Commentaries

     Someone i know is avidly reading Luke and planning to read through the other gospels afterwards. As they read there are questions and things that are not understood. The natural response is to seek out more knowledgeable opinion like a commentary. For those who understand English there are many options from different writers over the centuries. At one time I had Matthew Henry, Jamison, Faucet & Brown from the 1850's, the Tyndale series, a few individual book commentaries including a three volume set on Isaiah, and even a new Africa commentary by African brothers. However I do not recommend any of these or any others unless one has first read the entire Bible carefully and prayerfully at least five and preferably ten times first.
    Why do i take this stand? Unlike the Bible, the commentaries are not inspired by the Holy Spirit. ( 2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20-21.) Certainly most writers of commentaries have studied long and hard in the original languages. Yet it is instructive to note how people poring over the same texts can come to very different conclusions. Unfortunately this quest for knowledge can also lead to intellectual and spiritual pride. World class theologian Wayne Grudem in his Systematic Theology writes, "Historically, false doctrine often seems to be adopted by the theologians first, by the pastors second, and by the informed laity, who are daily reading their Bibles and walking with the Lord, last." ( pg. 922) If our adversary wants to undermine the Church, it makes sense that he would attack those with the most influence.
     Now i grant that most Christians of my experience are Biblically illiterate, tossed about by every wind of doctrine. ( Ephesians 4:14) Still the potential is there to study daily, asking the Holy Spirit to fulfill His ministry of teaching us all things ( John 14:26), guiding us into all truth (John 16:13, cf. 17:17), and knowing the things given us by God. ( 1 Corinthians 2:12-13) Will we understand perfectly? No. We are still part of a Body which has received gifts such as teachers ( Ephesians 4:11) and elders ( 1 Timothy 3:2, 5:17, Titus 1:9) to instruct us.
    So I advocate lengthy reading prior to wading into the commentaries so that we have some basis on which to evaluate these writings.

Being Equipped

In responding to the command of Jesus to make disciples, one necessity is to become better equipped to do so. In the last week God has facilitated this in several ways. One was in spending a day with a veteran disciplemaker, one of the few people i know who has been personally discipled, and then employed that over his entire adult life. He gave me a book called "Intentional Disciplemaking," by Ron Bennett. About the first half is dedicated to how to minister the gospel as we cannot disciple those who are unregenerated,
     On Saturday had the opportunity to listen to three audios from Summit Ministries in Colorado. The first was about the meaning of meaning by Michael Bauman. Key ideas were: Ideas have consequences, and, bad ideas have bad ones; sloppy language makes sloppy thought possible; does meaning derive from intention or interpretation, and language is at the core of reality. Our God is a god of language. He created the world through speaking, and Jesus is identified as the Word of God. (John 1) The primary revelation of God is through the inspired, inerrant pages of the Bible.
     The second audio was by Chuck Edwards. Thoughts here were: the postmodern world has no humor. Words have meaning only in context. Do not ask what does it mean to me; ask what does it mean. Context is key. The third more problematic audio was by Greg Koukl. He made numerous assertions, and between that the questions raised, spent too little time on actually making his case Biblically. His points were: Never read a Bible verse in isolation; stop looking for special meanings. The primary example was Jeremiah 29:11 which begins, "I know the plans i have for you..." Koukl maintains that this promise was to the specific Jews destined for exile during Jeremiah's ministry, and should not be applied to believers. This opens a sizeable can of worms because much of the Bible is written to specific individuals and groups or about them in a specific time frame i.e. Paul's letter to the Philippians or to Timothy, or Jesus' prayer in John 17 which initially prays for the disciples listening to Him as He spoke, and only in verse 20 to those who will hear the message. Time did not permit but it would be imperative to hear what guidelines or methods Koukl would propose to determine what was for then and what could be applied now.
     Finally Sunday night i listened to a DVD by Bill Jack to facilitate evangelism. He uses five questions.
What do you mean by what you are saying?
How do you know?
What difference does it make in your life?
What if you are wrong, i.e. the eternal consequences.
What would you accept as evidence?

