Hasten To The Word of God

Paul’s Concept of Sincere Affection

 

 

Paul was originally a man who was willing to allow harm to those who he felt did not uphold the Law and God he so cherished. His zeal was so great he approved the stoning of Philip and began making house arrests putting Jesus believers in jail. (Acts 7:54-8:2)

It was not until Jesus came to Paul (at that time Saul) in a bright light on the road to Damascus and said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting and oppressing Me?”. This word diako has a range of meanings revolving around pursuing or troubling. Paul was “troubling” the Lord. Paul told this story many times because of what the Lord instructed him to do after. Paul was to go to those formerly he despised and bring them the love of Jesus.

Paul’s message changed from law to love filled grace, something I like to call sincere affection. In Phil. 2:1-4 Paul talks about the fellowship of the brethren being one of deep affection and compassion. In verse one the noun translated as compassion (splagchnon) has a root meaning of bowels. According to Thayers Greek Lexicon, the bowels were regarded by Greek poets as the seat of strong passions such as anger and love.  But the Hebrews regarded it as the seat of tender affections such as kindness, benevolence, compassion.  It is coupled with the word “mercies” and then expanded upon in verses 2-4.  One could say that if we are to have true fellowship of the Spirit between us we are to draw from deep within our hearts and souls a compassion coupled with deep mercy and seek to unite our fellowship together in that kind of brotherly love. Certainly it required a humility that considers others needs as well as our own.

These are such lovely words. But how do we think Paul hoped for us to live them. Perhaps, it looks different for each of us.  What do you think?

 

IS BIBLE COLLEGE BAD FOR CHRISTIANS

For the past several years I keep hearing whispers by spiritual minded Christians that Bible learning and schooling in Bible colleges is bad for Christians. The idea is that somehow too much learning hinders one from hearing the Holy Spirit influence our minds and hearts. In addition to that we hear that all one needs is a good memory and the clear words of the Scripture will be sufficient.

First a few words from a friend about rightly dividing the words of Scripture as 2 Timothy 2:15 says we should do.

“When I come upon a baffling passage or set of passages, it is an indicator that I need to dig deeper, seeking more context. The whole Bible is inspired by the Spirit, but a human is limited in what they can hold in their mind at one time. If I am given a few jigsaw puzzle pieces and am informed that they are part of a larger picture, yet I cannot get them to fit together, I suspect I need to look for more pieces.”

What my friend is describing is inductive study. Inductive study has to do with reasoning into. I like to think of it as leaving the Scriptures in their Biblical context and see the meaning from within Scripture. The opposite is deductive study, which means to deduce from one’s own thinking. In other words if we take a Scripture out of the context and reason from that particular set of words it’s meaning, that is deducing. Deductive study can and does create a barrage of ideas according to the thinking of different people with different ideas and experiences. What Christians desperately need to do is to do inductive study, leaving the Scriptures in their context and finding the meaning from the context of the book they are written in as well as the entire Bible.

I am fairly certain that all Bible Colleges have courses on how to properly study the Bible outlining exactly how to do inductive, contextual Bible study. This is essential for everyone and in my opinion pastors, preachers, and Bible study teachers should have the training to be instructing Christians how to do that. It would indeed cut in half the amount of dissension in the Body of Christ. Instead we have a large number of untrained, uninformed, opinionated Christians following believers who talk the loudest and sound spiritual. And often these people like to say that college almost always shuts down a person’s ability to hear the Holy Spirit leading and guiding us.

However, there is a believer in Scripture that was a diligent Torah observant Jew, who was trained by the most famous Hebrew teacher of that era 2000 years ago.  Gamaliel was the grandson of the famous Jewish teacher Hillel the Elder. Almost any Hebrew book or set of Torah translations will have notes by Hillel. Gamaliel, influenced in his studies by his grandfather Hillel, became famous for his knowledge and understanding of the Torah and writings. He became a leading authority in the Sanhedrin in the time of the early church. Paul of Tarsus who wrote a large part of the New Testament letters is the believer who was instructed by Gamaliel. In fact, Gamaliel even defended Paul and the apostles when the Jewish High Court, the Sanhedrin, wanted to kill Paul and the apostles. [i]

Now Paul, a highly trained student of the Scriptures, used his training and knowledge to impart understanding of God’s Word. Anyone who thinks the Holy Spirit did not inspire him is being foolish at best. Paul is one of the best examples of using our minds and hearts to understand God’s messages to us. Paul extensively used examples from the Torah and writings. He praised the Bereans who searched the Scriptures to see if what they heard were true. [ii]

Reading in ontext also means to read before and after the verse one is reading. Often the writers set the stage for a point. If we read before,  we may see what he was thinking about. Reading after may give us some further clarity. Sometimes we best see the picture by reading the whole epistle or story and then go back and note all the elements. Not doing these things is how one gets odd and often antiBiblical concepts and teachings.

