Section 108 B

Section 108 B
IN REPLY TO THE QUESTIONS AS TO HIS AUTHORITY
JESUS GIVES THE THIRD GREAT GROUP OF PARABLES.
(In the Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, A. D. 30.)
Subdivision B
PARABLE OF THE TWO SONS
MATT. 21:28-32

Audience--The Jewish leaders
"A bad promise well broken; a good promise sacrificed" BI, Talmage
Jesus asks the leaders to decipher a parable where one son says he will go and doesn't, while the other says he won't go and does.  "Who did the will of his father," he asks.  The answer points to the preceding context where the leaders questioned where his authority originated and also that works, their works, were not God's works.

"For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him."  -Matthew 21:32

"The parable of the two sons teaches that hard hearts may lie under fair words, while those of whom we expect least and whose first greeting is abrupt and disappointing, may later prove to be the most devoted and hopeful disciples."-FB Meyer

"His subsequent disobedience. We need not suppose that this second son had lied to his father, promising in smooth words what he never intended to perform. It is more probable that our Lord would have us think of him as honest in his profession. He really intended to obey. But he did not count the cost, or the good mood of acquiescence passed away, or some other more fascinating attraction led him to forget, or at least to neglect, his promise. There is an enormous step to be taken from good resolutions to good actions. Many a hindrance, many a temptation, comes between." Pulpit

"It is not enough that we apprehend truth to be good and valuable, if it do not influence the will and the affections." -E. Temple

"Therefore I say to every man in my presence: Do not neglect the impulses to a nobler life. Do not put them away from you. Do not prove dishonest and tricky with any of those movements in yourself which indicate that the germ of Divine life is in you. “-BI

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Section 108 A

Section 108 A
IN REPLY TO THE QUESTIONS AS TO HIS AUTHORITY, JESUS GIVES THE THIRD GREAT GROUP OF PARABLES
(In the Court of the Temple. Tuesday, April 4, A. D. 30.)
Subdivision A
INTRODUCTION
MATT. 21:23-27
MARK 11:27-33
LUKE 20:1-8

Summary: The religious leaders approach Jesus in the temple.  Mark supplies that it was while he was walking in the temple.

"By what authority ... - There was a show of propriety in this question. He was making great changes in the affairs of the temple, and they claimed the right to know why this was done, contrary to their permission. He was not “a priest;” he had no civil or ecclesiastical authority as a Jew. It was sufficient authority, indeed, that he came as a prophet and worked miracles. But they professed not to be satisfied with that."  -Barnes

"If they couldn't tell that much about John, why did they question the authority of One who was greater than John? This passage shows that the great essential in teaching God's word is to be filled with the Holy Spirit. One who has that enduement can triumph over those whose power is wrapped up in degrees, human titles, and honors." -Believer's Bible

"But shall we say, ‘From man’?”—they were afraid of the people, for they all held that John really was a prophet." Mark 11:32

"The reward of their evil conscience is to be afraid of those who should have been afraid of them." -Geneva

Section 107

Section 107
FINDING THE FIG-TREE WITHERED
(Road from Bethany to Jerusalem, Tuesday, April 4, A. D. 30.)
MATT. 21:20-22
MARK 11:19-25
LUKE 21:37, 38

Summary--Matthew and Mark report that on the way to Jerusalem, going by the Mount of Olives, the disciples observe the withered fig tree that Jesus cursed the day before.  They are astonished that it withered so quickly.  Mark mentions that it's Peter who points it out. Luke relates that every day he teaches in the temple, but at night he returns to Mount Olivet. (Mount Olive).