The King Eternal

     As a young believer i had the privilege of being in a ministry with a lot of song writers who used the words of the Bible as their lyrics. Decades later i still remember most of these. It is a wonderful way to hide the Word of God in our hearts. (Psalm 119:11) One of these songs was based on 1 Timothy 1:17. "Now unto the king eternal, invisible, the only wise God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (KJV)
    This morning as i am in the pain of childbirth until Christ be formed in people (Galatians 4:19), the truth is that it is not about us, but about Him, Jesus, the King of the Kingdom of God. Even those Christians who have had some degree of relationship or belief in Christ for many years do not often seem to grasp this.
     I find at least fourteen places where the New Testament speaks of preaching the gospel of the Kingdom of God or just preaching the Kingdom. Some examples include Matthew 4:17. Mark 1:14-15, Acts 8:12 and 28:31. The staggering reality is that we, degenerate and depraved human beings ( Romans 3:23, Genesis 5:5, 11-13, 2 Timothy 3: 1-9) have, through the obedience and love of King Jesus, been given the inestimable privilege and honor of serving the Creator of the Universe.
     God has the right and the power to force us to serve Him. He can do whatever He wants as a potter can with clay. ( Romans 9). Instead He gives us the privilege of voluntarily submitting to Him. Historically most of the people who have ever lived have been dominated by an earthly pagan king, a dictator, or some other kind of tyrannical rule. Genuine believers have the joy of serving a King who loves them more than anyone else possibly could.
     Recently a young adult who grew up in the church told me that she was somewhere between an agnostic and an atheist. After some conversation i said that i would pray that God reveal His love and truth to her in a way that she could understand. Driving away I, although not an emotional guy, wept at the reality that she does not know King Jesus, does not have the relationship that i enjoy.

New Hampshire Visit

  Last Tuesday and Wednesday i had the opportunity to go to northern New Hampshire. The first leg of the trip was to see Ray, the only pastor i have ever had who prioritized Biblical discipleship. We have recently reconnected as the Lord has brought me along the road of discipleship. In the morning one brother came over and I had an opportunity to share about some of what I learned and experienced in Brazil, along with a number of verses on the theme of intentional discipleship. Ray confirmed that the key difference between mentoring and true Biblical discipleship is accountability. Ray and his wife are probably two of the best equipped people in North America to disciple others. They have had the rare experience of being personally discipled, and have been doing this with others for decades.
     In the evening four brothers came over, and we were able to look at the theme of accountability, using numerous verses from the "Pastoral" letters of Paul to Timothy and Titus. I sensed that the men were attentive, and urged them to receive personal discipleship from Ray. Time will show if the message penetrated their hearts. The culture is totally opposed to accountability and responsibility, and the Church in America is generally satisfied with church attendance as a sign of commitment to Christ. These obstacles are difficult to overcome.
   The following day i traveled further north to visit Tom. We had good fellowship, a walk along a raging river, and lunch that included a French dish called "poutin," which is French fries with melted cheese and gravy. We also had some times of prayer. God is using him to impact a number of people in what is sometimes called life on life ministry.
   Reading in Ezekiel 37 i came across something i had not previously noticed. In Matthew 27:52-53 we read "The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many." Compare this to Ezekiel 37:13. "And you shall know that I am the Lord, when i open your graves and raise you from your graves, O My People." (ESV)

Commenting

     Over the course of writing this blog, I have received occasional comments. It seems fair to me that if I have the opportunity to write what i wish, that readers should have the opportunity to have their comments published. I do have to reserve the right to not publish as i have received a few vitriolic or otherwise problematic comments, but in general i will publish even if i don't agree with what is expressed.
    The following is a comment on Luke 12 from my married daughter.

Luke 12:22-34 I have read this passage many times and heard it preached many times, yet I feel I missed the message. My focus was on not being anxious because God would provide for me, but I missed the key element of Jesus asking us to focus on his kingdom. He says it's his pleasure to give us the kingdom and later tells us to store up treasure in heaven. He instructs us to sell our possessions and give to the needy. I don't think he's kidding here. I think he's trying to tell us where freedom and true treasure come from - letting go of all of our earthly treasures and following him. As I mentioned before, I think his purpose in requiring us to give away our possessions is twofold. One because the freedom we experience in doing this makes room for Jesus to be number one in our hearts. Two, he intends for us to demonstrate his kingdom by meeting the needs of others. He has given us more than what we need so that we can show his love to those who have less than what they need. This is how I would define biblical justice.
     One takeaway from her reflection is the blessing of reading the Bible over and over. As Job said, "I have treasured the words of your mouth more than my daily bread." ( Job 23:12) There is inexhaustible treasure in His Word. And He has given the Holy Spirit to reveal it to us.
"Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual." ( 1 Corinthians 2:12-13)

Did Jesus Compromise?