If more believers learned how to effectively search the Scriptures we would have less divisions in the Body of Christ today. And we would have far fewer injustices being proclaimed as God’s ways. Searching the Scriptures does not mean only doing a search on one word and compiling Scriptures into a teaching. Believers need to learn what it means to read in context. One compelling picture of “context” is to put oneself in the authors’ cultural setting and to hear as if one were there at their feet listening. This would include a picture of life in that era, knowledge of the things they might experience and insight on what was happening around them. It would also include some degree of understanding that the language we read Scripture in was not the language spoken by the apostles of the New Testament or the writers of the Old Testament. We read a translation. Thus, sometimes it really does help to find a means of understanding something of the original words used, whether going to a book (or app) written by some studious college trained person, or by seeking out a linguist. Just as the Holy Spirit used Paul with all his training and knowledge, so we can be not only helped in our studies by the Holy Spirit, but also directed by the Holy Spirit through our studies. College training need not get in the way.

Training and/or degrees from Christian institutions of higher education does not get in the way of hearing the Holy Spirit speak to our spirit. Rather if submitted to the Lord, our learning will amplify our ability to hear.

 

[i] Acts 5:27-42, [ii] Bereans Acts 17:11

 

 

 

HE PREACHED TO THE SPIRITS

 

 

The question is what did Jesus do during the 3 nights of His death.  Did Jesus just hang out in the tomb waiting for the angels to roll away the stone on the third day?  Did He as some believe go down to the place where the dead were waiting and preach to the souls in “prison”? I suppose one of the first things to deal with is that the apostles Creed claims something about Christ’s ministry in His death that it is thought by some that there are no obvious writings in Scripture that are stated as clearly.  This is regarding the statement that Jesus “descended into hell”.    Even though the apostles Creed was composed after the apostles had died, it was still believed that it was an accurate compilation of the Apostle’s teachings on a few issues.

Starting with just that question of where did Jesus go or what did Jesus do, we can look at Ephesians 4:9 where it is written that Jesus first descended into the ‘lower parts of the earth’.  There are three words used.  The three designations paint a fuller picture that some people miss.  Some assume that Ephesians 4 is saying that first Christ descended to the earth in His incarnation, and then He was resurrected.  If that were meant, all that needed to be said was that first Christ descended to the earth, not under it.  Instead Paul said that Christ descended to the ‘lower parts”, or bowels of the earth, before He ascended. 

“kai katebE proton eis ta katOtera merE tEs gEs”  = and/also he descended/stepped down first into the lower parts of the land/earth. 

Katoteros = lower,

Meros =  part, section,

Ge =  ground, land, earth, world

This just happens to fit with Peter’s statement in 1 Peter 3:19 that Jesus “preached to  the spirits in prison”. Note that Peter did not say “people in prison”, which wouldn’t have made a lot of sense since the dead no longer had their bodies. The word used “pneuma” is often used alone to represent a human soul that has left the body in death. (Gen. 1 & 2 says “living soul” in Heb.)  So the picture is that Christ preached to the dead souls in the bowels of the earth, sometimes called hell, hades or sheol.  This could very well refer to Ps. 68:18 which is quoted in Ephesians 4:8  it is said the Jesus “led captivity captive”.  Jesus captures prison, freeing the prisoners. That is also the statement that Jesus read in the temple from Isa. 61:1.  Jesus proclaimed liberty TO the captives, not regarding or about the captives.  To proclaim something to someone, we must speak directly to (not about) that one.  So the implication is again that Jesus proclaimed or preached liberty to the spirits in prison or captivity (or metaphor for hell, sheol, hades).  And those who would have believed would have been freed.   When the freeing would happen we don’t know.

