kingdom of heaven

Being made perfect

Jesus told his followers that they “must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matthew 5:48), but he didn’t teach them how to achieve perfection. When a rich young man asked him what good deed he must do to have eternal life, Jesus’ response indicated that keeping the Ten Commandments wasn’t enough. Jesus said, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow me” (Matthew 19:17-21). Selling your possessions and giving to the poor might not be that difficult for some people, but for the rich young man it went against everything he had been doing to live what he thought was a perfect life. It says in Matthew 19:22, “When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great wealth.”

Ephesians 4:13 tells us that perfection is about reaching spiritual maturity and that the standard we will be measured against is “the stature of the fullness of Christ.” A description of spiritual maturity can be found in Hebrews 5:14 where it says, “But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” The Greek word that is translated trained, gumnazo (goom-nadˊ-zo) is translated “exercised” in the King James Version of the Bible. Gumnazo also appears in Hebrews 12:11, which states, “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasurable, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” Discipline is one of the key elements of being made perfect. Hebrews 12:7-8 explains that God is treating us as his children when he disciplines us and that we should see discipline as a normal part of Christian living.

Hebrews 5:8 tells that Jesus “learned obedience through what he suffered.” Jesus experienced excruciating pain while he was dying on the cross. It was not something that he wanted to do. The night before his crucifixion, Jesus prayed that he would not have to go through with it. Matthew tells us, “And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, ‘My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me, nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will” (Matthew 26:39). Doing his Father’s will was of supreme importance to Jesus. He told his disciples, “I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38). Jesus never waivered in his commitment to give his life as a ransom for many (Matthew 20:28). It says in Hebrews 4:15 that “we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.”

Hebrews 5:10 indicates that Jesus was designated by God as “a high priest after the order of Melchizedek.” Melchizedek met Abraham when he was returning from the defeat of Chedorlaomer and the kings who were with him (Genesis 14:17). Abraham “gave Melchizedek a tithe because, as priest of God Most High, Melchizedek was a representative of God” (note on Genesis 14:18-20). Hebrews 7:3 tells us that Melchizedek “is without father or mother or genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but resembling the Son of God he continues a priest forever.” Because of the resemblance of Melchizedek to Christ, the brief encounter between he and Abraham was the foundation of messianic prophecy (Psalm 110:4, cf. Hebrews 5:6, 10; 7:1-28).

The end result of Jesus being made perfect was that he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him (Hebrews 5:9). Salvation in the Christian sense “is deliverance from sin and its spiritual consequences and admission to eternal life with blessedness in the kingdom of Christ” (G4991). Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). Paul told the believers in Thessalonica that the will of God is your sanctification (1 Thessalonians 4:3). The Greek word that is translated sanctification, hagiasmos (hag-ee-as-mosˊ) “refers not only to the activity of the Holy Spirit in setting man apart unto salvation and transferring him into the ranks of the redeemed, but also to enabling him to be holy even as God is holy (2 Thessalonians 2:13).

It says in Hebrews 10:14 that by a single offering Jesus “has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Even though it might seem like you are still in the process of being made perfect, this Scripture indicates that Jesus’ death on the cross made you perfect for all time. When Jesus was confronted by some Pharisees who told him Herod was going to kill him, Jesus responded with a remark about being made perfect. Jesus said to them, “Go and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow and the third day I finish my course” (Luke 13:32). Paul echoed Jesus’ statement, not long before he was martyred. Paul told Timothy in his last letter to him, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7, KJSB). Keeping the faith and being made perfect go hand in hand because you cannot be partially saved, either you are, or you aren’t. Paul said, “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). The end result, being made perfect, doesn’t depend on us, it depends on Christ’s finished work on the cross.

Faith in Christ

Paul’s letter to the Colossians was intended to refute the false teaching that was influencing the church there. The false teaching in Colosse “differed from the heresy in Galatia in that it integrated an early form of Gnostic philosophy, which consisted of ascetic ideas (Col. 2:20-23) and the worship of angels as intermediaries between God and man (Col. 2:18, 19). Supposedly, one could achieve perfection by progressing through a number of initiations and levels of wisdom in spiritual mysteries” (Introduction to the letter of Paul to the Colossians). Paul’s letter to the Colossians contained a condensed version of everything that he had taught over the course of his ministry and was particularly focused on having faith in Christ, the centerpiece of his gospel message. The first sections of Paul’s letter were dedicated to explaining who Christ is, what he did for mankind, and the result of his work of redemption on the cross.

Paul said of Christ in Colossians 1:15 that “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” “Jesus Christ is declared to be ‘the image of the invisible God’ (v. 15). Elkōn (1504), ‘image,’ always assumes a prototype (the original form from which the image is drawn), not merely a thing it resembles. Paul was stating that Jesus Christ has a ‘prototype’ in God the Father, who is invisible…Jesus is also called the ‘firstborn of all creation’ (v. 15), a reference to the fact that he was the first to rise from the dead with a transformed body (1 Cor. 15:20)” (note on Colossians 1:15-18). The New Living Translation of Colossians 1:15 states, “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God.” In other words, Jesus is the physical or material manifestation of God. Jesus made it possible for us to know what God looks like in a physical, human form. It says in 2 Corinthians 4:4 that Christ “is the exact likeness of God” (NLT).

Paul told the Colossians that Christ made it possible for all things to be created, “in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together” (Colossians 1:16-17). The Greek word that is translated hold together, sunistemi (soon-isˊ-tay-mee) is derived from the words sun (soon) “denoting union” (G4862) and histemi (hisˊ-tay-mee) which means “to stand fast, i.e. to continue, endure, persist” as well as “to stand fast against an enemy…In the sense of to be established, confirmed (Matthew 18:16; 2 Corinthians 13:1)” (G2476). Jesus Christ made it possible for humans to be united with God and to become like him. Jesus asked his Father, “that they may be one, even as we are one” (John 17:11) and said, “The glory that you have given to me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one” (John 17:22-23).

Paul explained to the Colossians that Christ’s work on the cross was intended to reconcile mankind to God. Paul said, “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (Colossians 1:19-20). His cross speaks of Christ’s “exposure to death, i.e. self-denial; by implication the atonement of Christ” and “By metonymy, spoken of the total experience of dying on the cross. Spoken only of Christ’s death as the atonement for our sins (1 Corinthians 1:17, 18; Galatians 5:11; 6:12, 14; Ephesians 2:16; Philippians 3:18; Hebrews 12:2)” (G4716). Paul said, “And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister” (Colossians 1:21-23). Paul made note of the fact that believers must continue in faith in order to be presented holy and blameless and above reproach before God. Paul said this so that the Colossians would understand that their efforts to become perfect by progressing through levels of wisdom in spiritual mysteries was useless. It is only by faith that we can please God and are able to receive his approval (Hebrews 11:1-6).

Paul told the Colossians that as a result of them putting their faith in Christ they were qualified “to share in the inheritance of the saints in light” (Colossians 1:12). The inheritance refers to “the blessings which God bestows upon His children, implying admission to the kingdom of heaven and its privileges (Romans 4:13, 14; 8:17; Galatians 3:29; 4:7; Titus 3:7; Hebrews 1:2; 6:17; 11:7; James 2:5)” (G2818). Paul went on to say that as a result of placing our faith in Christ, God “has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13). The outcome or desired result of faith in Christ is redemption, the forgiveness of sins. The Greek word that is translated redemption, apolutrosis (ap-ol-ooˊ-tro-sis) means “Deliverance on account of the ransom paid; spoken of the deliverance from the power and consequences of sin which Christ procured by laying down His life as a ransom (lútron [3083]) for those who believe (Romans 3:24; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Ephesians 1:7, 14; Colossians 1:14; Hebrews 9:15 [cf. Matthew 20:28; Acts 20:28])” (G629).

Paul concluded his discussion of faith in Christ with an explanation of his role as a minister or steward of God’s word. Paul said that his stewardship was like that of a household manager who is responsible for managing the affairs of his master. Paul was referring to his position as an apostle and the dispensation of grace that the gospel he was preaching was being used for (G3622). Paul said that it was his job “to make the word of God fully known” (Colossians 1:25). What Paul meant by this was that there weren’t anymore secrets between God and man that needed to be revealed. Paul indicated that the mysteries that had been hidden for ages and generations were now being revealed to the saints through him (Colossians 1:26) and “to them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). The phrase Christ in you refers to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, whose responsibility it is to guide believers into all the truth (John 16:13). Paul referred to this in his second letter to the Corinthians as the veil being removed. Paul said, “But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:16-18).

God’s discipline

Satan’s attack on Job left him with nothing but his wife to go on with. After his health was destroyed, Job’s wife said to him, “Do you still hold fast your integrity? Curse God and die” (Job 2:9). The sight of Job’s physical condition pushed his wife to despair (note on Job 2:9, 10). Afterward, Job was visited by three friends. Job 2:11-13 tells us:

Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come upon him, they came each from his own place, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They made an appointment together to come to show him sympathy and comfort him. And when they saw him from a distance, they did not recognize him. And they raised their voices and wept, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads toward heaven. And they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his suffering was very great.

