Tag Archives: Christ Jesus

October 15, 2023 · 10:00

Little Ones

Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 18:10)

The verse above was part of my daily Bible reading this week. It is a very familiar verse that I have read hundreds of times perhaps, heard sermons preached on it, and participated in Bible studies that covered it. When read out of context, it seems that Jesus refers to children – “little ones” – in this discourse, and that is the way it has been presented, or at least the way I have understood it, in the past.

However, as I read the assigned Bible passage (Matthew 18:7-35), it occurred to me that “little ones” did not refer to children. That made me stop and dig a little deeper. In order to understand the complete meaning of a passage, it is advisable always to read a single verse in its full context. In this case, we need to go back to the beginning of the chapter to get a clear picture of what was taking place.

As the chapter opens, we find Jesus’ disciples wondering and questioning Jesus as to who (among them, supposedly) would be the greatest in the “kingdom of heaven” (18:1). Matthew does not name the participants in the discussion nor do the other two synoptic Gospels.[1] Interestingly, all three record this event as having taken place shortly after the Transfiguration.[2] Mark records that the discussion took place on the return trip from Caesarea Philippi, the location of the “Mount of the Transfiguration,” to Capernaum. Three of the twelve, Peter, James, and John, were the only witnesses to the Transfiguration. Surely these three, because the special privilege afforded them, felt that they should be chiefest among them. Moreover, all of the disciples discounted what Jesus told them a short time before. “And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry” (Matthew 17:22-23).[3] The idea was unthinkable, so they quickly eliminated it from memory.

As an object lesson, Jesus took a small child and set him before them. “And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me” (Matthew 18:3-5, emphasis mine). The Greek word translated as “converted” is strephō. The word, as defined by Strong’s,[4] means “to twist, that is, turn quite around or reverse,” which is similar to “repent.” Obviously, Jesus identified the problem as pride manifested as misguided ambition for greatness. The solution requires repentance, conversion, or transformation from a position of pride to that of humility, like that of a child. Those who make the transformation will achieve greatness in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus then adds that one who receives “one such little child,” i.e., one that has made the “conversion,” in “My name, receives Me.” Jesus was not speaking of a child, but rather one who becomes “like a little child” in humility.  The child in their midst was just the “prop” for the object lesson.

As He continued the object lesson, He added, “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea” (Matthew 18:6, emphasis mine). At this point, we need to examine the language closer to understand what Jesus was actually saying. At the beginning, Jesus used a child as a prop for the object lesson. The Greek word translated “little child” (18:2) is paidion, which, according to Strong’s means “a childling (of either sex), that is, (properly) an infant, or (by extension) a half grown boy or girl; figuratively an immature Christian” (emphasis mine). Notice that Jesus switches from “little child” to “little ones.” That is a different word in the Greek: mikros. Strong’s defines that word as “small (in size, quantity, number or (figuratively) dignity)” (emphasis mine). This agrees with Strong’s definition of “paidon” being “figuratively an immature Christian” who would also be “figuratively small in dignity.”

Jesus then pronounces a “woe” to the world for the offenses it brings to these “little ones” (mikron, plural). He notes that offences will come, but He issues a warning, “woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!” (18:7). By way of hyperbole, Jesus stresses the seriousness of offending a “little one.” He suggested removing any body part that causes offence rather than going to hell completely whole.[5] The obvious exaggeration is a warning to the mature Christian to cast off anything in life that would cause offense to an immature Christian, causing him to stumble. I see this a lot among Christians who, because of the “freedom” in Christ, conduct their lives closely imitating the ways of the world without consideration for their weaker brethren. Jesus says to cast off such things.

Jesus warns, “Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones; for I say unto you, That in heaven their angels do always behold the face of my Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 18:10). So, rather than speaking of children having their guardian angels watching over them, as I was taught in the past, Jesus is talking about the mikron (little ones), or immature Christians, who, as mature Christians, we are not to “despise,” i.e., consider lesser than ourselves or count them of low esteem. It is they whose angels watch over them, who stand before the Father. “For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost” (Matthew 18:11).

Jesus illustrates His concern for these “little ones” with the “Parable of the Lost Sheep.”[6] In the parable, the Good Shepherd has 100 sheep, analogous to mature Christians, and one, analogous to the immature Christian, wanders away from the flock. Presumably, that one was offended and caused to leave the flock. The Good Shepherd leaves the 99 behind and goes after that one lost sheep. “And if so be that he find it, verily I say unto you, he rejoiceth more of that sheep, than of the ninety and nine which went not astray. Even so it is not the will of your Father which is in heaven, that one of these little ones should perish” (Matthew 18:13-14, emphasis mine). This further strengthens the argument that Jesus was not speaking of children necessarily, although the application could certainly be made in reference to children. Children watch and learn from adults and many come to Jesus at an early age, so it behooves adult, mature Christians to set a good example that they can follow.

