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Proverbs 22:10-19
10 Cast out the scoffer, and contention will
leave; Yes, strife and reproach will cease.
11 He who loves purity of heart And has grace on his lips, The king will be his friend.
12 The eyes of the LORD preserve knowledge, But
He overthrows the words of the faithless.
13 The lazy man says, "There
is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!"
14 The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit; He who is abhorred by
the LORD will fall there.
15 Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; The rod of correction will
drive it far from him.
16 He who oppresses the poor to increase his riches, And he who gives to the rich,
will surely come to poverty.
17 Incline your ear and hear the words of the
wise, And apply your heart to my knowledge;
18 For it
is a pleasant thing if you keep them within you; Let them all be fixed
upon your lips,
19 So that your trust may be in the LORD; I have
instructed you today, even you.
Father God, we pray that our hearts be set in order to
honor you and your Son Jesus on this soon arriving Resurrection Day that we
will be celebrating. There is no greater expression of love than what You and
Jesus did to redeem mankind. In Jesus name we pray. Amen!
Gospel of John 10:33-42 NKJV
If you remember last week we left off
with Jesus saying this, “I and My Father are one”, which infuriated the Jews and they
picked up rocks to stone Jesus because what Jesus said was considered blasphemy
to claim one being equal to God. Death by stoning was the punishment for anyone
claiming to be equal to God. Leviticus 24:14-16 Verse 32 last week left off with this
question of Jesus, “For which of those works do you
stone Me?” I made the statement last week why did Jesus ask this
question, He surely knew why they took up rocks to stone Him. As we will see in
this week’s lesson that others of the OT claimed to be god but were not stoned
to death, so knowing this, and if the Pharisees knew what Scripture stated they
would know this also, so Jesus asked what good work had He done that He
deserved death by stoning. Jesus is about to throw back in their faces OT
Scripture and deflate their ego.
33 The Jews
answered Him, saying, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for
blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God."
The Jews answered Him, saying, "For
a good work we do not stone You; Basically
these Jews were stating here that they held no value in the good works of
Jesus. All that Jesus had done, that proclaimed He was from God and had the
power of God to perform such magnificent miracles, meant nothing.
But for blasphemy, and because You,
being a Man, make Yourself God; These
leaders were upset because they considered Jesus as a mere man and He was
claiming God as His Father; that He and His Father were one in nature and
essence, and therefore He must be God. But this was no blasphemy, the real
truth. There is no contradiction between Jesus being man, and being God; Jesus
is truly God and really man. But He is not a mere man as the Jews suggested,
but is truly God and man. He is both God and man in one person, the divine and
human nature being united in Him, which they couldn’t understand.
Others
have taken upon themselves the name and title of God such as Hiram king of
Tyre, of whom they say, "he made himself God"; the same they say of
Nebuchadnezzar. The modern Jews still adhere to the same charge against Jesus
as their ancestors did, and express it in the same manner saying, “that He was
a man and also claimed Himself to be equal to God”.
34 Jesus
answered them, "Is it not written in your law, 'I
SAID, "YOU ARE GODS" '?
This
verse would be better understood if it was stated like this; Jesus replied, "It is written in your own Scriptures that God said to
certain leaders of the people, 'I say, you are gods!'
This
answer Jesus gives points out that in Psalm 82 God calls man a god and
therefore they shouldn’t object to His use of the word god even though He was
man. This is why Jesus asks what works they were going to stone Him for. In Exodus
7:1; Exodus
4:16 God also called
Moses a god to Aaron and Pharaoh.
Psalms 82:1-8 A Psalm of Asaph. God stands in the
congregation of the mighty; He judges among the gods. 2 How long
will you judge unjustly, And show partiality to the wicked? 3 Defend the
poor and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and needy. 4 Deliver the
poor and needy; Free them from
the hand of the wicked. 5 They do not know, nor do they understand; They walk
about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are unstable. 6 I said, "You are gods, And all of you are
children of the Most High. 7 But you shall die like men, And fall like one of
the princes." 8 Arise, O God, judge the earth; For You shall
inherit all nations.
Exodus 4:15-16 Now you shall speak to him and put the words in
his mouth. And I will be with your mouth and with his mouth, and I will teach
you what you shall do. 16 So he shall be your spokesman to the people. And
he himself shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be to him as God.
Exodus 7:1 So the LORD said to Moses: "See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your
prophet.
