Romans 9 by an Arminian
This is a link to a very feisty Arminian’s blog; if I could use Dr. John Piper’s words hah. Anyway, this person commented on one of my blogs a while ago. If you click the link here, you’ll be directed to my blog about Phil Johnson’s excellent sermon “Closet Calvinists.” Being in college I find it difficult to do a lot of responding to Arminian theology unless it’s at dinner or lunch time or in the dorms. I mostly attempt to acquire more knowledge of my own side of the story, but as someone interested in apologetics, I must be dedicated to getting the other side of the story too. Anyway, all this to say, I popped around on this person’s blog and wanted to see if he had any articles about Romans 9 or James White. I found this particular article concerning Romans 9, which is a link to an Arminian teaching on the famous passage. Indeed, this person’s blog has a feature on the homepage, a drop down menu with favored links; this sermon is one of those links. Seeing as this person puts a good deal of favor on this sermon, I wanted to check it out.
What did I find? Unfortunately I did not find solid exegesis of the text. Unfortunately, our Arminian brothers fail once again to walk through the text without jumping around to other passages to read their theology into it. This teacher, Dennis McCallum, misrepresented Reformed Theology as being a fatalistic philosophy. I was in the library when I was listening to this (actually I was watching the youtube videos) and I almost chuckled because of his, frankly bad, argumentation. I guess I’ll highlight a few of his points and a few other things that stood out to me that show that theology matters*.
He started his presentation with the Calvinistic reading of Romans 9 and ended with the idea that Calvinists fail to look at Romans 9 in context. Obviously he very poorly represented Reformed Theology by utterly failing to account for why Calvinists hold to their position. Calvinists hold to their interpretation by ACTUALLY LOOKING TO THE CONTEXT OF THE PASSAGE IN QUESTION. He did not mention Romans 8 even once in the presentation. As much as I say that Arminians ruin passages by failing to account for context, this man illustrates it better than words. Instead of looking at what Paul was talking about, Mr. McCallum reverted to the standard Arminian interpretation of Romans 9. Mr. McCallum went through the notion that Romans 9 is about national election, God choosing a nation through which His purposes would be accomplished. There is absolutely no reason to fall prey to such an ideology, but theology matters. When one’s theology is not completely fixed upon the centrality of God’s freedom in creation, then there is no other option than to revert to this massacre of the text of Scripture. Call me mean and judgmental, but I’m just pointing out what this man illustrates clearly. Watch the video/ listen to the mp3 yourself.
Interestingly enough, when he goes through the “Calvinist Reading” he doesn’t even start at the beginning of the passage; he starts in verse 6. Oh but ALL Arminians take the passages in context and no Calvinist would walk through the text verse by verse in regards to context. *Ahem* Yeah… just pointing something out that seemed interesting to me. Instead of objectively getting what the other side actually says, he sort of makes up what we believe because he has the false presupposition that absolute fealty to God’s sovereign purpose (Reformed Theology) is tantamount to fatalism. Theology matters.
Another thing that stood out to me is something that Dr. James White often decries Arminians and Roman Catholics of doing. Instead of walking through the text (in its context) other groups that don’t want to deal with the sovereignty of God in salvation simply jump to other texts, get meaning from those disjointed passages and read those meanings back into the text at hand, in this case Romans 9. Mr. McCallum does just this. He jumps around to Genesis and Malachi (standard Arminian argumentation) instead of trying to see why Paul was quoting these passages. Why was Paul quoting these passages? That information is found directly in the context. The ending portion of Romans 8 concerns the wonderful promise of security in salvation because God actively works in salvation. Paul’s detractors would have questioned him concerning the fate of Israel as a nation (interestingly enough the Arminian interpretation is exactly what Paul is refuting in Romans 9). Paul goes on to say in verse 6 of chapter 9 that not all who are of Israel are truly of Israel. The promises of justification and glorification (Romans 8:30) are only for those who have been called according to God’s purpose of justification and glorification (Romans 8:28-29). Mr. McCallum states that the destination of souls is not even discussed in Romans 9, and I suppose such would be true if you just rip the chapter out of Romans and discuss it in that way. Paul’s argumentation, on the other hand, flows from what he was saying in Romans 8. If the Arminian interpretation is correct, Romans 9 is an illogical formulation of thought placed in the middle of an entirely alien context. It really stands that Arminians cannot walk through this text. Theology matters.
Yet another thing that sticks out to me is his reason for accepting the interpretation that he does. He mentions that when he read Romans 9:13 that he could no reconcile the words “Esau I hated.” Again, and I cannot stress this enough, theology matters! Do you not understand, sir, that God is an angry and righteous and holy and just God? Do you not understand, sir, that God has complete authority in all of heaven and earth to send every single person straight into the pit of hell? Mr. McCallum, perhaps you completely missed chapters 1 and 3 of the very book you’re attempting to interpret? Romans 3 is Paul’s litany of the depravity of mankind. If you want to go to Jeremiah 17:9 you are justified in this sense, because all men are desperately wicked in their hearts. Here is an occasion where you can supplement your teaching with other passages of Scripture. Why, then, do you seek to advocate sinful men, sir? What standing does a man have before the death invoking presence of God? When Isaiah saw the I AM in Isaiah 6, were it not for God’s purposes, he would have, in the words of the Prophet, been undone. When one’s theology is not utterly fixed upon the righteous purpose of the Creator but upon the supposed autonomy of man, it will follow that he will not properly handle God’s Word. Theology matters, friends.
Still another thing that stood out to me was the fact this man took the Lord’s name in vain three times during the presentation. I don’t want to make a sweeping generalization but it seems to me that Arminians don’t have as proper an understanding of the need to mortify the flesh and the nature of the necessity of repentance. It’s simply an observation of my own experiences. Perhaps it is a very real vindication of the idea that theology matters.
So why this indictment of a Christian brother? Notice that I do with certainty believe this man to be a brother in the faith, as I do with most Arminians. What I want more than the brotherhood of a differing interpretation of the Bible, however, is a true interpretation of the Bible. I believe with all of my heart that the Doctrines of Grace, Reformed Theology, Calvinism, whatever you wish to call it; I believe that the Doctrines of Grace do justice to the Scriptures when objectively considered and when the presupposition is God’s sovereignty and man’s createdness. I, with the Apostle Paul in Romans 9, wish that all of my brothers could come to an acceptance of the absolutely beautiful Doctrines of Grace! I don’t want to simply have a good argument or have more head knowledge; I would that all my brothers come to the liberating, God centered, Soli Deo Gloria theology that is Calvinism! I find that the sovereignty of God in all things, especially my salvation, is beyond words of laude. If I were in charge of my own eternal destiny I would be so utterly terrified, because I would not know whether or not to think if I truly had attained justification. If, on the other hand, my salvation is in the hands of an almighty and sovereign and loving God, my fate is sealed and His work will continue! The Doctrines of Grace, I believe, illustrate the God of the Bible as He is given to us: in the Bible. The Reformed notion of Sola Scriptura resounds most clearly and most wonderfully in the Doctrines of Grace, in what we call Calvinism.
In light of my devotion to the Scriptures and to the God Who revealed Himself mightily to me, I quote Martin Luther, “Here I stand; I can do no otherwise. God help me. Amen!”
~Grace and Peace
*Theology matters is a very common yet very profound statement by Dr. James White and it means that if one's theology is wrong then it will follow that the lifestyle and actions of that person will not be in conformity with what the Bible truly teaches
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Romans 9 with James White
I just got done listening to a wonderful exegesis of Romans 9:1-24 by Dr. James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries. I’ve posted a sort of bio on James White before, so I’ll leave it up to the reader to find out more about him (I highly recommend it).
One of the most admirable things about Dr. White is his ability to faithfully and consistently exegete Scripture, stripping away traditions and anthropocentric philosophy. Instead he replaces these burdens of exegesis with a Sola Scriptura-Soli Deo Gloria approach to Scripture. With these wonderful tools in hand and with his Reformed Apologetic ever present, he tackles this seemingly tough passage of Scripture with ease. One can tell that he is very well versed in the presentation of this passage of Scripture, but he does well in presenting it in the context of his audience and with a captivating way of presentation. Near the end of his presentation, he mentions something that I found interesting and very, very insightful. Dr. White does not even mention such terms as these: Reformed Theology, Predestination, Divine Election, Reprobation, John Calvin (only once at the end), Calvinism, Arminianism: he simply approaches the text of Scripture. I love that about him. He doesn’t need to be embroiled in a debate with a Synergist to be able to present exactly what the text is saying. Indeed, he mentions that this text is not a hard text if one really considers it. If one would put forth some effort, he would find that the text is unambiguous and clear. Dr. White is on my Top 5 Contemporary Theologians, and I think you can begin to see why.
I’ll just highlight some of the points he camped on.
People opposed to Reformed Theology often dismiss Romans 9 as a text that displays the electing purposes of God and the process of election. In the same motion they disregard the closely tied doctrine of Limited Atonement. They instead seek to justify the notion that Romans 9 is simply talking about nations. Verse 13, they say, refers to Jacob and Esau as the nations of Israel and Edom. What is sad is that if they would simply walk through the text, they would see their errors. The reason Paul was writing this chapter was because the people who raised up arguments against his theology of Romans 8 had one thing in mind: the promises to God’s people are void because the Jews are apostates. Let me just point out that the context of any passage of Scripture is exceedingly important. Back to business. So God’s promises are of no value at all, Paul, because these so-called people of God (the Jews) rejected their God on innumerable occasions! Read the book of Kings and you will see! So what did Paul do? He eloquently and easily refutes these arguments by appealing to the theology of election. How does he do this? He mentions the obvious truth that not every son of Abraham is a partaker of the covenant blessing. Verse 6: “For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel.” Just as God elected Isaac over Ishmael, so does God act with every man! God preserves for Himself a people, that is the whole point of the nation of Israel and the Remnant. Going even further, God chose Jacob over Esau. This is the next point.
