Meditate on it

 " But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. " - Matthew 6:33 Finishing up this section, I found this bit of commentary from Scofield interesting.  I've puzzled over the Kingdom of God before--how can it be now, I've wondered.  How can you enter into it now?  These types of messy matters slow me down in my reading, so I'm tempted to toss them aside and move to the next narrative. It's always a balance with these things.  But, how can one justify blowing by such a big concept?  Although the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Heaven have much in common, the terms are distinct and not interchangeable. My summary of differences based on Scofield: Kingdom of God- -only by new birth, universal (includes angels, saints), timeless, inward, spiritual, doesn't "show" on the outside. Kingdom of Heaven-- in this current era may be true or false (visible Church?), the outworking of the time-bo

Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Matthew 6:26 "I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the wild beasts of the field are mine." -Psalm 50:11 Therefore (διὰ τοῦτο). Because of this fact last mentioned, the impossibility of dividing your service. Cease to be anxious about things of this life, for anxiety about these is a mark of your attempting this impossibility. The birds are fed because they diligently work to maintain their lives. They do not store up great amounts of food, but continually work . And believers are far more valuable to God than birds! The lilies grow daily through a natural process. Therefore an individual need not be anxious about his existence (Mat_6:31), for by worrying he can never add any amount of time, not even a single hour, to his life. -BKC But we should not infer from this that we need not work for the supply of our present needs. Pa

In verse 28 "consider" (καταμάθετε) , learn thoroughly. Our Lord, in the present verse, bids us use the powers we possess; in verse 28 he bids us learn the lessons that we can find round us. Consider the lilies Contentment without distrust. I. They are clothed with beauty (1Pe_3:3-4). II. They grow without anxiety. They never fret because of the heat, drought, rain, or cold. They pass through changes; are of different growth. III. They are watched, although soon to pall. (Canon Titcomb, M. A.)  Marlene Tays Wellard, Consider the Lilies Lily lessons I. A lesson of wonder and delight in contemplating the works of God. They are God’s workmanship. II. Admire and love what is beautiful. Some people take no account of beauty; they want only the useful. The beauty of heaven, the beauty of holiness. III. Diligence. IV. Patience and punctuality. Every blossom has its season. V. Tolerance. Lilies and roses and oaks all grow in obedience to same laws; but ea

Section 42  THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT (A Mountain Plateau not far from Capernaum)  Subdivision F SECURITY OF HEAVENLY TREASURES CONTRASTED WITH EARTHLY ANXIETIES MATT. 6:25-34 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?  Matthew 6:27 These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs . Matthew 6:32 Today's trouble is enough for today. Matthew 6:34 2. All this is done to drive us to live by the day: to let the day’s affairs fill the day’s thoughts. See the benefit of this. (1) As respects our pleasures. How can a man enjoy pleasure when he has his mind disturbed about the future? We must dwell on it undistractedly. (2) As respects your pains. That which makes pain painful is the thought that it will continue. (3) As respects duties. The secret of doing anything well is concentration. 3. We should have only to do with the sins of the current day. As with our sins so with our cares. 4. The trouble which c

If I had time and emotional endurance, I would write extensively about my older children--the sadness that comes from the young ones being young no more, the internal reflection that comes looking over the span of childhood years spent, the promise of watching our children find their adult legs, and the awkward, quiet helplessness of letting them stumble and leave.  To not take the leaving as personal is hard--not in my mind, as I know it's the end goal, but in my heart, to not covet the younger years.  To keep it all about them, not my own shifting sands. To live in this awkward in between---to adjust my own sails, rearrange my time, think new thoughts, yet balance and be there for Rose as the youngest. To have the stamina to see David and Rose's education out as the demands change shape, waxing in new ways, and waning in others.  To rest in the winter of childhood years and not leap fully into my "own" life again.  To listen to a few whispering regrets among t

Section 42  THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT (A Mountain Plateau not far from Capernaum)  Subdivision F SECURITY OF HEAVENLY TREASURES CONTRASTED WITH EARTHLY ANXIETIES MATT. 6:19-24 "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal."  Matthew 6:19-20  "As the impossibility of hoarding earthly treasures is in the preceding verse urged as a reason against it, so in this verse the possibility of amassing perpetual possessions in heaven is set forth as the reason why we should do it. Thus the striking contrast between the two kinds of treasures is brought to our notice, so that it is the height of folly not to make a proper choice between them."  -Fourfold Gospel The love of accumulation is a principle in our nature; no man free from its fascination. The onl

