Category: The Commands of Christ

How to Experience Forgiveness

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While the title indicate our desire to experience forgiveness, the point is how to release those who have offended us. Our passage is from Luke 17:1-10, and the key verses are Luke 17:3, 10.

Purpose of This Study: The purpose of this study is to determine our willingness to grant forgiveness to an offending brother who repents. God wants us to forgive as He has so graciously forgiven us. The commands of Christ in this passage are found in Luke 17:3 – “Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.” Obedience to this command requires a forgiving heart that is willing to restore relationships that have been broken by sin.

Historical Background: Jesus spoke these scathing words in His denunciation of the attitudes of the Pharisees, but a word of caution to the disciples was necessary so that they would not despise the Pharisees themselves. They could hate Pharisaism without hating the Pharisees. In order to teach the disciples this lesson, Jesus warned them that it would be easy for them to give offense by their attitude toward people. He said that it would be better for them to die physically than to repel some from coming to Him because they had shown the wrong attitude toward those who are coming. The “little ones” to whom the Lord referred would be those who were forsaking Pharisaism and coming to Christ. If the disciples looked down on such ones because they were so slow in coming to a decision concerning the person of Christ, they might be turned away from Him. Therefore, Christ commanded the disciples to be careful about their attitudes so that those who desired to come to Him may not be tripped up. (Pentecost)

The disciples might not only cause a hindrance for those coming to Christ but also toward other believers in Christ. When a believer is sinned against, and the sinning brother requests forgiveness, it is the duty of the disciple of Christ to forgive him.

Other passages to consider: Mark 11:25 (Forgive), Luke 17:3 (be on your guard, forgive), Luke 17:4 (forgive), Acts 7:60, 2 Corinthians 2:7, 10, Ephesians 4:32, Colossians 3:13.

Discussion Questions:

1. What is a stumbling block? (Luke 17:1-2) A “stumbling block” (scandalon) literally referred to a “trap or snare” used to catch animals but symbolically whatever causes people to be tripped up and fall into sin. The text says, “It is inevitable” that these stumbling blocks will come. The word inevitable means unavoidable. It is impossible that these offenses won’t come but Jesus says make sure they don’t come through you.

2. What are the consequences for placing a stumbling block in front of one of these little ones? (Luke 17:1-2) The consequences are not stated but contrasted to a better way to end one’s life. Jesus warns that it would be better to take your own life than be judged for this offense. He is not suggesting suicide but sternly warns everyone with the word WOE to stay clear of tripping up one of these “little ones,” who seem to be either young or new believers coming to Christ or people of whom the world takes little notice. In the story it probably refers to those who were forsaking Pharisaism and coming to Christ. A “millstone” was a heavy stone that rotated in a mill for grinding grain.

3. Does every sin against us have to be rebuked and forgiven? (Proverbs 10:12; 17:9; 19:11; 1 Corinthians 13:7; Colossians 3:13; 1 Peter 4:8) The Bible teaches “it is his glory to overlook a transgression” (Proverbs 19:11). If we had to confront every sin against us we would have little time for anything else.

  • Proverbs 10:12 says,”Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions.”
  • Proverbs 17:9 says,”He who conceals a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.”
  • 1 Corinthians 13:7 says love “bears all things.”
  • Colossians 3:13 teaches “forbearance.”
  • 1 Peter 4:8 tells us that “love covers a multitude of sins.”

If you are sinned against and cannot let it go (forbear, cover, overlook) then you are commanded to rebuke (confront) the sinning brother. If the sin is small enough to remember, it is big enough to confront.

4. What are the three commands of Christ in Luke 17:3? We are commanded to 1) “Be on your guard” (present imperative); 2) “rebuke’ (aorist imperative); and 3) “forgive” (aorist imperative).

5. Why does Jesus say “Be on your guard?” (Luke 17:3) Jesus warns: “Be careful of yourselves.” This warning is necessary because there are many ways to err about forgiveness. The warning is pertinent to many Christians who are caught up in the easy rationalizations by which they try to excuse themselves from the obligation to forgive their brothers.

6. What does it mean to rebuke our brother? The word “rebuke” means to “adjudge, to find fault with, rebuke; hence to charge, or rather, to charge strictly.” An offended brother must approach the offender and seek to bring him to repentance and attempt to bring about reconciliation. It’s much easier to keep still when someone sins against us, and to try to hide the pain. We sometimes even think we’re being “spiritual” by trying to ignore the wrong, but failure to be honest, trying to give the “outward show” of nothing wrong when there is something wrong, isn’t God’s way. The loving thing to do is to rebuke the person who sins against you, for he needs the cleansing that forgiveness can bring as much as you need the barrier of hurt removed. So Jesus said, “Rebuke him.”

7. What does Jesus command His disciples to do when a sinning brother repents? (Luke 17:3) Luke 17:3 says, “forgive (aorist imperative) him.” The aorist tense denotes urgency. We must not withhold forgiveness or delay in granting it. This is often easier said than done. Our old self dwells on slights and hurts and takes a perverse pleasure in self­-pity and in “righteous indignation.”

8. What is forgiveness? (Jeremiah 31:34) Bill Gothard defines forgiveness as “healing others by using their offenses as a means of expressing to them Christ’s love.” When Christ granted forgiveness in the Gospels He realized He was going to have to pay for these sins on the cross. When we forgive others we have to pay for their sins not in a redemptive sense but in a practical sense. When we forgive a gossiper who has marred our reputation, his slanderous words can never be retrieved so we chose to pay for his sinful talk in a practical sense.

Jeremiah 31:34 says, “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” Based on this verse “Forgiveness” could be defined as “a promise not to bring the sin up to the offender, tell others about it, and not dwell on it ourselves.”

There are two Greek words in the New Testament for forgiveness.

  • The word charizomai means, “to bestow a favor unconditionally” and is used of the act of “forgiveness,” whether divine, (Ephesians 4:32; Colossians 2:13; 3:13) or human, (Luke 7:42, 43 [debt]; 2 Corinthians 2:7, 10; 12:13; Ephesians 4:32).
  • The second word used in the original language is aphiemi, which means, “to send forth, send away,” “to send,” and denotes “to remit or forgive” debts (Matthew 6:12; 18:27, 32, these being completely cancelled) and sins (Matthew 9:2, 5-6; 12:31, 32; Acts 8:22; Romans 4:7; James 5:15; 1 John-1:9; 2:12). This word “to send from or away” is wonderfully pictured in the scapegoat of the Old Testament. Once a year the priest would transfer the sin of the people symbolically onto a scapegoat and send him away into the wilderness to never be seen again (Leviticus 16:20-22). In the same way when Christ forgave us or we forgive others – the sins are sent away to be remembered no more.

9. Does the word “if” in Luke 17:3 make granting forgiveness conditional? The word “if” makes granting forgiveness conditional on repentance. Jesus taught that you forgive when a brother repents. In the same way before we came to faith in Christ, Jesus doesn’t forgive us until we repented of our sins and accepted the free gift of eternal life (Luke 24:47).

10. Does withholding forgiveness from an unrepentant brother give us the right to be full of bitterness and malice? (Ephesians 4:31) This verse says, “Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.”

11. Are we to withhold forgiveness from unbelievers who are not repentant? (Luke 23:34; Acts 7:60) Luke 23:34 says, “But Jesus was saying, ‘Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.’ And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.” Acts 7:60 says, “Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them!’ Having said this, he fell asleep.”

12. How often are we responsible to forgive a brother who sins against us? (Luke 17:4; Matthew 18:21, 22) Jesus teaches us to forgive “seven times in a day.” The number “7” was not to set a limit on the number of times to forgive but precisely the opposite. Christ meant that forgiveness should be granted unendingly. Seven here signifies’ ‘times without number.” A believer is to put no limit on the forgiveness he extends to another believer who has injured him and then seeks forgiveness.

On an earlier occasion Peter’s question concerning the number of times we must forgive an offending brother brought Christ’s answer “seventy times seven.” Matthew 18:21-22 says, “Then Peter came and said to Him, ‘Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?’ 22 Jesus said to him, ‘I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.'”

Peter suggested a limit of “seven times,” which was more than twice that allowed by Jewish tradition. Using references in the book of Amos (Amos 1:3, 6,9, 11, 13; and Job 33:29), the rabbis had taken a repeated statement by God against neighboring enemies of Israel and made it into a universal rule for limiting God’s forgiveness and, by extension, also man’s. If God forgives men only three times, they spuriously reasoned, it is unnecessary and even presumptuous for men to forgive each other more times than that.

Rabbi Jose ben Hanina said, “He who begs forgiveness from his neighbor must not do so more than three times.” Rabbi Jose ben Jehuda said, “If a man commits an offense once, they forgive him; if he commits an offense a second time, they forgive him; if he commits an offense a third time, they forgive him; the fourth time they do not forgive him.”

Peter probably thought Jesus would be impressed with the seemingly generous suggestion of “up to seven times.” Compared to Jewish tradition, it was generous and no doubt was based on Peter’s growing understanding of Jesus’ teaching and personal example of compassion and mercy. Realizing that the Lord’s graciousness was in marked contrast to the self-centered legalism of the scribes and Pharisees, Peter doubled their narrow limit for forgiveness and added one more time for good measure.

Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” The Lord was not extending the legal limit of forgiveness. He was not speaking of law or limits at all. By seventy times seven He did not mean 490. He simply picked up on Peter’s number and multiplied it by itself and then by ten, indicating a number that, for all practical purposes, was beyond counting (MacArthur). If you took it to refer literally to 490 times a day, that would mean in a 16-hour day (waking hours) it would require forgiving every 1.9 minutes. The point is innumerable times.

13. Should there be the “fruit of repentance” before we forgive someone? (Luke 17:3-4) It is clear from the text that we must grant forgiveness merely on the basis of one’s statement that he repents. There could be no clear evidence of change within the hypothetical time period that Christ suggests: “seven times in the same day!” Indeed, if a brother does the same thing seven times in the same day, the only evidence that you could have would be entirely negative. Fruit takes time to grow. It also takes care and nourishment. A person unfamiliar with a citrus tree may be unable to identify it but if he waits long enough, he will know when the fruit appears whether it is an orange or … a lemon! By their fruit shall you know them, has nothing to do with the truth that is taught in Luke 17.

Jesus does not condition the granting of forgiveness upon the behavior of the offender after forgiveness, but rather hangs the granting of forgiveness upon the brother’s verbal testimony alone: “and seven times in a day should return to you saying, ‘I repent.”‘ It is the saying, not subsequent doing on his part that should activate the offended one to grant forgiveness. Jesus said he should grant that forgiveness even if it should be requested seven times in one day.

14. Why are sins sometimes so quickly repeated? There are several reasons sins are often so quickly repeated. First, it takes time to change. Second, forgiveness merely clears away the rubble so the relationship can be rebuilt. Jay Adams points out that “If a new relationship based upon biblical change and help is not established, then it is likely that one or more of the parties will revert to his old ways again. If so, again an unreconciled condition will develop. This failure frequently results in a kiss-and-make-up pattern. The same old problem is never really settled but becomes the reason for continued and repeated confrontation, confession, and forgiveness.”

15. How can the forgiven person help the forgiving person forget the sin? If forgetting in time does not follow forgiving it’s important to look for a reason. You may find that the offended party has been brooding over the offense in self-pity. Such brooding is decidedly unscriptural and does not fit into the biblical concept of forgiveness. Forgiveness means no longer continuing to dwell on the sin that was forgiven. Forgiveness is the promise not to raise the issue again to the offender, to others, or to himself. Brooding is a violation of the promise made in granting forgiveness.

The biblical concept of forgiving and forgetting often has been misrepresented. The Bible speaks of “fruit appropriate to repentance.” One forgives, but he does not immediately forget; rather, he remembers and looks for the fruit or the results that eventually accompany true repentance. It takes time for fruit to grow. When fruit is discerned, forgetting then becomes possible.

16. Does Scripture instruct a repentant brother to forgive himself? The Bible never teaches that we need to forgive ourselves. At times people complain over an inability to forgive themselves after having received forgiveness from God or others. The problem of continued guilt is not a question of inability to forgive oneself. To view it as such is to cloud the real issue and to miss the path that leads to a solution. The real difficulty usually stems from the fact that the person feels guilty because he knows that, although the sin has been forgiven, he is still the kind of person who did it. The guilt will not fully disappear until he knows that his old patterns of life have been destroyed and new habit patterns have been established.

17. Why should we be willing to forgive our brother? (Matthew 18:22-33) We should forgive our brother because of the great sin debt that we have been forgiven by Christ.

18. What happens when we refuse to forgive a brother from our hearts? (Matthew 18:34-35; 6:14-15; 2 Corinthians 2:7, 10-11) Three things occur when we are unwilling to grant forgiveness and hold a grudge.

  1. We are turned over to the torturers of bitterness and resentment (Matthew 18:34-35).
  2. God will not grant us parental forgiveness to maintain fellowship with Him if we withhold forgiveness from others (Matthew 6:14-15; Mark 11:25).
  3. If we withhold forgiveness from one who has repented of his sins and requested forgiveness we may cause him to be “overwhelmed by excessive sorrow” and Satan would then be given an advantage in his life (2 Corinthians 7:10-11).

19. What excuse do the disciples give for not being able to forgive? (Luke 17:5-6) Jesus addresses three excuses for not forgiving your brother.

  1. “Why should I forgive I don’t see the fruit of repentance” (Luke 17:3-4)
  2. “We don’t have enough faith” (Luke 17:5-6)
  3. “I don’t feel like I can forgive him” (Luke 17:7-10).

At first the disciples’ request for greater faith sounds quite reasonable and even pious. The Lord took a dim view of their request and treated it as an excuse rather than as a sincere plea. The problem is not lack of faith as they alleged. It does not take much faith to do great things. Even a small amount (as small as a tiny mustard seed) could do wonders. What they needed was not more faith; they simply needed to exercise the faith that they had and stop making excuses.

In the Jewish idiom the phrase “as small as a mustard seed” represented the smallest conceivable amount of something.

20. What is the point of the story Jesus tells in Luke 17:7-10? The point of this parable is twofold:

  1. Granting forgiveness doesn’t require feeling like it. It could not have been easy for the tired, hungry servant to prepare a meal for his master when he, himself, was so hungry. His feelings, as he savored the aroma of the food that he was preparing, told him to forget the hard task of feeding his master and urged him to eat the food himself. But he had been ordered by his master to prepare and serve the meal, so hard as it was, thankless as the task might be (Luke 17:9), and against his feelings, he did what was commanded. It is now clear that forgiveness is a “duty.” It is “commanded.” It is no more hypocritical to obey the Lord in granting forgiveness against one’s feelings than for the slave to prepare and serve the meal against his feelings.
  2. A servant should expect no special reward for doing what was his duty in the first place. The demanding standards Christ set (Luke 17:1-4) may have seemed too high to the disciples, but they represented only the minimal duties for a servant of Christ. Those who obey are not to think their obedience is meritorious or worthy of any special honor. We can never draw back from doing God’s revealed will because we feel we lack the faith or sufficient feelings to obey Christ. As servants of Jesus Christ, we are to obey when He speaks. Obedience is nothing out of the ordinary for a slave.

The fourth command of Christ in this passage is the word “Say” in Luke 17:10. “So you too, when you do all the things which are commanded you, say (present imperative), ‘We are unworthy slaves; we have done only that which we ought to have done.'” Forgiving someone is not something heroic, it is simply fulfilling our Christian duty. In the same way a slave discharges his duties whether he feels like it or not. The word “unworthy” is common in Greek literature, but in the N.T. only here and Matthew 25:30 where it means “useless” or “unprofitable.” The slave who only does what he is commanded by his master to do has gained no merit or credit. “The profit does not begin until the servant goes beyond his obligation” (Meyer).

21. Isn’t it hypocritical to forgive someone when you don’t feel like it? “But suppose I do not feel like forgiving my brother, am I supposed to do so anyhow? Won’t doing so without feeling forgiving make me a hypocrite?” This objection is frequently raised by sincere Christians who become perplexed over hypocrisy by wrongly equating hypocrisy with acting against one’s feelings. This objection also is used hypocritically by others who wish to excuse themselves from the hard (but Christian) duty of granting forgiveness.

Application:

  1. Is there anyone from whom you are withholding forgiveness? If yes, what is your next step?
  2. Have you or are you struggling to forgive someone?

Sources:

  1. Serendipity Bible for Groups by: Serendipity House, Zondervan Publishing House, 1998
  2. The Christian Counselor’s Manual by: Jay E. Adams, pages 63-70, Baker Book House, 1973.
  3. The Christian Counselor’s New Testament by: Jay E. Adams, pages 726-727. Baker Book House, 1977.
  4. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8 by: Frank E. Gaebelein (General Editor), Zondervan Publishing House, 1984.
  5. New Testament Commentary by: William Hendriksen, Baker Book House, 1978.
  6. Word Pictures in the New Testament Vol. 2 by: A. T. Robertson, Broadman Press, 1930
  7. The MacArthur Study Bible by: John F. MacArthur,Jr., Word Publishing, 1997.
  8. Teachers Commentary by: Lawrence O. Richards, Victor Books, 1987
  9. Improving Your Serve by: Charles R. Swindall, Word Books, 1981
  10. The Words and Works of Jesus Christ by: J. Dwight Pentecost, Zondervan Publishing House, 1981
  11. Character Clues: Character Bookshelf Series 1 by: Bill Gothard, IBYC
  12. Vines complete expository dictionary of Old and New Testament Words by: W.E. Vine, Merrill F. Unger and William White, Thomas Nelson, 1985.

© Copyright 1994, Richard D. Leineweber Jr.

Additional Commentary: 1

This section consists of five units tied loosely together by the theme of faith:

  1. A warning against causing someone to stumble (Luke 17:1–3a)
  2. A saying on forgiveness (Luke 17:3b–4)
  3. A saying on faith (Luke 17:5–6)
  4. A saying on duty (Luke 17:7–10)
  5. The cleansing of ten lepers (Luke 17:11–19).

When the concept is broadened in terms of faithfulness it becomes more apparent that the idea of faith runs throughout the section. Only the first six verses are paralleled in the other gospels (Matthew 18:6–7, 15, 21–22; 21:21; Mark 9:42; 11:22–23).

Luke 17:1–3a / Jesus turns his attention away from the Pharisees and speaks to his disciples. The first saying is a warning against causing one of these little ones (disciples) to sin (lit. “to stumble”). The idea is not simply to cause someone to sin, but rather to become less faithful disciples, or to stop following Jesus altogether. Jesus recognizes that such things will happen, but woe to that person through whom they come. In what sense is it terrible for the disciple who causes another to stumble? In Luke 17:2, Jesus states that it would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one to stumble. Elsewhere Jesus states that it would be better to lose an eye or a limb in order to gain heaven than to go to hell (see Mark 9:43, 47). Although this language may be hyperbolic, Jesus warns of the danger of judgment upon anyone who would destroy the faith of the one who believes in him. The final warning of Luke 17:3a, so watch yourselves, probably concludes the stumbling-block saying and is not the introduction for the saying on forgiveness that follows (though it may have been intended as a transition linking the sayings.

Luke 17:3b–4 / This saying, coming as it does immediately after the frightening warning above, may point to the way out of some of the problems associated with causing someone to stumble. The person who is sinned against (offended, or possibly caused to stumble) is to forgive his errant brother. Even if he sins against you seven times in a day, he is to be forgiven. (See Matthew 18:22 where Jesus tells Peter to forgive the sinner seventy times seven. Although this saying is addressed apparently to the stronger disciple who does not falter in his faith on account of some offense, the idea of forgiveness is, nevertheless, relevant to the above warning against causing someone to stumble. But the saying also applies to the weaker disciple as well. God expects everyone to be forgiving toward another who repents.

Luke 17:5–6 / The faith that the disciples (or here, apostles) wish Jesus to increase is the kind of faith that will not waver in the face of opposition but is a faith that will expect great things from God (such examples can be seen in the Book of Acts). It may be that in light of the saying’s context, Luke understands this faith as the kind of faith that will not cause other disciples to falter (Luke 17:1–2), but it is a faith that will readily forgive those who sin and then repent (Luke 17:3b–4). What is curious is that Jesus does not actually grant the request of the apostles. They have asked for an increase in faith, but in response Jesus merely describes what great faith is. Even a little genuine faith can do mighty things (see Matthew 17:20). Jesus does not miraculously strengthen the faith of his disciples on the spot (which is clear by their fear, betrayal, and denial of Jesus when their master is arrested).