The election of Jacob over Esau is a very curious thing in Scripture. Let’s look at it from three different perspectives.
First, the aesthetic appeal of Jacob versus Esau. This is an easy one, I mean come on. Especially in today’s Hollywood dominated society. Esau is muscular, physically fit, physically oriented, he’s an outdoorsman, he’s a hunter, he had good looks; he had just about everything going for him. Jacob on the other hand? He was probably a pale-faced, skinny boy. He was a momma’s boy and a deceiver and a liar. Really, who would you rather want on the team? Who would lead God’s people to victory over the nations? Esau hands down.
Second, the Arminian view of election. When Arminians face Romans 8 and the clear word “elect” they attempt pitifully to create an extra-Biblical, man-centered doctrine of election. God simply looks down the corridors of time and sees who will choose Him; that’s how He chooses the elect! Really? Is that how it works? There’s really no reason to go into how utterly bankrupt this ideology is; perhaps I can do it later. This “theology” is not a theology, but an anthropology. It is a completely man-centered doctrine of salvation, and I hate such a doctrine. Verse 11 seems to deal directly with this. It was not by any works that they did but by His call. The text really couldn’t be any more clear. Indeed, when Paul refers to God as a Potter, any idea that somehow the clay calls out to the Potter what to make him into is easily dismissed as laughable.
Finally, the last point: God’s freedom in election. This is really the only logical formulation of thought. To be more forward, this is the only biblical formulation of thought. God is the free agent of the universe, NOT man. Again we look to verse 11; it mentions God’s purpose. God has a purpose, and that purpose is going to be accomplished. There will be no “free will” of man to frustrate the designs of the Almighty. The doctrine of election is the only soteriology that allows for the freedom of God. Are you, Mr. Arminian, going to blatantly deny the freedom and sovereignty of God with such debonair? Perhaps you should look more clearly into Reformed Theology. Verse 13 is one of the most powerful verses in Scripture. “As it is written, ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.’” Yes there is the argument that Malachi is referring to the countries produced by Jacob and Esau, but that is not the case. In the Jacob and Esau narrative, God spoke to Rebekah before her sons were even born and told her whom He had elected. God loved Jacob and at the same time He hated Esau. What a powerful statement. Before they were even born, before either of them took a single breath, their fate was sealed by the Almighty God. This is how God chooses a people; not everyone of Abraham is truly of Abraham. Not everyone of Isaac is truly of Isaac.
So we have discussed the three ways of looking at how God chose His elect, two man-centered ways and one God-centered way. Anthropology versus Theology; which is more important? Let me get to another point that Dr. White is known for making about Romans 9, and I love this.
Look again at verse 13. God loved Jacob and hated Esau. Those are powerful words. Do you see the power? Do you really? Look closer, you may have missed it. The amazing thing about Romans 9:13 is NOT that God HATED Esau. God had every reason to hate Esau; He would have been completely just in sending Esau straight into infinite and undying torment as soon as he entered into the world. He would have been just in killing Rebekah in child birth for her wickedness as a human being. He would have been just in sending the earth up in a ball of flame that very moment for the sins that would be committed by Edom AND Israel. Do you see the absolutely amazing thing in Romans 9:13? It is not that God hated Esau, because every man deserves the hatred of Almighty God. The utterly AMAZING thing about Romans 9:13 is that He loved Jacob! Why would God even choose any man? Why would God choose a multitude of people? Because God has a purpose that is not able to be seen outside of Reformed Theology. God is wishing to display the panorama of His glory to all things created. God could have saved no man, thus displaying the awesome power of His wrath (Romans 9:22). If this is the case, where is God’s love? God could have saved every man, thus displaying His infinite love and mercy (Romans 9:23)! Where, then, is God’s justice? What must be the case is a combination of these two. God, being completely free, chooses for Himself a people. God will mercy whom He will mercy, and He will harden whom He hardens. I hate the autonomy of man; not that it exists. I hate that man seeks to perpetuate the sickening idolatry of autonomy.
The traditions of men are exceedingly difficult to get past, but the Scripture behooves you to let your traditions about God go. If your traditions are not based on the biblical view of God, than it is rooted and based in the amorphous view of the “Grandfather in the Sky.” People opposed to Reformed Theology are so used to hearing about God as the God of love, that they do not see that He is an angry and furiously provoked God. When a person’s theology is better described as an anthropology, they will hear their echoed voice in Romans 9:19. “Who is at fault, for who can resist the will of a freely acting God?” Perhaps one of the greatest verses in all of Scripture is Romans 9:20, “Who are you, O man, that you answer back to God?”
I love the Doctrines of Grace, and I will embrace the biblical apologetic of Calvinism till the very end. I have no fealty to Calvin, though I revere the man of God that he was. Calvin would be the first to condemn anyone who would swear allegiance simply to his name. John Calvin was a man who faithfully and incomparably studied the Scriptures. His passion for God’s glory is unfathomable. Calvin’s devotion to God’s Word is the reason we credit our theology with his name. Calvin would surely agree, however, that he was simply working to expound the truth of God’s perfect and beautiful revelation.
Dr. White had many other wonderful things to say in this presentation, and I highly recommend his materials if you are willing to allow the Bible to scrutinize your traditions and your life.
Here’s the link to his presentation
Grace and Peace
~Rich
One of the most admirable things about Dr. White is his ability to faithfully and consistently exegete Scripture, stripping away traditions and anthropocentric philosophy. Instead he replaces these burdens of exegesis with a Sola Scriptura-Soli Deo Gloria approach to Scripture. With these wonderful tools in hand and with his Reformed Apologetic ever present, he tackles this seemingly tough passage of Scripture with ease. One can tell that he is very well versed in the presentation of this passage of Scripture, but he does well in presenting it in the context of his audience and with a captivating way of presentation. Near the end of his presentation, he mentions something that I found interesting and very, very insightful. Dr. White does not even mention such terms as these: Reformed Theology, Predestination, Divine Election, Reprobation, John Calvin (only once at the end), Calvinism, Arminianism: he simply approaches the text of Scripture. I love that about him. He doesn’t need to be embroiled in a debate with a Synergist to be able to present exactly what the text is saying. Indeed, he mentions that this text is not a hard text if one really considers it. If one would put forth some effort, he would find that the text is unambiguous and clear. Dr. White is on my Top 5 Contemporary Theologians, and I think you can begin to see why.
I’ll just highlight some of the points he camped on.
People opposed to Reformed Theology often dismiss Romans 9 as a text that displays the electing purposes of God and the process of election. In the same motion they disregard the closely tied doctrine of Limited Atonement. They instead seek to justify the notion that Romans 9 is simply talking about nations. Verse 13, they say, refers to Jacob and Esau as the nations of Israel and Edom. What is sad is that if they would simply walk through the text, they would see their errors. The reason Paul was writing this chapter was because the people who raised up arguments against his theology of Romans 8 had one thing in mind: the promises to God’s people are void because the Jews are apostates. Let me just point out that the context of any passage of Scripture is exceedingly important. Back to business. So God’s promises are of no value at all, Paul, because these so-called people of God (the Jews) rejected their God on innumerable occasions! Read the book of Kings and you will see! So what did Paul do? He eloquently and easily refutes these arguments by appealing to the theology of election. How does he do this? He mentions the obvious truth that not every son of Abraham is a partaker of the covenant blessing. Verse 6: “For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel.” Just as God elected Isaac over Ishmael, so does God act with every man! God preserves for Himself a people, that is the whole point of the nation of Israel and the Remnant. Going even further, God chose Jacob over Esau. This is the next point.
The election of Jacob over Esau is a very curious thing in Scripture. Let’s look at it from three different perspectives.
First, the aesthetic appeal of Jacob versus Esau. This is an easy one, I mean come on. Especially in today’s Hollywood dominated society. Esau is muscular, physically fit, physically oriented, he’s an outdoorsman, he’s a hunter, he had good looks; he had just about everything going for him. Jacob on the other hand? He was probably a pale-faced, skinny boy. He was a momma’s boy and a deceiver and a liar. Really, who would you rather want on the team? Who would lead God’s people to victory over the nations? Esau hands down.
Second, the Arminian view of election. When Arminians face Romans 8 and the clear word “elect” they attempt pitifully to create an extra-Biblical, man-centered doctrine of election. God simply looks down the corridors of time and sees who will choose Him; that’s how He chooses the elect! Really? Is that how it works? There’s really no reason to go into how utterly bankrupt this ideology is; perhaps I can do it later. This “theology” is not a theology, but an anthropology. It is a completely man-centered doctrine of salvation, and I hate such a doctrine. Verse 11 seems to deal directly with this. It was not by any works that they did but by His call. The text really couldn’t be any more clear. Indeed, when Paul refers to God as a Potter, any idea that somehow the clay calls out to the Potter what to make him into is easily dismissed as laughable.