At least this would give Jesus something constructive to do while He was waiting to fulfill the prophesies of resurrecting on the third day.  Since death could not hold the sinless divine, it makes sense that Christ would preach the gospel message to those who never had the chance to hear it.  This also settles one of the complaints of non-believers.  Jesus has given every soul the opportunity to accept or reject His offer of redemption.  No one has any excuse to call God unfair, even those who died before the Messiah came.

-----------------------------------------------------

NOTES AND SCRIPTURE REFERENCES:

° 1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit, 19 by whom also He went and preached to the spirits in prison,

° 1 Pe. 4: 5 They will give an account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this reason the gospel was preached also to those who are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.

° Ps. 139: 7Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? 8If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. 9If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea,…

° Ps. 68: 18 

You have ascended on high,

You have led captivity captive;

You have received gifts among men,

Even from the rebellious,

That the Lord God might dwell there.

 

° Isa. 61: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me,

Because the Lord has anointed Me

To preach good tidings to the poor;

He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,

To proclaim liberty to the captives,

And the opening of the prison to those who are bound;

° Ephesians 4: 8 Therefore He says:“When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive,And gave gifts to men”. 9 (Now this, “He ascended”—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10 He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.)

° Excerpt from Apostles Creed

“was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended into hell.
On the third day he rose from the dead; “

° There are three Greek words rendered "hell" in the New Testament: gehenna, hades (equivalent of Hebrew sheol used in the Old Testament), and tartaroo. Gehenna is the lake of fire, hades is the grave and tartaroo is the abyss, the place of restraint for Satan. For English speaking people during the time of King James, "hell" [hades] was a cellar to store potatoes, not a lake of burning brimstone. In Acts 2:27, "hell" is hades, meaning the grave, while in Matthew 10:28 and Mark 9:43-48 "hell" means the lake of fire. The only place tartaroo is used is in 2 Peter 2:4

The FIVE FOLD MINISTRIES in Eph. 4

In Ephesians chapter four Paul talks about gifts that God gives to the church.  There are only four places in the New Testament where this Greek word doma, translated as ‘gifts’ is used.  In Matthew 7 and Luke 11 Jesus talks about fathers giving good presents to their children.  In Philippians 4:17 Paul talks about monetary giving and aid for his traveling necessities. Basically, the word means a present, something given voluntarily without expecting payment in return to show favor or give help to another.

In Ephesians 4, this word is used in reference to Jesus giving the church individuals who would be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers.  There are those who think that this is an hierarchical listing of ministries.  But Jesus never thought in terms of hierarchies.  In Matthew chapter 20 Jesus admonished the Thunder Brothers, James and John, not to think in terms of authority, but to think in terms of serving others. And Paul spent a total of 13 years alone with God seeking personal and specific instructions from Jesus after Jesus stopped him on the road to Damascus.   In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul listed the ministries as: Apostles, Prophets, Teachers and Workers of Miracles.  These are two lists tweeked differently.  And I trust that Paul knew what he was talking about.  The question is, do we.

The spiritual word that God woke me up with this morning was that these lists were also not categories cleanly divided from each other. I kinda already knew that but the Holy Spirit was giving me an expanded view. These were areas of focus that would result in building up the body of Christ.  They were also not restricted to one locale.  Even those with a pastor’s heart and ministry can travel and minister to other churches effectively. Pastors are not limited to a specific physical place or group of people as much as we think they are.  Some are, but not all. 

 Also, most often people with God’s callings on their lives are associated with more than one of these descriptions.  Conversely, sometimes people need more than one shepherd’s influence or more than one teachers insights, and more than one prophet’s insights and encouragement, and more than one apostles admonitions for unity, and more than one miracle worker and healing ministry’s prayers and insights, and so forth.  When we think of it that way, it just makes sense.

Thus, the ‘fivefold ministries’ are not limited to five AND they are not cleanly divided from one another in ministry. They are not divided from each other in focus but are often linked in different ways. Some individuals have ministries of prophetic teaching, or apostolic shepherding, or teaching evangelists, or teaching miracle workers, or, or, or.  The list of possibilities is huge.

