Scripture Studies - Vol. V; No. 7 - September 1998 ================================================== In this issue: Old Testament Study - Genesis 43-44 A Classic Study - Navigation Spiritualized, pt. 8, by John Flavel New Testament Study - Matthew 5:33-37 A Study for Young Christians - Encouraging Modesty in First Opinions A Study in Psalms - Psalm 41 Bibliography - Suggested Reading Postscript - Godıs Use of Our Personalities Footnotes ---------------------------------------------------- "Scripture Studies" is edited by Scott Sperling and published ten times a year by Scripture Studies, Inc., a non-profit organization. It is distributed all over the world by postal mail and via the internet free of charge. If you would like to financially support the publication and distribution of "Scripture Studies", send contributions to: Scripture Studies Inc. 20 Pastora Foothill Ranch, CA 92610 USA Contributions are tax deductible in the United States. 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May God bless you as you study His Word. ====================================================================== Old Testament Study - Genesis 43-44 =================================== Back to Egypt ------------- 1 Now the famine was still severe in the land. 2 So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, their father said to them, "Go back and buy us a little more food." 3 But Judah said to him, "The man warned us solemnly, `You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.' 4 If you will send our brother along with us, we will go down and buy food for you. 5 But if you will not send him, we will not go down, because the man said to us, `You will not see my face again unless your brother is with you.'" 6 Israel asked, "Why did you bring this trouble on me by telling the man you had another brother?" 7 They replied, "The man questioned us closely about ourselves and our family. `Is your father still living?' he asked us. `Do you have another brother?' We simply answered his questions. How were we to know he would say, `Bring your brother down here'?" 8 Then Judah said to Israel his father, "Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die. 9 I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. 10 As it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned twice." 11 Then their father Israel said to them, "If it must be, then do this: Put some of the best products of the land in your bags and take them down to the man as a gift--a little balm and a little honey, some spices and myrrh, some pistachio nuts and almonds. 12 Take double the amount of silver with you, for you must return the silver that was put back into the mouths of your sacks. Perhaps it was a mistake. 13 Take your brother also and go back to the man at once. 14 And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved." 15 So the men took the gifts and double the amount of silver, and Benjamin also. They hurried down to Egypt and presented themselves to Joseph. 16 When Joseph saw Benjamin with them, he said to the steward of his house, "Take these men to my house, slaughter an animal and prepare dinner; they are to eat with me at noon." 17 The man did as Joseph told him and took the men to Joseph's house. 18 Now the men were frightened when they were taken to his house. They thought, "We were brought here because of the silver that was put back into our sacks the first time. He wants to attack us and overpower us and seize us as slaves and take our donkeys." 19 So they went up to Joseph's steward and spoke to him at the entrance to the house. 20 "Please, sir," they said, "we came down here the first time to buy food. 21 But at the place where we stopped for the night we opened our sacks and each of us found his silver--the exact weight--in the mouth of his sack. So we have brought it back with us. 22 We have also brought additional silver with us to buy food. We don't know who put our silver in our sacks." 23 "It's all right," he said. "Don't be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks; I received your silver." Then he brought Simeon out to them. 24 The steward took the men into Joseph's house, gave them water to wash their feet and provided fodder for their donkeys. 25 They prepared their gifts for Joseph's arrival at noon, because they had heard that they were to eat there. 26 When Joseph came home, they presented to him the gifts they had brought into the house, and they bowed down before him to the ground. 27 He asked them how they were, and then he said, "How is your aged father you told me about? Is he still living?" 28 They replied, "Your servant our father is still alive and well." And they bowed low to pay him honor. 29 As he looked about and saw his brother Benjamin, his own mother's son, he asked, "Is this your youngest brother, the one you told me about?" And he said, "God be gracious to you, my son." 30 Deeply moved at the sight of his brother, Joseph hurried out and looked for a place to weep. He went into his private room and wept there. 31 After he had washed his face, he came out and, controlling himself, said, "Serve the food." 32 They served him by himself, the brothers by themselves, and the Egyptians who ate with him by themselves, because Egyptians could not eat with Hebrews, for that is detestable to Egyptians. 33 The men had been seated before him in the order of their ages, from the firstborn to the youngest; and they looked at each other in astonishment. 34 When portions were served to them from Joseph's table, Benjamin's portion was five times as much as anyone else's. So they feasted and drank freely with him. --------------- Recall that in the previous chapter, the sons of Jacob journeyed to Egypt to buy food. Little did they know that their brother Joseph (whom years before they had sold into slavery) was in charge of distributing Egypt's food during the famine. Joseph recognized them, but they did not recognize him. Joseph kept them in the dark concerning his identity because he was not sure of their character. For all he knew, they were still full of evil and jealousy. Perhaps they were as jealous of his little brother Benjamin as they were of him. Joseph very much wanted to see Benjamin again, so he devised a plan that would both test his brother's character and bring Benjamin to Egypt. Joseph accused his brothers of being spies and, as a condition of their innocence, ordered them to bring their littlest brother down to Egypt. Joseph held Simeon hostage until this condition was fulfilled. The brothers returned to their father Jacob and told him what had happened. Jacob himself did not know whether to believe his sons, and would on no account let them take Benjamin to Egypt. Jacob was in despair at this idea. He cried to them: "You have deprived me of my children. Joseph is no more and Simeon is no more, and now you want to take Benjamin. Everything is against me!... My son will not go down there with you; his brother is dead and he is the only one left. If harm comes to him on the journey you are taking, you will bring my grey head down to the grave in sorrow" (Gen. 42:37, 38). What Jacob did not realize was that God, through