"And all the people came early in the morning to him in the temple, to hear him." Luke 21:38

"The enthusiasm of the triumphal entry did not die out in a day: Jesus was still the center of observation."
-Fourfold

"When the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, How did the fig tree immediately wither away?" Matthew 21:20

"Jesus had simply condemned it to fruitlessness, but his condemnation involved it in an evil which it justly deserved. The judgment of God reveals; and that which is dead in fact is made dead in appearance also."  -Fourfold

The Lord was teaching the importance of faith rather than doubting or simply marveling. By contrast the nation of Israel had failed to exercise faith in Him. -BKC

But this fig tree was a hypocrite. It had leaves—the outward appearance of vitality and health—but no fruit. So Jesus cursed it. And it withered, Mark tells us, beginning with the roots (Mar_11:20).  -Jon Courson

The day opens with the sight on the-way to the city of the withered fig tree, a sad symbol of the impending fate of Israel, to be decided ere the day closed by their final rejection of their Saviour-King. This was our Lord’s single miracle of judgment; many a stern word of warning did He speak, but there is no severity in His deeds: they are all mercy and love. The single exception, if exception it may be called, makes this great fact stand out only the more impressively. -Expositor's Bible

"The Son of man is not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them." Judgment is His strange work; from the very thought of it He shrinks, as seems suggested to us here by the fact that, in the use He makes of the circumstance in His conversation with the disciples, He refrains from speaking of its dark significance, but rather takes the opportunity of teaching from it an incidental lesson full of hope and comfort regarding the power of faith and the value of prayer (Mat_21:21-22). -Expositor's Bible

If ye have faith, and doubt not - See on Mat_17:20 (note). Removing mountains, and rooting up of mountains, are phrases very generally used to signify the removing or conquering great difficulties - getting through perplexities. So, many of the rabbins are termed rooters up of mountains, because they were dexterous in removing difficulties, solving cases of conscience, etc. In this sense our Lord’s words are to be understood. He that has faith will get through every difficulty and perplexity; mountains shall become molehills or plains before him. The saying is neither to be taken in its literal sense, nor is it hyperbolical: it is a proverbial form of speech, which no Jew could misunderstand, and with which no Christian ought to be puzzled.  Adam Clark

Section 106

Section 106 
BARREN FIG-TREE
TEMPLE CLEANSED
(Road from Bethany and Jerusalem. Monday, April 4, A. D. 30.)
MATT. 21:18, 19, 12, 13
MARK 11:12-18
LUKE 19:45-48

My Summary

In Matthew, Jesus cleanses the temple when he first enters Jerusalem and heals the lame and sick.  Then he lodges outside of Jerusalem in Bethany.  He curses the fig tree when heading back into Jerusalem the next day, and it withers (Matthew 21).

Mark relates that Jesus was hungry when heading back into Jerusalem, that he saw a fig tree in the distance, went to look for fruit and found none.  He adds the detail that it was not the season for figs and curses it.
Odd.  Why expect figs in the wrong season?  Why bother to curse a tree?  It's got to be symbolic.  After exploring commentary--yup, I think I'm right, it's symbolic:

"Scripturally, historically, and presently, the fig tree is a symbol of the nation of Israel. Jeremiah, Amos, Ezekiel, Hosea, and Isaiah all liken Israel to the fig tree. Just as the eagle symbolizes America and the bear represents Russia, so Israel is portrayed by the fig tree." -Jon Courson

"This event may have meaning beyond the lesson in faith, however. Many believe that Jesus saw this fig tree as a symbol of Israel at that time. They too were professing to be fruitful, but a closer examination of the nation revealed they were fruitless. By cursing that generation, Jesus was showing His rejection of them and predicting that no fruit would ever come from them. Within a few days, that generation would reject their King and crucify Him. This ultimately led to judgment on that generation. In a.d. 70 the Romans came, demolished the temple, overran the country of Israel, and ended Israel’s political entity (Luk_21:20). Perhaps in cursing the fig tree, Jesus was setting aside that generation. Of course the entire nation was not set aside (cf. Rom_11:1, Rom_11:26)."-BKC

The incident and the disciple's relation of it makes much more sense in light of the symbolism and timing, "within a few days, that generation would reject their King."  A few commentaries helped me better understand the timing of fruit on fig trees in this area with regard to Christ's expectations.  With such trees, the fruit either comes before or at the same time as the leaves, not after.

