understand their fear and desire for purity, but they really should have stopped.” Of all people, the teacher of the law should have been tracking.[9]

But…let’s add another layer. The Jewish people thought of their responsibilities as a series of concentric circles: family first, then those of Jewish descent, then those not ancestrally Jewish who followed the Law and lived in Jewish community. The closer one was to the center, the more one deserved help. To those outside – Gentiles, foreigners, strangers - there was no obligation. But…. a debate raged about these lines.[10] Some people loved the lines; others didn’t.

• Tobit: “Place your bread on the grave of the righteous, but give none to sinners.”

• “Give to the devout, but do not help the sinner. Do good to the humble, but do not give to the ungodly…”

• Rabbi Nathan: “If he acts as thy people do, thou shalt love him; but if not, thou shalt not love him.”

However, some of the Jewish people thought those lines were a bad idea:

• Josephus, Contra Apionem: “He who refuses to a suppliant the aid which he has power to give is accountable to justice.”

• Testament of Issachar: “I acted in piety and truth all my days. The Lord I loved with all my strength; likewise, I loved every human being as I love my children.”

• There was a popular story of rabbi Bar Kappara helping a shipwrecked Roman proconsul by taking him home and giving him food, drink, and money.[11]

So here we are in the tension again. The lawyer’s question implies that there is such a thing as a non-neighbor. Traditionally, “neighbor” would refer to a fellow Jew, so his viewpoint is not that unusual. But there were plenty of Jewish people who pushed back on that notion and believed there were no non-neighbors.[12] 

This is a profoundly weighty question. Jesus is not going to settle them with his answer; he’s going to unsettle them. Let’s see if we can join them J

* * * * *

1. With the parable, Jesus’ audience surely remembered Leviticus 19:33-34.

“When a foreigner resides among you in your land, do not mistreat them. The foreigner residing among you must be treated as your native-born. Love them as yourself, for you were foreigners in Egypt. I am the Lord your God.”

Love does not permit us to merely love those who are “our kind.” No one is a non-neighbor. Disciples of Jesus should refuse to stop expanding the circle that defines “neighbor” and instead continue drawing bigger circles until they surround everyone, even their enemies, and the line becomes pointless. It’s hard – it might feel like carrying a cross - but no alternative is allowed for followers of Jesus.[13]

2. When we truly experience the love of the truly Good Samaritan (Jesus), we will “go and do likewise” (Luke 10:37). We love our enemies because Jesus loved us first. We offer merciful help to those who are troubled – i.e. everyone - because Jesus showed us mercy first. The word used in the original Greek means the Samaritan had “pity from the deepest part of the soul.” The original Greek says that the Samaritan showed the kind of care that is “shown by parents and nurses to children.”

Do you want to have the heart of the Good Samaritan as you interact with others? Get to know the heart of the Ultimate Good Samaritan: Jesus found us; saved us; washed us in the baptism of water, the Holy Spirit, and the Blood of Jesus; and set us in the ‘inn’ of a local church congregation for ongoing ministry and safety.[14] Let’s go and do likewise  by imitating the heart of God for others.

3. Jesus does not specify the identity of the victim. This establishes what some call “the universal neighborhood of mankind.” Even if someone is not a brother or sister in Christ, they are a neighbor to whom we should show love and mercy. The Samaritan treated the wounds with oil and wine he could have sold or used for himself. He may have torn up his own clothes to bind the wounds. He walks, and put the man on his donkey. I think this is what the now hotly debated “He gets us” foot-washing commercial was trying to convey – the “universal neighborhood of mankind” as described and lived by Jesus. Maybe they should have done this quick parable instead. This idea is now copyrighted J

4. If the Good Samaritan is a model for us, so is the innkeeper.  The Good Samaritan helped in the moment; the innkeeper helped long term. Maybe think of the inn as either church life in general or a long-term relationship we have with someone who has been beaten up evil, sin, or just life. We have no idea what followed in the parable: how long it took for the man to recover; whether there were more bills to pay; if the man ever did recover.[15] Turns out there are two merciful people in this story,[16] and where to draw the line on extending mercy and generosity remains open-ended at the end of the parable.[17]

5. I wonder who the controversial hero and anonymous victim would be in the United States today? They would have to be someone from a people group who scares or angers us; a group whose worship we think is terribly misguided; a group with whom the Christian community may have a combative history; a group we cannot envision God ever using in a meaningful way; a group in which we think people have no idea how to do good. Then, we would have to change the Levite and priest to respected members of our church or community or political party. Adam Clarke, say more!

“Remember, this kindness is for any person, of whatever nation, religion, or kindred, whom he finds in necessity. [The language] signifies one who is near, [or] next, [which]makes any person our neighbor whom we know; and, if in distress, an object of our most compassionate regards. If a man came from the most distant part of the earth, the moment he is near you he has a claim upon your mercy and kindness, as you would have on his, were your dwelling-place transferred to his native country…. Any person whom you know, who dwells hard by, or who passes near you, is your neighbor while within your reach.”(Adam Clarke)

The possibilities for new Samaritans and victims are nearly endless, but the characters need to shock us as much as it did Jesus’ audience. Remember, Jesus said to the teacher, “Do this and live (the life of the Kingdom),” implying that Samaritan was doing just that. Jesus chose someone they assumed was sooooo far from God and demonstrated that person understood the Law better than they did, and thus lived more in tune with the heart of God. So for us, maybe this story is (hat tip to Tyler Watson for this list)…

The Parable of the Good Atheist. The Good Religious Right Christian. The Parable Good Progressive Christian. The Good Drug Addict. The Good Oil Tycoon. The Good Homeless Man. The Good NRA Member. The Good Black Lives Matter Activist. The Good Blue Lives Matter Advocate. The Good Communist. The Good Capitalist. The Good Undocumented Immigrant. The Good Border Patrol Officer. The Good Joe Biden Voter. The Good Donald Trump Supporter.

Find the one that makes you the most uncomfortable, and you’ll know you’re on the right track.[18]

Or….maybe that’s the list of victims on the side of the road. Maybe that’s all the people who, when they are in distress, all that matters is their distress. We are a church in the evangelical tradition, so let’s call this the Parable of the Good Evangelical. When we see those battered and bruised by life, do we ask if they deserve our help? Do we need to know if they are they Christian or Atheist, Religious Right or Left, Citizen or non-citizen, rich or poor, activist on the Right or Left, Communist or Capitalist, Biden or Trump supporter? Why would it matter?

“Love should not be limited by its object; its extent and quality are in the control of its subject.”[19]

When we can bring practical healing and introduce people to the Great Physician, we should do it. When we can bring practical hope and offer Gospel hope, we should bring them. When we can lead people to a place where they can find practical and spiritual rest, we should do that. And in all of this, we demonstrate the heart of Jesus in order to point to Jesus.

6. After the parable, Jesus asks his own question: Which of these was a neighbor?  “Who is my neighbor?” is not the right question. The right question is, “Am I a good neighbor?” Being a good neighbor is now a moral goal for us, not a label for others. We should stop asking whom we must care for and just care for people. We should be State Farm.[20] Jesus didn’t close with, “Now think differently;” he said, “Go and do likewise.” The more merciful we are in tangible ways, the more we know we are moving toward that goal.

7. The parable, like most of Scripture, is concerned with identity. The teacher asks Jesus, “What do I have to do?” Jesus basically responds, “What kind of person are you?”