Luke 17:17:7–10 / This saying suggests that in serving God, God’s people have only done what is expected; just as a servant does not deserve thanks for doing his duty, so the disciples of Jesus should not expect special reward for being obedient. Jesus does not mean to rule out heavenly reward for faithful service, but he means only to instruct his disciples as to how they should think. The point of the saying is concerned with attitude. An arrogant attitude views God as fortunate for having people like us in his service (perhaps this was a Pharisaic attitude). The proper attitude, however, is thankfulness for having the privilege and opportunity to serve God. What reward we have for serving God is not earned, but is given because God is gracious. No Christian can boast before God (see Romans 3:27). Faithful servants understand this and go about their work for God, motivated by love for God and not by a sense of self-importance or by a sense of greed for reward.

Luke 17:17:11–19 / Another aspect of faith, or faithfulness, is thankfulness. This idea is seen clearly in the episode of the cleansing of the ten lepers. In Luke 17:11, Luke notes that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem, traveling along the border between Samaria and Galilee. This introduction not only reminds the reader of the journey to Jerusalem, originally announced in Luke 9:51, but sets the stage for the appearance of the Samaritan leper. Jesus is met by ten men who had leprosy. According to custom and law they stood at a distance and cried out to Jesus for help. Jesus makes no pronouncement of healing, but commands them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” (Jesus had given the same command to the leper in Luke 5:14.) This command alludes to the wording of Leviticus 13:49 (see also Leviticus 14:2–4), where one whose leprosy or skin disease has cleared up must be inspected by a priest in order to be readmitted into society.

In obedience the ten lepers depart, but while going they discover that they had been cleansed (or had been healed. One of them returns praising God, and thanked Jesus.

Jesus’ first question (Were not all ten cleansed?) implies that there should be ten, not one, praising God and giving thanks.

His second question (Where are the other nine?) sets up the contrast between the one who returned, who was a Samaritan, and the nine (who presumably were Jews) who did not return to give praise and thanks.

Jesus’ third question (Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?) implies that the least religious or, to put it differently, those presumably most deserving of judgment, are often the ones most thankful to God for his mercy (Luke 7:36–50). The Samaritan is a foreigner (lit. “a stranger”), one who is not a pure descendant of “Father Abraham” (as the rich man of Luke 16:19–31 had been). Jesus’ question summarizes one of the major themes of Luke–Acts. It is the Gentile, the Samaritan, the outcasts and sinners, who respond enthusiastically to the offer of the Good News. Unlike the religious and proud, who assume that their piety guarantees their salvation, the outcasts and sinners assume no such thing (see Luke 18:9–14) and eagerly accept God’s gracious invitation (see Luke 14:15–24).

The foreigner is the only one who came back to give thanks to God, because only he recognized his sin and his need to repent. Unlike others whose hearts are hardened (another theme in Luke–Acts; see Acts 28:25–28), the Samaritan is receptive. Jesus then pronounces that it is his faith that has made him well (lit. “has saved you”). Although the “salvation” here may refer to no more than the leper’s physical healing (which would then be true of the other nine lepers who had been healed), it is more likely that Jesus (or, if not Jesus, then very likely Luke) has understood his expression of gratitude as indicative of conversion. The leper has not only been healed from his dreaded leprosy, but he has gained entry into the kingdom of God.

1 Evans, C. A. (1990). Luke (pp. 253–256). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

[Questions and responses by Richard D. Leineweber, Jr. c. 2000]

 

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How to Develop Compassion

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Today we are on the topic of developing a compassionate heart, one that is concerned about others, primarily the salvation of lost people around us. The command is found in Luke 16:9, to Make Friends (aorist imperative). But, in order to understand Luke 16:1-13, we must go back to Luke 15:1-2.

Passage for Today: Luke 16:1-13 – which is all about stewardship. You will notice this is the parable of the unjust steward. The main question has to do with why the rich man would commend his dishonest manager. A second question has to do with why Jesus cites the actions of the dishonest manager with approval, using him as an example for his disciples. Let’s deal with these in the lesson

Group Question: When have you been let go from a job, or passed over for a job you wanted?

Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study is to determine our willingness to invest our resources in light of eternity. God wants us to faithfully invest our time and financial resources to reach lost people. The command of Christ in this passage is that we “make friends for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness.” Obedience to this command requires the faithful stewardship of our money.

Historical Background: To understand the context of chapter 16, we must go back to 15:1-2. Jesus has surrounded himself with tax collectors and sinners. The Pharisees stand on the perimeter, criticizing that Jesus would spend time with lost people. Chapter 15 is a series of three parables directed toward the Pharisees. They teach that lost people matter to God, they deserve an all-out search and when they are found we ought to celebrate.

Luke 16 starts with a parable about “The Unrighteous Steward.” The parable and command is directed toward His disciples but the Pharisees are within hearing range of His teaching. The Pharisees’ reaction to His teaching is found in 16:14 — “Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these things and were scoffing at Him.” Jesus then addresses the Pharisees directly in 16:15 — “And He said to them, ‘You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God.'” Jesus accuses them of valuing (esteeming) the wrong things. Lost people matter to God and we ought to invest both time and money to reach them.

The Pharisees could not understand so Jesus then tells a true story of a real after death experience (unlike today these two men didn’t return to report what happened). The Story of the Rich Man and Lazarus is a true story because parables never use proper names. The Pharisees must have gasped as Jesus told the story of a fellow Pharisee that was unnamed but apparently easily identified by Jesus’ detailed description.

The main point of this story is that rich men who don’t come to God on his terms (Luke 16:29-31) and misuse the stewardship of their resources (a reflection of their unbelief) end up in Hell (Luke 16:19,22b,23-28).

Epistles address this theme as well: 1 Corinthians 4:12; Titus 1:7; 1 Peter 4:10

Discussion Questions:

1. What three parables did Jesus tell the Pharisees in Luke 15? The parable of the “Lost Sheep” (Luke 15:1-7); the “Lost Coin” (Luke 15:8-10); and the “Lost Son” (Luke 15:11-32).

2. Why did He tell them these three parables? (Luke 15:12) Jesus taught these three parables to set the religious leaders straight once and for all. It really aggravated these spiritual leaders of the day that this man who claimed to be the “Son of God” would feel so comfortable socializing with riff-raft. The Pharisees (Luke 15:1-2) couldn’t understand how Jesus could eat with, socialize with, hang out with those whose lives were not submitted to God. What bothered Jesus was that these leaders had a list in their minds of who mattered to God and who didn’t. They had it all figured out that they mattered to God but these irreligious, Gentile, pagan, market place outsiders didn’t matter to God.

This is one of the only times in the teaching ministry of Jesus where He tells three parables back, to back, to back. It was normally Jesus teaching style to confront a problem by the telling of a parable, the explaining of a parable, and then moving along. But this time, it’s as though Jesus is saying “I want to straighten out the confusion in your minds, once and for all. I’m going to tell you not one, not two, but three stories. I’m going to rapid-fire truth into your minds so that you will never again be confused on the issue of who matters to God and who doesn’t.

3. Collectively, what are these three parables teaching? (Luke 15:6,9,24) All three parables teach that lost people matter to God, they deserve an all-out search and when they are found it demands a celebration.

4. In the third parable, whom does the older brother represent? (Luke 15:25-32) The older son represents the Pharisees who were “angry’ (Luke 15:28) because Jesus was spending time with lost people instead of them. They were the religious establishment; if Jesus was going to check in with anybody it should have been them. On an earlier occasion Jesus informed the Pharisees that His mission was targeted to reach the unrighteous and the spiritually sick people of this world. In Luke 5:30 the Pharisees asked Jesus the question: “Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?” Luke 5:31-32 says, “And Jesus answered and said to them, ‘It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.'” Jesus’ suggestion was that he didn’t need to spend time with them because they were the healthy and the righteous was sarcasm. They were self-righteous and spiritually dead but couldn’t recognize it.

5. To whom does Jesus direct this parable? (Luke 16:1) It is clearly stated in Luke 16:1 that Jesus was directing this parable to his disciples. The word “also” seems to mean that at this same time, after speaking to the Pharisees (in Luke 15), Jesus proceeds to speak a parable to the disciples (Luke 16:1-13). it’s obvious from Luke 16:14 that the Pharisees hung around to see what He would say to his disciples.

6. When the Pharisees heard this command on stewardship, what did they do and why? (Luke 16:14) Luke 16:15 says, “Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, were listening to all these and were scoffing at Him.” The verb “scoffing” means “to turn out or up the nose at one, to sneer, to scoff.” The Pharisees being “lovers of money” rather than lovers of God precipitated this emotional response when Jesus commanded His disciples to invest their money to reach lost people.

7. What happened to one of the Pharisees’ friends who used his resources for himself alone? (Luke 16:19-31) This question suggests that the rich man who was “joyously living in splendor every day” (Luke 16:19) was a fellow Pharisee. The text seems to imply this when it describes the rich man in the story as dressing like a Pharisee and acting like one. The Pharisees (like this rich man) measured their spirituality by their wealth instead of their compassion for the poor.

They believed that financial prosperity was a sign of God’s blessing on their lives because they were righteous. In reality they were spiritually bankrupt. On more than one occasion Jesus reminded these Pharisees that they didn’t have the love of God in their hearts (John 5:42) or they would have reacted differently when Jesus helped the poor and the afflicted. The rich man in this text (all too familiar a story with a poor beggar named Lazarus laying outside of their friend’s home, dogs licking his sores, to be just a coincidence) died and immediately went to a place of torment (Luke 16:23) and agony (Luke 16:24,25) called Hades. This rich man should have sought God’s mercy (Luke 16:24) while he was alive. It was too late to seek God’s mercy after he died.

8. What is a manager? (Luke 16:1) A “manager” was an individual who had been entrusted with the stewardship of another person’s property: from oikos, (house), and nemo, (to distribute or dispense). So, one who assigns to the members of the household their several duties, and pays to each his wages. The paymaster. He kept the household stores under lock and seal, giving out what was required, and for this purpose received a signet ring from his master.

Vincent writes, “A manager was a trusted servant, usually someone born in the household, who was chief of the management and distribution of household provisions. He provided food for all the other servants, thus managing his master’s resources for the well-being of others. He acted as an agent for his master, with full authority to transact business in the master’s name.”

9. Are managers or stewards held accountable? (Luke 16:2) The verse says, “And he (rich man — owner) called him and said to him (manager),”What is this I hear about you? Give an accounting of your management, for you can no longer be manager.” The owner wanted a complete audit of the books. “Balance the books and show me how you have been running my business or household.” The “rich man” in this story is a picture of God who will hold every believer accountable at the Bema Seat of Christ as a servant & a steward (Romans 14:12; 1 Corinthians 3:10-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10). The rich man in verse 8 is called the “master” (Greek kyrios).

10. Why was the manager losing his job? (Luke 16:1) He had mismanaged the Masters resources. Luke 16:1 says, “…this manager was reported to him as squandering his possessions.” The word “squandering” means “wasted.” Since this man wasn’t arrested or punished for swindling or theft, it appears that the owner didn’t suspect the manager of dishonesty but thought that he had been irresponsible and extravagant.

11. What did this man do before he was removed from his stewardship? (Luke 16:3-7) The text says the manager asked himself, “What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig; I am ashamed to beg” (Luke 16:3). Then the manager realized it wouldn’t be long before his employment would be terminated and he would be homeless. Then he got an idea how to be welcomed to stay with others. The verb “I know” in Luke 16:4 is better translated “I am resolved.” It is a burst of daylight to the puzzled, darkened man: We got it, I see into it now, a sudden solution. Cleverly, he arranged to give large discounts to his master’s debtors, which they would eagerly agree to pay. By reducing their debts to his master, he gained their indebtedness to him. The amounts owed were large; the wheat is said to be equal to the yield of about one hundred acres (Jeremias, Parables of Jesus, pg. 181). They would therefore be obligated to take him into their homes when he was put out of his master’s home.

12. Was the Master praising the manager for his unrighteousness? (Luke 16:4,8a) The master (rich man or owner) commended the unrighteous manager. He wasn’t applauding the man for unjust handling of the funds once he was notified that he was going to be dismissed but he was impressed with how shrewd he was about planning for his future.

13. Where does the parable end? (Luke 16:8) This parable ends in the middle of the verse. Jesus begins to draw a principle from the parable with these words — “for the sons of this age are more…”

14. How does Christ use this parable to contrast believers with unbelievers? (Luke 16:8b) Jesus said, “for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light.” It is more literally translated, “The sons of this age are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light.” This means that ungodly, unregenerate men show more shrewdness or wisdom in providing for their future in this world than true believers show in laying up treasures in heaven. Unbelievers know how to manage their resources to prepare for the future and retirement. lf Christians were just as conscientious about preparing for heaven we would see many more people coming to Christ as we invest our resources in them.

15. What does Jesus command His disciples to do in Luke 16:9? “And I say to you, make friends (aorist imperative) for yourselves by means of the wealth of unrighteousness, so that when it fails, they will receive you into the eternal dwellings.” The aorist imperative “make friends” denotes urgency. In the phrase, “Wealth of unrighteousness,” Christ commands His disciples to use not only their time but also their money to build redemptive friendships.

We should use money and other material things in such a way as to form friendships that potentially could endure throughout eternity. Money can be used to buy Bibles, Christian books, tracts, message tapes, dinners out, tickets to a concert or sporting event, sacrificial gifts that could help our lost friends with pressing needs all this with the goal of reaching a lost friend for Christ.

The unrighteous manager used his master’s money to buy earthly friends; believers are to use their Master’s money in a way that will accrue friends for eternity. The unrighteous manager anticipated being welcomed into the homes (Luke 16:4) of those for whom he had reduced the debt. In a similar manner, those who make an investment to help their lost friends come to Christ will be welcomed into their “dwellings” in heaven. What a reception in heaven that will be for those who make the maximum investment of their lives and possessions down here on earth.

The word “welcome” and “receive” (same Greek word) in Luke 16:4,9 echoes back to a previous occurrence of the word in Luke 15:2. If we receive (“to receive by deliberate and ready reception” Vines) lost people like Jesus did and invest our resources to see them come to Christ, they will receive us into their eternal dwellings in heaven. Note that eventually our money will “fail” us because it cannot be taken to heaven, but our lost friends who trust Christ can be taken and even precede us if they die first.

16. What is unrighteous mammon? (Luke 16:9) Christ did not commend the man’s dishonesty; He specifically called him “unrighteous” or “unjust” (Luke 16:8). He only used him as an illustration to show that even the most wicked sons of this world are shrewd enough to provide for themselves against coming evil. Believers ought to be more shrewd, because they are concerned with eternal matters, not just earthly ones.

17. If we use our resources to reach our unbelieving friends, what can we anticipate when we get to heaven? (Luke 16:9) The following verses show that the steward was not at all commended for his crookedness, but rather for his foresight. He had acted prudently. He looked to the future, and made provision for it. He sacrificed present gain for future reward. In applying this to our own lives, we must be very clear; the future of the child of God is not on this earth but in heaven. Just as the steward took steps to insure that he would have friends during his retirement here below, so the Christian should use his Master’s goods in such a way as to insure a welcoming party when he gets to heaven.

18. How do you know what a person values? (Matthew 6:21) A person invests his time, treasure, and talent into whatever he values. Jesus said, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

19. According to Jesus, how important is it to be faithful as a steward? (Luke 16:10-13) If we are “faithful in” our stewardship of “a very little thing,” then we will be “faithful” in handling “much” (spiritual treasures). On the other hand, if a man has “not been faithful in the use of unrighteous wealth,” why would God trust him when bigger considerations of eternal value are at stake? The relative unimportance of money is emphasized by the expression “a very little thing.”

20. What are the “true riches” in Luke 16:11? These refer to the souls of men. If God cannot trust us with unrighteous money, which is of a temporal nature, why would he entrust into our care new converts that are of an etemal nature?

21. Can a disciple of Christ love money and God at the same time? (Luke 16:13) No! “You cannot serve God and mammon.” It is utterly impossible to live for things and for God at the same time. If we are mastered by money, we cannot really be serving the Lord. It is a matter of divided loyalty. Motives are mixed. Decisions are not impartial.

Sources:

  1. Serendipity Bible for Groups by: Serendipity House, Zondervan Publishing House, 1998
  2. The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 8 by: Frank E. Gaebelein (General Editor), Zondewan Publishing House, 1984
  3. Commentary on Luke by: Frederic Louis Godet, Kregel Publications, 1981.
  4. Investment Portfolio Exercise Heart for the Harvest Seminar Notebook and Study Guide. By Search Ministries, Inc., 1989
  5. The Gospel of Luke by: Vlfilliam Hedriksen Baker Book House, 1978.
  6. The Chronological Life of Christ Vol.2 by: Mark E. Moore, College Press Publishing Company, 1997
  7. The MacArthur Study Bible by: John F. MacArthur, Jr., Word Publishing, 1997.
  8. Believers Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments by: William MacDonald, Thomas Nelson, 1997
  9. Word Studies in the New Testament Vol.1 by: Marvi R. Vincent, WM. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1975
  10. Word Picture in the New Testament Vol.2 by: A. T. Robertson, Broadman Press, 1930

InvestmentPortfolioExercise

RelationalCircles

Copyright 2001, Richard D. Leineweber, Jr.

Additional Commentary: 1

Back to our original questions, why the rich man would commend his dishonest manager? and why did Jesus cite the actions of the dishonest manager with approval, using him as an example for his disciples.

The first question may be answered only when the actual action of the dishonest manager is fully understood. An old interpretation of this parable held that the rich man was impressed with the shrewdness of the manager because the latter, after being served notice of dismissal, dishonestly reduced the bills owed the rich man so as to ingratiate himself with these various clients and business associations. Although the rich man has been cheated yet again by the scoundrel, he is, nevertheless, impressed with his manager’s cleverness. Related to this interpretation is the suggestion that the manager has eliminated the interest part of the bill in conformity to the Old Testament’s law against usury (Deuteronomy 15:7–8; 23:20–21). So, the idea is that the dishonest manager has finally done a proper, biblical thing. This approach to the parable, however, is not satisfying. Why should the master praise the dishonest manager? Would he have anything good to say about someone who had not only wasted his money (Luke 16:1), but then after being fired (Luke 16:2) further cheated him? This seems highly unlikely.

More plausible is the suggestion of Derrett and Fitzmyer, that what the dishonest manager has done is to cancel out the profit that was due him (sort of a commission). By canceling the commissions, the debts were reduced, an action that would no doubt result in future kindness being shown the dishonest manager. So, the rich man has not at all been cheated by this final action of the fired manager. The master is still owed what is due him, while his former employee, by foregoing a few commissions, now has a brighter future. Having understood the parable this way, it is now much easier to understand why Jesus sees in the action of the dishonest manager a worthy example for his disciples. They, like the dishonest manager, should be able to recognize the advantage in giving up a little now so that some day in the future they may receive much more.

The main point in the lesson above is that Jesus (or Luke) is not urging his disciples to acquire wealth dishonestly but to make good use of the resources (particularly financial resources) of this world. Jesus is not recommending compromise and he is certainly not recommending dishonesty, but he is urging his followers not to overlook opportunities and resources that will sustain his people and advance the Christian mission. By using the resources of this world wisely, Christians can be assured that when it is gone they will be welcomed into eternal dwellings. While Jesus’ followers are on earth they should make use of the world’s available resources in order to maintain themselves and the work of the church. When, however, these resources are exhausted and life’s work is finished, the followers of Christ can look forward to entering a home that is eternal, not temporary, a home whose resources will never give out.

A second lesson is drawn from Luke 16:10-12. The principle of Luke 16:10 is that by the way a person handles himself with very little it is evident how such a person handles himself with much. We come to what for Luke is probably the heart of the matter in Luke 16:11. If the followers of Jesus cannot properly handle worldly wealth, then they cannot expect to be trusted with true riches. For us, if Christians cannot manage their money, property, and other possessions properly (such as supporting the poor and the ministry), they cannot expect to be entrusted with the rewards and wealth that last forever (Matthew 6:25–34). Implicitly, one’s stewardship in this life will form the basis for future reward and responsibility in heaven (Matthew 25:14–30). Luke 16:12 adds a new thought to this second lesson: if Jesus’ disciples have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property (like God’s “property”), who (God) will give them property (rewards) of their own?