The remainder of the chapter (vv. 15-35) deals with the way we should forgive one another. Forgiveness among the brethren goes a long way in maintaining the bond of fellowship and deters the possibility of offending a “little one.” To illustrate this, Jesus offered another parable of a servant who owed his master (God by analogy) an unimaginable amount of money that could never be repaid. When the master comes to collect, the servant throws himself at the mercy of his master. The master moved with compassion, forgives the debtor, and absolves him of all his debt. God, through Jesus’ sacrifice, has forgiven us of a sin debt that cannot be paid in all of eternity.

Continuing with Jesus’ parable, the servant leaves his master free of all debt, but when he finds a fellow servant who owes him a small amount, he refuses to forgive his fellow servant and has him cast into prison. When the master finds out about the servant’s unforgiving actions, he has him cast into prison until all is paid.

What we learn from this lesson is that we should likewise forgive those “little ones” their offenses toward us, because God has also forgiven us from an eternal debt that we can never repay.

We all carry a debt that we can in no way repay. Jesus died in our place to pay the debt due us. However, we need to come to Him and ask that He, in His mercy, will forgive us. Reader, if you have not asked the Master for that forgiveness, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1]  Mark 9:33-34; Luke 9:46-47

[2] Matthew 17:1-9; Mark 9:2-9; Luke 9:28-36

[3]  Mark 9:31-32; Luke 9:44-45

[4]  All references to “Strong’s” come from the Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries, Dictionaries of Hebrew and Greek Words taken from Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance by James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D., (Published in 1890; public domain).

[5]  Matthew 18:8-9

[6]  Matthew 18:12-13

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October 8, 2023 · 10:00

Spit In The Eye

When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, (John 9:6)

Jesus performed many healing miracles during His time of ministry on earth. The miracles were not only an expression of His compassion for the hurting, but they served as evidence of who He was according to predictive prophecy.

John the Baptist, who baptized Jesus, recognized who He was. “And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God” (John 1:32-34, emphasis mine). Later, John was imprisoned by Herod Antipas, and he started having doubts about the authenticity of Jesus. In order to reassure himself that he had baptized the right man, he sent his disciples to verify that Jesus was indeed the expected Messiah. Responding to their questions, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see: The blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them” (Matthew 11:4-5, emphasis mine).

Jesus quoted prophecy with which John would be familiar as proof of who He was. “Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing: for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert” (Isaiah 35:5-6, emphasis mine). “Thy dead men shall live, together with my dead body shall they arise. Awake and sing, ye that dwell in dust: for thy dew is as the dew of herbs, and the earth shall cast out the dead” (Isaiah 26:19, emphasis mine). “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound” (Isaiah 61:1, emphasis mine).

Jesus performed many miracles proving His power and divinity. So many were His miracles that of Him that the Gospel writer, John said, “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen” (John 21:25).

Blindness was one of the more common healings Jesus performed. In most cases, Jesus simply spoke the word and the blind were healed. For example, the first restoral of sight recorded by Matthew was of two blind men. “And when Jesus departed thence, two blind men followed him, crying, and saying, Thou Son of David, have mercy on us. And when he was come into the house, the blind men came to him: and Jesus saith unto them, Believe ye that I am able to do this? They said unto him, Yea, Lord. Then touched he their eyes, saying, According to your faith be it unto you. And their eyes were opened; and Jesus straitly charged them, saying, See that no man know it” (Matthew 9:27-30, emphasis mine). On another occasion, Matthew records, “Then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind, and dumb: and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw (Matthew 12:22, emphasis mine). In most cases, the healing required faith on the part of the recipient, but in this case, it was the faith of those who brought the demon possessed man to Jesus.

Many more examples could be cited of Jesus healing the blind simply at His word. However, two cases recorded in the Gospels stand out among the others for the “unorthodox” method Jesus employed in healing the blindness. One is recorded in Mark’s Gospel and the other in John’s.