This is not a question of mere belief, but of what we are, particularly in relation to God and what motivates us and controls our being. Who we are cannot be separated from what we do. Or life with God in Christ is intended to be a relation of love that establishes an identity that we live out in our families and communities (1 John 4:10-11). The ‘doing’ that follows ‘being’ is not about earning salvation; it’s about being who we already are in Christ. [21]

 
_____________________________________________________________________________________

[1] Stories with Intent: A Comprehensive Guide to the Parables of Jesus, by Klyne R. Snodgrass

[2] Stories with Intent, by Klyne R. Snodgrass

[3] Heyoh! I didn’t realize this last week when I floated the idea that, when the 70 went to Samaritan territory and cast out demons, “I saw Satan fall from heaven” might have referred to Zeus and Olympus.

[4] Leviticus 21:1-4; 22:4-7; Ezekiel 44:25-27

[5] Leviticus 21:11

[6] Numbers 6:6-12

[7] Interesting side note about this distance. During the bubonic plague in the 1300s, when Catholic churches were closed, the priests would administer mass to parishioners by going door-to-door, handing the elements to them on a six-foot pole. Today, when we worry about spreading airborne disease (like Covid), the recommended distance to keep is still six feet. #fortrivianight

[8] Stories with Intent, by Klyne R. Snodgrass

[9] My discussion so far is built on the insights from “The Foolish Samaritan,” by Frances Coppola. 

[10] The early church would continue to teach all-encompassing mercy:

·  Didache 1:2: “The Way of Life is this: First, thou shalt love the God who made thee, secondly, thy neighbour as thyself. . . .”

·  Barnabus 19:2, 5: “Thou shalt love thy maker. . . . Thou shalt love thy neighbour more than thy own life.”

[11] Stories with Intent, by Klyne R. Snodgrass

[12] Thanks to “Going Deeper in the Parable of the Good Samaritan,” by Michelle Barnewall for an insightful foundation on which I built.

[13] Stories with Intent, by Klyne R. Snodgrass

[14] “The bandages, oil, and wine are sacramental images for (1) the garment of baptism, which delivers us from the wounds of sin; (2) the oil of chrismation, which gives us new life in the Holy Spirit; and (3) the communion of the divine Blood, which leads to eternal life…the inn reveals the Church in which Christ's care is received.” (Orthodox Study Bible) This was the primary view of the Early Church Fathers.

[15] “The Parable Of The Good Samaritan’s Deeper Meaning,” by Candice Lucey

[16] “The Foolish Samaritan,” by Frances Coppola 

[17] Which, I suspect, led to a LOT of conversation afterward.

[18] Rereading the Parable of the Good Samaritan, by Tyler Watson

[19] Expositor’s Bible Commentary

[20] “Every one… to whom the circumstances analogous to the instance of the Samaritan direct thee to exercise helpful love in order thereby to become his neighbour, thou hast to regard as thy neighbour.” (Myer’s New Testament Commentary)

[21] I am summarizing some marvelous thoughts from Rereading the Parable of the Good Samaritan, by Tyler Watson.

Harmony #58: Return of the 70 (Luke 10:13-22; Matthew 11:25-30)

We have to back up a little bit to give us context for some of the things Jesus is going to say in today’s passage. When Jesus sent out the 72, he said this about three cities:

“Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades.

 I mentioned this last week, but remember that “woe” is not pronouncing a curse. It’s an expression of sadness about what is going to happen, not an orchestration of what is going to happen.

It’s interesting to note that it’s about cities. We don’t see elsewhere in Scripture where cities face some kind of eternal judgment anymore than they get an eternal reward, so I suspect this “day of judgment’ has something to do with the trajectory of these cities, how they will “sow and reap” in the world, and how the wages of their arrogance and sin will be the death of their culture. Historically, they all were eventually “judged” out of existence; all that remains is ruins, literally. More on this in a bit.

Then the seventy-two returned with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name!” So he said to them, “I was watching The Adversary[1], Satan, fall like lightning from heaven[2]. Look, I have given you authority to tread on snakes and scorpions and on the full force of the enemy, and nothing will hurt you. Nevertheless, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names stand written in heaven.”

There seems to be an almost child-like wonder: ”No way! Even supernatural evil has to submit to us in you name!” I’m not sure if they were excited about the power, amazed at what invoking the power of Jesus’ name could do, or a little of both. And depending on how you read that, you get a couple different ways of understanding what Jesus meant when he said, “I was watching the Satan fall from Heaven like lightning.”

·  If they are amazed at their own power, Jesus is warning them: “Listen, Satan loved power, and I watched him get cast out of heaven. Don’t fall in love with power.”

·  If they are amazed at Jesus’ power, he confirms it: “Yes, I was watching the power of the Prince of the Air[3] - Beelzebub[4], ruler of demons[5] - crumble even as you were at work. You can crush these  these snakes and scorpions through my power, and I will protect you from them.”

·  There is an interesting argument to be made that ‘heaven’ is Olympus, since the word here was sometimes used in antiquity to mean “the seat of the gods, the portion of Zeus.”[6] Zeus was a big deal to the Gentile audience. In Acts 14, Peter and Paul get confused with Zeus and Hermes at one point. In Revelation 2, Pergamum is identified as a place where Satan has this throne – perhaps the massive statue of Zeus, and where the people referred to him as “Zeus the Savior.” Keep in mind that the Gospel accounts were some of the last NT books written, so the authors had plenty of time to “read the room” and see what kind of details from the life of Jesus were important to know.  If so, here’s Luke writing to a predominantly Greek audience, associating the demonic realm with the Greek Pantheon (which even the Greeks had begun to believe at that point), and singling out Zeus with his lightning and all to highlight that Jesus as the Lord over them all.

And here is another interesting thing from this comment. This is the only recorded instance when Jesus told His disciples not to rejoice in something good.[7] Hmmmm. There may be a message here about here about what we are to truly value in the Kingdom. Obviously, freeing someone from demonic possession is a good thing (!), but Jesus is quick to redirect their enthusiasm.

“Jesus implies two sets of contrast: (1) Disciples should focus on their status before Christ instead of on their own power since it is only in the name of Christ that victory can be achieved (vv. 19, 22). (2) Disciples should focus on what happens “in heaven” rather than on their performance on earth.” (NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible)

Following Jesus starts with “being” – in Christ, a child of God, a citizen of the Kingdom, a living stone building the temple. It starts with a new identity. This is the most important thing. From that ‘being’ flows our ‘doing’ with the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit. That’s everything from being good parents to stewarding our money wisely to casting out demons.

Jesus takes their eyes of the thing they did that impressed themselves and moves their eyes to the impressive thing God has done for them. This is always meant to be the greatest source of our joy.

At that time Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your gracious will.[8]

This reason for rejoicing may sound odd to us, but it was a common expression among the Jewish people of Jesus time.

·  A first century Rabbi named Jochanan said, “From the time in which the temple was destroyed, wisdom was taken away from the prophets, and give a to fools and children.” (Bava Bathra, in the Babyonian Talmud)

·  A second century Rabbi named Shimon bar Yochai, wrote, “In the days of the Messiah, every species of wisdom, even the most profound, shall, be revealed; and this even to children." (Synopsis Sozar)[9]

The cities had every chance to welcome Jesus. They deliberately refused him. When they chose blindness, God granted them their request. Fortunately, God will reveal Himself to humble, open hearts. The contrast is between those who are self-sufficient and deem themselves wise and those who are dependent and love to be taught.[10]

 “Those who pride themselves in understanding divine things are judged, whereas those who understand nothing are taught.” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary)

Why was it good that God hid truths from those cities? They weren’t ready for it. It makes me think of the classic line from A Few Good Men:  “You can’t handle the truth.”