Recently someone brought my attention to Luke 9:57-62 with the comment that there are no "buts" to following Jesus. The text reads, "As they were going along the road, someone said to him, 'I will follow you wherever you go.' And Jesus said to him, 'Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.' To another he said, 'Follow me.' But he said, 'Lord, let me first go bury my father.' And Jesus said to him, 'Leave the dead to bury their own dead. But as for you, go and proclaim the kingdom of God.' Yet another  said, I will follow you, Lord, but let me first say farewell to those at my home.' Jesus said to him, 'No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." (ESV)
   Jesus isn't very tolerant or understanding or gentle here. Sometimes I wonder if Jesus were here with us in the flesh today, ministering the Word of God to us, would we receive it. Or have we made Him into our own image, a God of our own devising. Note in the passage above two references to the Kingdom of God. What is a kingdom? A place with a King. What does a king do? He rules. What do the subjects of the kingdom do? They obey. Since the founding and history of the USA is based on not having a king or nobility this is not a cultural concept here.
    Some will ask, 'Where is the love of God in this?" God demonstrated His love decisively on the cross. "In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be a propitiation for our sins." ( 1 John 4:10 ESV) John writes in chapter 2, "Whoever keeps his word, in him  truly the love of God is perfected." ( v.5)
   Returning to Luke 9, Jesus says, "And he said to all, 'If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it." ( 9:23-24 ESV)
     Did Jesus compromise? No. Should we?

Luke 8:56

    As for Luke 8:56, this is a conundrum. Let us see if the Holy Spirit can unravel it. 8:39 clearly states "Declare how much God has done for you," while 8:56 says "He charged them to tell no one what had happened."  There is no clear explanation in the text so it becomes a question of interpretation.

    Here is where themes and patterns becomes helpful. As a person continues to read and study the Word, reading the whole Bible again and again, certain themes and patterns emerge. We see the Holy Spirit emphasizing things over and over. One of these is the Kingdom of God. The Old Testament speaks of this in many places such as the "Davidic Covenant," ( 2 Samuel 7) particularly verses 12-16) and the vision of Daniel about the Son of Man in chapter 7, particularly verses 13-14, and 27.

     When Jesus comes preaching the Kingdom of God, (cf. Mark 1:14-15, Luke 4:42-43, Matthew 4:23 et. al) the Jews see Him as the fulfillment of those prophecies. What they do not understand is that Jesus' Kingdom is not of this world. ( John 18:36) They want to make Him an earthly king. ( John 6:15).

   The key difference between the two incidents of miraculous healing in Luke 8 is their location. The deliverance of the demon possessed man takes place in the country of the Gerasenes, a non Jewish people. They do not have the Old Testament or the prophecies therein, and are not desiring Jesus to be an earthly King. 

   In verse 40 it says that Jesus returned i.e. from the country of the Gerasenes. Now that He is back in a Jewish context, He does not want news to spread about Him, potentially sparking a confrontation with the Roman occupiers, and disrupting His true mission. Thus He tells them to keep the raising from the dead quiet.

   Granted the above is an interpretation, and could be off but it fits the situation, and reflects the reality of the Kingdom of God as a spiritual dominion rather than a geographical area.