Luke 16:13 provides a third lesson drawn from this parable. In Matthew this verse occurs in a much fuller context (Matthew 6:24) concerning the need to be loyal to God over against the things of the world. Here in Luke the saying brings out one more truth with respect to wealth that every follower of Jesus should know, a truth that has been presupposed in Luke 16:9–12. Christians owe their total allegiance to God and not to money. This saying prevents us from misunderstanding Luke 16:8–9. Whereas Christians are to put wealth to good purposes, they are not to become enslaved to it. Herein lies a grave danger for many Christians. What often passes for “good stewardship” or “God’s blessing” is really nothing short of greed and materialism.

1 Evans, C. A. (1990). Luke (p. 240). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

[Questions and responses by Richard D. Leineweber, Jr. c. 2000]

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How to Engage in Prayer

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Today we are looking into Luke 11:1-13 and Matthew 6:1-14. Between chapters 10 and 11, there is a time interval which is covered in John 9:1–10:21. 1

Luke 11 can be summarized by generosity: If Jesus, John the Baptist, and the Twelve all needed to pray, how much more do we need to pray! We must put God’s concerns first (Luke 11:2-4) because prayer is based on sonship, not friendship. God is a loving Father, not a grouchy neighbor; He gives us what we need. He neither slumbers nor sleeps; and He doesn’t become irritated when we ask for help (James 1:5). 2

Outline:

  1. Pattern for Prayer (Luke 11:1-4) a guide, rather than something to recite.
    1. True prayer has responsibilities (Luke 11:2) honoring God’s kingdom and doing God’s will. It is important to read God’s Word and to know God’s Word, we cannot separate prayer from God’s Word (John 15:7).
    2. True prayer asks requests, in proper order (Luke 11:3-4) once we are secure in our relationship with God and his will. He provides our needs, not our greeds.
  2. Persistence in Prayer (Luke 11:5-8)
    1. Prayer is based on sonship, rather than friendship.
    2. Prayer is based on shamelessness, the man was not ashamed to wake up his neighbor.
      1. When people pray, God’s reputation is at stake.
      2. When we are persistent, we do not changed God’s mind, but we get ourselves to the place  where we can trust God for the answer.
  3. Promises for Prayer (Luke 11:9-13)
    1. Verb tenses: keep on asking, knowing, seeking: not just during a midnight emergency.
    2. Various examples:
      1. Jesus called this abiding (John 15:1-11).
      2. Paul called this “prayer without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17).
    3. Vexing illustrations: we never need be afraid of the answers God gives.

Overview:

This prayer passage fits in with Luke’s purpose in presenting Christ as the Son of Man, ever dependent upon God His Father. The disciples sensed that prayer was a real and vital force in the life of Jesus. As they heard Him pray, it made them want to pray too. And so one of His disciples asked that He would teach them to pray. He did not say, “Teach us how to pray,” but “Teach us to pray.” However, the request certainly includes both the fact and the method.

This study is designed to develop the character quality of persistence in prayer. Jesus warned that without prayer believers we will become faint-hearted (Luke 18:1). When you don’t persist in prayer you become ignorant of God’s will and stubborn to do your own will. God wants us to be persistent and passionate in seeking His face. Jesus in this passage gives three commands on how to be persistent in our prayers. We are to habitually and continuously keep on asking, seeking, and knocking.

Historical Background:

Throughout Jesus’ ministry starting with His baptism (Luke 3:21) Jesus practiced the presence of God by communing with the Father through prayer.

  • The disciples found Jesus praying early in the morning (Mark 1:35)
  • They watched him slip away often for prayer (Luke 5:16)
  • He taught them of the importance of prayer especially when He (the Bridegroom) would return to the Father (Matthew 9:14-15; Mark 2:18-20; Luke 5:33-35)
  • He spent a night in prayer in preparation for choosing “The Twelve” (Luke 6:12-13)
  • He taught them at their “Ordination Service” (Sermon on the Mount) to pray for their enemies (Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:28)
  • He taught them to in secret, guarding their motives while practicing this discipline (Matthew 6:5-18)
  • He challenged them with these words in Matthew 7:7, 8 “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 he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

These are the same words that Jesus uses when teaching His disciples in Luke 11 one year later. They are now personally interested in learning how to pray.

Discussion:

1. What motivated the disciples to ask Jesus to teach them how to pray? (Luke 11: 1) The disciples were motivated to pray because Jesus had taught them by example. Prayer is better caught than taught. They were not ready to learn how to pray until now. Their readiness to enter the school of prayer was precipitated by the realization that if God the Son was desperate to receive direction from the Father, how much more did they need to seek His face through prayer. Jesus’ prayer life communicated that He believed there is no direction without connection.

  • Matthew 14:23 – After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.
  • Mark 1:35 – In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.
  • Mark 6:46 – After bidding them farewell, He left for the mountain to pray.
  • Luke 5:16 – But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.
  • Luke 9:18 – And it happened that while He was praying alone. The disciples were with Him, and He questioned them, saying, “Who do the people say that I am?”

2. If prayer was so important, why is it that Jesus was so relaxed about His disciple’s prayer lives? (Luke 5:33-35) When Jesus’ disciples were talking with him they were talking with the second person of the Godhead. Prayer is really nothing more than a conversation with God. So the disciples were in essence praying every day as they walked and talked with Jesus. But there was coming a day when Jesus would return to the Father and it would be essential that his disciples used the discipline of fasting and prayer to maintain contact with God.

3. How have churched unbelievers misused this prayer? (Matthew 6:7, 8) Prayers are not to be merely recited, nor are our words to be repeated thoughtlessly, or as if they were automatic formulas. But this is not a prohibition against persistence in pray. This practice was common in many pagan religions of that day, as it is in many religions today, including some branches of Christianity. The word translated “meaningless repetition” refers to idle, thoughtless chatter, mimicking the sounds of meaningless babble.

John MacArthur writes ”The Jews had picked up the practice from the Gentiles, who believed that the value of prayer was largely a matter of quantity. The longer the better. ‘They suppose they will be heard for their many words’ (Matthew 6:7), Jesus explained. Those who prayed to pagan gods thought their deities first had to be aroused, then cajoled, intimidated, and badgered into listening and answering – just as the prophets of Baal did on Mt. Carmel (1 Kings 18:26-29). In the New Testament we see a similar practice. Aroused against Paul and his companions by Demetrius and other silversmiths of Ephesus, a great crowd began chanting, ‘Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!’ and continued incessantly for two hours (Acts 19:24-34).

Many Buddhists spin wheels containing written prayers, believing that each turn of the wheel sends that prayer to their god. Roman Catholics light prayer candles in the belief that their requests will continue to ascend to God as long as the candle is lit. Rosaries are used to count off repeated prayers of Hail Mary and Our Father, the rosary itself coming to Catholicism from Buddhism by way of the Spanish Muslims during the Middle Ages. Certain charismatic groups in our own day repeat the same words or phrases over and over until the speaking degenerates to unintelligible confusion” (Matthew by: John A. Broadus, Judson, 1886, pg.130).

4. If God knows what we need before we ever pray, why pray? (Matthew 6:8) God does not have to be badgered into submission, our Father knows what we need, before we ask Him. Martin Luther said, “By our praying… we are instructing ourselves more than we are him.” The purpose of prayer is not to inform or persuade God, but to come before God sincerely, purposely, consciously, and devotedly (Christian Counter-Culture: The Message of the Sermon on the Mount by: John Stott, lnterVarsity, 1978, pg.145).

Prayer is sharing the needs, burdens, and hunger of our hearts before our heavenly Father, who already knows what we need but also wants us to ask him. He wants to hear us, he wants to commune with us, more than we could ever want to commune with him because his love for us is so much greater than our love for him. Prayer is our giving God the opportunity to manifest His power, majesty, love, and providence (John 14:13).

5. Did Jesus intend for this prayer to be prayed repetitiously by rote memory? (Matthew 6:9) Jesus taught them to pray “in this way” or “in this manner” or “along these lines.” The prayer is a model, not a liturgy. It is notable for its brevity, simplicity, and comprehensiveness. Of the six petitions, three are directed to God (Matthew 6:9-10) and three toward human needs (Matthew 6:11-13).

6. How are we to address God? (Luke 11:2; Matthew 6:9) God is addressed as Father only for those who have been spiritually born into God’s family through faith in Christ’s substitutionary death and resurrection (John 1:12-13; John 3:3, 5-7).

  • Malachi wrote, “Do we not all have one father? Has not one God created us?” (Malachi 2:10).
  • Paul said to the Greek philosophers on Mars Hill “As even some of your own poets have said, ‘For we also are His offspring”‘ (Acts 17:28).

But Scripture makes it unmistakably clear that God’s fatherhood of unbelievers is only in the sense of being their Creator. Spiritually, unbelievers have another father. In his severest condemnation of the Jewish leaders who opposed and rejected Him, Jesus said, ”You are of your father the devil” (John 8:44). It is only to those who receive Him that Jesus gives “the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name” (John 1:12; cf. Romans 8:14; Galatians 3:26; Hebrews 2:11-14; 2 Peter 1:4). Because believers belong to God the Son, they can come to God the Father as his beloved children. “Our Father,” indicates God’s eagerness to lend his ear, his power, and his eternal blessing to the petitions of his children if it serves them best and further reveals his purpose and glory.

7. What does “hallowed be Thy Name” tell us about God’s person? (Luke 11:2; Matthew 6:9) Hallowed is an archaic English word used to translate a form of the Greek word that means to make holy. Words from the same root are translated “holy, saint, sanctify, sanctification,” etc. God’s people are commanded to be holy (1 Peter 1:16), but God is acknowledged as “being” holy. That is the meaning of praying hallowed “be” Thy name: to attribute to God the holiness that already is his, (it always has been, supremely and uniquely His). To hallow God’s name is to revere, honor, glorify, and obey him as singularly perfect. As John Calvin observed, that God’s name should be hallowed was nothing other than to say that God should have his own honor, of which he was so worthy, that men should never think or speak of Him without the greatest veneration (A Harmony of the Gospels Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Baker, 1979, pg. 318).

8. What is involved in praying for God’s program? (Luke 11:2; Matthew 6:10) All prayer, first of all, willingly submits to God’s purposes, plans, and glory. Our greatest desire should be to see the Lord reigning as King in his kingdom, to have the honor and authority that have always been his but that he has not yet come to claim.

The word kingdom does not refer primarily to a geographical territory but to sovereignty and dominion. Therefore when we pray “Thy kingdom come,” we are praying for God’s rule through Christ’s enthronement to come, his glorious reign on earth to begin. The verb “come” is an aorist active imperative, which denotes a sudden, instantaneous coming (Matthew 24:27). It is the coming kingdom of God, not an effort to create a more godly society on earth through the progressive, human-oriented work of Christians.

To pray ”Thy kingdom come” is to pray for God’s kingdom, the kingdom over which he, and he alone, is Lord and King. It will be a kingdom on earth (Matthew 6:10a), but it will not be a kingdom of this world, like the present world system. Jesus told Pilate that his kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). We do not advance God’s kingdom to improve human society, no matter how worth y the cause. Supporting those causes neither build the earthly kingdom of Jesus Christ nor bring it closer.

Practically as we pray for God’s kingdom to come we need to ask ourselves if we have surrendered to the reign of Christ in our lives. Our ministries’ focus ought to bring everything within our sphere of influence under Christ’s reign.

9. How often should we pray for God’s provision? (Luke 11:3; Matthew 6:11) God wants us to have a daily dependence upon Him (see Rev.3:17). The word translated “daily” was difficult to translate for centuries, since this is the only place the word occurs inside or outside the Bible. Then a few years ago, an archeologist dug up a papyrus fragment that contained a housewife’s shopping list. Next to several items the woman had scribbled this word for daily: It probably meant, “Enough for the coming day” The phrase should be translated, “give us today bread enough for tomorrow” When prayed in the morning, it is a prayer for the needs in the hours ahead. Prayed in the evening, it is a request for the needs of the next day. The implication is that God will supply what we need to honor Him and do His will.

In our culture, with freezers and refrigerators, we seldom purchase food for a single day. We store up food in such abundance that we mutter only thoughtless words of thanks as we eat. We hardly acknowledge that the meal we eat and clothes we wear have come from the Father’s hand. We must re-establish a daily dependence upon the Lord.

10. What happens when we pray for God’s pardon but have been unwilling to forgive others? (Luke 11:4: Matthew 6:12, 14-15) God doesn’t forgive us. In Luke’s account, Jesus says to tell God you’re forgiving everybody, so please do the same for us, but in Matthew 6:12, Jesus made it more conditional, “And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.” Jesus instructed them to ask the Father to forgive them only to the degree that they forgive other people. Jesus provides a brief commentary on this aspect of the prayer in Matthew 6:14-15 “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you… but if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.

The kind of forgiveness that the disciples are seeking in the Lord’s Prayer is “parental forgiveness.” They are already members in the family of God; this is why they are instructed to address God as their “Father.” These verses are not suggesting that God will withdraw justification (Judicial Forgiveness) from those who have already received the free pardon he extends to all believers. Judicial forgiveness is a permanent and complete acquittal from the guilt and ultimate penalty of sin, and belongs to all who are in Christ (John 5:24; Romans 8:1; Ephesians 1:7). Yet, Scripture also teaches that God chastens His children who disobey (Heb. 12:5-7). Believers are to confess their sins in order to obtain a day-to-day cleansing (1 John 1:9). This sort of forgiveness (parental forgiveness) is a simple washing from the worldly defilements of sin; not a repeat of the wholesale cleansing from sin’s corruption that comes with justification. It is like a washing of the feet rather than a bath (see John 13:10). Forgiveness in this sense is what God threatens to withhold from Christians who refuse to forgive others (Matthew 18:23-35).

11. Why do we need to pray for God’s protection? (Luke 11:4; Matthew 6:13) God does not tempt men toward sin (James 1:13), but he will subject them to trials that may expose them to spiritual assaults from the enemy, as in the case of Job and Peter (Luke 22:31, 32). This petition reflects the believing one’s desire to avoid the dangers of sin altogether. God knows what we need before we ask (Matthew 6:8), and he promises that no one will be subjected to testing beyond what can be endured. He also promises a way of escape, often through endurance (1 Corinthians 10:13).

12. What two aspects of prayer are being stressed in the story found in Luke 11:5-8? Jesus tells the story of a one-room house with a common sleeping area shared by the whole family, which was common in Palestine at that time. If one person arose and lit a lamp to get bread, all would be awakened. The man in the story finally responds to the request because of his neighbor’s persistence. The word “persistence” can be translated ”without shame, without embarrassment, without modesty.” Vines suggest “shamelessness.”

Jesus’ point is if shameless persistence can obtain bread from a neighbor who doesn’t want to be bothered, then certainly earnest prayer will receive our Father’s answer.

The second aspect of prayer that is being stressed here is interceding on behalf of others. The reason this man was so immodest about his asking was he wasn’t asking for himself. This is the pattern of the Lord’s Prayer. Jesus didn’t say to pray “My Father, give me this day my daily bread, do not lead me into temptation, but deliver me from the Evil One.” Jesus taught them to pray “our” and “us.” The strength of our prayer life is not determined by how much time you spend on your knees pleading for your own needs, but for the needs of others.

13. What are we commanded to do in Luke 11:9? Jesus commanded His disciples to keep on “asking, and it will be given to you; seeking, and you will find; knocking, and it will be opened to you” (all present imperatives).

14. What bizarre examples does Jesus give to point out that God will respond to our petitions only in kindness? (Luke 11:11-12; Matthew 7:9-11) Asking for a fish (get a snake), ask for an egg (get a scorpion).

15. Why does God only respond to us in kindness? (Luke 11:13) God’s gifts reflect His character or his nature. God is good all the time, in contrast with man who is “evil” (James 1:17).

16. What have we already been given at salvation that the disciples had to ask for? (Luke 11:13) We were given the Holy Spirit at Salvation. Romans 8:9 says, “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” Jesus taught that the Holy Spirit was ”with” them but when He came at Pentecost the Spirit would be “in” them (John 14:16). Since Pentecost the Holy Spirit takes up residence in the life of every believer at the moment of salvation (Romans 5:5; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20) and baptizes them into the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:12-13). At Pentecost, the apostles prayed (Acts 1:12-14) and the Holy Spirit came in great power.

Commentary: 1

Luke 11:2 – The model prayer which the Lord Jesus gave to them at this time is somewhat different from the so-called Lord’s Prayer in Matthew’s gospel. These differences all have a purpose and meaning. None of them is without significance.

First of all, the Lord taught the disciples to address God as Our Father. This intimate family relationship was unknown to believers in the OT. It simply means that believers are now to speak to God as to a loving heavenly Father. Next, we are taught to pray that God’s name should be hallowed. This expresses the longing of the believer’s heart that He should be reverenced, magnified, and adored. In the petition, “Your kingdom come,” we have a prayer that the day will soon arrive when God will put down the forces of evil and, in the Person of Christ, reign supreme over the earth, where His will shall be done as it is in heaven.

Luke 11:3 – Having thus sought first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, the petitioner is taught to make known his personal needs and desires. The ever-recurring need for food, both physical and spiritual, is introduced. We are to live in daily dependence upon Him, acknowledging Him as the source of every good.

Luke 11:4 Next there is the prayer for the forgiveness of sins, based on the fact that we have shown a forgiving spirit to others. Obviously this does not refer to forgiveness from the penalty of sin. That forgiveness is based upon the finished work of Christ on Calvary, and is received through faith alone. But here we are dealing with parental or governmental forgiveness. After we are saved, God deals with us as with children. If he finds a hard and unforgiving spirit in our hearts, he will chastise us until we are broken and brought back into fellowship with himself. This forgiveness has to do with fellowship with God, rather than with relationship.

The plea “And do not lead us into temptation” presents difficulties to some. We know that God never tempts anyone to sin. But He does allow us to experience trials and testings in life, and these are designed for our good. Here the thought seems to be that we should constantly be aware of our own proneness to wander and fall into sin. We should ask the Lord to keep us from falling into sin, even if we ourselves might want to do it. We should pray that the opportunity to sin and the desire to do so should never coincide. The prayer expresses a healthy distrust of our own ability to resist temptation. The prayer ends with a plea for deliverance from the evil one.

Luke 11:5–8 – Continuing with the subject of prayer, the Lord gave an illustration designed to show God’s willingness to hear and answer the petitions of his children. In applying this illustration we must be careful to avoid certain conclusions. It doesn’t mean that God is annoyed by our persistent requests. And it doesn’t suggest that the only way to get our prayers answered is to be persistent.

It does teach that if a man is willing to help a friend because of his persistence, God is much more willing to hear the cries of His children.

Luke 11:9 teaches that we should not grow weary or discouraged in our prayer life. “Keep on asking … keep on seeking … keep on knocking …” Sometimes God answers our prayers the first time we ask. But in other cases he answers only after prolonged asking.

Luke 11:10 teaches that everyone who asks receives, everyone who seeks finds, and everyone who knocks has it opened to him. This is a promise that when we pray, God always gives us what we ask or he gives us something better.

Luke 11:11-12 teaches that God will never deceive us.

Luke 11:13 – A human father would not give bad gifts; even though he has a sinful nature, he knows how to give good gifts to his children. How much more is our heavenly Father willing to give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him. J. G. Bellet says, “It is significant that the gift he selects as the one we most need, and the one He most desires to give, is the Holy Spirit.” When Jesus spoke these words, the Holy Spirit had not yet been given (John 7:39). We should not pray today for the Holy Spirit to be given to us because he comes to indwell us at the time of our conversion (Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13-14).

But it is certainly proper and necessary for us to pray for the Holy Spirit in other ways. We should pray that we will be teachable by the Holy Spirit, that we will be guided by the Spirit, and that his power will be poured out on us in all our service for Christ.

It is quite possible that when Jesus taught the disciples to ask for the Holy Spirit, He was referring to the power of the Spirit enabling them to live the other-worldly type of discipleship which He had been teaching in the preceding chapters. By this time, they were probably feeling how utterly impossible it was for them to meet the tests of discipleship in their own strength. This is, of course, true. The Holy Spirit is the power that enables one to live the Christian life. So Jesus pictured God as anxious to give this power to those who ask.