Finally, the last point: God’s freedom in election. This is really the only logical formulation of thought. To be more forward, this is the only biblical formulation of thought. God is the free agent of the universe, NOT man. Again we look to verse 11; it mentions God’s purpose. God has a purpose, and that purpose is going to be accomplished. There will be no “free will” of man to frustrate the designs of the Almighty. The doctrine of election is the only soteriology that allows for the freedom of God. Are you, Mr. Arminian, going to blatantly deny the freedom and sovereignty of God with such debonair? Perhaps you should look more clearly into Reformed Theology. Verse 13 is one of the most powerful verses in Scripture. “As it is written, ‘Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.’” Yes there is the argument that Malachi is referring to the countries produced by Jacob and Esau, but that is not the case. In the Jacob and Esau narrative, God spoke to Rebekah before her sons were even born and told her whom He had elected. God loved Jacob and at the same time He hated Esau. What a powerful statement. Before they were even born, before either of them took a single breath, their fate was sealed by the Almighty God. This is how God chooses a people; not everyone of Abraham is truly of Abraham. Not everyone of Isaac is truly of Isaac.
So we have discussed the three ways of looking at how God chose His elect, two man-centered ways and one God-centered way. Anthropology versus Theology; which is more important? Let me get to another point that Dr. White is known for making about Romans 9, and I love this.
Look again at verse 13. God loved Jacob and hated Esau. Those are powerful words. Do you see the power? Do you really? Look closer, you may have missed it. The amazing thing about Romans 9:13 is NOT that God HATED Esau. God had every reason to hate Esau; He would have been completely just in sending Esau straight into infinite and undying torment as soon as he entered into the world. He would have been just in killing Rebekah in child birth for her wickedness as a human being. He would have been just in sending the earth up in a ball of flame that very moment for the sins that would be committed by Edom AND Israel. Do you see the absolutely amazing thing in Romans 9:13? It is not that God hated Esau, because every man deserves the hatred of Almighty God. The utterly AMAZING thing about Romans 9:13 is that He loved Jacob! Why would God even choose any man? Why would God choose a multitude of people? Because God has a purpose that is not able to be seen outside of Reformed Theology. God is wishing to display the panorama of His glory to all things created. God could have saved no man, thus displaying the awesome power of His wrath (Romans 9:22). If this is the case, where is God’s love? God could have saved every man, thus displaying His infinite love and mercy (Romans 9:23)! Where, then, is God’s justice? What must be the case is a combination of these two. God, being completely free, chooses for Himself a people. God will mercy whom He will mercy, and He will harden whom He hardens. I hate the autonomy of man; not that it exists. I hate that man seeks to perpetuate the sickening idolatry of autonomy.
The traditions of men are exceedingly difficult to get past, but the Scripture behooves you to let your traditions about God go. If your traditions are not based on the biblical view of God, than it is rooted and based in the amorphous view of the “Grandfather in the Sky.” People opposed to Reformed Theology are so used to hearing about God as the God of love, that they do not see that He is an angry and furiously provoked God. When a person’s theology is better described as an anthropology, they will hear their echoed voice in Romans 9:19. “Who is at fault, for who can resist the will of a freely acting God?” Perhaps one of the greatest verses in all of Scripture is Romans 9:20, “Who are you, O man, that you answer back to God?”
I love the Doctrines of Grace, and I will embrace the biblical apologetic of Calvinism till the very end. I have no fealty to Calvin, though I revere the man of God that he was. Calvin would be the first to condemn anyone who would swear allegiance simply to his name. John Calvin was a man who faithfully and incomparably studied the Scriptures. His passion for God’s glory is unfathomable. Calvin’s devotion to God’s Word is the reason we credit our theology with his name. Calvin would surely agree, however, that he was simply working to expound the truth of God’s perfect and beautiful revelation.
Dr. White had many other wonderful things to say in this presentation, and I highly recommend his materials if you are willing to allow the Bible to scrutinize your traditions and your life.
Here’s the link to his presentation
Grace and Peace
~Rich
Sunday, October 18, 2009
The link on the side
If you are one of the few who follow my blog, and you are a member of an exceedingly small category :), you will now notice the link at the side of my web page. Allow me to explain.
I have titled it "the greatest youtube channel out there; hands down". it is no small feat for someone to have such a title. I am a critical person, and as one who aspires to the profession of Christian Apologetics, such a thing is to be expected. I am critical for a number of reasons, but one of them is this very youtube channel. It is the youtube channel operated by James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries (aomin.org). James White is, without a doubt, the greatest Christian Apologist of our day. I do not know of any other apologist that has committed himself so highly to his calling in our day. And if I could come up with a word that describes Dr. White, one certain word always comes to my mind: consistency. Dr. White is the greatest example of consistency in a man that I have ever seen. He absolutely does not fudge on anything. He debates Mormons, he debates Jehovah's Witnesses, he debates Muslims, he dives into those untouchable realms of Christianity such as Roman Catholicism, King James Onlyism, and Arminianism. James White has also done work and has shown himself to be an absolutely excellent scholar on the topic of Textual Criticism, a topic that Christians today know almost nothing at all about. He has debated numerous atheists as well, but that is not his favored area.
As someone feeling the call to Christian apologetics, James White is the foremost example of a man devoted to the truth of Scripture. James White is more than just an apologist, however, he is a Reformed Apologist. Reformed Apologetics are hard to come by these days, and James White is the beacon of hope for that rare breed. I mentioned that James is consistent, let be expand on that. In light of him being Reformed, or a Calvinist, James has convictions that stand in the face of modern Christianity. James does not beat around the bush and I love that about him. He is not the man who will indulge an Arminian who is making claims that twist and slaughter the text of Scripture. He is not afraid to call out R.C. Sproul or John Piper when they say certain things. I love that about him! Does James White radically oppose John Piper? NO! Anyone who radically opposes John Piper and calls himself a Christian should get himself straight! James White is simply the man who would call out his closest friend should he show signs of theo-philosophical error. James doesn't mess around with the truth of Scripture. As a side note, the incidents where James disagrees with John Piper are EXTREMELY minor, I merely mention them to show that he is single-minded.
James' consistency is what allows him to win debates, and he is a VERY prolific debater. In his dealings with Muslims, he shows time and time again that they cannot argue their points from the standard of scrutiny they apply to Christendom. James would willingly embrace Islam if their apologists could consistently and accurately represent the so-called "errors" in the text of Scripture. He would embrace atheism if the facts pointed out that Scripture is false, that's just the guy he is. His opponents are unfortunate in that they cannot represent Christianity accurately. They can't do it. Even Arminians; he would accept their claims if they would properly exegete John 6, or Romans 8. The fact of the matter is, James has shown on myriads of occasions, that Reformed Christian Apologetics stands any and all tests of scrutiny and because of this, he places his faith in them.
James is not afraid to confront falsehoods with satire (never ad hominem) and harsh truth (never erratic dogma). To most people he would seem like the most arrogant bigoted jerk on the face of the planet, simply because he does not back down from truth. It is unfortunate that that is the case, but that is the world we live in.
I encourage you to check out the link, watch some of his youtube videos, subscribe to his webcast The Dividing Line, and do your homework! That is the job of the Christian: work, hard laborious work. James White has done his homework, and if you disagree with what he has to say, you can bet that you will lose your fight unless you do your own. If you make an allegation, you better believe that he's going to hold you to your word and demand evidence from Scripture and history. I love that about him; everyone is fair game, and it's not because he is arrogant or some theocratic monster, it's because Christ was the same way. All in all, I encourage you to check him out! He is the foremost apologist of our day, if not the most underrated one! His resources are excellent, but his ministry is very small so they can cost money. If you want absolutely excellent Christian apologetics that are not afraid to tackle anything, subscribe to The Dividing Line (http://aomin.org/articles/webcast.html) and listen in. Carve out some time, because the sessions are long and VERY meaty. This is excellent material for all Christians. The best part about his ministry is the youtube channel, because it's all free and there is a HUGE amount of material there ranging from Mormonism, Calvinism, Islam, and many other topics, all free to watch.
~Grace and Peace
I have titled it "the greatest youtube channel out there; hands down". it is no small feat for someone to have such a title. I am a critical person, and as one who aspires to the profession of Christian Apologetics, such a thing is to be expected. I am critical for a number of reasons, but one of them is this very youtube channel. It is the youtube channel operated by James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries (aomin.org). James White is, without a doubt, the greatest Christian Apologist of our day. I do not know of any other apologist that has committed himself so highly to his calling in our day. And if I could come up with a word that describes Dr. White, one certain word always comes to my mind: consistency. Dr. White is the greatest example of consistency in a man that I have ever seen. He absolutely does not fudge on anything. He debates Mormons, he debates Jehovah's Witnesses, he debates Muslims, he dives into those untouchable realms of Christianity such as Roman Catholicism, King James Onlyism, and Arminianism. James White has also done work and has shown himself to be an absolutely excellent scholar on the topic of Textual Criticism, a topic that Christians today know almost nothing at all about. He has debated numerous atheists as well, but that is not his favored area.
As someone feeling the call to Christian apologetics, James White is the foremost example of a man devoted to the truth of Scripture. James White is more than just an apologist, however, he is a Reformed Apologist. Reformed Apologetics are hard to come by these days, and James White is the beacon of hope for that rare breed. I mentioned that James is consistent, let be expand on that. In light of him being Reformed, or a Calvinist, James has convictions that stand in the face of modern Christianity. James does not beat around the bush and I love that about him. He is not the man who will indulge an Arminian who is making claims that twist and slaughter the text of Scripture. He is not afraid to call out R.C. Sproul or John Piper when they say certain things. I love that about him! Does James White radically oppose John Piper? NO! Anyone who radically opposes John Piper and calls himself a Christian should get himself straight! James White is simply the man who would call out his closest friend should he show signs of theo-philosophical error. James doesn't mess around with the truth of Scripture. As a side note, the incidents where James disagrees with John Piper are EXTREMELY minor, I merely mention them to show that he is single-minded.