"Fig trees in Bible lands produced an early, edible fruit before the leaves appeared. This was a harbinger of the regular crop. If no early figs appeared, as in the case of this fig tree, it indicated that there would be no regular figs later on."-Believers Bible Commentary

"And found nothing thereon but leaves only" - Mark

https://lauramakes.com/tag/figs/

I was also confused by the remark that "the time of figs was not yet," but Albert Barnes helped me with this:

"Mar_11:13 gives as a reason for this that “the time of figs was not yet.” That is, the time “of gathering” the figs was not yet, or had not passed. It was a time when figs were ripe or suitable to eat, or he would not have gone to it, expecting to find them; but the time of gathering them had not passed, and it was to be presumed that they were still on the tree. This took place on the week of the Passover, or in the beginning of April. Figs, in Palestine, are commonly ripe at the Passover. The summer in Palestine begins in March, and it is no uncommon thing that figs should be eatable in April. It is said that they sometimes produce fruit the year round." -Barnes

Luke tells that Jesus drove the sellers out of the temple and taught there daily.

Commentary regarding Christ's cleansing of the temple:

All irreverence is really, when we get to the bottom of it, unbelief. -Pulpit Commentary, Canon Liddon

"Our first inquiry is—WHAT IS OUR LORD’S VIEW AS TO THE PURPOSE AND END WHICH HE DESIGNS HIS EARTHLY TEMPLES TO SERVE? And this is the answer—“My house is the house of prayer.” He calls us here to pray. The work to which He sets us in the sanctuary is mainly devotional." -Pulpit Commentary

Map from J.B. Phillips New Testament

This short (26 seconds) YouTube visual was helpful too.

Section 105, Triumphal Entry

Section 105 
JESUS' TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM
(From Bethany to Jerusalem and back, Sunday, April 2, A. D. 30.)
MATT. 21: 1-12, 14-17
MARK 11: 1-11
LUKE 19:29-44
JOHN 12:12-19

My summary:
Jesus directs his disciples to get an ass from a certain place and bring it to him.  They follow his directions precisely and throw their cloaks on the donkey (who has never been ridden, so has no saddle).  Christ rides into Jerusalem on the donkey and the common people throw their cloaks and palm branches on the ground before his path.  The crowds are shouting "Hosannah in the Highest" which traces back to Psalm 8 and means "God save!"  The vocal supporters are probably from Lazarus' resurrection the week before, and the religious leaders are insulted and threatened by this reaction from the crowd.  In Luke, they tell Jesus to quiet them, and he says that the rocks would cry out if they were quiet.  This is the day before Passover begins, and in Mark, Jesus goes up to the temple and takes it all in.  In Luke, he weeps over the city, seeing into the future when they will be overthrown and beaten down, wishing that they could recognize what is before their eyes today.

The Procession in the Streets of Jerusalem, James Tissot,  1886-1894

 This is the only instance in which Jesus rode. He entered in meekness, for the ass was a symbol of peace as the horse was of war.-Fourfold

"But as he came closer to Jerusalem and saw the city ahead, he began to weep.  “How I wish today that you of all people would understand the way to peace. But now it is too late, and peace is hidden from your eyes. Before long your enemies will build ramparts against your walls and encircle you and close in on you from every side. They will crush you into the ground, and your children with you. Your enemies will not leave a single stone in place, because you did not recognize it when God visited you." Luke 19:41-44

Section 104

PART VII (of VIII)
Last Week of our Lord's Ministry
The Fourth Passover
The Crucifixion
Sections #104-133 

Section 104
 JESUS ARRIVES AND IS FEASTED AT BETHANY
(From Friday afternoon till Saturday Night, March 31 and April 1, A. D. 30.)
JOHN 11:55-57; 12:1-11 
MATT. 26: 6-13 
MARK 14: 3-9

Jews begin arriving in Jerusalem to purify themselves for Passover. They talk among themselves about whether  Jesus will show up.  The priests and Pharisees put out an order for any appearance of Jesus to be reported. According to John's chronology, this is the night before the triumphal entry.

