To the Church in Sardis
1"To the angel of the church in Sardis write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. 2Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God. 3Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; obey it, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. 4Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. 5He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. 6He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Dig Deeper
Years ago I heard of a school that had an incredible reputation. The teacher who had started that school had even had a major motion picture made about their exploits as a teacher, and he had subsequently started his own school. The school was often put forward as a model for the way things should be done. They had flashy technology and quite a bit of media coverage. There was just one problem, though. It was all a show. When you actually visited the school, it became pretty obvious to a seasoned observer that the school was not living up their claims. In fact, it didn’t seem that the school was actually accomplishing anything that they were claiming others schools could do if they would purchase their rather expensive program. It was all smoke and mirrors with no substance.
There are many churches in our day in a similar state. They are trendy and seem alive. They constantly produce books, programs, curriculums, and materials that other churches lap up like thirsty dogs. Yet, they have no true spiritual life in and of themselves. They survive on reputation, flash, and meeting the felt needs of their congregants rather than truly feeding them spiritually. This was similar to the situation in Sardis. It was a popular church with the reputation of being alive. That was simply not the reality, though. They had a great reputation with the world around them, but Christ knew better
3:1 - Christ announces Himself as the One who holds the seven spirits (or seven-fold spirit) of God and the seven stars. Christ holds all things in His hand including the rulers of the church. The elders at Sardis must have needed reminding of this because they were at the reigns of a dying church. They had a great reputation but were, in fact, dead. The church in Sardis appears to have become quite fashionable and popular. There is no evidence that they were under any persecution at all. The evidence seems to indicate that the church in Sardis had almost completely compromised with the culture around it until there was little distinction between it and the surrounding culture. The life of a church does not necessarily consist of the "coolness" of the youth ministry or music ministry, or the speed of numerical growth or even baptisms in the church. This church seemed to be busy, growing, and alive, yet Christ says that it is, in reality, dead.
3:2-3 - Christ warns them to wake up and strengthen what remains. Sardis was a city that was built on a mountain and seemed impregnable, yet it had been taken unawares twice in its history and captured by enemies. This was paralleled with the state of the church. The church had not been completely written off by Christ but they were warned to take no delay in strengthening what remained. Sardis was doing deeds but they were not complete in the sight of God.
All of this activity made it seem as though the church was alive and on-fire, but this was all illusion. They lacked the zeal to have anyone actually commit full-blown heresy, but they also lacked the doctrinal depth of conviction to produce persecution or intolerance. The church at Sardis was fitting in with the culture around them quite nicely. Christ admonishes them to remember the gospel that they had received and heard; and tells them to obey it, and repent. If they do not wake up, Christ promises that He will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. Again, it is important to note that this is not a threat of the Second Coming. Christ is warning them that they will be included in His coming judgment of apostate Israel.
3:4-6 - There were some faithful souls in Sardis who had not soiled their clothes, and become secularized. They are told that they will walk with Christ, dressed in white, for they are worthy. The righteous saints are pictured wearing white in the Revelation on seven separate occasions (3:5, 18; 4:4; 6:11; 7:9, 13: 19:14). Wearing white is an obvious symbol for cleanliness and righteousness. The ultimate origins are the sun-like brightness of the glory cloud. Those in white are recreated in the image of God and are clothed with Christ (Gal. 3:27; Eph. 4:24; Col. 3:10).
The overcomer is promised that he will be dressed in white and will not have his name blotted from the book of life. This is a very real threat from Christ. Those who fell into heresy, immorality, or secularization would have their name removed from the record of those who were redeemed by Christ. Christ will never throw us from His kingdom, but we can remove our own names from His book of life based on our own apostasy. The overcomers in Sardis are informed that Christ will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels. In essence, many in Sardis were denying the true doctrine of Christ before their community. To those, Christ says that He will not acknowledge them before God. They were more concerned with the praise of men than of God, and so would not receive the praise of God when they would really need it.
Devotional Thought
The Christians in Sardis are told, in essence, that if they deny Christ, He will deny them before God. Are you more concerned with serving God or with what others think of you? Are you more motivated by obedience to God or a fear of man? What can you do today to disregard the opinions of men and serve God?
Friday, May 30, 2008
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Revelations 2:18-29
To the Church in Thyatira
18"To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:
These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. 20Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. 24Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you): 25Only hold on to what you have until I come. 26To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—
27'He will rule them with an iron scepter;
he will dash them to pieces like pottery'— just as I have received authority from my Father. 28I will also give him the morning star. 29He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Dig Deeper
In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s a new movement took the Christian world by storm. It started in many different places and from different sources, and took many forms, but through the lens of history we look back on the common beliefs of that movement and call it "social gospel." Those who adhered to this new belief professed great faith in Christ but they began to stress doing good social deeds as far more important than other aspects of Christianity, including spreading the gospel itself. Eventually, the social gospel, for its adherents, became virtually the only thing that mattered. Churches that had embraced this belief had, over the course of a generation or two, become so void of any other doctrine that they became shadows of anything that could rightly be called a true church and did little more than serving the poor and downcast (certainly an important part of the gospel, but only a part, it cannot become the primary emphasis).
The church in Thyatira had shown great faith and perseverance, but they were teetering on the brink of disaster. The reason was simple. What we believe matters. It changes how we act and who we are. The churches that embraced the social gospel so changed their focus and actions that they ceased, for all intents and purposes, to be true outposts of the kingdom of God over time. Thyatira was showing a similar weakness in carefully guarding their doctrine, and if they didn’t change that, all their effort and faith would eventually be rendered moot by the false teachings and beliefs that were taking root and would eventually change who they were.
2:18 - A unique feature in first century Thyatira was the pure dominance of the trade guilds over the local economy. In order to work in a trade in Thyatira, one had to be a member of one of the guilds. To be a member of the guilds also meant to take part in the worship of pagan gods. Two primary aspects of this pagan worship was eating food sacrificed to idols and taking part in fornication principles. This was obviously a major problem for any Christian that worked in a craft or trade. The primary local god, Tyrimnos, was the son of Zeus. Worship of him was intertwined with Caesar worship, who was also called the incarnate son of god. Christ directly addresses this situation in Thyatira, proclaiming Himself to be the true Son of God. His first words here declare that He is the true fiery light. It is a direct challenge to the paganism and emperor worship of Thyatira.
2:19-20 - Christ begins commending the church in their love, faith, service, and perseverance. They have even grown in their faith and are doing more works than they had done at first. Despite that, though, Christ issues a stinging rebuke for their lax doctrinal standards. The elders are charged with allowing false doctrine to take root and those teaching it, to feel comfortable in the church. This doctrine is personified in the person of Jezebel, the queen of Israel who led the Covenant people into idolatry. Some within the church were advocating compromising with paganism. Perhaps it was along the lines of claiming that any worship offered up was really to the one, true God no matter whom it was directed to; or that they should not be so arrogant and seek to combine the good parts of paganism with the good parts of their faith; or that by taking part in the guild’s pagan worship it would offer an opportunity to share their faith. No matter the fine-sounding argument, Christ is clear that it was heresy and was not to be tolerated for even a second.
2:21-23 - It is clear that the teaching of Jezebel had led some to actually partake in fornication as well as eating food sacrificed to idols. This ties the wicked queen of Israel to the same false doctrines of the Nicolaitans, Balaam, and the synagogue of Satan. All of these, were, in John’s terms, apostate Judaism combined with the pagans around them.
Christ had been more than patient with Jezebel, but no more. She was unwilling and so the time for judgment was at hand. Yet, it is not just Jezebel that Christ was rebuking and threatening with judgment, it was the church that was allowing the false doctrines. Christ says that He will cast Jezebel on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. The suffering bed is a sickbed on which one would go to die. Christ, in a bit of grim irony, is saying "You want to go to bed? Okay, how about a deathbed?" What is translated suffer intensely here, actually says "Great Tribulation." Christ is saying that those Christians who do not repent will be victims of the Great Tribulation that is coming on apostate Israel very soon. This is further indication that the focus of Revelation is contemporary. When Christ judges apostates, all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. Those who love God will be spurred towards repentance and renewed obedience, those who don’t, have made a very clear choice.
2:24-29 - Evidently, part of Jezebel’s teachings were Satan’s so-called deep secrets. This was probably some early form of gnosticism that valued secret, revealed knowledge. They taught the more one sinned, the more grace could abound. Not all in the church had taken part in this. For those, no other burden would be placed on them; they should continue in their faithfulness. For those who overcome, they would be given the authority over the nations. They were perhaps tempted to believe that they were fighting a losing battle on two fronts: the pagans outside the church and the false teachers inside the church. Christ reassures them that they will be victorious and take dominion over the world. They are given the promise from the Father to the Son in Psalm 2:8-9, authority over all nations and rule with an iron scepter. The point is that the Christian faithful, in this age, are promised a share in the messianic reign of Jesus Christ, in time and on earth. What the Thyatiran Christians were enduring was not glamorous but they would rule with Christ if they would overcome!
Devotional Thought
The job of the Christians in Thyatira was not glamorous. It is hard to be a Christian when you are an outcast everywhere you go, and you cannot find a job or feed your family. What situations in your life cause you to struggle to overcome them righteously? How will you overcome in those types of situations?
18"To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:
These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze. 19I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. 20Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. 24Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you): 25Only hold on to what you have until I come. 26To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations—
27'He will rule them with an iron scepter;
he will dash them to pieces like pottery'— just as I have received authority from my Father. 28I will also give him the morning star. 29He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Dig Deeper
In the late 1800’s and early 1900’s a new movement took the Christian world by storm. It started in many different places and from different sources, and took many forms, but through the lens of history we look back on the common beliefs of that movement and call it "social gospel." Those who adhered to this new belief professed great faith in Christ but they began to stress doing good social deeds as far more important than other aspects of Christianity, including spreading the gospel itself. Eventually, the social gospel, for its adherents, became virtually the only thing that mattered. Churches that had embraced this belief had, over the course of a generation or two, become so void of any other doctrine that they became shadows of anything that could rightly be called a true church and did little more than serving the poor and downcast (certainly an important part of the gospel, but only a part, it cannot become the primary emphasis).
The church in Thyatira had shown great faith and perseverance, but they were teetering on the brink of disaster. The reason was simple. What we believe matters. It changes how we act and who we are. The churches that embraced the social gospel so changed their focus and actions that they ceased, for all intents and purposes, to be true outposts of the kingdom of God over time. Thyatira was showing a similar weakness in carefully guarding their doctrine, and if they didn’t change that, all their effort and faith would eventually be rendered moot by the false teachings and beliefs that were taking root and would eventually change who they were.
2:18 - A unique feature in first century Thyatira was the pure dominance of the trade guilds over the local economy. In order to work in a trade in Thyatira, one had to be a member of one of the guilds. To be a member of the guilds also meant to take part in the worship of pagan gods. Two primary aspects of this pagan worship was eating food sacrificed to idols and taking part in fornication principles. This was obviously a major problem for any Christian that worked in a craft or trade. The primary local god, Tyrimnos, was the son of Zeus. Worship of him was intertwined with Caesar worship, who was also called the incarnate son of god. Christ directly addresses this situation in Thyatira, proclaiming Himself to be the true Son of God. His first words here declare that He is the true fiery light. It is a direct challenge to the paganism and emperor worship of Thyatira.
2:19-20 - Christ begins commending the church in their love, faith, service, and perseverance. They have even grown in their faith and are doing more works than they had done at first. Despite that, though, Christ issues a stinging rebuke for their lax doctrinal standards. The elders are charged with allowing false doctrine to take root and those teaching it, to feel comfortable in the church. This doctrine is personified in the person of Jezebel, the queen of Israel who led the Covenant people into idolatry. Some within the church were advocating compromising with paganism. Perhaps it was along the lines of claiming that any worship offered up was really to the one, true God no matter whom it was directed to; or that they should not be so arrogant and seek to combine the good parts of paganism with the good parts of their faith; or that by taking part in the guild’s pagan worship it would offer an opportunity to share their faith. No matter the fine-sounding argument, Christ is clear that it was heresy and was not to be tolerated for even a second.
2:21-23 - It is clear that the teaching of Jezebel had led some to actually partake in fornication as well as eating food sacrificed to idols. This ties the wicked queen of Israel to the same false doctrines of the Nicolaitans, Balaam, and the synagogue of Satan. All of these, were, in John’s terms, apostate Judaism combined with the pagans around them.
Christ had been more than patient with Jezebel, but no more. She was unwilling and so the time for judgment was at hand. Yet, it is not just Jezebel that Christ was rebuking and threatening with judgment, it was the church that was allowing the false doctrines. Christ says that He will cast Jezebel on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. The suffering bed is a sickbed on which one would go to die. Christ, in a bit of grim irony, is saying "You want to go to bed? Okay, how about a deathbed?" What is translated suffer intensely here, actually says "Great Tribulation." Christ is saying that those Christians who do not repent will be victims of the Great Tribulation that is coming on apostate Israel very soon. This is further indication that the focus of Revelation is contemporary. When Christ judges apostates, all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. Those who love God will be spurred towards repentance and renewed obedience, those who don’t, have made a very clear choice.
2:24-29 - Evidently, part of Jezebel’s teachings were Satan’s so-called deep secrets. This was probably some early form of gnosticism that valued secret, revealed knowledge. They taught the more one sinned, the more grace could abound. Not all in the church had taken part in this. For those, no other burden would be placed on them; they should continue in their faithfulness. For those who overcome, they would be given the authority over the nations. They were perhaps tempted to believe that they were fighting a losing battle on two fronts: the pagans outside the church and the false teachers inside the church. Christ reassures them that they will be victorious and take dominion over the world. They are given the promise from the Father to the Son in Psalm 2:8-9, authority over all nations and rule with an iron scepter. The point is that the Christian faithful, in this age, are promised a share in the messianic reign of Jesus Christ, in time and on earth. What the Thyatiran Christians were enduring was not glamorous but they would rule with Christ if they would overcome!
Devotional Thought
The job of the Christians in Thyatira was not glamorous. It is hard to be a Christian when you are an outcast everywhere you go, and you cannot find a job or feed your family. What situations in your life cause you to struggle to overcome them righteously? How will you overcome in those types of situations?
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Revelation 2:12-17
To the Church in Pergamum
12"To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:
These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. 13I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. 14Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. 15Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
Dig Deeper
A few years back, the school at which I was teaching took all of the juniors and seniors to a large amusement park. The students had very specific rules of behavior, but all of the teachers knew that it was quite likely that someone was going to break the rules. Near the end of the day we found out that indeed some had. What was particularly frustrating for me was that it was a group of students that I would not have expected to engage in such behavior. They were a group of students who had been at our school for a long time and had proven themselves to be trustworthy. They had faced and passed many temptations, and now with graduation so close, they just should have known better.
We get the same feeling of the frustration that Christ expresses here for this church. Pergamum had stood up to incredible testing and had shown themselves to be trustworthy and reliable. Now, though, some in their number were starting to falter. It’s one thing when those you expect to struggle actually do, but it’s a whole other thing when those that should know better fall into a struggle.
2:12 - Pergamum was host to a plethora of pagan cults including Zeus, Dionysos, Asklepios (the serpent-god who was referred to as "the savior"). The most important cult in Pergamum, though, was the Emperor cult. They had built incredible temples to the Caesars and Rome and were extremely zealous about the Emperor cult. Of all of the seven cities in the Revelation, Pergamum was the most likely place to clash with the church. To this city that had worshipped the Emperor and Rome as the be-all-end-all, Christ declares that He is the one who has the sharp, double-edged sword, that is, the true words of life.
2:13 - It has been suggested that the reference to Satan’s throne is either a reference to Pergamum being the center of Emperor worship in Asia, the throne-like altar to Zeus or the temples to the serpent-god Asklepios who, as mentioned, was officially called "the savior." The most likely reference, though is in keeping with the central meaning of the text. Satan has already been tied to the synagogues of the Jewish community. Satan had been using apostate Judaism as his major weapon against the early Church. In fact, much of the early problems between Rome and the Church was instigated by the Jewish community. Satan was the real force behind the persecution of the church, yet Christ holds up this Church as ones who remain true to my name.