Section 42 THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT.  (A Mountain Plateau not far from Capernaum.)  Subdivision E ALMSGIVING, PRAYER, AND FASTING TO BE PERFORMED SINCERELY, NOT OSTENTATIOUSLY.  MATT. 6:1-18 Alms This section is about giving, praying, and fasting.  Jesus is concerned that these actions be done quietly, discreetly, and with proper reverence to God instead of show to man. alms--Or, righteous acts. The word refers to religious externalities. -Scofield i.e. the reward they have sought. -Scofield Both commentaries connect this back to the prior passage: If "but" is genuine, as is on the whole more probable, our Lord places this warning in close relation to the preceding charge. Aim at "perfection," but beware of mere show. -Pulpit Commentary "As we must do better than the scribes and Pharisees in avoiding heart-sins, heart-adultery, and heart-murder, so likewise in maintaining and keeping up heart-religion, doing what we do from an inward, vital pr

Title I suspect this will be about the godless denying God set up as a contrast as David seeks God. Paraphrase The foolish deny that God exists and commit evil acts. (v1) God looks down from Heaven to see if any are listening and seeking Him (v2) All have gone astray and become sinful (v3) A question from God--have all the sinners no knowledge?  They abuse God's people and ignore God. (v4) They should be/will be in fear because God sides with the generation of the righteous (v5) They have shamed the poor because God is their advocate (v6) A wish that salvation would come out of Israel, that God would redeem the captivity of his people ----then they will rejoice. Connotation/Attitude The poem sets up a contrast between the present (the wicked dominating) and the future (return from captivity and restoration.  The tone is condemning toward the wicked and earnest--longing for God to right the wrongs. Theme One theme is the poet's thirst for righteousness to be mani

Title How Long, O Lord, a psalm by David My prediction is that it will be about David pleading to the Lord for patience to endure--that he longs for God to avenge his enemies. Paraphrase v 1  Interrogatives--David asks God how long will he forget him, hiding his face from him. v 2  More Interrogatives--How long must David struggle with sorrow in his heart?  How long will his enemy flourish? v 3   Shift to Imperative--David asks God to consider and hear him, to clear his vision so that he doesn't die (or become hopelessly discouraged?) v 4  Or his enemy will think he's won and rejoice in their victory. v 5  But David trusts in God's mercy and his heart will have joy in his salvation. v 6 He will sing to God because God has been good to him. Connotation David uses a question and answer format to create a dialogue with himself and the listener.  There are two shifts in the psalm.  3 shifts from general interrogative questions to imperative pleas to God.

To analyze this psalm, I'm going to use a process called TPCASTT  (An acronym I might use this fall when teaching, so I'm trying it out here to see how useful it is.) Title-- A psalm of David, The Faithful Have Vanished My guess is that this poem will be about a time David felt abandoned--perhaps by his son, by God, or by the people he led. He may question God and where He is in this moment.  He may look to God as his strength. Paraphrase-- Help--godly men cease to be. Men speak flattery and lies to each other constantly. The Lord will stop those lips. Who boasts that they will succeed, not needing God? God will rise to help the poor and needy and keep them safe from the boastful. The words of God are pure and trustworthy. God will preserve His word from this generation to forever. When evil men are praised, the wicked are all around us. Connotation Verse 1 sets up the essential problem; the godly are gone and wicked men abound. Verses 2 through 5 switch ba

MATT. 5:38-48 LUKE 6:27-30, 32-36 Retaliation and Submission "You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’  But I say to you, Do not resist the one who is evil. But if anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.  And if anyone would sue you and take your tunic, let him have your cloak as well.  And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.  Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you.  -Matthew 5:38-42 "Lit., the jaw. The cheek is παρειά. The blow intended is not, therefore, a mere slap, but a heavy blow; an act of violence rather than of contempt." -Vincent's Word Studies "It is a blessed possibility that Jesus opens for us, that our kindly emotions towards men need not be at the mercy of theirs to us....Think of what any community, great or small, would be, if enmity were met by love only and always." -MacLaren "Generally