I have a student who is an orthodox Jew, and she was explaining to me yesterday some of their pre-passover purifying preparations.  I had no idea the regulations could be so complex--covering counters, cleaning the entire house very thoroughly, putting away the silver utensils, eating only Passover approved food opened during Passover.  Her descriptions and preparations help me connect the old traditions to Christ.  This verse makes much more sense in that context:

"Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." 1 Corinthians 5:7-8

According to Mark, Jesus eats supper at Simon the Leper's in Bethany which is about two miles outside of Jerusalem.

Nardostachys jatamansi

The gospel of John places the setting as the home Lazarus, who is reclining to eat with Jesus.  Then Mary anoints his feet with nard and wipes them with her hair, " The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume" (John 12:3). Nard has an odor reputed to reduce stress and boost mood. Maybe the gesture and smell lifted Jesus' spirit, certainly it was loving and generous. The essential oil also has antibacterial properties and could be used as a way to purify the skin.

Spikenard, or nard, was used to perfume the body of Patroclus by Achilles in Book 18 of Homer's Iliad.  It's a 3 feet tall herb that grows in the Himalayas and is used for perfume, incense, homeopathy, and cooking.

Do we need to know all these particulars about nard?  I think so because it helps me find Jesus as a man, not just God, walking the earth, in need of encouraging smells and grounding gestures.  It's also a reminder that aromatherapy has been around for an exceedingly long time.  Mary's gesture makes greater sense in this context.  Jesus calls the liberal gesture "beautiful," and the Fourfold Gospel comments, "Thus the liberality of Mary contributed to the pleasure of all the guests. The odor of a good deed is generally diffusive."

In Matthew's account, the disciples as a group object to the seemingly wasteful gesture. In both Mark and Matthew's accounts, Jesus steps up and defends Mary's gesture, "in pouring this ointment on my body, she has done it to prepare me for burial" (Matt 26:12).  Mary's gesture also points to kairos--the just right time for the just right gesture.  Jesus acknowledges this too:

"You will have the poor with you every day for the rest of your lives. Whenever you feel like it, you can do something for them. Not so with me." -Mark 14:7

Fourfold pushes this further, "There would be plenty of opportunities in which to do good to the poor, but the time for conferring a personal benefit upon Christ in the flesh was now limited to seven days. Thereafter gifts could only be given to Christ by bestowing them upon the poor."

Great perspective from Fourfold on this gesture here too: "Jesus here makes prominent the different estimates which God and man place upon the same acts. That which the disciples had censured as a waste and that which they had regarded as worthy of rebuke was in his sight an action fit to be kept in everlasting remembrance as a model for the conduct of future generations throughout the whole earth, and he accordingly decreed that it be so kept in mind."  It's presumptuous to think that God sees things the way we do.

John mentions that Judas objects to the anointing for impure reasons---because he's in the habit of stealing from the money bag. This detail points to a chronic character issue, a premeditated evil instead of  a one-time lapse or weakness.

Another detail--the chief priests plot Lazarus's death because in their eyes, his resurrection is drawing Jews to Christ (John 12:11).  Both the leaders and Judas are self-concerned.

Section 103

Section 103
ZACCHÆUS
PARABLE OF THE POUNDS
JOURNEY TO JERUSALEM
(Jericho)
LUKE 19:1-28

Zaccheus

Bartimaeus was outside the gates of Jericho and Zacchaeus is inside them.  One was physically poor and handicapped.  The other, an outcast socially.  Both respond instinctively and quickly; Bartimaeus throws off his outer garment and Zacchaeus makes haste:

"And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and said unto him, Zacchaeus, make haste, and come down; for to-day I must abide at thy house."