How often in church history have we seen the precious news of the Gospel misused in the hands of those who just don’t understand who Jesus is or what he taught? You don’t give that which is holy to those who will use it for destructive purposes.[11]

You know who was ready?  The common folk, the humble, the ones whose religiosity did not get in the way of seeing Jesus for who he was.

This wasn’t Jesus writing off the people in these towns as if they no longer mattered. Remember, he’s grieving their response. He’s just noting it was God’s will that what will eventually be known as the church – the corporate group of Jesus followers – is not going to begin in the halls of power and fame. It’s not going to trickle down from the  homes of the rich, the halls of academia, the chambers of government. It’s going to start with those who:

· know they are sick and need a doctor

· are willing to become like children (in that society, powerless)

· are there to serve, not be served

· ‘esteem others better than themselves’

· have rejected religiosity in favor of genuine love for God and others

I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but the next event is a religious leader asking how to get into the Kingdom, and Jesus responding with the Parable of the Good Samaritan, which ends with the command to be merciful, not so hung up on a tradition that breeds heartless arrogance.

God never intended to entrust the good news of the Gospel to those who love power, prestige, and arrogance. He entrusted it to the poor and powerless, the rejected, the overlooked. He gave it to those who understood their spiritual poverty (#beatitudes). He gave it to those who could understand that the good news of Jesus was, indeed, good news.

All things have been handed over to me by my Father.[12] No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son decides to reveal him.

Jesus came to earth to reveal who God is. We don’t have time to dive into a theology of the Trinity, but I think Jesus is just clarifying that He is God. God the Father’s power is God the Son’s power. God the Father’s rule and reign is God the Son’s rule and reign. What’s true about God the Father is true about God the Son.

The next verse is an open invitation: “Come unto me, all who are weary…” with a promise that Jesus will reveal who God is even more fully.

 “Come to me, all[13] you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.[14] Take my yoke on you and learn from me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is well-fitted[15]and easy to bear, and my load is not hard to carry.”

Let’s talk about rest, and yokes.

The yoke is primarily a farming image, In farming, two cattle are yoked together to plow. It was a way that young cattle learned from older, more experienced cattle. It was also a reality for those in poverty, as they would have to move a cart by putting a yoke of sorts on themselves– think of Tevya transporting milk in Fiddler On The Roof.

Jewish teachers spoke of people bearing the yoke of God’s kingdom, which was primarily obeying the Law.

· The Mishna, the first written collection of Jewish oral tradition, says, “Take upon you the yoke of the holy kingdom.”[16]

· A teacher before Jesus’ era said, “Come near me, you who are unlearned … Get wisdom, put your neck under her yoke … Look with your eyes: I have labored only a little and I have found for myself great rest” (Sirach 51:23 – 27).[17]

But what was meant to bring rest had brought burdensome and even oppressive additions of traditions so much that Jesus said the made scribes and Pharisees now ‘bound on heavy burdens’(Matthew 23:4.)[18]Jesus now speaks of his own yolk. Those who turned to God’s ways as revealed through Jesus would find rest for their souls (Jeremiah 6:16).[19]   As Adam Clarke says of this passage (and I am paraphrasing a bit),

·  Sinners, wearied in the ways of sin, are invited to come to Christ and find speedy relief.

·  Penitents, burdened with the guilt of their crimes, may come to the Cross, and find instant pardon.

·  Believers, sorely tempted, and oppressed by the remains of the carnal mind, may come to the blood that cleanses from all unrighteousness; and, purified from sin and strengthened in every temptation, they shall find rest in the Savior.

Songs for Contemplation

·      “O Come To the Altar.”  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6oFT53Lrho

·      “Jesus, Strong and Kind.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T5Y8s-Sz_ac

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[1] “Satan” is a title; it would be more accurate to say “the Satan.”

[2] “It is not clear whether Jesus is speaking of a vision by which he saw something in the spiritual realm or if this is simply a declaration of what has been happening. In either case, Satan’s authority and power over people has been broken. Serpents and scorpions are physical dangers that the disciples will face in their preaching, and also symbols of demonic opposition.  (The ESV Global Study Bible)

“Jewish tradition spoke of Satan’s primeval fall in sin (though the Greek verb tense here might mean that Jesus watched Satan fleeing before them). The language… could also be used figuratively (see v. 15 ; La 2:1). (NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible)

“A second possible interpretation of Jesus’ words is as a warning against pride. It is as if He were saying: ‘Yes, you are quite heady because even the demons have been subject to you. But just remember… it was pride that resulted in Lucifer… being cast out of heaven. See that you avoid this peril.’”  (Believers Bible Commentary)

“This verse falls back on the taunt-song describing the fall of the king of Babylon (Isa 14:4-11).” (Expositor’s Bible Commentary)

“Similar imagery related to Satan’s defeat appears in John 12:31; Revelation 12:7–17; 20:1–3, 10.”  (Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds of the New Testament)

[3] Ephesians 2:2

[4] Matthew 12:24

[5] Matthew 9:34

[6] According to the BDAG (Bauer-Danker-Arndt-Gingrich, a Greek-English lexicon of the New Testament and other early Christian literature.

[7] Believers Bible Commentary

[8] “Jesus is not suggesting that God has chosen certain individuals for salvation and others for condemnation. Rather, God has decided that those who choose to place their trust in the wisdom of this world will be blinded to the reality of his kingdom, while those who reject such reliance on worldly wisdom (and depend on God) will receive understanding (vv.25-27).” (Asbury Bible Commentary)

[9] As noted by Adam Clarke in his commentary

[10]  Believer’s Bible Commentary

[11] “Do not give what is holy to the dogs; nor cast your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you in pieces.” Matthew 7:6

[12] As in Dan. 7, the Son of Man has received all power and dominion.

[13] “When we read that the Father is revealed only to those whom the Son chooses, we might be tempted to think of an arbitrary selection of a favored few. The following verse guards against such an interpretation. The Lord Jesus issues a universal invitation to all who are weary and heavy laden to come to Him for rest. In other words, the ones to whom He chooses to reveal the Father are those who trust Him as Lord and Savior.” (Believer’s Bible Commentary) 

[14] Remember: he didn’t come to call the healthy, but the sick.

[15] The word Xrestos, transliterated chrestos. It was given as a name to slaves who were ‘useful’ or ‘kindly. A variant spelling is…. Christus J (HELPS Word Studies)

[16] Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

[17] NIV Cultural Backgrounds Study Bible

[18] Adam Clarke Commentary

[19] “This is what the LORD says: ‘Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls…’” 

Harmony #57: The Sending Of the 70/72[1] (Luke 10:1-16)

In the last installment, we read about the response of three potential followers of Jesus, all of whom had something that got in the way. Today, we will see the obedient response of 70 of Jesus’ followers (Luke 9:57-62).This is not the first time Jesus sent a group of his disciples on a focused mission. 

In the chapter just before this one, Luke records Jesus sending out 12 disciples, the number of tribes in Israel, to Jewish towns. Most commentators see this as symbolically reaching all of Israel with the good news of God’s coming Kingdom.