Just who Antipas was has been lost to history, but he must have been remarkable to merit being singled out for special recognition. Christ refers to him as my faithful witness, and we are told that he was put to death in your city. The name Antipas means "against all"; truly he lived up to the name and personified the strength of the church in Pergamum.
2:14-16 - Perhaps Antipas was held up to highlight the fact that some in the church had not lived up to his example. When Balak, the king of Moab, discovered that he could not defeat the Israelites militarily, Balaam taught him to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. This was Balaam’s plan to cause the ruin of Israel. In the same way, records John, some in Pergamum were holding to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. As stated earlier, those who hold to the teaching of Balaam and those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans were one in the same. The primary false doctrine being referred to here was to commit idolatry and fornication. The Nicolaitans taught that because of the sacrifice of Christ, Christians were free from the law. They could thus do whatever they wanted and the sacrifice of Christ would cover it over.
Christ calls those in the church to repent. Remember, Christ is speaking to the leaders of the church here. If they do not repent and call the church to discipline it will lead to the downfall of the church. The church that fails to exercise biblical church discipline will lose its lampstand. If they do not repent, Christ says I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Again, this is not a promise of the Second Coming. Does this sound like a happy thing that the church would look forward to? Christ is promising that if they do not repent they will be judged according to the Word of God.
2:17 - The overcomer is promised three things: the hidden manna, a white stone, and a new name. The hidden manna is a reference to that which was hidden in the Ark of the Covenant (Ex. 16:33-34; Heb. 9:4). Manna was the food of angels (Psalm 78:25) that was given to provide daily strength and sustenance to God’s people. The hidden manna, then, was the Words of Christ that provided the same sustenance for the church. The white stone is possibly a reference to the bdellium, with which the color of manna is compared (Num. 11:7). This stone is connected with and mentioned in the account of the Garden of Eden. (the NIV changes the name of bdellium to "aromatic resin"). Thus, it is intended to be a reminder of the Garden of Eden. The onyx stone had the names of the tribes of Israel engraved on them and placed on the priest (Ex. 28:9-12). It seems that John uses a common biblical device of combining imagery. In Gen. 2:12, onyx and bdellium are linked. Onyx and manna are linked in Numbers 11:7. Together they talk of the restoration of Eden in the blessings of salvation. John uses a Hebrew idiom here in which known refers to ownership. It is not that the name is a secret but it is exclusive to the individual. Only the owner belongs to the Covenant of Christ; no else can possess it.
Devotional Thought
The world will go against those who would follow Christ. We have the choice to either be steadfast and stay true to Christ like Antipas, or we can cave to worldly ways like those who followed the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans. What do you need to do specifically in your life to be a faithful witness like Antipas?
12"To the angel of the church in Pergamum write:
These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword. 13I know where you live—where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city—where Satan lives. 14Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: You have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. 15Likewise you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. 17He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.
Dig Deeper
A few years back, the school at which I was teaching took all of the juniors and seniors to a large amusement park. The students had very specific rules of behavior, but all of the teachers knew that it was quite likely that someone was going to break the rules. Near the end of the day we found out that indeed some had. What was particularly frustrating for me was that it was a group of students that I would not have expected to engage in such behavior. They were a group of students who had been at our school for a long time and had proven themselves to be trustworthy. They had faced and passed many temptations, and now with graduation so close, they just should have known better.
We get the same feeling of the frustration that Christ expresses here for this church. Pergamum had stood up to incredible testing and had shown themselves to be trustworthy and reliable. Now, though, some in their number were starting to falter. It’s one thing when those you expect to struggle actually do, but it’s a whole other thing when those that should know better fall into a struggle.
2:12 - Pergamum was host to a plethora of pagan cults including Zeus, Dionysos, Asklepios (the serpent-god who was referred to as "the savior"). The most important cult in Pergamum, though, was the Emperor cult. They had built incredible temples to the Caesars and Rome and were extremely zealous about the Emperor cult. Of all of the seven cities in the Revelation, Pergamum was the most likely place to clash with the church. To this city that had worshipped the Emperor and Rome as the be-all-end-all, Christ declares that He is the one who has the sharp, double-edged sword, that is, the true words of life.
2:13 - It has been suggested that the reference to Satan’s throne is either a reference to Pergamum being the center of Emperor worship in Asia, the throne-like altar to Zeus or the temples to the serpent-god Asklepios who, as mentioned, was officially called "the savior." The most likely reference, though is in keeping with the central meaning of the text. Satan has already been tied to the synagogues of the Jewish community. Satan had been using apostate Judaism as his major weapon against the early Church. In fact, much of the early problems between Rome and the Church was instigated by the Jewish community. Satan was the real force behind the persecution of the church, yet Christ holds up this Church as ones who remain true to my name.
Just who Antipas was has been lost to history, but he must have been remarkable to merit being singled out for special recognition. Christ refers to him as my faithful witness, and we are told that he was put to death in your city. The name Antipas means "against all"; truly he lived up to the name and personified the strength of the church in Pergamum.
2:14-16 - Perhaps Antipas was held up to highlight the fact that some in the church had not lived up to his example. When Balak, the king of Moab, discovered that he could not defeat the Israelites militarily, Balaam taught him to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality. This was Balaam’s plan to cause the ruin of Israel. In the same way, records John, some in Pergamum were holding to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. As stated earlier, those who hold to the teaching of Balaam and those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans were one in the same. The primary false doctrine being referred to here was to commit idolatry and fornication. The Nicolaitans taught that because of the sacrifice of Christ, Christians were free from the law. They could thus do whatever they wanted and the sacrifice of Christ would cover it over.
Christ calls those in the church to repent. Remember, Christ is speaking to the leaders of the church here. If they do not repent and call the church to discipline it will lead to the downfall of the church. The church that fails to exercise biblical church discipline will lose its lampstand. If they do not repent, Christ says I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Again, this is not a promise of the Second Coming. Does this sound like a happy thing that the church would look forward to? Christ is promising that if they do not repent they will be judged according to the Word of God.
2:17 - The overcomer is promised three things: the hidden manna, a white stone, and a new name. The hidden manna is a reference to that which was hidden in the Ark of the Covenant (Ex. 16:33-34; Heb. 9:4). Manna was the food of angels (Psalm 78:25) that was given to provide daily strength and sustenance to God’s people. The hidden manna, then, was the Words of Christ that provided the same sustenance for the church. The white stone is possibly a reference to the bdellium, with which the color of manna is compared (Num. 11:7). This stone is connected with and mentioned in the account of the Garden of Eden. (the NIV changes the name of bdellium to "aromatic resin"). Thus, it is intended to be a reminder of the Garden of Eden. The onyx stone had the names of the tribes of Israel engraved on them and placed on the priest (Ex. 28:9-12). It seems that John uses a common biblical device of combining imagery. In Gen. 2:12, onyx and bdellium are linked. Onyx and manna are linked in Numbers 11:7. Together they talk of the restoration of Eden in the blessings of salvation. John uses a Hebrew idiom here in which known refers to ownership. It is not that the name is a secret but it is exclusive to the individual. Only the owner belongs to the Covenant of Christ; no else can possess it.
Devotional Thought
The world will go against those who would follow Christ. We have the choice to either be steadfast and stay true to Christ like Antipas, or we can cave to worldly ways like those who followed the teachings of Balaam and the Nicolaitans. What do you need to do specifically in your life to be a faithful witness like Antipas?
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Revelation 2:8-11
To the Church in Smyrna
8"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.
Dig Deeper
When each season of which I was a high school basketball coach began, we would have a period of conditioning before the actual practice began. I would always begin by praising the players for their dedication to the team, but then I would have to warn them. What they were about to face for the next ten school days could not be avoided. It would be the toughest thing that they had ever gone through physically. The younger players would probably feel like giving up most of the time, but if they would endure, it would be worth it in the end. Not only would they find themselves in incredible shape and truly ready for the practice season to begin, they would also have realized their goal of being on the team.
Certainly it is a pale comparison to mark a correlation between basketball conditioning and the suffering that Jesus is warning the church in Smyrna about, but there are very real similarities. The point of this passage is almost the same. They have faced many hardships because of their life in Christ and it was about to get even worse. Yet, if they would persevere, they would not only be matured and ready for the rest of their life in Christ, they would also find the crown of life at the end, the thing for which all Christians hope.
2:8 - There were two characteristics of the town of Smyrna that meant trouble for the church there. First, the people of Smyrna were deeply devoted to the Emperor cult. Second, Smyrna had a large Jewish population that was extremely hostile to the Christian faith. Into this difficult situation, the words of Jesus must have been of particular comfort. John uses another Old Testament name for God in referring to Jesus, the First and the Last. This is a name for YHWH from Isaiah 44:6 and 48:12. It is clear, despite some current claims to the contrary, that the early church’s beliefs were deeply rooted in the doctrine that Jesus Christ was divine. It was important to the early Christians to understand not only that He was divine but that Jesus had defeated death by coming back to life. The Apostle Paul was very careful in explaining that His resurrection guarantees our resurrection one day.
2:9-10 - The picture John paints of life for a Christian in Smyrna was clearly not a bed of roses. They had suffered through poverty and persecution and had remained strong. It is likely that they had persevered through confiscation of property (Heb. 10:34), vandalism, and even economic boycott on account of their refusal to align with either the pagan emperor worshippers or the apostate Jews (Rev.. 13:16-17). In Christ’s eyes the church in Smyrna is rich because they have endured much tribulation for His sake. Christ knew all about their suffering because in our sufferings, He suffers (Is. 63:9). He also knew about the slander of their persecutors. This is the group also identified as Nicolaitans, and the followers of Balaam and Jezebel. They claimed to be Jews, the children of Abraham, but in reality were children of the Devil. In John’s view, there was no such thing as a true Jew that does not believe in Christ. If Jews truly believed in the Old Testament, they would believe in Christ. Jesus said that if a man rejected Christ, he rejected Moses (John 5:46). The point John was making that would have been clear to his original readers is who the true Jews are. According to the Bible, it has nothing to do with ethnic heritage. The one who has been clothed with Christ is the heir of the promises to Abraham and the possessor of the blessings of the Covenant (Rom. 11:11-24; Gal. 3:7-9, 26-29). Those who were still clinging to the Old Covenant of works and were rejecting Christ were a synagogue of Satan.
Despite what they had already suffered, John cannot tell them that it is over, but he does encourage them to not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Some of them would be put into prison. Christ wants them to know, however, that their promised suffering is part of the great battle between Satan and Christ. The tribulation would be intense but would last only ten days. This is symbolic for a short period of time and brings up thoughts of the ten days for which Daniel and his friends were tempted. Symbolically the choice for Smyrna was ten days of persecution in exchange for one thousand years of victory (Revelation 20:4-6). Christ encourages them to be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. There is no other choice for the true Christian. "if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us" (2 Timothy 2:12).
2:11 - The faithful Christian who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. To understand this concept we must realize that in the mind of the New Testament writers there were two deaths and two resurrections. The first death is the physical death that all of mankind will experience. The second death will only be experienced by those who are sentenced to eternal judgment in the Lake of Fire known as Gehenna. Later John writes, "Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ" (Rev. 20:6). In other words, those who take part in the first resurrection will not be effected by the second death. The promise that those in Christ are priests has already been revealed as a present reality (1:6). Thus, the first resurrection cannot refer to the physical resurrection at the end of the world (1 Cor. 15:22-28). Every Christian has died, been resurrected, and raised to a new life in Christ at the waters of baptism (Romans 6:1-4); this is the first resurrection that points to the second and final resurrection. Thus, the first resurrection refers to the moment when a sinner dies to his own life, and enter into the death, resurrection, and life of Christ (Romans 6:3-14).
Devotional Thought
The Revelation promises that those who overcome will not be hurt by the second death. How should this reality effect our everyday lives? Spend some time today thinking about the things that are difficult for you to overcome. What are the realities of being defeated by those things in your life? What are the realities of overcoming them in Christ?
8"To the angel of the church in Smyrna write:
These are the words of him who is the First and the Last, who died and came to life again. 9I know your afflictions and your poverty—yet you are rich! I know the slander of those who say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan. 10Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. 11He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.
Dig Deeper
When each season of which I was a high school basketball coach began, we would have a period of conditioning before the actual practice began. I would always begin by praising the players for their dedication to the team, but then I would have to warn them. What they were about to face for the next ten school days could not be avoided. It would be the toughest thing that they had ever gone through physically. The younger players would probably feel like giving up most of the time, but if they would endure, it would be worth it in the end. Not only would they find themselves in incredible shape and truly ready for the practice season to begin, they would also have realized their goal of being on the team.
Certainly it is a pale comparison to mark a correlation between basketball conditioning and the suffering that Jesus is warning the church in Smyrna about, but there are very real similarities. The point of this passage is almost the same. They have faced many hardships because of their life in Christ and it was about to get even worse. Yet, if they would persevere, they would not only be matured and ready for the rest of their life in Christ, they would also find the crown of life at the end, the thing for which all Christians hope.
2:8 - There were two characteristics of the town of Smyrna that meant trouble for the church there. First, the people of Smyrna were deeply devoted to the Emperor cult. Second, Smyrna had a large Jewish population that was extremely hostile to the Christian faith. Into this difficult situation, the words of Jesus must have been of particular comfort. John uses another Old Testament name for God in referring to Jesus, the First and the Last. This is a name for YHWH from Isaiah 44:6 and 48:12. It is clear, despite some current claims to the contrary, that the early church’s beliefs were deeply rooted in the doctrine that Jesus Christ was divine. It was important to the early Christians to understand not only that He was divine but that Jesus had defeated death by coming back to life. The Apostle Paul was very careful in explaining that His resurrection guarantees our resurrection one day.
2:9-10 - The picture John paints of life for a Christian in Smyrna was clearly not a bed of roses. They had suffered through poverty and persecution and had remained strong. It is likely that they had persevered through confiscation of property (Heb. 10:34), vandalism, and even economic boycott on account of their refusal to align with either the pagan emperor worshippers or the apostate Jews (Rev.. 13:16-17). In Christ’s eyes the church in Smyrna is rich because they have endured much tribulation for His sake. Christ knew all about their suffering because in our sufferings, He suffers (Is. 63:9). He also knew about the slander of their persecutors. This is the group also identified as Nicolaitans, and the followers of Balaam and Jezebel. They claimed to be Jews, the children of Abraham, but in reality were children of the Devil. In John’s view, there was no such thing as a true Jew that does not believe in Christ. If Jews truly believed in the Old Testament, they would believe in Christ. Jesus said that if a man rejected Christ, he rejected Moses (John 5:46). The point John was making that would have been clear to his original readers is who the true Jews are. According to the Bible, it has nothing to do with ethnic heritage. The one who has been clothed with Christ is the heir of the promises to Abraham and the possessor of the blessings of the Covenant (Rom. 11:11-24; Gal. 3:7-9, 26-29). Those who were still clinging to the Old Covenant of works and were rejecting Christ were a synagogue of Satan.
Despite what they had already suffered, John cannot tell them that it is over, but he does encourage them to not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. Some of them would be put into prison. Christ wants them to know, however, that their promised suffering is part of the great battle between Satan and Christ. The tribulation would be intense but would last only ten days. This is symbolic for a short period of time and brings up thoughts of the ten days for which Daniel and his friends were tempted. Symbolically the choice for Smyrna was ten days of persecution in exchange for one thousand years of victory (Revelation 20:4-6). Christ encourages them to be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life. There is no other choice for the true Christian. "if we endure, we will also reign with him. If we disown him, he will also disown us" (2 Timothy 2:12).
2:11 - The faithful Christian who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death. To understand this concept we must realize that in the mind of the New Testament writers there were two deaths and two resurrections. The first death is the physical death that all of mankind will experience. The second death will only be experienced by those who are sentenced to eternal judgment in the Lake of Fire known as Gehenna. Later John writes, "Blessed and holy are those who have part in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ" (Rev. 20:6). In other words, those who take part in the first resurrection will not be effected by the second death. The promise that those in Christ are priests has already been revealed as a present reality (1:6). Thus, the first resurrection cannot refer to the physical resurrection at the end of the world (1 Cor. 15:22-28). Every Christian has died, been resurrected, and raised to a new life in Christ at the waters of baptism (Romans 6:1-4); this is the first resurrection that points to the second and final resurrection. Thus, the first resurrection refers to the moment when a sinner dies to his own life, and enter into the death, resurrection, and life of Christ (Romans 6:3-14).