His providence, was engineering all this in order to reunite the whole family in Egypt. God was using the famine to further His plan. I dare say that this famine (because of its consequences) was the most significant famine in the history of mankind. The famine reunited the family of God and brought them to Egypt. In Egypt, the family grew into the nation of Israel. The nation of Israel brought forth King David, King Solomon, and eventually, King Jesus, who came to save the world. Jacob, of course, did not see all this. He just saw that "the famine was still severe in the land. So when they had eaten all the grain they had brought from Egypt, [Jacob] said to them, `Go back and buy us a little more food'" (vs. 1-2). Joseph played his part well in Egypt, for the brothers were terrified to go back to Egypt unless they fulfilled Joseph's demand to bring Benjamin with them (see vss. 3-5). Jacob resisted this. He did not trust his sons to take care of Benjamin on a trip to Egypt. So, there was a stand-off of sorts between father and sons. And all this time, I'm sure Simeon, who was in prison in Egypt, was wondering where his brothers were! But the famine remained severe, and the family ran out of grain. In this severe condition, Jacob (called "Israel" in this chapter) was willing to listen. Judah appealed to him: "Send the boy along with me and we will go at once, so that we and you and our children may live and not die. I myself will guarantee his safety; you can hold me personally responsible for him. If I do not bring him back to you and set him here before you, I will bear the blame before you all my life. As it is, if we had not delayed, we could have gone and returned twice" (vss. 8-10). Judah's appeal, together with the severeness of the situation, was effective. Israel (Jacob) relented, took charge and advised his sons to bring gifts to this mysterious leader in Egypt. He also allowed them to take his beloved son Benjamin and sent them off with a prayer: "And may God Almighty grant you mercy before the man so that he will let your other brother and Benjamin come back with you. As for me, if I am bereaved, I am bereaved" (vs. 14). Most certainly, this last statement of Jacob's is the reason that he is referred to as "Israel" in this chapter. Here he is once again a man of God, and so Moses (the writer of Genesis) refers to him by the name that God gave him (see Gen. 35:10). Significantly missing in the previous chapter was any mention of God by Jacob. In that chapter, Jacob despaired, but there is no evidence that he turned to God in his despair. For this reason, God turned up the heat (so to speak) and brought on an even more desperate situation, in order to bring Jacob to a place where he would seek God again. Certainly, Jacob could have saved himself and his family some amount of suffering if he had sought God from the beginning. After they ran out of grain, and after hearing Judah's appeal, Jacob finally resigned himself to God's will. He said: "If I am bereaved, I am bereaved" (vs. 14). He left up to God what would happen to his family. The world may see such a statement as weakness, but Jacob could now say with Paul: "For when I am weak, then I am strong" (II Cor. 12:10). Jacob was brought to the end of his own strength, so now he was in a position to place himself in God's strength. In God's strength, Jacob regained his composure. Whereas in the previous chapter Jacob was in despair, crying: "Everything is against me!" (Gen. 42:36), here Jacob (now "Israel"), with a clear head, takes charge and confidently advises his sons what they should do when they return to Egypt (see vss. 11-13). Indeed, we are strongest when we resign ourselves to God's will, for then we are open to the strength of His Spirit to guide us in His wise way. We should all learn from this episode. We so often, like Jacob, stubbornly try to make it on our own in times of trouble, forgetting to seek God's guidance. If only we would turn to Him at the beginning--if only we would seek to follow His will at the beginning of trouble, we would save ourselves much grief. In Jacob's case, his resistance of God's providence forced him to endure an extra year famine, and another year of not being united with his son Joseph. So, the sons returned to Egypt, with the gifts for Joseph, and with Benjamin (vs. 15). Joseph had his steward to prepare a banquet for them (vs. 16). Joseph's steward took them to Joseph's house, but instead of heartening them, this frightened them, as they thought they would be ambushed because the silver that they had used to pay for their food on their first visit was mysteriously returned to them (vss. 18-19). Again here, as in the last chapter, we see the ill effects of a guilty conscience, turning blessings into curses. Joseph's steward tried to calm their fears: "It's all right... Don't be afraid. Your God, the God of your father, has given you treasure in your sacks" (vs. 23). At the banquet, the dream given to Joseph when he was young (see Gen. 37:5-7) was once again fulfilled as the brothers "bowed down before him to the ground" (vs. 26). Joseph asked after his father (vs. 27), and then greeted Benjamin. As he did this, he was "deeply moved", and "hurried out and looked for a place to weep" (vs. 30). We see here that Joseph's charade with his brothers was very difficult to maintain. If Joseph could have been assured that his brothers were trustworthy, he would have gladly given up the charade. But Joseph was wise, and well remembered the cruelty that his brothers were capable of. As part of Joseph's testing of his brothers, he attempted engender jealousy in them by giving Benjamin five times as much as food as the others during the banquet. However, Benjamin's extra portion apparently did not engender any feelings of jealousy; the brothers seemed to have grown beyond the jealousy that had once spurred them to try to murder their brother Joseph so many years before. Rather than being jealous, "they feasted and drank freely with him" (vs. 34). As for the brothers, they were confused at all that was happening, not understanding any of it. They were especially in awe that Joseph had seated them "in the order of their ages, from the firstborn to the youngest" (vs. 33). They realized that it was nearly impossible for Joseph to be able to do this by chance. They were all fairly close in age, so how could Joseph know who should sit where? A Final Test ------------ 44:1 Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house: "Fill the men's sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man's silver in the mouth of his sack. 2 Then put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one's sack, along with the silver for his grain." And he did as Joseph said. 3 As morning dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. 4 They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, "Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, `Why have you repaid good with evil? 5 Isn't this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination? This is a wicked thing you have done.'" 6 When he caught up with them, he repeated these words to them. 7 But they said to him, "Why does my lord say such things? Far be it from your servants to do anything like that! 8 We even brought back to you from the land of Canaan the silver we found inside the mouths of our sacks. So why would we steal silver or gold from your master's house? 