Men's Retreat

     This past weekend i had the opportunity to participate in a men's retreat. Eight brothers attended, ranging in age from sixteen to seventy-eight. Half i had not previously met. Although i have been going on men;s retreats for decades, it was in March, 1993 that began to organize and teach the Word of God at them. Since then have had the privilege of coordinating over forty of these, most of them with my brother Doug Chase. Our wildly dissimilar personalities but common appreciation for the Word of God and reverence for the Lord has combined to make us a good team. This time we were joined in the preparation by a younger brother named Tom who brought other things to the table including the site, a large cabin in the New Hampshire woods. Although in the past we have purchased and cooked our own food, this time that was done for us by Greg, the owner of the campground.
    Several of the men had never been on a men;s retreat, and expressed some apprehension about it, and there was the usual last minute dropouts of those who had indicated they would attend. I am thankful that those who did arrive were serious about what we were doing, and demonstrated receptivity.
   One new approach that we took was to give mini-topics during our meal times to direct the conversation into productive channels, something i would want to do again. Friday night i began with the question, "How do you know that God loves you?"
   On Saturday morning Tom led a discussion with many Bible verses on knowing God with good participation. In the evening i taught on the Kingdom of God, and discipleship. Sunday morning we had a time of prayer before our departure.
   While it is sad to me, and indicative of the spiritual temperature of the Church in North America, that it is so difficult to induce men to get away on these type of weekends, i entrust God with the next step of the journey.

Reflections on The Lord's Prayer

     Recently i have come to receive the centrality of what is commonly known as "The Lord's Prayer," something that i am surprised that i did not discern previously. As a child i learned the traditional KJV version in Matthew 6:9-13.
After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
     Luke 11:2ff and the more modern versions have abbreviated versions. Both Matthew and Luke indicate that Jesus is instructing the disciples to pray in this way.
   So what is Jesus saying? The word "Father" shows relationship and is by far the most common term of address for God in the New Testament. "Our" shows that Jesus shares that relationship with us. We are all part of one family. Heaven is where God dwells, and where all of his true children will eventually join Him. "Hallowed" indicates holy or consecrated. I am reminded of Lincoln's Gettysburg address, which contains this word in reference to the ground fought and bled over. Hallowing the name of God shows its importance.
   The next sentence is the clearest possible understanding of the Kingdom which Jesus and the apostles preached. The Kingdom of God is where His will is done. It is always done in heaven. Here on the rebel planet His will is done by disciples surrendered to Him as King.
   Asking for our daily bread illustrates our dependence on God rather than on ourselves.
Asking for forgiveness as we forgive others shows faith working through love. ( 1 Timothy 1:5)
     Praying for deliverance from evil shows the warfare between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of darkness- the spiritual warfare which a disciple of Christ must engage in.
     The concluding sentence is acknowledging that ultimately our lives are not about us but for Him- to praise, exalt and glorify God through Jesus Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. May His disciples seek revelation of the heart of this prayer.

Mystery of Divine Healing

Several people whom I know have suffered tremendous pain and physical suffering over the course of many years. I and others have prayed hundreds of times for God to heal them. This has not happened. Last night another believer and I were discussing this phenomenon. What does the Bible say about healing, and how are we to understand our and others' experiences with this. One verse commonly used by proponents of modern day divine (miraculous) healing is Psalm 103:3 speaking of the Lord (v.2) "who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases..."
    Very quickly we run into a major controversy which has divided the Church. Are gifts of healing (and other gifts) as mentioned in 1 Corinthians 12:28 for a limited time period very early in the history of the so called primitive church (pre 100AD) or do these gifts extend until Christ returns? A key passage is 1 Corinthians 13:8-12. Verse 8 clearly states that the gifts will cease. It does not say when. Verse 9 refers to something called the "perfect" but is not clear what that is. Some understand this to be the completion of the canon of Scripture i.e. the New Testament as God has no further inspired revelation for us. How does verse 12 fit into this interpretation? It reads "Now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully , even as I have been fully known." This seems to agree more with the understanding that the "perfect" is Jesus. When He returns we shall see Him face to face ( 1 John 3:2) and shall know as we have been known.
   So if the gift of healing exists why don't people get healed. One is that not everyone has every gift but those to whom the Spirit gives them. ( 1 Cor. 12:7.11) Two, if we do not believe in the possibility that a person can be healed then we are not walking in faith for the Holy Spirit to work in. Third is the understanding that ultimately God does things for His own glory, and we are not very good at giving Him that glory through our testimonies of what He has done for us. Fourth is the sovereignty of God. He does what He wills. Fifth, I do not know why.
   There are two mature men of God whom I respect greatly who both say that God has used them in miraculous healing, albeit in other countries. Perhaps there are clues there but for now it is still a mystery to me. I will continue to pray for people and hope for better results.

