Category: Mining the Scriptures

Here Jesus showed his compassion to a man stricken with leprosy. Touching the unclean man, and healing him of the disease. Leprosy was and is a horrific disease, and was without a cure in Bible times. While it was often not fatal, it was contagious, progressive, and caused deformation and degeneration of the tissues of the body.

In our time, it can be treated, as it is caused by bacteria. Doctors can administer a concoction of drugs to kill the bacteria.

The contagious nature of the disease as well as the horrific symptoms is why lepers were shunned from society. And why leprosy was determined to be an uncleanness in the law of Moses (cf. Leviticus  14).

This leper could not contain his joy despite being instructed by Jesus to tell no one of the healing. It is intimated that the reason for Jesus’ desire for secrecy was that knowledge of the miracle would impede His work. This is, in fact, exactly what happened.

John the Baptist, the son of Martha and Zacharias and cousin of Jesus, was born to his mother in her old age and heralded by his father (inspired with the Holy Spirit) as “the prophet of the Highest, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins” (Luke 1:76-77).

This ministry of John is described by Matthew here. He preached repentance as he proclaimed the coming of the Christ. He prepared “the way of the Lord.”

John was described as an austere man here and elsewhere. As he appeared on the scene from the wilderness, his clothing was rough, and his food was simple “locusts and wild honey.” He was a successful preacher, capturing the hearts of the common people in Judea. His call to repent, and to be baptized for the remission of sins in preparation for the Messiah, was heard in “Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan.”

The second church Jesus wrote to was the church in Smyrna. The church is known as the persecuted church. This congregation was oppressed. As they sought to be faithful at this time, they were beset by tribulation (cf. James 1:24) and economic oppression. Even so they were rich spiritually!

Jesus comforted them. That comfort was not a promise to deliver them out of trials, but rather a promise to give them an eternal reward because of their faithfulness. “Be faithful until death, and I will give you a crown of life” (10). This end of the Christian’s sojourn on earth is our reason for hope. It is the reason we can live our lives in the midst of our enemies without fear! “What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31) (cf. Matthew 10:28).

Here is our promise, made by the Lord to the church in Smyrna at the end of the first century, “He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death” (11)!

The NKJV of the text refers to “the Antichrist.”  You will note the definite article, and the capital to the word, making it a name rather than a description.  Both are highly suspect.  First, it is generally understood that a definite article (the) is not in the text.  Second, the word antichrist as used here does not have reference to a particular individual, but anyone who is opposed to the Messiah.

In effect, “You heard that opposition and error is coming, it is already here, as there are many teaching error and opposed to the Messiah at this time.”

John shows the division between those who accept the truth regarding the Father and His Son, and those who advocated for a very different concept was present. It was obvious. The departure from the faith indicated that they had left the truth, and were no longer to be considered faithful. It had become obvious that the unity God expected of His was no longer respected by some.

Here is the danger of the false teacher. He uses sophistry to allure the elect. We have obeyed the truth and escaped from a life lived in error. But, the false teacher seeks to turn us back to corruption.  That corruption brings slavery to sin. “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” (Romans 6:16).

This allurement can bring total apostasy. As the gospel is the sole means of escaping error, another gospel (a perversion, cf. Galatians 1:6-7), if embraced, causes you to reject that sole means of obtaining salvation! (cf. Romans 1:16).

Peter has a sobering truth to share about those who reject the truth they once embraced. “For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them” (21). A careful consideration clearly shows this to be true.

Peter here calls for love of your brethren in Christ. Not just any love — love that is sincere (unhypocritical) and pure (singular, without any corrupting influence).

The reason Peter gives for this love is a response to our redemption through Jesus Christ. Being “born again.” Here though, he emphasizes the gospel of Jesus Christ, a gospel that he describes as “the word of God which lives and abides forever.”

This word is the incorruptible (imperishable) seed that brings about conversion. Paul agrees with this assessment saying in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

Put in a nutshell: God has delivered for us the perfect vehicle to save us. The death, burial and resurrection His only begotten Son! As this is proclaimed, it brings faith to men, and salvation. As we receive this great gift, our response must be love for one another!

Here James continues his denunciation of the showing of partiality. Prosperity was the basis of separation in this context. James showed the foolishness of dishonoring the poor man by pointing out that God had chosen the poor of the world to be “rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom” (5).

In contrast, the rich often are the cause of our own oppression. How peculiar it is for us to court those who have no concern or care for us.  And yet, it is a typical thing both then and now.

In verses 8 and 9 of the text, James makes a typical application of the call God makes to love one another. He refers to it as the “royal law according to the scripture” and notes that it is required by God. It is in fact, that upon which the entire law of God hangs (cf. Matthew 22:40).

So to show partiality (racism, ageism, sexism, disdain for the poor, etc.) is to show a lack of love. This is a violation of God’s commands, and convicts a Christian of sin against Him.

We are to mimic our Lord in faithfulness. Christ was faithful to His Father, and the Holy Spirit calls for us to be faithful. Israel is given as an example here, but an example to avoid rather than follow. They rebelled against God, and it cost an entire generation their inheritance in the land of promise. God said, “So I swore in My wrath, they shall not enter My rest” (11, cf. Psalm 95:11).

The rebellion of the Jews is well described, “They always go astray in their heart, and they have not known my ways” (10). This is a problem in every generation. Men determine to do their own will, often because they do not even know God’s, but often because they ignore God because they prefer their own way.