Devotional Thought
The Revelation promises that those who overcome will not be hurt by the second death. How should this reality effect our everyday lives? Spend some time today thinking about the things that are difficult for you to overcome. What are the realities of being defeated by those things in your life? What are the realities of overcoming them in Christ?
Friday, May 23, 2008
Revelation 2:1-7
To the church in Ephesus
1"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: 2I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Dig Deeper
A few years ago I had a friend who had decided to go on a diet of eating only healthy food. They were very dedicated to it, but the problem came in when, after a few days, they didn’t have anymore healthy food in their house. Rather than going shopping and getting more healthy food items, they simply went several days eating next to nothing. This really missed the whole point of a healthy diet. It was not to just stop eating junk but to learn to eat in a healthy and responsible manner.
God’s people are always called to doctrinal purity. Our doctrine is important because our beliefs determine our actions. Ephesus, however, had evidently become so obsessed with having the right doctrine that they failed to love people. They were adamant about ridding themselves of junk doctrines but had neglected filling up on the nutritious spiritual food of love for others that fuels and protects the life of doctrinal purity in the Church.
2:1 - The word translated as angel, simply means "messenger." It was common for the prophetic leaders of the churches to be referred to as "angels of the churches." It is likely, then, that John is addressing the elder or overseer of each church, although it is also possible that he could simply be referring to the personifications of the government of each church. Each church is addressed with the very words of Him who holds the power (seven stars) in His right hand and who walks among the churches (lampstands).
The city of Ephesus was a major center in politics and trade. It was also well known for its art, science, witchcraft, idolatry, gladiators, and persecution of the early church. It was a deeply pagan city that contained the temple to Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Ephesus was also well known as a haven for Jewish occultism and magical arts.
2:2-3 - The church is praised by Jesus for their perseverance and hard work. This was not a church that compromised. In the face of compromise all around them, they had taken a strong stand for orthodoxy. Of all Paul’s letters to the churches, only Ephesians (which was quite possibly a circular letter from Ephesus) does not mention a single doctrinal issue that needed correction. At the very beginning of the 2nd century, church father Ignatius noted that the church in Ephesus was still holding to doctrinal purity: "You all live according to the truth, and no heresy has a home among you. . . You are arrayed from head to foot in the commandments of Jesus Christ."
2:4-6 - As is so often the case, the church’s desire for sound doctrine, though, had hardened into a lack of love. They loved the truth more than they loved living it amongst their fellow men. It is not concern for sound doctrine that leads to an absence of love, though; it is really a perversion of the sound doctrine of love. They weren’t criticized for being too doctrinally sound, it was that they had lost their love. We are required to have sound doctrine and be loving. A lack of either is equally dangerous. In fact, a church that holds firm on all other doctrines but fails in love has really missed the whole point of the Christian life and beliefs. The church is told to repent from their lack of love and do the things they did at first. Love is not simply an attitude, it is also the action of fulfilling and obeying God’s law (1 John 5:2-3). Christ doesn’t call for the church to change their attitude, it is a call to change their actions. If they don’t repent, Jesus says that He will come to them and remove their lampstand. He is clearly not threatening them with His glorious Second Coming. This is further evidence that the nature of the Revelation is contemporary for the original readers. The threat to remove their lampstand means that their influence and place will be taken away in an act of judgment. They will cease to be a true church of Christ in any manner. Their lack of love has put them in danger of having the entire community excommunicated by the King. It is the vital duty of the elders to lead the church in doctrinal purity and the actions of love.
This message would have been clear to the Ephesians. This coastline city had a problem with sediment filling the harbor. They were constantly in danger of being moved out of place and cut off from the sea. They had let the harbor go for over two centuries and it was filling up. In 64 A.D., they finally began to dredge the harbor and keep their place safe. Over the centuries, this important job has been neglected. The ruins of Ephesus are now six miles away from the sea. Thus, John used a contemporary situation for them, to teach theological truth.
The church is commended once again near the end of this discourse. This time it is for their hatred of the Nicolaitans. "Nicolaitans" means "conqueror of the people" in Greek. Later, John will mention the followers of Balaam (2:14), which means "conqueror of the people" in Hebrew. John’s point is that the Nicolaitans and Balaamites are participants in the same heretical manner. In the letter to Thytira, those who follow Jezebel are mentioned (2:20). The doctrines of all three are virtually identical. It seems that John is focusing on one particular type of heresy, and merely giving it different names to demonstrate that it can take on many forms. He is warning the people against following heresies that draw them into idolatry and fornication.
2:7 - Each message is different for each church, but the overall command is the same for each church: Overcome! The Greek word for "overcome" is nikao. It is the same word as the root word for Nicolaitans. In other words, Christ is telling the Church to overcome those who seek to overcome them. Overcoming is the standard for all Christians. It is not a question of victory or defeat, but one of victory or treason. The promise of eating from the Tree of Life is not just a future hope, it is the promise to take dominion and overcome the world now. The Tree of Life was present in Eden and is symbolic of the new heavens and earth that will exist (Rev. 21:1-5) when God renews His creation (Matt. 19:28). Thus, the Ephesians are being called to the life of God’s age to come, and to live it now in the present age.
Devotional Thought
John implies that love is far more than a feeling or attitude; it is a concrete action. How would people around you be able to see your love for God and for your fellow man? List three things that you can do beginning today to concretely and visibly demonstrate your love for God and for others. If you don’t feel like you have that kind of love, then pray for God to give you that love, until He does it.
1"To the angel of the church in Ephesus write:
These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: 2I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false. 3You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. 4Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. 5Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. 6But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.
Dig Deeper
A few years ago I had a friend who had decided to go on a diet of eating only healthy food. They were very dedicated to it, but the problem came in when, after a few days, they didn’t have anymore healthy food in their house. Rather than going shopping and getting more healthy food items, they simply went several days eating next to nothing. This really missed the whole point of a healthy diet. It was not to just stop eating junk but to learn to eat in a healthy and responsible manner.
God’s people are always called to doctrinal purity. Our doctrine is important because our beliefs determine our actions. Ephesus, however, had evidently become so obsessed with having the right doctrine that they failed to love people. They were adamant about ridding themselves of junk doctrines but had neglected filling up on the nutritious spiritual food of love for others that fuels and protects the life of doctrinal purity in the Church.
2:1 - The word translated as angel, simply means "messenger." It was common for the prophetic leaders of the churches to be referred to as "angels of the churches." It is likely, then, that John is addressing the elder or overseer of each church, although it is also possible that he could simply be referring to the personifications of the government of each church. Each church is addressed with the very words of Him who holds the power (seven stars) in His right hand and who walks among the churches (lampstands).
The city of Ephesus was a major center in politics and trade. It was also well known for its art, science, witchcraft, idolatry, gladiators, and persecution of the early church. It was a deeply pagan city that contained the temple to Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Ephesus was also well known as a haven for Jewish occultism and magical arts.
2:2-3 - The church is praised by Jesus for their perseverance and hard work. This was not a church that compromised. In the face of compromise all around them, they had taken a strong stand for orthodoxy. Of all Paul’s letters to the churches, only Ephesians (which was quite possibly a circular letter from Ephesus) does not mention a single doctrinal issue that needed correction. At the very beginning of the 2nd century, church father Ignatius noted that the church in Ephesus was still holding to doctrinal purity: "You all live according to the truth, and no heresy has a home among you. . . You are arrayed from head to foot in the commandments of Jesus Christ."
2:4-6 - As is so often the case, the church’s desire for sound doctrine, though, had hardened into a lack of love. They loved the truth more than they loved living it amongst their fellow men. It is not concern for sound doctrine that leads to an absence of love, though; it is really a perversion of the sound doctrine of love. They weren’t criticized for being too doctrinally sound, it was that they had lost their love. We are required to have sound doctrine and be loving. A lack of either is equally dangerous. In fact, a church that holds firm on all other doctrines but fails in love has really missed the whole point of the Christian life and beliefs. The church is told to repent from their lack of love and do the things they did at first. Love is not simply an attitude, it is also the action of fulfilling and obeying God’s law (1 John 5:2-3). Christ doesn’t call for the church to change their attitude, it is a call to change their actions. If they don’t repent, Jesus says that He will come to them and remove their lampstand. He is clearly not threatening them with His glorious Second Coming. This is further evidence that the nature of the Revelation is contemporary for the original readers. The threat to remove their lampstand means that their influence and place will be taken away in an act of judgment. They will cease to be a true church of Christ in any manner. Their lack of love has put them in danger of having the entire community excommunicated by the King. It is the vital duty of the elders to lead the church in doctrinal purity and the actions of love.
This message would have been clear to the Ephesians. This coastline city had a problem with sediment filling the harbor. They were constantly in danger of being moved out of place and cut off from the sea. They had let the harbor go for over two centuries and it was filling up. In 64 A.D., they finally began to dredge the harbor and keep their place safe. Over the centuries, this important job has been neglected. The ruins of Ephesus are now six miles away from the sea. Thus, John used a contemporary situation for them, to teach theological truth.
The church is commended once again near the end of this discourse. This time it is for their hatred of the Nicolaitans. "Nicolaitans" means "conqueror of the people" in Greek. Later, John will mention the followers of Balaam (2:14), which means "conqueror of the people" in Hebrew. John’s point is that the Nicolaitans and Balaamites are participants in the same heretical manner. In the letter to Thytira, those who follow Jezebel are mentioned (2:20). The doctrines of all three are virtually identical. It seems that John is focusing on one particular type of heresy, and merely giving it different names to demonstrate that it can take on many forms. He is warning the people against following heresies that draw them into idolatry and fornication.
2:7 - Each message is different for each church, but the overall command is the same for each church: Overcome! The Greek word for "overcome" is nikao. It is the same word as the root word for Nicolaitans. In other words, Christ is telling the Church to overcome those who seek to overcome them. Overcoming is the standard for all Christians. It is not a question of victory or defeat, but one of victory or treason. The promise of eating from the Tree of Life is not just a future hope, it is the promise to take dominion and overcome the world now. The Tree of Life was present in Eden and is symbolic of the new heavens and earth that will exist (Rev. 21:1-5) when God renews His creation (Matt. 19:28). Thus, the Ephesians are being called to the life of God’s age to come, and to live it now in the present age.
Devotional Thought
John implies that love is far more than a feeling or attitude; it is a concrete action. How would people around you be able to see your love for God and for your fellow man? List three things that you can do beginning today to concretely and visibly demonstrate your love for God and for others. If you don’t feel like you have that kind of love, then pray for God to give you that love, until He does it.
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Revelation 1:12-20
12I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13and among the lampstands was someone "like a son of man,"dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. 14His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and his eyes were like blazing fire. 15His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of rushing waters. 16In his right hand he held seven stars, and out of his mouth came a sharp double-edged sword. His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.
17When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
19"Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Dig Deeper
Years ago I was able to go see the President of the United States speak in my hometown. I was with my father and son and we all waited for him to come out which turned out to be a much longer proposition than we expected. Before he came out to speak, an important local politician came out and gave him an introduction. He mentioned all of the great things that the President had done, and even alluded to the fact that he was, in fact, the most powerful man in the world. Now that everyone in the room had a proper understanding of who we were about to listen to, the President himself came out on stage.
In a sense, this is what John is doing here. Jesus Christ is about to address His people directly, but before doing so, John sets the stage to ensure that we all know exactly who is speaking. The physical description and titles that he gives to Jesus make it very clear that we are talking about much more than just the ‘most powerful man in the world’. John is setting the stage for the very God of the universe to speak, and when God speaks, we had better sit up and pay attention.
1:12-15 - John clearly uses imagery from the tabernacle here, with one difference. Whereas the tabernacle had one lampstand with seven lamps; John describes seven lampstands. The imagery is clear that Jesus is the one person that unites the seven lamps (each which turns out to be a lampstand itself). The church is an earthly shadow of heaven which Jesus holds together and walks around in.
The description of Jesus given in verses 13-16 makes more sense when considered in light of passages like Daniel 7:13-14 and Daniel 10:5-11. His garb is reminiscent of the clothes of the high priest (Ex. 28:4; 29:5; 39:27-29; Lev. 16:4). The impression given by the vision of Christ here is that of fiery light. Many have used this passage to claim that Jesus is a black man due to the references of his hair being like wool and feet being bronze colored. This is a violent misreading of the passage. John’s point in mentioning wool is that His hair color was as white as wool, he is not referring to the texture. The term for bronze here possibly refers to an alloy of gold and silver (Mal. 3:2-3). The point of John’s description is that the appearance of Christ is a brilliant blaze of glory.
The statement that His voice was like the sound of rushing waters, identifies it with the sound of the glory cloud, a familiar sound throughout the Old Testament. It is a sound that is described through the terms of many earthly phenomenon: wind, thunder, trumpets, armies, chariots, and waterfalls (Ex. 19:16; Ezek. 1:24, etc.). The overall point of this description is rather plain when all the imagery is taken into account. Jesus, now resurrected and transfigured, is the incarnate glory of God.
1:16 - The seven stars are explained more fully in verse 20, but its worthy mentioning here that this would havelikely brought forth thoughts of Pleiades for the original readers. Seven stars make up the cluster of stars known as Pleiades. They form part of the constellation Taurus, and are mentioned several times in Scripture (Job 9:5-9; 38:31-33; Amos 5:8). The sun is with Taurus in Spring and was a fitting symbol (that of rebirth and resurrection) in connection with the coming of Christ. Thus, He is pictured holding in His hand the stars that announced the rebirth and flowering of the world each spring. Another common first century imagery for the seven stars was the fact that they appeared regularly on the Emperor’s coins as symbols of his supreme political sovereignty. This, then, is strong anti-Emperor imagery. The symbol of Christ holding seven stars in His hand would have been a strong and obvious statement to first century readers that it was Christ who had the real dominion through the church, not the Emperor or Rome. Out of his mouth, John describes a double-edged sword. The point is that, although they will face opposition, Christ is clearly on the offensive. He is ready to do battle for His dominion rights. The imagery here is taken from Isa. 11:4; He will be victorious over the nations with His sharp and powerful two-edged sword, His Word (Heb. 4:12).
1:17-20 - John’s reaction to seeing Christ is similar to Daniel’s (Daniel 1 0:9-11). Fear is a normal first reaction but Christ tells him not to fear. The presence of God is often depicted in dual terms of striking fear in His enemies but a source of comfort for His people (Hab. 3:10-13). Jesus tells John that He is the First and Last (Isa. 48:12). Again he uses another Old Testament title for God. Jesus also informs him that He has defeated death. The Roman Empire claimed to have all authority over life and death, but Jesus declares that it is He who holds the keys to that power. Holding the keys was the symbol of authority over something in the first century.
John is then told to write what he has seen (the vision of Christ), what is now (more correctly "what they are", i.e., what they signify or correspond to), and the things that will take place later. The seven stars, John is told, correspond to the angels of the seven churches. Both angels and stars are associated with government and rule in biblical symbolism (Gen. 37:9; Judg. 5:20; Dan. 8:9-11; 10:13, 20-21). Thus, the point is the seven stars, the constellation (Pleiades) of resurrection and dominion, are the angels, which correspond to the government or responsibility of the Church. The seven churches mentioned are both specific and universal images as mentioned earlier.
Devotioinal Thought
John’s first reaction to the presence of Jesus is that of fear. He falls down as though He is dead. Do you have the same type of reverence for Christ when you enter His presence to worship? What can you do to worship God with the proper perspective each Lord’s Day?
17When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades.
19"Write, therefore, what you have seen, what is now and what will take place later. 20The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.
Dig Deeper
Years ago I was able to go see the President of the United States speak in my hometown. I was with my father and son and we all waited for him to come out which turned out to be a much longer proposition than we expected. Before he came out to speak, an important local politician came out and gave him an introduction. He mentioned all of the great things that the President had done, and even alluded to the fact that he was, in fact, the most powerful man in the world. Now that everyone in the room had a proper understanding of who we were about to listen to, the President himself came out on stage.