Today, Jesus sends out 70 disciples to Gentile towns. Why 70? Genesis 10 gives a list of the descendants of Noah’s children: "from these the nations spread out over the earth after the flood.” Guess how many nations? J[2]  This, then, is an inauguration of what will be a call to all of us to spread the Gospel to all the nations of the earth.[3]

* * * * *

After this the Lord appointed seventy others and sent them on ahead of him two by two into every town and place where he himself was about to go. He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Therefore ask the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into his harvest. Go! I am sending you out like lambs surrounded by wolves.

“Do not carry a money bag, a traveler’s bag filled with extra coats, or extra sandals,[4] and don’t get distracted by lengthy, time-consuming greeting with people you meet on the road.[5]

Whenever you enter a house, first say, ‘May peace be on this house!’ And if a peace-loving person is there, your peace will remain on him, but if not, it will return to you.  Stay in that same house, eating and drinking what they give you, for the worker deserves his pay. Do not move around from house to house.

“Whenever you enter a town and the people welcome you, eat what is set before you. Heal the sick in that town and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come upon you!’  But whenever you enter a town and the people do not welcome you, go into its streets and say,  ‘Even the dust of your town that clings to our feet we wipe off against you. Nevertheless know this: The kingdom of God has come.’

 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say,1 ‘Even the dust of your town we wipe from our feet as a warning to you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God has come near.’  I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.

 “Woe/alas[6] to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida![7] For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you[8].  And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades[9].

“The one who listens to you listens to me, and the one who rejects you rejects me, and the one who rejects me rejects the one who sent me.”

Today, we have a smorgasbord of points. Fill up your plates as you wish.

1. The 70 R US.  Some commentators point out that in Exodus 24, Moses chose 70 elders who went up Mt. Sinai with Moses and were filled with Spirit such that they prophesied (think ‘spoke inspired truth’). They became leaders of God’s people pointing them toward truth. Jesus now sets up the priestly/prophetic role of those who will bring the good news to all the nations – which will be all of us, not just those 70.  

“You yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ…But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation… that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. (1 Peter 2:5,9)

2. We should ‘pray’ and ‘go’ into the field.[10] Notice we pray and go. Prayer is not the equivalent of washing our hands of responsibility or engagement. ”Thoughts and prayers” for a harvest is not enough. We must go.

Where is the harvest field? Everywhere. All the time. Even the smallest moments are opportunities.[11] Just remember: We don’t save people. Free yourself from that pressure. But we do introduce people to the one who does. We plant truth; then we nurture the environment into which truth has been planted.

3. Dear sheep: expect the wolves. There should be no expectation that conditions will be safer or easier for us than it was for them.  They, like us, ought not expect to be liked, admired, or supported; rather, we should expect to be ignored, mocked, persecuted and even killed. We have to embrace the reality that in this world, there will be trouble, and some of it is because we are faithful witnesses.

This is not all the time, of course. The early church exploded because so many people liked the message and the messengers of Christianity. But that was always mixed in with trials and persecution.

I read too many news stories where Christians in the United States are shocked and scared when something happens that makes life hard because they are Christian.

· My Bible Study club at school got cancelled.

· That social media platform is censoring me.

· My workplace won’t let me put up Christian symbols.

· When I post Bible verses people mock me.

· I’m called all kinds of phobic just because I want to be faithful to biblical teaching.”

What did we expect?

Outrage is not the righteous response. Remember, the disciples wanted to call down fire on a Samaritan town that rejected them. Now Jesus is sending them to that town (among others). The response to trials is meant to be outreach. We are meant to invite even the wolves to meet the transformational power of Jesus so the sheep multiply.

4. Jesus deliberately ensured community. The 70 didn’t have money, extra clothes to keep them warm at night, or food. They could not live in isolation. This forced them into community.There may be an added element here of letting go of the need to be comfortable (or avoiding the appearance of displaying wealth), but I’m leaning toward the idea it was primarily to make community inescapable.

I wonder what it looks like to organize our lives and priorities such that we make life in Christian community such a priority that we can’t  imagine doing life without it. I’m not entirely sure what that looks like in our setting, but it seems important. If we take nothing else away from this, just remember that we are designed to rely on each other.

5. Kingdom-minded people have generous hospitality of mind, heart, and resources.[12]  We see clearly how this looked in the early church. The first followers of Jesus took this very seriously – and literally.

All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had. The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all.  There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need. (Acts 4:32-34)

This ties back in to the community focus. Clearly, they lived in a rhythm of asking for help and giving help. This isn’t some woke Marxist utopia; this is Kingdom generosity. “They shared everything they had…there were no needy people among them”!  

6. We are to prioritize the mission. The Middle Eastern custom of greeting honored others, but prophets on mission were given an exemption in the Old Testament. he 70 had a narrow window of time for their particular mission, so they were laser focused.

I think it is a reminder to never forget that we are on a mission, and it needs to be prioritized. We just saw potential disciples give excuses about why they had to postpone the mission (“I have to bury my father; I need to say goodbye.”) As Dr. Seuss would say, “The time has come, the time is now, Marvin K. Mooney will you please go now!”

For the 70, this was a short window of time. Almost certainly they went back to long greetings when appropriate. It’s not that the greetings were bad. It’s about having the wisdom to prioritize the rhythm of the Kingdom in favor of the mission of the Kingdom.

7. The response to inhospitality is loving witness. Jesus told the 70 that if they go into a town and are welcomed, they should a) take care of their practical needs on God’s behalf (cure the sick miraculously) and b) tell them the Kingdom has come near. It’s not either/or; it’s both/and. 

But if they were not welcomed, they were to wipe the dust off your feet and leave - but still tell those who were hostile that the Kingdom has come near.  How were the 70 to respond to rejection and hostility? With witness!

If you experience rejection or hostility for being a follower of Jesus, don’t pray that God rains down fire. The door to the Kingdom is still open for all, and we should remind people of that no matter what they think of us or our message, God invites them into His Kingdom.

8. Honor people. They were not to move. This might characterize them as those who are shopping for the most luxurious accommodations when they should live simply and gratefully. This levels the socio-economic playing field. The disciples aren’t jockeying for the tastiest food and softest beds or wittiest company. They aren’t going to curry favor while in a town so they become upwardly mobile in society. They might get bread and water when they could be getting caviar and Verners somewhere else, but they will be content.

This seems really relevant. We are not called to continue to seek the bigger stage, the brighter lights, the trendier audience, the cooler venues, the more powerful and beautiful peers. It’s a trap. It’s a distraction. It’s also turns the people with whom we started into stepping stones on our way to “something greater,” which is almost always greater by Empire standards, not Kingdom standards.  

Sometimes, ministries grow organically. I’m not talking about that. I mean, if the disciples were staying in a house with someone who was just about to move into a much nicer place, it’s not like they couldn’t move with them J Sometimes, there are righteous reasons for moving to a different place of ministry. I don’t mean to imply that moving on is inherently wrong. But there is a difference between chasing bigger and better from a bad heart vs. stewarding what God gives us to steward.

Jesus is clear in this instruction: don’t chase comfort or status. As a picture on our wall said when I was a kid, “Bloom where you are planted.”

9. Accept what you are given. A joyful acceptance of hospitality, no matter how small or bland or unusual, goes a long way toward building relational bridges - especially if what someone offered was modest. The disciples’ response really mattered. Likely, the humble host is already self-conscious that Billy and Sarah up the street could give them smoked brisket instead of spam. How the disciples responded to their hospitality mattered a ton for the sake of the Kingdom.