In the original Greek, Luke 11:13 does not say that God will give the Holy Spirit, but rather He will “give Holy Spirit” (without the article). Professor H. B. Swete pointed out that when the article is present, it refers to the Person himself, but when the article is absent, it refers to his gifts or operations on our behalf. So in this passage, it is not so much a prayer for the Person of the Holy Spirit, but rather for his ministries in our lives. This is further borne out by the parallel passage in Matthew 7:11 which reads, “… how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

1 MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1411). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
2 Wiersbe, W. W. (1991). With the Word Bible Commentary (Luke 11:1). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[Questions and responses by Richard D. Leineweber, Jr. c. 2000]

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How to Handle Confrontation

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Matthew turns to the question of appropriate action to be taken in case a Christian is guilty of sinning against another member of the community. Jesus taught that in such instances the aggrieved party should first take it up personally and in private with the one who acted wrongly. If that does not clear up the problem, the next step is to take one or two others along, not to prove the other’s guilt but to help in reconciliation. If the person pays no attention to them, the matter should then be reported to the entire church. If this fails to bring about a satisfactory resolution, the person who has wronged should be excommunicated from the religious community.

In this section, Jesus provides an application to the parable of Matthew 18:10–14. He explains how to handle a sinning brother or sister in the community. 1

This lesson is all about confrontation, or better called “church discipline.” The primary passage is Matthew 18:15–20. Jesus wanted to us to possess clear steps for conflict resolution in the church. Jesus knew that it was inevitable that believers would sin against one another, Luke 17:1–3. In this passage Jesus prescribes a three-step process to deal with a sinning brother who won’t repent. There are five commands of Christ in this passage on confrontation. The key character quality needed to confront a brother in a sin is gentleness, Galatians 6:1. Restoration is the goal of this church discipline process and it takes the gentleness of the surgeon attempting to set a broken bone.

Jesus and his disciples returned from Capernaum from the Mount of Transfiguration. On the way, the disciples debate about which one of them is the greatest. The debate on who was the greatest is the first of three such arguments, Matthew 20:20–28, Luke 22:24–30. What makes matters worse is that each time it follows on the heels of a significant prediction of Jesus suffering. So while Jesus is talking about laying down his life, these guys are promoting themselves. In this passage Jesus talks about the Christ likeness of the believer. The first point in this passage is that everyone who enters the kingdom does so as a child, Matthew 18:1–4. Jesus then teaches that all of us in the kingdom must be treated as children, Matthew 18:5-9, cared for as children, Matthew 18:10–14, disciplined as children, Matthew 18:15–20, and forgiving as children, Matthew 18:21–35. The focus of this small group lesson is that we need to be disciplined as children. The church that is unwilling to discipline church members promote hypocrisy instead of holiness.

The commands we find in this passage: Matthew 18:15, (go, reprove,) Matthew 18:16, (take), Matthew 18:17, (tell, let), Luke 17:3, (be on your guard, rebuke). It is also illustrated in the book of Acts, (Acts 5:1-11) and the letters, (1 Corinthians 5:1–13, 2 Corinthians 2:6, 12:14, 13:2, 10, Galatians 6:1–2, 2 Thessalonians 3:6–15, 1 Timothy 5:19).

What is our natural response when someone sins against us? Gossip, slander, revenge, dislike, hatred, malice, clam up, bitterness, resentment, holding a grudge. We do every thing except go to them to resolve the offense.

Does every offense need to be confronted?

  • Proverbs 10:12 – hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions.
  • Proverbs 17:9 – he who conceals a transgression seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates intimate friends.
  • Proverbs 19:11 – A man’s discretion makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook a transgression.
  • 1 Corinthians 13:7 – Paul says that love bears all things.
  • Colossians 3:13 – this verse teaches forbearance.
  • 1 Peter 4:8 – Love covers a multitude of sins.

1. Who in the church should be confronted? Matthew 18:15. “if your brother sins, go…” We are to confront fellow Christians in the family of God who have sinned against us and have not sought out our forgiveness or God’s forgiveness. This confrontation is over the offending brother because he has fallen short concerning God standards. These moral standards are clearly defined in God’s Word. No confrontation should occur if others are going to question whether the action of the offending brother is sin.

2. What is the first step in the discipline process that you should take? Matthew 18:15. “go and reprove him,” so, confrontation is the responsibility of every believer and not just church officials. The word “go” is a command in the present tense. We cannot wait for this person to come to us, we must go to them. This first step in the discipline process involves making an effort, on several occasions, to restore the sinning brother. The word reprove has the root meaning of bringing to light or exposing. Vincent says it means to cross examined with a view of convincing or refuting. The aim is not to score points over him but to win him over. Behind this verse stands Leviticus 19:17, “do not hate your brother in your heart. Rebuke your neighbor frankly so you will not share in his guilt.” The aorist tense of this imperative denotes the “urgency of exposing his fault so as to bring conviction.” Rebuke of a sinning brother should be undertaken as soon as the offenses known, in order to turn the sinning believer from his sin as soon as possible and also to help head off resentment and bitterness the one offended.

3. What kind of offenses necessitate a confrontation? Matthew 18:15. “and if your brother sins against you…” A confrontation is necessary when we cannot “forbear” the sin against us, Ephesians 4:2, Colossians 3:13, and we know we will lose sleep over it, Ephesians 4:26–27. If the sin is big enough to remember and repeat to others, it is big enough to confront. The phrase “sins against” you helps narrow the responsibility of obedience to this command. It is not God’s intention that we act as Matthew 18 detectives, busily looking for an opportunity to identify an expose the faults of others. God calls these types of people “busybodies,” 1 Thessalonians 4:11, 2 Thessalonians 3:11, 1 Timothy 5:13.

The scope of our responsibility is toward those who offend us personally and those caught in a trespass that God providentially brings across our path. No one is disciplined because they sin, they are disciplined because they refused to listen, repent, and take steps to stop the sinful behavior. Discipline is reserved for those people who have a life-dominating sin that causes others to label them as an immoral person, a thief, a drunkard, or a swindler, 1 Corinthians 5:11.

Some people may say that if we confront people in their sin, people may leave the church. The reality of the nature of sin is that it causes people to withdraw from the fellowship and ostracized themselves. So, they are going to ultimately leave either way. It is far better to obey God and confront them while the Christian community is still dear to them and the mere suggestion of their exclusion makes them think twice about their actions. If sin isn’t dealt with it will eventually isolate the person from the community of believers and he will leave without receiving help. Jesus still put this by warning us about the leaven of the Pharisees. A little leaven will affect the whole lump.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer said this: “Sin demands to have a man by himself. It withdraws him from the community. The more isolated a person is, the more destructive will be the power of sin over him, and the more deeply he becomes involved in it, the more disastrous is his isolation. Sin wants to remain unknown. It shuns the light. In the darkness of the unexpressed it poisons the whole being of the person. This can happen even in the midst of a pious community. In confession, the light of the gospel breaks into the darkness in seclusion of the heart. The sin must be brought into the light. The unexpressed must be openly spoken and acknowledged. All that is secret and hidden is made manifest. It is a hard struggle until the sin is openly admitted, but God breaks gates of brass and bars of iron” (Psalm 107:16).

“Since the confession of sin is made in the presence of a Christian brother, the last stronghold of self-justification is abandoned. The sinner surrenders, he gives up all his evil. He gives his heart to God, and he finds the forgiveness of all his sin in the fellowship of Jesus Christ and his brother. The expressed, acknowledged sin has lost all its power. It has been revealed and judged as sin. It can no longer tear the fellowship asunder. Now the fellowship bears the sin of the brother. He is no longer alone with his evil for he has cast off his sin from him. Now he stands in the fellowship of sinners who live by the grace of God in the cross of Jesus Christ. The sin concealed separated him from the fellowship, made all his apparent fellowship a sham. The sin confessed has helped him define true fellowship with the brethren in Jesus Christ.” (From Life Together, 1954, pp. 112-113).

4. What is the purpose of confrontation or church discipline? Matthew 18:15. “To win your brother.” The word when was originally a term of commerce referring to financial gain or profit. The sense is that no brother is worthless. Every string brother is up infinite value and can once again become an ass set if restored, Matthew 18:10–14. The goal of discipline is not to throw people out of the church or to feed the self-righteous pride of those who administered the discipline. It is to bring the sending brother back. The goal is restoration.

5. What must you do before you confront anyone else about his or her sin? Matthew 7:5. “First take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brothers eye.” Before we confront others, it involves self-examination. Church discipline was intended to have a self purifying effect.

6. In what attitude should a person be confronted, according to Galatians 6:1? You should “go in a spirit of gentleness” realizing it could’ve been you who was tempted. You don’t go in a pious, self righteous manner giving the impression that you are beyond succumbing to such a temptation. Galatians 6:1 says, “brethren, if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted.”

7. Is God more concerned about unity or purity in the church? 2 Corinthians 2:6. The church at Corinth disciplined the incestuous man of 1 Corinthians 5. Paul’s second letter reported that the disciplinary actions were inflicted, but only by a majority of the members of the church. This discipline was adequate to bring the incestuous man to repentance. The text says, “sufficient for such a one is the punishment which was inflicted by the majority.” God is more concerned about purity than unity. An unrepentant brother in the church may have some sympathetic friends who disagree with any disciplinary action by the church. This shouldn’t be reason to withdraw the discipline. We should always strive for unity and purity but if the church is unable to achieve unanimous support to discipline and unrepentant brother, all you need to proceed is a majority of the church to support the action. Practically, it’s wise to postpone the discipline if you cannot obtain a majority. The church may need some instruction concerning a biblical definition of sin and the importance of church discipline before proceeding.

8. What is the second step that you take if the sitting brother does not repent? Matthew 18:16, Deuteronomy 19:15. Jesus said, “take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed.” Moses wrote, “a single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed, on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.”

The basic procedure for confirming the facts in a dispute or in an allegation of wrongdoing has been set forth by Moses and therefore familiar to every Jew. To guard against a person becoming slanderous or spitefully accused of a sin, crime, or other offense he did not commit, the Mosaic law required that at least two or three witnesses be present to bring any charge against a person. That was an important protection against the false accusation of an innocent person. It is important that people who are selected as witnesses possess a genuine concern for the one being confronted. Don’t use people that dislike the accused lest he feel that people are ganging up on him.

9. What must be confirmed by one or two more witnesses? Matthew 18:16, Deuteronomy 19:15. These additional witnesses are needed to confirm the fact that the sin was committed but, in addition, to confirm that the sinning believer was properly confronted and rebuked, and that he has or has not repented. It should be hoped that the one or two brought along will not have to become public witnesses against him (before the rest of the church) but that their added rebuke will be sufficient to encourage the sinning person to change his heart, something that the initial rebuke did not cause.

10. How does the role of the witness change if the offender is unwilling to clear up the offense? Matthew 18:17a. “And if he refuses to listen to them.” Initially these witnesses are neutral observers of the confrontation. When it is obvious that the brother is unrepentant and refuses to listen, the witnesses cease being neutral observers and begin expressing their mutual concern that the offending brother repents.

11. What recourse does a person have if the sinning brother does not heed his words and those of the witnesses? Matthew 18:17. The only biblical recourse is step three of the discipline process, “tell it to the church.” Each church should have a specified procedure establishing how these issues are brought before the elders in a church court. These matters are never to be brought before a civil court, 1 Corinthian 6:1-8. If the elders have heard the case and decide that the sinning brother is guilty, then they will encourage the church to try to win their brother back. If they are unsuccessful after a designated period of time, the individual is disfellowshipped. If you’re going to act like an unbeliever, we must treat you like an unbeliever.

Take a moment to ponder the true nature of the church. The word church is the Greek word “ekklesia” which was used among the Greeks as body of citizens gathering to discuss the affairs of the state, Acts 19:39. In the gospels, the word occurs only here and in Matthew 16:18. In the Septuagint it is used to designate the gathering of Israel, summoned for any definite purpose. In Acts 7:38 it is used of Israel. In Acts 19:32, 41 it was used for a riotous mob. Vine’s goes on to say that ekklesia is most commonly used in the New Testament church both Universal and local. When used of the New Testament church in reference to a called out body of believers. Jesus promised that he would build his church, Matthew 16:18. The church was started at Pentecost with the coming of the Holy Spirit and will be removed from the planet during the rapture. Universal Church is that invisible body of truly redeem believers throughout the church age, Ephesians 1:22 5:23–24, 25, 27, 29, 32, Colossians 1:18.

The local church refers to local expressions of the body of Christ and communities all over the world. For example to church which was at Jerusalem, Acts 1:8, 8:1, 3, 11:22, Romans 16:5, 1 Corinthians 1:2, 16:1, 19, 2 Corinthians 8:1, 18, 19, 23, 24, 11:8, 28, Galatians 1:2, 22, Colossians 4:15–16, 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 4, 1 Timothy 3:5, 16, 5:16, Philemon 1:2, James 5:14, 3 John 1:6, 9, 10, Revelation 1:4, 11, 20, 2:1, 7, 8, 11, 12, 17, 18, 23, 29, 3:1, 6, 7, 13, 14, 22, 22:16. Local assemblies had ruling elders, Acts 14:23, 20:17, James 5:14, and gathered on the first day of the week, Sunday, for worship.

The biblical nature of the church is important because without a clear understanding of what constitutes a real New Testament church, the concept of putting people out of the church through church discipline makes no sense. Many churches today want to be a church for the unchurched. This is an oxymoron, a figure of speech that combines contradictory terms. It’s like we want a church, (called out ones,) for those who are not called out. One author calls this a church for the tares, Matthew 13:24-30. It is great that churches want to reach lost people but in the process we have compromised the church. There’s a huge difference between being seeker sensitive, 1 Corinthians 14:23–25, and being a church for the unchurched. In the modern church’s attempt to reach the world we have actually become the world. This is why most churches are not respected and her congregants are called hypocrites.

When the early church practiced church discipline like Luke’s describes (Acts 5:1-10) the reaction from unbelievers s interesting, “and a great fear came over the whole church and over all who heard these things. At the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were taking place among the people, and they were all with one accord in Solomon’s portico. But none of the rest dare to associate with them, however, the people held them in high esteem. And all the more believed in the Lord, multitudes of men and women were constantly added to their number” Acts 5:11-14.

12. What is the purpose in telling to church about the offense? Matthew 18:17. So that they can attempt to win him back. Noticed at the circle of confidentiality is very small with step one. It is in private. But with each additional step at there is greater exposure. What we are unwilling to deal with in private, God has to ultimately exposed in public.

13. What standard of discipline do pastors and other church leaders have applied to them? 1 Timothy 5:19. Pastors and church leaders have the same rights as any other believer, “do not receive an accusation against an elder except on the basis of two or three witnesses.” If a church leader sins, he deserves the same opportunity as any other member in the church to deal with his sin in private.

14. How should the church treat an unrepentant member who won’t even listen to the church? Matthew 18:17. “Let him be to you as a Gentile and text collector.” He is to be treated like he is acting, like an unbeliever who hears the word of God, but does not listen to it when he is confronted about his sin. The only recourse is to disfellowship him rather than pretend nothing is wrong when you break bread together, 1 Corinthians 5:11. The final step of discipline is not optional. “Let him be” is a present imperative and is therefore a command.

15. After a person has been disfellowshipped or excommunicated, what is our responsibility toward him? 2 Thessalonians 3:14–15, 1 Corinthians 5:11. These verses tell us to not associate with such a person. We do not regard him as an enemy, but we admonish him as a brother. The verses teach us that we should not have social contact with the unrepentant brother which includes eating with him. This would include breaking bread from house to house. When there’s an opportunity to admonish him and try to call him back, the opportunity should be taken.

A man was apparently put out of the church at Corinth after he caused a great sorrow to Paul and the others because of his sin. “But sufficient for such a one is the punishment which was inflicted by the majority.” Paul said, “so that on the contrary you should rather forgive and comfort him, less somehow such a one to be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. Therefore I urge you to reaffirm your love for him” 2 Corinthians 2:5–8. When a believer repents, he is to be welcomed back into the fellowship and not held at arms length as a second class member. He is to be forgiven and embraced.

16. What authority do we have to carry out church discipline? Matthew 18:18–20. Our authority to do church discipline has been given to us by the Father who is in heaven, and Christ who is in our midst.

17. Explain what it means to be bound with sins or loosed from them? Matthew 18:18. Christ was not teaching that the church, or any of its leaders, possesses the authority to absolve the sins of its members. We don’t have the authority to judiciously forgive a person for his sins. Christ is empowering to church to hold its members accountable by God’s standard in heaven. The grammatical construction of this verse teaches that a church’s discipline received heaven’s approval and authority when it comes to what has already been bound, forbidden, loosed, or permitted in heaven. It is not suggesting the idea that God is compelled to conform to the church’s decisions.

The Williams translation is helpful, “I solemnly say to you, whatever you forbid on earth must be already forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth must already be permitted in heaven.” Church leaders must decide at this last step in the discipline process whether heaven should have them bind a person in their sin and put them out of the church, or loose them from any further obligation and welcomed back with open arms into the church. Their decision is not binding on heaven but is dictated by heaven. The elders are simply praying, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

18. What are the issues that are being agreed-upon in Matthew 18:19 on the basis of the context? In Matthew 18:19, Jesus assures his people that the Father acts with them when they work to purify the church. “Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth, (referring back to the two witnesses of Matthew 18:16), about anything that they may ask, (in seeking the purity of the church), it shall be done for them by my father who is in heaven. When the church acts on God’s behalf and in accordance with his word in matters dealing with sin, he acts on their behalf by confirming and empowering their faithful decisions and actions. When the tough call has to be made, Jesus is right there.

The word “agree” literally means “to sound together” and is the term from which we get symphony. If even two of Jesus followers are in agreement with each other that a sinning believer has either repented or refuses to repent, they can be sure that they are also in agreement with the Father who is in heaven. It is hermeneutically incorrect to interpret this verse as promising believers a blank check for anything they might agree to ask of God. Such an interpretation does not fit the context of church discipline and does violence to the rest of Scripture. Such an interpretation is tantamount to magic, in which God is automatically bound to grant the most foolish or sinful request, simply because two of his children conspire to ask him for it. The idea flies in the face of God’s sovereignty and completely undercuts the countless scriptural commands for believers to be submissive to God’s will, 1 John 5:14 (this is the confidence which we have before him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us).

19. How does the promise of Matthew 18:20 fits into this context? Although Matthew 18:19-20 appears to be speaking of corporate prayer, the context suggests that the agreement reached relates to the matter of church discipline mentioned in Matthew 18:17. The Greek text of Matthew 18:19 opens with the connective word, “again.” When “two or three come to agree on earth” (literally, “to produce a sound together, “symphony”) has to do with the decision concerning an unrepentant member of the believing community. God will answer the united concern of praying people. In fact, wherever two or three come together earnestly desiring to know the will of God in this difficult matter, God himself will be “right there with them.” 2

So, this is not a proof text for small prayer meetings, but rather it is a wonderful promise that reassures the two or three witnesses involved in the process of church discipline that Christ is in their midst when they make these difficult decisions. “For where two or three have gathered together in my name, I am there I am in their midst.” The context demands that Jesus is speaking about the two or three witnesses in the process of church discipline. To ask or do anything in God’s name is not to verbalize his name but to ask and to work according to his divine will and character. For the witnesses to have gathered in his name is therefore, for them to have faithfully performed their work of verifying the repentance or non-repentance of a sinning brother or sister on the Lord’s behalf.

ChurchDisciplineFlowchart

1 Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Mt 18:15–20). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.
2 Mounce, R. H. (2011). Matthew (p. 177). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

[Based on my classes with Richard D. Leineweber, Jr. c. 2000]

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How to Develop Hospitality

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This lesson focuses on the heart of the leader toward strangers (Luke 9:37-50). Jesus wants us to be inclusive rather than exclusive without compromising the truth. Jesus is personally challenging his followers to deliberately go out of our way to welcome and include strangers. To be effective, this will require developing the character quality of hospitality.

Following the transfiguration, the disciples who had been given the power and authority to cast out demons failed to exercise a demon out of a young boy (section 124). Two events later the disciples are arguing about who is the greatest (section 127) and then one of them forbids an unnamed exorcist to cast out demons (section 128). It appears that the disciples’ spirit of exclusivism and obsession with greatness motivated them to forbid someone from doing it, this man succeeded at what they had miserably failed.

This is commanded in the Gospels, Mark 9:39 (do not hinder) Luke 9:50 (do not hinder). These commands warn against exclusivism but do not teach ecumenicalism. Jesus without hesitation confronted and cursed the religious leaders of his day (Matthew 23:13–16, 23, 25, 27, 29).

1. How would you define exclusivism? It is the attitude that says, “us four and no more.” Webster says, “exclusivism is the act of excluding, shutting out others, snobbish, permitting or catering to a select clientele, power and control usually play apart.”