9 If any of your servants is found to have it, he will die; and the rest of us will become my lord's slaves." 10 "Very well, then," he said, "let it be as you say. Whoever is found to have it will become my slave; the rest of you will be free from blame." 11 Each of them quickly lowered his sack to the ground and opened it. 12 Then the steward proceeded to search, beginning with the oldest and ending with the youngest. And the cup was found in Benjamin's sack. 13 At this, they tore their clothes. Then they all loaded their donkeys and returned to the city. 14 Joseph was still in the house when Judah and his brothers came in, and they threw themselves to the ground before him. 15 Joseph said to them, "What is this you have done? Don't you know that a man like me can find things out by divination?" 16 "What can we say to my lord?" Judah replied. "What can we say? How can we prove our innocence? God has uncovered your servants' guilt. We are now my lord's slaves--we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup." 17 But Joseph said, "Far be it from me to do such a thing! Only the man who was found to have the cup will become my slave. The rest of you, go back to your father in peace." 18 Then Judah went up to him and said: "Please, my lord, let your servant speak a word to my lord. Do not be angry with your servant, though you are equal to Pharaoh himself. 19 My lord asked his servants, `Do you have a father or a brother?' 20 And we answered, `We have an aged father, and there is a young son born to him in his old age. His brother is dead, and he is the only one of his mother's sons left, and his father loves him.' 21 "Then you said to your servants, `Bring him down to me so I can see him for myself.' 22 And we said to my lord, `The boy cannot leave his father; if he leaves him, his father will die.' 23 But you told your servants, `Unless your youngest brother comes down with you, you will not see my face again.' 24 When we went back to your servant my father, we told him what my lord had said. 25 "Then our father said, `Go back and buy a little more food.' 26 But we said, `We cannot go down. Only if our youngest brother is with us will we go. We cannot see the man's face unless our youngest brother is with us.' 27 "Your servant my father said to us, `You know that my wife bore me two sons. 28 One of them went away from me, and I said, "He has surely been torn to pieces." And I have not seen him since. 29 If you take this one from me too and harm comes to him, you will bring my grey head down to the grave in misery.' 30 "So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father and if my father, whose life is closely bound up with the boy's life, 31 sees that the boy isn't there, he will die. Your servants will bring the grey head of our father down to the grave in sorrow. 32 Your servant guaranteed the boy's safety to my father. I said, `If I do not bring him back to you, I will bear the blame before you, my father, all my life!' 33 "Now then, please let your servant remain here as my lord's slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers. 34 How can I go back to my father if the boy is not with me? No! Do not let me see the misery that would come upon my father." --------------- Joseph has yet one more test for his brothers: "Now Joseph gave these instructions to the steward of his house: `Fill the men's sacks with as much food as they can carry, and put each man's silver in the mouth of his sack. Then put my cup, the silver one, in the mouth of the youngest one's sack, along with the silver for his grain.' And he did as Joseph said. As morning dawned, the men were sent on their way with their donkeys. They had not gone far from the city when Joseph said to his steward, `Go after those men at once, and when you catch up with them, say to them, "Why have you repaid good with evil? Isn't this the cup my master drinks from and also uses for divination? This is a wicked thing you have done."'" (44:1-5). This was quite a clever scheme of Joseph's. By it, he could determine whether the brothers had evil schemes concerning Benjamin, and if they did, Joseph would be able to save Benjamin from them and have him stay with him in Egypt. You see, if the brothers were planning evil against Benjamin, they would allow Joseph to arrest Benjamin and bring him back to Egypt. If, on the other hand, the brothers had changed their ways and desired to protect Benjamin, they would return to Egypt with Benjamin and try to defend him. The brothers, when the steward caught up with them, were of course quite surprised to be accused of stealing something from Joseph (vss. 6-8). They were so confident of their innocence, they offered: "If any of [us] is found to have [the silver cup], he will die; and the rest of us will become my lord's slaves" (vs. 9). It does seem here that the brother's attitude had changed quite a bit from when they were young. Instead of scheming against each other, they were willing to stand up for each other, and defend and protect each other. Joseph, though, wanted to offer them the opportunity to desert Benjamin, if they so desired, so his steward said: "Whoever is found to have it will be my slave; the rest of you will be free from blame" (vs. 10). When the steward found the silver cup in Benjamin's sack, the brothers "tore their clothes" (vs. 13). In that culture, the tearing of clothes was a sign of grief and despair. The fact that the brothers tore their clothes showed they truly cared for Benjamin's safety, as they were grieved at the thought of him being taken into slavery in Egypt. Instead of deserting Benjamin there, the brothers "all loaded their donkeys and returned to the city" (vs. 13). When they returned to Joseph, rather than leaving Benjamin in the lurch, they all volunteered to share equally the punishment for stealing the cup: "We are now my lord's slaves--we ourselves and the one who was found to have the cup" (vs. 16). Joseph once again gave the brothers an opportunity to abandon Benjamin. He said to them: "Far be it from me to do such a thing! Only the man who was found to have the cup will become my slave. The rest of you, go back to your father in peace" (vs. 17). At this, Judah gave a touching speech (see vss. 18-34), as he told Joseph of the reluctance that Jacob had in allowing Benjamin to go to Egypt, and the grief it would cause Jacob for the brothers to return without Benjamin. He also carried out his promise to Jacob to protect Benjamin with his own life. Judah told Joseph: "Now then, please let [me] remain here as my lord's slave in place of the boy, and let the boy return with his brothers" (vs. 33).