You are gods; this
was said of magistrates on account of the dignity and honor of their office,
and it shows that the Hebrew word translated “god,” אלהים ̀elohiym, in that place might be applied
to man. Such the use of the word is rare.
If
God called the Israelite leaders gods because of their revelation of God and His
will, how could it be blasphemy for Jesus to call Himself the Son of God? Jesus
was rebuking the religious leaders, because he is the Son of God in a unique,
unparalleled relationship of oneness with the Father.
35 If He called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the
Scripture cannot be broken),
Rewording
this verse it would read; “And you know that the Scriptures cannot be altered.
So those people, who received God's message, were called 'gods'.”
The
authority of the Scripture is final; it cannot be set aside. The meaning is,
“If Scripture uses the word “god” אלהים ̀elohiym as applied to magistrates, it
settles the question that it is right to apply the term to those in office and
authority. If applied to them, it may be applied to others in similar offices. Therefore
it cannot be blasphemy to use this word, as applicable, to a person more
exalted than magistrates.” Scriptures cannot be altered; the Bible is a
clear statement of truth. If we accept Christ as Lord, we must also accept His
testimony to the Bible as God's Word.
36 do you say of Him whom the Father sanctified and sent into
the world, 'You are blaspheming,' because I said, 'I am the Son of God'?
What
this verse is actually saying is this: “Why do you call it blasphemy when I
say, 'I am the Son of God'? After all, the Father sanctified Me, set Me apart,
and sent Me into the world. I’m not blaspheming you are!”
The
word “sanctify” to us means to make holy; but this is not its meaning here, for
the Son of God was always holy. The original word means to set apart from
common to sacred use; to devote to a sacred purpose and to designate or
consecrate to a holy office. God has consecrated or appointed His Son to be His
Messenger or Messiah to mankind just as God consecrated Moses to be a messenger
to Aaron and the Pharaoh. See Exodus 28:41; Exodus 29:1, Exodus 29:44; Leviticus 8:30.
“I am the Son of God”, This the Jews evidently understood as
saying that He was equal with God, which He is, but that isn’t what Jesus was
saying. This expression He had often applied to Himself. The meaning of this position
may be expressed: “You charge me with blasphemy. The foundation of that charge
is the use of the name God, or the Son of God, applied to myself; yet that same
term is applied in the Scriptures to magistrates. The use of it here shows that
it is right to apply it to those who sustain important offices. You Jews should
not attempt to find a charge of blasphemy on the application of the word which is
in your own Scriptures and applied to magistrates.
37 If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;
Here Jesus is telling these Leaders to judge Him on
the basis of the Miracles He has performed, in effect, telling them that
everything He did, God commanded Him to do.
Jesus is saying that if He was speaking words only,
that would be one thing, but He is backing up these words and claims with
astounding miracles and that should be proof enough, as to what He is saying,
and Who He is.
The Jews of Jesus’ day, even the most esteemed religious
leaders, were so mixed up in their theology that was brought about by their
acute self-righteousness, that they understood little of what the Word said
regarding God’s Plan of Redemption, and the manner in which He would carry it
out.
They did not understand Jesus calling God His Own
unique Personal Father. They did not even believe that the Messiah would be
Deity, but merely, as stated, a reincarnated Prophet of old, or a charismatic
individual.
38 but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works,
that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him."
But if I do; This is referring to Jesus carrying out
the mighty miracles of God. Works that are so great only by the Power of God
they could be done, therefore proclaiming the identity of Jesus.
Though you do not believe Me,
believe the works; These
Jewish Leaders were without excuse, there
was no reason they should not have believed Jesus, especially considering the
things He said, the power with which He spoke, and the miracles He performed,
even to the raising of the dead. The fruit of God was present in all that Jesus
did.
That you may know and believe
that the Father is in Me, and I
in Him; This phrase further explains verse 30, “I and My Father are One.”
39 Therefore
they sought again to seize Him, but He escaped out of their hand.
This
was the seventh time an attempted was made to seize Jesus, but again was
unsuccessful. How did Jesus escape each time, we aren’t told. It could be by withdrawing from them in some private way;
by open force of Jesus exerting His power, and obliging them on every side to fall
back, and give way to him; by rendering himself invisible to them; by causing
their arms and legs to be immobile; or by other means. However this happen the
power of the Holy Spirit was present, because His time had not yet come, and He
had other work to do before he suffered and died.