10. Do the work of a missionary: heal and proclaim. In Luke 9, Jesus sent the twelve out to “proclaim the Kingdom of God and to heal.”  In Luke 10, he sent the seventy out to “cure the sick…and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you.’” At this stage of his ministry,  Jesus’ disciples do the same things they have seen Jesus doing: healing people and telling them about the Kingdom.  

“And he went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people” (Matt. 4:23)

Later on, after his death and resurrection, he will give them further instructions, but for now this was enough: heal people; do it as a sign that God’s kingdom is on its way into the world.[13]

For us, I think that bringing healing to people is a both/and: both prayers for supernatural healing (which shows the care and power of God in a supernatural way) and doing the work of bringing medical, emotional, relational and financial healing to all places of sickness in the world (which shows the care of God and the power of the church’s presence).

Friends oversees have told me that their church planting in new towns started with a year of establishing things like drug rehab clinics and orphanages. They healed the sick. When they proclaimed “The Kingdom of heaven is here,” the people had already seen what it would look like in a very practical sense.

I worry that we can overlook the importance of practical care as a sign of God’s love and provision. Helping the needy/sick/poor is not wokeness or a distracting social gospel; it’s a lifestyle that ought to be embedded in the DNA of the Christian.[14]

We can learn a lot from the “show and tell” we did in school. We don’t just show; we don’t just tell. It’s both J

11. Remember the message: The kingdom of God has come.   The “kingdom of God” in this present age is the rule and reign of God in people’s hearts and lives. In Luke 17:20-21 Jesus said,

“The coming of the kingdom of God is not something that can be observed (like Rome), nor will people say, ‘Here it is,’ or ‘There it is,’ because the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”[15]

In other words, God is here. Now. Meanwhile, the Jewish people were expecting the Kingdom of God to do the following:

· bring peace by ruling the world (through the Zealot’s warrior/political messiah)

· bring righteousness by restoring the glory of the Temple (the Sadducees’ Torah/Temple Messiah)

· bring about socio-economic justice by ‘turning stones into bread’ (the Pharisee’s People’s Messiah)

Jesus addressed peace, righteousness and justice, but not like they expected.

· The Kingdom brings peace between us and God (through salvation and reconciliation) and peace with others (#newhumanity #nobarriers[16]) through Jesus.

· The Kingdom brings righteousness by cleansing our hearts, renewing our minds, and healing our souls.

· The Kingdom brings justice (just living) as God’s people bring a full range of provision and healing to the world as a demonstration of God’s care for “the least of these.”

This is the Kingdom, and it is here. Let’s ‘show and tell’ everybody.

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[1] It’s a Hebrew/Greek thing, like 666 vs. 606 in Revelation. When the Hebrew was translated into Greek, 70 was translated as 72.  In both cases, Jesus sent out as many disciples as there were nations in the ancient world.

[2] Some commentators point out that in Exodus 24, Moses chose 70 elders who went up Mt. Sinai with Moses and were filled with Spirit such that they prophesied (think ‘spoke inspired truth’). The Numbers 11 account notes two additional men besides the 70 were with Moses, Eldad and Medad, who also received the spirit and prophesied as the other elders did. So were there 70 (on the basis of being on Mt. Sinai with Moses), or 72?

[3] “The 12 and the 70,” biblehub.com

[4] Extras denoted wealth. Also, this meant they had to stay at a house, because they would be too cold to sleep outside. It forced relationship and community.

[5] “Greetings were socially mandatory, except on an urgent prophetic errand or mission as in 2Ki 4:29.”  (NIV Cultural Background Study Bible)

[6] A “woe” is an exclamation of grief, similar to what is expressed by the word alas. 

[7] “The condemnation of these towns would be based on the revelation they’d received. Capernaum, in particular, had witnessed many of Jesus’s miraculous works (see 4:31-41; 7:1-10), yet the majority of the city’s inhabitants rejected him.” (“Ministry on the way to Jerusalem (Luke 9:51–19:27)”, biblestudytools.com)

[8] “Chorazin and Bethsaida have been so thoroughly destroyed that their exact location is not definitely known today.” (Believer’s Bible Commentary)

[9] An allusion to the fall of Babylon noted in Isa 14:13, 15.

[10] Bonus point: Governments/institutions/systems take a position either for or against the Kingdom. This is what we mean when we talk about “systemic” problems. Sometimes, it’s more than individuals who oppose God’s Kingdom. It’s entire structures of society. We talk about corporations that we support (or don’t support, perhaps) because they have corporate policies that we believe promote virtue or vice. It happens in countries where religious freedom is more or less allowed. I offer this to note that “all of creation groans” as it awaits redemption. The fallenness of individuals will manifest in the things those individuals build. It’s important to “pray and go” to both individuals and the cities/countries/industries/businesses in which they live. Everything needs Jesus.

[11] “My (Paul’s) job was to plant the seed, and Apollos was called to water it. Any growth comes from God, so the ones who water and plant have nothing to brag about. God, who causes the growth, is the only One who matters.” (1 Corinthians 3:6-7)

[12] You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.”And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever. ”For God is the one who provides seed for the farmer and then bread to eat. In the same way, He will provide and increase your resources and then produce a great harvest of generosity in you. Yes, you will be enriched in every way so that you can always be generous. And when we take your gifts to those who need them, they will thank God. So two good things will result from this ministry of giving—the needs of the believers in Jerusalem will be met, and they will joyfully express their thanks to God. 2 Corinthians 9:7-12 NLT 

[13] This list is a combination of lists found at “On The Road With Jesus: The Mission Of The Seventy,” goodfaithmedia.org. and a list at Believer’s Bible Commentary.

[14] I think that’s what the foot-washing ad during the Superbowl was trying to convey.

[15] I believe that’s the best translation.

[16] Ephesians 2:14-15

CLG's Vision - And The Core Values That Get Us There

“Our vision is that we become a thriving community of individuals transformed by the life of Christ and conformed into the image of Christ for our good, God’s glory, and the good of our community as we share the good news of the gospel with the world.”

We have Core Values that guide us as we purse the fulfillment of this vision.

CORE VALUES

Be Real (authenticity): The amazing grace of God draws us into a life of honesty, reflection, transparency, and confession, free of hiddenness and shame before God and others.

This is a call to truth, honesty and transparency with God, ourselves and each other about who we were without Christ, who we are in Christ, and who we can become.

 Look at the witness of Scripture. It is full of stories of those whose lives are broken - Noah, David, Rahab, Gideon, the disciples, the woman at the well, Paul. God thought it was important that everybody else knew their story. Yes, they were deeply flawed. We all are. The beauty of repentance and forgiveness story can only be understood when the story can be see in its entirety.

 If someone says, “Because of Christ, I’m not who I was,” that awesome. But…who were you? The glory and hope of Christ is clearly seen when His work in us is clearly seen, and that happens when all of it is seen. Then it's more than words on paper, or just a good idea. It’s truth that transforms. This is why we try to be transparent from the pulpit, and put you through series like “The Emotionally Healthy Church,” and encourage small groups…

Belong (community): The amazing love of God draws us to participate in a seemingly impossible community, inaugurated by Jesus, where we work toward fully knowing and fully loving each other, a community where we are grounded on biblical instruction, prayer, friendship, and a lifestyle of surrendered worship.