“Job’s sores may have disfigured him so badly that he could barely be recognized by his friends. They shared in his sorrow (vv. 12, 13) but did not understand that affliction does not always signify punishment (see John 9:3). Much of what they said in their conversations with Job (chs. 4-37) was true but was misapplied to Job’s situation. They did not recognize that God was testing Job and instead assumed that Job’s suffering was proportionate to some sin he had committed. It may even be that they were unknowingly used by Satan in his attempt to cause Job to sin” (note on Job 2:11-13).

Job’s friend Eliphaz was the first to speak to him. Eliphaz told Job, “Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves: therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty. For he wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal. He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no evil shall touch you” (Job 5:17-19). Eliphaz thought that God was trying to teach Job a lesson. The Hebrew word that is translated discipline, muwsar (moo-sawrˊ) is properly translated as “chastisement” and is used in a figurative sense to refer to “reproof, warning, or, instruction” (H4148). “The discipline of the Lord is not to be despised, for it is a demonstration of His love for His children (Job 5:17; Proverbs 3:11; cf. Hebrews 12:5, 6). The supreme demonstration of God’s love came when Jesus Christ bore the ‘chastisement of our peace’ (Isaiah 53:5).” Isaiah 53:5-6 states, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—everyone—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.” The main point of this passage is that Jesus suffered for the sins of others and that we all deserve the punishment that he received.

A word that is derived from muwsar that has a similar meaning is yasar (yaw-sarˊ). Yasar appears in the opening verse of Psalm 38, which was written by King David. David said:

O Lord, rebuke me not in your anger,
    nor discipline me in your wrath!
For your arrows have sunk into me,
    and your hand has come down on me.

There is no soundness in my flesh
    because of your indignation;
there is no health in my bones
    because of my sin.
For my iniquities have gone over my head;
    like a heavy burden, they are too heavy for me.

My wounds stink and fester
    because of my foolishness,
I am utterly bowed down and prostrate;
    all the day I go about mourning.
For my sides are filled with burning,
    and there is no soundness in my flesh.
I am feeble and crushed;
    I groan because of the tumult of my heart.

O Lord, all my longing is before you;
    my sighing is not hidden from you.
My heart throbs; my strength fails me,
    and the light of my eyes—it also has gone from me.
My friends and companions stand aloof from my plague,
    and my nearest kin stand far off. (Psalm 38:1-11)

David’s depiction of God’s discipline is very similar to what Job experienced. David was aware of his sin and later on said in his psalm that he had confessed his sin and was sorry for it (Psalm 38:18) and was waiting for the God of his salvation to come to his rescue (Psalm 38:22). Hebrews 12:5-11 explains the reason why God not only disciplines us, but also allows our suffering to go on for much longer than we would like it to. It says:

And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
    and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
    and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. (NIV)

Even though God’s discipline is painful, it is intended to change our character and make us more like Jesus. Holiness, the result of God’s discipline, is “spoken of those who are purified and sanctified by the influences of the Spirit, a saint. This is assumed of all who profess the Christian name” (G40). It says in Hebrews 12:7 that God is treating us as children when he disciplines us and that it is a sign that we are true sons and daughters.

God referred to Job as his servant and told Satan there was none like him on the earth (Job 1:8). The Hebrew word that is translated servant, ʿebed (ehˊ-bed) is a term that is “applied to those who worship God (Nehemiah 1:10); and to those who minister or serve Him (Isaiah 49:5, 6). The phrase, the servant of the Lord, is the most outstanding reference to the Messiah in the Old Testament” (H5650). The Apostle Paul referred to himself as “a servant of Jesus Christ” in his letter to the Romans (Romans 1:1). ʿEbed is also used to refer to people under the authority of a king. After seeing a Roman centurion demonstrate great faith (Matthew 8:5-9), Jesus told his disciples, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 8:10-11).  

God indicated that Job was “a blameless and upright man” (Job 1:8). That meant that Job was a mature believer, one who understood what sin was and had learned to avoid it. It says in Job 1:22 after he lost everything, “Job did not sin or charge God with wrong,” and after he lost his health, “Job did not sin with his lips” (Job 2:10); but Job did curse the day of his birth (3:1), and because of his suffering, “long for death” (3:21). In response to Eliphaz’s argument against him, Job replied:

“Oh that my vexation were weighed,
    and all my calamity laid in the balances!
For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea;
    therefore my words have been rash.
For the arrows of the Almighty are in me;
    my spirit drinks their poison;
    the terrors of God are arrayed against me.” (Job 6:2-4)

Job admitted that his words had been rash. Job was on the defensive because it felt like God was attacking him.

“Job pled with his friends to realize that their accusations were false and that he had committed no sin worthy of the affliction he was experiencing” (note on Job 6:28-30), but later, after God had confronted him, Job changed his position. “At the end of God’s discourse, Job acknowledged that he had experienced the Lord in a new light (Job 42:5) and had gained an increased awareness of the sovereignty of God (Job 42:3). He repented of his complaints against God (Job 42:6) and submitted himself to God’s will, even if it included suffering that was seemingly underserved” (note on Job 42:1-6). Job told the LORD, “I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust in ashes” (Job 42:5-6). It seems at this point that Job realized his redeemer (Job 19:25) was not a distant figure, but was an actual person that was involved in what was happening to him. This realization caused Job to despise himself, and to repent in dust in ashes (Job 42:6).

Evil in the sight of the LORD

Many of the kings of Israel and those who ruled in Judah near the time when the people were taken into captivity were described as doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD. One king in particular, Manasseh, king of Judah was called out for his evil practices. It says in 2 Chronicles 33:2 that Manasseh “did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the abominations of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel.” An abomination defines “something or someone as essentially unique in the sense of being dangerous, sinister, and repulsive to another individual (Genesis 43:32; 46:34; Proverbs 29:27). When used with reference to God, this word describes people, things, acts, relationships, and characteristics that are detestable to Him because they are contrary to His nature, such as things related to death and idolatry (Deuteronomy 14:3); people with loathsome habits are themselves detestable to Him (Deuteronomy 22:5)” (H8441). Manasseh “rebuilt the high places that his father Hezekiah had broken down, and erected altars to the Baals, and made Asheroth, and worshipped all the host of heaven and served them…And he burned his sons as an offering in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, and used fortune telling and omens and sorcery, and dealt with mediums and with necromancers…Manasseh led Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem astray, to do more evil than the nations whom the LORD destroyed before the people of Israel” (2 Chronicles 33:3-9). The Hebrew word that is translated astray in 2 Chronicles 33:9, taʿah (taw-awˊ) was used by the prophet Isaiah in reference to mankind’s universal need for salvation. Isaiah said about Jesus Christ, Israel’s Messiah, “All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:6).

According to the prophet Jeremiah, Manasseh was responsible for the kingdom of Judah being destroyed by God. God told Jeremiah, “I will appoint over them four kinds of destroyers, declares the LORD: the sword to kill, the dogs to tear, and the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth to devour and destroy. And I will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth because of what Manasseh the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah, did in Jerusalem” (Jeremiah 15:3-4). God’s denouncement of Manasseh’s idolatry included a judgment against Judah for doing what was evil in the sight of the LORD. God said:

Behold, I am bringing upon Jerusalem and Judah such disaster that the ears of everyone who hears of it will tingle. And I will stretch over Jerusalem the measuring line of Samaria, and the plumb line of the house of Ahab, and I will wipe Jerusalem as one wipes a dish, wiping it and turning it upside down. And I will forsake the remnant of my heritage and give them into the hand of their enemies, and they shall become a prey and a spoil to all their enemies, because they have done what is evil in my sight and have provoked me to anger, since the day their fathers came out of Egypt, even to this day.” (2 Kings 21:12-15)

God indicated that his chosen people had been provoking him to anger, “since the day their fathers came out of Egypt” (2 Kings 21:15). While Moses was on Mount Sinai receiving the Ten Commandments from God, it says in Exodus 32:1, “The people gathered themselves together to Aaron and said to him, ‘Up make us gods who shall go before us. As for this Moses, the man who brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him.”

It says in 2 Chronicles 33:10-11, “The LORD spoke to Manasseh and to the people, but they paid no attention. Therefore, the LORD brought upon them the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria, who captured Manasseh with hooks and bound him with chains of bronze and brought him to Babylon.” God warned Manasseh that he was going in the wrong direction, but he ignored God’s message. The Hebrew word that is translated paid no attention, qashab (kaw-shabˊ) “denoted obedience that was expected after the hearing” (H7181). John the Baptist preached to crowds of people prior to Jesus’ ministry. John’s message was simple, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). It says in Matthew 4:17, after Jesus’ ministry began, “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” The Greek word that is translated repent, metanoeo (met-an-o-ehˊ-o) means “to think differently or afterwards, i.e. reconsider” (G3340). Repentance has to do with changing one’s mind. Manasseh did not repent of his sin, therefore, the LORD brought upon him the commanders of the army of the king of Assyria, “who captured Manasseh with hooks and bound him with chains of bronze and brought him to Babylon” (2 Chronicles 33:11).