James' consistency is what allows him to win debates, and he is a VERY prolific debater. In his dealings with Muslims, he shows time and time again that they cannot argue their points from the standard of scrutiny they apply to Christendom. James would willingly embrace Islam if their apologists could consistently and accurately represent the so-called "errors" in the text of Scripture. He would embrace atheism if the facts pointed out that Scripture is false, that's just the guy he is. His opponents are unfortunate in that they cannot represent Christianity accurately. They can't do it. Even Arminians; he would accept their claims if they would properly exegete John 6, or Romans 8. The fact of the matter is, James has shown on myriads of occasions, that Reformed Christian Apologetics stands any and all tests of scrutiny and because of this, he places his faith in them.
James is not afraid to confront falsehoods with satire (never ad hominem) and harsh truth (never erratic dogma). To most people he would seem like the most arrogant bigoted jerk on the face of the planet, simply because he does not back down from truth. It is unfortunate that that is the case, but that is the world we live in.
I encourage you to check out the link, watch some of his youtube videos, subscribe to his webcast The Dividing Line, and do your homework! That is the job of the Christian: work, hard laborious work. James White has done his homework, and if you disagree with what he has to say, you can bet that you will lose your fight unless you do your own. If you make an allegation, you better believe that he's going to hold you to your word and demand evidence from Scripture and history. I love that about him; everyone is fair game, and it's not because he is arrogant or some theocratic monster, it's because Christ was the same way. All in all, I encourage you to check him out! He is the foremost apologist of our day, if not the most underrated one! His resources are excellent, but his ministry is very small so they can cost money. If you want absolutely excellent Christian apologetics that are not afraid to tackle anything, subscribe to The Dividing Line (http://aomin.org/articles/webcast.html) and listen in. Carve out some time, because the sessions are long and VERY meaty. This is excellent material for all Christians. The best part about his ministry is the youtube channel, because it's all free and there is a HUGE amount of material there ranging from Mormonism, Calvinism, Islam, and many other topics, all free to watch.
~Grace and Peace
Thursday, October 15, 2009
The Twelve
“And He called the twelve and began to send them out two by two, and gave them authority over the unclean spirits. He charged them to take nothing for their journey except a staff — no bread, no bag, no money in their belts — but to wear sandals and not put on two tunics. And He said to them, ‘Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you depart from there. And if any place will not receive you and they will not listen to you, when you leave, shake off the dust that is on your feet as a testimony against them.’ So they went out and proclaimed that the people should repent. And they cast out many demons and anointed with oil many who were sick and healed them.” Mark 6:7-13
We will see here the edict of evangelism and the telling of God’s Kingdom to the people. The Twelve Disciples left everything to God, as Christ instructed them to in this verse. We will take note of this later on.
To the text.
The immediate context of this account in terms of location is the area around Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown. Christ and His disciples had witnessed the faithlessness of the people there and would do no great works for such a group. They left Nazareth and began teaching in other towns nearby (6:6). While in an unspecified location, Christ calls His special Disciples to His side. He summoned the twelve and set them on their mission. This is the initial stage of the greater design of the Father, for what was to take place had not taken place yet. The Disciples here are being trained for their future work. It is obvious that this was not the great mission of the Church as the Betrayer Iscariot was among them still. It is interesting to think about what he was doing during this time and interesting to think about the poor disciple paired with him. I digress.
He called the Twelve and sent them out two by two. This is curious. Why would He send them out in pairs? In considering this, we might come to a few conclusions. Christ sent out the disciples in pairs for a reason. These men were to be testimonies to the people of the nearby villages. They needed to be held accountable in order that they might provide a witness that was in no need of repudiation. This is powerful. Accountability partners, friends, fellowship; all these things are necessary! Christ Himself advocates them here. The Christian walk is not one to walk alone. When out in the open, like the Twelve would be, they would need a fellow disciple with them so that they could make sure the others were in line with the message that they were preaching. If they did get out of line, the other was right there to rebuke and correct. It is also worth noting that the Christian life is a difficult one, one full of hardships. The disciples would likely face numerous challenges, and the text bears this out. They would inevitably come to towns full of hardened people, they would encounter terribly sick people, and they would combat demons. Such a calling is not worth going at alone; one needs encouragement! Christ knew what He was doing when He commissioned the disciples on this mission. He knew that they were yet weak. They did not have the Holy Spirit in them quite yet. What encouragement that their fellows could provide would be welcomed warmly on this harrowing path ahead of them. Is it not wonderful that our God knows exactly how to deal with His creation?
What we have is Christ organizing His troops and deploying them strategically. With two people together, any charge against the one would have to be taken up also with the other. This was not only an accountability and an encouragement safety, it was a legal guard. Deuteronomy 19:15 requires that two or three witness be present to make a claim. In a pair the disciples would be able to bypass the rhetoric and accusations of men in a way that a single man could not. Christ again knew exactly what He was doing.
What else does this verse say? He gave them authority over the unclean spirits. Christ had just done away with Legion and the disciples saw it all. Now they had this power. Christ is pouring out His spirit on these men for the purpose of furthering the Kingdom of God. If a witness of Christ’s miracle with Legion were to ask of the Twelve to do a similar miracle, what would happen if they couldn’t do it? The ministry would be in jeopardy! Christ wisely gifted these men with authority over demons so that they would be able to perform a mighty work where one was needed. Christ did not give them perfection or full control over situations, but He equipped them with what they would need in order to do their duties. Again, this was not Pentecost, but they were getting closer.
This next statement is powerful. They were charged to take nothing with them, nothing but a staff. He instructed them, the NASB says. Perhaps they objected to this at first. “Teacher, may we take food and drink? May we take with even a small bit of money?” Christ would tell them that they did not need those things. “What need do you have for food when your Father is in Heaven? Is money ever an issue when He reigns so mightily?” I don’t doubt that the disciples had as hard a time with this as we might have today. In fact, I doubt anyone would respond to such an edict these days! How attached are we to our belongings? Think of Christ’s words in a modern context. “Child, on your journey I charge you to leave behind your cell phone. Do not bother taking your credit card. Don’t grab Starbucks before you head off. Don’t even take your nice clothes; you’re going to get dirty. Don’t bother with an I-pod either.” How might we respond to this? I know that I would be sorely hesitant! We become too attracted to our material possessions in this day where technology is so “important.” I wish that I could be at a position where all I needed in my day is the Bible. I don’t believe that Christ is ordering a universal call to all saints, but He is saying, “Don’t rely on these things, I am with you, your Father in Heaven is with you always and He will provide.” That needs to be our mindset always. No food; no possessions; no money; just God.
He told them to wear sandals and to go with a staff. These are the belongings of a traveler. They are meager and simplistic. The disciples were not men of show and prestige, not by a long shot. Their work would be dirty and the path would be rough. Grab a walking stick and comfortable shoes, says Christ. We note that a staff is a shepherd’s sheep defender as well. It is likely that the disciples would be facing danger and a staff was a weapon. Brigands and wild animals were a possibility and they needed some way to defend themselves. Christ also mentions something peculiar. He charged them to wear only one tunic. This is likely to avoid putting on an appearance of extravagance. If anything can damage a ministry it is pride, and the disciples were as human as we are. They were prone to capitalize on anything that their fleshly natures saw as good in themselves. They needed to strip themselves of anything that might hinder their ministry and extravagance is worth getting rid of. This is hugely applicable today. It is strange to me that many mega-church pastors have huge houses, extremely expensive cars, unbelievably lavish churches, extravagant clothing, and all sorts of other worldly things. What use are those things? I admire John Piper, who was known for wearing the same suit jacket to preach on Sunday’s for weeks on end. In an era where “stuff” is so important to us, this passage is exceedingly applicable. Let us throw off every hindrance, if it causes us to stumble. If the phone takes priority over God, toss it away! If the computer is absorbing more time than the Bible, fast from it! It doesn’t matter what it is, put it under God.
Two things can be taken from these verses. Trust God for provision and do not let extravagance get the better of you.
Let’s look at Christ’s spoken words now. I believe that the NASB renders this more clearly than my beloved ESV. Christ tells them to remain in a single house until they depart from that town. Why is this significant? I suppose it would help to consider the conditions. The pair of disciples enters a town and a family kindly and humbly accepts them into their home. What would it say about the disciples if they went and lived with another family? It would not only disgrace the family of the home, but it would seem as though the disciples were ungrateful. If the disciples had some sort of problem with the family, they were charged to stick it out to the end. The disciples were to try their hardest to reconcile the problems, should one arise. They were also to be content with their furnishings. If a family was kind enough to open their home, the disciples were to be good stewards of their blessings. If the family was poor, the disciples had something in common. If the family was rich, so be it, the disciples would be blessed. In any and all cases, this was a call to humility and contentedness. Christ’s Kingdom has no room for ungrateful people.
The next phrase is equally important. If a town would not receive them, if the people mocked and slandered them, they had but one option. They were to leave quietly and simply shake the dust from their feet. In this, they would sever any tie that they had with the city, and testify that the city had rejected their message. This is a frightening judgment to have bestowed upon your city. A wise man would depart from such a city, knowing that God’s judgment would be upon it, for they had not simply rejected the disciples, they had rejected God Himself. This is a powerful statement concerning the Christian’s relation with nonbelievers. It was extremely important that they leave quietly. There is no charge to ardently defend and bitterly nuance the message. This is a powerful yet indirect text regarding Divine Election. The disciples were to shake the dust off their feet and leave the rest to God. If it would be God’s will to rescue the righteous few from that city under judgment, He would do so. The vengeance of God is rarely displayed in the New Testament, especially when compared to the Old. The judgment of God that is at hand even now is still yet to come, and God is still working. I believe that it is safe to say that America and the West in general has rejected the disciples, they have rejected God. Has God immediately incinerated our lands? Obviously not, and we can infer from this that He still has a plan for His remnant. He will call a people to Himself by His own will and decree. It was by His grace alone that men accepted the message of the disciples and the same is true today. It was in God’s hands then, and it is in His hands even as I type this.