Reflections in Luke

This week i have had the privilege and joy of true fellowship with someone who has received from God a new hunger for His Word. Often we think of fellowship as the time of social interaction around the coffee pot after a church service. In truth I believe it is a  rare experience when two, or occasionally more people sit together sharing their hearts in mutually edification- a goal expressed by Paul in Romans 1:11-12 "For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you- that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, both yours and mine." This involves prayer, getting in the Word, and mutual trust.
   We have been looking at Luke 5 which this person has been reading. A question was raised about the meaning of old and new garments, and the wine skins at the end of the chapter. I offered several ideas about what to do with unclear passages. First and foremost to ask the Holy Spirit for revelation per John 14:26, 16:13, and 1 Corinthians 2:10-13. Second to see if there are other parallel passages which may offer missing details. We found Matthew 9:14ff which adds an OT quote (Hosea 6:6) "I desire mercy and not sacrifice." Also we found Luke 22:20 which, unique among the gospel accounts of the Lord's Supper says, "This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood." From these clues we interpret the new wineskins as the New Covenant, which Jesus is bringing to replace the Old.
     Earlier in the chapter we examined the healing of a paralyzed man, noting the actions produced by the faith of those who brought the man to Jesus. They came to Him, were not deterred by the crowd, came up with a solution of how to get the man into the presence of Jesus, and disrupted the meeting in their zeal. This is what Jesus called faith. "And when He saw their faith..." ( Luke 5:20) When the man was healed he immediately glorified God as did the whole assembly. How often do we give testimony when God has done something in our lives? Or do we just think it was circumstance or our own effort and fail to give Him the glory that He alone deserves?

A Toddler

     This week I have been visiting my grandson and his parents. He is almost one and a half. He has matured in the ten or so weeks since i saw him last. He is much steadier on his feet although occasionally he tries to go two directions at once. He is far less picky in his eating habits and far better at solving problems. Although he really does not speak he understands basic instructions. He was looking for a particular toy. I said it is behind the chair and, sure enough, he went behind the chair and found it. If he wants me to read books, which he enjoys, he will gather them and bring them to me.
   Yesterday we went to an outdoor organic farmer's market. A musician was playing with a large jar on a stool in front of him for free will donations. My grandson's mother gave him a dollar bill to place in the jar. He walked towards it with no further instruction but stopped when the man laughed. I went and placed a dollar in the jar. Then my grandson put his in with no further hesitation.
    He is absorbing everything around him. These are the key years in a child's life when they are most teachable and malleable.Will we attempt to teach them with our puny human intellects or the current cultural understanding or will we rely on the timeless wisdom of God the Father who made us in His image? ( Genesis 1:26) Proverbs is filled with admonitions and instruction for us. For example 4:1 begins, "Hear, O sons, a father's instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, he taught me and said to me, Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments and live." (Proverbs 4:1-4 ESV) Or "Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching..." ( Proverbs 1:8)
   As I see the balance between the stability and firmness of his dad and the patience and tenderness of his mother, I see the hand of God working in my grandson's life.

Movies

American films are a central reality of our culture. Exported all over the world, they also form a primary perception of how those from other countries view us. Movies provide iconic figures like John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. Tragically most of what the majority of people think they know about history comes from highly inaccurate films. Movies are an extremely effective disseminator of cultural beliefs and behaviors. I believe they influence us far more than we realize.
   But who makes these movies? By and large they are not Christians in even the loosest sense of the word but out and out pagans. Who are they influenced by? "We know that... the whole world lies in the power of the wicked one." ( 1 John 5:19 ESV) "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled  to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world  (the devil) has blinded the minds of unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." ( 2 Corinthians 4:3-4) As Jesus said to the people of His day, "You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." ( John 8:44 ESV)
   Why then should Christians expect pagans to make movies that would edify Christians? Take the current film "Noah." According to what I have read the primary individual responsible for making this film is a self proclaimed atheist whose stated purpose was to make the most unBiblical movie that he could from an ostensibly biblical starting point. Why should the children of the Kingdom of God fund his endeavors through our patronage?
     "Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God." ( 2 Corinthians 7:1 ESV)