Second Chronicles 33:12-13 tells us about Manasseh:

And when he was in distress, he entreated the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers. He prayed to him, and God was moved by his entreaty and heard his plea and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord was God.

Manasseh learned from his experience of being taken into captivity that the LORD was God. Afterward, he changed his mind, and decided to humble himself greatly before the God of his fathers (2 Chronicles 33:12).

Manasseh’s repentance resulted in him being restored to his position as king of Judah. Afterward, Manasseh “took away the foreign gods and the idol from the house of the LORD, and all the altars that he had built on the mountain of the house of the LORD in Jerusalem, and he threw them outside of the city. He also restored the altar of the LORD and offered on it sacrifices of peace offerings and of thanksgiving, and he commanded Judah to serve the LORD, the God of Israel” (2 Chronicles 33:15-16). The actions that Manasseh took demonstrated that his repentance was genuine and that he was willing to do what God expected of him. Manasseh started doing the opposite of what he had been doing before, making it clear to everyone that he had changed his mind during his captivity in Babylon.

An Invitation

The religious leaders that often confronted Jesus made note of the fact that he didn’t associate with the kind of people they thought he should. After Jesus called Matthew, a tax collector, to be one of his twelve disciples, Matthew tells us, “And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and were reclining with Jesus and his disciples” (Matthew 9:10). Tax collectors were hated by the Jews because they were perceived to be traitors that helped the Roman government gain a financial advantage over the people of Israel, who were under their control at the time. Sinners were the outcasts of society, a group of people that were looked down on and avoided by religious hypocrites. When the Pharisees asked why Jesus ate with the tax collectors and sinners, Jesus responded, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:12-13). The Greek word that is translated call, kaleo (kal-eh’-o) means to call “in the sense of to invite, particularly to a banquet” and is used metaphorically, “To call or invite to anything, e.g. of Jesus, to call to repentance” (G2564).

Jesus illustrated God calling people into his kingdom with parables that used the banquet metaphor. In his parable of the wedding feast, Jesus said:

“When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at the table with you. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 14:8-11)

Jesus’ reference to the wedding feast was intended to convey “the happiness of the Messiah’s kingdom” (G1062). The book of Revelation contains a section that refers to rejoicing in heaven (Revelation 19:1-5). This section is followed by the marriage supper of the Lamb. Revelation 19:6-9 states:

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and the Bride has made herself ready; it was granted to her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”–for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints. And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.”

The connection between the Lord our God the Almighty reigning on earth and the marriage supper of the Lamb seems to be the inclusion of saints in God’s kingdom. John was told that the fine linen worn by the Bride was “the righteous deeds of the saints” (Revelation 19:8). The Greek word that is translated saints, hagios (hag’-ee-os) means “sacred” or “consecrated” and is “Spoken of those who are purified and sanctified by the influences of the Spirit, a saint. This is assumed of all who profess the Christian name” (G40).  

Jesus continued his discussion of people receiving an invitation into God’s kingdom with the parable of the great banquet. In this parable, Jesus indicated that the Jews did not value the privilege of being God’s chosen people. Jesus explained that God’s motive for allowing others to take the place of the Jews in his kingdom was because the Jews didn’t think they needed to be saved. Luke tells us:

He said also to the man who had invited him, “When you give a dinner or a banquet, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, lest they also invite you in return and you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

When one of those who reclined at table with him heard these things, he said to him, “Blessed is everyone who will eat bread in the kingdom of God!” But he said to him, “A man once gave a great banquet and invited many. And at the time for the banquet he sent his servant to say to those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a field, and I must go out and see it. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to examine them. Please have me excused.’ And another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’ So the servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house became angry and said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly to the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in the poor and crippled and blind and lame.’ And the servant said, ‘Sir, what you commanded has been done, and still there is room.’ And the master said to the servant, ‘Go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in, that my house may be filled. For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my banquet.’” (Luke 14:12-24)

The master told his servant to go out to the highways and hedges and compel people to come in (Luke 14:23). The Greek word that is translated compel, anagkazo (an-ang-kad’-zo) means “to compel by force, threats, circumstances, etc. (Acts 26:11; 28:19; 2 Corinthians 12:11; Galatians 2:3, 14). To constrain by entreaty , invitations, etc.; to persuade” (G315). It doesn’t make sense that people would have to be forced to attend a banquet unless you understand that in the Jewish culture, if an invitation was accepted, it was expected that you would return the gesture (Luke 14:12). The poor and crippled and blind and lame were more than willing to accept the invitation to the master’s banquet, even though they were unable to return the gesture, because they knew it wasn’t expected of them.

Jesus explained that there was a cost to accepting the invitation to enter God’s kingdom, but it wasn’t a matter of giving something back to God, it was a matter of self-denial. Jesus told his followers, “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:26-27). Jesus used a vivid hyperbole to convey the point that one must love Jesus even more than his immediate family in order to be a true disciple or to be considered a genuine believer in Christ. The phrase bear his cross was used with the figurative “meaning to undergo suffering, trial, punishment; to expose oneself to reproach and death” (G4716). “Jesus did not want a blind, naïve commitment that expected only blessings.” Jesus compared counting the cost of discipleship to building a tower and a king going out to war. “As a builder estimates costs or a king evaluates military strength (Luke 14:31), so a person must consider what Jesus expects of His followers” (note on Luke 14:28, KJSB).

Jesus concluded his illustration and discussion of God inviting people into his kingdom with the example of salt losing its taste. Jesus said, “Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Luke 14:34-35). The Greek word that is translated salt, moraino (mo-rah’-ee-no) is derived from the word moros (mo-ros’) which means “dull or stupid” and is used to describe someone that is a “(moral) blockhead” (G3474). Jesus described believers as “the salt of the earth” in his Sermon on the Mount and asked his followers the same question, “if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?” (Matthew 5:13). The idea that believers can become moral blockheads after they are saved doesn’t necessarily fit with the concept of regeneration, but the point that I believe Jesus was trying to make was that salvation does not guarantee that a believer will reach spiritual maturity, only that you have received the invitation to spiritual growth and will have to surrender to Him in order to enter the kingdom of heaven where the marriage supper of the Lamb takes place. Jesus illustrated this point in the parable of the ten virgins. Matthew 25:1-10 states:

“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut.

All ten of the virgins were invited to the wedding feast and given lamps to watch for the bridegroom’s arrival, but only five of the virgins attended the banquet. Jesus referred to the five virgins who had taken flasks of oil with their lamps as wise and the five who did not as foolish or moros in the Greek. Although we’re not told what the flasks of oil represented, it seems likely that the oil had something to do with spiritual discernment.

Jesus told his disciples that they must be ready for his return because he would be coming at an hour they did not expect, Jesus said, “Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks” (Luke 12:35-36). Then, addressing the crowds, Jesus said, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, and say at once, ‘A shower is coming.’ And so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be a scorching heat,’ and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?” (Luke 12:54-56). The Greek word dokimazo (dok-im-ad’-zo), which is translated interpret, means “to test” (G1381). Dokimazo is used in 1 Thessalonians 2:4 where is says God tests our hearts and in 1 Thessalonians 5:21 where is says that believers should not quench the Spirit, “but test everything.” Dokimazo is also used in 1 Corinthians 11:28 where it says that a person should examine himself before participating in The Lord’s Supper.

One of the ways that we become more like Christ as we mature as Christians is the development of spiritual insight or discernment. Based on Jesus’ parables, spiritual discernment seems to be something that has to be used regularly in order for it to be effective. In his parable of the great banquet, Jesus said those who were invited made excuses so that they wouldn’t have to attend. In the parable of the ten virgins, the five foolish virgins were going to buy oil for their lamps when the bridegroom arrived, “and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut” (Matthew 25:9-10). In both of these situations, the invitation was given, but not acted on appropriately. Jesus’ instruction to his disciples indicates that prioritization is an important factor in gaining entrance into the marriage supper of the Lamb (Luke 14:25-33). Jesus stated, “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.” “The phrase ‘who does not renounce’ (v. 33) refers not to the total abandonment of one’s belongings but to the proper prioritization of them. The Greek word is apotassetai–the middle voice of apotasso (657), from apo (575), ‘from,’ and tasso (5021), ‘to properly arrange.’ It signifies that believers who are worthy of Christ know how to properly arrange their lives so that Christ is given preeminence” (note on Luke 14:25-33).