[1] Judah's speech, as we will see in the next chapter, caused Joseph to break down. This was the last bit of proof that Joseph needed to share that his brothers were sincere. The growth of the character of the brothers is commendable. They had been selfish schemers, now they were united with each other as children of God: defending, protecting, even risking their lives for each other. Much of this change came as a result of shared suffering. "There is nothing like the discipline of life to elicit and to deepen character. The pressure of poverty, the stings of conscience, the deepening of family love, the shaking of self-confidence, are a few of the ways" the brothers were made complete in love for each other.[2] May all the children of God be unified in love. Paul exhorted us to "be like-minded, [have] the same love, [be] one in spirit and purpose" (Phil. 2:2). John taught what our love for each other should be like: "This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down His life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brother" (I John 3:16). ====================================================================== A Classic Study - Navigation Spiritualized, pt. 8, by John Flavel ================================================================= A Classic Study by John Flavel (1628-1691) [Here, we continue our reprint of excerpts from John Flavel's book *Navigation Spiritualized*. John Flavel was a 17th Century minister in the seaside town of Dartmouth, England. A good many of his parishioners made their living on the sea, and so Mr. Flavel wrote *Navigation Spiritualized*, a book which draws parallels between things of the sea and spiritual things. This book is a masterpiece in the way it communicates spiritual truths in the language of its target audience, the seamen of Dartmouth. In fact, it was written specifically for the seamen to take on voyages and read, so that (for example), while they sailed the boundless seas, they could read of God's boundless mercies; or, while they adjusted their sails for shifting winds, they could read how to prepare their souls for the shifting winds of life; etc. And indeed, though few of us are seamen, we are all on a voyage through this life, so (I dare say) we may all profit from this study.]*--Ed.* Concerning the Use of Our Talents --------------------------------- *The navigator shifts his sails to take* *All winds, but that which for his soul doth make.* OBSERVATION. The mariner [lacks] no skill and wisdom to improve several winds, and make them serviceable to his end; a bare side wind, by his skill in shifting and managing the sails, will serve his turn. He will not lose the advantage of one breath or gale that may be useful to him. I have many times wondered to see two ships sailing in a direct counter motion, by one and the same wind. Their skill and wisdom herein is admirable. APPLICATION. Thus prudent and skillful are men in secular and lower matters, and yet how ignorant and unskillful in the great and everlasting affairs of their souls! All their invention, judgment, wit, and memory, seem to be pressed for the service of the flesh. They can learn an art quickly, and arrive to a great deal of exactness in it; but in soul-matters, no knowledge at all. They can understand the Equator, Meridian, and Horizon; by the first they can tell the latitude of any place, south or north, measuring it by the degrees in the Meridian; by the second they can tell you the longitude of a place, east and west, from the Meridian, measuring it by the degrees of the Equator; and by the third they can discern the divers risings and settings of the stars. And so in other arts and sciences, we find men endowed with rare abilities, and singular sagacity. Some have piercing apprehensions, solid judgments, stupendous memories, rare invention, and excellent elocution; but put them upon any spiritual supernatural matter, and the weakest Christian, even a babe in Christ, shall excel them therein, and give a far better account of regeneration, the work of grace, the life of faith, than these can. "Not many wise men after the flesh, etc. But God hath chosen the foolish things of this world," etc. (see I Cor. 1:26). REFLECTION. How inexcusable, then, art thou, O my soul! And how mute and confounded must thou needs stand before the bar of God in that great day! Thou hadst a talent of natural parts committed to thee, but which way have they been improved? I had an understanding indeed, but it was not sanctified; a memory, but it was like a sieve that let go the corn and retained nothing but husks and chaff; wit and invention, but, alas! none to do myself good. Ah! how will these rise in judgment against me, and stop my mouth? What account shall I give for them in that day? Again, are men (otherwise prudent and skillful) such sots and fools in spiritual things? Then let the poor, weak Christian, whose natural parts are blunt and dull, admire the riches of God's free grace to him. O what an astonishing consideration is this! That God should pass by men of the profoundest natural parts and choose me, even poor me, whose natural faculties and endowments, compared with theirs, are but as lead to gold! Thus under the law He passed by the lion and eagle, and chose the lamb and dove. O how should it make me to advance grace, as Christ doth upon the same account. "I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and revealed them to babes" (Matt. 11:25). And let it ever be a humbling consideration to me; for who made me to differ? Is not this one principal thing God aims at, in calling such as I am; that boasting may be excluded, and Himself alone exalted? ====================================================================== New Testament Study - Matthew 5:33-37 ===================================== On Swearing Oaths ----------------- 33 "Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, `Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord.' 34 But I tell you, Do not swear at all: either by heaven, for it is God's throne; 35 or by the earth, for it is His footstool; or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the Great King. 36 And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make even one hair white or black. 37 Simply let your `Yes' be `Yes', and your `No', `No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." --------------- Here, Jesus continues speaking to His disciples concerning the Law of God. Recall that Jesus prefaced this section of the Sermon on the Mount by saying: "For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven" (Matt. 5:20). Then He proceeded to give His disciples six examples of how their righteousness must exceed that of the Pharisees: concerning anger (vss. 21-26), concerning lust (vss. 27-30), concerning marriage (vss. 31-32), concerning truthfulness (vss. 33-37, the text we will look at in this study), concerning revenge (vss. 38-42), and concerning love for others (vss. 43-47). Jesus will end this section of His discourse by summing it all up: "Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect" (vs. 48). And so, the goal of all these teachings is that we would "be perfect". "But wait!", you may say, "Jesus desires that I be perfect!? I can't do that!" Quite right. The holiness of our Lord Jesus requires that His teaching demand perfect righteousness. Therefore, these teachings will be