The
true work of God is totally different than anything else in the world. Men may
disagree politically, socially, economically, or philosophically, and those
disagreements at times may become heated; but nothing can come close to the
animosity or even hatred which accompanies those who are unsaved and religious
minded, and don’t know Jesus. Regrettably, that makes up the majority of the
world causing much of the bloodshed in this world.
40 And He
went away again beyond the Jordan to the place where John was baptizing at
first, and there He stayed.
And He went away again beyond the Jordan;
This was probably to
the Jericho area. There Jesus spent some time teaching and healing, how long we
aren’t told. This all took place about three months before the Crucifixion.
To the place where John was baptizing at
first, and there He stayed; It
is believed the Jericho area of the Jordan River is where Jesus was baptized by
John. There Andrew and Peter, and probably John, Philip, and Bartholomew, were
drawn to Him. John had a special memory of this area because it is where he
heard and met Jesus.
41 Then many
came to Him and said, "John performed no sign, but all the things that
John spoke about this Man were true."
Then many came to Him; The phrase “many came to Him” signifies
that Jesus was accepted in this area. They were receptive of His teachings and
works. This area was totally the opposite of Jerusalem. In Jerusalem Jesus was
battling against the spiritual world of religion.
And
said, "John performed no sign, but all the things that John spoke about
this Man were true”; It had been quite some time since Jesus was in this
area last, maybe since He was Baptized by John which would have been around 3
years prior. The people of this area had fond memories of John and remembered
what John had said about the coming Messiah.
These
people who had been baptized of John came to Jesus and believed upon Him. John
had said that Jesus was “mightier” than he; that He was the Son of God; the
Baptizer with the Holy Spirit and with Fire; the Lamb of God that takes away
the sin of the world (Luke 3:16; John 1:29). All of these things were still
embedded in their minds along with hearing about all of the miracles Jesus had
been performing. They accepted Jesus as their Lord and Saviour by hearing, mostly.
42 And many
believed in Him there.
Through
the doctrine Jesus preached, the miracles He performed, and by comparing these
things with what John the Baptist said of Him, they believed!
Where
are we in our beliefs? Do we believe without seeing miracles or are we like
Thomas and have to place our fingers in the nail holes and into Jesus side to
believe. Do we believe in Jesus or a Religious Denomination for Salvation? Do
we believe with our heart or our mind? If a person gets no conviction of wrong
doing when they use God’s name as an adjective or adverb; cussing; using the F
word; lying; gossiping; stealing from work (using copy machine without
permission for personal things, standing around gabbing, cheating on timecard,
etc.); then they probably aren’t saved. There are many lists of sin is the
Bible that tell us that those who practice these will spend eternity in Hell. (Galatians
5:15, Galatians 5:19-21, Galatians 5:26; Ephesians
4:31-32; James 3:14-16, James 4:1-5; 1Peter
2:1; 2Peter 2:18; Jude
1:16) Romans 1:28-32 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over
to a debased mind, to do those things which are not fitting; 29 being
filled with all unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness, covetousness,
maliciousness; full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers, 30
backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things,
disobedient to parents, 31
undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving, unmerciful; 32 who, knowing the righteous judgment of God,
that those who practice such things are deserving of death, not only do the
same but also approve of those who practice them.
Colossians
1:16
For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth,
visible
and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.
All things were created through Him and for Him.
Romans
3:23 for
all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Romans
6:23
For the wages of sin is death,
but the gift of God is eternal
life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, Most
assuredly, I say to you,
unless
one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
The
Lighthouse Full Gospel Church
Sinners Prayer; Pray this, and if you
believe it with your heart, Jesus will save you!
“Lord Jesus I know I am a
sinner. I confess my sins to you; I am
sorry for my sins; I repent (Meaning, desiring to turn from a sinful
lifestyle.) of all my sins, and I am asking for your forgiveness. I believe that only you can forgive sin. I commit my life to you and ask you to come
into my heart, direct, and take charge of my life. I believe that you died to set me free from
my sinful lifestyle and you rose from the dead to give me eternal life, and
right now you are seated at the Right Hand of God Almighty. I believe you are
the Son of God; the only Way, the only Truth, the only Life, and my
Savior.” I believe this and have faith
you will make a new person out of me, by sending the Holy Spirit to dwell in my
heart and lead me in a new life. In Jesus name I pray Amen.”
(John
3:16,17; Romans 3:23; 6:23; 5:8;
10:9-13; Ephesians 2:8-10;
1 John 5:11-14; 1:6-10) (Sin: Rom. 1:22-32; Gal.
5:19-21; Eph. 5:3-7)
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