In a sense, this is what John is doing here. Jesus Christ is about to address His people directly, but before doing so, John sets the stage to ensure that we all know exactly who is speaking. The physical description and titles that he gives to Jesus make it very clear that we are talking about much more than just the ‘most powerful man in the world’. John is setting the stage for the very God of the universe to speak, and when God speaks, we had better sit up and pay attention.
1:12-15 - John clearly uses imagery from the tabernacle here, with one difference. Whereas the tabernacle had one lampstand with seven lamps; John describes seven lampstands. The imagery is clear that Jesus is the one person that unites the seven lamps (each which turns out to be a lampstand itself). The church is an earthly shadow of heaven which Jesus holds together and walks around in.
The description of Jesus given in verses 13-16 makes more sense when considered in light of passages like Daniel 7:13-14 and Daniel 10:5-11. His garb is reminiscent of the clothes of the high priest (Ex. 28:4; 29:5; 39:27-29; Lev. 16:4). The impression given by the vision of Christ here is that of fiery light. Many have used this passage to claim that Jesus is a black man due to the references of his hair being like wool and feet being bronze colored. This is a violent misreading of the passage. John’s point in mentioning wool is that His hair color was as white as wool, he is not referring to the texture. The term for bronze here possibly refers to an alloy of gold and silver (Mal. 3:2-3). The point of John’s description is that the appearance of Christ is a brilliant blaze of glory.
The statement that His voice was like the sound of rushing waters, identifies it with the sound of the glory cloud, a familiar sound throughout the Old Testament. It is a sound that is described through the terms of many earthly phenomenon: wind, thunder, trumpets, armies, chariots, and waterfalls (Ex. 19:16; Ezek. 1:24, etc.). The overall point of this description is rather plain when all the imagery is taken into account. Jesus, now resurrected and transfigured, is the incarnate glory of God.
1:16 - The seven stars are explained more fully in verse 20, but its worthy mentioning here that this would havelikely brought forth thoughts of Pleiades for the original readers. Seven stars make up the cluster of stars known as Pleiades. They form part of the constellation Taurus, and are mentioned several times in Scripture (Job 9:5-9; 38:31-33; Amos 5:8). The sun is with Taurus in Spring and was a fitting symbol (that of rebirth and resurrection) in connection with the coming of Christ. Thus, He is pictured holding in His hand the stars that announced the rebirth and flowering of the world each spring. Another common first century imagery for the seven stars was the fact that they appeared regularly on the Emperor’s coins as symbols of his supreme political sovereignty. This, then, is strong anti-Emperor imagery. The symbol of Christ holding seven stars in His hand would have been a strong and obvious statement to first century readers that it was Christ who had the real dominion through the church, not the Emperor or Rome. Out of his mouth, John describes a double-edged sword. The point is that, although they will face opposition, Christ is clearly on the offensive. He is ready to do battle for His dominion rights. The imagery here is taken from Isa. 11:4; He will be victorious over the nations with His sharp and powerful two-edged sword, His Word (Heb. 4:12).
1:17-20 - John’s reaction to seeing Christ is similar to Daniel’s (Daniel 1 0:9-11). Fear is a normal first reaction but Christ tells him not to fear. The presence of God is often depicted in dual terms of striking fear in His enemies but a source of comfort for His people (Hab. 3:10-13). Jesus tells John that He is the First and Last (Isa. 48:12). Again he uses another Old Testament title for God. Jesus also informs him that He has defeated death. The Roman Empire claimed to have all authority over life and death, but Jesus declares that it is He who holds the keys to that power. Holding the keys was the symbol of authority over something in the first century.
John is then told to write what he has seen (the vision of Christ), what is now (more correctly "what they are", i.e., what they signify or correspond to), and the things that will take place later. The seven stars, John is told, correspond to the angels of the seven churches. Both angels and stars are associated with government and rule in biblical symbolism (Gen. 37:9; Judg. 5:20; Dan. 8:9-11; 10:13, 20-21). Thus, the point is the seven stars, the constellation (Pleiades) of resurrection and dominion, are the angels, which correspond to the government or responsibility of the Church. The seven churches mentioned are both specific and universal images as mentioned earlier.
Devotioinal Thought
John’s first reaction to the presence of Jesus is that of fear. He falls down as though He is dead. Do you have the same type of reverence for Christ when you enter His presence to worship? What can you do to worship God with the proper perspective each Lord’s Day?
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Revelation 1:5b-11
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood, 6and has made us to be a kingdom and priests to serve his God and Father—to him be glory and power for ever and ever! Amen.
7Look, he is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.
8"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
One like a Son of Man
9I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea."
Dig Deeper
When I first got married, I thought that our married life would be pretty easy. I was sure we wouldn’t have the types of issues and problems that everyone else had. When I quickly realized that this would not be the case, I set about trying to find techniques and methods that would make married life easier. What I have discovered, however, is that this too, was a completely wrong way of thinking. God never designed marriage to become easier on me. He designed it to teach us about our relationship with Him. In fact, the more harmonious my marriage becomes, the more challenging it is to me personally to grow more like Christ in those areas that are deeply embedded in my character.
In the same way, many view the book of Revelation as a manual telling Christians how to avoid the suffering that it going to come upon the world. In fact, it is often claimed that the book lays out a teaching that God’s people will be evacuated and not have to face a great tribulation that is still to come upon the earth. This is, however, to completely misunderstand the truth of Revelation. God’s people who have entered into the life of Christ will always go through suffering of some type. Just as constant trials and changing our character are part of marriage, not something to be avoided, so is suffering and endurance part of the life of Christ in which we all share.
1:5b-6 - John breaks into a chorus of praise to Jesus Christ in these verses. Christ has done more than just release and redeem us from slavery; He has made us a Kingdom and priests. The Kingdom has begun, it is not a future event. Christians are to be ruling with Christ in this Kingdom now. We are to be a victorious priesthood, an equal family of believers, that is striving to bring all areas of life under His dominion and rule.
1:7 - John announces one of the primary themes of the book of Revelation. It is not the Second Coming of Christ which will include the final resurrection, it is the coming of Christ in judgment upon Israel. The Old Covenant will be done away with as Christ establishes the Church as His new Kingdom. John uses one of the most familiar biblical images for judgment by saying that Jesus is coming with the clouds (Gen. 15:17; Ex. 13:21-22; 14:19-20, 24; 19:9, 16-19; Ps. 18:8-14; 104:3; Isa. 19:1; Ezek. 32:7-8; Nahum 1:2-8; Matt. 24:30; Mark 14:62; Acts 2:19). Coming with the clouds speaks of judgment and in no way necessitates that John is referring to the end of the physical world. Just as He had promised, Christ is coming in wrath and judgment against apostate Israel (Matt. 23-25). John says that the peoples of the earth will mourn. Jesus also says that all the tribes of the land (the NIV incorrectly gives us the term "peoples of the earth." This is important because the people of the land was common terminology at the time for Israel.) would mourn when He came (Matt. 24:30; 24:51). Thus, Israel has gone past the point of no return. The judgment upon them is coming and will not be reversed.
1:8 - This verse alone should end any pretense at arguments that the early church did not claim Jesus to be God. Jesus refers to Himself here in terms reserved only for God. The Greek word pantokrator, translated here as Almighty, means "the One has all power and rules over everything." It is the New Testament equivalent of the Old Testament expression "Lord of Hosts." Christ was about to demonstrate to the whole world, including those who had pierced Him, that he had ascended to the throne and was the Supreme Ruler of the world.
1:9 - Here we have a concise picture of John’s worldview. It strikes a blow against those who would interpret Revelation as teaching that there will be no tribulation for the church due to the Rapture, that Christ’s Kingdom is to come after His Second Coming, and that perseverance is not required or expected. John teaches that these things are necessary for the Christian life. It simply is not realistic for Christians to assume that we are or will be immune from suffering. John would not know that version of the Christian life. John not only has in view the general suffering of being a Christian, but also the specific Great Tribulation that is about to befall the church. The Christian life is not just about suffering, however; it is also about Kingdom. Christ has conquered His enemies and put all things under His feet (Eph. 1:21-22; Mark 1:14-15; Acts 2:29-36; Col. 1:13). All things are subject to Christ now, but the rulers and authorities of the world have to be put down. This is much of the message of the Revelation. The dominion of Christ and His church is something to be exercised now; we do not need to wait until some future Coming of Christ. The time is now.
1:10 - When John says he was in the Spirit, he is using technical prophetic language (Matt. 22:43; Numb. 11:25; 2 Sam. 23:2; Ezek. 2:2; 3:24; 2 Pet. 1:21). He is indicating to his readers that he is an inspired apostle, receiving heavenly revelation. John sees the vision on the Lord’s Day which brings forth connotations of the Sabbath or rest. The term "rest" in Scripture often refers to God being seated on His throne as judge, receiving worship from His creation (1 Chron. 28:2; Ps. 132:7-8, 13:14; Isa. 11:10; 66:1). John, then, was caught up into the glory cloud of God’s presence to receive special revelation.
1:11 - Verses 10 and 11 demonstrate a pattern that will be seen throughout the Revelation. John hears first, and then he sees (5:5-6; 22:8, etc.). The Revelation is destined for seven churches. Seven is a major symbolic theme in the Revelation. It stands for the fullness and completeness of God’s creation. Although John is probably writing this to the seven specific churches, it also stands symbolically for all of the Church.
Devotional Thought
John repeatedly stresses the call for the Christian Church to exercise dominion throughout the world over the Kingdom of Satan. We are to exercise our dominion over Satan’s Kingdom and circumstances. In what ways do you intentionally bring the light of Christ’s dominion in the world around you everyday? Think of at least three specific ways this week that you demonstrate a different way of living to those around you. Remember, the job of Christians is to be a brighter light than the darkness that surrounds us.
7Look, he is coming with the clouds,
and every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him;
and all the peoples of the earth will mourn because of him. So shall it be! Amen.
8"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty."
One like a Son of Man
9I, John, your brother and companion in the suffering and kingdom and patient endurance that are ours in Jesus, was on the island of Patmos because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. 10On the Lord's Day I was in the Spirit, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet, 11which said: "Write on a scroll what you see and send it to the seven churches: to Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea."
Dig Deeper
When I first got married, I thought that our married life would be pretty easy. I was sure we wouldn’t have the types of issues and problems that everyone else had. When I quickly realized that this would not be the case, I set about trying to find techniques and methods that would make married life easier. What I have discovered, however, is that this too, was a completely wrong way of thinking. God never designed marriage to become easier on me. He designed it to teach us about our relationship with Him. In fact, the more harmonious my marriage becomes, the more challenging it is to me personally to grow more like Christ in those areas that are deeply embedded in my character.
In the same way, many view the book of Revelation as a manual telling Christians how to avoid the suffering that it going to come upon the world. In fact, it is often claimed that the book lays out a teaching that God’s people will be evacuated and not have to face a great tribulation that is still to come upon the earth. This is, however, to completely misunderstand the truth of Revelation. God’s people who have entered into the life of Christ will always go through suffering of some type. Just as constant trials and changing our character are part of marriage, not something to be avoided, so is suffering and endurance part of the life of Christ in which we all share.
1:5b-6 - John breaks into a chorus of praise to Jesus Christ in these verses. Christ has done more than just release and redeem us from slavery; He has made us a Kingdom and priests. The Kingdom has begun, it is not a future event. Christians are to be ruling with Christ in this Kingdom now. We are to be a victorious priesthood, an equal family of believers, that is striving to bring all areas of life under His dominion and rule.
1:7 - John announces one of the primary themes of the book of Revelation. It is not the Second Coming of Christ which will include the final resurrection, it is the coming of Christ in judgment upon Israel. The Old Covenant will be done away with as Christ establishes the Church as His new Kingdom. John uses one of the most familiar biblical images for judgment by saying that Jesus is coming with the clouds (Gen. 15:17; Ex. 13:21-22; 14:19-20, 24; 19:9, 16-19; Ps. 18:8-14; 104:3; Isa. 19:1; Ezek. 32:7-8; Nahum 1:2-8; Matt. 24:30; Mark 14:62; Acts 2:19). Coming with the clouds speaks of judgment and in no way necessitates that John is referring to the end of the physical world. Just as He had promised, Christ is coming in wrath and judgment against apostate Israel (Matt. 23-25). John says that the peoples of the earth will mourn. Jesus also says that all the tribes of the land (the NIV incorrectly gives us the term "peoples of the earth." This is important because the people of the land was common terminology at the time for Israel.) would mourn when He came (Matt. 24:30; 24:51). Thus, Israel has gone past the point of no return. The judgment upon them is coming and will not be reversed.
1:8 - This verse alone should end any pretense at arguments that the early church did not claim Jesus to be God. Jesus refers to Himself here in terms reserved only for God. The Greek word pantokrator, translated here as Almighty, means "the One has all power and rules over everything." It is the New Testament equivalent of the Old Testament expression "Lord of Hosts." Christ was about to demonstrate to the whole world, including those who had pierced Him, that he had ascended to the throne and was the Supreme Ruler of the world.
1:9 - Here we have a concise picture of John’s worldview. It strikes a blow against those who would interpret Revelation as teaching that there will be no tribulation for the church due to the Rapture, that Christ’s Kingdom is to come after His Second Coming, and that perseverance is not required or expected. John teaches that these things are necessary for the Christian life. It simply is not realistic for Christians to assume that we are or will be immune from suffering. John would not know that version of the Christian life. John not only has in view the general suffering of being a Christian, but also the specific Great Tribulation that is about to befall the church. The Christian life is not just about suffering, however; it is also about Kingdom. Christ has conquered His enemies and put all things under His feet (Eph. 1:21-22; Mark 1:14-15; Acts 2:29-36; Col. 1:13). All things are subject to Christ now, but the rulers and authorities of the world have to be put down. This is much of the message of the Revelation. The dominion of Christ and His church is something to be exercised now; we do not need to wait until some future Coming of Christ. The time is now.
1:10 - When John says he was in the Spirit, he is using technical prophetic language (Matt. 22:43; Numb. 11:25; 2 Sam. 23:2; Ezek. 2:2; 3:24; 2 Pet. 1:21). He is indicating to his readers that he is an inspired apostle, receiving heavenly revelation. John sees the vision on the Lord’s Day which brings forth connotations of the Sabbath or rest. The term "rest" in Scripture often refers to God being seated on His throne as judge, receiving worship from His creation (1 Chron. 28:2; Ps. 132:7-8, 13:14; Isa. 11:10; 66:1). John, then, was caught up into the glory cloud of God’s presence to receive special revelation.
1:11 - Verses 10 and 11 demonstrate a pattern that will be seen throughout the Revelation. John hears first, and then he sees (5:5-6; 22:8, etc.). The Revelation is destined for seven churches. Seven is a major symbolic theme in the Revelation. It stands for the fullness and completeness of God’s creation. Although John is probably writing this to the seven specific churches, it also stands symbolically for all of the Church.
Devotional Thought
John repeatedly stresses the call for the Christian Church to exercise dominion throughout the world over the Kingdom of Satan. We are to exercise our dominion over Satan’s Kingdom and circumstances. In what ways do you intentionally bring the light of Christ’s dominion in the world around you everyday? Think of at least three specific ways this week that you demonstrate a different way of living to those around you. Remember, the job of Christians is to be a brighter light than the darkness that surrounds us.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Revelation 1:1-5a
Prologue
1The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
Greetings and doxology
4John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, 5and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
Dig Deeper
"You’d better hide." Why?, asked the girl’s younger brother. "Because the sky is falling and it’s about to land on your head," she replied. What she meant was that their father had just found out that the young man had created a new work of art on the beautiful, light yellow dining room wall that had just been freshly painted. Simply saying dad’s mad and he’s coming your way wouldn’t work. It wouldn’t convey the severity and intensity that she believed was about to come down on this boy, or at least that should come down on him. Sometimes, when a situation is so intense, normal language simply won’t work. It needs to be conveyed through bigger, earth-shattering type language.
This is exactly what John tells us from the very beginning is going to happen in the book of revelation. The things that he is about to relate were related to him, and they are so big, so monumental, that they go beyond normal human words. Only symbolic and deeply metaphorical language can truly do justice to the magnitude of the situation at hand.
