YES, HE is Talking to YOU! (continued)
Love is the Fulfilling of the Law
Jesus cautions us about idle words, telling us we should be careful in what we say and the Apostle James goes to great length to teach us of the power of the tongue and what is the power of what words we say. Yet, we sometimes believe that the Master’s words are just that, idle an of no moment. Though His statement “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account there of in the day of judgment” (Matthew 12:36) was directed at the Pharisees, not for what they said but for what He perceived that they were thinking about the nature of Christ, it also has the power, as does all that the Master says, to stand alone. We continually bypass the true meaning of what He says although we know that most all of His teaching was by parable and this is true whether His individual sayings are called parables or not. A reminder that Jesus tells us, quoting the saying of one of the prophets, that: “I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world” (Matthew 13:35)” and of the confirmation of this by Matthew saying: “All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them” (Matthew 13:34), should serve to keep us looking deeply into His words for their right meaning. And we should remember that as we grow in our spiritual life we will continue to gain new revelation and His words will take on ever new and deeper meaning.
Our last topic was a good example of the depth of what can come out of what is, on the surface, portrayed as a rather straightforward exchange between Jesus and the Sadducees. The commentaries that we have presented on this clearly show that most all have missed the spiritual import that the Master was conveying to us and which was buried in His comments regarding the Sadducees errors in understanding their own scriptures. He was teaching us on the nature of angels, the Truth of resurrection and its relationship to the Kingdom of God. We did go rather long on this because of our perceived importance of these subjects and the general misunderstanding that prevails in the Christian world today. Today we take up some more of the Masters teaching that some may consider to be just idle words given in answer to a question but which, when rightly discerned, carry forth a lesson for us all.
“There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all like wise perish. Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell , and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish” (Luke 13:1-5). We can call this the Parable of Preparedness because as our message develops we will see that this is the intent of this teaching by the Master.
Here again the commentaries do not do any justice to the message from Jesus. Most start off with a supposed history based on little or no fact and addressing the why of Pilate’s actions. One then paints the idea of the slain Galilaeans and those killed by the fallen tower as examples of the death of sinners who, while not ” sinners above all“, were subject to the Judgement of God. John Gill says here: “God’s judgments are a great deep, and not to be fathomed by us, nor is it to be easily known, when any thing befalls persons in a way of judgment; there is nothing comes by chance, but every thing by the wise disposal of divine providence, to answer some end or another” (John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible)8 relegating the deaths of these men to divine judgment. This concept is not in the words of Christ. Gill goes on to say that the idea of “ye shall all like wise perish” is in reference to the Fall of Jerusalem which occurs many years later. Again, is this in the words of the Master? or is this idea in the words of men trying to reconcile Jesus sayings to some reality.
Another commentary (The Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible)8 starts out with the same theory regarding the how and the why of Pilate’s actions and then takes this approach: News of this being brought to our Lord, to draw out His views of such, and whether it was not a judgment of Heaven, He simply points them to the practical view of the matter: “These men are not signal examples of divine vengeance, as ye suppose; but every impenitent sinner–ye yourselves, except ye repent–shall be like monuments of the judgment of Heaven, and in a more awful sense.” The reference here to the impending destruction of Jerusalem is far from exhausting our Lord’s weighty words; they manifestly point to a “perdition” of a more awful kind–future, personal, remediless. Here, in the practical view of the matter is a bit more reality; these men were not singled out because of sin but does nothing to explain any further and again goes on to the supposed prediction of the Fall of Jerusalem.
Matthew Henry, in his Commentary on the Whole Bible (concise)8 paints a different picture and one which we should see as closer to the meaning that Jesus intended. He says: In Christ’s reply he spoke of another event, which, like it, gave an instance of people taken away by sudden death. Towers, that are built for safety, often prove to be men’s destruction. He cautioned his hearers not to blame great sufferers, as if they were therefore to be accounted great sinners. As no place or employment can secure from the stroke of death, we should consider the sudden removals of others as warnings to ourselves. On these accounts Christ founded a call to repentance. The same Jesus that bids us repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand, bids us repent, for otherwise we shall perish. In the forgoing we should see that there are and can be many diverse interpretations of scripture. All these commentaries, by men renowned for their understanding of scripture, show a diversity of thought as regards the Master’s teaching. We, many years later, see still different things in Jesus words as do many forward thinking pastors and teachers. However, there are many that still subscribe only to what they were taught and what they have accepted thereby stunting the growth of the words of the Master to the many who listen.
What do we see in this Parable of Preparedness? First we should see that this exchange between Jesus and the questioners is in the midst of a long series of teachings and parables including that version of the Sermon on the Mount that is found in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus is presumably talking to His disciples and to those who could hear His words for there were “an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another” (Luke 12:1). The text does say in several places that Jesus is speaking to His disciples but interspersed is “one of the company said unto him” and to start our subject verses there is “There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans“. So, it is rather unclear as to the depth of the audience but this question is asked by some that had heard, just a few verses before, the Parable of the Rich Fool and what we addressed as the Parable of the Faithful Servant. It is in the latter that we find the key to our subject verses today; that we should follow the message that we gleaned from that parable as it was told in all three synoptic gospels: “watch and pray” and “be ye also ready“. So we have here a number of Galilaeans that are killed by Pilate and 18 (some say 12) on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed. This is not unlike today where a plane may crash or a bus goes off the road or a madman opens fire. We can be young or old, male or female, Christian or Jew, it does not matter; we can all find ourselves as a part of the catastrophe. Jesus tells us that those that die are not necessarily greater sinners than those that escaped and, He does tell us too, behind the words, that we should be ready for whatsoever may come our way.