Those in these callings are not limited to specific physical locations but may travel.  Traveling between churches and locations only makes sense because these people are God’s GIFTS to the whole body.  The person is the gift, not the ministry.  The ministry is God’s workings into the lives of the believer the things that God wants him or her to impart to the Body of Christ.  And just a word of caution here.  These people must grow into their callings with the associated manifestations of the Holy Spirit.  They are not bombed with perfection. The Holy Spirit must work their callings into the person.  It is a process just like sanctification.

This is why several of the New Testament writers admonished us to pray for our leaders, and to pray for everyone.  After all, most people are not really aware of who God is raising up to minister to them.    So, just to be on the safe side we pray for those we know are called, for those we don’t know, and then for all our fellow believers.  But be specially attentive to support, honor, respect, assist and encourage those we know have a calling of any sort on their lives. 

Individuals that Jesus calls, He equips.  That equipping sometimes starts even before they accept Christ as their Savior.  In other words, they may have a lifetime of experiences of learning in preparation for when they come into the rulership of God and Jesus tells them what He wants them to do.  Jesus uses the very lives of these individuals.  That is why they are themselves the gifts to the church.

 

 

Note:  previously wrote on this subject here: http://tiro3.typepad.com/spoudazo_logos_blog/2014/02/the-fivefold-ministries-gods-gifted-people.html

Can’t See the Trees for the Forest.

A good friend of mine tells me every now and then, “you’re very particular, Teri”.  And she’s right when it comes to studying the Bible.

 

The Lord gave me a vision for it today.  If we stand back and look at the forest, the trees blend into a vast expanse that is grand and intimidating.  But when we walk into the forest it all opens up into an endless hodgepodge of diverse kinds of life.  We see the trees up close, with branches, leaves bark and living things in them.  We look around and see an enormous expanse of bushes, trees, with flowers, seeds, fruit and many kinds of colors of leaves.  Then we see hundreds of kinds of living creatures, crawling, walking, prancing, running, flying, hopping, flinging themselves around in a variety of ways.  We see moving life in all kinds of fancy attire, colors, sizes, with all kinds of skills.

 

Then when we walk back out and look back at the forest we know that it is veritably teeming and swarming with life of all kinds.  It becomes rich and knowable and exciting and not so intimidating. In fact we can barely wait for another chance to walk though it.

 

So, it is with the Bible.  A cursory reading leaves us feeling intimidated.  But when we get “particular” and go in digging for deeper things we find it teeming with life, truths, directions for finding healing, comfort, deep wisdom and insight,  ways to break the chains that bind us, how to love, how to forgive and so on and so forth.  We can get particular with reading the Scriptures and will find that we can never get enough, see enough, feel enough, nor understand all.  And all of this will draw us closer to the presence of God and help to release the Holy Spirit in our lives.  It will become a book teeming with Life and hope.   And more.  So much more that we can barely wait for another chance to turn the pages and drink of its riches.

 

 

 

Elders, Women and 1 Timothy

 

Briefly here are some of my thoughts on how to deal with 1 Timothy, women, and the subject of teaching elders.

 

Firstly, Timothy was having a problem with wrong teachings.  We see this in Paul’s first responses in chapter one.  Men and women were trying to teach about things they really knew little of.  Here is where some scholars believe Paul is referencing gnostic ideas being taught which may have come from the teachings of the Diana worshippers.  New converts.  Of those people Paul only names two whom he handed over to Satan because he thinks they are not teachable, and they have rejected good conscience. And one wonders if they were true believers.

 

At least one of these debaters was “a woman”.  Paul has more compassion for this person as he first reminds others about his own ignorance before He believed.  He reminds Timothy that God treated him with mercy and patience.  So, while he admonishes the whole group of debaters to cease fighting and to pray, and to the women in general to dress more modesty (possibly relevant to the flamboyance of Diana worshippers), he speaks of this one woman (or perhaps a few women) differently.  In a different tone of emphasis Paul says to LET the woman learn.  Paul uses a common phrase applied to learners, that of learning in quietness and full submission – yielding their attention to the teacher.  And the woman is not to attempt to teach or usurp the teacher’s position of teaching.  