 This has to do with our strengths, weaknesses, gifts, talents, struggles, personalities, preferences, backgrounds, current situations, preferences. This is a call to be part of a community where we are fully known and fully loved.  

To be fully known and fully loved? Can we do it with each other? We are trying. That’s why we stress honesty and repentance with God and others. That’s also why we preach forgiveness and grace and love, because we are going to need that in this kind of community! 

Become (transformation): The amazing power of God empowers us to practice and grow in Christ-like maturity and righteousness by the power of the Holy Spirit in the context of authentic community life.

Genuine Kingdom transformation happens through the work of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.  That begins with salvation and continues as we continuously commit and re-surrender our lives to Christ.  He loves us as we are - and too much to leaves us in our brokenness and sin. The ongoing transformation in our lives is a change of four things: HEART, SOUL, MIND, and STRENGTH.

• Our Heart (passions)  - the things we love. We need to understand what God loves and what breaks His heart, study to understand why, and seek to match our heart with God’s.

• Our Soul (imagination) -  the things that give us a sense of wonder or awe. Is our wonder and curiosity directed toward the right things?

• Our Mind (intelligence) – that which informs us and how we think about the world. We need to be committed to truth! –

• Our Strength (actions)  - joyful obedience to Christ, not because we believe our actions save us, but because we are offering our lives as a “living sacrifice” to the only One who deserves our allegiance.

 Be Called (destiny): The amazing goodness of God leads us to discover our unique, God-given potential to effectively serve Him and others as we engage in the Great Co-Mission to expand the Kingdom of God beginning in this community and spreading into the world.

We are called to enter into the rhythms of life together with others as much as we can without compromise, both as friends and as ambassadors of the Kingdom of God. This begins in our homes and moves into our church, and then into the community and the world. We volunteer in church, engage in evangelism, meet practical needs, and simply live bold and humble lives as unashamed ambassadors of Jesus.

What happens when this kind of church community exists?

It becomes a place where the wounded, the weak, the guilty, the broken, the overlooked, the shamed, the questioning, the hopeless, can find a biblically transformational home in the presence of God and in the midst of God’s people. It’s what the Old Testament called a City of Refuge, a place for safety and renewal, a place to refresh before traveling once again through a hard and lonely world.

• What if, in Traverse City, when someone had given up hope, they thought of our church, and our Savior?

• What if, when someone thought, “No one understands me. No one will take me as I am,” they thought of us, and of our Christ?

• What if someone who carried the weight of a sin they have never told anyone thought this was the place they could finally find a non-shaming community in which to repent and find the forgiveness of God and the love of others?

• What if someone thought, “I just want a church where people are real! I want them to be honest about how hard life is and hopeful that pain and evil don’t get the last word!” And they thought of us.

• What if someone who thinks, “If anyone knows my story, they will reject me,” finds a place here where people will listen, and laugh, and cry, and pray, and walk with them ever closer to Christ?

So we think Living God is called to be this kind of church, but that’s not where our core values stop. We are meant to go out and make more and better disciples of Christ. So how do we expand the impact of CLG in the world around us?

SEASONAL VISION 2024

I’m not offering a roll-out of new programs and initiatives. We’re not planning a big advertising campaign. Were not hiring new preachers or musicians or office staff or SS teachers or small group leaders. We’re not planning any new additions. There is nothing to roll out this morning that hasn’t been hinted at or done already.  It’s just a reminder that we believe Jesus has placed us in this community as a place of refuge, healing and hope for sake of His Kingdom and for the glory of Christ, and from that community we are called to go and represent Christ and spread the good news of the gospel in word and deed.

Our current seasonal vision focus is Witness (“the good of our community as we share the good news of the gospel with the world.”)

The Bible is clear that that our Christ-oriented love for each other (1 Peter 4:8) and our unity as the body of Christ (Colossians 3:14) is a mark that we are transformed children of God and a witness as Jesus’ ambassadors to the world (Romans 15:6). One of the ways in which this will be ‘lived out’ is when we are a) a light in darkness, declaring and living the transforming truth of Jesus and His Gospel, and b) the salt of the earth, a presence that preserve those things that are Kingdom values in a decaying culture.

This is not a seasonal vision that is intended to stop us from our previous focus, which focused heavily on the first three parts of our core values. When COVID and a divisive election landed heavy on us in 2020,  it didn’t take long to realize we needed to focus on becoming healthy by Kingdom standards as individuals and as a church body. I think that focus has paid off.

We haven’t arrived (!), but I believe that God has graciously and patiently built a depth and maturity in our church family that has borne good fruit.  WE DON’T WANT TO MOVE PAST THAT AS IF WE HAVE NAILED IT. It was a good reminder that sowing faithful obedience, humble lifestyles of worship, and a commitment to learning how to love more like Jesus yields a good harvest.

On our website, under the category “Serve,” we have noted this:

We believe it is crucial that church attenders are involved in the life of their local church body and in the community in which the church is placed. This is God’s design for the flourishing of the church as a body and for individuals in whom acts of service are part of God’s plan for refinement and maturity. Not all are called in the same way and in the same degree, but all are called!

I want to show you ways in which you can be involved in maintaining our foundation while looking to engage purposefully in our focus on witness. But the bottom line is that I encourage all of you, as you are able and as God calls you, to think about what it looks like to actively become a part of something bigger than yourself in this church, in the community, or in the world.

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OPPORTUNITIES IN CHURCH LIFE AT CLG

Kids/Youth/Adult Ministries

1. Nursery/AWANA/Children’s Church (Adam and Amber Metiva; Amy Gordon; Esther Krueger)

·      We need safe and caring people to join the team of nursery workers on Sunday mornings.  You will work one Sunday every 5 or 6 weeks with another team member. 

·      We provide the teaching time on Sunday morning for ages 4 to 12 and need helpers during the first hour and second hour serving snacks and helping with games and crafts. 

·      Awana is Wednesday night and our great need is to have one person listen to a group of 3-4 children recite their Bible verses.  You could choose one Wednesday a month to be your Wednesday and be a great help!  (7:30 to 8:00p.m.).

2.    Youth Group (Corban Shaw; William Krueger; Kristin and Dakota Bolton) Wednesday nights are covered, but there are other ways to be involved, including helping with a Sunday morning class.

3.    Small Groups (Anthony Weber)

4.    Women’s/Men’s Group (no current leaders – talk to Anthony)

Sunday Morning Building Team

Greeter/Security/Coffee (Pete Thiel)

·      Greeters: two couples every Sunday to welcome people as they come through the doors and answer questions for any newcomers.

·      Security. Being a watchdog for our children. We have a security team to ensure that our children are safe from any intruders. The more eyes the better.

·      Coffee: making coffee before the service

Sunday Morning Service Team

1.    Audio/Visual (Adam Metiva)

2.    Musicians/singers/worship team (Tom Childs)

3.    Prayer Team (Julie Eickenroth)

4.    Library upkeep

5.    Holiday decorating

SUPPORTED OPPORTUNITIES LOCALLY 

Ministries By Our Congregation

1.    Touching Hearts (Marilyn Dear and Pam Kritcher – see “TC Touching Hearts” on Facebook)

2.    Thomas Judd Care Clinic (Emily Slater)

3.    Prison Ministry (Gary and Pat Hambleton)

4.    Meals (Karen Windorfer)

5.    Helps Ministry (Deacons – contact Adam Metiva)

6.    Building Projects (Pete Thiel) Projects would range anywhere from vacuuming and cleaning to ground's maintenance or construction projects that we may have.