"This is the only instance where Jesus invited himself to be any man's guest." -Fourfold

"And he made haste, and came down, and received him joyfully." Luke 19:6

Parable of the Pounds

The context of this parable is stated upfront---Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem and wished to correct his audience's understanding that His kingdom was eminent and earthly.  Was this parable told to the larger crowd or the disciples?  It's not clear from my reading.  I need to be honest with what I understand and what I don't because their truths bear upon eternal matters.  If I'm reading a "story" that's one thing.  Reading in light of God's plans and intentions is another.

If I had my preference (as if this even matters), I would have the servant who was given 10 pounds as unfaithful; this seems a clearer reversal to me.  However, it's the one who only had one pound who hid it in fear of his master.  The servant relates, "

for I was afraid of you, because you are a severe man. You take what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’"   

"You take what you did not deposit"  and "you are a severe man" sounds incriminating and inconsistent with God's character.  I know that parables cannot be stretched too precisely, but it bothers me.  The master repeats the accusation and suggests the servant could at least put it in the bank to earn interest (Luke 19:23).  He takes the one minas and gives it to the servant with ten, despite other servants protesting. Christ says that those who are faithful with what they have been given (apparently whether little or much) will receive more.  More sobering, he comments that the master ordered that the rebellious subjects who didn't want the master to rule over them be brought to him for slaughter (v 27).

All of this precedes the chapter of the triumphal entry in Luke.  I can't help feel it's not triumphal but sad---Jesus' time on earth intensifying and culminating in abuse and alienation.

Another interesting observation:
"In other words, Jesus is telling us that the reward for good work is more work." -Jon Courson

Section 102

Section 102
BARTIMÆUS AND HIS COMPANION HEALED.
(At Jericho)
MATT. 20:29-34
MARK 10:46-52
LUKE 18:35-43

This is the story of the blind beggar, Bartimaeus, sitting by the roadside.  Mark has the best snippets of detail:

"And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus." Mark 10:50

The urgency of Bartimaeus speaks clearest through this detail.  It reminds me of my father's rush to the ER when he was sick with leukemia.  It helps me as I listen to our boxer of nine years breathing heavy at the foot of our bed with surely something similar.  We are surrounded by the pain of others in this world, and even though the sun may shine today in our worlds, we are not ultimately excluded from it either.

Thank you, Jesus, that you care and honor our weakness--that you have pity on our condition, as you did on Bartimaeus.  And, may our response and gratitude be also like the beggar's:

"Being a beggar, it would have been natural for him to hunt first for means of livelihood, but faith and gratitude prompted him to follow Jesus." -Fourfold

Section 101

101.
FORETELLING HIS PASSION. REBUKING
AMBITION.
(Peræa, or Judea, near the Jordan.)
MATT. 20:17-28
MARK 10: 32-45
LUKE 18:. 31-34

Summary:
Jesus heads toward Jerusalem, and the disciples are afraid.  He pulls aside his twelve disciples and explained his suffering, death, and ultimate resurrection.  They don't understand what he was predicting and only did so much later in retrospect as their understanding of his role and position was ruling over an earthly kingdom.

John and James' mom (Salome) approaches Jesus and asks that he would grant their request.  Jesus indulges them in the conversation and asks what the request is.   Salome wants one of her sons to sit on the left side of Jesus and the other on the right.

The Fourfold Gospel points out that this thought probably initiated from Jesus' reply to Peter in Matthew 19 after the rich young ruler rejects the opportunity to follow him. Jesus predicted that in the "new world," he would rule on a throne and the twelve disciples would sit on thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel (Matthew 19:28).

Christ corrects their understanding with a question--"Can you drink the cup I will drink?"

"The word "cup" among the Hebrews meant a portion assigned (Ps. 16:5; 23:5), whether of pleasure or of sorrow. But the idea of sorrow usually predominated (Matt. 26:39, 42; Rev. 14:10; 16:19; 18:6; Ps. 75:8; Isa. 51:17; Jer. 25:15). -Fourfold

 To be baptized with suffering means to be overwhelmed with it, a metaphorical use of the word arising from the fact that it means an immersion. "-Fourfold

 James was the first disciple martyred (Acts 12:2) and John was persecuted throughout his lifetime.