So they went out, the text says. Christ had equipped them for the work at hand, and once He had done so, He deployed His soldiers. This verse, verse 12, is absolutely full of meaning. This one little verse nestled in this passage refutes much of the modern “Christianity” that we see today. So often the Gospel is presented as “making a decision for Christ” or “accepting Jesus as your savior” or “waiting for that Spirit laced experience.” This is NOT the message that Christ preached, and it is NOT the message that He personally instructed His disciples to proclaim. The disciples, after having been taught by Christ in an extremely important discourse on evangelism, were to proclaim to the people a single word: REPENT. This is the message of evangelism that Christ is teaching! Those who would follow the lead of the disciples and thus follow Christ were those who were willing to repent of their sins. Only the brokenhearted people were aloud in the Kingdom and the same holds true for today. Abraham brokenheartedly consented to sacrificing his son on faith alone. It is this brokenhearted nature that accompanies repentance. This repentance is not merely a change of logical thinking, it is a change of life. Repentance is a turning to Christ from sin; repentance is taking hold of the blood bought joy on Christ’s behalf! It is a sorrowful yet supremely joyous act. When we realize that Christ died His death on the cross for our joy, what does that make sin look like? Our duty is to repent. This was God’s message from day one and Christ proclaimed it on this earth, and the Spirit testifies to that message and causes us to take hold of it. So much could be said on repentance. I highly recommend checking out one28ministries.org, the 2009 Snow Retreat section for messages on repentance.
So the disciples were proclaiming this message of repentance, but they were doing more. With the power that Christ bestowed on them, they cast out many demons and healed the sick people among them. With the Spirit of Christ upon them, they were able to do mighty works in Christ’s name. Notice the chronology of this text. The cleansing of demons and the absolute healings are secondary to the proclamation of repentance. Dealing with sin is of far greater importance than ridding demonic possession and healing sickness. The proclamation of repentance does not discount these mighty works, but it is more important in the long run.
This passage is a stark contrast to what we have just read about. The disciples were on their mission and they were getting a taste of what they would give their lives to in the near future. This is indeed a wonderful passage. Christ’s ministry is flourishing here as the disciples are sent out on duty, whereas in Nazareth the faithlessness of the people impeded Christ’s work. We will notice, though, the intense focus on the sovereignty of God in the work of evangelism. As a Calvinist, I do not believe that men are able to choose of their own volition the gift of salvation. Romans 8 deals with the fact that God actively works in salvation, and that it is His work alone, but this text indirectly deals with it. When the disciples went to the towns, they were to proclaim their message with the preconception that God would do what He would do. Christ gave them instructions on what to do if the people supposedly “rejected the message of their own free will.” He did not, however, instruct them on what to do when the message was well received. It is obvious that wherever they went, they would be facing opposition, because the free will of man is consistently exercised in rebellion against the Creator. That is the Calvinistic view of the will. Just as the disciples were charged in leaving their well being up to God (take no food or money), the disciples were given the instructions on what to do when they would face inevitable rejection. Shake the dust of your feet and let God do the rest; they were merely messengers. The people would not accept the message unless the One Who wrote it caused it to seem irresistible to them. Honestly, who would willingly accept a message of self-denial and repentance from sin of their own will? The people of Nazareth are an excellent example of this “free will.” Christ mocked the “free will” of man by performing no miracles for them. He then, in the immediate context of the written book, charged the disciples with this: people will not accept it, so shake the dust from your feet and let God be God.
We will see here the edict of evangelism and the telling of God’s Kingdom to the people. The Twelve Disciples left everything to God, as Christ instructed them to in this verse. We will take note of this later on.
To the text.
The immediate context of this account in terms of location is the area around Nazareth, Jesus’ hometown. Christ and His disciples had witnessed the faithlessness of the people there and would do no great works for such a group. They left Nazareth and began teaching in other towns nearby (6:6). While in an unspecified location, Christ calls His special Disciples to His side. He summoned the twelve and set them on their mission. This is the initial stage of the greater design of the Father, for what was to take place had not taken place yet. The Disciples here are being trained for their future work. It is obvious that this was not the great mission of the Church as the Betrayer Iscariot was among them still. It is interesting to think about what he was doing during this time and interesting to think about the poor disciple paired with him. I digress.
He called the Twelve and sent them out two by two. This is curious. Why would He send them out in pairs? In considering this, we might come to a few conclusions. Christ sent out the disciples in pairs for a reason. These men were to be testimonies to the people of the nearby villages. They needed to be held accountable in order that they might provide a witness that was in no need of repudiation. This is powerful. Accountability partners, friends, fellowship; all these things are necessary! Christ Himself advocates them here. The Christian walk is not one to walk alone. When out in the open, like the Twelve would be, they would need a fellow disciple with them so that they could make sure the others were in line with the message that they were preaching. If they did get out of line, the other was right there to rebuke and correct. It is also worth noting that the Christian life is a difficult one, one full of hardships. The disciples would likely face numerous challenges, and the text bears this out. They would inevitably come to towns full of hardened people, they would encounter terribly sick people, and they would combat demons. Such a calling is not worth going at alone; one needs encouragement! Christ knew what He was doing when He commissioned the disciples on this mission. He knew that they were yet weak. They did not have the Holy Spirit in them quite yet. What encouragement that their fellows could provide would be welcomed warmly on this harrowing path ahead of them. Is it not wonderful that our God knows exactly how to deal with His creation?
What we have is Christ organizing His troops and deploying them strategically. With two people together, any charge against the one would have to be taken up also with the other. This was not only an accountability and an encouragement safety, it was a legal guard. Deuteronomy 19:15 requires that two or three witness be present to make a claim. In a pair the disciples would be able to bypass the rhetoric and accusations of men in a way that a single man could not. Christ again knew exactly what He was doing.
What else does this verse say? He gave them authority over the unclean spirits. Christ had just done away with Legion and the disciples saw it all. Now they had this power. Christ is pouring out His spirit on these men for the purpose of furthering the Kingdom of God. If a witness of Christ’s miracle with Legion were to ask of the Twelve to do a similar miracle, what would happen if they couldn’t do it? The ministry would be in jeopardy! Christ wisely gifted these men with authority over demons so that they would be able to perform a mighty work where one was needed. Christ did not give them perfection or full control over situations, but He equipped them with what they would need in order to do their duties. Again, this was not Pentecost, but they were getting closer.
This next statement is powerful. They were charged to take nothing with them, nothing but a staff. He instructed them, the NASB says. Perhaps they objected to this at first. “Teacher, may we take food and drink? May we take with even a small bit of money?” Christ would tell them that they did not need those things. “What need do you have for food when your Father is in Heaven? Is money ever an issue when He reigns so mightily?” I don’t doubt that the disciples had as hard a time with this as we might have today. In fact, I doubt anyone would respond to such an edict these days! How attached are we to our belongings? Think of Christ’s words in a modern context. “Child, on your journey I charge you to leave behind your cell phone. Do not bother taking your credit card. Don’t grab Starbucks before you head off. Don’t even take your nice clothes; you’re going to get dirty. Don’t bother with an I-pod either.” How might we respond to this? I know that I would be sorely hesitant! We become too attracted to our material possessions in this day where technology is so “important.” I wish that I could be at a position where all I needed in my day is the Bible. I don’t believe that Christ is ordering a universal call to all saints, but He is saying, “Don’t rely on these things, I am with you, your Father in Heaven is with you always and He will provide.” That needs to be our mindset always. No food; no possessions; no money; just God.
He told them to wear sandals and to go with a staff. These are the belongings of a traveler. They are meager and simplistic. The disciples were not men of show and prestige, not by a long shot. Their work would be dirty and the path would be rough. Grab a walking stick and comfortable shoes, says Christ. We note that a staff is a shepherd’s sheep defender as well. It is likely that the disciples would be facing danger and a staff was a weapon. Brigands and wild animals were a possibility and they needed some way to defend themselves. Christ also mentions something peculiar. He charged them to wear only one tunic. This is likely to avoid putting on an appearance of extravagance. If anything can damage a ministry it is pride, and the disciples were as human as we are. They were prone to capitalize on anything that their fleshly natures saw as good in themselves. They needed to strip themselves of anything that might hinder their ministry and extravagance is worth getting rid of. This is hugely applicable today. It is strange to me that many mega-church pastors have huge houses, extremely expensive cars, unbelievably lavish churches, extravagant clothing, and all sorts of other worldly things. What use are those things? I admire John Piper, who was known for wearing the same suit jacket to preach on Sunday’s for weeks on end. In an era where “stuff” is so important to us, this passage is exceedingly applicable. Let us throw off every hindrance, if it causes us to stumble. If the phone takes priority over God, toss it away! If the computer is absorbing more time than the Bible, fast from it! It doesn’t matter what it is, put it under God.
Two things can be taken from these verses. Trust God for provision and do not let extravagance get the better of you.
