There are two levels of understanding
contained in the words--
and thus the
precious
truths—of the Bible
One level involves what the words actually mean in whichever language those words were written.
What the Spirit of truth will do for usBut the Bible says there is a second level of understanding that involves the spiritual truths contained in those God-inspired words. Jesus taught that only those to whom God grants His Spirit can clearly understand His words at this level.
This truth is illustrated well by Jesus Christ’s explanation to His disciples when they asked Him why He spoke to the people in parables. “Because it has been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. … Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand” (Matthew 13:11, 13).
The disciples themselves often did not understand the spiritual intent of Jesus’ words. But He did not leave them without hope of understanding. Jesus told them, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now.However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth” (John 16:12-13, emphasis added throughout). (Note: To understand why the pronoun “He” in this passage should have been translated into English as “it,” see the article “Is the Holy Spirit a Person?”)
Jesus knew they would not be able to understand the spiritual meaning of His words yet. Why? As of yet, the Holy Spirit was only with the disciples and not yet in them (John 14:17). The disciples could not understand the intended depth of the meaning of Christ’s words until the Spirit of truth was in them.
The disciples received the promised Holy Spirit on Pentecost after Christ’s death and resurrection (Acts 2:4). Then they had the capacity to begin to understand all the spiritual truths that God revealed (John 14:26).
Paul explains the Spirit of truthIn 1 Corinthians 2:6-14 is another passage that reveals these two levels of understanding. Paul refers to “the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom” (verse 7). Further, God’s wisdom is wisdom “which none of the rulers of this age knew” (verse 8). The passage refers to wisdom that “eye had not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him” (verse 9). Then we read, “But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit” (verse 10).
So there is knowledge that people could not know. But that same knowledge God reveals to those He calls by His Spirit. God’s Holy Spirit is thus the Spirit of truth.
In 1 Corinthians 2:11 Paul speaks of the “spirit of the man.” (For a fuller discussion of this “spirit in man,” please read the article “Spirit in Man: What Is It?”)
God gives each individual a portion of this spirit that empowers our brains with the capacity we call mind so that man is able to know “the things of a man.” This refers to the human knowledge developed by human reasoning and discovery―the knowledge of philosophy, the arts, the sciences, etc.―all the fields of human knowledge.
Paul uses the function of the “spirit of man” as a comparison to the function of the Spirit of God. As the “spirit of man” enables us to understand the “things of a man,” the Spirit of God enables us to understand the things of God―His spiritual truths. God gives His Spirit to us so “that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God” (verse 12).
As Paul explains, “But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (verse 14). No one without access to God’s Spirit can even begin to understand the spiritual truths of God.
The Holy Spirit—the Spirit of truth—enables us to understand things that are beyond our physical, material world.
Spiritual truth is a mystery to the worldThere are many other scriptures that show that God’s knowledge―His spiritual truths—are a mystery to the people of this world. But these mysteries are a mystery only to those who do not have God’s Spirit of truth.
Paul wrote in Colossians 1:26, “The mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints.” (Converted Christians are called “saints” in the Bible.)
We find the same understanding in Ephesians 3:3-6, 9: “He made known to me the mystery … which in other ages was not made known to the sons of men, as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to His holy apostles and prophets … to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God.”
But this spiritual knowledge was only being given to the saints as Jesus Himself revealed to His disciples in Matthew 13:2, 10-17, part of which was quoted at the beginning of this article. When the disciples asked, “Why do You speak to them [the multitudes referred to in verse 2] in parables?” Jesus answered, “Because it was been given to you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven [the things of God], but to them it has not been given” (verses 10-11).
Jesus did not intend the multitudes to understand the spiritual meaning of His words yet—but that doesn’t mean He doesn’t love or have a plan for everyone! (Read more about His wonderful plan in the article “Purpose of Life” and the section on the “Plan of Salvation.”) Only His disciples were meant to understand then. Jesus said,
“But blessed are your eyes
for they see,
and your ears for they hear”
(verse 16).
After Jesus Christ returns
to restore God’s rule to this earth,
God’s knowledge will fill
the earth “as the waters cover the sea”
(Isaiah 11:9).