1:1 - From the opening words, John makes it clear that this is to be a revealing or revelation of and by Jesus Christ. It is not intended to be a mystery. It is written about things that would soon take place. It was not written about the end of the world or something in the distant future for John’s first readers. The Revelation is a covenant lawsuit, prophesying the outpouring of God’s wrath on Jerusalem. It would be the culmination of the "last days;" the time between the ascension of Christ and the last days of the covenant with Jerusalem which would end with its destruction. The NIV translation drops the fact that the original text says that the angel "did signify" the revelation. This shows from the beginning that the Revelation was written in signs; it was "sign-ified." The servant John is almost assuredly none other than the beloved apostle who wrote the gospel of John and the three letters of John.
1:2 - The first verse says that this is the revelation of Jesus Christ. John now reminds readers that He vouches for the reliability of Christ because he saw and knew Him. Thus, we see a pattern of Christ and His servants bearing dual witnesses that will be carried on throughout the book (and will be important in understanding 11:4-12).
1:3 - This is the first beatitude (blessing) of seven in the revelation (1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20;6; 22:7; 22:14). The blessing is pronounced for those who remain faithful to the message. John blesses those who read and hear. This indicates that the book was meant to be read in liturgy (public worship). Revelation is greatly concerned with public worship; it is a central theme of the book. By showing heavenly worship, John reveals how the Church is to perform God’s will through earthly worship. We are to respond to the truth in special worship and then respond in general worship throughout every area of our life. This is why the blessing is limited to those who take to heart what is written. John again warns that the time described in this prophecy is near. The events described are contemporary and are soon to happen. The end of the world was approaching. Not in the physical sense, but the passing away of the old world order and the Old Covenant.
1:4-5a - John addresses the prophecy to seven actual churches. But it is also true that seven is a symbolic number in the Scriptures. It represents a fullness of quantity (going back to the seven days of creation) which means here that it likely represents the fact that the Revelation is intended for the whole Church in every age as well as the specific seven churches. John gives characteristic blessing of the apostles, bestowing among the churches, sending Grace and peace equally from all three members of the Godhood. The greeting here is a clear expression of Trinitarian faith. The Father is the One is who, was, and is to come. He is eternal and unchangeable (Mal. 3:6).
The word ‘come’ here also indicates the idea of judgment. When God comes He comes in judgment. He comes not just one time at the end of the world, though, it also refers to His unceasing rule over history. Since grace and peace can only originate from God, the seven spirits are a reference to the Holy Spirit. The person spoken of here is clearly equal with the Father and Son. The picture of the seven spirits is taken from Zechariah 4, in which the prophet sees the Church as a lampstand with seven lamps. The Holy Spirit’s empowering work is described in terms of seven, symbolizing fullness and completeness. Just as there are seven churches, there are seven spirits or to better capture the concept in English, the seven-fold Spirit. The Spirit is before the throne of God indicating that the Revelation is a book about rule. "Throne" occurs 46 times throughout the Revelation. God’s throne is a reference to God’s official court where He receives official worship. John is again stressing worship. The entire vision of the Revelation was seen on the Lord’s Day (1:10), the Christian day of official worship. All the action in this book centers on the worship around the throne of God.
The final member of the Godhood is Jesus Christ, described as faithful witness, firstborn, and the king of the earth. In the Bible, the witness was one who enforced the law and assisted in its execution, including the death penalty if necessary. The significance of Jesus as the faithful witness is that He witnesses against those who are at war against God, and He will execute them if need be. John refers to Him as the firstborn, showing that He fulfilled the prophecy in Ps. 89:27. Jesus is also the current ruler of the earth, He is not waiting for some future event. The clear message is that Jesus is Lord, Caesar is not.
Devotional Thought
One of the main themes of the revelation is the importance and primacy of worship in the life of the church. When you go to church, is the corporate, public, and official worship of God your primary concern? (Notice the primacy that John places on group worship in the rest of the book.) What are some things that you can do to gain the proper perspective on the importance of worshipping God?
1The revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave him to show his servants what must soon take place. He made it known by sending his angel to his servant John, 2who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God and the testimony of Jesus Christ. 3Blessed is the one who reads the words of this prophecy, and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it, because the time is near.
Greetings and doxology
4John,
To the seven churches in the province of Asia:
Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits before his throne, 5and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth.
Dig Deeper
"You’d better hide." Why?, asked the girl’s younger brother. "Because the sky is falling and it’s about to land on your head," she replied. What she meant was that their father had just found out that the young man had created a new work of art on the beautiful, light yellow dining room wall that had just been freshly painted. Simply saying dad’s mad and he’s coming your way wouldn’t work. It wouldn’t convey the severity and intensity that she believed was about to come down on this boy, or at least that should come down on him. Sometimes, when a situation is so intense, normal language simply won’t work. It needs to be conveyed through bigger, earth-shattering type language.
This is exactly what John tells us from the very beginning is going to happen in the book of revelation. The things that he is about to relate were related to him, and they are so big, so monumental, that they go beyond normal human words. Only symbolic and deeply metaphorical language can truly do justice to the magnitude of the situation at hand.
1:1 - From the opening words, John makes it clear that this is to be a revealing or revelation of and by Jesus Christ. It is not intended to be a mystery. It is written about things that would soon take place. It was not written about the end of the world or something in the distant future for John’s first readers. The Revelation is a covenant lawsuit, prophesying the outpouring of God’s wrath on Jerusalem. It would be the culmination of the "last days;" the time between the ascension of Christ and the last days of the covenant with Jerusalem which would end with its destruction. The NIV translation drops the fact that the original text says that the angel "did signify" the revelation. This shows from the beginning that the Revelation was written in signs; it was "sign-ified." The servant John is almost assuredly none other than the beloved apostle who wrote the gospel of John and the three letters of John.
1:2 - The first verse says that this is the revelation of Jesus Christ. John now reminds readers that He vouches for the reliability of Christ because he saw and knew Him. Thus, we see a pattern of Christ and His servants bearing dual witnesses that will be carried on throughout the book (and will be important in understanding 11:4-12).
1:3 - This is the first beatitude (blessing) of seven in the revelation (1:3; 14:13; 16:15; 19:9; 20;6; 22:7; 22:14). The blessing is pronounced for those who remain faithful to the message. John blesses those who read and hear. This indicates that the book was meant to be read in liturgy (public worship). Revelation is greatly concerned with public worship; it is a central theme of the book. By showing heavenly worship, John reveals how the Church is to perform God’s will through earthly worship. We are to respond to the truth in special worship and then respond in general worship throughout every area of our life. This is why the blessing is limited to those who take to heart what is written. John again warns that the time described in this prophecy is near. The events described are contemporary and are soon to happen. The end of the world was approaching. Not in the physical sense, but the passing away of the old world order and the Old Covenant.
1:4-5a - John addresses the prophecy to seven actual churches. But it is also true that seven is a symbolic number in the Scriptures. It represents a fullness of quantity (going back to the seven days of creation) which means here that it likely represents the fact that the Revelation is intended for the whole Church in every age as well as the specific seven churches. John gives characteristic blessing of the apostles, bestowing among the churches, sending Grace and peace equally from all three members of the Godhood. The greeting here is a clear expression of Trinitarian faith. The Father is the One is who, was, and is to come. He is eternal and unchangeable (Mal. 3:6).
The word ‘come’ here also indicates the idea of judgment. When God comes He comes in judgment. He comes not just one time at the end of the world, though, it also refers to His unceasing rule over history. Since grace and peace can only originate from God, the seven spirits are a reference to the Holy Spirit. The person spoken of here is clearly equal with the Father and Son. The picture of the seven spirits is taken from Zechariah 4, in which the prophet sees the Church as a lampstand with seven lamps. The Holy Spirit’s empowering work is described in terms of seven, symbolizing fullness and completeness. Just as there are seven churches, there are seven spirits or to better capture the concept in English, the seven-fold Spirit. The Spirit is before the throne of God indicating that the Revelation is a book about rule. "Throne" occurs 46 times throughout the Revelation. God’s throne is a reference to God’s official court where He receives official worship. John is again stressing worship. The entire vision of the Revelation was seen on the Lord’s Day (1:10), the Christian day of official worship. All the action in this book centers on the worship around the throne of God.
The final member of the Godhood is Jesus Christ, described as faithful witness, firstborn, and the king of the earth. In the Bible, the witness was one who enforced the law and assisted in its execution, including the death penalty if necessary. The significance of Jesus as the faithful witness is that He witnesses against those who are at war against God, and He will execute them if need be. John refers to Him as the firstborn, showing that He fulfilled the prophecy in Ps. 89:27. Jesus is also the current ruler of the earth, He is not waiting for some future event. The clear message is that Jesus is Lord, Caesar is not.
Devotional Thought
One of the main themes of the revelation is the importance and primacy of worship in the life of the church. When you go to church, is the corporate, public, and official worship of God your primary concern? (Notice the primacy that John places on group worship in the rest of the book.) What are some things that you can do to gain the proper perspective on the importance of worshipping God?
Monday, May 19, 2008
Philippians 4:14-23
14Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid again and again when I was in need. 17Not that I am looking for a gift, but I am looking for what may be credited to your account. 18I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.
20To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Final Greetings
21Greet all the saints in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send greetings. 22All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar's household.
23The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
Dig Deeper
We have always tried to teach our sons to be responsible and to serve other people whenever they could. Sometimes this can seem like a long and fruitless task, but we are confident that it will bear fruit in the long run. Every now and then, though, there is an amazing breakthrough, an instance where they really do seem to get it. Recently, my wife was gone for the day and we had a bunch of people coming over to our house later that night. I was talking on the phone to my wife and mentioned that I needed to vacuum the floor and pick up a few things before people started coming over but I had so many other things to do that it was going to be a chore to get to it all. A few minutes later, I was in my room looking for a book when I suddenly heard the vacuum cleaner running, which was weird because the only other person in the house was our then four-year old. I walked out into the living room and there he was, vacuuming the floor. When he saw me, he looked up and said, "Daddy, I know you're busy and I want to help you." He did a great job vacuuming, and in fact he went on to dust the entire downstairs as well. I was grateful and praised him greatly for helping me out. The fact is, it did help me quite a bit, but my real joy came from the fact that he was learning to serve and think of others.
We know, as has been apparent, throughout this letter, that Paul is greatly encouraged by the Philippians and loves them deeply. Now we see that it has to do with the fact that they have helped Paul out before. This was not a one-time gift, rather they have served and helped Paul repeatedly, especially when others wouldn't or couldn't. Yet, Paul is not like a young lady who likes one boy in particular because he keeps giving her gifts. Paul isn't filled with joy for himself because they have supported him. His real sense of joy comes from the understanding that when they support him it is because of their love and devotion to God. Paul's true satisfaction comes more from knowing that the Philippians are embracing the true mature life of Christ that puts the interests of others above their own, than it does because they have made his life a little easier.
Paul continues to walk the fine line here between seeming ungrateful and seeming over-dependent on monetary gifts and support. It was good of them to share in his troubles. Paul was quite willing to suffer and struggle in the life of Christ as he spread the gospel, but as anyone would be, was encouraged by the fact that they had not left Paul on his own but had constantly and consistently partnered with him by supporting him. It was a habit of theirs and Paul was deeply appreciative. From the very beginning of their life in Christ they had shown the spiritual maturity and sacrificial heart to support Paul in the spread of the gospel. The Philippians were one of the first churches planted on Greek soil, and was apparently the only church that was in a position to support Paul as he continued on to Thessonica (Acts 17:1-9). Paul continued to travel and spread the gospel and it wasn't until he arrived in Corinth for a while that he settled in and set up shop as a tentmaker to help support himself, but even there they continued to help him. This was something that caused some grief and had upset some of the Corinthians (2 Cor. 11:7-11). Paul had felt that the Corinthians were not spiritually mature enough yet to be able to handle supporting him without doing so from a worldly perspective, but not the Philippians. They had been ready, willing, and able from the very beginning.
Yet, Paul knows that it was quite common in his day for roaming teachers and philosophers to go from town to town teaching their particular brand of beliefs and to charge people for the pleasure of listening to them. They would basically sell their teachings and the more you wanted to hear, the more you had to pay. Many people in the ancient world came to the perception that these men were crooks and charlatans. Paul is very aware of the surface similarities between what he does and these men and wants to avoid any appearance of actually being like them. So, he goes carefully about saying "thank you" while clearly expressing that what really matters is their support and partnership that are expressed by the gift, not the gift itself. He's grateful for the gift, but wasn't really looking for that. What he did want to see from them was their commitment to him and the spread of the gospel, though, and their continued gifts spoke that message loud and clear.
Paul uses two different metaphors in verse 18. He begins with language from the accounting world, saying that they have more than settled their account with him. He then switches to the language of worship and sacrifice from the Old Testament. Their gifts were like a pleasing sacrifice to God on the altar of the Temple. Paul knows that God isn't pleased by people who simply go through the motions (Ps. 50:7-15). What God really desires, and so then does Paul, is the heart and genuine love that flows from a heart truly committed to God.
Paul assures them that those who trust in God and are committed to His will, the way the Philippians have demonstrated themselves to be, will have all their needs met by God Himself according to the glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Many have taken verse 19 out of context to support their belief in the so-called prosperity gospel, as though if you simply give to a certain ministry and 'plant a seed' that God will give back to you and make you rich. This is not at all what Paul is talking about here. He has been, throughout the whole passage, playing down the role of money in all of this, it would make no sense if he was suddenly telling them that because of their gift, God would now make them monetarily wealthy. This would be a proposition that anyone, whether truly dedicated to the gospel or not, might sign up for. But Paul precisely doesn't want them to think about worldly wealth. The key to this verse is the last three words. The glorious riches come in the life of Christ not from worldly wealth. That is why Paul knows that they will be blessed by God in Christ, because they have sacrificed worldly wealth, not to gain more back, but to experience the full life of Christ.
Paul ends by urging them to greet all the saints in Philippi. He also sends greetings from the brother who are with him. Being that Philippi was such a Roman town, one where Caesar was held in particularly high regard, it may have been especially encouraging for them to hear that the gospel had reached into Caesar's own household. Truly the gospel to which they committed was spreading everywhere. His final wish is that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with them. In other words, that they might continue to live the life of Christ available to their spirits through the moving of the Holy Spirit.
Devotional Throught
Do you truly believe that God will meet all of your needs in the life of Christ Jesus? That means that sometimes, the way your needs will be met might actually come through the suffering or difficult circumstances that come as a result of your life in Christ rather than worldly comfort and wealth? Spend some time meditating on what that might mean on a daily basis.
20To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Final Greetings
21Greet all the saints in Christ Jesus. The brothers who are with me send greetings. 22All the saints send you greetings, especially those who belong to Caesar's household.
23The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen.
Dig Deeper
We have always tried to teach our sons to be responsible and to serve other people whenever they could. Sometimes this can seem like a long and fruitless task, but we are confident that it will bear fruit in the long run. Every now and then, though, there is an amazing breakthrough, an instance where they really do seem to get it. Recently, my wife was gone for the day and we had a bunch of people coming over to our house later that night. I was talking on the phone to my wife and mentioned that I needed to vacuum the floor and pick up a few things before people started coming over but I had so many other things to do that it was going to be a chore to get to it all. A few minutes later, I was in my room looking for a book when I suddenly heard the vacuum cleaner running, which was weird because the only other person in the house was our then four-year old. I walked out into the living room and there he was, vacuuming the floor. When he saw me, he looked up and said, "Daddy, I know you're busy and I want to help you." He did a great job vacuuming, and in fact he went on to dust the entire downstairs as well. I was grateful and praised him greatly for helping me out. The fact is, it did help me quite a bit, but my real joy came from the fact that he was learning to serve and think of others.
We know, as has been apparent, throughout this letter, that Paul is greatly encouraged by the Philippians and loves them deeply. Now we see that it has to do with the fact that they have helped Paul out before. This was not a one-time gift, rather they have served and helped Paul repeatedly, especially when others wouldn't or couldn't. Yet, Paul is not like a young lady who likes one boy in particular because he keeps giving her gifts. Paul isn't filled with joy for himself because they have supported him. His real sense of joy comes from the understanding that when they support him it is because of their love and devotion to God. Paul's true satisfaction comes more from knowing that the Philippians are embracing the true mature life of Christ that puts the interests of others above their own, than it does because they have made his life a little easier.