difficult--yes, impossible--to consistently and unerringly carry out. Jesus knows quite well that we cannot attain perfection in this world. That is why He went to great lengths to see that His perfect righteousness may be credited to us. He died for us, taking the punishment that we deserve for our lack of perfection, so that He could bestow upon us His righteousness as a gift. Praise be to the Lord! We are currently in the midst of these teachings concerning how our "righteousness should surpass that of the Pharisees." Jesus begins this section concerning truthfulness: "Again, you have heard that it was said to the people long ago, `Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord'" (vs. 33). Jesus cites here the teaching that the people had been hearing from the Pharisees about oaths: "Do not break your oath, but keep the oaths you have made to the Lord." The sense here is that the Pharisees were saying: "You shouldn't break your oaths, but always make sure you keep your oaths that are made to the Lord." At the time, there was Rabbinical teaching that said that only oaths made "by God" were legally binding. Furthermore, the Rabbinical teachers themselves defined for the people exactly what an oath made "by God" was. Later, Jesus dresses down the Pharisees for inventing such regulations: "Woe to you, blind guides! You say, `If anyone swears by the temple, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gold of the temple, he is bound by his oath.' You blind fools! Which is greater: the gold, or the temple that makes the gold sacred? You also say, `If anyone swears by the altar, it means nothing; but if anyone swears by the gift on it, he is bound by his oath.' You blind men! Which is greater: the gift, or the altar that makes the gift sacred? Therefore, he who swears by the altar swears by it and by everything on it. And he who swears by the temple swears by it and by the one who dwells in it. And he who swears by heaven swears by God's throne and by the one who sits on it" (Matt. 23:16-22). The result of the pharasaical reading of the law concerning oaths was that no one knew if a man would keep his oath: truth was compromised. If a man swore an oath "by heaven", the hearer may have thought that it seemed that this man would tell the truth, because, after all, God lives in heaven. But technically, according to this pharasaical teaching, the swearer was not legally bound to keep his oath because he did not swear by something close enough (in their view) to God. So, rather than strengthening the truth, oaths became vehicles for telling lies. In the case of oaths, the Law of God was far more strict than the Pharisees made it out to be. Here is the actual teaching from the law: "When a man makes a vow to the LORD or takes an oath to bind himself by a pledge, he must not break his word but must do everything he said" (Num. 30:2). The law is unequivocal: in any case, a man "must not break his word but must do everything he said." The essence of the law is that *all* oaths must be completely carried out. They are not to be taken lightly. Moreover, the Law of God forbids us to make oaths in any other name than the name of God: "Fear the LORD your God and serve Him. Hold fast to Him and take your oaths in His name" (Deut. 10:20; see also Deut. 6:13). This part of the law concerning oaths is conspicuously absent from the pharasaical regulations on taking oaths. Rather than forbidding oaths in other things, the Pharisees merely declared those oaths to be non-binding. In Jesus' time, oaths and vows were very important in the business world. They did not have written contracts or contract lawyers: a man's word was the contract. Thus, a businessman had to be confident that an oath was binding in order to be able to carry out business. Jesus here is commanding that oaths be used as originally intended by God: as a surety that the swearer considered himself to be bound by the oath. And so, Jesus here forbids the specious use of oaths by saying that his disciples are not to swear at all "by heaven... or by the earth... or by Jerusalem... or by [one's] head" (vss. 35, 36). By disallowing these oaths, Jesus was requiring that the disciples righteousness exceed that of the Pharisees, who did not forbid, and even themselves used, the specious oaths. Jesus sums up His teaching: "Simply let your `Yes' be `Yes', and your `No', `No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one" (vs. 37). In other words: *Just tell the truth!!!* When you speak, people shouldn't have to do any calculating to determine whether or not you are telling the truth. Your words should be true in both literal and implicative meanings. Your character should exude truthfulness. Jesus desires that his disciples always speak truthfully. The world should consider that the word of a Christian can be relied upon. If you speak truthfully, and everyone knows it, there is no need for the taking of oaths to support your statements. As Jesus states, anything beyond the absolute truth "comes from the evil one." And so Father, help us by Your Spirit, to be truthful, just as You are true, and to be faithful to others, just as You are faithful. May the world be able to trust our words, just as we can trust Your Word. In the name of Jesus Christ, who was Himself faithful in living out Your Word, we pray these things, Amen. ====================================================================== A Study for Young Christians - Encouraging Modesty in First Opinions ==================================================================== A Classic Study by Richard Baxter (1615-1691) [Here we continue our reprint of Chapter 2 from Richard Baxter's classic tome *A Christian Directory*.3 This chapter consists of twenty directions to (as Mr. Baxter says) "young Christians or beginners in religion, for their establishment and safe proceeding." Though these studies were written specifically for "young" Christians, I think that you will find (as I have), there is much in here worthy of meditation also for those who have been walking with God for many years.]--*Ed.* Direction XI - Encouraging Modesty in First Opinions ---------------------------------------------------- Let not your first opinions about controverted difficulties in religion, where Scripture is not very plain, be too peremptory, confident, or fixed; but hold them modestly with a due suspicion of your unripe understandings, and with room for further information, supposing it possible (or probable) that upon better instruction, evidence, and maturity, you may, in such things, change your minds. I know the factions that take up their religion on the credit of their party are against this direction, thinking that you must first hit on the right church, and then hold all that the church doth hold, and therefore change your mind in nothing which you this way receive. I know, also, that some libertines and half-believers would corrupt this direction, by extending it to the most plain and necessary truths, persuading you to hold Christianity itself but as an uncertain, probable opinion. But, as God's foundation standeth sure, so we must be surely built on his foundation. He