“And he cometh to Bethsaida; and they bring a blind man unto him, and besought him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town; and when he had spit on his eyes, and put his hands upon him, he asked him if he saw ought” (Mark 8:22-23, emphasis mine). This was not an instantaneous healing as in other cases where Jesus healed with just His word. At first the man’s vision was unclear. “And he looked up, and said, I see men as trees, walking. After that he put his hands again upon his eyes, and made him look up: and he was restored, and saw every man clearly.” (Mark 8:24, emphasis mine). Could Jesus not have just spoken the word, as He had on other occasions, and healed the man’s blindness instantly? This has puzzled commentators through the years. Adam Clark suggests, “Our Lord could have restored this man to sight in a moment; but he chose to do it in the way mentioned in the text, to show that he is sovereign of his own graces; and to point out that, however insignificant means may appear in themselves, they are divinely efficacious when he chooses to work by them.”[1] That seems like a reasonable conclusion, but why here and not in all cases?

Albert Barnes is equally puzzled. “Why this was done is not known. It was evidently not intended to perform the cure by any natural effect of the spittle. It was to the man a “sign,” an evidence that it was the power of Jesus. The eyes were probably closed. They were perhaps “gummed” or united together by a secretion that had become hard. To apply spittle to them – to wet them – would be a “sign,” a natural expression of removing the obstruction and opening them. The power was not in the spittle, but it attended the application of it.”[2] This too seems a reasonable explanation, but why spit; why not water or olive oil?

Matthew Henry probably offers the best explanation. “That Christ used a sign; he spat on his eyes (spat into them, so some), and put his hand upon him. He could have cured him, as he did others, with a word speaking, but thus he was pleased to assist his faith which was very weak, and to help him against his unbelief. And this spittle signified the eye-salve wherewith Christ anoints the eyes of those that are spiritually blind.”[3] It is true that Jesus, by the faith of the recipients, healed immediately. But here the blind man was brought to Jesus; he did not come of his volition. Furthermore, Jesus took him by the hand and led him out of the city. This act initiated the man’s trust in the Healer. Spitting into his eyes further convinced the man that Jesus was doing something. At first, he is vision was blurred, but it was better than before. This too served to further increase his faith in Jesus’ healing touch. The second time Jesus touched his eyes, his vision was fully restored.

John records the other vision restoration by spittle in John 9. In this account, Jesus was in Jerusalem, possibly on the Feast of Tabernacles.[4] As he walked in the vicinity of the Temple, He saw a man that was blind from birth.[5] The text implies that Jesus knew that the man was blind from birth, but how the disciple knew is not clear for they asked Him, “Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind?” (John 9:2). They had the common understanding that such tragedies came as a result of sin. Jesus assured them that neither was the case, “but that the works of God should be made manifest in him” (v. 3). With that, Jesus proceeded to restore the man’s vision. “When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing” (John 9:6-7, emphasis mine).

This is another sight restoration that puzzles the commentators. Why would Jesus employ such methods? It could not have been to prove anything to His disciples; they had already seen Him heal blindness. If the purpose was merely to show that sin was not the cause of the man’s blindness, He could have healed him as He had done others. Besides applying mud spitballs to the man’s eyes, Jesus encouraged the man’s faith by sending him to wash in the Pool of Siloam.

Without consulting other commentaries, I suspect I know the reason behind Jesus’ method. (I could be wrong, of course, but I think I have good reason for my conclusion.) Jesus is the Creator. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made” (John 1:3). “For by him [Jesus] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: (Colossians 1:16).

With that understanding, we can look back to Genesis. “And the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul” (Genesis 2:7). God “formed” man out of dirt. The Hebrew word translated “formed” is yâtsar, which Strong’s defines as “to mould into a form; especially as a potter.” By implication, it required God (Jesus) to form and shape the human body out of moist clay.

Coming back to the blind man’s condition, John records that he was “born blind.”[6] That leads me to suspect that the man may have been born with a birth defect where his eyeballs did not develop completely or did not develop at all. The fact that Jesus made clay with His spittle harkens back to the original creation account. Here, Jesus created the missing eyeballs out of the clay. In this, Jesus demonstrated to His disciples and to us in a very clear and visual object lesson that He is the Creator God.

There is physical blindness that impairs the victim from seeing the physical world. There is also a spiritual blindness that impairs the sinner from seeing the spiritual world. Jesus heals both kinds of blindness, but of the two, spiritual blindness is the more severe, for it leads the victim to an eternity separated from the only One that can heal. Reader, if you do not know Jesus, you are spiritually blind. Come to Jesus and be forever healed of that blindness. Read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.”

Notes:

[1]  Adam Clarke, LL.D., F.S.A., (1715-1832), Adam Clarke’s Commentary on the Bible, (Published in 1810-1826; Public Domain).