2. How could we be guilty of exclusivism?

3. Are you aware of a real life situation?

4. Why did the crowd gather in Luke 9:37-40? To watch the disciples free a boy from demonic enslavement.

5. What was the crowd discussing? Mark 9:14–18. The fact that the disciples could not cast out the demon.

  • Which word is best to describe what’s happening? Possessed or oppressed? (Acts 10:38)
  • Christians cannot be possessed. (1 Corinthians 6:17) the Sprit will not share his temple.
  • Demons do not just take up residence, they must be invited in at some point, occult practices.
  • Who are the demons? (Ezekiel 28:12-17)
    1. The pride of the anointed cherubim.
    2. A third of the angels followed (Revelation 12:4, 7-9)

6. What was the father’s request of Jesus? Mark 9:21–24. I beg you to look at my son, for he is my only boy.

7. What kind of effect did the demon have on his son? Matthew 17:14–21, Mark 9:14–29, Luke 9:37–43.

  • It makes in mute, Mark 9:17.
  • It seizes him, Mark 9:18, Luke 9:39.
  • It dashes him to the ground, Mark 9:18, Luke 9:42.
  • He foams at the mouth, Mark 9:18, Luke 9:39.
  • He grinds his teeth, Mark 9:18.
  • He stiffens out, Mark 9:18, Luke 9:39.
  • He suddenly screams, Luke 9:39.
  • It throws him into a convulsion, Luke 9:39, 42, Mark 9:26.
  • It mauls him, Luke 9:39.
  • It’s scarcely leaves him, Luke 9:39.
  • Rolling about, Mark 9:20.
  • Throws them into the fire and into the water to destroy him, Mark 9:22.

8. How long have the boy been this way? Mark 9:21. From childhood.

9. How does Jesus describe the spirit? Luke 9:42. The demon was described as unclean.

10. What was the response of the crowd when Jesus expelled the demon? Luke 9:43. They were all amazed at the greatness of God.

11. What did the disciples question Jesus about privately? Mark 9:28. Why they have been unable to cast the demon out.

12. What was Jesus’ answer to their question? Matthew 17:19–21, Mark 9:23, 24, 29, 34, Luke 9:41, 46–48. It was not because they did not have the power (dunamis the ability to perform) or the authority (exousia the right to exercise power) over demons, Luke 9:1, but it was because…

  • They lacked faith, Luke 9:41, Matthew 17:19–20, Mark 9:23-24.
  • They lacked personal purity, Luke 9:41.
  • They lacked discipline, (prayer and fasting), Matthew 17:21, Mark 9:29.
  • They lacked humility, Luke 9:46–48, Mark 9:34.

13. Why was the discipline of prayer needed to cast out this demon? Matthew 17:21.

  • This kind does not go out except by prayer, Matthew 17:21. For this particular type of demon to be expelled, it requires special preparation.
  • This type of demon could possibly be characterized with those who are more wicked and therefore could only be dealt with by those who practiced the spiritual disciplines, Matthew 12:45.

14. What was the disciples reaction when they saw someone else succeeding at casting out demons? Luke 9:49–50. They tried to hinder him. The verb “to hinder” means “prevent or forbid.” The imperfect tense suggest they repeatedly insisted that he must stop. It could literally be translated, “we kept trying to forbid him.”

15. What was John’s explanation for taking such an action? Luke 9:49-50. He does not follow along with us. He used the word “us” instead of “you” indicates that John was concerned that this unnamed exorcist was not following along with them. It did not matter to the disciples that he was a follower of Christ. Mark 16:17 suggests that there were those who had believed outside of the Twelve, who were able to cast out demons, unfortunately the disciples did not even take the time to get to know the man’s name. John says, “master we saw someone casting out demons.” They were not concerned with his spiritual status but only whether he had been physically in their group. The preposition translated “with” means “in the midst of.” The word “follow” in Mark 9:38 is in the imperfect tense (continued action in the past), while Luke 9:49 is in the present tense (continued action into the future).

  • Luke 9:50 – He who is not against you is for you. (Mark 9:40 – For he who is not against us is for us). From openness and tolerance for the weak and humble (Luke 9:46–48) Luke moves to an example of openness and tolerance for the outsider who does work in Jesus’ name. This saying implies that Christian leaders (such as Gentiles) are not to be prohibited or prevented from ministry just because they were not part of the original Jewish group of believers.
  • Luke 11:23 – He who is not with me is against me. (Matthew 12:30 – He who is not with me is against me). This saying teaches there is no middle ground; we are either with Jesus (receiving him) or against Jesus (rejecting him). Either we help Jesus gather the things of the kingdom, or we scatter (or hinder) the kingdom.
  • Explanation: The reverse of Luke 9:50 occurs in Luke 11:23 (Matthew 12:30). Some teach that these two sayings contradict one another, which is hardly the case. The saying in Luke 9:50 provides the proper attitude toward outsiders, while the saying in Luke 11:23 challenges the follower of Jesus to total obedience, are you IN or are you OUT?

16. What two reasons did Christ give as to why this type of individual should not be forbidden involvement in the work of God? Luke 9:50, Mark 9:39–40.

  • Because the absence of a hostile attitude indicates they are on our side, Luke 9:50, “He who is not against you (plural) is for you.”
  • Because there are those who had not been personally and intimately linked to Jesus’ group of disciples who are capable of performing a mighty work, Mark 9:39.

17. Instead of hindering this man, what should the disciples have done? Luke 9:47–48. They should have received, welcomed him, and his work for Christ.

18. What is the command the Christ to gives in Luke 9:50? (Also Mark 9:39). Do not hinder him. The negative imperative is in the present tense and literally means, “stop forbidding or prohibiting him.” Jesus had no sympathy with the exclusive spirit they had displayed. Jesus wanted his disciples to get rid of any idea that they had a monopoly on miracles and the work of God.

19. Why does John have to write the chosen lady? 2 John. The emphasis of 2 John is, “bolt the door.” The hospitable woman that was the recipient of the epistle was so inclusive that she supported anyone regardless of what they taught about Christ. The balance between these two epistles is found in Philip Melanchthon’s statement, “In essentials unity, in nonessentials liberty, and all things charity.”

20. Why does John write to Gaius? 3 John. The apostle John writes his third epistle to confront a spirit of exclusivism that can lead to an extreme view of separation, 3 John 1:9–10. Diotrephes was so exclusive that he would not even receive itinerant preachers sent out by the apostle John himself. This little postcard epistle offers a stark contrast between two groups who responded in opposite ways to the itinerant teachers who had been sent out by the apostle John. Gaius supported them by receiving them hospitably when they had arrived, but Diotrephes attempted to hinder them by excommunicated any members of his assembly who receive them. The emphasis of 3 John is, “open the door.”

Practical Questions:

1. What can you do two warmly welcome newcomers to our group? What is your protocol for inviting and keeping newcomers?

2. How can our group avoid the “us four and no more” mentality?

3. How can our group become more discerning in curriculum selection, or preachers we hear on the radio/TV?

Observations:

The epistles teach a lot about graciously receiving and being hospitable to believers who are strangers to us, Romans 12:13, Hebrews 13:2, first Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:8, first Peter 4:9. The first century was a “welcoming church.”

It takes intentionality on our part if people are going to “be bonded” into a small group. It was no different in the days of the apostle Paul. Saul had unsuccessfully tried to join the disciples in Jerusalem, Acts 9:26. The verb “join” primarily means, “to glue or cement together.” If a believer is to stick around in our church, they must be bonded to other disciples in a small group, Acts 9:26, 17:34. A strengthened form of the verb describes the superglue of marriage, Matthew 19:5, Mark 10:7, 2 Corinthians 6:14, Ephesians 5:31.

The reason they didn’t receive him well was fear. If we let him in, how will he affect the dynamics of the group? Can we trust him? The disciples in Jerusalem were familiar with Saul who had breathed threats and murder against them, Acts 9:1. Barnabas took the initiative and brought him to see the apostles and introduced him by telling about what God has been doing in his life, Acts 9:27. We can be involved in the ministry of Barnabas if we take the initiative to work the “open chair.”

Refer to the letters of 2 John and 3 John. The issue that is being addressed in our command passage is one of association. He is not advocating that we don’t test, confront if necessary, and even exclude those who are not orthodox.

We are commanded to separate from false ecclesiastical leaders, Romans 16:17, 2 Corinthians 6:14–18, 11:4, Galatians 1:8–9, 2 Timothy 3:5, 2 John 1:9–11, Revelation 2:2, 6, 14, 16. We also must separate from brothers who hold erroneous and heretical opinions about Scripture, 1 Corinthians 11:19, Galatians 5:20, Titus 3:10–11.

What can we do? First John 4:1–3 says that we are not to believe every spirit, but test the spirit to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

In the message to the church at Ephesus, in Revelation 2:2, they are commanded to put to the test “those who call themselves apostles, and they are not, and you found them to be false.”

We are told not to have a judgmental spirit:

  • Matthew 7:1 – so that you will not be judged.
  • Matthew 7:2 – the same way you will be judged by the very standard.
  • Luke 6:37 – do not judge.

Yet we are instructed to make judgments:

  • Proverbs 31:9 says to open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy.
  • John 7:24 says, do not judge according to appearance, but judge with the righteous judgment.

A Call to Discernment: discernment involves making judgments in a non-condemning way. These judgments are made for the health and purity of the body of Christ morally and doctrinally. The Greek word krino means, “to separate, select, choose, hence to determine, to conclude, to decide, and to pass judgment on.”

  • First Corinthians 5:3
  • First Corinthians 11:13
  • Acts 15:19, 16:4, 21:25
  • Hebrews 4:12
  • First Corinthians 4:5
  • Romans 14:3, 4, 10, 13, 22
  • First Corinthians 10:29
  • Colossians 2:16

The Greek word anakrino means “to examine, to elevate, to scrutinize, to investigate, to search out.”

  • Acts 17:11
  • First Corinthians 2:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:21, 1 John 4:1.
  • First Thessalonians 5:19–22
  • First Corinthians 10:25, 27

The Greek word diakrino means “to make a distinction between persons, to discriminate, to wait the early each part, to separate throughout.” The prefix word dia means “through” (First Corinthians 14:29).

The Greek word dokimazo means “to test, to examine, to interpret, to discover, to approve, to prove, to demonstrate.”

  • Romans 2:18
  • Philippians 1:10
  • First John 4:1–3, 4:1

Here are several videos you can find on YouTube that point out various false teachers.

I have other lessons regarding false teachers, part of two other teaching series:

  1. Second Peter: “The Godless Without Faith” [ GO ]
  2. Jude: “Lessons From Primitive Figures” [ GO ]
  3. Jude: “Lessons From Present Failures” [ GO ]
  4. Early Christian Heresies [ GO ]

Additional Commentary: 1

Luke 9:45 / hidden from them: Luke has added this phrase (see Mark 9:32) to explain why the disciples did not understand the meaning of Jesus’ statement. It was God’s purpose that they not fully understand until the resurrection. Luke may be reacting to Mark’s negative portrayal of the disciples. they were afraid to ask him about it: This probably means that the disciples feared that further questioning and explanation would only confirm the grim pronouncement.

Luke 9:49, see Luke 5:5 / In this verse Jesus is called Master for the first time in the Gospel of Luke. Whereas the other Synoptic Gospels refer to Jesus as “Teacher” or “Rabbi,” only in Luke is he called “Master,” and only by his followers (see Luke 8:24, 45; 9:33, 49; 17:13).

driving out demons in your name: Rabbis often attempted exorcisms in the name(s) of various OT worthies (such as Solomon). See the episode in Acts 19:13–16. There is underlying power in the use of his name (Psalm 54:1; 124:8).

Luke 9:50 / Jesus said to him, “Do not forbid him, for he who is not against us is on our side.” As far as the Person and work of Christ are concerned, there can be no neutrality. If men are not for Christ, they are against Him. But when it comes to Christian service, A. L. Williams says: 2

Earnest Christians need to remember that when outsiders do anything in Christ’s Name, it must, on the whole, forward His cause … The Master’s reply contained a broad and far-reaching truth. No earthly society, however holy, would be able exclusively to claim the Divine powers inseparably connected with a true and faithful use of His Name.

1 Evans, C. A. (1990). Luke (pp. 158–159). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
2 MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1406). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[Based on my classes with Richard D. Leineweber, Jr. c. 2000]

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How to Discern God’s Will

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This is an additional part for the lesson on bearing one’s own cross, basically discerning God’s will over following my own self-interests. For more on this topic, consider looking over my seminar on God’s Will.

There is a Sovereign Will of God: his secret plan that determines what happens in the universe.

  • Daniel 4:34-35 – He does according to his will.
  • Psalm 115:3 – He does whatever he pleases.
  • Job 42:2 – No purpose of yours can be thwarted.
  • Proverbs 21:1 – He directs the king’s heart.
  • Revelation 4:11 – Creation exists because of his will.
  • Ephesians 1:11 – Having been predestined according to his purpose.
  • Proverbs 16:33 – Every decision is from the Lord.
  • Romans 9:19 – For who resists his will?
  • Acts 2:23 – By the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God.
  • Acts 4:27-28 – To do whatever your hand and your purpose predestined to occur.
  • Romans 11:33-36 – How unsearchable are his judgments and unfathomable his ways.

There is a Moral Will of God: revealed through his commands in the Bible what men ought to believe and how men ought to live. Probably 95% of God’s will can be found in the Bible.

  • Romans 2:18 – know his will … being instructed in the Law.
  • 1 Thessalonians 5:18 – This is God’s will for you…
  • 1 Thessalonians 4:3 – For this is the will of God.
  • Colossians 1:9 – May be filled with the knowledge of his will.
  • Colossians 4:12 – That you may stand perfect and fully assured in all the will of God.
  • Romans 12:2 – That you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
  • Ephesians 5:17 – Understand what the will of the Lord is.
  • Ephesians 6:6 – Doing the will of God from the heart.
  • Proverbs 3:5-6 – Trust and acknowledge God, he will make your paths straight.
  • Psalm 32:8 – He will instruct and teach you in the way you should go.

There is an Individual Will of God: of his ideal, detailed life-plan designed for each person (traditional view).

Those who hold to this view seek to answer the question, “How may I be in the center of God’s will?” It is normally asked in the big decisions in life and the rest of life is navigated by circumstances and personal feelings. To find the center of God’s will require special revelation of God.

  1. A wife for Isaac (Genesis 24:3-5, 8, 10-26)
  2. A target audience for Paul (Acts 16:9-10)

A Completed Canon of Scripture: There are no more visions, dreams, and appearances (1 Corinthians 15:8, 1 Peter 1:20, no more “thus says the Lord…”) We have a more sure word of prophecy found in the canon of Scripture (2 Peter 1:19a, 21)

  • Revelation 22:18-19 – prohibits adding to God’s word (this revelation).
  • Jude 1:3 – The faith was once for all handed down to the saints.
  • 2 Peter 1:2-3 – God has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness.
  • 2 Peter 2:1 – False prophets arose, and false teachers will be among you.
  • What about dreams and visions today? (Hearing God’s Voice, by Richard and Henry Blackaby)
    1. In many parts of the world, God seems to be using visions and dreams extensively. In areas where there is little or no gospel message available, and where people do not have Bibles, God is taking his message to people directly through dreams and visions. This is entirely consistent with the biblical example of visions being frequently used by God to reveal his truth to people in the early days of Christianity. If God desires to communicate his message to a person, he can use whatever means he finds necessary—a missionary, an angel, a vision, or a dream. Of course, God also has the ability to give visions in areas where the gospel message is already readily available. There is no limit to what God can do.
    2. At the same time, we must be careful when it comes to visions and the interpretation of visions. We must keep in mind that the Bible is finished, and it tells us everything we need to know. The key truth is that if God were to give a vision, it would agree completely with what He has already revealed in His Word. Visions should never be given equal or greater authority than the Word of God. God’s Word is our ultimate authority for Christian faith and practice.

How NOT to Determine God’s Will:

  1. Do NOT Put God to the Test (Matthew 4:7, Deuteronomy 8:3)
  2. Do NOT Seek After Signs (Matthew 12:38-40)
  3. Do NOT Communicate With the Dead (Isaiah 8:19-20, Deuteronomy 10-12)
  4. Do NOT Look at Horoscopes (Jeremiah 10:2, Revelation 21:8, Galatians 5:20)
  5. Do NOT be Led by the Spirit Contrary to God’s Word (James 4:17)
  6. Do NOT be Led by Your Sinful Nature:
    • Jeremiah 17:9 (“follow your heart,” which is wicked and can’t be trusted)
    • Ephesians 4:22-24 (“Be true to yourself,” which self? The old self or the new self?)

How to Determine God’s Will:

1. Examine yourself to make sure you are a Christian:

  • 2 Corinthians 13:5 – test yourself
  • James 1:18 – God gave us new birth
  • 1 Timothy 2:4 – who desires all men to be saved
  • 2 Peter 3:9 – God does not want anyone destroyed but to repent

2. Understand a biblical worldview on the decisions that you make and the direction that you take (Ephesians 5:15).

  • What does God expect of me?
  • What principles from the Bible could give me further wisdom on this decision?
  • After determining biblical boundaries, pray for God’s wisdom to make the best choice with the options that remain (1 Thessalonians 3:1 – we thought it best…).

3. Seek counsel from those in authority over you:

  • Parents (Proverbs 6:21-23, Ephesians 6:1-3)
  • Husband (Ephesians 5:22, Colossians 3:18)
  • Small group leader or pastor (Hebrews 13:17)
  • Employer (Ephesians 6:5-9, Colossians 4:1)
  • Government officials (Romans 13:1-7)

4. Discern whether your decision will be consistent with God’s five purposes for your life:

  • Knowing (worship, exalt, magnify): connecting with God by getting to know, trust, and love him.
  • Relating (fellowship, encouragement, membership): connecting with others through learning real love and belonging in God’s family.
  • Serving (service, equipping, ministry): connecting with opportunities to give back and make a difference with your talents.
  • Growing (discipleship, edification, maturity): connecting with truths, tools, experiences, people, and habits that help you grow spiritually.
  • Sharing (outreach, evangelism, mission): connecting with opportunities to share your story and God’s story as you live out your life mission.

5. Discern whether your decision will be consistent with your God-given SHAPE (how you are wired). We are created for good works (Ephesians 2:10).

  • Spiritual gifts: how has God gifted me? (1 Peter 4:10, 1 Corinthians 12:11)
  • Heart: what do I love to do? (Philippians 2:13)
  • Abilities: what are my natural talents and skills? (Exodus 31:3)
  • Personality: where does my personality best suit me to serve? (Psalm 139:14)
  • Experience: what life experiences do I bring to this opportunity? (Philippians 2:12)

6. Consult your board of directors: a group of past teachers, mentors, and disciplers whom you can contact for advice.

  • Proverbs 1:5 – a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel.
  • Proverbs 11:14 – where there is no guidance the people fall.
  • Proverbs 12:5 – thoughts of the righteous are just.
  • Proverbs 12:15 – a wise man listens to counsel.
  • Proverbs 13:10 – those who take advice are wise.
  • Proverbs 15:22 – without consultation, plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed.
  • Proverbs 19:20 – the wise listen to counsel and accept discipline.
  • Proverbs 24:6 – an abundance of counselors brings victory.
  • Proverbs 27:9 – a man’s counsel is sweet to his friend.

7. Make your decision and allow God to “blue pencil” your plans (the key is “Lord willing” and Proverbs 16:9 – the mind of man plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps, like a drafting change). Avoid the sin of presumption (James 4:13-17).

  • Acts 18:21 – I will return, if God wills.
  • Romans 1:10 – perhaps now at last by the will of God I may succeed in coming to you.
  • Romans 15:32 – I may come to you in joy by the will of God.
  • 1 Corinthians 4:19 – if the Lord wills.
  • 1 Corinthians 16:7 – if the Lord permits.
  • Hebrews 6:3 – if God permits.
  • 1 Peter 3:17 – if God should will it so.

[Based on my classes with Richard D. Leineweber, Jr. c. 2000]

Recommended resources:
Decision Making and the Will of God, by Garry Friesen
Decision Making by the Book, by Haddon Robinson

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How to Bear Your Cross

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The passage for today is Mark 8:31–38. This lesson contrasts two orientations to life. One approach to life involves ignoring the cross and living for yourself. This is the self willed person that isn’t concerned with submitting to God’s will. The other approach involves denying self and becoming consumed with what interests God. Jesus is personally challenging his disciples to build the character quality of submissiveness toward God and his will for their lives. Luke 14:27 says, “whoever will not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.” Jesus is saying you have to carry your cross to become a disciple but that you cannot presently be one of my disciples if your life is marked by submission to the Lordship of Christ. Jesus isn’t describing the perfection of our lives but it’s primary direction.