that believeth not the essentials of Christianity, as a certain, necessary revelation of God, is not a Christian, but an infidel. And he that believeth not all that which he understandeth in the word of God, believeth nothing on the credit of that word. Indeed faith hath its weakness on those that are sincere, and they are fain to lament the remnants of unbelief, and cry, "Lord, increase our faith; help thou our unbelief." But he that approveth of his doubting, and would have it so, and thinks the revelation is uncertain, and such as will warrant no firmer a belief, I should scarcely say, this man is a Christian. Christianity must be received as of divine, infallible revelation. But controversies about less necessary things cannot be determined peremptorily by the ignorant or young beginners, without hypocrisy, or a human going under the name of a divine. I am far from abating your divine belief of all that you can understand in Scripture, and implicitly of all the rest in general. And I am far from diminishing the credit of any truth of God. But the reasons of this direction are these: 1. When it is certain that you have but a dark, uncertain apprehension of any point, to think it is clear and certain is but to deceive yourselves by pride. And to cry out against all uncertainty, as scepticism, which yet you cannot lay aside, is but to revile your own infirmity, and the common infirmity of mankind, and foolishly to suppose that every man can be as wise and certain, when he list, as he should be. Now reason and experience will tell you, that a young, unfurnished understanding, is not like to see the evidence of difficult points as, by nearer approach and better advantage, it may do. 2. If your conclusions be peremptory, upon mere self-conceitedness, you may be in an error for aught you know; and so you are but confident in an error. And then how far may you go in seducing others, and censuring dissenters, and come back when you have done, and confess that you were all this while mistaken yourselves. 3. For a man to be confident that he knoweth what he knoweth not, is but the way to keep him ignorant, and abut the door against all means of further information. When the opinion is fixed by prejudice and conceit, there is no ready entrance for the light. 4. And, to be ungroundedly confident, so young, is not only to take up with your teacher's word, instead of a faith and knowledge of your own, but also to forestall all diligence to know more. And so you may lay by all your studies, save only to know what those men hold, whose judgments are your religion. 5. If you must never change your first opinions or apprehensions, how will you grow in understanding? Will you be no wiser at age, than you were in childhood, and after long study and experience, than before? Nature and grace do tend to increase. Indeed, if you should be never so peremptory in your opinions, you cannot resolve to hold them to the end, for light is powerful, and may change you whether you will or no: you cannot tell what that light will do, which you never saw. But prejudice will make you resist the light, and make it harder for you to understand. I speak this upon much experience and observation. Our first unripe apprehensions of things will certainly be greatly changed if we are studious and of improved understandings. Study the controversies about grace and free-will, or about other such points of difficulty, when you are young, and it is two to one that ripeness will afterward make them quite another thing to you. For my own part, my judgment is altered from many of my youthful, confident apprehensions; and where it holdeth the same conclusion, it rejecteth abundance of the arguments as vain, which once it rested in. And where I keep to the same conclusions and arguments, my apprehension of them is not the same, but I see more satisfying light in many things, which I took but upon trust before. And if I had resolved to hold to all my first opinions, I must have forborne most of my studies and lost much truth which I have discovered, and not made that my own which I did hold; and I must have resolved to live and die a child. The sum is: Hold fast the substance of religion, and every clear and certain truth, which you see in its own evidence. And also reverence your teachers, especially the [true] church, or the generality of wise and godly men; and be not hasty to take up any private opinion, and especially to contradict the opinion of your governors and teachers in small and controverted things. But yet, in such matters, receive their opinions but with a human faith, till indeed you have more, and therefore, with a supposition that time and study is very like to alter your apprehensions, and with a reserve, impartially to study and entertain the truth, and not to sit still just where you were born. ====================================================================== A Study in Psalms - Psalm 41 ============================ Psalm 41 -------- For the director of music. A psalm of David. 1 Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble. 2 The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; He will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes. 3 The LORD will sustain him on his sick-bed and restore him from his bed of illness. 4 I said, "O LORD, have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against you." 5 My enemies say of me in malice, "When will he die and his name perish?" 6 Whenever one comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; then he goes out and spreads it abroad. 7 All my enemies whisper together against me; they imagine the worst for me, saying, 8 "A vile disease has beset him; he will never get up from the place where he lies." 9 Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. 10 But You, O LORD, have mercy on me; raise me up, that I may repay them. 11 I know that You are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me. 12 In my integrity You uphold me and set me in Your presence forever. 13 Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen. --------------- This psalm speaks of the mercy that God shows for His suffering children, as compared to the treatment those of the world show for those who are suffering. David first speaks of the special mercy shown by God to those who themselves help those who are weak and troubled (vss. 1-3); then David recounts his prayer to God for His mercy (vs. 4); next David tells of the treatment he received from those around him during his time of trouble (vss. 5-9); David ends the psalm with a response to the mercy God has shown him (vss. 10-12). The final verse included as part of this psalm (verse 13) is not really part of the psalm itself. Rather, it is a benediction for the entire "first book of Psalms", which include psalms 1 through 41. The book of Psalms, as we have it in our Bibles, was originally compiled into five books, with the following division: 1-41; 42-72; 73-89; 90-106; 107-150. At the end of each of these divisions, you will find a benediction that closes each "book" of psalms (see Ps. 72:18-19; Ps. 89:52; Ps. 106:48; and all of Ps. 150). Since we have come to the end of the first book of Psalm, I have decided to take a break from our study in the book of Psalms. Beginning with the next issue, we will start a study in the book of Ecclesiastes. After that study is completed, we will (God willing) continue our study in the book of Psalms. Mercy on Those Who Show Mercy ----------------------------- 1 Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble. 2 The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; He will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes. 3 The LORD will sustain him on his sick-bed and restore him from his bed of illness. 