Jesus clarifies that the greatest among them shall minister to others and the least will be a servant to all.

"In an earthly kingdom honor and authority measure greatness, but in Christ's kingdom it is measured by humility and service." -Fourfold

Section 100 continued...

Section 100
PARABLE OF THE LABORERS IN THE VINEYARD
(In Peræa)
Matthew 20:1-16

Then Peter said in reply, “See, we have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Matthew 19:27

"This parable originated in Peter’s question. He had seen the rich young man go away sorrowful, because he could not meet the test which had been put to him; and he contrasted with that great refusal the swift willingness with which he and his fellow Apostles had left all to follow the Lord Jesus." -FB Meyer

We always have our blind spots when it comes to familiar texts. Here I'm guilty of knowing this parable apart from the context of Peter's question.  I teach this in rhetoric as the foundation of any situation.  Who is the speaker?  The audience? The larger context?  Jesus speaks in rely to Peter, and this is directed to the disciples primarily.  How does that change things?  Like the parable of the prodigal son, this parable is directed to the ones "doing the deal" not the son off wandering or the workers who were hired later in the day.  It's directed to those who paid "full fare." And Christ's reply?  You will sit on thrones.  You will receive an inheritance.  You will gain eternal life.  But don't worry about what others are doing or not doing.  Don't be presumptuous about them.

"You appeal to justice, and by that your mouth is shut; for the sum you agreed for is paid you. Your case being disposed of, with the terms I make with other laborers you have nothing to do; and to grudge the benevolence shown to others, when by your own admission you have been honorably dealt with, is both unworthy envy of your neighbor, and discontent with the goodness that engaged and rewarded you in his service at all.”-JFB

"The lesson is that works are valued qualitatively and not quantitatively. Nor may the parable be rightly used to encourage hope in deathbed repentance. It certainly does teach that, however little the labor which a man does in the Lord's vineyard, he will receive the final reward if only he be really in the vineyard; that is, if he be really a child of God. But whether a man who repents on his death-bed actually becomes a child of God is a different question, and is not touched by the parable. Certainly the eleventh-hour laborer who had stood idle all day only because no man had hired him, and who came into the vineyard as soon as he was called, can not represent the man who has been called by the gospel every hour of his life, but has rejected every call until his sun has sunk so low that he knows he can do but little work when he comes. In order to represent this class of sinners, the eleventh-hour men should have been invited early in the morning, and should have replied, "No, it is too early; we will not go now." Then they should have been invited at the third, the sixth, and the ninth hours, and should have made some equally frivolous excuse each time, then, finally, at the eleventh hour, they should have said, "Well, as you pay a man just the same for an hour's work as for a day's work, and as we are very anxious to get your money, we believe we will now go." Had they acted thus, it is not likely that they would have found the vineyard gates open to them at all. Yet such is the sharp practice which some men attempt in dealing with God." -Fourfold

Section 100

Section 100
THE RICH RULER
PERIL OF RICHES. REWARD OF SACRIFICE
(In Peræa)
a MATT. 19:16―20:16
b MARK 10: 17-31
c LUKE 18:18- 30

"Money is not an unmixed good. It brings in its train many temptations. It is easier to bear poverty than wealth-easier to be a saint when life is hard than when prosperity lavishes her gifts." -F.B. Meyer

The story of the rich young man is in all three of the synoptic gospels. I prefer Mark's account for his small but telling details:

The rich young man seems earnest in his question:

"And as he was setting out on his journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Mark 10:17

"And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, “You lack one thing: go, sell all that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” Mark 10:21

Christ grants the young man everything he needs in his response---love and discipleship.  His question back to the man,

"Why callest thou me good?" Matthew 19:17

"The ruler's question reveals that common weakness in man which prompts him to look to his fellow-men for religious and moral instruction; forgetting that only God can propound the absolute standards of goodness." -Fourfold Gospel

Christ's response prompts the rich young man to reconsider his perception of good, particularly in light looking to humans for that goodness. We've had some disappointing experiences with church pastors and some encouraging ones. The disappointing ones have forced me to keep my eyes on Christ, not man, which was difficult at the time, but in the long term, is better. Physical leaders are immediate, tangible, sometimes winsome, and it's easier to transfer our trust to them, sometimes unknowingly.