Historical Background: coming immediately after Peter’s confession, Matthew 16:16, Mark 8:29, Luke 9:20, this prophecy was apparently triggered by the confession. If it had come earlier, the 12 would’ve been unable to receive it without being shaken in their conviction about him. This is Jesus first open prediction of the events which were now about one year away, earlier he had referred to them as they are in the old terminology, John 2:19. Peter was unwilling to except such a revelation because he was now certain about Jesus’ messiahship, Matthew 16:22, Mark 8:32. Peter was interested in the establishment of Christ’s earthly theocratic kingdom. Jesus understood this was the time to to be the slaughtered lamb rather than the reigning lion. Later in Peter’s letter he would put the pieces of the eschatological puzzle together when he wrote, “as he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow.” Peters misguided seal drew the Lord’s rebuke and created an occasion for Jesus to address the issue of true followership.

The Command: Matthew 11:29 (take, learn), Matthew 16:24 (deny, take up, follow), Mark 8:34 (deny, take up, follow), Luke 9:23 (deny, take up, follow), John 12:26 (let him follow), John 21:22 (follow). 1 Corinthians 15:31.

1. According to Mark 8:31, was Jesus and unsuspecting victim at his trial and execution? Jesus was not an unsuspecting victim at his trial and crucifixion, he knew all the details well ahead of time.

2. How does Peter respond to this short lesson of Christ upcoming passion? (Mark 8:32). Peter rebukes Jesus. Peter was unable to reconcile such information with his newly affirmed belief in Christ’s messianic identity. He basically tries to straighten Jesus out, which if he did, would’ve accomplished Satan’s goals. The verb, “took him aside,” pictures Peter confidently drawing Jesus aside in order to rebuke him for his own good. Peter acted with an air of conscious superiority. The word translated “rebuke” is the same one used for silencing of the demons, Mark 1:25, 3:12.

3. What emphatic words did Peter used to rebuke Jesus? (Matthew 16:22). Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him saying, God forbid it Lord! This will never happen to you. God forbid translates a Hebrew colloquialism as literally meant “gracious to you, or merciful to you,” and was understood to mean something such as “God be gracious to you or may God in his mercy spare you this.” The word “never” in the phrase, “this shall never happen to you,” is a double negative in the Greek. It is an emphatic denial or prohibition. It could literally be translated, “this shall never, no never happen to you.”

4. Why did Jesus rebuked Peter in the presence of the other disciples? (Mark 8:33). Although Peter formulated the statement, it probably represented the view of the other disciples who needed to be reviewed also.

5. What did Jesus command Peter to do? (Mark 8:33). “Get behind me, Satan.” This command is similar to that given Satan in the wilderness temptation, Matthew 4:10, “begone, Satan,” but here Peter isn’t commanded to leave but rank himself behind Jesus. Peter acted with such an air of superiority, Jesus had to remind Peter who was to follow. The best teachers are students and the best leaders are followers. Jesus recognized the satanic opposition in Peter. Peter was opposing divine will. Peter is repute for being an agent of Satan.

6. What had Peter become with this mindset? (Matthew 16:23). According to this verse “you are a stumbling block to me, for you are not setting your mind on God’s interest, but man’s.” Peter was a stumbling block because his thought life was dominated by self-centered interests rather than God’s interests. “Stumbling block” is from the word originally used of an animal trap, in particular the part for the bait was placed. The term eventually became to be used of luring a person into captivity or destruction. Satan was using Peter to set a trap for Jesus.

7. Why does Jesus call Peter Satan? (Mark 8:33). In Peter’s effort to dissuade Jesus from the cross, he recognized a repetition of the wilderness temptation, Peter had made himself an unwilling agent of Satan. Jesus does not identify Peter with the devil but names him as a real adversary to God’s purpose and plan.

8. Why does Jesus teach the crowd about cross bearing after rebuking Peter? (Mark 8:34). Peter had just been reminded that Jesus must always submit to the Father’s will, now through the picture of cross bearing Jesus stresses that this must also be true of those who follow after him. So the issue of submission to God or obedience was the occasion for the teaching on cross bearing.

9. What three things are required of those who have become disciples of Jesus? (Mark 8:34). Jesus gives three commands, he must deny himself (aorist imperative), and take up his cross (aorist imperative), and follow me (present imperative).

10. What does the phrase “deny himself” mean? (Mark 8:34). It does not refer to some monastic vow or forgoing certain foods during Lent. It refers to the duty of every disciple, to turn away from the idolatry of self-centeredness and to deal with one’s inherent sin nature. The opposite of denying self is living for self. The disciple of Christ must no longer make his own interests and desires the supreme concern of his life. Obedience to the aorist imperative involves a fundamental reorientation of one’s life; It is urgent and we must do it now. It involves saying “yes” to God and “no” to self. Our culture tells us to except ourselves, to be ourselves, to be good to ourselves. Self is what caused Peter to set his mind on man’s interests rather than God’s interests. One cannot follow Jesus if he’s going the opposite way. To deny oneself is incomplete. At best it leave one in a neutral state, whereas following is an active and positive state. This calls for a second requirement. Take up on the cross is the positive action needed after one has denied himself.

11. What does it mean to take up your cross? (Mark 8:34). It does not prefer to putting up with some disappointment, sickness, or tragic situation in our lives. “Well I guess that’s just across I’ll have to bear in this life.” Taking up one’s cross involves a willingness to suffer and die for Christ, but it is much more than that. It is a willingness to live daily for him. Taking up one’s cross is the positive action needed after one has denied himself.

12. How was Jesus carrying the cross beams to Calvary associated with submission? (Matthew 26:39, 42, Mark 14:36, Luke 22:42, John 19:17, Romans 5:19, Philippians 2:8, Hebrews 5:8, 12:4). Jesus’ struggle in Gethsemane was whether to place his own interests before the plan and program of God. Self-interest said, “avoid the pain of the cross at all cost.” But Jesus fervently agonized in prayer and resisted temptation to point that his sweat became like drops of blood, Luke 22:44. Jesus yielded to the Father’s will when he said, “not my will but yours be done,” Luke 22:42. Philippians 2:8 summarizes the entire process well, “being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on the cross.”

13. How often should we take up his cross? (Luke 9:23). The word in this verse is “daily.” Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:31 that he “dies daily.” Every day Paul died to his own selfish desires and interests in order to advance the cause of Christ. What motivated him to die daily was the reality of the resurrection. There is life after death and one day all believers will stand at the judgment seat of Christ to give an account for whether they lived their lives for themselves or for Christ.

14. What does Jesus say is true of those who don’t take up his cross? (Matthew 10:38). The verse says that if we don’t take up the cross and follow him, we are not worthy of him. The adjective “not worthy” describes the believer who doesn’t live a life of submission. This kind a believer is not fit to be Jesus’ disciple and is not due a reward. The adjective is a word that expresses “weight, value, and worth.”

15. What four consequences do people experience when they choose not to follow Jesus? (Mark 8:35–38). These verses contrast the personal consequences of the individual who decides to obey these three commands and he who does not. The word “for” introduces four different personal consequences that people experience when they try to save their lives, or preserve their personal interests. There is a strong paradox here. Those who lose their soul, (psyche), weather in actual martyrdom or disciplined self-denial and submission, will find it in the age to come. Those who find it now by living for themselves and refusing to submit to the commands of Christ lose it in the age to come, Matthew 16:26, Mark 8:35, Luke 9:24, 17:33.

TakeUpYourCross

The historical meaning of cross bearing: The disciples in this passage are commanded to take up their cross. This is not a reference to cross dying but to cross bearing or carrying. We know it is not connected with dying or martyrdom because Luke 9:23 requires that we take up our cross daily. The phrase “take up his cross” is a figure of speech derived from the Roman custom that required a man convicted of rebellion against Rome’s sovereignty to carry the cross beam to his place of execution. As he was paraded through the streets, he was made to wear a sign which said that he had been a rebel. This practice was not designed to cause a more horrible death but the whole proceeding was designed above all as a deterrent. Requiring the condemned man to carry his cross displayed publicly his submission to the authority against which he previously had rebelled. Now, as all could see, he was submissive. To take up his cross was a figure of speech easily understood by anyone in the Roman empire to mean, “to submit to the authority against which one had previously rebelled.”

Questions:

1. What are some of the things that you have exchanged in the past?
2. Have you ever been involved in a relationship that became a hindrance or a stumbling block to your spiritual progress?
3. What is the one thing in your life that you have a tough time Buellton to God and his will? Prayerfully surrender it. Confess this to your small group accountability partner and ask him or her to hold you accountable and you’ll bring it to Christ Lordship.
4. As the condemned criminal would carry his cross through the Roman city, in what ways do you display that you are in submission to God rule in your life before an unbelieving world?

Additional Commentary: 1

Mark 8:31 / After three days: This is the literal meaning of the Greek phrase which can mean simply “after a short time.” The parallels in Matthew 16:21 and Luke 9:22 use the phrase “on the third day,” reflecting the Christian tradition that Jesus’ resurrection took place on the third day after his crucifixion (e.g., 1 Corinthians 15:4).

Mark 8:31 / Rise again: What is meant is that God will raise Jesus from death, and the parallels in Matt. 16:21; Luke 9:22 use a Greek word that makes this more obvious.

Mark 8:33 / Get behind me, Satan: strong language that reflects the way Jesus takes Peter’s rebuke of him. It is possible that Jesus’ words indicate that Peter’s attempt to persuade him not to follow a path of humiliation was a genuine temptation that had to be rejected forcefully.

Mark 8:34 / Deny himself: This means that the disciple must be willing to lose all for the sake of following Jesus. “Take up his cross” refers to the practice of making the condemned person carry the crossbeam upon which he was to be tied or nailed at the place of his execution. Death by crucifixion was a Roman execution by state authorities, familiar in ancient Jewish life on account of the Jewish rebels caught and executed.

Mark 8:35 / For me and for the gospel: What is implied here is a trial before religious or state authorities in which one’s profession of Christ is the issue. “To lose one’s life for me” (Christ) would mean to refuse to renounce Christ in such a situation, even if the punishment were death. “And for the gospel” implies that the person charged has come to the attention of authorities on account of preaching the Christian message. The gospel in this absolute sense is with one exception used only in Mark and in Paul (see Mark 1:15; 10:29; 13:10; Acts 15:7; Romans 10:16; 11:28; 1 Corinthians 4:15; 9:14, 18, 23; 2 Corinthians 8:18). The term means not only the message but also the activity of circulating it, and this little phrase (unique in Mark, cf. Matthew 16:25; Luke 9:24) must indicate that Mark wished his readers to know of the importance of the mission of the church.

Mark 8:38 / “When he comes” probably refers to the appearance of Christ in glory that was expected by early Christians and continues to be the hope of all traditional believers. Angels were expected to accompany him. (See 1 Thessalonians 4:13–5:11; 2 Thessalonians 1:6–10.

Believers Bible Commentary: 2

Jesus lived a life of incessant service for others. We have seen Him hated by His enemies and misunderstood by His friends. We have seen a life of dynamic power, of moral perfection, of utter love and humility.

Mark 8:31 But the path of service to God leads on to suffering and death. So the Savior now told the disciples plainly that He must (1) suffer; (2) be rejected; (3) be killed; (4) rise again. For Him the path to glory would lead first to the cross and the grave. “The heart of service would be revealed in sacrifice,” as F. W. Grant put it.

Mark 8:32, 33 Peter could not accept the idea that Jesus would have to suffer and die; that was contrary to his image of the Messiah. Neither did he want to think that his Lord and Master would be slain by His foes. He rebuked the Savior for suggesting such a thing. It was then that Jesus said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! For you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” Not that Jesus was accusing Peter of being Satan, or of being indwelt by Satan. He meant, “You are talking like Satan would. He always tries to discourage us from wholly obeying God. He tempts us to take an easy path to the Throne.” Peter’s words were Satanic in origin and content, and this caused the Lord’s indignation. Note that Jesus first looked at His disciples, then rebuked Peter, as if to say, “If I do not go to the cross, how can these, My disciples, be saved?”

Mark 8:34 Then Jesus said to them in effect, “I am going to suffer and die so that men might be saved. If you desire to come after Me, you must deny every selfish impulse, deliberately choose a pathway of reproach, suffering and death, and follow Me. You may have to forsake personal comforts, social enjoyments, earthly ties, grand ambitions, material riches, and even life itself.” Words like these make us wonder how we can really believe that it is all right for us to live in luxury and ease. How can we justify the materialism, selfishness, and coldness of our hearts? His words call us to lives of self-denial, surrender, suffering, and sacrifice.

Mark 8:35 There is always the temptation to save our life—to live comfortably, to provide for the future, to make one’s own choices, with self as the center of everything. There is no surer way of losing one’s life. Christ calls us to pour out our lives for His sake and the gospel’s, dedicating ourselves to Him spirit, soul, and body. He asks us to spend and be spent in His holy service, laying down our lives, if necessary, for the evangelization of the world. That is what is meant by losing our lives. There is no surer way of saving them.

Mark 8:36, 37 Even if a believer could gain all the world’s wealth during his lifetime, what good would it do him? He would have missed the opportunity of using his life for the glory of God and the salvation of the lost. It would be a bad bargain. Our lives are worth more than all the world has to offer. Shall we use them for Christ or for self?

Mark 8:38 Our Lord realized that some of His young disciples might be stumbled in the path of discipleship by the fear of shame. So He reminded them that those who seek to avoid reproach because of Him will suffer a greater shame when He returns to earth in power. May His words “ashamed of Me … in this adulterous and sinful generation” speak to our hearts.

1 Hurtado, L. W. (2011). Mark (p. 142). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
2 MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (pp. 1341–1342). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[Based on my classes with Richard D. Leineweber, Jr. c. 2000]

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How to Respect Aging Parents

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This command to HONOR is all about Parental Respect, (Matthew 15:1-20)

This lesson focuses on the heart of a leader toward his or her parents as they are aging. The hard-hearted Pharisees in this passage demonstrate a calloused heart for God and their own parents. Jesus is personally challenging his disciples to build the character quality of respectfulness towards aging parents.

In this section, Jesus rejected the man-made traditions of the scribes and Pharisees because they focused on the outside and ignored the inner person. These men were plants that God did not plant (Matthew 13:24–30, 15:13) and blind guides who were leading people astray. “Let them alone!” was our Lord’s counsel.

Historical Background:

The feeding of the 5000 and the sermon about the bread of life created quite a stir. In fact, the furor is transported to Jerusalem by the crowds that Jesus fed. When they arrive in Jerusalem for the Passover, Jesus’ Galilean activities became the hot topic of conversation. The Pharisees responded to these rumors by sending a delegation to check out what was happening with this budding “Jesus movement.” They are so shocked by the blasphemous reports of Jesus’ sermons, they are now prepared to kill him, (Mark 3:6). They come to Jesus at a point of vulnerability, after the majority of his disciples had abandoned him (John 6:66). So, Jesus retreats for one more Galilean tour (John 7:1) heading toward the Gentile territory of Tyre and Sidon (Matthew 15:21-28).

Here is the command: Matthew 15:4 and Mark 7:10 (Honor). The command is repeated in each synoptic narrative about the rich young ruler, (Matthew 19:19, Mark 10:19, Luke 18:20). While on the cross Jesus was able to detach himself from the preoccupation of his own pain in order to keep the fifth commandment, (Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16). This fifth commandment is the FIRST of six commandments dealing with horizontal relationships. He honors his mother by assigning to John the responsibility of providing for her financially. John 19:27 says, “from that hour at the disciple took her into his own household.” History tells us to John remained in Jerusalem and provided for Mary until her death.

In Ephesians 6:2, Paul emphasized that behind each act of obedience towards parents must be the attitude of honor and respect. Paul also taught that grown children (rather than the church) are to honor their widowed mothers by financially assisting them, (1 Timothy 5:3–4).

1. Who confronted Jesus in this passage? Matthew 15:1 says, “some Pharisees and scribes.” During this itinerant tour, the delegation of Jerusalem Pharisees caught up with Jesus. They attacked him because he’s coloring outside the lines drawn by their oral tradition.

2. What was the nature of the disciples’ transgression? (Mark 7:3–4) They don’t properly wash their hands according to tradition, and accuse the disciples of eating with unclean hands (Mark 7:15, 18, 20, 23). The issue was clearly ritualistic and not hygienic. Their hands had to be sanctified by this ritualistic washing, based on Leviticus 15:11. In fact, the Mishnah has an entire section called yadim (hands).

The “washing” before eating had to do with ceremonial uncleanness, not personal hygiene. Leviticus 11–15 treats the subject of unclean foods. From the Jewish point of view, people became unclean by contact with any sort of ceremonially unclean object or person. To ensure purity, people would go through a rather elaborate ritual of purification before they ate. It involved pouring water on the hands with the fingers up so the uncleanness would flow off the wrists. It then was repeated with the fingers pointing downward. This was followed by rubbing each hand with the other fist.

3. Jesus answered a question with a question in Matthew 15:3. What is it? “And why do you transgress the commandment (singular) of God for the sake of your traditions?” The tradition of the elders was a body of oral literature that grew out of a desire to expound the written law and apply it to new circumstances. This growing body of oral tradition reaches back at least to Ezra in the fifth century BC, but was not written until the second century AD. The scribes and Pharisees considered it to be as binding as the written law itself, although the Sadducees rejected it, and the common people ignored it.

Over time, comments were made on passages of the law that were not as clear. The distinction between Scripture and these traditions (based on interpretations of Scripture) gradually became less and less distinct. Before long, tradition was more familiar and more revered than God’s own word. The tradition of the elders was a body of extra-biblical law that was committed to writing in the Mishnah near the end of the second century. The law of Moses contains no commandment about washing one’s hands before eating, except for priest who required to wash before eating holy offerings (Leviticus 22:6–7). The Jews of Jesus’ day thought of themselves as preserving ancient traditions, but Jesus said that what they were actually preserving was the spirit of those whom Isaiah criticized long ago.

4. Jesus answers his question by quoting Isaiah 29:13. What does Isaiah identify as their root problem? (Matthew 15:8, Mark 7:6). According to John MacArthur, “their religion was intentionally external and superficial because it could be outwardly practiced with great zeal and diligence no matter what the condition of the heart or soul.”

The Pharisees pretended to worship but their hearts were not engaged. They went through the ritual and routine but had no relationship. They pretended to attribute worth to God but their worship was worthless because it wasn’t felt from the heart. Jesus calls the Pharisees hypocrites, which meant “play-actor or pretender.” The word became used for hair-splitting legalists who manipulated the law for their own advantage.

5. How had their heart condition affected their worship? (Matthew 15:9, Mark 7:7). Jesus said “in vain do they worship me.” The word “vain” is the accusative case, meaning “empty, folly, to no purpose.”

6. What particular command was Jesus accusing the Pharisees and scribes of neglecting? (Matthew 15:4, Mark 7:10, Exodus 20:12, Deuteronomy 5:16, 27:16). The fifth commandment to honor your father and mother. This appears to be the only commandment that has a promise that, “your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.”

7. What does the word “honor” mean? (Matthew 15:4) The verb “honor” means “to value at a high price, to assign worth through respect” (1 Timothy 5:17–18). This word was used of the price that Judas assigned to Jesus, 30 pieces of silver (Matthew 27:9). We are to place high-value on our parental relationships. The command is not qualified nor does it have exemptions; note what Dr. Laura Schlessinger says what this does not mean…

  • Honor only if the person is personally perceived as deserving of honor.
  • Honor only if the person always reciprocate.
  • Honor only if it is pleasing you to do so.
  • Honor only if you get compliments for doing so.
  • Honor only if it feels right.
  • Honor only if other people also do so.

8. List several ways you can honor your parents. (Ephesians 6:1–3, Proverbs 30:11–14, Exodus 21:15, 17, Leviticus 20:9, Proverbs 20:20, Luke 2:51, 3:23, Proverbs 30:17, 2 Timothy 3:2, 1 Timothy 5:3–4, John 19:25–27, Acts 1:14).