Hebrews chapter twelve provides encouragement to believers who are waiting for Christ’s return and tells us that we should not grow weary or fainthearted in our struggle against sin, the inevitable result of receiving an invitation to participate in the marriage supper of the Lamb. Hebrews 12 concludes with a warning to not refuse or make an excuse when you receive Christ’s invitation (Hebrews 12:25) and then, talks about the transposition of the material world into the spiritual realm. This section of Hebrews 12 includes a quote from the prophet Haggai and an interpretation of Haggai’s message. It states, “‘Yet once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens.’ This phrase, ‘Yet once more,’ indicates the removal of things that are shaken–that is, things that have been made–in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain” (Hebrews 12:26-27). The point of this passage of scripture is that believers need to look at life from an eternal perspective. Whatever things may seem more important to us now than fellowship with Christ will eventually disappear, so we need to keep expecting Christ to return and know how to interpret the present time (Luke 12:56). The writer of Hebrews concluded, “Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29).

Prayer

It might be easy to think that prayer is a quick way for us to get God to do what we want him to. When a fig tree withered at once after Jesus cursed it, Jesus’ disciples wanted to know, “’How did the fig tree wither at once?’ And Jesus answered them, ‘Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what has been done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, “Be taken up and thrown into the sea,” it will happen. And whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive if you have faith’” (Matthew 21:21-22). A potential explanation for Jesus cursing the fig tree may be found in the parable of the barren fig tree which is recorded in Luke’s gospel. Jesus said, “A man had a fig tree planted in his vineyard, and he came seeking fruit on it and found none. And he said to the vinedresser, ‘Look for three years now I have come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and I find none. ‘Cut it down. Why should it use up the ground.’ And he answered him, ‘Sir, let it alone this year also, until I dig around it and put on manure. Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’ It seems that the incident was a parable of judgment, with the fig tree representing Israel (note on Mark 11:14, KJSB). If that is the case, Jesus’ lesson about prayer would appear to be about believers acting in accordance with God’s will rather than us getting God to do what we want him to. The vinedresser in Jesus’ parable didn’t want to give up on the fig tree, but we know from the parable of the tenants (Matthew 21:33-46) that no fruit was ever produced by Israel, and like the wicked tenants, they killed their master’s son so that they could have his inheritance (Matthew 21:38; Matthew 26:3-4).

Jesus said, “From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and puts out its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away” (Matthew 24:32-35). Jesus said these words in the middle of his Olivet Discourse, which was primarily focused on his second coming and the final judgment of all the nations. The dire need for prayer during this time period and the challenge of exercising one’s faith could be why Jesus used the remarkable example of causing the fig tree to wither at once in order to get his disciples’ attention before speaking to them about this topic. Jesus went on to warn his disciples about being ready (Matthew 24:36-51) and watching for his second coming (Matthew 25:1-13) and then, told them the parable of the talents to illustrate the system of rewards that will be used to compensate God’s servants for their faithful service (Matthew 25:14-30) before concluding his sermon with a description of the final judgment (Matthew 25:31-46).

Matthew’s gospel associates Jesus’ most notable and comprehensive teaching on prayer with his Sermon on the Mount. According to Matthew, Jesus stated, “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly (Matthew 6:5-6). Jesus likened God answering a believer’s prayer to receiving a reward. The Greek word that is translated reward, misthos (mis-thosˊ) means pay for service, in the sense of a reward that will be received in the afterlife (G3408). From that standpoint, prayer can be thought of as a type of work, spiritual work that one is compensated for when you get to heaven. Jesus talked about receiving pay for service in his parable of the laborers in the vineyard. Jesus said:

“For the kingdom of heaven is like a master of a house who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for a denarius a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And going out about the third hour he saw others standing idle in the marketplace, and to them he said, ‘You go into the vineyard too, and whatever is right I will give you.’ So they went. Going out again about the sixth hour and the ninth hour, he did the same. And about the eleventh hour he went out and found others standing. And he said to them, ‘Why do you stand here idle all day?’ They said to him, ‘Because no one has hired us.’ He said to them, ‘You go into the vineyard too.’ And when evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his foreman, ‘Call the laborers and pay them their wages, beginning with the last, up to the first.’ And when those hired about the eleventh hour came, each of them received a denarius. Now when those hired first came, they thought they would receive more, but each of them also received a denarius. And on receiving it they grumbled at the master of the house, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Did you not agree with me for a denarius? Take what belongs to you and go. I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or do you begrudge my generosity?’ So the last will be first, and the first last.” (Matthew 20:1-16)

The thing to note about Jesus’ illustration is that everyone received the same wage regardless of the amount of work that was accomplished. Jesus described the master of the house as a generous man who was continually looking for people to hire and one who promptly paid his workers at the end of the day. The interesting thing about the dispersing of the wages was that the master instructed his foreman to begin with the last person hired and end with the first. Jesus concluded his illustration with the statement, “So the last will be first, and the first last” (Matthew 20:16). Jesus seemed to be discouraging his followers from working longer and harder than they might otherwise have, but it seems unlikely that was what he was intending to convey.

The Greek word that is translated last in Matthew 20:16 is eschatos (esˊ-khat-os). Eschatos is a superlative of the Greek word echo (ekhˊ-o). Echo is used “generally and most frequently, to have, to possess externally, to have in one’s possession, power, charge, control: for example property (Matthew 13:12; 19:21, 22; Mark 10:22, 23; Luke 18:24; 21:4). In figurative phrases: to have years means to be so many years old (John 8:57); to have a certain distance means to be a certain distance away (Acts 1:12). Spoken of what is said to have in, on, by, or with himself, i.e. of any condition, circumstances, or state either external or internal in which one is” (G2192). In this context, Jesus’ reference to the last could be interpreted to mean the worst or the farthest away from the kingdom of heaven. The Greek word that is translated first in Matthew 20:16 is protos (proˊtos). Protos is a superlative of the primary preposition pro, which refers to “’fore,’ i.e. in front of, prior (figurative, superior) to” (G4253). In this context, Jesus’ reference to the first could be interpreted to mean the best or the closest to the kingdom of heaven. So, when we think about prayer and the rewards that one will receive for doing it, you could say that those who are the least qualified to do it, will comparatively, receive the best compensation for their work; or that those who pray the most should not expect to get any more than what Jesus has promised them in the Bible.

Jesus’ twelve apostles understood the importance of prayer and according to Luke’s gospel, asked Jesus to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1). Jesus said to them:

“When you pray, say:

“Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread,
and forgive us our sins,
    for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.
And lead us not into temptation.”

And he said to them, “Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Friend, lend me three loaves, for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within, ‘Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything’? I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:2-13)

Luke’s abbreviated version of The Lord’s Prayer was likely a paraphrase of what was expressed in Matthew’s account of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:9-13). The key points were showing reverence for God and seeking to be aligned with his kingdom, God’s daily provision, forgiveness of sins, and our avoidance of temptation. In his follow-on comments, Jesus emphasized God’s willingness to respond to our requests, but closed with the question, “What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion?” (Luke 11:11:12) as if to point out that God is not only willing to respond to our requests, but will give us exactly what we ask for. But then, Jesus concluded, “If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13). Jesus’ statement implied that the Holy Spirit was the good gift that we would be asking God for. Unfortunately, I’ve never heard anyone ask God for the Holy Spirit when they were praying. I think the thing that believers misunderstand about the Holy Spirit is that he has the power to do all the things that we would like God to do for us, but the only way that the Holy Spirit can do them is in and through us.

Fishers of men

Four of Jesus’ twelve disciples were fishermen before they were called to work in his ministry. Mark tells us, “Passing alongside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net into the sea for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you become fishers of men.’ And immediately they left their nets and followed him. And going a little farther, he saw James the son of Zebedee and John his brother, who were in their boat mending the nets. And immediately he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants and followed him” (Mark 1:16-20). Simon, also known as Peter, Andrew, James, and John were all willing to give up their occupation of fishing in order to follow Jesus. Jesus’ statement, “I will make you become fishers of men” (Mark 1:17) seemed to make sense to Peter and Andrew. Mark said they “immediately left their nets and followed him” (Mark 1:18), suggesting that there was not only a willingness on the part of Peter and Andrew to give up their occupation, but also an urgency about their decision to do so. The Greek word that is translated immediately, eutheos (yoo-thehˊ-oce) is derived from the root words eu (yoo), which means “good, brave, noble” (G2095), and tithemi (tithˊ-ay-mee), which used figuratively means “to lay down one’s life. To place something in the heart or spirit, in the sense of to resolve, to purpose” (G5087).

Peter and Andrew took immediate action to secure their position in Jesus’ ministry based on his promise that he would make them become fishers of men (Mark 1:17). In order to understand what Jesus meant by fishers of men, you have to think of it in terms of an occupation. Jesus was inviting Peter, Andrew, James, and John to be a part of the work that he was sent to do on earth. When Jesus healed a woman who had a disabling spirit, the ruler of the synagogue associated what he had done with work. Luke 13:12-17 states:

When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said to her, “Woman, you are freed from your disability.” And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God. But the ruler of the synagogue, indignant because Jesus had healed on the Sabbath, said to the people, “There are six days in which work ought to be done. Come on those days and be healed, and not on the Sabbath day.” Then the Lord answered him, “You hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath untie his ox or his donkey from the manger and lead it away to water it? And ought not this woman, a daughter of Abraham whom Satan bound for eighteen years, be loosed from this bond on the Sabbath day?” As he said these things, all his adversaries were put to shame, and all the people rejoiced at all the glorious things that were done by him.