We must not be guilty of the same. We must not depart from God, which He categorizes as an “evil heart of unbelief” (12). Instead, our call to be Christians is a call to faithfulness. We are to “hold our steadfastness to the end” (14). This is the Holy Spirit’s description of partaking of Christ!

Our text is one of many which teaches our salvation from sin through the grace of God. This salvation came because of God’s love and kindness toward us. Because He loves us, He has showed mercy where none was deserved. We in no way deserve our salvation because of our own “works of righteousness” (cf. Romans 6:23).

This salvation by grace was accomplished through the agency of the Holy Spirit (cf. John 3:5), through which we are born again or renewed; and the Son of God, “Jesus Christ our Savior” (6).  What a wonderful thing to know, that all three Persons in the Godhead — The Father, Son and Holy Spirit — were in agreement and assisted in bringing about our redemption (cf. John 3:13-15).

Because of His grace, we are justified. The word justified means to be pronounced righteous and to be acquitted of our sins. Equally wonderful is the reward that we look to receive as a result of that justification, eternal life in His presence!

Paul here called upon Timothy to remind the brethren of the need for steadfastness, even through persecution. He knew the blessings that would come to those who maintain their faith.

He instructed Timothy to rightly divide the “word of truth” (15). It is important to note that handling the word of God loosely will invite error, but a strong appeal to the context and proper understanding of each passage serves well the child of God.

Timothy was to stay away from  discussion of religious topics that were unhealthy (but common) in his day. He called them “profane and idle babblings” (16). We note Paul’s willingness to name names in talking of these things, pointing out Hymenaeus and Philetus as men who claimed the resurrection had already happened, overthrowing the faith of some of God’s people.

Finally, verse 19 shows that God requires those who are His to “depart from iniquity.” His warning shows steadfastness is required of every child of God. We may fall if we don’t persevere!

Paul ended his first chapter in his letter to Timothy with a charge to his young ward — to wage spiritual war against evil. In this charge he called for Timothy to maintain his faith and purity in conscience.

Such an admonition was necessary. Paul had left Timothy in Ephesus (1:3), and there was a need not only to edify, but to defend the truth against false teachers. This is true today as well.  The work of an evangelist is not done well unless spiritual warfare is waged as soldiers in Christ’s army. Conviction and sincerity was and is needed that truth be allowed its victory against the wiles of the devil.

Paul named two men: Hymenaeus and Alexander. They had departed from the faith and were condemned. They were examples of men who had to be withstood and fought against, lest we be “children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men…” (Ephesians 4:14).

Paul had a special admonition for those Thessalonians who had adopted an idle lifestyle, possibly because they thought their time on earth was to be ending soon. His teaching, both by example and inspiration, is that Christians have a social and familial responsibility until the Lord comes. “If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (10).

So, he commanded it again here (12), as he had heard of some in the congregation who were not only idle, but their idleness was leading to sin.  He called them “busybodies.”

The preparation of a Christian for eternity is seen in his obedience and positive efforts to life righteously. He is an example to the unbeliever and believer alike.  Paul exhorted the Thessalonians to steadfastness, “But as for you brethren, do not grow weary in doing good” (13). This  command is serious, a matter of Christian fellowship and eternal standing with God. Those who will not work are to be rejected, though our love for them is retained (15).

Paul establishes 3 simple points in this short text:

1. He greatly desired to be with the Thessalonians. This was Paul’s motivation in his work. He established churches in many places, and desired to revisit the locations to encourage and strengthen the brethren. Everything that Paul did was for others, whether the lost, or his precious brethren. His own life and comfort was always secondary to his ministry.
2. Satan was real to Paul (and should be to us). Through the Spirit’s inspiration he attributed his absence to the work of the Adversary. Not surprising as Paul’s effectiveness was a great force against the Devil’s work. Remember the wiles and efforts of the devil to condemn us! (cf. 1 Peter 5:8).
3. The value of the Thessalonians was inestimable to Paul. How about you and I? We too must love one another! “For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another” (1 John 3:11).

Here Paul describes a second problem in the early church, the dependence upon the regulations of the old law, and traditions. We have gained liberty in Christ. Faith in Christ is the substance of our relationship to God. If we have that relationship, we are promised the reward of heaven (cf. John 3:16).

Paul warns that we can be cheated through things like circumcision, and the law of Moses which Christ took away in His death on the cross. For this reason we are not judged by either those requirements of the Old Covenant, or the legalistic traditions that arose from them. He specifically referenced “self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body” which “are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh” (23).

Our baptism into Christ makes us dead to trespasses, as we are made alive together with Him. Our sins have been forgiven. As righteous individuals, we do not have to worry about the judgment of others. We rejoice and depend upon our relationship to Him.

The text calls for us to have the same mind (will) as Christ.  The decision He made: to leave heaven, come to earth as a man, and humble Himself to the point of death on the cross shows clearly our Lord’s mind regarding others. He was motivated by love and selflessness. Jesus once said, “This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:12-13). We can’t do for Him what He did for us, so in His next breath he said, “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you” (John 15:14). Unfortunately too many are too selfish or indifferent to do even this for their Lord.

God celebrated and rewarded the sacrifice of Jesus through His resurrection and exaltation. It is as a result of this exaltation that Jesus has become the appointed judge for all mankind. In the day of judgment, every knee will bow and confess Him as Lord.

So, yes, we need the same mind which was in Christ Jesus!