Let’s look at Christ’s spoken words now. I believe that the NASB renders this more clearly than my beloved ESV. Christ tells them to remain in a single house until they depart from that town. Why is this significant? I suppose it would help to consider the conditions. The pair of disciples enters a town and a family kindly and humbly accepts them into their home. What would it say about the disciples if they went and lived with another family? It would not only disgrace the family of the home, but it would seem as though the disciples were ungrateful. If the disciples had some sort of problem with the family, they were charged to stick it out to the end. The disciples were to try their hardest to reconcile the problems, should one arise. They were also to be content with their furnishings. If a family was kind enough to open their home, the disciples were to be good stewards of their blessings. If the family was poor, the disciples had something in common. If the family was rich, so be it, the disciples would be blessed. In any and all cases, this was a call to humility and contentedness. Christ’s Kingdom has no room for ungrateful people.
The next phrase is equally important. If a town would not receive them, if the people mocked and slandered them, they had but one option. They were to leave quietly and simply shake the dust from their feet. In this, they would sever any tie that they had with the city, and testify that the city had rejected their message. This is a frightening judgment to have bestowed upon your city. A wise man would depart from such a city, knowing that God’s judgment would be upon it, for they had not simply rejected the disciples, they had rejected God Himself. This is a powerful statement concerning the Christian’s relation with nonbelievers. It was extremely important that they leave quietly. There is no charge to ardently defend and bitterly nuance the message. This is a powerful yet indirect text regarding Divine Election. The disciples were to shake the dust off their feet and leave the rest to God. If it would be God’s will to rescue the righteous few from that city under judgment, He would do so. The vengeance of God is rarely displayed in the New Testament, especially when compared to the Old. The judgment of God that is at hand even now is still yet to come, and God is still working. I believe that it is safe to say that America and the West in general has rejected the disciples, they have rejected God. Has God immediately incinerated our lands? Obviously not, and we can infer from this that He still has a plan for His remnant. He will call a people to Himself by His own will and decree. It was by His grace alone that men accepted the message of the disciples and the same is true today. It was in God’s hands then, and it is in His hands even as I type this.
So they went out, the text says. Christ had equipped them for the work at hand, and once He had done so, He deployed His soldiers. This verse, verse 12, is absolutely full of meaning. This one little verse nestled in this passage refutes much of the modern “Christianity” that we see today. So often the Gospel is presented as “making a decision for Christ” or “accepting Jesus as your savior” or “waiting for that Spirit laced experience.” This is NOT the message that Christ preached, and it is NOT the message that He personally instructed His disciples to proclaim. The disciples, after having been taught by Christ in an extremely important discourse on evangelism, were to proclaim to the people a single word: REPENT. This is the message of evangelism that Christ is teaching! Those who would follow the lead of the disciples and thus follow Christ were those who were willing to repent of their sins. Only the brokenhearted people were aloud in the Kingdom and the same holds true for today. Abraham brokenheartedly consented to sacrificing his son on faith alone. It is this brokenhearted nature that accompanies repentance. This repentance is not merely a change of logical thinking, it is a change of life. Repentance is a turning to Christ from sin; repentance is taking hold of the blood bought joy on Christ’s behalf! It is a sorrowful yet supremely joyous act. When we realize that Christ died His death on the cross for our joy, what does that make sin look like? Our duty is to repent. This was God’s message from day one and Christ proclaimed it on this earth, and the Spirit testifies to that message and causes us to take hold of it. So much could be said on repentance. I highly recommend checking out one28ministries.org, the 2009 Snow Retreat section for messages on repentance.
So the disciples were proclaiming this message of repentance, but they were doing more. With the power that Christ bestowed on them, they cast out many demons and healed the sick people among them. With the Spirit of Christ upon them, they were able to do mighty works in Christ’s name. Notice the chronology of this text. The cleansing of demons and the absolute healings are secondary to the proclamation of repentance. Dealing with sin is of far greater importance than ridding demonic possession and healing sickness. The proclamation of repentance does not discount these mighty works, but it is more important in the long run.
This passage is a stark contrast to what we have just read about. The disciples were on their mission and they were getting a taste of what they would give their lives to in the near future. This is indeed a wonderful passage. Christ’s ministry is flourishing here as the disciples are sent out on duty, whereas in Nazareth the faithlessness of the people impeded Christ’s work. We will notice, though, the intense focus on the sovereignty of God in the work of evangelism. As a Calvinist, I do not believe that men are able to choose of their own volition the gift of salvation. Romans 8 deals with the fact that God actively works in salvation, and that it is His work alone, but this text indirectly deals with it. When the disciples went to the towns, they were to proclaim their message with the preconception that God would do what He would do. Christ gave them instructions on what to do if the people supposedly “rejected the message of their own free will.” He did not, however, instruct them on what to do when the message was well received. It is obvious that wherever they went, they would be facing opposition, because the free will of man is consistently exercised in rebellion against the Creator. That is the Calvinistic view of the will. Just as the disciples were charged in leaving their well being up to God (take no food or money), the disciples were given the instructions on what to do when they would face inevitable rejection. Shake the dust of your feet and let God do the rest; they were merely messengers. The people would not accept the message unless the One Who wrote it caused it to seem irresistible to them. Honestly, who would willingly accept a message of self-denial and repentance from sin of their own will? The people of Nazareth are an excellent example of this “free will.” Christ mocked the “free will” of man by performing no miracles for them. He then, in the immediate context of the written book, charged the disciples with this: people will not accept it, so shake the dust from your feet and let God be God.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
The Faithless Folk
“He went away from there and came to His hometown, and His disciples followed Him. And on the Sabbath He began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard Him were astonished saying, ‘Where did this man get these things? What is the wisdom given to Him? How are such mighty works done by His hands? Is not this the carpenter the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not his sisters here with us?’ And they took offense at Him. And Jesus said to them, ‘A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.’ And He could do no mighty work there, except that He laid His hands on a few sick people and healed them. And He marveled because of their unbelief. And He went about among the villages teaching.” Mark 6:1-6
This passage in Mark is quite astonishing. We have just gone through Mark 5, in which Jesus performed numerous exceedingly wonderful miracles. He exorcised Legion, healed a deeply afflicted woman, and raised a little girl from death! We will see that this account of Jesus’ ministry is in stark contrast. It is quite amazing what harvest is reaped from faithlessness, and such a harvest is not fit for the King of Glory’s banquet.
We go to the text, because that is where I wish to be.
So we have that Christ and His disciples leaving the area where they had just healed Jairus’ daughter. Whether this means simply Jesus’ select 12 Disciples or the multitudes I do not know, but I don’t believe it is important. He went away from Jairus’ house and came to His hometown of Nazareth. We note that Christ’s disciples are with Him; He was going to His hometown for ministry, not merely to visit His mother, and the text bears that out. How would Christ the Messiah be received by His people? How would He be received by His mother and His brothers and sisters? Surely they would remember Him, but how so? Sadly, their reaction to Him is sour and pitiable. He was home, and He knew full well what to expect there.
The text seems to indicate that Christ was there for at least two days, and likely more. The passing of time up until the Sabbath is mentioned and we can infer that Christ was ministering to the people of His hometown for days. I believe this is important, but I will note why later. So the Sabbath had come and the time for public teaching was at hand. It is not said why Christ was given the opportunity to speak, but His authority as God would take care of that. Perhaps during His stay in Nazareth He caught the eyes of the religious leaders there. They might have asked Him to speak on the Sabbath to see if He was really something. So He did, He spoke. He spoke and all who heard Him were taken aback. The text says that they were astonished, even offended!
“Where did this man get these things?” It is likely that they did not like what He had to say. It is often that people did not like what He had to say. The message of repentance and the destruction of self righteous philosophies and religious orders was not one that the people of Jesus’ day wanted to hear. It is indeed true that the wisdom of God is foolishness to the world (1 Cor. 2:14). They mocked Him. “Where did Jesus, the son of a carpenter get these things that He is saying? What sort of foolery is He spouting to us?” They did not receive Him. They knew Him, and the text will say this, as the son of Mary and Joseph. Where did a peasant like Jesus get this wisdom? Perhaps if they would have opened their eyes they would have seen that He was merely echoing the prophets of old.
“What is this wisdom given to Him?” They noticed His deftness of speech and the clarity of His spoken word. He sounded like the wise men of the day no doubt. Granted, His message was different, but He had the sound of a wise man, and they did not like it. “Who is He to speak to us in this manner? Are we not His kinsmen and such? He has no credentials, no titles, no education; how does He speak wisdom like He does?” Again, they were blind to Who He really was. They just could not see Him as a man with wisdom on the tongue. Perhaps this is the doing of the religious leaders, a perversion of the Word of God. Whatever the case, they are responsible for their actions, and Christ would rebuke them.
“How are such mighty works done by His hands?” As I mentioned earlier, Christ had been there many days. He had been ministering to His kinsmen and His hometown folk, but look at their reaction to it. They saw Him perform miracles, but it is more likely that they heard of His glorious deeds in Galilee. Word of Jesus’ deeds was quick to spread, and these people either witnessed a miracle firsthand or heard of His deeds in other places. It is no doubt that they knew that He was capable of performing miracles. Instead of putting faith in Him, they mocked and questioned Him. “What sort of powers are these that You have, sorcerer? Do you channel a demon for Your powers? Or do you claim to be the ‘Messiah?” They were so blind that they could not even see His wonders clearly. Indeed, His obvious demonstrations of authority in word and deed were not enough for these people of little faith.
“Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” Here they make their claims most clear. They call into account His background. They questioned the veracity of His word on the account that He was the son of a carpenter. They poked at His mother too. “Is this not the son of Mary?” It was likely the talk of the town when Mary had a son without having had relations to her husband Joseph. The people likely gossiped about Him and His mother. They questioned the authority of His message based on His having siblings. “What about James or Judas? We don’t hear and profound statements coming from them!” Humorously enough, James and Judas would go on to write two books of the inspired canon of Holy Scripture. They did not want to believe that a mere carpenter, the “illegitimate son” of Mary could propound such wisdom and perform miracles. It is odd that these Israelites did not recall their own history. Their king, David son of Jesse, was a mere shepherd. Their lawgiver Moses was a son of Egypt. Their father Abraham was a Canaanite. They would gladly accept these men, but why not this one called Christ? This is a keen reminder of how terrible people are. How could we of this day and age call ourselves any better? We have more grounds to reject Him than they did so we are equally guilty.
So all this to say, they took offense at Him. They were offended at what He said and Who He was. They despised Him! His own people, the people of His hometown! You might think that of anyone, THEY would receive Him! Alas, that is not the case and they heaped ruin on their heads if they would not repent. Christ rebuked them sorely and pointedly in His words here. “I am honored wherever I go, as a prophet and a miracle worker. I am not, however, honored where it would be expected, in My own hometown.” Obviously this is a paraphrase. Let’s look at His own words now, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” A sharp rebuke. Everyone honored Him, everyone but His own hometown. What a pitiable lack of faith. What a wretched example of selfishness and self love. He even refers to Himself as a prophet. No doubt the people would have felt the sting of that remark. They revered the prophets! They revered them all but one, the One Who was more than just a prophet. They honored dead men, but they would not honor the One Who would conquer death. Certainly this is a sad state of affairs.
The culmination of the faithlessness of the people is recorded here. He could do no mighty work there. Yes, He did a few things, He healed the few faithful ones that came to Him, but there was no way that He would perform such miracles as those in chapter 5. These people were not worthy of a magnificent display of Christ’s power. Christ performed the great miracles because the recipients of those miracles were graced of God with a Christ exalting faith! No such faith was to be found in Nazareth that day, and as such, no great works of wonder were done. All the better for them! They would have likely been offended even more at a great display of His power, thus heaping MORE judgment on them! This is a blessing and a judgment rolled into one. Ultimately, it was their faithlessness that caused Christ to simply move on from there. Those people were not willing to humble themselves, therefore they would not receive blessing. Again we see Christ rebuking the people in the text: “He marveled because of their unbelief.” He was disgusted with them. They were deplorable in His sight, and do you know what is truly tragic about this scene? This faithlessness, this lack of humility? These things nailed Him to the cross. They put the spear in His side and the thorns on His head. This is absolutely tragic. How would Christ have felt? Knowing that He would DIE because of their actions? Interesting things to think about.
He left that place and went on to the other towns to teach. Perhaps they would receive Him there, and perhaps there would be people open to the message of the Kingdom of God.
This passage is rich with application. It is hard to receive teaching in this day when teachability is looked poorly upon. When a preacher or a leader calls us out on sinfulness, what is our initial reaction? Our natural reaction is to question him. “Who are you? What is this that you are speaking? You’re just like me!” Sound familiar? This is EXACTLY what the people of Nazareth were saying! We are still like this today! When God’s Word is so readily available, why is it that we are hardened to its message? God, deliver us from this stubbornness! Let us be ready and willing to learn, brothers and sisters, ready and willing to humble ourselves for the purpose of discipline. It is not hard to hate the truth. It is an exceedingly difficult thing to respect rebuke and accept hard doctrine. It’s what we need, however, in a day where spineless Christianity is so common. It is imperative that we be intolerant of sinfulness in our own lives and in the lives of others. I cannot stress enough how difficult this is, trust me I know. It is with prayer and constant devotion to God’s Word that we are able to be changed. We are not sanctified instantly via some experience, it is ongoing! We are sanctified by God and what He has given us: the church, prayer, His Word, and Himself! Let us be addicted to the Word of God as could be said of the great men of old. Let us be men of prayer, communing with God as Moses did. Let us be men and women after God’s own heart as King David once was. Let us follow the examples of godly men and seek to further the kingdom with devotion to God and His Word, and the exposition of His Word! None of us are exempt from this! It should be that we follow after the exposition of God’s Word far more than any other ambition! Let us be saturated with God’s Word and let us put it in writing! It greatly helps to do so. Pray that I would be addicted to God’s Word in all the fullness that I can get at this point in my sanctification. Pray the same for yourselves! Let us be students of the Word, teachable, and humble. Let us receive in faith the rebuke of the Spirit of God. Let us go into all the earth and be living apologetics for God, because the world will see our difference.
This passage in Mark is quite astonishing. We have just gone through Mark 5, in which Jesus performed numerous exceedingly wonderful miracles. He exorcised Legion, healed a deeply afflicted woman, and raised a little girl from death! We will see that this account of Jesus’ ministry is in stark contrast. It is quite amazing what harvest is reaped from faithlessness, and such a harvest is not fit for the King of Glory’s banquet.
We go to the text, because that is where I wish to be.
So we have that Christ and His disciples leaving the area where they had just healed Jairus’ daughter. Whether this means simply Jesus’ select 12 Disciples or the multitudes I do not know, but I don’t believe it is important. He went away from Jairus’ house and came to His hometown of Nazareth. We note that Christ’s disciples are with Him; He was going to His hometown for ministry, not merely to visit His mother, and the text bears that out. How would Christ the Messiah be received by His people? How would He be received by His mother and His brothers and sisters? Surely they would remember Him, but how so? Sadly, their reaction to Him is sour and pitiable. He was home, and He knew full well what to expect there.
The text seems to indicate that Christ was there for at least two days, and likely more. The passing of time up until the Sabbath is mentioned and we can infer that Christ was ministering to the people of His hometown for days. I believe this is important, but I will note why later. So the Sabbath had come and the time for public teaching was at hand. It is not said why Christ was given the opportunity to speak, but His authority as God would take care of that. Perhaps during His stay in Nazareth He caught the eyes of the religious leaders there. They might have asked Him to speak on the Sabbath to see if He was really something. So He did, He spoke. He spoke and all who heard Him were taken aback. The text says that they were astonished, even offended!
“Where did this man get these things?” It is likely that they did not like what He had to say. It is often that people did not like what He had to say. The message of repentance and the destruction of self righteous philosophies and religious orders was not one that the people of Jesus’ day wanted to hear. It is indeed true that the wisdom of God is foolishness to the world (1 Cor. 2:14). They mocked Him. “Where did Jesus, the son of a carpenter get these things that He is saying? What sort of foolery is He spouting to us?” They did not receive Him. They knew Him, and the text will say this, as the son of Mary and Joseph. Where did a peasant like Jesus get this wisdom? Perhaps if they would have opened their eyes they would have seen that He was merely echoing the prophets of old.
“What is this wisdom given to Him?” They noticed His deftness of speech and the clarity of His spoken word. He sounded like the wise men of the day no doubt. Granted, His message was different, but He had the sound of a wise man, and they did not like it. “Who is He to speak to us in this manner? Are we not His kinsmen and such? He has no credentials, no titles, no education; how does He speak wisdom like He does?” Again, they were blind to Who He really was. They just could not see Him as a man with wisdom on the tongue. Perhaps this is the doing of the religious leaders, a perversion of the Word of God. Whatever the case, they are responsible for their actions, and Christ would rebuke them.
“How are such mighty works done by His hands?” As I mentioned earlier, Christ had been there many days. He had been ministering to His kinsmen and His hometown folk, but look at their reaction to it. They saw Him perform miracles, but it is more likely that they heard of His glorious deeds in Galilee. Word of Jesus’ deeds was quick to spread, and these people either witnessed a miracle firsthand or heard of His deeds in other places. It is no doubt that they knew that He was capable of performing miracles. Instead of putting faith in Him, they mocked and questioned Him. “What sort of powers are these that You have, sorcerer? Do you channel a demon for Your powers? Or do you claim to be the ‘Messiah?” They were so blind that they could not even see His wonders clearly. Indeed, His obvious demonstrations of authority in word and deed were not enough for these people of little faith.
“Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” Here they make their claims most clear. They call into account His background. They questioned the veracity of His word on the account that He was the son of a carpenter. They poked at His mother too. “Is this not the son of Mary?” It was likely the talk of the town when Mary had a son without having had relations to her husband Joseph. The people likely gossiped about Him and His mother. They questioned the authority of His message based on His having siblings. “What about James or Judas? We don’t hear and profound statements coming from them!” Humorously enough, James and Judas would go on to write two books of the inspired canon of Holy Scripture. They did not want to believe that a mere carpenter, the “illegitimate son” of Mary could propound such wisdom and perform miracles. It is odd that these Israelites did not recall their own history. Their king, David son of Jesse, was a mere shepherd. Their lawgiver Moses was a son of Egypt. Their father Abraham was a Canaanite. They would gladly accept these men, but why not this one called Christ? This is a keen reminder of how terrible people are. How could we of this day and age call ourselves any better? We have more grounds to reject Him than they did so we are equally guilty.
So all this to say, they took offense at Him. They were offended at what He said and Who He was. They despised Him! His own people, the people of His hometown! You might think that of anyone, THEY would receive Him! Alas, that is not the case and they heaped ruin on their heads if they would not repent. Christ rebuked them sorely and pointedly in His words here. “I am honored wherever I go, as a prophet and a miracle worker. I am not, however, honored where it would be expected, in My own hometown.” Obviously this is a paraphrase. Let’s look at His own words now, “A prophet is not without honor, except in his hometown and among his relatives and in his own household.” A sharp rebuke. Everyone honored Him, everyone but His own hometown. What a pitiable lack of faith. What a wretched example of selfishness and self love. He even refers to Himself as a prophet. No doubt the people would have felt the sting of that remark. They revered the prophets! They revered them all but one, the One Who was more than just a prophet. They honored dead men, but they would not honor the One Who would conquer death. Certainly this is a sad state of affairs.