The Greek word that the ruler of the synagogue used that is translated work, ergazomai (er-gadˊ-zom-ahee) means “to toil (as a task, occupation, etc.),” and is metaphorically spoken of the sea: to cultivate the sea, i.e. to ply or follow the sea as an occupation as sailors, mariners (Revelation 18:17), but ergazomai is also used “of things wrought, done, performed, e.g. miracles (John 6:30; Acts 13:41)…To work the works of God, or a good work (Matthew 26:10; Mark 14:6; John 3:21; 6:28; 9:4; 1 Corinthians 16:10; 3 John 5)” (G2038). Jesus’ sharp response to the ruler of the synagogue suggests that spiritual work, releasing the woman from the bond of Satan, cannot be limited to normal work hours because of the life-sustaining nature of this kind of activity (Luke 13:15).

Jesus indicated that the work that he had called his disciples to do would result in spiritual wages (John 6:27), but he cautioned the crowd that wanted to join him in his ministry against pursuing spiritual work without having faith in God. John tells us, “Then they said to him, ‘What must we do to be doing the works of God’ Jesus answered them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.’ So they said to him, ‘Then what sign do you do that we may see and believe you? What work do you perform?’” (John 6:28-30). The people of Israel were confused about the role that Jesus was expected to play in the accomplishment of God’s plan of salvation. They thought that their Messiah would be a powerful leader who would conquer the kingdoms that opposed God. Jesus explained to them that the purpose of him coming into the world was to provide spiritual nourishment to those who were spiritually destitute (John 6:32-59). Jesus concluded his discussion on spiritual work with the healing of a man born blind. John stated, “As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. And his disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ Jesus answered, ‘It was not that this man sinned or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work’” (John 9:1-4). Jesus indicated that the works of God were intended to be done out in the open, on display for everyone to see, but there would come a time when no one would be able to work because the light of the world would be snuffed out (John 8:12-24).

Jesus told his disciples Peter, Andrew, James, and John when they first came to him to not be afraid because “from now on you will be catching men” (Luke 5:10). The Greek word that is translated catching, zogreo (dzogue-rehˊ-o) was used by Paul to describe the activities of Satan in a section of his second letter to Timothy that focused on a worker that is approved by God. Paul told Timothy to:

Flee youthful passions and pursue righteousness, faith, love, and peace, along with those who call on the Lord from a pure heart. Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels. And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured (zogreo) by him to do his will. (2 Timothy 2:22-26)

The phrase that Paul used “escape from the snare” (2 Timothy 2:26) has to do with recovering one’s senses after being tricked into doing something that you didn’t want to do (G366/1537/3803). The Greek word that is translated snare, pagis (pag-eceˊ) is spoken figuratively of “a trick or stratagem (temptation)” (G3803). The snare of the devil is obviously something that you would want to avoid. The reason why Jesus used a similar analogy for people getting saved may have been because salvation is not a logical choice, but something similar to a rescue mission that God must initiate.

Paul talked in his second letter to the Corinthians about being caught up to the third heaven (2 Corinthians 12:2-4). The Greek word harpazō (har-padˊ-zo) means to “seize upon, spoil, snatch away” and is “spoken of beasts of prey” and of “what is snatched suddenly away (Matthew 13:19; Jude 23); in the sense of to rob, plunder (John 10:28, 29)” (G726). The violent nature of the word harpazō is reflected in Jesus’ description of Satan’s attack on the kingdom of heaven. Jesus said, “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force (harpazō). It makes sense that God’s effort to rescue us from sin would also require force. Jude talked about saving others “by snatching (harpazō) them out of the fire” (Jude 1:23). Paul’s experience on the road to Damascus is an example of how God catches men and uses them for his own purposes. Paul testifies about his conversion in Acts 26:9-18. Paul said:

“I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth. And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them. And I punished them often in all the synagogues and tried to make them blaspheme, and in raging fury against them I persecuted them even to foreign cities. In this connection I journeyed to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests. At midday, O king, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, that shone around me and those who journeyed with me. And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew language, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ And I said, ‘Who are you, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles—to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

Jesus described Paul’s resistance to the gospel as “kicking against the goads” (Acts 26:14) and said that he would deliver Paul from his people and from the Gentiles (Acts 26:17). Paul’s harsh attitude toward Jesus made it difficult for him to receive God’s gift of salvation, but Jesus said that Paul had been appointed as a servant and a witness to Jesus Christ and that he was being sent to open the eyes of others (Acts 26:16-18). Paul became a very successful fisher of men and was one of the primary authors of the New Testament. Paul was also responsible for the spread of the gospel throughout most of Europe and Asia before he was executed by the Roman government.

God’s messenger

The link between the Old and New Testaments of the Bible is sometimes difficult to grasp because of the differences between the Old and New Covenants that govern their content. The Old Covenant was “made with Israel as the descendants of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and as the people the Lord has redeemed from bondage to an earthly power.” It was “a conditional divine pledge to be Israel’s God (as her Protector and the Guarantor of her blessed destiny); the condition: Israel’s total consecration to the Lord as his people (His kingdom) who live by his rule and serve his purposes in history” (Major Covenants in the Old Testament, p. 16, KJSB). The Mosaic Law was given to the Israelites so that they would be aware of and follow the standard by which God would measure their devotion and obedience to him. At the end of his life, Moses told the people of Israel, “For the commandment that I command you today is not too hard for you, neither is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend to heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it? Neither is it beyond the seas that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it? But the word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart so that you can do it” (Deuteronomy 30:11-14). The Old Testament ends with God rebuking Israel’s priests for turning aside from the way that he had established for them to worship him (Malachi 2:8), and a declaration that Judah had profaned God’s covenant by marrying the daughter of a foreign god (Malachi 2:11). God announced his intention of establishing a new covenant through the prophet Malachi. God said, “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold he is coming says the LORD of hosts” (Malachi 3:1)

The New Covenant was “an unconditional divine promise to unfaithful Israel to forgive her sins and establish a relationship with her on a new basis by writing His law ‘in their hearts’—a covenant of pure grace” (Major Covenants in the Old Testament, p. 16, KJSB). Grace was not a new concept to the people of Israel, but they didn’t seem to understand how it worked. Jesus talked about grace in terms of a “benefit” or “credit” that one might receive for doing a good deed (Luke 6:32-34), and then said, “But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful” (Luke 6:35-36). The Apostle Paul told the believers in Ephesus that it is “by grace that you have been saved…For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:5, 8-9). The Greek word that is translated works in Ephesians 2:9, er-gon (erˊ-gon) is speaking “of works of the law, meaning works required or conformable to the Mosaic moral law and required by the law” (G2041). Paul indicated that a person might be inclined to boast if he was able to live according to the Mosaic Law. Therefore, God chose to give salvation to us based on our faith in Jesus Christ.

God said of his messenger in Malachi 3:1, “he will prepare the way before me.” The Hebrew word derek (dehˊ-rek) is used figuratively to refer to “a course of life or mode of (action)” (H1870). When God said that his messenger would prepare the way, he meant that his messenger would focus people’s attention on the way they were living. Zechariah’s prophecy about his son John touched on this very point (Luke 1:76), and indicated that John would, “give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of sins because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace” (Luke 1:77-79). The idea that God’s grace can guide our feet into the way of peace is based on the fact that the Holy Spirit is able to convict us of our sin and cause us to repent (John 16:8). It says in Matthew 3:1-3:

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
    make his paths straight.’”

The Greek word that is translated repent in Matthew 3:1, metanoeo (met-an-o-ehˊ-o) means “to think differently or afterwards, i.e. reconsider” (G3340) and has to do with changing your mind. Paul describes repentance as a time-limited, opportunity in Hebrews 12:17 where he says of Jacob’s brother Esau, “For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.” John the Baptist’s preparation of the way for those who wanted to receive Christ as their Savior was also a time-limited opportunity. Not long after Jesus launched his ministry, John was arrested (Matthew 4:12), and a short while later, he was beheaded by Herod the tetrarch (Matthew 14:10). Jesus said of John, “Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Matthew 11:11).

Jesus’ declaration that the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11) was based on the fact that John was not a born again believer. Jesus prefaced his statement about John with the stipulation “among those born of women.” Jesus explained to a man named Nicodemus that “unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit” (John 3:5-6). Jesus distinguished between the two types of birth that a person could experience and stated that a spiritual birth was required for entrance into God’s kingdom. Throughout the New Testament, the Greek word that was used to refer to John as God’s messenger, aggelos (angˊ-el-os) is translated as angel or angels. Aggelos is derived from the word ago (agˊ-o), which is used metaphorically in Romans 2:4 to refer to leading (ago) someone to repentance. Paul asked, “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” It seems likely that God’s messenger, John the Baptist was perceived by most people to be an angel of kindness. John brought hope to those who were sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death through his message about God’s forgiveness of sins. It was the religious hypocrites who hated John and wanted to stop him from leading people to the light of Jesus Christ.