  • Attitude of Cooperation (Ephesians 6:1-3) Whining is passive rebellion. The story is told of a little boy being told to sit down, who said, “I may be sitting down on the outside but I’m standing up on the inside.” Honoring parents involves more than mechanical compliance. A cooperative attitude in the early years involves not just obeying their words but trying to fulfill their wishes.
  • Attitude of Respect (Proverbs 30:11-14, Exodus 21:15, 17, Leviticus 20:9, Proverbs 20:20, Luke 2:51, 3:23, Proverbs 30:17).
  • Attitude of Appreciation (2 Timothy 3:2) Bill Hybels says,”the older our parents get the less love, respect, and esteem they receive from the world that they live in. Our parents’ friends start to die and the marketplace no longer attaches a high value on their services, options begin to get restricted. For many of our parents the bright spot in their life is hearing from their children. The primary way we obey the fifth commandment in our parents’ golden years is just to treasure them. This even involves helping them financially if needed (1 Timothy 5:3-4). One of Jesus’ last sayings while hanging on the cross, he expressed his obedience to the fifth commandment and how much he treasured his mother, right up to the end (John 19:25–27).

9. In what specific way were the Pharisees and scribes neglecting the fifth commandment and merely giving lip service? (Matthew 15:5–6, Mark 7:11–13). When the parents of the Pharisees requested financial assistance, they conveniently claimed that the resources they possessed had already been given or “dedicated to God.” Corban (a technical term for sacrifice found in Ezekiel 20:28) was the practice of devoting things to God and thus making them unavailable to others who might have a legitimate claim on them (the word is used in Mark’s narrative, Mark 7:11).

John MacArthur writes, “Mark uses the more technical term Corban (Mark 7:11) which refers to a gift or sacrifice especially offered to God. Sometime in the past a tradition had developed allowing a person to call all his possessions Corban, thereby dedicating them to God. Because Scripture taught that a vow to God must not be violated (Numbers 30:2) those possessions could not be used for anything but service to God. The Corban possessions remained in the person’s hands and when he decided to use them for his own purposes, tradition permitted him to do so by simply saying Corban over them again. In other words, the tradition was not designed to serve either God or the family, but the selfish interest of the person making the hypocritical vow.”

10. What unclean thing in their heart caused them to deal with their own parents so ruthlessly? (Matthew 23:25–26, Mark 7:21–22) their hearts were filled with greed. The Pharisees needed to change from the inside out.

11. Where does a person start if he wants to learn how to be godly according to 1Timothy 5:4? Start with your family and learn the importance of making some people return to their parents (1 Timothy 5:3-8).

12. It is not what you eat that makes one unclean, but what comes out of a man (Matthew 15:11, 18). What are we to do when passion for God has waned…

RememberRepentReturn

Action Steps:

1. List a few practical ways that you can honor your parents.

2. If there are any wounds or barriers standing in the way of honoring your parents, establish a plan to start the hard work of reconciliation. We are called to the ministry of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5:18).

3. Did you receive your parents’ blessings on your marriage or are you proposing to do so (1 Corinthians 7:36–38)? If you didn’t receive their blessing, consider asking for their forgiveness. This is an important way to honor your parents.

4. Have you ever expressed your commitment to provide for your parents when they cannot care for themselves? Consider verbalizing your intention to care for your parents. This is another important way to honor your parents when they are old, fearful, and insecure about their future. Most elderly parents are afraid of being left in a nursing home to be warehoused and forgotten.

Kathy Miller points out, “when flight attendants give their pre-flight safety instructions, they always say the same thing about the oxygen masks. If air pressure should drop in the cabin, oxygen masks will automatically drop from the ceiling. But those of you with children, please put your own mask on first and then assist your children. The same principle applies to the care of our parents. If were going to be of any help to them, we have to be in good shape ourselves.”

[Based on my classes with Richard D. Leineweber, Jr. c. 2000]

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Receptivity to God’s Word

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Luke 8:4-21 addresses the quality of our attentiveness to God’s Word, in spiritual matters, Bible study, worship, devotional time…

This lesson is all about the heart of the listener. The nation of Israel and the disciples could not have a better teacher. The message or seed was perfect yet there were four different kinds of responses by the hearers. This was because there are four different kinds of hearts. This parable would prepare the disciples to except the sad reality that not everyone will be receptive to their teaching. We are to work hard at preparing good Bible studies and teaching, but receptivity to God’s Word or biblical teaching is an issue of the heart. Jesus is personally challenging his own disciples to build the character quality of attentiveness to God’s word. Our Lord’s half-brother James describes the goal of attentiveness, “but prove yourself to be doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves” (James 1:22).

Historical Background: Matthew 13:1, 3 says, “that same day Jesus went out of the house and… told them many things in parables.” What was significant about “that day?” Earlier that day Jesus had healed the blind, mute demoniac and Jesus had been accused by the national leaders of Israel of performing that miracle by Beelzebub, the ruler of demons, (Matthew 12:22–24). This is no small accusation. Jesus describes it as the unpardonable sin of blasphemy of the Holy Spirit, (Matthew 12:31–32).

This is unrepeatable today unless a person saw the incarnate Christ performing miracles by the Holy Spirit and attributing them to Satan. The Pharisees’ words that day condemned them, (Matthew 12:37), and judicially as a nation Jesus would hide truth from them in parables and offer them one more miraculous sign, the sign of Jonah the prophet, (his resurrection, Matthew 12:38–40).

Satan had not hindered Israel’s receptivity to God’s word because Jesus had swept the house of Israel clean of such influences so we could receive the Holy Spirit. But with their formal rejection of Jesus, he predicts that since the house is unoccupied, it wouldn’t remain empty, but would be filled with all the previous demons and that they would each find a seven other spirits more wicked than themselves to take up residence there, (Matthew 13:43–45).

The primary command we are talking about today are “let him hear” in Luke 8:8, and “take care how you listen” in Luke 8:18.

Other Times You Find this Command in the Gospels:

  • Matthew 11:15 let him hear, Matthew 15:10 hear and understand, Matthew 13:9 let him hear, Matthew 13:18 hear, Matthew 13:43 let him hear, Matthew 21:33 listen.
  • Mark 4:3 listen to this, Mark 4:9 let him hear, Mark 4:23 let him hear, Mark 4:24 take care what you listen to, Mark 7:16 let him hear.
  • Luke 8:8 let him hear, Luke 8:18 take care how you listen, Luke 18:6 hear.

The Gospels describe how large crowds came to hear Jesus, (Luke 5:15, 6:8.) People were astonished at what they heard, (Matthew 19:25, 22:33, Mark 11:18). They would come to hear him teach in the synagogue, (Mark 6:2, 12:37, Luke 21:38), and by the seashore, (Luke 5:1). Lazarus’ sister Mary made it a priority to sit at the feet of Jesus and learn from him when he stayed with them, (Luke 10:39). Table fellowship with irreligious people was one of Jesus favorite places to dialogue with lost people, (Luke 15:1). Men from the city of Sychar trusted in Jesus as Savior after listening to him, (John 4:42), but everyone wasn’t as receptive. On other occasions people walked away, (John 6:60), others were offended, (Matthew 15:12), others were grieved, (Matthew 19:22), they were angered (Luke 4:28) and saddened (Luke 18:23).

1. To whom was Jesus speaking? (Luke 8:4, 9, Matthew 13:2, 10, Mark 4:1). All these verses indicate that it was a great multitude, a very great multitude, the disciples, and his followers along with the twelve.

2. Where did Jesus teach this parable? (Mark 4:1, Matthew 13:1–2). These verses indicate that he began to teach again by the sea, a very large crowd had gathered so he got into the boat in the sea and sat down, and the whole crowd was by the sea on the land.

3. What is a parable? (Luke 8:4, Mark 4:2, Matthew 13:13). John MacArthur writes, “the parable was a common form of Jewish teaching, and the term is found some 45 times in the Septuagint, the Greek Old Testament. The term is a compound word made up from the Greek verb that means, “to throw, lay, or place,” and the prefix meaning “alongside of.” So the idea is that of placing or laying something alongside of something else for the purpose of comparison. A spiritual truth would be expressed by laying it alongside a physical example that could easily be understood. A common, observable object or practice was used to illustrate a subjective truth or principal. The known elucidated the unknown.

4. What reasons does Jesus give for teaching in parables? (Luke 8:9–10, Matthew 13:1, 10-17, Mark 4:10–12). Jesus at this point in time began to teach in parables to hide truth rather than to make it more easily understood. Only those with tender hearts and eyes of faith would receive an explanation and understand its meaning. Here Jesus clearly affirms that the ability to comprehend spiritual truth is a gracious gift of God, sovereignly bestowed on the elect, (Matthew 13:11).

Those with hard hearts are passed over. They reap the natural consequences of their own unbelief and rebellion, spiritual blindness (Matthew 13:13). Matthew seems to suggest that the words, “because while seeing they do not see,” that their own unbelief is the cause of their spiritual blindness. Luke 8:10 emphasizes God’s initiative in obscuring the truth from these unbelievers, “but to the rest is given in parables, in order that seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand, (see Isaiah 6:9). Both are true, yet we are not to think that God blinds them because he somehow delights in their destruction, (Ezekiel 33:11, 23:37). This judicial blinding may be viewed as an act of mercy, lest their condemnation be increased. Matthew 13:14–15 is quoted from Isaiah 6:9–10.

When the Jewish nation was guilty of unbelief, it was to our benefit because it brought in the Gentiles, (Matthew 13:11). (See also Acts 28:26, Isaiah 6, Romans 11).

5. What is the mystery of the kingdom of God? (Luke 8:10, Matthew 13:11, 24–50). The word “mystery” does not refer to stories like those found in modern mystery novels, whose complex plot and unexpected situations pique the curiosity of the reader.

In Scripture, the “mystery” refers to the revelation of something previously hidden and unknown. The New Testament mysteries were revelations and explanations of divine truth that were not revealed to saints under the Old Covenant.

The particular mysteries about which Jesus teaches here have to do with the Kingdom of Heaven, (Matthew 13:24, 31, 33, 44, 45, 47, 52). Parallel passages are in Mark 4:11, 30 and Luke 8:10, 13:18, or seem to be the same as the Kingdom of God, Matthew 19:23–24. One title emphasizes the king, God, and the other emphasizes the sphere of his reign, heaven. Of this Kingdom of the Old Testament gives only limited, incomplete glimpse. Some interpret these messianic prophecies in the Old Testament as pointing to Christ’s second coming and the establishment of his earthly kingdom and his subsequent eternal kingdom. Only hints were given about his present earthly kingdom that began with his rejection and crucifixion and will continue until he returns. This is the kingdom that exist spiritually in the hearts of his people while the king is physically absent from the earth. He is present with believers, but is not visible or evident in the world, except as revealed through their lives and testimony.

When the Son of God became incarnate, he was God’s unique Mediator, the divine-human instrument of rule, who in his own right deserved to establish and reign over God’s earthly kingdom. When the Son of God was rejected, God continues to rule through those who belong to Christ, those who are now empowered within by his own indwelling Holy Spirit. From Pentecost through the present day and until Christ returns, Christians are God’s rulers on earth.

To be in his mediatorial kingdom, requires intentional identity with him. For these false citizens the identity is hypocritical and superficial. For the true citizens, the identity is genuine, being based on repentance, faith in Christ, and the new life that faith in him brings, (Mark 1:15).

6. Do you think the disciples understood the mystery? (Matthew 13:51–52). The disciples respond to Jesus by saying “yes,” but from what they said and did, we know their understanding was far from perfect.

7. What does the seed represent in this parable? (Luke 8:12). The seed is called “the word of the kingdom,” (Matthew 13:19,) the “word of God,” (Luke 8:11), and just “the word” every other time, (Matthew 13:21, 22, 23, Mark 4:14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 20, Luke 8:12, 13, 15). The “word of the kingdom” is the good news of entrance into the kingdom by grace through faith. The “word” is able to save those who believe, (Luke 8:12, Romans 1:16). The “word” is the gospel but the text certainly has a broader application to receptivity to teaching of any of God’s Word.

8. Who is the sower? Jesus does not here identify the sower, but in the parable of the wheat and the tares, he says, “the one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man,” (Matthew 13:37).

9. What does the soil represent in this parable? (Luke 8:11, 15, Mark 4:14). The soil represents the “hearers” and the hearts of men, (Matthew 13:19, Luke 8:12).

10. What happens to the seed as it falls on each type of soil? (Luke 8:5–8, Matthew 13:4–8, Mark 4:4–8). The first three are not Christian, no fruit means no Christian.

  • Beside the road, (Luke 8:5). The seed was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air ate it up.
  • On rocky ground, (Luke 8:6). The seed grows, breaks the ground, but withers up because it had no moisture. Matthew 13:5 says they did not have much soil, and immediately they spraying up. Both Matthew 13:5 and Mark 4:5 describe this immediate growth was because they had no depth of soil. Luke 8:6 adds because it had no moisture.
  • Among thorns, (Luke 8:7). The seeds fell among the thorns and was choked out before it could bear fruit. Mark 4:7 adds that it yielded no crop.
  • Into the good soil, (Luke 8:8). This seed was able to produce a crop. When the seed falls on the good soil, Mark 4:7 says it grew up and increased, the yield of the crop and produced 30, 60, and one hundredfold. Matthew 13:8 says that there can be good soil but it is not all equally productive. Luke 8:8 contrasts the good soil with the three previous types of soil that were unproductive and says, “and produce a crop 100 times is great.”

11. What kind of hearts does each of the soil represent?

  • A hard and stubborn heart, (Luke 8:12): A person with a stubborn heart is totally unreceptive and does not understand it and “the bird” who is called “Satan” (Mark 4:15) or “the evil one” (Matthew 13:19) or “the devil” (Luke 8:12) comes immediately and takes away the word that was sown. Luke 8:12 gives us a reason for the urgency, “so that they may not believe and be saved.”
  • A selective heart, (Luke 8:13): A person with a selective part is quick to receive the Word but due to affliction or persecution because of the Word, he isn’t merely reluctant, he immediately falls away (Matthew 13:21). The words “fall away” (scandalizo) in Matthew 13:21 and Mark 4:17 refers to being “offended, caused to stumble, or trip.” The word translated “fall away” in Luke’s account is a different word that is equivalent to apostasy (Luke 8:13). In a way, these people are simply trying to avoid hell, which brings them some element of joy, but they have no desire to really follow Jesus, especially during hardship. They soon believe that Christianity doesn’t work and then they think any religion will do. So they don’t walk with Christ.
  • A preoccupied heart, (Luke 8:14): A person with a preoccupied heart is distracted by worry of the world, the deceitfulness of riches, (Matthew 13:22), the desires of other things, (Matthew 4:19), and the pleasures of this life, (Luke 8:14). In Matthew and Mark the word is “choked out” of a persons life, Luke identifies the person as being choked as well. A preoccupied heart leads to becoming unfruitful, (Mark 4:19). Luke says this kind of hearer will bring no fruit to maturity, (Luke 8:14). These people are just too busy.
  • A productive heart, (Luke 8:15): A person that possesses a productive heart will hear the Word, (Matthew 13:23), accept it, and he bears fruit, (Mark 4:20), some bearing a hundredfold, some 60, and some 30, (Matthew 13:23). Luke provides the explanation for the different levels of productiveness. Luke says the “seed in the good soil is the one who hears the word in an honest and and good heart, and hold it fast, and bears fruit with perseverance.” Luke suggests four steps to being good listeners that bring forth a crop that is a hundredfold.
    • An honest heart, which is the opposite of a false-hearted, dishonest person.
    • A good heart, “good” here has the meaning in the sense of good fertile soil, it denotes a soul inclined to goodness and accordingly eager to learn.
    • Hold it fast, meaning to cling to the truths that are learned. We are all prone to hear something and then forget it. Jesus is saying we need to hold onto it. This may require note taking during a message for Bible study, going over those notes during the week, maybe memorizing a key verse from the passage.
    • Bear fruit with perseverance, which means that bearing fruit takes time and perseverance. This requires life application, action steps, accountability, prayer, and a lot of patience. The degree to which we apply these four steps will determine our fruitfulness.

12. Why are some Christians more productive than others? (Luke 8:8, 15, Matthew 13:8, Mark 4:20). According to these passages there is a difference in the level of productivity. Luke’s gospel provides the insight into why all believers are described as good soil and yet they can produce a different size crop. Luke 8:15 says, “but the seed in the good soil, these are the ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance.”

13. How does Luke 8:16–17 fit into the context or the flow of the passage? Jesus is teaching that when we are not obeying what we are hearing, then in reality we really haven’t listened and are actually covering our light. Therefore, the light of the gospel should not be hidden by a life of disobedience. The light of the gospel is to be put on the stand where all men can see how we obey the teachings of Christ.

14. What does Christ command us to do in Luke 8:18 (and Luke 8:8)? The command is to “take care how you listen,” and “let him hear.” Christ commands his disciples to continually give themselves to careful attention to what they hear from God’s Word in order to truly understand it and obey it. Superficial hearing must be avoided, especially in spiritual matters.

15. What is the promise of Luke 8:18? This is a terrifying verse. Jesus cautions us not to convince ourselves that we know something if we are not doing it. There is a familiar sayings, “If we are not using it we will lose it.” No, actually the text says “It will be taken away from us.” On the other hand, if we are attentive when God speaks to us through his Word and are obeying it, we will be given more.

16. What is the characteristic of every person that is truly a member of the family of God? (Luke 8:19–21). Jesus is teaching that all true believers bear fruit, even if it’s only one small shriveled up grape. If there is no fruit, there is no root. The first three types of soils bore no fruit so they represent unregenerate people. The fruit of obedience is evidence that the life of God dwells in the professing believer, (Ephesians 2:2, 5:6, Colossians 3:6).

17. What is the central truth this parable is teaching? The seed being uniform really good, the difference of crop depends upon the character of the soil that receives the seed.

The bottom line is that we are a witness in the world whether we like it or not. There are actually five Gospels, and most people read-only you. What sort of testimony do you have? Are you able to live in such a way that brings honor and glory to God, and advance his Kingdom? Are you being a fruitful Christian? Our goal is not to be a knowledgeable sinner, but to actually do and obey the Word of God that we read or hear.

Additional Commentary:

A comparison of the parallel passages in Matthew 13:3–50 and Mark 4:2–34 highlights the different emphases that the three Synoptic evangelists are able to bring out of what is essentially the same material.

The Marcan collection begins with the Parable of the Sower and its interpretation (Mark 4:2–20), to which is added the Parable of the Lamp (Mark 4:21–25) and two kingdom parables (Mark 4:26–32). The main point of this collection seems to be the concern to show how the kingdom will grow. Despite obstacles, failures, and a small beginning, through the preaching of the Word, the kingdom will grow and succeed.

The Matthean collection also begins with the same Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:3–23), omits Mark’s Parable of the Lamp (but see Matthew 5:15) and the Parable of the Seed that grows secretly (Mark 4:26–29), and adds five new kingdom parables to Mark’s Parable of the Mustard Seed (Mark 4:30–32; Matthew 13:24–50). The focus of the Matthean collection is on the kingdom’s membership (note especially the Parable of the Wheat and Tares, Matthew 13:24–30, and its explanation in Matthew 13:36–43).

Luke, however, has gathered together no collection, electing to retain the Sower and Lamp parables only (Luke 8:4–17), to which he appends Jesus’ warning to heed his words (Luke 8:18) and his pronouncement concerning his true family (Luke 8:19–21, taken from Mark 3:31–35). The Lucan theme has nothing to do with the kingdom. Instead, its focus is upon Jesus’ word and the urgent need to obey it. 1

The Three Soils: Birger Gerhardsson (“The Parable of the Sower and Its Interpretation,” NTS 14 [1967–68], pp. 165–93) has suggested that the three soils that failed to bring forth fruit are meant to correspond to the three requirements of loyalty found in Deuteronomy 6:4–5, the “Great Commandment” (Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:29–30; Luke 10:27).

  1. The first fruitless soil represents the person who does not “love the Lord” with all his “heart” (see Matthew 13:19 where “heart” appears).
  2. The second fruitless soil represents the person who does not “love the Lord” will all his “soul” (endurance).
  3. The third fruitless soil represents the person who does not “love the Lord” with all his “might” (i.e., wealth).
  4. The fourth soil represents the person who does “love the Lord” with all his heart, soul, and might.