Paul continues to walk the fine line here between seeming ungrateful and seeming over-dependent on monetary gifts and support. It was good of them to share in his troubles. Paul was quite willing to suffer and struggle in the life of Christ as he spread the gospel, but as anyone would be, was encouraged by the fact that they had not left Paul on his own but had constantly and consistently partnered with him by supporting him. It was a habit of theirs and Paul was deeply appreciative. From the very beginning of their life in Christ they had shown the spiritual maturity and sacrificial heart to support Paul in the spread of the gospel. The Philippians were one of the first churches planted on Greek soil, and was apparently the only church that was in a position to support Paul as he continued on to Thessonica (Acts 17:1-9). Paul continued to travel and spread the gospel and it wasn't until he arrived in Corinth for a while that he settled in and set up shop as a tentmaker to help support himself, but even there they continued to help him. This was something that caused some grief and had upset some of the Corinthians (2 Cor. 11:7-11). Paul had felt that the Corinthians were not spiritually mature enough yet to be able to handle supporting him without doing so from a worldly perspective, but not the Philippians. They had been ready, willing, and able from the very beginning.
Yet, Paul knows that it was quite common in his day for roaming teachers and philosophers to go from town to town teaching their particular brand of beliefs and to charge people for the pleasure of listening to them. They would basically sell their teachings and the more you wanted to hear, the more you had to pay. Many people in the ancient world came to the perception that these men were crooks and charlatans. Paul is very aware of the surface similarities between what he does and these men and wants to avoid any appearance of actually being like them. So, he goes carefully about saying "thank you" while clearly expressing that what really matters is their support and partnership that are expressed by the gift, not the gift itself. He's grateful for the gift, but wasn't really looking for that. What he did want to see from them was their commitment to him and the spread of the gospel, though, and their continued gifts spoke that message loud and clear.
Paul uses two different metaphors in verse 18. He begins with language from the accounting world, saying that they have more than settled their account with him. He then switches to the language of worship and sacrifice from the Old Testament. Their gifts were like a pleasing sacrifice to God on the altar of the Temple. Paul knows that God isn't pleased by people who simply go through the motions (Ps. 50:7-15). What God really desires, and so then does Paul, is the heart and genuine love that flows from a heart truly committed to God.
Paul assures them that those who trust in God and are committed to His will, the way the Philippians have demonstrated themselves to be, will have all their needs met by God Himself according to the glorious riches in Christ Jesus. Many have taken verse 19 out of context to support their belief in the so-called prosperity gospel, as though if you simply give to a certain ministry and 'plant a seed' that God will give back to you and make you rich. This is not at all what Paul is talking about here. He has been, throughout the whole passage, playing down the role of money in all of this, it would make no sense if he was suddenly telling them that because of their gift, God would now make them monetarily wealthy. This would be a proposition that anyone, whether truly dedicated to the gospel or not, might sign up for. But Paul precisely doesn't want them to think about worldly wealth. The key to this verse is the last three words. The glorious riches come in the life of Christ not from worldly wealth. That is why Paul knows that they will be blessed by God in Christ, because they have sacrificed worldly wealth, not to gain more back, but to experience the full life of Christ.
Paul ends by urging them to greet all the saints in Philippi. He also sends greetings from the brother who are with him. Being that Philippi was such a Roman town, one where Caesar was held in particularly high regard, it may have been especially encouraging for them to hear that the gospel had reached into Caesar's own household. Truly the gospel to which they committed was spreading everywhere. His final wish is that the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with them. In other words, that they might continue to live the life of Christ available to their spirits through the moving of the Holy Spirit.
Devotional Throught
Do you truly believe that God will meet all of your needs in the life of Christ Jesus? That means that sometimes, the way your needs will be met might actually come through the suffering or difficult circumstances that come as a result of your life in Christ rather than worldly comfort and wealth? Spend some time meditating on what that might mean on a daily basis.
Friday, May 16, 2008
Philippians 4:10-13
Thanks for Their Gifts
10I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Dig Deeper
Philippians 4:13 has become one of those transcendent Bible verses in our culture. In fact, you can see it all over the place. It would be no problem to go online right now and find a T-shirt that has the verse emblazoned on the back. I have seen it three places in particular over the past few years that are special favorites of mine. Former Heavyweight boxing champion, Evander Holyfied, used to wear a black robe as he would come down for bouts that had "Philippians 4:13" imprinted on his hood. Mixed Martial Arts fighter Ron Waterman has made somewhat of a cottage industry of the verse. It is all over his website, his warm-ups, and he even sells Ron Waterman T-shirts with the verse on it. Finally, WWE wrestler Shawn Michaels has gone to wearing that verse on his warm-up T-shirts that he wears before ripping it off quite stylishly preceding a match. Yes, the verse truly has become transcendent. So transcendent, in fact, that our culture has done what it usually does to verses that become transcendent, they have ripped it clean away from any actual context of what Paul was saying.
Paul is not offering a timeless slogan for those who want to go beat up other men in competition, nor is this a life verse for those who want to take some great business risk or do well on a test for which they haven’t really studied. No, this section and this verse don’t offer any such platitudes. Paul is in the midst of thanking the Philippians for their generous gift but he has to walk a fine line between gratitude and making it seem as though he relies inappropriately on material gifts and wealth. He has just finished, in the previous passage, encouraging them to rejoice whatever difficult circumstances or persecution they may face. Paul lets them know that he is not calling them to do something that he knows nothing of. He has learned to rejoice in just such situations. The most important thing that he learned, however, and the inspiration for the now-famous verse 13 is the true source of the strength to meet the temptations, trials, and persecutions.
Paul is genuinely grateful for the generous support that the Philippians have sent to him via Epaphroditus. We can assume that it was a fairly substantial amount or it would have unnecessary to send a special messenger with the money. His comments that they at last, have renewed their concerns for him, should not be taken as a jab implying that they shouldn’t have taken so long. Paul is not trying to criticize them at all, because he is confident that they wanted to support him, but this is the first opportunity they have had to send it to him. The gratitude that he felt when Epaphroditus arrived probably made him realize just how long it had been since he had heard from them. Without methods of modern communication, Paul would have had no idea if the saints in Philippi still stood behind him in every way or if the difficult circumstances he found himself in or if the persecution that they had faced had caused them to drift towards other spiritual leaders and wane in their support for Paul.
Paul is incredibly grateful for this support both emotionally and financially. The word he uses that is translated "renewed" literally means "sprouted up" or "flowered." Thus, his point is that the gift was like a spring flower bursting out on a cold and otherwise barren spring day. Yet, Paul faces a difficult task here. He wants to show genuine appreciation for their support, but he also wants to ensure that they don’t think that his work is dependent on or motivated by that support. So, he walks the tightrope between allowing them to serve and greatly appreciating it, while clearly expressing that he would carry on whether or not he was comfortable, and that their gift in no way influences the love that he already has for them.
If we look carefully at what Paul is saying, we realize that he is not saying what many might think at first glance. Paul is not telling them, "hey, I know what it’s like to be happy and have everything I need, and I know what it’s like to be miserable and have nothing." Rather, his point is that he has faced the tribulations and temptations of being in need, but he has also faced the special temptations and traps of having more than enough. Both situations offer opportunities to rely on self and get bogged down in sin and temptation.
Paul, however, has learned the key. It is to be content in every situation. The term "content" (autarkes) was commonly used by the philosophers of Paul’s time. When they used this term and concept they referred to the idea of being self-sufficient. In fact, they considered this to be the most valuable attribute and characteristic of a wise individual. Their point was that you found the necessary resources within yourself so that you could flick off whatever dire circumstances might come your way, and could keep a smile on your face the whole time. It might have seemed to the Philippians that this is precisely what Paul was saying, if it wasn’t for verse 13, which is central to his whole idea.
Paul’s point in verse 13 is not that whatever you would like to engage in, go ahead because God will see you through it. His point is specifically about standing up to trials, persecution, and various temptations that have come as a result of his ministry. Through every situation, he has learned to be content, but not the kind of self-sufficiency that the Stoic philosophers valued so highly. This strength of character did not, and Paul wanted to be very clear on this, come from him or his own strength. It doesn’t even come from them or their support. He appreciated their gift and generosity but that did not increase his ability to cope with the difficulties at hand. That’s not what gave him the strength to stand up to every situation. The strength and power came from God alone. So here we see another example of a very human Paul dealing with difficult situations in a very authentic manner. He doesn’t offer up and platitudes or easy do-it-yourself type solutions. Nor does he simply say, "It’s all in God’s hands." Paul’s principle comes from someone who has wrestled with difficult situations and learned that he could make it through and be content, but that it would come from his life in Christ which gave him access to the very strength and power of God.
Devotional Thought
How do you get through difficult situations that have come about as part of your life in Christ? Do you truly turn to God for strength and contentment or do you seek out other things?
10I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. 11I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 12I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13I can do everything through him who gives me strength.
Dig Deeper
Philippians 4:13 has become one of those transcendent Bible verses in our culture. In fact, you can see it all over the place. It would be no problem to go online right now and find a T-shirt that has the verse emblazoned on the back. I have seen it three places in particular over the past few years that are special favorites of mine. Former Heavyweight boxing champion, Evander Holyfied, used to wear a black robe as he would come down for bouts that had "Philippians 4:13" imprinted on his hood. Mixed Martial Arts fighter Ron Waterman has made somewhat of a cottage industry of the verse. It is all over his website, his warm-ups, and he even sells Ron Waterman T-shirts with the verse on it. Finally, WWE wrestler Shawn Michaels has gone to wearing that verse on his warm-up T-shirts that he wears before ripping it off quite stylishly preceding a match. Yes, the verse truly has become transcendent. So transcendent, in fact, that our culture has done what it usually does to verses that become transcendent, they have ripped it clean away from any actual context of what Paul was saying.
Paul is not offering a timeless slogan for those who want to go beat up other men in competition, nor is this a life verse for those who want to take some great business risk or do well on a test for which they haven’t really studied. No, this section and this verse don’t offer any such platitudes. Paul is in the midst of thanking the Philippians for their generous gift but he has to walk a fine line between gratitude and making it seem as though he relies inappropriately on material gifts and wealth. He has just finished, in the previous passage, encouraging them to rejoice whatever difficult circumstances or persecution they may face. Paul lets them know that he is not calling them to do something that he knows nothing of. He has learned to rejoice in just such situations. The most important thing that he learned, however, and the inspiration for the now-famous verse 13 is the true source of the strength to meet the temptations, trials, and persecutions.
Paul is genuinely grateful for the generous support that the Philippians have sent to him via Epaphroditus. We can assume that it was a fairly substantial amount or it would have unnecessary to send a special messenger with the money. His comments that they at last, have renewed their concerns for him, should not be taken as a jab implying that they shouldn’t have taken so long. Paul is not trying to criticize them at all, because he is confident that they wanted to support him, but this is the first opportunity they have had to send it to him. The gratitude that he felt when Epaphroditus arrived probably made him realize just how long it had been since he had heard from them. Without methods of modern communication, Paul would have had no idea if the saints in Philippi still stood behind him in every way or if the difficult circumstances he found himself in or if the persecution that they had faced had caused them to drift towards other spiritual leaders and wane in their support for Paul.
Paul is incredibly grateful for this support both emotionally and financially. The word he uses that is translated "renewed" literally means "sprouted up" or "flowered." Thus, his point is that the gift was like a spring flower bursting out on a cold and otherwise barren spring day. Yet, Paul faces a difficult task here. He wants to show genuine appreciation for their support, but he also wants to ensure that they don’t think that his work is dependent on or motivated by that support. So, he walks the tightrope between allowing them to serve and greatly appreciating it, while clearly expressing that he would carry on whether or not he was comfortable, and that their gift in no way influences the love that he already has for them.
If we look carefully at what Paul is saying, we realize that he is not saying what many might think at first glance. Paul is not telling them, "hey, I know what it’s like to be happy and have everything I need, and I know what it’s like to be miserable and have nothing." Rather, his point is that he has faced the tribulations and temptations of being in need, but he has also faced the special temptations and traps of having more than enough. Both situations offer opportunities to rely on self and get bogged down in sin and temptation.
Paul, however, has learned the key. It is to be content in every situation. The term "content" (autarkes) was commonly used by the philosophers of Paul’s time. When they used this term and concept they referred to the idea of being self-sufficient. In fact, they considered this to be the most valuable attribute and characteristic of a wise individual. Their point was that you found the necessary resources within yourself so that you could flick off whatever dire circumstances might come your way, and could keep a smile on your face the whole time. It might have seemed to the Philippians that this is precisely what Paul was saying, if it wasn’t for verse 13, which is central to his whole idea.
Paul’s point in verse 13 is not that whatever you would like to engage in, go ahead because God will see you through it. His point is specifically about standing up to trials, persecution, and various temptations that have come as a result of his ministry. Through every situation, he has learned to be content, but not the kind of self-sufficiency that the Stoic philosophers valued so highly. This strength of character did not, and Paul wanted to be very clear on this, come from him or his own strength. It doesn’t even come from them or their support. He appreciated their gift and generosity but that did not increase his ability to cope with the difficulties at hand. That’s not what gave him the strength to stand up to every situation. The strength and power came from God alone. So here we see another example of a very human Paul dealing with difficult situations in a very authentic manner. He doesn’t offer up and platitudes or easy do-it-yourself type solutions. Nor does he simply say, "It’s all in God’s hands." Paul’s principle comes from someone who has wrestled with difficult situations and learned that he could make it through and be content, but that it would come from his life in Christ which gave him access to the very strength and power of God.
Devotional Thought
How do you get through difficult situations that have come about as part of your life in Christ? Do you truly turn to God for strength and contentment or do you seek out other things?
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Philippians 4:2-9
Exhortations
2I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. 3Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Dig Deeper
When I was teaching, I used to try to get my students to focus on things that were positive and that would drive them along to success rather than the many things that might draw them into negativity and failure. I would tell them we were going to do an exercise, then I would say, "Don't think about red fire engines. Okay, whatever you do, do not think about red fire engines for the next minute. Just stop thinking about red fire engines." Of course, what happened? They all thought about red fire engines. What I wanted them to see was if they focused on the negativity in their lives and the obstacles they had coming up against them, those things would no doubt seem much bigger than they had to be. Whatever our thoughts dwell on will tend to manifest in our lives. If we constantly think about the things that make us anxious, or worry, or the negative things, or the sins that we struggle with, those things will tend to dominate our lives. Instead, we need to train ourselves to focus on the things that will lead us in the positive direction, things that are worth thinking about. This doesn't mean that we stick our head in the sand and ignore our problems but that we focus on solutions and the positive aspects of the situation rather than the problems and all of the negatives.
In this section, Paul encourages the Philippians to learn to rejoice despite the many difficult situations they may face that could easily cause them anxiety. If they fret and worry and obsess about those things, that's all they'll likely think about and they'll become virtually paralyzed in their own web of negativity and self-focus. Rather than doing that, they should learn to think differently. To control their thought life, which in turn, will lead their entire lives in the right direction. In fact, in many ways, one of the most important aspects of the Christian life is to learn to transform our minds away from the thought patterns of our old selves and towards those of the life of Christ.
Paul has mentioned, throughout this letter, the need for the Philippians to be like-minded and to put the interests and needs of others above their own. Now, we see that there may have been a specific situation which instigated his emphasis on those subjects. Two women whom Paul greatly admired were evidently mired in conflict. The specific mention of Euodia and Syntche by name indicate that they were important members of this community and that their disagreement had the potential of doing damage to the entire church. So, Paul mentions them by name in a public letter, something that horrifies our modern western sensibilities and sense of privacy. We simply do not know the nature of this disagreement, but we do know that Paul has great faith in these women. They have contended at his side in the cause of the gospel, a phrase that has the strong force of a fierce athletic competition. They are also fellow workers of the likes of Clement, someone who has been lost to history but was clearly a well known and highly respected worker in the gospel in Philippi. Finally, he says that their names are in the book of life., an honor usually bestowed in Jewish literature on those who had remained faithful despite persecution (Dan. 12:1; Rev. 3:5; cf. Isa. 4:3; Luke 10:20).