 

The word translated as “exercise authority” is more complicated than that.  Exousia means simply to exercise authority as in giving permissions, etc.  Authentein, the Greek word used here, is only used this one time and is an old term possibly having a narrow audience of use.  It was used of forceful activities including murder, forcing another to one’s will and the like.  While this can seem like referring to exercising authority over another, it is harsher.  The question comes up as to why he used it.  Perhaps, that is the way the woman or women were behaving; with forcefulness, pushiness, pressuring and intimidatingly.  Perhaps, they acted a lot like Paul did before Jesus stopped him.  And Paul thought he had the higher road.  But he found out he was mistaken.  This woman or women needed to find out they were mistaken, by learning.  Because like Eve, they had been deceived.  One of the many gnostic teachings about creation taught that Adam was deceived, not Eve.  And they taught that women could not be spiritual unless they forsook bearing and raising children. (Paul mentions again in chapt. 4 verse 3)  This then makes sense of verses 13-15.

 

So, then the question becomes why did Paul then start talking about being elders/overseers.  Firstly it is likely that elders were a primary source of teachers.  While it is understood that a special anointing of more scholarly and spiritual teaching was only given to some who would be willing to spend most of their lives researching Scriptures prayerfully, like Paul; yet there had to be others who would spend time and effort mentoring and sharing the apostolic teachings in many venues.  These would be the elders who in supervisory caring ways would be easily available to the community in teaching, caring, counseling, etc.  Paul served in many areas: apostle, teacher, elder and servant.  :)

 

I believe that Paul progressed from warning about gnostic teachings, to admonitions to pray and not fight, and to strongly urging Timothy to let the status seeking, Thunder Brothers type woman (or women) learn, SO THAT they might in time qualify to be an overseer or deacon at some point in the future.  Overseers and elders are sometimes referred to in the same ways.  This points to them being older people who minister in supervisory works.

 

Contrary to what traditionalists and patriarchalists have trampled the Word to say, chapter 3 is not to men only.  It starts out with “some” or “someone” (Greek, tis), which is highly inclusive.  So, it is acceptable if someone aspires to the work of overseer, as that one desires a good work.  I’ve always loved Paul’s writing style.  And here it is notable that he starts off with “the saying is trustworthy”, and then his first qualification is to be “above reproach”, I.e. Trustworthy.  And then the second qualification is to be trustworthy in marriage.  Aner heis gyne, is a common phrase meaning “man of one woman”.  We still use this phrase today when referring to someone who is a faithful.  He is a one woman man.  Or she is a one man woman.  When used generically the gender falls back to masculine.  We see this in verse 12 where Paul is referencing both male and female deacons, but still says they must be a “man of one woman”.  Unknown or mixed audiences typically default to the inclusive masculine.  

 

This phrase was found on the tombs of both men and women in Asia and surrounding areas by a Frenchman, Lucien Deiss, his notes to the French Bible, TOB, edition Integrale.  It is noted in a book, “Familiar leadership Heresies Uncovered” by Bruce C. E. Fleming.  He also wrote a series of books called “Think Again”, which are excellent.

 

Verse 7 is often thought to be only pertaining to men.  However, the word is tis, which mean anyone, just like verse one says  “anyone who desires”.  One of the qualifications is that anyone who desires to be an overseer must manage his or her own home, household, business, etc.  The rest of the qualifications of being a deacon or an overseer/elder are undisputedly good advice for both men and women.

 

This is a short version of how I see Paul progressing his instructions on the subject of handling disorderly people with compassion and firmness.  He points out their errors, dispenses with those who he sees as unteachable, encourages Timothy in how and what to teach the rest.  And Paul does it all while reminding Timothy that he, Paul, was like them at one time, and look at where he is now.  There is indeed redemption and new life in Christ.  

 

Teachers, Bible Study, Kittens and Believers

 

I love animals, especially baby animals.  Their joy in life, innocence of evil intent and “grouchlessness” is engaging.  As I sit typing I hear the pile of reading papers, magazines, and articles sliding off the footstool along with the kittens.  Reminds me of diving off of cliffs in Hawaii, running back up and diving off again and again. Thrilling really! Oh and now my camera and purse hanging off the back of the dining room table chair has dropped to the floor for more intense inspection by Greyling, kitten #1.  So now Calley, kitten #2, and WildBoy my 2-yr (teenager) cat have all come to inspect and crawl in the purse.  Yes, I’ve done my best not to leave too much stuff available for their joyful runabouts and damage prevention.  But for a healthy kitten’s growth, I must leave something for them to inspect and experiment with.