Notice that the Master does not talk about dying in His comment to them of: “except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish“. He uses only the word perish and He uses it in conjunction with the need to repent. We have seen in prior posts that he thought of repentance needs to be seen in the proper light and understood for what it is. It is not remorse though that may be included, nor is it being sorry for the wrong that one does though that may be a necessary factor; repentance is CHANGE. Let us look further at these two words, repent and perish. Websters says of perish: to be destroyed; to pass away; to become nothing; to be lost; to die; hence, to wither; to waste away1. The lexicon gives us a similar idea; from the Greek word apollumi we find: to destroy; to put out of the way entirely, abolish, put an end to, ruin; render useless; to kill; to declare that one must be put to death; metaph. to devote or give over to eternal misery in hell; to perish, to be lost, ruined, destroyed; to destroy; to lose2. To what does the Master refer then when He uses this word? Strong’s paints it as a term signifying violence saying that violence and strife is often the associative meaning related to this word3. So how do we place the meaning in the context of what Jesus says? The reality of this word comes for us from Jesus own words elsewhere as He uses it in relation to eternal life: “That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:15) and, speaking of those who follow Him as their Shepherd He says: “I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish , neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:28). We should see here that them Master is not talking of death and we will say also that He is not talking of death in our subject verses either but rather of the loss of that eternal life which is Life in the Kingdom of God. As we presented in an earlier post that discussed eternal life (In the Words of Jesus parts 34 and 35), the Master says “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent” (John 17:3) defining for us the real meaning and that is that eternal life clearly is knowing God as both the of Father and Son.
What should we take from Jesus words then when He says this saying that first tells them that death can happen to anyone and at any time and that “except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish“. First we should take it as it says in that we are all susceptible to the same fate; catastrophe does not happen to groups of sinners and, despite what you may here from some pulpits, it does not only strike sinners and non-believers and, it is not a measure of either. Things happen and they happen away from our ideas of Providence. Providence, if it is to have any effect on us at all, would be to prevent a person from a situation and then only if that person is perceptive enough to realize it. Nor is it judgement that attacks us as some suggest and we could say that to believe this way is to judge those who are subject to whatever the calamity. We never know the time of our demise and as the Master tells the disciples and those assembled just moments earlier in this series of teachings and known parables “Be ye therefore ready also” (Luke 12:40). Yes, here He is speaking about the coming of the Son of Man but we must remember that this is a parable and it says so much more as we saw in our review of this parable (In the Words of Jesus part 103). He tells us here that whether it be the end of the world or the end of our time in the world we should be ready. Here then comes the thought of repentance as this defines the how to be ready.
As we said, repentance is a much misunderstood word in the Christian world. It is properly defined by some but its right definition is not the popular view. It is translated from the Greek word metanoeo of which the lexicon says: to change one’s mind, i.e. to repent; to change one’s mind for better, heartily to amend with abhorrence of one’s past sins2; this is the reality of repentance. Our usage however is different. From Webster’s we have: to feel pain, sorrow, or regret, for what one has done or omitted to do. To change the mind, or the course of conduct, on account of regret or dissatisfaction. (Theol.)To be sorry for sin as morally evil, and to seek forgiveness; to cease to love and practice sin1. It is interesting to note that this definition is from the 1913 edition and that in the 1828 edition the word is not defined at all except as it applies to vegetation. Modern definitions leave off any reference to change altogether as in this: 1. to feel sorry, self-reproachful, or contrite for past conduct; regret or be conscience-stricken about a past action, attitude, etc. (often followed by of): He repented after his thoughtless act. 2. to feel such sorrow for sin or fault as to be disposed to change one’s life for the better; be penitent. verb (used with object) 3. to remember or regard with self-reproach or contrition: to repent one’s injustice to another. 4. to feel sorry for; regret: to repent an imprudent act7. Here we have a word that has totally lost its meaning and has become a synonym for being sorry and we know this is not what the Master had in mind when He said “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matthew 4:17) nor is being sorry what He means here.
This exchange between the questioners and the Master are yet another teaching hidden behind what appear to be ordinary statements about the times or the places. He is telling us that we do not know when the end will come, neither our personal end nor a final end of all, and that we should be always ready. That it is not the worst sinners that are subject to bad things, we all are and we know not when. Jesus goes on to tell us how to be ready; repent, change from sinful ways lest we lose our place or, worse yet, never find our place in His Kingdom and His Presence and our opportunity to Know God.
Note on the Quote of the Day
This daily blog also has a Quote of the Day which may not be in any way related to the essay. Many of these will be from the Bible and some just prayers or meditations that may have an influence on you and are in line with the subject matter of this blog. As the quote will change daily and will not store with the post, it is repeated in this section with the book reference and comment.
Leaving yesterday’s Quote of the Day for another day.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not (John 1:1-5).
Today’s Quote of the Day is from the Prologue of the Gospel of John and is a testimony to the spiritual nature of God and of Christ and of Man. We so limit the fullness of the potency of God and Christ and Man by our doctrines and our dogmatic positions on these three aspects of Life. We don’t understand but we dictate what is and what should be.
- 1 Websters Revised Unabridged Dictionary, 1828 and 1913
- 2 New Testament Greek Lexicon on BibleStudyTools.com
- 3 Strongest Strongs Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible – 2001
- 7 Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc.
- 8 Bible commentaries on BibleStudyTools.com