7.    Operation Christmas Child (Amy Gordon)

8.    The Church Newsletter (Katie Schlomer)

9.    The Church Directory (Marji Shev)

Ministries From Within Our Congregation

1.    Freedom Farm (Julie Eickenroth – freedomfarmgt.com)

2.    Affirm Ministries (Susan Hoekstra – susanhoekstra.com)

3.    Peace Ranch (Jackie Kaschel – peaceranchtc.com)

4.    His House (Patrick Hill – His House at NMC on Facebook)

Ministries in the Community That We Support

1.    Single MOMM (singlemomm.org)

2.    Thrive Medical Clinic (thrivemedicalclinic.org)

3.    Goodwill Inn (goodwillnmi.org)

SUPPORTED MISSIONS/MISSIONARIES OVERSEAS (Esther Krueger)

1.    VidaNet (vidamissions.com)

2.    Esperanza (Esperanza1513 on Facebook)

3.    The Sanchez family (borderlandsinternational.org)

Harmony #56: The Cost of Following Jesus (Luke 9:51-62; Matthew 8:19-22)

Now when the days drew near for him to be taken up, Jesus set out resolutely (“set his face”) to go to Jerusalem.

In both Matthew and Luke’s Gospel, this incident is placed on the heels of Jesus doing the kind of miraculous things that drew a large crowd (even though the incidents are different). In Matthew’s gospel, he is trying to get away from large crowds when this incident happens.

It’s no surprise, then, that these three conversation reflect a Jesus who wasn’t interested in people following him because he was popular, or because they thought it was cool, or believed they could follow Jesus when it was convenient. Jesus demonstrated over and over that he wasn’t interested in numbers for numbers’ sake. He didn’t want Himself or His Kingdom to be trendy.

In Luke’s gospel, Jesus had just finished talking to his disciples about his upcoming death. Consider the grim circumstances as we see Jesus’ response to three potential followers. He knows what’s coming; he knows what his disciples are going to go through. They have no idea that he is literally going to be taking up a cross, and that they will follow him to Golgotha. The metaphors are about to become reality.

  He sent messengers on ahead of him. As they went along, they entered a Samaritan village to make things ready in advance for him, but the villagers refused to welcome him, because he was determined to go to Jerusalem.[1]

Now when his disciples James and John[2] saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to call fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you belong to. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them,” and they went on to another village.

There was a reason Jesus had not sent the 12 to Samaritan villages yet. They weren’t ready. First, they took this insult way too personally. It wasn’t a secret that Samaritans did NOT worship in Jerusalem. This was part of the animosity between Jews and Samaritans. When the Samaritans found out Jesus was going to the Temple in Jerusalem, of course they weren’t going to help. To them, that was enabling false worship. Their response should not have been a surprise.

The disciples could have said, “Well, we tried. The worst they could do was say no.” Instead, they decided the best response would be to kill everyone – without having to get their hands dirty. Could God do it for them? Did God feel the same way about these Samaritans as they did?

The answer is, of course, no. “You do not know what kind of Spirit you belong to.” That was not the heart of God for the Samaritans. Don’t forget, this is right after all this teaching on forgiveness. Yikes. Tough crowd.

“Whatever…errors may be in religion, we must never persecute [those who believe them]. Let us, if needful, argue with them, reason with them, and try to show them a more excellent way. But let us never take up the "carnal" weapon to promote the spread of truth. Let us never be tempted, directly or indirectly, to persecute anyone, under pretense of the glory of Christ and the good of the Church. Let us rather remember, that the religion [professed] from fear of death, or dread of penalties, is worth nothing at all, and that if we swell our ranks by fear and threatening, in reality we gain no strength… The appeals that we make must be to…consciences and wills.”      - JC Ryle

Let’s pick up from there.

As they were walking along the road, an expert in the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus said to him, “Foxes have dens and the birds in the sky have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”

Jesus said to another, “Follow me.” But he replied, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus said to him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead, but as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.”[3]

Yet another said, “I will follow you, Lord, but first let me say goodbye to my family.” Jesus said to him, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

* * * * * *

The first man seems to be sincerely eager to be a part of what Jesus is doing. After all, he just saw some amazing things. Who wouldn’t want to be closer to that? I think Jesus’ response is similar to the response Jesus gave the Rich Young Ruler who also wanted to follow him.[4] Jesus said to that ruler, “Go get rid of all your money.” Jesus identified the idol that had to go.

To this man, Jesus uses an image from nature to point out that there is no expectation of comfort. I mean, they had just been denied access to town to spend the night. They were on their way to Jerusalem where Jesus would be killed and his disciples scattered.

My sense is that Jesus jumps straight to his vulnerability, his idol: the desire for comfort, maybe even popularity. “People won’t like you. They will reject you. You may even be denied ordinary, normal things by those who reject you. Follow me, and you might become deeply unpopular, despised, rejected, even unable to have the material comforts others enjoy.”

We should expect to be made uncomfortable as followers of Jesus. And our response should not be longing for God to judge them, but to save them.

* * * * *

The second man makes what seems to be a reasonable request (burying his father), but there is more going on here than first appears. Several options have been offered.[5] I think one stands out, but you will see the others in commentaries, so let’s take a look at them.

The first option is that the guy’s father had died and Jesus was telling him not to go help bury him. This is the least likely. In Judaism, someone who died had to be buried the same day.[6]There was no way that man would have been hanging out with Jesus. It was a really big deal to honor your parents with a proper burial. It’s also likely the father was not sick and close to dying, or the man would have asked Jesus to heal him.

The second option is that this was an expression meaning that he had to stay with his father as long as his father was alive. G. Campbell Morgan refers to a traveler in the Middle East who was trying to enlist a young Arab man as his guide. The man replied that he could not go because he had to bury his father. When the traveler expressed his sympathy, he learned that the young man’s father had not died; he was waiting to be a guide until he no longer had to take care of his father. So perhaps this man was saying, “After my father is gone, I will follow You.”[7]

[Another layer: the man would likely receive his inheritance when his father died. Leaving him might cause him to lose out on his share of his father’s estate.[8]]

The third option is that the man is waiting for the time a year after the body was first buried when the bones of the deceased were placed in an ossuary box and interred with other deceased relatives.[9]

Depending on which option is correct, it will change how you view what Jesus meant when he said, “let the dead bury the dead.”

Options #1 and #2 implies,

• “Let the spiritually dead bury the physically dead; let those not yet alive to the claims of the kingdom bury the naturally dead.” [10]

• Some wonder if this is about the vespillones, the corpse-bearers who carried out the bodies of the poor at night; in Hebrew phraseology, they were “the men of the dead.”[11]

Option #3 would read more like, “Let the already dead (the ancestors) take care of their own.”[12] After all, the man’s father had been honored in the burial already; the second step was tradition, and it was not an insult to his father not to observe it. I favor this reading.

“Jesus was saying in essence, “Look, you have already honored your father by giving him a proper burial in the family burial cave. Instead of waiting for the flesh to decompose, go preach the kingdom of God and tell the people that faith alone in Christ is the only true means of atonement.” (“Let The Dead Bury Their Dead - Meaning.” Alice Anacioco. biblical-christianity.com)

* * * * *

The third man’s request also seems reasonable – he’s going to follow, but he needs to say his goodbyes. This is not unprecedented in Jewish teaching.