 

TALK, TALK, TALK……

We as humans are all like God's children and precious to God. As a grandmotherly senior, teaching and occasionally preaching is my passion and has been for many years.  I was thinking this week how Bible study groups can sometimes be like a group of old and young cats of every age.  The older want to prove their prowess, the babes want to have fun, and the rest want to “get into it” much like cats crawling into my purse to investigate.   I’ve learned that I must let this happen both for the cats and for fellow believers. Such freedom creates an atmosphere of real joy in whatever we are doing including reading God’s Word. 

 

WHERE IS THE WISDOM

James 3: 13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom. 14 But if you have bitter envy and self-seeking in your hearts, do not boast and lie against the truth. 15 This wisdom does not descend from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. 16 For where envy and self-seeking exist, confusion and every evil thing are there. 17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy. 18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Wisdom is both the proper application of knowledge as well as godly love directed toward all for their productive benefit.  The word translated as ‘wise’ in vs. 13 above is Sophos and means skilled, expert, cultivated, learned, etc.  It is sometimes aimed specifically toward theologians, philosophers and teachers and those who want to become such.  We should encourage those seeking to become wise.

 

THE KNOWLEDGEABLE MUST LEAD AND STEER

I’ve found that Bible Study for adult believers must include things they can inspect and experiment with like kittens and my purse, but not too much.  They still need the guidance of those who have studied deeply the subject.  Someone is bound to puff up like a turkey or the arched back of a challenging kitten and proclaim that his or her answer or insight is the only reasonable one.  That is when biting and fighting can begin.  Wisdom loves them all, encourages and applauds the real insights and steers all toward more thoughtful discussion.  As Paul noted in 1 Timothy 1 some people want to be teachers of the Law, but really don’t have a good grasp of the Word, nor on the things they proclaim so confidently.

1 Tim. 1:7 desiring to be teachers of the law, understanding neither what they say nor the things which they affirm.

 Unless they are infiltrators from an ungodly belief system and not really Christians, it really doesn’t matter who is going off track, the answer should be the same to all believers: help them to learn.  Don’t try to silence them forever or be harsh with them.  This was Paul’s answer regarding the women in Ephesus who were desiring to be teachers.  “Let them learn”.  The principle is the same for everyone.  Encourage them to learn in quietness (not fighting) with expectations to receive something of value.

 

POINTING IN THE DESIRED DIRECTION

Sometimes, I preach a bit in our Bible groups, laying history and foundations for what is being studied.  As I do this I’m doing my best to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in directing discussion.  I stop in the midst of discussion and offer them nuggets of information they may not have.  And I ask questions that will make them really think.  Believe me, many are waiting for their chance to contribute.  Welcome it and leave time and space for it.

 

CONTROVERSY

If a section of Scripture is controversial, I’ve learned that it is best to note the controversies and help believers think about it.  This is much like ancient Jewish practices of citing scholar’s words that differ, such as Hillel, or Gamaliel.  There will always be scholars and teachers that differ on certain points.  We who teach must inform the Body of Christ how to deal with this and how to properly inductively and contextually research these different opinions.  And we should give them good researchable reasons why we believe as we do especially on controversial subjects.  Don’t run away from it and leave them hanging.  Do your research and teach them how to study inductively.  Unfortunately, too often some things are taught from poor research leaving behind context, history, grammar and whole Bible harmony.  That is why we who know better must share what we know with our brethren with wisdom, compassion and sincere affection. 

 

IN CONCLUSION

Teaching with wisdom, knowledge, good research, compassionate steering of conversation as well as using the basics of a good scholar of the Word (history, grammar, context, whole Bible harmony) and sincere affection toward all believers is bound to produce the joyful communication and discussion of a group of happy cats and kittens.  I’ve seen it happen many times.  My church’s Sunday morning Bible group which I steer is known for their laughter echoing up into the sanctuary, and our “lively” discussions.  When this happens it is not attributed to just the one teaching and steering.  The one teaching is like the good mountain guide who has been there before and just keeps walking them in the best paths of which he/she knows.  Then the Holy Spirit takes over and the unity and fellowship of the Spirit leads us toward the mind of Christ, which is to love one another, put other’s first, consider other’s interests before our own. Then we learn to wash one another’s feet in our spiritual discussion.  We learn to see the value in others that Christ saw in humanity when He gave His life and suffered death for the benefit of those who would come to Him.  To see this glorious hint of unity of the Spirit is worth all the work it takes, all the trials and failures it takes, to keep doing what God calls a teacher to do; and often brings joy to my heart and tears to my eyes.  