Sometimes I wonder if I have swung too far the other way because I don't look to our pastors for much guidance or direction. Reading the Bible, praying, talking with solid Christian friends in my circle, especially my husband, these have become my go-to's instead of a church, a pastor, a program. And I think that's healthy.

And why does the rich young man ask? Is it that he wants a grand task to complete, something a bit spiritually sexy? Does he put value on his ability to accomplish it? We can only speculate what is underneath his request, but Jesus knew all men's hearts, and he clearly redirects him.

"But when the young man heard that saying his countenance fell at the saying, he became exceeding sorrowful; and he went away sorrowful: for he was very rich. he was one that had great possessions." Matt 19:22

"He was not offended at the extravagance of Jesus' demands, for he was not one of the most hardened of the rich. He belonged to that class which hold Christ and their wealth in nearly an even balance. The narrative shows us how uncompromisingly Jesus held to principle. Though the ruler was sorry to turn away, and though Jesus loved him, yet the Lord did not modify his demand by a hair's breadth to gain an influential disciple." Fourfold Gospel

The Pulpit Commentary has this to say:"'Whoever observed the second table in spirit and truth, kept also the first (Rom_13:9, Rom_13:10); and it is easier to love one’s neighbour than to love God, as the apostle witnesses (see 1Jn_4:20); and without love of our neighbour there cannot be true love of God."

I agree with his statement that whoever loves one's neighbor loves God, but I object to his claim that it's easier to love one's neighbor than to love God--unless we clarify that we mean to authentically love God. It can be tempting to become whisked into the outward observations of "loving God"--religious ceremony, self-serving public acts, token nods that cost us little. Even acts like reading the Bible and prayer can smack of the rich young ruler's question "I've done all these, now what else?" He's a humanist, ready to do his part as long as it doesn't cost too much. But it does and it should. I don't think it's the money in his way as much as how he's insulated himself from the hurts of the poor through his wealth. He can do the good things he's done because they cost him little comparatively.

Here's another great point by the Pulpit Commentary, "He went away sorrowful." What an opportunity he missed! The offer to him was to become one of Christ’s more intimate disciples; to be specially trained by him in the knowledge of spiritual things, and to preach his gospel."

In addition to his bondage to his possessions, the greater loss was the opportunity to walk side-by-side with Jesus, Son of God, Messiah. The young man held the immediate with tight fists and in the process missed the beauty of relationship with God and man.

Mark also emphasizes that the disciples were "amazed at his words" and "exceedingly astonished" when Christ related the difficulty of the rich entering Heaven.

"They were astonished out of measure. The verb is ekplēssō "to strike out, expel by a blow, to strike out of self-possession." -Wuest's Word Studies

God's indifference to wealth is such a key piece of Christianity that it's hard to understand their shock from the distance of today's culture. The Jews viewed wealth as a sign of God's favor, an advantage.

"The eye of a needle. A small door fixed in a gate and opened after dark. To pass through, the camel must be unloaded. Hence the difficulty of the rich man. He must be unloaded, and hence the proverb, common in the East. In Palestine the "camel"; in the Babylonian Talmud it is the elephant." E.W. Bullinger

"But that difficulty lies, not as the disciples thought, simply in the possession of riches, but in the proneness of men to love riches. And how short is the step from having riches to loving them!" -Pulpit Commentary

All of us are poor before God; all by him, and by him alone, may be made rich. -Pulpit Commentary

Mom Reads Proverbs 2

Hello,

Proverbs 2 completes the 31 day cycle for us. Nothing spectacular here, but just a solid basic reminder:

"For the LORD grants wisdom! From his mouth come knowledge and understanding.
He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest. He is a shield to those who walk with integrity." -Proverbs 2:6-7

Look to God and the rest will work out--perhaps not always in the ways we would like or expect, but His wisdom and perspective always trumps our limited sight range. Common sense is a gift of God. God shields us from harm when we act with integrity.