[2]  Albert Barnes, Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, (Published in 1847-1885; Public Domain).

[3]  Matthew Henry, Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, (Published in 1708-1714; Public Domain).

[4]  John 7:2

[5]  John 9:1

[6]  John 9:19

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September 24, 2023 · 10:00

Judge Not

Judge not, that ye be not judged. (Matthew 7:1)

Throughout church history, false teachings and outright heresies have arisen due to the faulty hermeneutic of taking Scripture, especially a single verse, or even a single phrase within a verse, out of context. So it is with the verse above.

The “lost” frequently stymie the witness of Christians by misquoting this Scripture – “Judge not” – and they stop there without reciting the remaining portion of the verse. The well-meaning, albeit unprepared, Christian studders and stammers not knowing how to respond. They think, “That’s true. Jesus said, ‘Judge not, that ye be not judged.’ I don’t want to be a judge or be judged.” Thus, the Christian is defeated and the lost person continues in his lost condition thinking himself in a superior condition to that of the Christian.

Did Jesus really mean that we should suspend all judgment? We need to read beyond that single phrase or the single verse. In the verses that follow in the same seventh chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus gives several examples where judgment must be employed, but let us first inspect the first verses more closely.

The Greek word translated “judge” in this verse is krinō which means, “to distinguish, that is, decide (mentally or judicially); by implication to try, condemn, punish: – avenge, conclude, condemn, damn, decree, determine, esteem…”[1] Simply put, it means to make a judgment for condemnation. Ultimately, that kind of judgment is reserved for God alone. However, the Christian is free to exercise discernment as to the condition of a lost person, and knowing the consequence of that condition, the Christian is obligated to try and redirect the lost one from the road to perdition to the way of salvation. Scripture is clear on this point. “When I [God] say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul” (Ezekiel 33:8-9, emphasis mine). In order to recognize “that wicked man,” one must exercise judgment, not in a condemning way, but by way of discernment.

The verse (7:1) concludes with, “that ye be not judged.” In other words, “Do not condemn, so that you are not condemned.” In the Ezekiel passage above, judgment (discernment) must be exercised to identify the “wicked man” and “to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity.” The condemnation to the Christian comes for failing to warn the “wicked man” – “his blood will I require at thine hand.” It is not our place to condemn anyone, not even the “wicked man.” In fact, that is exactly what we do when we recognize a lost person, and we fail to witness to them. We have effectively condemned them to an eternity in hell.

Jesus continues: “For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again” (Matthew 7:2). Consider an occasion where you judge (discern) that someone is lost and you resist the Spirit’s prompting to share Christ with that person. Now consider Jesus looking at you with the same regard you gave to that lost person. Is that not a frightening thought?

Jesus gives self-examination as the prerequisite for making a judgment. He uses hyperbole in His example of inspecting a mote (speck) in someone’s eye while having a “beam” in one’s own eye. “Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:5). We need to keep our own sin in check before trying to correct the sin in others.

Jesus does not call us to suspend all judgment. Indeed, the verse that follows cannot be accomplished without a certain degree of judgment and discernment. “Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you” (Matthew 7:6, emphasis mine). Jesus uses the terms “that which is holy” and “your pearls” synonymously to represent the precious Gospel that we have. “‘Dogs’ signify people who spurn, oppose, and abuse that doctrine; people of special sourness and malignity of temper, who meet it like growling and quarrelsome curs, Php_3:2; 2Pe_2:22; Rev_22:15. “Swine” denote those who would trample the precepts underfoot; people of impurity of life; those who are corrupt, polluted, profane, obscene, and sensual; those who would not know the value of the gospel, and who would tread it down as swine would pearls, 2Pe_2:22; Pro_11:22”[2] (emphasis mine). Obviously, one needs to make a judgment call to discern who are the “dogs” and the “swine.”

Identifying false prophets requires judgment. Jesus warns against false prophets who disguise themselves “in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves” (7:15). They can be known. Jesus says, “Ye shall know them by their fruits” (7:16). Their “fruit” is what they produce. Do they bear the “fruit of the Spirit”?[3] Paul sums up the fruit of the Spirit like this: “For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Ephesians 5:9). If you suspend judgment when you come under a false teacher, how will you know that the teacher is teaching truth? If you suspend judgment, you will swallow everything a false teacher feeds you because, after all, he/she is a seminary graduate with a Ph.D.! Do not let letter suffixes cloud your judgment.