The culmination of the faithlessness of the people is recorded here. He could do no mighty work there. Yes, He did a few things, He healed the few faithful ones that came to Him, but there was no way that He would perform such miracles as those in chapter 5. These people were not worthy of a magnificent display of Christ’s power. Christ performed the great miracles because the recipients of those miracles were graced of God with a Christ exalting faith! No such faith was to be found in Nazareth that day, and as such, no great works of wonder were done. All the better for them! They would have likely been offended even more at a great display of His power, thus heaping MORE judgment on them! This is a blessing and a judgment rolled into one. Ultimately, it was their faithlessness that caused Christ to simply move on from there. Those people were not willing to humble themselves, therefore they would not receive blessing. Again we see Christ rebuking the people in the text: “He marveled because of their unbelief.” He was disgusted with them. They were deplorable in His sight, and do you know what is truly tragic about this scene? This faithlessness, this lack of humility? These things nailed Him to the cross. They put the spear in His side and the thorns on His head. This is absolutely tragic. How would Christ have felt? Knowing that He would DIE because of their actions? Interesting things to think about.
He left that place and went on to the other towns to teach. Perhaps they would receive Him there, and perhaps there would be people open to the message of the Kingdom of God.
This passage is rich with application. It is hard to receive teaching in this day when teachability is looked poorly upon. When a preacher or a leader calls us out on sinfulness, what is our initial reaction? Our natural reaction is to question him. “Who are you? What is this that you are speaking? You’re just like me!” Sound familiar? This is EXACTLY what the people of Nazareth were saying! We are still like this today! When God’s Word is so readily available, why is it that we are hardened to its message? God, deliver us from this stubbornness! Let us be ready and willing to learn, brothers and sisters, ready and willing to humble ourselves for the purpose of discipline. It is not hard to hate the truth. It is an exceedingly difficult thing to respect rebuke and accept hard doctrine. It’s what we need, however, in a day where spineless Christianity is so common. It is imperative that we be intolerant of sinfulness in our own lives and in the lives of others. I cannot stress enough how difficult this is, trust me I know. It is with prayer and constant devotion to God’s Word that we are able to be changed. We are not sanctified instantly via some experience, it is ongoing! We are sanctified by God and what He has given us: the church, prayer, His Word, and Himself! Let us be addicted to the Word of God as could be said of the great men of old. Let us be men of prayer, communing with God as Moses did. Let us be men and women after God’s own heart as King David once was. Let us follow the examples of godly men and seek to further the kingdom with devotion to God and His Word, and the exposition of His Word! None of us are exempt from this! It should be that we follow after the exposition of God’s Word far more than any other ambition! Let us be saturated with God’s Word and let us put it in writing! It greatly helps to do so. Pray that I would be addicted to God’s Word in all the fullness that I can get at this point in my sanctification. Pray the same for yourselves! Let us be students of the Word, teachable, and humble. Let us receive in faith the rebuke of the Spirit of God. Let us go into all the earth and be living apologetics for God, because the world will see our difference.
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
A few more quotes
“We exist to spread a passion of the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ.” ~ John Piper
“I think I speak not too strongly when I say that a church in the land without the Spirit of God is rather a curse than a blessing. If you have not the Spirit of God, Christian worker, remember you stand in somebody else's way; you are a tree bearing no fruit, standing where another fruitful tree might grow.” ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“Jesus was a great worker, and His disciples must not be afraid of hard work.” ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“A child of God should be a visible Beatitude, for joy and happiness, and a living Doxology, for gratitude and adoration.” ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“The best men are conscious above all others that they are men at best.” ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“How sweet all it once was for me to be rid of all those fruitless joys which I had once so feared to lose! You drove them from me, You Who are the true, the sovereign joy. You drove them from me and took their place, You Who are sweeter than all pleasure, though not to flesh and blood, You Who outshine all light, yet are hidden deeper than any secret in our hearts, You Who surpass all honor though not in the eyes of men who see all honor in themselves… O Lord my God, my light, my wealth, and my salvation.” ~ Augustine of Hippo – Confessiones IX.I
“Let this, therefore, be a customable thing with thee that as soon as thine enemy ariseth against thee, and the vices which thou hast forsaken trouble thee, thou then without tarrying with sure confidence and trust lift up thy mind to heaven.”
~Desiderius Erasmus – Enchiridion militis Christiani
“I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else.” ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“I think I speak not too strongly when I say that a church in the land without the Spirit of God is rather a curse than a blessing. If you have not the Spirit of God, Christian worker, remember you stand in somebody else's way; you are a tree bearing no fruit, standing where another fruitful tree might grow.” ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“Jesus was a great worker, and His disciples must not be afraid of hard work.” ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“A child of God should be a visible Beatitude, for joy and happiness, and a living Doxology, for gratitude and adoration.” ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“The best men are conscious above all others that they are men at best.” ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon
“How sweet all it once was for me to be rid of all those fruitless joys which I had once so feared to lose! You drove them from me, You Who are the true, the sovereign joy. You drove them from me and took their place, You Who are sweeter than all pleasure, though not to flesh and blood, You Who outshine all light, yet are hidden deeper than any secret in our hearts, You Who surpass all honor though not in the eyes of men who see all honor in themselves… O Lord my God, my light, my wealth, and my salvation.” ~ Augustine of Hippo – Confessiones IX.I
“Let this, therefore, be a customable thing with thee that as soon as thine enemy ariseth against thee, and the vices which thou hast forsaken trouble thee, thou then without tarrying with sure confidence and trust lift up thy mind to heaven.”
~Desiderius Erasmus – Enchiridion militis Christiani
“I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else.” ~ Charles Haddon Spurgeon
Tuesday, September 1, 2009
Galatians 1:6-7 in Greek
Greek Devotion 9-01-09
Text: Galatians 1:6-7 “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him Who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.”
Here Paul is astonished, as the ESV puts it, that the Galatian believers are being found guilty of giving into the damnable doctrine of the Judaizers. The true gospel of Christ was being subverted by a false gospel, which was no gospel. This is an extremely relevant passage. How often are we forced to put up with Moral Relativism and Post Modernity? These sickening philosophies proclaim the downfall of absolutes and the ostracizing of dogmatists. Paul would not have gotten along with today’s society, just as they false religions hated him 2000 years ago.
We looked again at the difference between “allos” and “heteros” for the English word “another.” In verse 6, Paul uses the word “heteros” or “another not of the same kind” to describe the heresy of the Judaizers. In the NKJV, the phrase is “different gospel.” We see that Paul is choosing his words very carefully, making sure to use the correct term, which in this case is “heteros.” In the next verse, Paul uses the other term we have defined, “allos.” We know that “allos” means “another of the same kind.” Paul again uses his words wisely, and uses the word “allos” in a negative sense that translates in the NKJV to “which is not another.” Paul is deeply emphasizing that the gospel of the Judaizers is “heteros,” different from the true gospel, and he consummates his statement by using “allos” to negatively describe the false Gospel as being not a gospel at all! The word for “gospel” in Greek is “euangelion” which means “good news.” Paul’s phrase in verse 6 is “Heteros euangelion.” The gospel of the Judaizers was noted as being completely different from the true gospel. Paul’s use of words is crucial in understanding the passion with which he was writing.
Powerful statements; deriving the meaning from a text in its original language is exciting! I’m deeply enjoying Greek, and I hope that I will be able to write more and more about our daily devotions from the Greek New Testament.
~Grace and Peace
Text: Galatians 1:6-7 “I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him Who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.”
Here Paul is astonished, as the ESV puts it, that the Galatian believers are being found guilty of giving into the damnable doctrine of the Judaizers. The true gospel of Christ was being subverted by a false gospel, which was no gospel. This is an extremely relevant passage. How often are we forced to put up with Moral Relativism and Post Modernity? These sickening philosophies proclaim the downfall of absolutes and the ostracizing of dogmatists. Paul would not have gotten along with today’s society, just as they false religions hated him 2000 years ago.
We looked again at the difference between “allos” and “heteros” for the English word “another.” In verse 6, Paul uses the word “heteros” or “another not of the same kind” to describe the heresy of the Judaizers. In the NKJV, the phrase is “different gospel.” We see that Paul is choosing his words very carefully, making sure to use the correct term, which in this case is “heteros.” In the next verse, Paul uses the other term we have defined, “allos.” We know that “allos” means “another of the same kind.” Paul again uses his words wisely, and uses the word “allos” in a negative sense that translates in the NKJV to “which is not another.” Paul is deeply emphasizing that the gospel of the Judaizers is “heteros,” different from the true gospel, and he consummates his statement by using “allos” to negatively describe the false Gospel as being not a gospel at all! The word for “gospel” in Greek is “euangelion” which means “good news.” Paul’s phrase in verse 6 is “Heteros euangelion.” The gospel of the Judaizers was noted as being completely different from the true gospel. Paul’s use of words is crucial in understanding the passion with which he was writing.
Powerful statements; deriving the meaning from a text in its original language is exciting! I’m deeply enjoying Greek, and I hope that I will be able to write more and more about our daily devotions from the Greek New Testament.
~Grace and Peace
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