4 I said, "O LORD, have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against you." --------------- David begins by speaking of the special blessings God has in store for those who help others: "Blessed is he who has regard for the weak" (vs. 1). Caring for others is not only a commendable thing to do, it is also a wise thing to do, for it leads to special blessings by God. In the same way, selfishness, meanness, vindictiveness, etc., are not only sinful, but foolish, for why would God bless such actions? David enumerates specifically the blessings God shows to those who help others: deliverance from trouble ("the LORD delivers him in times of trouble"); protection ("the LORD will protect him and preserve his life"); prosperity when under attack ("He will bless him in the land and not surrender him to the desire of his foes"); and sustenance through, as well as restoration from sickness ("the LORD will sustain him on his sick-bed and restore him from his bed of illness"). Note that each of these blessings that God gives to those who help others are given in a situation when the helper himself needs help. Those who help others, will themselves be helped when they need help. Those who show mercy to others will themselves be shown mercy when they need it. Those who care for the sick will themselves be cradled in the Lord's arms when they are sick. All this conforms to one of God's most solid laws of nature: "A man reaps what he sows" (Gal. 6:7-8). "Liberality to the poor is the surest and safest way of thriving; [those who] practice it may be sure of seasonable and effectual relief from God."[4] David must have been confident in his own treatment of those who are in need, for he uses the first three verses as the basis for his prayer: "I said, `O LORD, have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against You'" (vs. 4). David here finds himself in need. However, the root cause of David's trouble was not some enemy of his, nor did some chance misfortune befall him, nor was he downed by a wayward virus, rather, the cause of David's affliction was his sin against God. Notice that, although David used his own mercy as the basis for this prayer, the affliction caused by David's sin did not really fit into any of the categories of affliction (as enumerated by David in verses 1 through 3) which are alleviated by the blessing of God in return for helping those in trouble. The afflictions enumerated in verses 1 through 3 were life's "times of trouble", protection from one's enemies, and comfort during ordinary sickness. David's affliction was different. It was caused by his own sin. Healing from sin is in a different category. Healing from sin cannot be "paid for" by mercy for the weak. Our good works (commendable though they may be in the eyes of God) cannot take away our sin in the eyes of God. As the writer of Hebrews taught us: "[W]ithout the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness" (Heb. 9:22). David was well on his way to receiving forgiveness for his sin, in that he acknowledged his sin before God, saying: "I have sinned against You." Yet, it was necessary for David to go further and offer the sacrifices prescribed by God in His law. These sacrifices were a shadow of the true sacrifice that was to come, the sacrifice that would be sufficient to atone for all of our sins. As John taught: "[Jesus Christ] is the atoning sacrifice for our sins" (I John 2:2). David, to receive atonement for his sins, was required to offer sacrifices in the temple. We are blessed in that the fulfillment of all blood sacrifices was made by Jesus Christ. We need only to acknowledge our sins before God, then accept this great gift of God, through belief that Christ's sacrifice was sufficient to atone for our sins. Reaction to David's Affliction ------------------------------ 5 My enemies say of me in malice, "When will he die and his name perish?" 6 Whenever one comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; then he goes out and spreads it abroad. 7 All my enemies whisper together against me; they imagine the worst for me, saying, 8 "A vile disease has beset him; he will never get up from the place where he lies." 9 Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me. 10 But You, O LORD, have mercy on me; raise me up, that I may repay them. 11 I know that You are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me. 12 In my integrity You uphold me and set me in Your presence forever. --------------- In the previous verse, David prayed: "[H]eal me, for I have sinned against you" (vs. 4). From that verse alone, we cannot tell whether David's was a spiritual affliction alone (due to his sin), or whether there was also a physical aspect to it. In these verses, we find that, clearly, yes, David was physically afflicted. And so we learn here that sin can directly lead to physical sickness. There are primarily three ways this may happen: one's sin, because of the nature of the sin, can directly cause a sickness (such as sexual sin leading to sexually transmitted disease); one's guilt over sin can weaken the body, lowering its defenses against sickness; one's sin can be punished by God in the form of sickness. It is not clear which of these occurred in David's situation. Whatever the case, David's sickness did turn David to plea to God for healing from both his physical affliction and his sin. When the king is sick, the whispering starts: "My enemies say of me in malice, `When will he die and his name perish?'... All my enemies whisper together against me; they imagine the worst for me, saying, `A vile disease has beset him; he will never get up from the place where he lies'" (vs. 5,7). One test of true friendship is the reaction of your "friends" when you are afflicted. Likewise, a true sign of an enemy, and of hatred, is when one takes delight in the sickness of others. It seems that David could not find any true friends in his time of sickness. Even those who visited him, under the guise of comforting him, dealt maliciously with him: "Whenever one comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; then he goes out and spreads it abroad... Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me" (vs. 6,9). We are taught that the believer can expect such behavior from those of the world. Jesus, who was tested in all manner of testings that we are, experienced the betrayal of his friends. In fact, He cited verse 9 of this psalm when referring to Judas: "But this is to fulfill the scripture: `He who shares my bread has lifted his heel against me'" (John 13:18). And as this verse was fulfilled in David's life, and in the life of Jesus, so it has been fulfilled in the lives of countless saints throughout the ages. As John told us: "Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you" (I John 3:13). We should not be surprised by the world's hatred, for the world does not know how to love; the world does not have the love of God. The love of the world is tenuous: it snaps at the first test. The love of the world is self-centered: it seeks reward. The love of the world is long on lip-service, but short on action. Our love should be different. We are to "love one another deeply, from the heart" (I Pet. 1:22). John further exhorts: "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth" (I John 3:18). And there is no better way to show love than to comfort the afflicted. David sought such comfort, but he did not find it from anyone in the world. Yet he did find comfort from God: "But You, O LORD, have mercy on me" (vs. 10). Praise the Lord for His mercy and faithfulness! He comforted David in his sickness, and also communicated to David that He had forgiven him by soothing his conscience, for David says: "I know that You are pleased with me" (vs. 11). David also said: "[R]aise me up, that I may repay them" (vs. 10). This may sound vengeful to some, but we must remember that David was the king of the land. As the king, it was David's God-given duty to "punish those who do wrong and commend those who do right" (I Pet. 2:14). In Conclusion: Praise Be to the Lord ------------------------------------- 13 Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen. As mentioned above, this verse is a benediction to the entire first book of psalms, which consists of psalm 1 through 41. In these psalms, we have traveled with David from the depths of the grave to the heights of heaven. David experienced a wide range of situations and emotions, and these are documented well in these psalms. Because of David's wide range of experience, we are taught, edified, blessed, uplifted, and comforted by the psalms that he wrote in response to his experiences. I'm sure that David did not necessarily enjoy his wide range of experience, as he endured his difficult times. He would much rather have had a nice, quiet, peaceful kingship. But God had other plans. He sent affliction to David, and we are the better for it. In the end, despite all his troubles, David could exclaim: "Praise be to the LORD, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen." ====================================================================== Bibliography - Suggested Reading ================================ Alexander, Joseph A. *Commentary on the Psalms.* Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1991. (Originally published in 1864). Baxter, Richard. *A Christian Directory*. Edmonton, Canada: Still Waters Revival Books. (Originally published in 1673). Broadus, John. *Commentary on Matthew*. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1990. (Originally published in 1886). Calvin, John. *A Commentary on Genesis.* 2 Vols. in 1. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1965. (Originally published in 1554). Calvin, John. *A Harmony of the Gospels*. 3 Vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdman's, 1972. (Originally published in Latin in 1555). Candlish, Robert S. *Studies in Genesis.* Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1979. (Originally published in 1868). Carson, D. A. "Matthew" from *The Expositor's Bible Commentary*, Vol. VIII, ed. by Frank Gaebelein. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1984. Dickson, David. *A Commentary on the Psalms.* Reprint Edition. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1959. (Originally published in 1653). Flavel, John. *Navigation Spiritualized* from *The Works of John Flavel*, Vol. V, pg. 206ff. Reprint Edition. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1968. (Originally published ca. 1670). Jamieson, Robert; Fausset, A. R.; Brown, David. *A Commentary: Critical, Experimental, and Practical on the Old and New Testaments.* 3 Vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdman's, 1993. (Originally published in 1866). Keil, Carl & Delitzsch, Franz. *Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament.* Reprint Edition. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1971. (Originally published ca. 1880). Morgan, G. Campbell. *The Gospel According to Matthew*. Reprint Edition. Grand Rapids: Revell, 1992. Morris, Leon. *The Gospel According to Matthew.* Grand Rapids: Eerdman's, 1992. Pink, Arthur W. *Gleanings in Genesis.* Chicago: Moody, 1981. Plumer, William S. *Studies in the Book of Psalms.* Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1990. (Originally published in 1867). Ryle, J. C. * Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Matthew.* Reprint Edition. Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1986. Smith, Chuck. Audio Tapes on Genesis. Costa Mesa, CA: Word for Today, 1985. Smith, Chuck. Audio Tapes on Psalms. Costa Mesa, CA: Word for Today, 1988. Spurgeon, Charles. *The Gospel of Matthew*. Reprint Edition. Grand Rapids: Revell, 1987. Spurgeon, Charles. *The Treasury of David. *6 Volumes bound in 3*.* Peabody, MA: Hendrickson. (Originally published ca. 1880). Thomas, W. H. Griffith. *Genesis: A Devotional Commentary*. Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1988. ====================================================================== Postscript: Godıs Use of Our Personalities =========================================== ³How marvelous is Godıs providence in the mental and social character naturally possessed by His people, so as to fit them to act their several parts in life. In illustration: look at the ministers of Christ. One is timid, and God makes him especially useful to the diffident in encouraging them, and to the self-confident in awakening salutary fears. Another is bold, and he alarms the guilty and encourages the wavering. One is full of love and so wins the coy and melts the hardened. Another is borne down by an awful sense of the danger of the wicked, and so he cries aloud and spares not. One is a son of thunder. Another is a son of consolation. One excels in logic, another in rhetoric. One is best at explaining the doctrines, another is excellent at ex-hortation. One does most good by his pen, another by private conversation, and another in the pulpit. Yet all these men are giving expression to their respective natural and social dispositions, now sanctified by divine grace, and turned to a holy work.² -- William Plumer (1802-1880) ====================================================================== Footnotes: ========== [1] There is a bit of typology here. We have Judah offering to take the punishment for his brother's sin. Christ was from the tribe of Judah, and of course, offered Himself and took the punishment for our sins. [2] W.H. Griffith Thomas, Genesis: A Devotional Commentary, pg. 424. 3 All Scripture citations in this study are taken from the King James Version. [4] Matthew Henry, cited in Plumer, Studies in the Book of Psalms, pg. 491.