Jesus’ parable about tenants who killed their master’s son so that they could have his inheritance explains the reason why God replaced the Old Covenant that he made with Abraham’s descendants with a new one. Jesus stated:

“Hear another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and leased it to tenants, and went into another country. When the season for fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit. And the tenants took his servants and beat one, killed another, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first. And they did the same to them. Finally he sent his son to them, saying, ‘They will respect my son.’ But when the tenants saw the son, they said to themselves, ‘This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and have his inheritance.’ And they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. When therefore the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?” They said to him, “He will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants who will give him the fruits in their seasons.”

Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone that the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
this was the Lord’s doing,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’?

Therefore I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruits. And the one who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.” (Matthew 21:33-44)

The issue that caused a conflict between the master of the house and his tenants was possession of the fruit from his vineyard. When the master’s servants came to get his fruit, the tenants “beat one, killed another, and stoned another” (Matthew 21:35). What we’re not told is whether or not there was any fruit, and if there was, what the tenants did with it. Jesus’ solution seems to indicate that the tenants hadn’t produced any fruit. Jesus said the kingdom of God would be taken away and given to a people producing or bringing forth its fruits (Matthew 21:43).

Jesus talked about bringing forth fruit in many of his lessons and parables and explained in his parable of the sower that it’s not just hearing the word of God, but understanding it that causes fruit to be produced in the heart of a believer (Matthew 13:23). Jesus said understanding with the heart causes a person to be converted (Matthew 13:15). To be converted means that you reverse your direction in life and “become another kind of person e.g., to become like children” (G4762). Jesus told his disciples, “Unless you turn (strepho, G4762) and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:3). The first step in the process of being converted is to repent. John the Baptist told the people who came to him when he was preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 3:1-2) and later, Jesus told the religious hypocrites who wanted to see a sign from him, “The men of Ninevah will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and behold something greater than Jonah is here” (Matthew 12:41).

A foolish mistake

Saul, Israel’s first king, from a human perspective, fully satisfied the desires of the people. “He was a man of great stature from the most military-minded tribe in all Israel and was considered capable of leading the people in battle against their enemies” (note on 1 Samuel 10:20-24), but Saul lacked spiritual discernment and was prone to making rash decisions. Only a couple of years into his reign as king of Israel, Saul started to show signs of pride and seemed to be overconfident of his ability to defeat the Philistines, Israel’s most formidable enemy. 1 Samuel 13:5-7 tells us:

And the Philistines mustered to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen and troops like the sand on the seashore in multitude. They came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth-aven. When the men of Israel saw that they were in trouble (for the people were hard pressed), the people hid themselves in caves and in holes and in rocks and in tombs and in cisterns, and some Hebrews crossed the fords of the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul was still at Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling.

The Israelites were terrified of the Philistines and Saul’s leadership was little comfort to them. Samuel instructed Saul to go down to Gilgal and wait for him to come and offer sacrifices to God. 1 Samuel 13:8-10 states:

He waited seven days, the time appointed by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and the people were scattering from him. So Saul said, “Bring the burnt offering here to me, and the peace offerings.” And he offered the burnt offering. As soon as he had finished offering the burnt offering, behold, Samuel came. And Saul went out to meet him and greet him.

Saul’s decision to offer the burnt offering himself was a violation of the Mosaic Law and an indication that his heart was not right with God. When Samuel arrived, he asked Saul:

“What have you done?” And Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the Lord.’ So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering.” And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the Lord your God, with which he commanded you. For then the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought out a man after his own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be prince over his people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” (1 Samuel 13:11-14)

Saul told Samuel that he had forced himself to offer the burnt offering. The Hebrew word that is translated forced, ʾaphaq (aw-fakˊ) means “to contain, i.e (reflexive) abstain” (H662). The name Aphek is derived from ʾaphaq. In the sense of strength, the name Aphek means “fortress” (H663).

It seems that Saul had intentionally walled himself off from the promptings of the Holy Spirit when he decided to offer the burnt offering himself. Samuel’s reaction to Saul’s disobedience affirms this viewpoint. “Samuel said to Saul, ‘You have done foolishly. You have not kept the command of the LORD your God, with which he commanded you’” (1Samuel 13:13). Samuel’s assessment that Saul had made a foolish mistake when he went against the command of the LORD was probably based on an awareness of Saul’s motives. The Hebrew word that is translated foolishly, çakal (saw-kalˊ) means “to be silly” (H5528). Silliness is an indicator of spiritual immaturity or a lack of spiritual discernment. The Hebrew word kaçal (kaw-salˊ), another form of çakal, means “to be fat, i.e. (figuratively) silly” (H3688). The connection between fatness and silliness may be a lack of discipline or in a spiritual sense, mental exercise. A word that is derived from kaçal, keçel (kehˊ-sel) is properly translated as “fatness, i.e. by implication (literally) the loin (as the seat of the leaf fat) or (generally) the viscera; also (figuratively) silliness or (in a good sense) trust…Kecel means ‘stupidity; imperturbability; confidence” (H3689).

Peter’s second letter contained a reference to the prophetic word about Israel’s Messiah being confirmed by Jesus’ transfiguration (2 Peter 1:16-21). In this passage, Peter stated, “No prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20-21). The phrase carried along means “impelled, by the Holy Spirit’s power, not acting according to their own wills, or simply expressing their own thoughts, but expressing the mind of God in words provided and ministered by Him” (G5342). It seems likely that when King Saul forced himself to offer the burnt offering, he was confident that he was doing the right thing, but Saul was acting according to his own will, not God’s will, as it had already been expressed to Saul that he should wait for Samuel to arrive and that he would offer the burnt offering (1 Samuel 10:8). The book of Proverbs discusses at length the foolish behavior of a man who is void of understanding. The fool has a knowledge of God but does not properly evaluate or understand what he knows (H3683). It says in Proverbs 13:16, “Wise people think before they act; fools don’t—and even brag about their foolishness” (NLT). Saul’s explanation of why he had offered the burnt offering himself instead of waiting as he had been told to made it seem as if Samuel was at fault and that Saul had saved the day. “Saul said, ‘When I saw the people were scattering from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines had mustered at Michmash, I said, “Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the favor of the LORD.” So I forced myself, and offered the burnt offering’” (1 Samuel 13:11-12). Samuel’s reply made it clear that Saul was acting out of ignorance, rather than a desire to please God. He said, “But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought out a man after his own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). The Apostle Paul referred to Samuel’s declaration in a message he shared with the Jews at Antioch. Paul said:

“Men of Israel,” he said, “and you God-fearing Gentiles, listen to me.

“The God of this nation of Israel chose our ancestors and made them multiply and grow strong during their stay in Egypt. Then with a powerful arm he led them out of their slavery. He put up with them through forty years of wandering in the wilderness. Then he destroyed seven nations in Canaan and gave their land to Israel as an inheritance. All this took about 450 years.

“After that, God gave them judges to rule until the time of Samuel the prophet. Then the people begged for a king, and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for forty years. But God removed Saul and replaced him with David, a man about whom God said, ‘I have found David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart. He will do everything I want him to do.’

“And it is one of King David’s descendants, Jesus, who is God’s promised Savior of Israel! (Acts 13:16-23)

Paul identified David as a man after God’s own heart, someone that would do everything that God wanted him to, and connected him with God’s plan of salvation. It was important for the king of Israel to be completely committed to God, but what was really at stake was the execution of a plan that would result in Jesus’ birth. Samuel told Saul, “You have not kept the command of the LORD your God, with which he commanded you. For then the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue” (1 Samuel 13:13-14). Samuel referred to Saul’s kingdom as your kingdom, rather than the kingdom of God or heaven, and told him that it would not continue. Saul’s reign over Israel was a temporary arrangement that had to do with Israel’s request for a human leader to guide them into military success. Underlying God’s approval of their request was his intention of establishing an eternal kingdom that would be ruled by Jesus.

Jesus often talked about the kingdom of heaven and on more than one occasion associated it with God’s covenant with Abraham. Jesus said, “Truly, I tell you, with no one in Israel have I found such faith. I tell you, many will come from east and west and recline at table with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom will be thrown into outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:10-12). Jesus used the phrase the sons of the kingdom to refer to the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, Israelites that were not members of the kingdom of heaven. The context of Jesus’ statement was the lack of faith among the Jews. “Jesus had just commended the great faith of a Gentile, the Roman centurion who came seeking healing for his servant (v. 10). The ‘sons of the kingdom’ may refer to unbelieving Jews who thought that their ancestry automatically entitled them to the kingdom of God (see John 8:31-59). The Jews thought that they were assured of special favor by God, but the Lord reminded them that they could be ‘last’ in the kingdom of God while those who thought themselves ‘last,’ such as tax collectors and prostitutes, would be ‘first’ if they exercised faith in him (Matthew 21:31). Furthermore, unbelieving Jews would be, ‘thrown into the outer darkness’ because of their hypocritical claim that they were the children and followers of Abraham. Abraham was the father of the faithful, and although these men were his physical descendants, they were not part of the family of faith” (note on Matthew 8:11, 12).