Gerhardsson further suggests that the Matthean order of the three temptations in the desert (Matthew 4:1-11 = Luke 4:1-12) corresponds as well. He believes that it is in the Gospel of Matthew that these parallels with Deuteronomy are the clearest. 2

Mysteries of the Kingdom:

When His disciples inquired concerning the meaning of this parable, the Lord Jesus explained that the mysteries of the kingdom of God would not be understood by everyone. Because the disciples were willing to trust and obey, they would be given the ability to understand the teachings of Christ. But Jesus purposely presented many truths in the form of parables so that those who had no real love for Him would not understand; so that seeing, they might not see, and hearing they might not understand. In one sense, they saw and heard. For instance, they knew that Jesus had talked about a sower and his seed. But they did not understand the deeper meaning of the illustration. They did not realize that their hearts were hard, impenitent, and thorny soil, and that they did not benefit from the word which they had heard. 3

His followers are given the secrets of the kingdom of God, by which is meant the plain, non-parabolic word of God, or gospel; others are given parables. The reason for this is so that “though seeing, they may not see; though hearing, they may not understand” (Luke 8:10, paraphrasing Isaiah 6:9). There have been numerous attempts to mitigate the severity of this statement, but it should be taken at face value. The secrets of the kingdom have been given to Jesus’ disciples (and here Luke means everyone who will, or has ever, become a follower of Jesus), but for the rest (i.e., those who will not heed the word of God) Jesus’ words remain enigmatic parables so that they will understand even less (Luke 8:18). This is in essence a statement of judgment and all the more reason to listen (Luke 8:8, 15, 21). 4

“It has been given to you:” Here Jesus clearly affirms that the ability to comprehend spiritual truth is a gracious gift of God, sovereignly bestowed on the elect (Matthew 13:11). The reprobate ones, on the other hand, are passed over. They reap the natural consequence of their own unbelief and rebellion—spiritual blindness (Matthew 13:13). 5

“The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven.” “Mysteries” are those truths which have been hidden from all ages in the past and revealed in the NT. This term does not refer to something puzzling, but to truth known to God before time, that He has kept secret until the appropriate time for Him to reveal it. (1 Corinthians 2:7; 4:1; Ephesians 3:4-5).

Regarding the mystery in Ephesians 3:4-5: Jew and Gentile brought together in one body in the Messiah. Paul not only wrote of the mystery that, in Christ, Jew and Gentile become one in God’s sight and in His kingdom and family, but also explained and clarified that truth. He realized that spiritual knowledge must precede practical application. What is not properly understood cannot properly be applied. 6

Many specific doctrines of the NT are identified as “mysteries” (e.g., Romans 11:25; 1 Corinthians 15:51; Ephesians 5:32; 6:19; Colossians 1:26, 27; 2 Thessalonians 2:7; 1 Timothy 3:9, 16). 5

The Responsibility of Those Who Hear:

Luke 8:16 – At first glance there does not seem to be much connection between this section and what has gone before. Actually, however, there is a continuous flow of thought. The Savior is still emphasizing the importance of what His disciples do with His teachings. He likens Himself to a man who has lit a lamp, not to be put under a vessel or under a bed, but on a lampstand for all to see the light. In teaching the disciples the principles of the kingdom of God, He was lighting a lamp. What should they do with it?

  1. First of all, they should not cover it with a vessel. In Matthew 5:15, Mark 4:21, and Luke 11:33 (KJV), the vessel is spoken of as a bushel. This of course is a unit of measure used in the world of commerce. So hiding the lamp under a bushel could speak of allowing one’s testimony to be obscured or crowded out in the rush of business life. It would be better to put the lamp on top of the bushel, that is, practice Christianity in the marketplace and use one’s business as a pulpit for propagating the gospel.
  2. Secondly, the disciple should not hide the lamp under a bed. The bed speaks of rest, comfort, sloth, and indulgence. How these can hinder the light from shining! The disciple should put the lamp on a stand. In other words, he should live and preach the truth so that all can see.

Luke 8:17 seems to suggest that if we allow the message to be confined because of business or laziness, our neglect and failure will be exposed. Hiding of the truth will be revealed, and keeping it a secret will come to light.

Luke 8:18 – Therefore we should be careful how we hear. If we are faithful in sharing the truth with others, then God will reveal new and deeper truths to us. If, on the other hand, we do not have this spirit of evangelistic zeal, God will deprive us of the truth we think we possess. What we don’t use, we lose. G. H. Lang comments: “The disciples listened with a mind eager to understand and ready to believe and obey: the rest heard with either listlessness, or curiosity, or resolute opposition. To the former more knowledge would be granted; the latter would be deprived of what knowledge they seemed to have.” 7

1 Evans, C. A. (1990). Luke (p. 125). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
2 Evans, C. A. (1990). Luke (p. 128). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
3 MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (p. 1397). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
4 Evans, C. A. (1990). Luke (pp. 126–127). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.
5 MacArthur, J., Jr. (Ed.). (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed., p. 1416). Nashville, TN: Word Pub.
6 MacArthur, J., Jr. (Ed.). (1997). The MacArthur Study Bible (electronic ed., p. 1806). Nashville, TN: Word Pub.
7 MacDonald, W. (1995). Believer’s Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments. (A. Farstad, Ed.) (pp. 1397–1398). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

[Based on my classes with Richard D. Leineweber, Jr. c. 2000]

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How to Avoid Being Judgmental

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Human nature encourages us to pay far more attention to the shortcomings of others than to our own faults. We tend to evaluate others on the basis of a lofty standard of righteousness that somehow is not applicable to our own performance.

The disciples of Jesus had been highly influenced by the leadership style of the Pharisees, who didn’t bring the best out in people. They were critical, picky, and thought the worst concerning people. Their ministry didn’t offer hope, but condemnation. Their criticism was spawned out of self-righteous pride. They were condescending and didn’t believe in what God could do or was doing in the lives of people.

The larger context of this passage is about proper relationships. The unChristian study revealed a lot of perception when it comes to Christianity.

  • Proper relationship with Christian brothers (Matthew 7:1-5).
  • Proper relationship with unreceptive unbelievers (Matthew 7:6) Proper relationship with God the Father (Matthew 7:7-11).
  • Proper relationship with all people (Matthew 7:12).

Our Focal Passage Today is Matthew 7:1-12 – Questions:

1. What would you say is the orientation of our church, doubting and criticizing people or believing and hoping the best for people?

2. Can you be a nonjudgmental person yet make moral and theological judgments? If yes explain why? (1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, 1 Timothy 4:1-6, 6:3-5, 1 John 4:1-3, Jude 3, Revelation 2:2).

3. How does Jesus himself make a moral judgment? (Matthew 7:6)

4. What is the difference between dogs and hogs? (Matthew 7:6)

5. What causes us to be less condemning (or judgmental) and more merciful? (James 2:12-13)

6. What is the negative command that Jesus give his disciples and Matthew 7:1?

7. Why is it advantageous not to judge others? (Matthew 7:16)

8. What happens to a person that is constantly faultfinding and nitpicking? (Matthew 7:2, Luke 6:37, Proverbs 26:27)

9. What should our “standard of measure” be? (Matthew 7:2)

10. how can you know whether you possess a judgmental spirit? Write the six principles from the following passages. I possess a judgmental spirit when…

  • 1 Corinthians 4:5
  • Romans 14:3-5, 10, 12-13, Colossians 2:16
  • Luke 18:11-14
  • John 7:24, 8:15, 2 Corinthians 5:16-17
  • Romans 2:1
  • Matthew 7:5, 1 Corinthians 11:28, Galatians 6:3-5

11. What part of the human body does Jesus use to illustrate his point that we ought to first examine ourselves? (Matthew 7:35)

12. Why is it so outrageous for the person in Jesus illustration to claim to be an eye surgeon? (Matthew 7:45)

13. What does Jesus call people who find fault with others? (Matthew 7:5a)

14. What does the command in Matthew 7:5 demand of us?

15. What does self-examination involved? (Matthew 7:5b)

16. What does a self-examination prepare us to do? (Matthew 7:5c)

Six Steps to Avoid a Judgmental Spirit:

Step 1 – Do Not be Judgmental (Matthew 7:1a)

What it does NOT forbid…

  • Judging between what is legal in a court of law (Matthew 5:22).
  • Making moral distinctions (Matthew 5:21, 27, John 4:15-18, 8:1-11).
  • Passing judgment on false religious leaders (Matthew 7:15-20, 1 John 4:1–3, 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22, 1 Corinthians 14-29, Acts 17:11, Revelation 2:2).
  • Deciding where people are in their receptivity to God’s Word (Matthew 7:6, Matthew 10:14, Acts 13:31, 18:5-6).
  • Determining God’s will (Romans 2:18, Philippians 1:10).

In John 7:24, Jesus said, “do not judge according to appearance but judge with the righteous judgment.” This verse presupposes that some kind of judging are not only legitimate but mandated.

What it DOES forbid…

  • Deciding what a person’s motive is without asking (1 Corinthians 4:5).
  • Measuring everyone else by your self-made standards or personal convictions (Romans 14:3–5, 10, 12, 13, Colossians 2:16). “Other may but I cannot,” dealing with gray areas and amoral issues.
  • Justifying yourself by condemning other people (Luke 18:11–14). When I have to elevate myself by lowering others I’m in trouble.
  • Making a first impression based solely upon external appearances (John 7:24, 8:15, 2 Corinthians 5:16–17, 1 Samuel 16:17). Coming down hard on others when you so miserably fail in the same area (Romans 2:1).
  • Quickly judging others before examining oneself (Matthew 7:5, 1 Corinthians 11:28, Galatians 6:3–5, also 1 Corinthians 11:31, 2 Corinthians 13:5).

Step 2 – Be Prepared for the Boomerang Effect Response (Matthew 7:1b-2)

The command “do not judge” is present imperative. This verse ends with the purpose clause, “so that you will not be judged.” Jesus wanted his disciples to understand that critical and picky preachers breed critical and picky congregations. This is not a reference to God’s judgment because he is just and will judge all of us by the eternal standard of his word.

If you want others to judge and condemn you, you start it. If you want them to be understanding, loving, believing, then begin by being that way yourself. A positive attitude is as contagious as the flu. Unfortunately, so are frowns, sighs, cutting sarcasm, and harsh words (Proverbs 26:27)

Jesus says a judgmental spirit has a boomerang effect and it will come back upon the one who was initially judgmental (Matthew 7:2)

Charles Swindoll calls, the Law of a Echoes,” telling the story of a young boy who lived with his grandfather on the top of a mountain in the Swiss Alps. He would often love to hear the sound of his own voice echoing back to him, he would go outside and shout “hello” and the sound would come back “hello, hello, hello.” One Day the boy misbehaved and needed some discipline. The boy resented receiving it so much that he shouted to his grandfather, “I hate you,” and the rocks and boulders across the mountains responded in kind.

Step 3 – Answer the Why and How Questions (Matthew 7:3–4)

Jesus chose the eye to illustrate his teaching because this is one of the most sensitive areas of the human body. Jesus is using colorful hyperbole here. He is exaggerating to make his point vivid. There is no way a log can get stuck, unnoticed, in someone’s eye. Jesus may have even dramatized this point, which would have made this teaching quite humorous.

The word “speck” refers to a little splinter, a small twig, a bit of dried stalk or stick; perhaps like a speck of sawdust. The word “log” refers to a beam that supports the roof of the building. It signifies a large 6×8 beam, a timber cut out of the trunk of a tree. Jesus is describing a timber that is more like a telephone pole than a plank.

Although a speck is small in comparison to a log, it is not an insignificant object to have in the eye. Jesus’ comparison is not between very small sin or fault and one that is large, but between one that is large and one that is gigantic.

The word for “look” is the present tense and stresses the “continuous gaze or focus upon” that speck. Jesus wants them to recognize that they are so quickly to notice, pay attention, or call attention to that speck because it is a little piece of our own log. This suggest that we become most critical of that in others, which is a major problem in ourselves.

The word “notice” means “to perceive clearly, to consider closely, carefully, and thoroughly, to understand fully.” The term conveys the idea of serious, continuous meditation or thought. Jesus is saying in effect, “Why don’t you stop and think about your own sin? Until you have done that how can you confront another about their shortcomings?”

When Jesus asked the question, “How can you say to your brother…” It is like a blind surgeon trying to remove a splinter from someone else’s eye.

Step 4 – Stop Play Acting (Matthew 7:5a)

Jesus accused the person he described in Matthew 7:4 with these words, “you hypocrite.” The word “hypocrite” refers to the Greek and Roman play actors who spoke into large masks with mechanical devices for augmenting the force of their voice. Hypocrites referred to people who are pretending to be somebody or something that they aren’t.

In this context the word hypocrite could refer to the condemning the brother who is guilty of the same sin but has done nothing about it (Romans 2:1, Romans 2:3, Romans 2:17–24, James 4:11–12).

Step 5 – Make it Your First Priority to do Self-examination (Matthew 7:5b)

The Pharisees judged and criticized others to make themselves look good (Luke 18:9–14). In contrast, Christ commands his disciples to judge themselves so that they can help others look good. There is a huge difference. Since the Pharisees didn’t have an adequate definition for sin, they had a very inadequate appreciation of their own faults. If they knew how worthy of blame they themselves were, they would have been less ready to blame others.

Jesus commands us to “first take the log out of our own eye.” The aorist tense denotes urgency, the imperative mood demands immediate action and obedience.

There were two extremes that must be avoided in this matter of self-examination:

Shallow Examination – sometimes we are so sure of ourselves that we fail to examine our hearts honestly and thoroughly. A quick glance into the “mirror of the word” will never reveal our true situation. It’s only when one “looks intently at the perfect law, the law of liberty” (James 1:25) that he sees what kind of person he really is.

Perpetual Autopsy – sometimes we get so wrapped up in self-examination and introspection we become discouraged, guilt ridden, and defeated. Satan longs to accuse us (Revelation 12:10) and put us on a permanent guilt trip that immobilizes us from active service in the kingdom. We need to acknowledge our sin, own it, morning over it, confessed it, and fully experience God’s forgiveness. (1 John 1:9)

Step 6 – Help Your Brother (Matthew 7:5c)

When you’re able to see clearly, then you’re able to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. When we judge ourselves rightly and deal with the log in our own eye, only then are we able to see clearly enough to help our brother. God wants us to be good listeners but eye surgery involves more than just listening to the patient. Eventually the eye surgeon must do the delicate and tender work of operating on the patients eye. So, the Christian eventually needs to speak into the other lives of other people.

Jesus doesn’t call us to be parakeets but Paracletes who “come beside” our brother to help him. Jesus doesn’t want to us to parakeet our brothers words and say nonjudgmental statements back to a brother caught in a trespass (Galatians 6:1). Jesus instructs us here to discern what is constricting our brother’s vision and to intentionally attempt to remove it.

Discernment versus Judgment:

1. Regarding Personal Sins:

  • A discerning person – One who discerns by thoroughly examining himself before evaluating the actions of others (Galatians 6:4, 1 Corinthians 11:28, 31, 2 Corinthians 13:5).
  • A judgmental person – One who judges by condemning others for their visible problems but fails to realize that their attitude stem from root problems which he himself has not yet overcome. (Romans 2:1, 14:10).

2. Regarding Facts or Evidence:

  • A discerning person – One who discerns by checking the accuracy of all the facts and related factors before reaching a conclusion. (1 Corinthians 2:15, 1 Thessalonians 5:21, 1 John 4:1).
  • A judgmental person – One who judges by forming opinions on first impressions or hearsay, then looks for evidence to confirm his opinions even though the evidence may be out of context. (John 7:24, 51, James 4:11).

3. Regarding Exposure:

  • A discerning person – One who discerns by dealing as privately as possible with the problems he sees. (1 Corinthians 6:5).
    A judgmental person – One who judges by publicly exposing those he condemns. This may cause others to condemn him for having the same route problem such as pride, lack of love, or a critical spirit. (Luke 6:37)

Definitions of Words:

The Root Meaning of Judgment: The Greek verb is used in Scripture to describe the scope and action of judgment. KRINO no means to pass judgment on, to sentence, to mentally or judicial condemn, to conclude, to decide, to determine.

The Root Meaning of Discernment: there are several Greek words to describe the scope and action of discernment.

  1. DOKIMAZO means to test, to examine, to interpret, to discover, to approve, to prove, to demonstrate.
  2. ANAKRINO means to ask questions, to examine, to evaluate, to scrutinize, to investigate, to search out.
  3. DIAKRINO means to make a distinction (between persons), to weigh thoroughly each part.

Take a look at this word study document (by Rick Leineweber) to see the categories of uses of these words in Scripture. [ Go ]

Understanding The Bible Commentary:

Jesus says, Do not judge. The Greek construction (mē plus the present imperative) carries with it the idea of “ceasing what you are now doing.” Judging, in this context, implies a harsh and censorious spirit. If you insist on condemning others, you exclude yourself from God’s forgiveness. Although it is psychologically true that a critical spirit receives from others a harsh response, Jesus is here speaking of final judgment. The NIV correctly translates, “or you too will be judged.”

The admonition not to judge is often taken incorrectly to imply that believers are not to make moral judgments about anyone or anything. That this is not what was intended is clear from Matthew 7:15–20, which warn of false prophets who can be known by the fruit they bear. Jesus does not ask us to lay aside our critical faculties but rather to resist the urge to speak harshly of others. The issue is serious in that God will judge us by the same standard we apply to others. This rather frightening truth should change the way in which we tend to view other people’s failings.

Matthew 7:3–5 present the ludicrous picture of someone with a long beam or rafter protruding from his eye trying to extract a tiny chip of dried wood (or perhaps a speck of dust) from the eye of another. Obviously we are dealing with Eastern hyperbole (like Matthew 19:24, with its scene of a camel going through the eye of a needle!). How hypocritical to be concerned with the minor fault of another in view of one’s own personal failure. Taken in an unqualified sense, this would put a complete stop to helping others with their moral difficulties. Undoubtedly it is intended to restrict hypocritical correction of others rather than to prohibit all helpful correction.

Matthew 7:6 is proverbial and difficult to interpret in its present context. Dogs and hogs are derogatory terms applied to the Gentiles. Some think that in the present context they refer to all who are not disciples of Jesus. Probably the words should be understood in a more general way as counsel against sharing spiritual truth with those who are unable and unwilling to accept it. Practically, it would be unthinkable to take sacred food and give it to dogs or valuable pearls and feed them to pigs. The point is, use discretion as you share the truth of God with others.

Matthew 7:7–11 – Earlier in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 6:5–15) Matthew brought together a portion of Jesus’ teaching on the subject of prayer. Now he expands it by stressing how important it is for believers to be persistent in prayer. The present imperatives, “keep on asking,” “keep on seeking,” and “keep on knocking” indicate that prayer is not a semi-passive ritual in which we occasionally share our concerns with God. In Luke, the narrative is immediately preceded by the story of the man awakened from sleep at midnight by an importunate neighbor who needs bread to feed a guest (Luke 11:5–8). Prayer requires stamina and persistence. Divine delays do not indicate reluctance on God’s part. In the time of waiting we learn patience, and the intensity of our desire is put to the test. God, through Jeremiah, told the exiles in Babylon, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). It is those who “hunger and thirst for righteousness” that are satisfied (Matthew 5:6).

Jesus now reasons that since earthly fathers who are less than perfect will not mock a child who asks for food, does it not follow that God will give good things to those who ask? Jesus is not making a theological statement about absolute human goodness but is drawing a comparison between parents’ natural acts of kindness toward their children and the perfection of God’s generosity toward those who seek his favor.

Matthew 7:12 – This verse is commonly called the Golden Rule. In its negative form it is found in many ancient cultures. Confucius said, “What you do not want done to yourself, do not do to others.” In the fourth century B.C., the Athenian orator Isocrates said, “Whatever angers you when you suffer it at the hands of others, do not do it to others.” Apparently it never was stated in the positive form (Do to others what you would have them do to you) by anyone before Jesus. Some writers hold that the shift from negative to positive is without any particular significance. However, in its negative form the Golden Rule could be satisfied by doing nothing. The positive form moves us to action on behalf of others; it calls us to do for others all those things that we would appreciate being done for us. Now we have moved from justice to active benevolence. This kind of outgoing and dynamic concern for others sums up the Law and the Prophets (cf. Weymouth). It is “the essence of all true religion” (Phillips). The Golden Rule brings into focus the ethical intent that lay behind all the Old Testament legislation on matters of interpersonal relationships. The law of love is the ultimate expression of the ethical teaching of both law and prophetic injunction (Matthew 5:17).

This last section is from, Mounce, R. H. (2011). Matthew.
Understanding the Bible Commentary Series (64–67). Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

[Based on my classes with Richard D. Leineweber, Jr. c. 2000]

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