 

Phil. 2 Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. 3 Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 4 Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

 

 

 

 

Metaphorical use of "head" in Ephesians 5

One of the several mistakes that gender hierarchalists today make in reading about marriage is to assume a 21st century understanding of the use of ‘head’. The facts are that Paul and Christ spoke to correct the very Aristotelianism that had pervaded Judeo-Islamic philosophical and theological thinking in the middle ages before Christ. Such views still pervade our churches today, simply because men in general like power. While Aristotle viewed it important that the wife be happy, he thought it was the husband’s job to govern the accomplishment of such and that women needed governing as the weaker element. In Aristotle’s view only men were made suitable to govern. In Aristotle's thinking the very frame of women showed that they were only suitable to bear and raise children. All his teachings were pretty much based on those two paradigms.

Within a more contextual reading of Ephesians 5, there is the fact that in Eph. 5:1-2 ALL believers are told to love sacrificially as Christ did toward us. Add the closing admonition to this section in Eph. 5:21 where ALL believers are admonished to submit to one another in the fear of God and we have mutuality by both men and women. Then stepping into the relationship of marriage wives are admonished to carry that mutuality toward their husbands. For wives that was a step up and away from obedience that the culture taught. And that mutuality was to be in everything.

Husbands are then reminded that the sacrificial love spoken of in Eph. 5:1-2 is to be extended toward their wives. Nothing is said about leading the wives, or disciplining,or discipling, teaching or any such thing. Rather the husband is told that like Christ he is to nurture and cherish (provide and protect) his wife.

Eph.5:25: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and GAVE himself for it;”


The Greek word translated GAVE is PARADIDOMI, defined by the Blue Letter Bible dictionary as: ‘to give into the hands (of another)’
‘to give over into (one’s) power or use’
‘to deliver to another something to keep, use, take care of, manage’, also give oneself up, present oneself. Just as Christ gave Himself completely up for the salvation benefit of those who would believe on Him, so husbands are to lay down their lives for the benefit, the welfare, the promotion of the life of their wives.

Add in that Paul painted an interestingly profound picture of deep attachment to one another by telling the wife (not the husband) to view the husband as her physical head (nothing to do with leadership). Then Paul tells the husband (not the wife) to view the wife as his physical body (not a slave or servant). I say “view” because each has their own head and body. The metaphorical purpose I see in Eph. 5:21-33
is to show them they are to come together as one flesh, as perfectly united in deep harmonious attachment so that they are like one unit. The head needs the body to live and the body needs the head to live. Life, true spiritual life together is what is being promoted. This is found in submissive mutuality, honor, and deep love.

The popular ideas of gender hierarchy that applaud men as superior, in control, and such cannot promote the end result that Paul paints a picture of in Ephesians 5. And the ending in verse 31 points us back to Genesis where we see that this harmonious unity is supposed to produce one whole unit, two become as one. And this is the profound unity that Christ prayed the Father for (John 17:6-19) when He said that everything He had belongs to the Father and everything that the Father has belongs to Him, indicating those believers who would believe in Him. He prayed the Father to keep them safe so that they may be one just as He and the Father are one. This is the mystery of Christ and the church. This is the mystery and glory of our relationship with God, we in Him and Him in us. And this only happens when we present our bodies as a living sacrifice to Him, as He has already done so for eternity for us. Then, and only then are we able to do the same for one another, including within the blessings of marriage.

 

Some Thoughts About The Fall of Humanity

Gender hierarchalists have a rather odd way of interpreting the fall and results of disobedience, blaming the woman and letting the man off the hook.  I'm of the opinion that both are equally to blame, just in different ways. It took both Adam and Eve to bring down humanity.  Had either of them not disobeyed God, things might have been even more complicated.