MATT. 5:27-32 A Drastic Approach to Uprooting Sin "And if thy right eye  [the organ of reception]  causeth thee to stumble, pluck it out, and cast it from thee,"  [these words indicate decision and determination, and suggest the conduct of a surgeon, who, to protect the rest of the body, unflinchingly severs the gangrened members.  -Fourfold Gospel 1) The offending eye and hand must go. No matter how dear the "eye"—the idol. No matter how useful the "hand"—the acquisition (cf. Gal_5:24; Col_3:5). 2) Men, under surgical advice, will part with a limb or an organ to save life. So the sinner who hazards his soul for his idol must sacrifice his idol to save his soul. (3) To neglect the mortifying of a single member may prove the destruction of all the members. When one member sins, all the members sin with it and suffer the penalty. Better one perish in repentance than all perish in Gehenna. (4) Those duties which are most unpleasant are often most &qu

Section 42  THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT  (A Mountain Plateau not far from Capernaum)  Subdivision D.  RELATION OF MESSIANIC TEACHING TO OLD TESTAMENT AND TRADITIONAL TEACHING Oaths MATT. 5:33-37 “Again you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform to the Lord what you have sworn.’ But I say to you, Do not take an oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not take an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let what you say be simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything more than this comes from evil. " -Matthew 5:33-37 Some passages come easier than others--this one goes down smooth for me.  I dislike pretense and double meanings.  As a child, I hated puns and funny tricks---just the facts please, as they really stand.  I like the thought that a person's word should alone be enough.  If we

Section 42  THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT  (A Mountain Plateau not far from Capernaum)  Subdivision D.  RELATION OF MESSIANIC TEACHING TO OLD TESTAMENT AND TRADITIONAL TEACHING MATT. 5:21-26 Anger "But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire. " Matthew 5:22 These are hard passages to think about because they inevitably lead me to check my spirit and fall short.  Surely I have justifiable anger and what to do about that?  How does one know what is justifiable? Am I to loan to irresponsible, ungrateful people?  Should I be giving handouts to the random beggars at stoplights locally? The window is narrow according to Jesus--if my brother has something against me , I need to seek reconciliation.  The standard is also my brother's anger.  Does this mean that I am to appease an unreasonable brother-

Section 42  THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT  (A Mountain Plateau not far from Capernaum)  Subdivision D.  RELATION OF MESSIANIC TEACHING TO OLD TESTAMENT AND TRADITIONAL TEACHING MATT. 5:17-20 The Law "This verse [ Think not I am come to destroy the law or the prophets ...] constitutes a preface to the section of the sermon which follows it. It is intended to prevent a misconstruction of what he was about to say." -The Fourfold Gosepl This section of Matthew is  intimidating, the law taken to an impossible standard.   The impossibility of fulfilling the law apart from Christ is the very point. To destroy (καταλῦσαι) Lit., to loosen down, dissolve; Wyc., undo. "For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law, till all things be accomplished. " Matthew 5:18 Jack Abeelen --two purposes of the law: 1. To convince you of sin (God's purpose) 2. Barometer of performance (Man's pu

Section 42  THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT  (A Mountain Plateau not far from Capernaum)  Subdivision C  INFLUENCE AND DUTIES OF MESSIAH'S SUBJECTS MATT. 5:14-16, light Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel , but on the stand; and it shineth unto all that are in the house.- Matthew 5:15 The Fourfold Gospel explains that a candle was "a common measure, found in every Jewish house, and containing about a peck.   Lamps were then crude affairs without chimneys, in which, for the most part, olive oil was burned. Candles were not then known. The word candle, where used in the King James version, is a mistranslation." The Message translation (not a favorite of mine, but refreshing at times) brings a contemporary sense to the light imagery: Now that I've put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you'll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Fath

Section 42  THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT  (A Mountain Plateau not far from Capernaum)  Subdivision C  INFLUENCE AND DUTIES OF MESSIAH'S SUBJECTS MATT. 5:13, Salt The great calling of the disciples of Christ 1. Salt is intended to nourish: it is an article of food. The godly must nourish the earth spiritually. 2. Salt is intended to preserve. 3. Salt has also a consuming power. There is something sharp, biting, and aggressive in it. Laid on a wound it is painful. The Christian often pains men to heal them. (T. Christlieb, D. D.) Have lost his savour (μωρανθῇ) "The kindred noun (μωρός) means dull, sluggish; applied to the mind, stupid or silly; applied to the taste, insipid, flat. The verb here used of salt, to become insipid, also means to play the fool. Our Lord refers here to the familiar fact of salt losing its pungency and becoming useless. "-Vincent's Word Studies "It is their calling to counterwork the corruption that is in the world. All thos