I've enjoyed my 31 days with you each morning, now I'm off to finish up reading through the gospels systematically.

xoxo

Mom

Mom Reads Proverbs 1

Hello,

"Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor  in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night." Proverbs 1:1-2

So begins the book of Proverbs.  Yesterday I was talking with David and shared my firm belief that IF you consider yourself to be a Christian THEN you should be reading the Bible regularly.  Period.

The Bible is the primary way God chooses to reveal Himself to us.  Without reading it, how do we know what and how He thinks about things?  I said to David, "I suppose we could guess," and he laughed, but so many Christians actually operate under this logic.  As you are figuring out, most Christians do NOT read the Bible regularly and thus have minimal understanding of God's plans and purposes for their lives. They cobble their beliefs and thoughts together as they go.  They make decisions based on their feelings.  They are vulnerable to bad theology and poor teaching.

Both your father and I read the scriptures EVERY morning and have done so for over 25 years. It's our favorite part of the day and it's been the bedrock of our faith, relationships, and family. Combining this with prayer, I know of no better way to pursue God's plans and purposes for our lives.

In Proverbs 1, the writer sets forth a portrait of the wise individual. Wisdom is not just stuffing your head full of information or tips on how to live your best life.  Wisdom is much broader than academic knowledge, and it's characterized by spiritual discernment and moral discretion.

What makes an individual wise?

The wise individual delights in the laws of the Lord (v 1) because His laws bring understanding, order, and freedom. We grow in maturity and fruit when we abide by them and place ourselves under His care.

The wise individual meditates (ponders, thinks through, ruminates) upon these laws, principles, teachings, day and night.   When you read the Word regularly, when it becomes familiar, it becomes a touchstone and a lens through which we can better understand His will and ways.

Each of you made a commitment to follow Christ as a young child.  My prayer is that you will grow in your faith throughout your lives becoming strong, mature Christians--strong in spirit, knowledge, love, and truth.

xoxo

Mom

Mom Reads Proverbs 31

Hello,

This is from yesterday--last proverb and the last day of March.  Happy April! I might continue my emails for two more days though to get in Proverbs 1 and 2 since I didn't begin until the 3rd of March.

Proverbs 31 is all about the "proverbs woman"---great chapter to ponder with regard to the qualities of a wise woman.  I've always favored this verse:

"Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised." Proverbs 31:30

Our world places undue emphasis on beauty and charm, particularly with regard to women.  Note how the writer negates the value of those qualities and instead praises the woman who "fears the Lord." 

What does it mean to fear the Lord?  I've been listening to a biblical scholar's lectures on Proverbs the last week, and he says that it's a compound concept that combines fear and love, united by trust.  We are fearful in the sense that we respect His authority and trust God will do what He says He will.  This is from his notes:

"In the classic, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis, children enter through the wardrobe a fantasy world where the events and characters in Narnia represent biblical narrative.  Christ is represented by Aslan, the great lion. When the beaver, the guide, briefs the children about Narnia he mentions the lion.  The children ask, “Is he safe?”  The beaver answer: “Of course not, but he’s good.”  As people in general are motivated to obey their consciences out of fear of God, so saints’ respond to the moral imperative of Scripture apart from either legal or ecclesiastical sanctions.  For them the fear of the LORD is just as real as their love for him (see 14:27; 21). Both psyches are rooted in their faith: they believe his promises and love him; they believe his threats and fear him. In sum, C. Bridges says:  “[The fear of the Lord is] that affectionate reverence, by which the child of God bends himself humbly and carefully to his Father’s law.”  -Dr. Bruce Waltke

xoxo

Mom