Do not be intimidated by those who misquote and misuse Scripture. Remember, Satan excels in twisting Scripture. He did it with Eve in the Garden of Eden,[4] and he tried it with Jesus in the wilderness.[5] Those who throw up the “judge not” roadblock are only parroting Satan’s tactics. Don’t fall for it. Stick to your guns. Stick to the Word. Don’t even flinch when you hear “judge not!”

Reader, do you know the Lord Jesus? If not, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.” He is coming soon and you need to be ready. You can read more about that on my “Revelation” page.

Notes:

[1]  Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries, (Published in 1890; public domain).

[2]  Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, (Published in 1847-85; public domain).

[3]  Galatians 5:22-23

[4]  Genesis 3:1-6

[5]  Matthew 4:1-11; Luke 4:1-13

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September 17, 2023 · 10:00

Lord

When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John, (John 4:1)

I never cease to be surprised by how often I read a familiar passage in Scripture and see something new that escaped me all the previous times I read that particular passage. So it was this week when I read in John, Chapter Four, in my daily Bible reading. It is the account of Jesus meeting the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well.[1]

I do not know how many times I have read this account, how many sermons I’ve heard preached on it, or how many times it has been covered in Sunday School lessons. It has become a very familiar passage, which I can almost recite verbatim. However, this time, the first verse struck me like running into a solid brick wall. I had to stop and take a closer look.

The verse reads: “When therefore the Lord knew how the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made and baptized more disciples than John” (John 4:1, emphasis mine). Do you see it? Obviously, the context informs us that “the Lord” refers to Jesus, but why does John use that word? He is obviously referring to Jesus, so why doesn’t he just come out and say so? He could have said, “When therefore Jesus knew how the Pharisees had heard the He made and baptized more disciples than John [the Baptist].” That made me curious.

I looked up the verse in the popular English Standard Version (ESV) which reads like this: “Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John.” Well, there you go! Of course, this makes it appear as if Jesus obtained this information via rumor or through the grapevine. That is very plausible, but it minimizes Jesus’ attribute of omniscience.

The New English Translation (NET) reads similarly, but removes any guesswork: “Now when Jesus knew that the Pharisees had heard that he was winning and baptizing more disciples than John.” “Knowing” is stronger than “learning.” The New Living Translation (NLT) also uses “knew” instead of “learned:” “Jesus knew the Pharisees had heard that he was baptizing and making more disciples than John.”

However, my question is not about “learned” vs. “knew,” but rather about “Lord” vs. “Jesus.” In context, we already know that John is talking about Jesus, but as the subject of the sentence, he uses “Lord” instead of “Jesus.” Why?

In the Greek text, the subject noun is κύριος (kurios). Strong’s defines it as “supreme in authority, that is, (as noun) controller; by implication Mr. (as a respectful title): – God, Lord, master, Sir.”

John’s main purpose for writing his Gospel was to emphasize the deity of Christ, therefore, the use of “Lord” for Jesus makes sense in that He is God.[2] The NET makes a notation for its use of “Jesus” instead of “Lord” suggesting that “the internal evidence seems to be on the side of ᾿Ιησοῦς. ‘Jesus’ is mentioned two more times in the first two verses of chapter four in a way that is stylistically awkward…”[3] However, the same note admits that “Several early and significant witnesses [i.e, manuscripts], along with the majority of later ones (P66c,75 A B C L Ws Ψ 083 ƒ13 33 M sa), have κύριος (kurios, “Lord”) here instead of ᾿Ιησοῦς (Iēsous, “Jesus”).”[4] So, they make that choice for “stylistic” reasons?

So, what’s the big deal? Well, first of all, John chose to use “Lord” and not “Jesus” because as Lord, i.e., God, Jesus “knew” (He is omniscient) without needing to gather information secondhand, as the ESV suggests by the use of “learned.” He knew what the Pharisees were thinking. He knew what was in their hearts, and He knew they were looking for any opportunity to find guilt in Him. John the Baptist had a large following, and this troubled them. John the Baptist had called the Pharisees a “generation of vipers.”[5] Now here comes Jesus drawing a larger following of disciples than John the Baptist. This really had them worried.

The “Lord” Jesus knew their hearts and their intents because, as God, He knows the hearts of men. He had no need to learn it through any other means. John wanted to make that clear. Jesus is Lord. Jesus is God. He “knows.” He does not “learn.”

Reader, do you know the Lord Jesus? If not, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.” He is coming soon and you need to be ready. You can read more about that on my “Revelation” page.