In the same way that the unbelieving Jews of Jesus’ day thought that their relationship to Abraham would assure them of special favor by God, so Saul thought that his position of king of Israel exempted him from obedience to God’s word. In the heat of a battle with the Philistines, Saul “laid an oath on the people, saying, ‘Cursed be the man who eats food until it is evening, and I am avenged on my enemies’” (1 Samuel 14:24). It says in 1 Samuel 14:27-30, “But Jonathon had not heard his father charge the people with the oath, so he put out the tip of the staff that was in his hand and dipped it in the honeycomb and put his hand to his mouth, and his eyes became bright. Then one of the people said, ‘Your father strictly charged the people with an oath, saying, “Cursed be the man who eats food this day.”’ And the people were faint. Then Jonathon said, ‘My father has troubled the land. See how my eyes have become bright because I tasted a little of this honey. How much better if the people had eaten freely today of the spoil of their enemies that they found. For now the defeat among the Philistines has not been great.’” When Saul inquired of the LORD and didn’t receive an answer from him, “Saul said, ‘Come here, all you leaders of the people, and know and see how this sin has arisen today. For as the LORD lives, who saves Israel, though it be in Jonathon my son, he shall surely die…Then Saul said, ‘Cast the lot between me and Jonathon.’ And Jonathon was taken. Then Saul said to Jonathon, ‘Tell me what you have done.’ And Jonathon told him, ‘I tasted a little honey with the tip of the staff that was in my hand. Here I am; I will die.’ And Saul said, ‘God do so to me and more also; you shall surely die, Jonathon.’ Then the people said to Saul, ‘Shall Jonathon die, who has worked this great salvation in Israel? Far from it! As the LORD lives, there shall not one hair of his head fall to the ground, for he has worked with God this day.’ So the people ransomed Jonathon, so that he did not die. Then Saul went up from pursuing the Philistines, and the Philistines went to their own place” (1 Samuel 14:38-46).

The quagmire of unbelief that resulted from Saul’s rash vow led to the LORD’s eventual rejection of Saul as king over Israel. During his confrontation of Saul, Samuel asked him:

“Has the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
    as in obeying the voice of the Lord?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
    and to listen than the fat of rams.
For rebellion is as the sin of divination,
    and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the Lord,
    he has also rejected you from being king.” (1 Samuel 15:22-23)

Samuel indicated that Saul had rejected the word of the LORD. “Although God had chosen Saul to be king, Saul’s response caused a change in God’s plan for Saul…Purity of heart and attitude are more important to God than perfection and beauty of ritual” (H3988).

Speaking through the prophet Jeremiah, God explained to the people of Israel, “For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices. But this command I gave them: ‘Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in the way that I command you, that it may be well with you’” (Jeremiah 7:22-23). The book of Hebrews further clarifies God’s point by showing that it was not Christ’s sacrifice that made us holy and acceptable to God, but Jesus’ obedience to his Father’s will. Hebrews 10:5-10 states:

Consequently, when Christ came into the world, he said,

“Sacrifices and offerings you have not desired,
    but a body have you prepared for me;
in burnt offerings and sin offerings
    you have taken no pleasure.
Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do your will, O God,
    as it is written of me in the scroll of the book.’”

When he said above, “You have neither desired nor taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the law), then he added, “Behold, I have come to do your will.” He does away with the first in order to establish the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Sanctification is “spoken of persons: to consecrate as being set apart of God and sent by Him for the performance of His will.” The Greek word hagiazo (hag-ee-adˊ-zo) means “to make holy” and refers to “the sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit on the heart” (G37).

Jesus told his disciples after he was gone, that his Father would give them “another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth” (John 14:16). Jesus went on to say, “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:25-26). The Greek word that is translated Helper, parakletos (par-akˊ-lay-tos) “is the one summoned, called to one’s side, especially called to one’s aid and is used of Christ in his exaltation at God’s right hand, pleading with God the Father for the pardon of our sins (1 John 2:1); and the Holy Spirit destined to take the place Christ with the apostles (after Christ’s ascension to the Father), to lead them to a deeper knowledge of the gospel truth, and give them divine strength needed to enable them to undergo trials and persecutions on behalf of the divine kingdom (John 14:16; 14:26; 15:26; 16:7)” (G3875). The Holy Spirit’s role of Helper is said to be linked with believers gaining a deeper knowledge of the gospel truth.

Paul instructed Titus to “teach what accords with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1). The concept of sound doctrine is related to nourishment, it is that which brings about health and vitality. Paul described the results of sound doctrine as being “sober-minded, dignified, self-controlled, sound in faith, in love, and in steadfastness” (Titus 2:2). Paul repeated the attribute of self-controlled several times as he continued to talk about the result of sound doctrine on women, young men, and all people (Titus 2:5, 6, 12). The Greek words sophron (soˊ-frone), sophrosune (so-fros-ooˊ-nay), sophronos (so-fronˊ-oce), sophronizo (so-fron-idˊ-zo), and sophroneo (so-fron-ehˊ-o) are all derived from the same root word, sozo (sodeˊ-zo) which means “to save” (G4982). Another word that is derived from sozo is soma (soˊ-mah) which refers to “the body (as a sound whole)” (G4983). The connection between soundness and being saved was apparent in Jesus’ healing ministry. When the Pharisees asked Jesus’ disciples why he ate with tax collectors and sinners, he responded, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:12-13). Later, Jesus was approached by a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years. Matthew tells us that she “came up behind him and touched the fringe of his garment, for she said to herself, ‘If I only touch his garment, I will be made well (sozo, to save).’ Jesus turned, and seeing her he said, ‘Take heart, daughter, your faith has made you well.’ And instantly the woman was made well (sozo, to save)” (Matthew 9:20-22).

The Greek word sophron (soˊ-frone), which is translated self-controlled in Titus 2:2, means “safe (sound) in mind” (G4998) and is derived from the base of sozo and phren (frane). Phren appears only in 1 Corinthians 14:20 where Paul told the Corinthian believers, “Brothers, do not be children in your thinking (phren). Be infants in evil, but in your thinking (phren) be mature.” Paul associated phren with immature Christians and conveyed the idea of making a foolish mistake. In the King James Version of the Bible, phren is translated understanding. Proverbs chapter eight focuses on the blessings of wisdom and states in verse five, “O child-like ones, learn to use wisdom. O fools, make your mind understand” (NLV). This verse seems to suggest that being self-controlled is the result of training our minds to think wisely and therefore, eliminating foolish mistakes. After Samuel confronted him, Saul admitted, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the LORD and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice” (1 Samuel 15:24). Saul’s mistake was that he obeyed the voice of the people rather than the voice of God. It wasn’t that Saul didn’t know what God wanted him to do. Saul knew what God wanted him to do, but the people disagreed with it so, he chose to please the people instead of obeying God.

The other side

The material and spiritual realms coexist in the same space and are made up of similar articles, but their characteristics are perceived by completely different means. The kingdom of heaven, in particular, had to be described by Jesus in parables so that his followers could comprehend what it was actually like. Jesus explained to his disciples that the kingdom of heaven is perceived through the heart and requires faith in order for it to appear real to individuals. Matthew’s gospel tells us:

Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away. This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:

“‘“You will indeed hear but never understand,
    and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
For this people’s heart has grown dull,
    and with their ears they can barely hear,
    and their eyes they have closed,
lest they should see with their eyes
    and hear with their ears
and understand with their heart
    and turn, and I would heal them.’

But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear. For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it. (Matthew 13:10-17)

Jesus described the characteristics of the kingdom of heaven as secrets. The Greek word that Jesus used, musterion (moos-tayˊ-ree-on) refers to “a mystery, i.e. something into which one must be initiated or instructed before it can be known; something of itself not obvious and above human insight” (G3466). Jesus talked about hearing, but never understanding and seeing, but not perceiving. This suggests that spiritual perception is similar to physical perception in that spiritual information comes into us through our senses, but it can be blocked and therefore, does not enter the heart where it must be processed and utilized. Jesus explained how this process works in his parable of the sower (Matthew 13:3-9) and then told his disciples:

“Hear then the parable of the sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.” (Matthew 13:18-23)

Jesus indicated that the key to spiritual perception is understanding. The Greek word that is translated understands in Matthew 13:23, suniemi (soon-eeˊ-ay-mee) means “to put together, i.e. (mentally) to comprehend” (G4920). In order for you to comprehend what is going on in the spiritual realm, you have to be able to put together the pieces of spiritual information that you receive and see them as a complete picture. The believers in the Old Testament didn’t have a complete picture of salvation because Jesus hadn’t yet been born, but many of the things that they experienced were meant to show them and us what salvation looks like from a physical perspective. In contrast, most of the New Testament depicts salvation from a spiritual perspective. The Old and New Testaments of the Bible both depict images of salvation, but they have to be matched up in order for us to see the entire picture in a way that makes sense to us.