Because of his great faith in their dedication to the Lord, Paul appeals to them with the realization that this disagreement probably won't be worked out by any normal human means or attitudes. Instead, he urges them to agree with each other in the Lord. In other words, this disagreement will only be resolved if they both realize the call to live the life of putting the interests of others ahead of their own, the life of Christ. To facilitate this reconciliation, Paul calls on his loyal yokefellow, to mediate the situation. Evidently, it would have been obvious to the Philippian community and to the unnamed worker. Speculation has led to people surmising that Paul may have been referring to Epaphroditus or even Luke, who may have been in Philippi at the time, but ultimately we will never be sure who he was addressing.
Instead of becoming a community bogged down in internal strife, they should realize that they are in a constant battle against evil and persecution and focus on dealing with that in a godly manner. Understanding the terms that Paul uses here allows us to gain clearer insight as to what Paul is addressing in this situation. "Rejoice" was a term that meant having a public celebration so that others could see that you had a cause to rejoice over. When he says to let your gentleness be evident to all, he uses a term that was used of displaying an attitude of kindness where the normal response would have been expected to have been retaliation. He also urges them to not be anxious about anything. This term was often used in the context of not worrying about persecution because they know that God will vindicate them one day. When we add this all together we realize that Paul is telling them to be the type of community that joyfully and jubilantly celebrates the life of the gospel despite persecution and hardships. Whatever trials they may face, whether the difficulty comes internally or externally, he calls them to display the life of Christ.
Rather than focusing on the negative, Paul calls them to three positive actions. The first is to go to God in prayer and petition. They should present their requests to God, with positive thanksgiving in their hearts, not negative defeatism. When they do that they will find that rather than being gripped by fear and anxiety, they will find that the peace of God will guard their hearts against these sorts of worries. They needn't dwell on or become obsessed with what is going wrong or what could go wrong. Instead they should come to God in a fashion of celebratory thanksgiving, not to pretend like everything is okay, but they can come to God in prayer realizing that He will give them the peace of knowing that He is in control. This kind of peace cannot be attained through normal human efforts, this is why it is a peace that transcends all understanding.
The second positive action is to allow the peace of God to guard their minds as well as their hearts. The word rendered "finally" in the NIV, would better be understood to read "in addition to." Thus Paul continues the thought of guarding their minds with the peace of God. The method of engaging in that process is to think on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy. The key here is to realize that a proper thought for the people of God needs to meet all eight criterion. It is quite possible for something to be "true," for instance, but not meet any of the other eight standards. How could they possibly celebrate and announce the new world of the creator if they only fed their minds on things that were false, trashy, unjust, impure, ugly, or shameful. The only way to truly demonstrate the life of Christ to the world around us is to first learn the discipline of guarding our thoughts and filling our minds with things that please God.
The final positive action that Paul mentions here is to put into practice the things that they have learned, received, or heard from him. This is an incredibly demanding request, but one that is more so on Paul than on the Philippians. Can you imagine making this request of a group of Christians? It probably sends a few shivers up our spines to imagine making such a statement concerning our own lives, yet Paul was able to write this without hesitation, so committed was he to the genuine life of Christ. This is a standard that truly calls us higher in the way we live and challenges us to live lives worthy of imitation.
Devotional Thought
How well do you control your thought life? Do you truly apply Paul's standard here to every single thought that goes through your mind, or do you often allow yourself to focus on negative or anxiety-inducing situations? How can you let the peace of God dwell in your heart and mind?
2I plead with Euodia and I plead with Syntyche to agree with each other in the Lord. 3Yes, and I ask you, loyal yokefellow, help these women who have contended at my side in the cause of the gospel, along with Clement and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life.
4Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
Dig Deeper
When I was teaching, I used to try to get my students to focus on things that were positive and that would drive them along to success rather than the many things that might draw them into negativity and failure. I would tell them we were going to do an exercise, then I would say, "Don't think about red fire engines. Okay, whatever you do, do not think about red fire engines for the next minute. Just stop thinking about red fire engines." Of course, what happened? They all thought about red fire engines. What I wanted them to see was if they focused on the negativity in their lives and the obstacles they had coming up against them, those things would no doubt seem much bigger than they had to be. Whatever our thoughts dwell on will tend to manifest in our lives. If we constantly think about the things that make us anxious, or worry, or the negative things, or the sins that we struggle with, those things will tend to dominate our lives. Instead, we need to train ourselves to focus on the things that will lead us in the positive direction, things that are worth thinking about. This doesn't mean that we stick our head in the sand and ignore our problems but that we focus on solutions and the positive aspects of the situation rather than the problems and all of the negatives.
In this section, Paul encourages the Philippians to learn to rejoice despite the many difficult situations they may face that could easily cause them anxiety. If they fret and worry and obsess about those things, that's all they'll likely think about and they'll become virtually paralyzed in their own web of negativity and self-focus. Rather than doing that, they should learn to think differently. To control their thought life, which in turn, will lead their entire lives in the right direction. In fact, in many ways, one of the most important aspects of the Christian life is to learn to transform our minds away from the thought patterns of our old selves and towards those of the life of Christ.
Paul has mentioned, throughout this letter, the need for the Philippians to be like-minded and to put the interests and needs of others above their own. Now, we see that there may have been a specific situation which instigated his emphasis on those subjects. Two women whom Paul greatly admired were evidently mired in conflict. The specific mention of Euodia and Syntche by name indicate that they were important members of this community and that their disagreement had the potential of doing damage to the entire church. So, Paul mentions them by name in a public letter, something that horrifies our modern western sensibilities and sense of privacy. We simply do not know the nature of this disagreement, but we do know that Paul has great faith in these women. They have contended at his side in the cause of the gospel, a phrase that has the strong force of a fierce athletic competition. They are also fellow workers of the likes of Clement, someone who has been lost to history but was clearly a well known and highly respected worker in the gospel in Philippi. Finally, he says that their names are in the book of life., an honor usually bestowed in Jewish literature on those who had remained faithful despite persecution (Dan. 12:1; Rev. 3:5; cf. Isa. 4:3; Luke 10:20).
Because of his great faith in their dedication to the Lord, Paul appeals to them with the realization that this disagreement probably won't be worked out by any normal human means or attitudes. Instead, he urges them to agree with each other in the Lord. In other words, this disagreement will only be resolved if they both realize the call to live the life of putting the interests of others ahead of their own, the life of Christ. To facilitate this reconciliation, Paul calls on his loyal yokefellow, to mediate the situation. Evidently, it would have been obvious to the Philippian community and to the unnamed worker. Speculation has led to people surmising that Paul may have been referring to Epaphroditus or even Luke, who may have been in Philippi at the time, but ultimately we will never be sure who he was addressing.
Instead of becoming a community bogged down in internal strife, they should realize that they are in a constant battle against evil and persecution and focus on dealing with that in a godly manner. Understanding the terms that Paul uses here allows us to gain clearer insight as to what Paul is addressing in this situation. "Rejoice" was a term that meant having a public celebration so that others could see that you had a cause to rejoice over. When he says to let your gentleness be evident to all, he uses a term that was used of displaying an attitude of kindness where the normal response would have been expected to have been retaliation. He also urges them to not be anxious about anything. This term was often used in the context of not worrying about persecution because they know that God will vindicate them one day. When we add this all together we realize that Paul is telling them to be the type of community that joyfully and jubilantly celebrates the life of the gospel despite persecution and hardships. Whatever trials they may face, whether the difficulty comes internally or externally, he calls them to display the life of Christ.
Rather than focusing on the negative, Paul calls them to three positive actions. The first is to go to God in prayer and petition. They should present their requests to God, with positive thanksgiving in their hearts, not negative defeatism. When they do that they will find that rather than being gripped by fear and anxiety, they will find that the peace of God will guard their hearts against these sorts of worries. They needn't dwell on or become obsessed with what is going wrong or what could go wrong. Instead they should come to God in a fashion of celebratory thanksgiving, not to pretend like everything is okay, but they can come to God in prayer realizing that He will give them the peace of knowing that He is in control. This kind of peace cannot be attained through normal human efforts, this is why it is a peace that transcends all understanding.
The second positive action is to allow the peace of God to guard their minds as well as their hearts. The word rendered "finally" in the NIV, would better be understood to read "in addition to." Thus Paul continues the thought of guarding their minds with the peace of God. The method of engaging in that process is to think on things that are true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, or praiseworthy. The key here is to realize that a proper thought for the people of God needs to meet all eight criterion. It is quite possible for something to be "true," for instance, but not meet any of the other eight standards. How could they possibly celebrate and announce the new world of the creator if they only fed their minds on things that were false, trashy, unjust, impure, ugly, or shameful. The only way to truly demonstrate the life of Christ to the world around us is to first learn the discipline of guarding our thoughts and filling our minds with things that please God.
The final positive action that Paul mentions here is to put into practice the things that they have learned, received, or heard from him. This is an incredibly demanding request, but one that is more so on Paul than on the Philippians. Can you imagine making this request of a group of Christians? It probably sends a few shivers up our spines to imagine making such a statement concerning our own lives, yet Paul was able to write this without hesitation, so committed was he to the genuine life of Christ. This is a standard that truly calls us higher in the way we live and challenges us to live lives worthy of imitation.
Devotional Thought
How well do you control your thought life? Do you truly apply Paul's standard here to every single thought that goes through your mind, or do you often allow yourself to focus on negative or anxiety-inducing situations? How can you let the peace of God dwell in your heart and mind?
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Philippians 3:17-4:1
17Join with others in following my example, brothers, and take note of those who live according to the pattern we gave you. 18For, as I have often told you before and now say again even with tears, many live as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19Their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach, and their glory is in their shame. Their mind is on earthly things. 20But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body.
Philippians 4
1Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!
Dig Deeper
Throughout the sixteenth, seventeenth, and even eighteenth centuries, there were an incredible amount of colonies planted in the new world of America. These colonies came in all different shapes and sizes and there were many different reasons that colonies were planted. Although there were a few colonies that were planted so that its inhabitants could simply escape from life in their old country, most of them were planted to be outposts. They were places where people who were seeking adventure, fortune, or a new start could do so while still staying connected to their home country. The point of most colonies, though, is not for the people to go and then quickly come back, that’s called a vacation. People came to the new world to establish permanent colonies. They were still usually loyal to the country of their citizenship, but they came to these colonies to benefit their mother country and to spread the life, culture, and economy of their homeland to the new world. In doing so, they expanded the territory, rule, and influence of their home country.
The Roman world of Paul’s day was no stranger to colonies either. In fact Philippi was a Roman colony that was planted in the decades before Christ was born. It was originally planted by former Roman soldiers. Philippi was a fiercely Roman city that was proud of their Roman heritage. The point of planting this colony of these Roman citizens, though, was not for them to return to Rome. Caesar certainly did not want a bunch of former soldiers hanging around Rome, that could be dangerous. No, instead the whole point was for them to spread the language, culture, values, and influence of Rome to this new place. So, they were not Rome but would spread the life of Rome, and if they ever got into any kind of trouble, they could be sure, because they were citizens of Rome, that Caesar would come with his powerful army and set things right.
This is precisely Paul’s point in this passage. Christians are not to live their lives avoiding trouble and looking at the world around them as a necessary evil that must be endured until we can escape and go off to heaven. Rather, Christians are citizens of heaven, living in this present age. We are to live as citizens of heaven in an evil culture around us, spreading the territory, rule, and influence of of heaven, the place of our citizenship. As in the previous passage, Paul’s point is not that Christians are waiting to go to heaven (although we certainly will until the time of resurrection and renewal of God’s creation), the point has everything to do with how Christians are living right now. The great Christian hope that Paul describes is not to leave the world forever and float off to heaven, the great hope is for our King, the only true King of the world to return and set things right.
Paul begins this passage by calling those in Philippi to follow his example, something Paul called young Christians to do frequently. It’s not that Paul wanted people to mimic him or even become like him by following his mannerisms, his manner of speaking or any other trivial things like that. When Paul calls for imitation of him or anyone else, it has everything to do with living the life of Christ. This is what Paul was referring to in 1 Corinthians 4:16-17 when he called them to imitate him, and then said he would send Timothy so that they could do that because Timothy’s life would remind them of his life in Christ Jesus. He wanted them to consider the example of how he went about living Christ in the real world and to apply that example to the difficult situations of their own life. We certainly don’t have Paul or anyone who knew Paul around today to imitate, but surely there are others in our lives who live the sacrificial, loving lives of Christ in the real world and that provide wonderful principles which we can watch and institute in our own lives.
Just as they should draw near to and be like those who are truly living the life of Christ, they should keep on the watch and beware of those who live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Although this certainly would include followers of pagan religions, Paul is likely thinking more of those who live counterfeit versions of Christianity. If he is writing this letter from a prison in Ephesus, then it is likely that he had just finished writing 1 Corinthians and had the issues that they were dealing with fresh on his mind. The Corinthians had become obsessed with the knowledge, power, and values of the world as was evidenced, among other things, by their indulging their appetites at the Lord’s Supper and ignoring the needs of the poorer members of the community. If people continue to seek after the things of the present age then truly their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach (literally "appetite" which can refer to many things beyond just food), and their glory is in their shame.
In contrast to living like citizens of the world, especially citizens of Rome, Paul wants them to live as citizens of heaven, creating a colony or outpost of heaven in the present age. Paul’s point here is clear. Their primary allegiance is to heaven not Rome, to Jesus not Caesar, and they were to focus on doing the will of God not the will of the Roman Empire.
It is important to note that, once again, as Paul talks of heaven, he is referring to the manner of living while here on earth. That, of course, doesn’t mean that the righteous don’t go into God’s presence in heaven when we die, but Paul knows that that is only a temporary state. He has his eyes on the ultimate prize, that is what he eagerly awaits. He looks forward to the time when the Lord Jesus Christ, the true Savior of the world (as opposed to Caesar, who called himself the savior of the world, but was just a parody of the real thing), comes from heaven.
Paul doesn’t so much look forward to going to heaven as he does to the time when the Messiah will come from heaven, bringing with him the judgment and restoration of the entire world. As he transforms the entire cosmos with the power of heaven, he will also transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body (this is the resurrection he hoped to attain in v. 11). Christians don’t look forward to dying and then living on in some sort of alternate state apart from the prison of the body. That’s pure Platonic philosophy. The early Christians didn’t look at the material universe as somehow evil as opposed to the spiritual universe which was good. They were both part of God’s good creation, parts that will be renewed and brought back together when the King returns. When Paul says that our lowly bodies will be transformed, then, he isn’t talking so much of the substance of which the body is made (Jesus’ resurrection body, the prototype for our resurrection bodies, demonstrated that he was raised in the same, yet glorified, body—complete with scars and the empty tomb—that he went to the Cross with. When Paul speaks of transformation, he is primarily referring to what animates the body. In our current state, we have the down payment of the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us, but when Christ returns our bodies and spirit will be completely transformed and be perfectly animated by God’s own Spirit. This is the incredible hope that Christians have, and to which our lives of being led by the Spirit now, point to and foreshadow.
Devotional Thought
Spend some time today thinking about what it would look like and what it would mean for your Christian community to truly take on the mind set of being a colony of heaven rather than a group of people waiting to go there? How might the life of your community and your own personal Christian life look different?
Philippians 4
1Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends!
Dig Deeper
Throughout the sixteenth, seventeenth, and even eighteenth centuries, there were an incredible amount of colonies planted in the new world of America. These colonies came in all different shapes and sizes and there were many different reasons that colonies were planted. Although there were a few colonies that were planted so that its inhabitants could simply escape from life in their old country, most of them were planted to be outposts. They were places where people who were seeking adventure, fortune, or a new start could do so while still staying connected to their home country. The point of most colonies, though, is not for the people to go and then quickly come back, that’s called a vacation. People came to the new world to establish permanent colonies. They were still usually loyal to the country of their citizenship, but they came to these colonies to benefit their mother country and to spread the life, culture, and economy of their homeland to the new world. In doing so, they expanded the territory, rule, and influence of their home country.