The man having experienced Satan and the serpent ahead of the woman would likely have had some knowledge about their nature that the woman didn't have. But the man didn't share it with her when it was crucial. Thus, the woman becomes deceived, not aware of what deception is. The man then chooses to investigate with the woman the taste of the fruit of knowledge of good and evil. Once having tasted the fruit of death by seeing their nakedness, the man does not own up to his choices but seeks to blame the woman and God. The woman OTOH recognizes and admits her mistake of being deceived by the serpent. Both will suffer the promised result of death for their disobedience. But death is more deceptive than they realize , and God is more gracious than they realize.

The man and woman are not cursed, but warned. Only the serpent is cursed by loss of legs and then having to slither on a cursed soil full of thorns, bugs, and 'stuff'. God's promise to the woman is that though she was the first to fall, the Savior and Rescuer would come through her Seed and that seed would do in and destroy the works of Satan that deceived her. God is our true defender and protecter even when we fail. As well, God warns the woman and the man that much will change, including the frequency of bearing children and her relationship with her man, and the difficulties of living on a cursed planet. Though the woman would seek to please her man, his response will still be negative. This negative and selfish attitude was seen in how the man tried to blame the woman for his own faulty knowledgeable and aware choice. That is what happens when we turn away from God and look to others for direction. It is only God who will lead us purely and righteously.  We are not gods.  But we are fellow humans.  And as such it is imperative that we learn to honor, respect, love and support one another in our life struggles.  We are all in the same boat, trekking through a cursed land because of Satan's wickedness and deceptiveness.  Let's keep the blame on the one who really deserves it.  And let's give ultimate honor to the One who really deserves it, our Lord, God and Savior, our true help in times of trouble.

These are just some quick thoughs.  Feel free to add your own thoughts and 'wonderments'.   :)

IN the Beloved

We are studying Ephesians and are in chapter one this morning, specifically looking at verses 6-10.  The following is a quick look at a few phrases that Paul uses in this section.

"In the Beloved" is an amazing phrase.  How many of us would call Christ "the beloved'.  It expresses a degree of adoration and intimacy that is unusual.  "I am my beloved's and He is mine". Isn't that from Song of Solomon? Our modern misogynist and patriarchal crowds could say some unkind things about that. Yet, I believe we should love God from the depths of our innermost person as the apostles give us examples of.

And speaking of kindness, vs. 6 says that God has made us accepted in Christ. The kindness and unmerited mercy of God is that He sent us His Son, and the Son came to us while humanity was in the midst of depravity.  God comes to us all the time when we are spiritually ugly to behold. How many times do we reach out to someone in sin and grant them kindness and mercy. Think of the worst sins that a person could participate in and then ask ourselves whether we would die to save that person from himself.  Of course, we cannot do what Christ did, but we can pray for one another, speak the truth to one another, and do undeserved random acts of kindness, and forgive one another.  If we follow Christ's example we see that sacrificing self for the benefit of others and doing things that promote the welfare of others is the way we should be living.  "Christ came NOT to be served, but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many".

"IN Him" we have redemption is another tweek on our perception.  When we think of Christ dying for us, we don't think of being IN Him in order to benefit from His incredible sacrifice.  Yet, that is exactly what we do in baptism.  We die in Christ and are resurrected IN Christ; resurrected to real spiritual life.  So, yes, IN HIM we find our salvation in everything.  This is something to think about when struggling.  The best thing to do is run toward the Lord and get close and closer to Christ in our turmoils.  Yet so often we see people question God for allowing something bad to happen instead of realizing sin is something that humans do themselves and to each other.  God is our escape, healing, forgiveness, and place of love and understanding.  The only wise thing to do is the remain IN Him and snuggle in deeper.

"The mystery of His Will" is indeed all about us. I can see the beauty in the world, the earth and the animals.  But humanity became perpetuators of destruction. Perhaps, part of the mystery of God's creating us is this ability to choose that He has given to us all knowing that we would misuse it.  But His will is that we come to dwell IN HIM. Elohim wants intimate pure holy communion with us freely, not by compulsion.  And the only way to do that was to let us go our own way, learn and suffer from it, and then suffer in sacrifice in order to provide a way back to Elohim's presence by purifying us in His sacrifice.

This is a love that is barely comprehensible, and surely worthy of the phrase "the Beloved".