The Apostle Paul explained in his letter to the Ephesians that the reason why unbelievers’ spiritual perception is blocked before they are born again is because they are spiritually dead in their trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1-2), but after they experience regeneration, they can see that there is a better way for them to live and are free to choose the path of life that they want to take. Paul said:

Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:17-24)

Paul described the process of sanctification as putting off the old self and putting on the new self in order to be renewed in the spirit of your minds. “The renewal here mentioned is not that of the mind itself in its natural powers of memory, judgment and perception, but ‘the spirit of the mind’; which, under the controlling power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, directs its bent and energies God-ward in the enjoyment of fellowship with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ, and of the fulfillment of the will of God” (G365).

Paul emphasized that in sanctification there must be a putting off of the old self because it belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires (Ephesians 4:22). One of the things that is clear about the Israelites’ 40 years of wandering in the wilderness is that the people of Israel were unable to give up their old ways of thinking and acting completely and struggled to obey God’s commands up until the time they crossed over the Jordan River and entered the Promised Land. Moses’ account of the Israelites journey noted their continuous rebellion and concluded with the statement, “For I know how rebellious and stubborn you are. Behold even today while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the LORD. How much more after my death!” (Deuteronomy 31:27).

Proverbs 19:21 tells us, “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.” The Hebrew word that is translated stand, quwm (koom) in this instance means to “come about” and is being used to denote “the inevitable occurrence of something predicted or prearranged” (H6965). Sanctification of believers is God’s responsibility and even though we must cooperate in the process, God is able to do whatever he needs to for it to be completed once the process has started. The definiteness and the completeness of the divine act guarantees the end result (G37). The Israelites’ crossing of the Jordan River marked the beginning of their process of sanctification. Joshua 3:9-17 states:

And Joshua said to the people of Israel, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.” And Joshua said, “Here is how you shall know that the living God is among you and that he will without fail drive out from before you the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Hivites, the Perizzites, the Girgashites, the Amorites, and the Jebusites. Behold, the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is passing over before you into the Jordan. Now therefore take twelve men from the tribes of Israel, from each tribe a man. And when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the Lord, the Lord of all the earth, shall rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan shall be cut off from flowing, and the waters coming down from above shall stand in one heap.”

So when the people set out from their tents to pass over the Jordan with the priests bearing the ark of the covenant before the people, and as soon as those bearing the ark had come as far as the Jordan, and the feet of the priests bearing the ark were dipped in the brink of the water (now the Jordan overflows all its banks throughout the time of harvest), the waters coming down from above stood and rose up in a heap very far away, at Adam, the city that is beside Zarethan, and those flowing down toward the Sea of the Arabah, the Salt Sea, were completely cut off. And the people passed over opposite Jericho. Now the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the Lord stood firmly on dry ground in the midst of the Jordan, and all Israel was passing over on dry ground until all the nation finished passing over the Jordan.

Joshua indicated that the way the people of Israel would know that God would without fail drive out the inhabitants of the land was that the waters of the Jordan would be cut off from flowing when the soles of the feet of the priests bearing the Ark of the Covenant rested in the waters. The Ark of the Covenant signified God’s presence and in particular, God said, “There I will meet with you, and from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim that are on the ark of the testimony, I will speak with you about all that I will give you in commandment for the people of Israel” (Exodus 25:22). The Ark of the Covenant usually resided in the tabernacle, behind the veil that hung between the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place. “Only one man, the high priest, went beyond that curtain, and he was permitted to do so only once a year, on the Day of Atonement. On that occasion, he was to sprinkle on the altar the blood of a bull as an offering for his sins and the sins of the priests, and the blood of the goat as an offering for the sins of the people (Leviticus 16:1-19). The significance was clear: man was separated from God because of sin and could approach him only through the blood that was presented by a priest, who, prior to the sin offerings, had to offer incense that he might find mercy and not die (Leviticus 16:13). When Jesus died on the cross, the curtain hanging in the temple was torn in two (Matthew 27:51), indicating that all believers now had access to God’s presence. Jesus went beyond the veil into the Most Holy Place, the presence of God (Hebrews 9:12, 24), as the ultimate high priest (Hebrews 7:23-28, 9:11), taking his own blood (Hebrews 9:12) and making full atonement for sins (Hebrews 10:10, 12)” (note on Exodus 26:31-45). The fact that the Ark of the Covenant was brought out into the open and everyone could see it when the people passed over the Jordan River (Joshua 3:3) suggests that Christ’s atonement was applied to the Israelites as a result of them crossing over the Jordan River to get to the other side.

The Hebrew word ʿabar (aw-barˊ) appears 23 times in Joshua’s account of the Israelites crossing over the Jordan River. ʿAbar is used widely of any transition and as a verb, occurs only when it refers to sin. “This word communicates the idea of transgression, or crossing over the boundary of right and entering the forbidden land of wrong…ʿAbar often carries the sense of ‘transgressing’ a covenant or commandment—i.e., the offender ‘passes beyond’ the limits set by God’s law and falls into transgression and guilt” (H5674). From this standpoint, the Israelites’ crossing over the Jordan River signified that they were entering a forbidden territory and were at risk of being punished, but the Ark of the Covenant provided the people of Israel with the sense of security that they were doing God’s will and the cutting off the water actually demonstrated that God was facilitating their endeavor. It was clear that God wanted the Israelites to get to the other side. Moses explained the reason why God wanted the Israelites to cross over the Jordan in his final message to them. Moses said:

“Hear, O Israel: you are to cross over the Jordan today, to go in to dispossess nations greater and mightier than you, cities great and fortified up to heaven, a people great and tall, the sons of the Anakim, whom you know, and of whom you have heard it said, ‘Who can stand before the sons of Anak?’ Know therefore today that he who goes over before you as a consuming fire is the Lord your God. He will destroy them and subdue them before you. So you shall drive them out and make them perish quickly, as the Lord has promised you.

“Do not say in your heart, after the Lord your God has thrust them out before you, ‘It is because of my righteousness that the Lord has brought me in to possess this land,’ whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the Lord is driving them out before you. Not because of your righteousness or the uprightness of your heart are you going in to possess their land, but because of the wickedness of these nations the Lord your God is driving them out from before you, and that he may confirm the word that the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob.

“Know, therefore, that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land to possess because of your righteousness, for you are a stubborn people. Remember and do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 9:1-7)

Moses emphasized the fact that the Israelites were not going in to possess the land because of their righteousness, but because of the wickedness of the nations that were already there. God intended to use the Israelites to accomplish his will, which was to destroy the nations that hated him (Deuteronomy 7:9-10).

The Jordan River represented the line that separated good and evil from both a physical and spiritual perspective. What took place when the Israelites crossed the Jordan River was significant because it depicted a part of salvation that most people don’t understand. In order to complete the picture, we have to look at what took place in the Jordan River in the New Testament of the Bible. Matthew 3:1-6 tells us:

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. ”For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said,

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
    make his paths straight.’”

Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

John the Baptist’s message, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2) was implied when the Israelites crossed the Jordan River. Joshua 5:1 states, “As soon as all the kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan to the west, and all the kings of the Canaanites who were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of the Jordan for the people of Israel until they had crossed over, their hearts melted and there was no longer any spirit in them because of the people of Israel.” The kings of the Amorites and the kings of the Canaanites understood that the Israelites were preparing the way of the Lord because the Ark of the Covenant that was going before signified his presence and they most likely realized that God’s kingdom was about to be established in place of their own.

John’s ministry also shows us that the Israelites’ crossing of the Jordan River was a type of baptism. Matthew tells us, “Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins” (Matthew 3:6). The people were coming to John from everywhere in droves to be baptized by him. There were likely thousands of people congregating around John so that they could make a profession of faith and be immersed by him in the Jordan River. John’s ministry marked an important transition from the Old Covenant that God established with Abraham which only applied to the Israelites to the New Covenant that applies to everyone. When Jesus arrived on the scene, John exclaimed, “’Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said, “After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.” I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, the he might be revealed to Israel’” (John 1:29-31). John’s ministry of baptism was intended to identify Israel’s Messiah. Even though John didn’t know who the Messiah was until after Jesus arrived, John was essentially baptizing people in Jesus’ name when he stated, “After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me” (John 1:30). In the same way, the Ark of the Covenant was symbolic of Israel’s Messiah who was able to save them from the power of sin and death. When the Ark of the Covenant went before the people into the Jordan River, the waters were cut off as a sign of the Israelite’s immortality.

Like the Jordan River, baptism symbolizes an imaginary line that must be crossed over in order for a believer to experience the effects of their sanctification. It has to do with living the resurrected life that Paul talked about in his letter to the Romans as opposed to the natural life that is associated with your physical birth. Paul said:

What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. (Romans 6:1-14)