Earlier in Luke 9, Jesus had already been connected with Elijah several times. Near the end of Elijah's ministry, God told him to call Elisha to take his place. Elijah found Elisha plowing a field with twelve yoke of oxen and placed his cloak on the younger man's shoulders. Elisha knew what this meant and asked permission to say goodbye to his parents, which Elijah allowed. Only then did Elisha follow Elijah (1 Kings 19:19–21).  So far so good. Reasonable request. But….

“’To bid farewell’ signifies to set apart or assign, as a soldier to his post or an official to his office, and later to detach soldiers. Hence to dismiss one with orders...the man desiring to return home, not merely to take formal leave, but also to give his final instructions to his friends and servants.” Vincent's Word Studies

In other words, it sure looks like the man has a back up plan. Whatever happens to him while following Jesus, Plan B is waiting for him if necessary. Jesus responds by playing off this same Old Testament text, since Elisha was plowing in his family’s field when Elijah met him:

“No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”

I like the careful wording of this verse in Meyer’s NT Commentary:

“No one who has offered to labor in my service, and, withal, still attaches his interest to his earlier relations is well fitted/adapted to labor for the kingdom of the Messiah.” 

The farmer must keep looking forward in order to plow a straight furrow. Likewise, a disciple constantly distracted by past associations cannot provide effective service for the kingdom of God.[13]

* * * * *

Jesus tells these three would-be disciples that a true disciple…

1.    Risks rejection by the world (57-58). Disciples do not put attach their hearts to earthly material comforts: wealth, comfort, reputation, tradition. “Don’t pity Jesus for having no place to rest his head. Pity the man so chained to his mortgage that he can’t respond to the call of Christ. Don’t pity Jesus for sleeping by the campfire. Pity the woman so sold to her career that she cannot follow Christ to a foreign land. Don’t pity the disciples who are called the “scum of the earth.” Pity those who are enslaved to the opinions of the world.“[14]

2.    Makes proclamation a priority (59-60) In the OT, only prophets were permitted to neglect funeral customs in order to reveal God’s revelation. So, Jesus’ call to ignore funeral customs signals that an important period of time has arrived on the divine calendar.“Nothing should delay or stop us from spreading the good news that the Kingdom is here, not even good obligations and attachments.” (Daniel l. Sonnenberg)

3.    Leaves the old life behind (61-62) It is not an emotional, spur-of-the moment decision. It is not a decision that can be postponed till later. It is not a phase we go through while we keep our options open. Following Jesus means signing away the rights to your own life. You sign on the bottom line and let him fill in the details. It means Jesus first. No conditions. No delays. No buts. No excuses. A disciple cannot trust Jesus halfway. “Christ must reign in the heart without a rival. All other loves and all other loyalties must be secondary.” (Believer’s Bible Commentary)

* * * * *

So, how do we summarize the lesson today?

I wonder: what is really first in your life? Are we saying to Jesus, “I will follow you,” but adding our qualification, our disclaimer under our breath, perhaps hoping Jesus won’t hear? God first…but really being successful first, career first, financial well-being first. God first…but really being a good citizen, or being nice and well-liked first. God first…but really comfort and safety and security first.

When God calls you, and you say yes to following Jesus, what are the “buts” that are on the tip of your tongue, or muttered under your breath, or the truth you really mean instead? How do you finish this sentence to Jesus, “I will follow you, but first let me…” what?

Jesus tries to convey to us a sense of urgency. The good news doesn’t have time to wait. The world needs the message of Jesus right now. Look around. Look at the news. Look at the headlines. Look at our nation. Look at our community. Look at our congregation. Look at your own life.

We need the message of Jesus, the news about God’s reign on earth, the good news of God’s grace and favor and God’s way that rejects the ways of greed and selfishness and oppression and we need it now. And so Jesus needs disciples, messengers of the good news right now. People who are ready to say “But first you God, and then everything else can come next.”

 – Beth Quick, bethquick.com

________________________________________________________________________________

[1] The Samaritans probably rejected the messengers because Samaritans did not accept Jerusalem as the place of worship (see John 4:20)

[2] James eventually gave his life as a martyr; John became known as the Apostle of Love.

[4] Mark 10:17-27

[5] I’ll add here in the footnotes that it is possible that Jesus, who is about to take a Nazarite vow, is giving this man a heads up: if he truly follows the example of Jesus, he would not be able to bury his father when it was time.‘All the days of his separation to the LORD he shall not go near to a dead person. He shall not make himself unclean for his father or for his mother, for his brother or for his sister, when they die, because his separation to God is on his head. All the days of his separation he is holy to the LORD.” (Numbers 6:6-8)

[6] “In Jesus’ culture, the obligation to bury one’s father took precedence even over saying the Shema (The Challenge of Jesus: Rediscovering Who Jesus Was and Is by N.T. Wright)? So how could Jesus tell His disciples not to go bury their fathers?According to first-century Jewish burial customs, when a person died, they were normally buried immediately (usually on the same day) in the family burial cave that had been hewn out of bedrock. This custom is based on the injunction found in the Mosaic Law not to leave the corpse of an executed person on the tree overnight (Deuteronomy 21:22-23).” (Let The Dead Bury Their Dead – Meaning,” Alice Anacioco, biblical-christianity.com)

[7] As cited by Steven Cole at preceptaustin.com

[8] “He wanted to make sure he received his inheritance. Then, when his circumstances were secure, he’d be equipped to be a disciple.” (Tony Evans Study Bible)

[9] “After the body was placed in a burial cave and is left to decompose, the family will separate itself and mourn for seven days. This initial mourning period is called shivah which is followed by a less intense 30-day period of mourning called shloshim. However, the entire mourning period was not fully over. The final act of mourning is when the family would return after a year to gather all the bones and place them with the bones of other family members on another shelf or the floor. This is now the secondary burial, also referred to as ossilegium. In the Jerusalem Talmud, it says, “When the flesh had wasted away, the bones were collected and placed in chests (ossuaries). On that day (the son) mourned, but the following day he was glad because his forebears rested from judgment” (Moed Qatan 1:5). (“Let The Dead Bury Their Dead” Meaning. Alice Anacioco.) biblical-christianity.com)

[10] Blessed Theophylact gives a concise explanation: “He is saying, “Let your dead relatives, that is, those who do not believe, take care of your unbelieving father in his old age until death.” To bury means here to bestow care on him even to the grave. Even in common parlance we say, “So and so buried his father,” which means not only that he placed him in the ground when he died, but that he also did every other good thing for him that was necessary, caring for him until his end and his burial.” (Let The Dead Bury Their Dead,” Fr. John Whiteford, OrthoChristian.com)

[11] Expositor's Greek Testament

[12] “The phrase “own dead” indicates the inclusion of the fathers among the dead.
“He's essentially making a joke, saying, "Your dad's bones aren't going anywhere. They are safe in the family tomb with all your other ancestors. I'm sure they'll keep him company"; in other words, "Let the dead (your other ancestors in the family tomb) take care of your father's bones until someone else in the family shows up to bury them." (“Let The Dead Bury Their Own Dead,” http://unamsanctamcatholicam.blogspot.com/2018/07/let-dead-bury-their-own-dead.html)

[13] Zondervan Illustrated Bible Backgrounds of the New Testament

[14] The Three Rookies: Christ Speaks to the Problem of Convenient Excuses.” Ray Pritchard