The Roman world of Paul’s day was no stranger to colonies either. In fact Philippi was a Roman colony that was planted in the decades before Christ was born. It was originally planted by former Roman soldiers. Philippi was a fiercely Roman city that was proud of their Roman heritage. The point of planting this colony of these Roman citizens, though, was not for them to return to Rome. Caesar certainly did not want a bunch of former soldiers hanging around Rome, that could be dangerous. No, instead the whole point was for them to spread the language, culture, values, and influence of Rome to this new place. So, they were not Rome but would spread the life of Rome, and if they ever got into any kind of trouble, they could be sure, because they were citizens of Rome, that Caesar would come with his powerful army and set things right.
This is precisely Paul’s point in this passage. Christians are not to live their lives avoiding trouble and looking at the world around them as a necessary evil that must be endured until we can escape and go off to heaven. Rather, Christians are citizens of heaven, living in this present age. We are to live as citizens of heaven in an evil culture around us, spreading the territory, rule, and influence of of heaven, the place of our citizenship. As in the previous passage, Paul’s point is not that Christians are waiting to go to heaven (although we certainly will until the time of resurrection and renewal of God’s creation), the point has everything to do with how Christians are living right now. The great Christian hope that Paul describes is not to leave the world forever and float off to heaven, the great hope is for our King, the only true King of the world to return and set things right.
Paul begins this passage by calling those in Philippi to follow his example, something Paul called young Christians to do frequently. It’s not that Paul wanted people to mimic him or even become like him by following his mannerisms, his manner of speaking or any other trivial things like that. When Paul calls for imitation of him or anyone else, it has everything to do with living the life of Christ. This is what Paul was referring to in 1 Corinthians 4:16-17 when he called them to imitate him, and then said he would send Timothy so that they could do that because Timothy’s life would remind them of his life in Christ Jesus. He wanted them to consider the example of how he went about living Christ in the real world and to apply that example to the difficult situations of their own life. We certainly don’t have Paul or anyone who knew Paul around today to imitate, but surely there are others in our lives who live the sacrificial, loving lives of Christ in the real world and that provide wonderful principles which we can watch and institute in our own lives.
Just as they should draw near to and be like those who are truly living the life of Christ, they should keep on the watch and beware of those who live as enemies of the cross of Christ. Although this certainly would include followers of pagan religions, Paul is likely thinking more of those who live counterfeit versions of Christianity. If he is writing this letter from a prison in Ephesus, then it is likely that he had just finished writing 1 Corinthians and had the issues that they were dealing with fresh on his mind. The Corinthians had become obsessed with the knowledge, power, and values of the world as was evidenced, among other things, by their indulging their appetites at the Lord’s Supper and ignoring the needs of the poorer members of the community. If people continue to seek after the things of the present age then truly their destiny is destruction, their god is their stomach (literally "appetite" which can refer to many things beyond just food), and their glory is in their shame.
In contrast to living like citizens of the world, especially citizens of Rome, Paul wants them to live as citizens of heaven, creating a colony or outpost of heaven in the present age. Paul’s point here is clear. Their primary allegiance is to heaven not Rome, to Jesus not Caesar, and they were to focus on doing the will of God not the will of the Roman Empire.
It is important to note that, once again, as Paul talks of heaven, he is referring to the manner of living while here on earth. That, of course, doesn’t mean that the righteous don’t go into God’s presence in heaven when we die, but Paul knows that that is only a temporary state. He has his eyes on the ultimate prize, that is what he eagerly awaits. He looks forward to the time when the Lord Jesus Christ, the true Savior of the world (as opposed to Caesar, who called himself the savior of the world, but was just a parody of the real thing), comes from heaven.
Paul doesn’t so much look forward to going to heaven as he does to the time when the Messiah will come from heaven, bringing with him the judgment and restoration of the entire world. As he transforms the entire cosmos with the power of heaven, he will also transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body (this is the resurrection he hoped to attain in v. 11). Christians don’t look forward to dying and then living on in some sort of alternate state apart from the prison of the body. That’s pure Platonic philosophy. The early Christians didn’t look at the material universe as somehow evil as opposed to the spiritual universe which was good. They were both part of God’s good creation, parts that will be renewed and brought back together when the King returns. When Paul says that our lowly bodies will be transformed, then, he isn’t talking so much of the substance of which the body is made (Jesus’ resurrection body, the prototype for our resurrection bodies, demonstrated that he was raised in the same, yet glorified, body—complete with scars and the empty tomb—that he went to the Cross with. When Paul speaks of transformation, he is primarily referring to what animates the body. In our current state, we have the down payment of the Holy Spirit to guide and direct us, but when Christ returns our bodies and spirit will be completely transformed and be perfectly animated by God’s own Spirit. This is the incredible hope that Christians have, and to which our lives of being led by the Spirit now, point to and foreshadow.
Devotional Thought
Spend some time today thinking about what it would look like and what it would mean for your Christian community to truly take on the mind set of being a colony of heaven rather than a group of people waiting to go there? How might the life of your community and your own personal Christian life look different?
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Philippians 3:12-16
12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
15All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
Dig Deeper
We recently went to watch a track meet that our oldest son was running for his school. I have always enjoyed the 1600 m race, so when the boys lined up for that, I was particularly interested even though my son was not in that event. A young man from his team looked good from the opening gun. He was in the second land and quickly broke out from the start and developed a nice lead over everyone else. He seemed to have the race in hand and I looked away for a few moments because our youngest son needed some help with his popcorn. When I looked back up they were coming down the stretch and a boy from the other team had just raced by him. My friend told me that the boy looked like he had the race in hand and eased up probably not seeing this other boy behind him, but now with this other young man passing him he tried to pick up his pace. Unfortunately for him it was too late. He came back a little in the last few yards, but he had blown the race by not staying focused. What a shame to have lost a race because he slacked off, not because anyone was actually faster than him.
In the previous passage, Paul used word pictures from the world of accounting, speaking of profits and losses. Now he switches the analogy to that of the athletic field, something he does several times in his writings. He and the Philippians are in a race of sorts. They need to keep looking ahead because as any runner knows, you slow down and serve off when you start looking behind you. In addition to that they need to keep pressing toward the goal. It should be pretty obvious that the race isn't over until the finish line has been crossed and the prize has been attained. Paul wants to make sure that they don't make any mistake thinking that they are in such good shape that they can now let up a little. No, the race isn't over, the goal has not been reached, the prize has not been attained. They must continue to run with the same intensity that they started the race with.
Paul has been in the process of describing the new life that comes in Christ that he so desired the Philippians to fully realize. The unique feature of the life of Christ is that is available to anyone in the present age who will but lay down their own life and enter into it, but in a very real sense, the work of being transformed into the image of God (Col. 3:10) will only be completed when Christ returns and fully consummates the age to come. Paul certainly was well on that road of transformation and wants no less for them. He knows what it means to live the resurrected life of Christ and knows that he means realizing that anything of worldly value concerning his old life before his baptism (Acts 22:16) was pointless and but a loss. Yet, Paul doesn't want any confusion as to what he is saying. He is living the resurrected life, and in one sense, could be called complete or mature (perfect here in the NIV) because he has fully entered into the life of Christ (v. 15), but in the fullest sense he has not obtained the full life of Christ. He doesn't want anyone thinking that they can have the complete life of the age to come now and don't need to wait for the resurrection itself. He has, however, made a good start, but must continue to press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of him. In Paul's thinking, he desired to take hold of the life of Christ in the same way and with the same firmness and certainty with which Christ had taken hold of him. He would expect no less of the Philippians or of us.
No, he hasn't taken hold of the resurrection life in the fullest sense, but he will continue to strain ahead and look to that day, anticipating it as much as he can through submission of the Holy Spirit. This is a great reminder that our lives should always anticipate and look forward to our final state of what we will be rather than who we once were. This is precisely Paul's point in verses 13-14. He will not look back to his old life and become tempted or impressed by it, or worse yet, to slip back into it. For Paul, his old life is crucified and should stay that way.
Rather he knows that he must press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called him heavenward in Christ Jesus. This is a rich sentence that needs a little unpacking so that we don't miss Paul's point. He desires to continue to press on toward the goal. What is the goal? It's the life of Christ to which he has been referring. We know that we enter into the life of Christ at our baptism (Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:27), but being transformed into the image of God is a process that will take our entire lives and only be complete at the final resurrection. So, what is the prize? Well, Paul has already stated that in verses 10-11. Paul says that he wanted to know Christ and the power of his resurrection life so that he might attain the final prize which is resurrection and eternity in God's new creation, the age to come. It is for this prize that Paul has been called heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Many people read over these verses quickly and are so used to thinking of heaven as the final prize for the Christian that they imagine that this is what Paul is saying here, but that's not at all the case. Literally in this passage, Paul says he has been called upward (rendered heavenward in the NIV). His point is that he has been called to live the resurrection life, the kingdom of God type of life where God's will is done on earth as it is in heaven (Matt. 6:10). When Paul talks of heaven (as he will again in verse 20), he is referring to the type of life we live now, not our final destination. Although Christians certainly do go to God's presence when they die, but that's not the end as we still await the new creation and the final resurrection that are being kept in heaven until the Second Coming of Christ (Matt. 19:28; 1 Cor. 15; 1 Pet. 1:3-5); this is the new heavens and the new earth (Rev. 21:1-5). Heaven cannot be the final prize if Paul has already stated that resurrection is (and certainly they are not the same thing, for if they were and the final destination for Christians is heaven they when we die, those who die would have, in effect, experienced the resurrection already and Paul discounts that kind of thinking as "godless chatter" in 2 Timothy 2:16-18). In fact, a careful reading shows us that primarily for Paul, heaven is the race, the goal, the life of Christ, not the prize.
Paul believes that those who are mature should share this view with him, and if they think differently, it's they who need to have it made clear to them through the power of God. The word that is rendered "mature" in verse 15 is the same word rendered "perfect" in verse 12. Paul knows that the life of Christ is a journey not an event, and only the mature can truly see that they are not yet perfect. In one sense, Paul is mature in the life of Christ, in another very real sense, he must still strain towards the finish line because he has a long way to go. He has no doubt that he has entered into the life of Christ and has been changed mightily by God into His own image. His desire for all of them is that they continue on this journey, living up to what they have already attained rather than easing up and falling off before they reach the finish line.
Devotional Thought
If you viewed your life in Christ as a race, what kind of runner are you? Are you a steady and consistent marathon runner or are you a herky-jerky runner that constantly speeds up, slows down, starts and stops? How can Paul's words in this section help you to be more consistent as a Christian?
15All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. 16Only let us live up to what we have already attained.
Dig Deeper
We recently went to watch a track meet that our oldest son was running for his school. I have always enjoyed the 1600 m race, so when the boys lined up for that, I was particularly interested even though my son was not in that event. A young man from his team looked good from the opening gun. He was in the second land and quickly broke out from the start and developed a nice lead over everyone else. He seemed to have the race in hand and I looked away for a few moments because our youngest son needed some help with his popcorn. When I looked back up they were coming down the stretch and a boy from the other team had just raced by him. My friend told me that the boy looked like he had the race in hand and eased up probably not seeing this other boy behind him, but now with this other young man passing him he tried to pick up his pace. Unfortunately for him it was too late. He came back a little in the last few yards, but he had blown the race by not staying focused. What a shame to have lost a race because he slacked off, not because anyone was actually faster than him.
In the previous passage, Paul used word pictures from the world of accounting, speaking of profits and losses. Now he switches the analogy to that of the athletic field, something he does several times in his writings. He and the Philippians are in a race of sorts. They need to keep looking ahead because as any runner knows, you slow down and serve off when you start looking behind you. In addition to that they need to keep pressing toward the goal. It should be pretty obvious that the race isn't over until the finish line has been crossed and the prize has been attained. Paul wants to make sure that they don't make any mistake thinking that they are in such good shape that they can now let up a little. No, the race isn't over, the goal has not been reached, the prize has not been attained. They must continue to run with the same intensity that they started the race with.
Paul has been in the process of describing the new life that comes in Christ that he so desired the Philippians to fully realize. The unique feature of the life of Christ is that is available to anyone in the present age who will but lay down their own life and enter into it, but in a very real sense, the work of being transformed into the image of God (Col. 3:10) will only be completed when Christ returns and fully consummates the age to come. Paul certainly was well on that road of transformation and wants no less for them. He knows what it means to live the resurrected life of Christ and knows that he means realizing that anything of worldly value concerning his old life before his baptism (Acts 22:16) was pointless and but a loss. Yet, Paul doesn't want any confusion as to what he is saying. He is living the resurrected life, and in one sense, could be called complete or mature (perfect here in the NIV) because he has fully entered into the life of Christ (v. 15), but in the fullest sense he has not obtained the full life of Christ. He doesn't want anyone thinking that they can have the complete life of the age to come now and don't need to wait for the resurrection itself. He has, however, made a good start, but must continue to press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of him. In Paul's thinking, he desired to take hold of the life of Christ in the same way and with the same firmness and certainty with which Christ had taken hold of him. He would expect no less of the Philippians or of us.
No, he hasn't taken hold of the resurrection life in the fullest sense, but he will continue to strain ahead and look to that day, anticipating it as much as he can through submission of the Holy Spirit. This is a great reminder that our lives should always anticipate and look forward to our final state of what we will be rather than who we once were. This is precisely Paul's point in verses 13-14. He will not look back to his old life and become tempted or impressed by it, or worse yet, to slip back into it. For Paul, his old life is crucified and should stay that way.
Rather he knows that he must press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called him heavenward in Christ Jesus. This is a rich sentence that needs a little unpacking so that we don't miss Paul's point. He desires to continue to press on toward the goal. What is the goal? It's the life of Christ to which he has been referring. We know that we enter into the life of Christ at our baptism (Rom. 6:3-4; Gal. 3:27), but being transformed into the image of God is a process that will take our entire lives and only be complete at the final resurrection. So, what is the prize? Well, Paul has already stated that in verses 10-11. Paul says that he wanted to know Christ and the power of his resurrection life so that he might attain the final prize which is resurrection and eternity in God's new creation, the age to come. It is for this prize that Paul has been called heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Many people read over these verses quickly and are so used to thinking of heaven as the final prize for the Christian that they imagine that this is what Paul is saying here, but that's not at all the case. Literally in this passage, Paul says he has been called upward (rendered heavenward in the NIV). His point is that he has been called to live the resurrection life, the kingdom of God type of life where God's will is done on earth as it is in heaven (Matt. 6:10). When Paul talks of heaven (as he will again in verse 20), he is referring to the type of life we live now, not our final destination. Although Christians certainly do go to God's presence when they die, but that's not the end as we still await the new creation and the final resurrection that are being kept in heaven until the Second Coming of Christ (Matt. 19:28; 1 Cor. 15; 1 Pet. 1:3-5); this is the new heavens and the new earth (Rev. 21:1-5). Heaven cannot be the final prize if Paul has already stated that resurrection is (and certainly they are not the same thing, for if they were and the final destination for Christians is heaven they when we die, those who die would have, in effect, experienced the resurrection already and Paul discounts that kind of thinking as "godless chatter" in 2 Timothy 2:16-18). In fact, a careful reading shows us that primarily for Paul, heaven is the race, the goal, the life of Christ, not the prize.
Paul believes that those who are mature should share this view with him, and if they think differently, it's they who need to have it made clear to them through the power of God. The word that is rendered "mature" in verse 15 is the same word rendered "perfect" in verse 12. Paul knows that the life of Christ is a journey not an event, and only the mature can truly see that they are not yet perfect. In one sense, Paul is mature in the life of Christ, in another very real sense, he must still strain towards the finish line because he has a long way to go. He has no doubt that he has entered into the life of Christ and has been changed mightily by God into His own image. His desire for all of them is that they continue on this journey, living up to what they have already attained rather than easing up and falling off before they reach the finish line.
Devotional Thought
If you viewed your life in Christ as a race, what kind of runner are you? Are you a steady and consistent marathon runner or are you a herky-jerky runner that constantly speeds up, slows down, starts and stops? How can Paul's words in this section help you to be more consistent as a Christian?
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