Notes:

[1]  John 4:12

[2]  John 1:1

[3]  https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+4%3A1&version=NET

[4]  Ibid.

[5]  Matthew 3:7; Luke 3:7

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September 10, 2023 · 10:00

Maybe This Year

Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (1 Corinthians 15:51-52)

For many years now, this time of year brings a strong sense of anticipation to me. Next Friday, September 15/16 celebrates the Jewish festival of Yom Teruah, a/k/a Rosh HaShanah, or the Feast of Trumpets. It sounds the beginning of the new civil year 5783.

God gave the Children of Israel seven “feasts of the Lord”[1] that they were required to observe: Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, Pentecost, Trumpets, Atonement, and Tabernacles. The first four took place in the spring and were fulfilled by Jesus’ crucifixion (Passover), His burial (Unleavened Bread), His resurrection (First Fruits), and His ascension and the coming of the Holy Spirit (Pentecost). The final three, the fall feasts have not yet been fulfilled: Trumpets (His return with the “a great sound of a trumpet”[2]), Atonement (He judges the nations), and Tabernacles (He comes to dwell among His people).

Granted, all of these Feasts of the Lord,[3] apply to Israel and NOT to the Church. However, I cannot restrain my excitement when the day approaches because according to Paul, there is a trumpet associated with the Rapture of the Church (see our starting verse above.) Elsewhere, he says, “For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, emphasis mine). In the Book of Revelation, John experienced a type of the Rapture when he records, “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne” (Revelation 4:1-2, emphasis mine). So, why not the Feast of Trumpets for the Rapture event?

Many will argue with Jesus’ words: “But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only” (Matthew 24:36, emphasis mine). The Gospel writer, Mark, includes “the Son” among those who are unknowing. “But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father” (Mark 13:32, emphasis mine). Matthew did not miss it, and Mark was not in error. The fact remains that Jesus, in His humanity as “a man,” was not privy to the Father’s plans in that regard. However, He now sits at the right hand of the Father.[4] Surely, He is not presently ignorant of the day or the hour.

We cannot know the day or the hour of the Rapture because it has always been taught as imminent in the New Testament, that is, it could happen at any time. The Apostle Paul certainly thought it could occur during his lifetime. “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2, emphasis mine). For some reason, the Thessalonians feared that the Rapture had taken place and they missed it. From Paul’s teaching, they felt that the coming was very near. He did not retract his teaching of imminency, but only reassured them that it had not taken place yet. So, we are left with the same teaching – the Lord could come for us at any time.

We do not know the day or the hour. However, we know that it is nearer now than ever because we see the signs of His Second Coming, as foretold by the prophets and by Jesus Himself, increasing in frequency and intensity. Those prophecies detail the events of the seven-year Tribulation that precedes Christ’s return to earth as King of Kings and Lord of Lords.[5] However, Jesus snatches away (Raptures) His Church sometime prior to the beginning of the Tribulation.

That brings me back to the Feast of Trumpets. Rosh HaShanah is known as the feast where “no man knows the day or the hour.” This is why it is observed over two days. The reason for that is that Yom Teruah (“Day of Trumpets) begins at the first sighting of the new moon on Tishri (the seventh month on the Jewish calendar) 1 or 2. It is the new moon that signals the beginning of the feast and no one knows exactly when that will take place. Could Jesus have been referring to the Feast of Trumpets when He said that “no man knows the day or the hour”?

For this reason and for the fact that the Rapture of the Church seems to be accompanied by the sounding of a trumpet, I get excited when the Feast of Trumpets comes around. For many years now, I have looked forward with anticipation at this time of year, and for many years I have been “disappointed” – not discouraged. I realize that God is not obligated to meet my expectations of events that are fully in His control. Whether Jesus calls us home next Friday/Saturday or not, I know that one day soon, we will hear that trumpet call and go to meet Him in the air. “What a day, glorious day, that will be!”

            Jesus could call His people home anytime soon. Reader, are you prepared for that day? If not, please read my page on “Securing Eternal Life.” You can also find more information on the “last days” on my “Revelation”

Notes:

[1]  “Rosh HaShanah” – Rosh HaShanah | Ernie’s Musings (erniecarrasco.com)

[2]  Matthew 24:31

[3]  Leviticus 23

[4]  Matthew 26:64; Mark 14:62; 16:19; Luke 22:69; Acts 7:56; Ephesians 1:19-20; Colossians 3:1; Hebrews 1:3; 12:2; 1 Peter 3:21-22

[5]  Revelation 19:16

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