Then God’s spiritual knowledge will be available to all (Isaiah 2:2-3).Only the few who are called of God in this age are given access to God’s Spirit now (Acts 2:37-39). After Jesus Christ returns to restore God’s rule to this earth, God’s knowledge will fill the earth “as the waters cover the sea” (Isaiah 11:9). Then God’s spiritual knowledge will be available to all (Isaiah 2:2-3).
When did God’s truth become a mystery to the world?
Paul recorded that the
mysteries of his gospel message
and the
preaching of Jesus had been
“kept secret since the world began”
(Romans 16:25).
This takes us back to the
Garden of Eden and Adam and Eve―
the first two
human beings God created.
One of the most amazing yet least-understood truths of the Bible is that God created humankind to give us the awesome opportunity to become actual sons and daughters
of His own family (2 Corinthians 6:17-18).
God would give this awesome gift of becoming His own children to Adam and Eve and their children if they would choose to live by the principles of His way of life pictured by the tree of life. God also commanded
Adam and Eve to not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Tree of life
The tree of life pictured having access to God’s knowledge of life and its purpose―the knowledge of salvation. This is the spiritual knowledge concerning what humans must do to receive eternal life in the family of God.
Tree of the knowledge of good and evilThis tree pictured the way of human beings deciding for themselves what is good and evil. It is the way of self―not listening to God and His instructions. This is the way of Satan―the way he wanted Adam and Eve to choose. The serpent, Satan, deceived Eve into eating of the fruit of this tree by making the fruit appealing to her own desires and pride (Genesis 3:6).
God saw their choice. He also knew the likelihood of Adam and Eve’s descendants making the same choice under the same influence of Satan. So God set in motion a plan to hide His spiritual knowledge from Adam and Eve and their descendants.
Mankind chose to reject God and His revealed knowledge, so God closed off that knowledge to keep people from making an eternal choice. (Our merciful God plans to give all people a full opportunity to understand and change at the time that is best for them. Read more about this little-understood truth in the article “Are Most People Eternally Lost?”)
Consequences for rejecting GodAfter Adam and Eve sinned, God drove them out of the garden and set cherubim to guard access to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24). The only way anyone could have access to the spiritual knowledge of life would be if God would choose to grant them access to the Spirit that could lead them into all truth.
The rest of humanity would not have access to this knowledge during this age, which is under the sway of the wicked one (1 John 5:19). So, as Paul wrote, this spiritual knowledge was “kept secret since the world began” (Romans 16:25). It “has been hidden from ages and from generations” (Colossians 1:26).
After Adam and Eve’s disobedience and expulsion from the garden, the spiritual knowledge of God became hidden knowledge to mankind. After Adam and Eve’s disobedience and expulsion from the garden, the spiritual knowledge of God became hidden knowledge to mankind. Humans subsequently began deciding for themselves what they considered good and what they considered evil. They did what was right in their own eyes (Isaiah 5:20-21).
This tragic way of life has produced untold heartache and misery.
During this present age, the
spiritual knowledge of God is hidden from most of mankind
and will remain hidden until Jesus returns
and binds Satan so he can’t
deceive the nations any more (Revelation 20:3)
Human civilization has gone the way of Satan
ever since the day when
Adam and Eve
chose to eat of the forbidden fruit.
The Spirit of truth
and the spirit of error
If God is calling you,
God’s Spirit will be with you
and you will begin to
understand the
truths found in the Bible.
You will also begin to see the many errors and misunderstandings people have about God and the Bible. Unlike most people in the world today, you will “know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:6).
Jesus refers to this process as the Spirit of truth guiding us into all truth (John 16:13). It is also one of the reasons Jesus called this same Spirit the “Helper” (John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:7).
Having God’s Spirit of truth
work with us is the
first step toward fulfilling God’s desire
for us to become part of His eternal family.
But to empower us to most
clearly “discern both good and evil”
and to persevere in the face of trials,
we need the
Holy Spirit residing within us (Hebrews 5:14).
To have God’s Spirit in us,
we need to understand how to
become a Christian―a son or daughter of God.
Peter explained, “Repent, and let every one of you
be baptized in the
name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins;
and you shall receive the
gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38).
The Transfiguration
is one
of the miracles
of Jesus
in the Gospels.
This miracle is unique
among the others in that the
miracle happens to Jesus Himself.
In the Gospel
accounts Jesus along with
Peter, John and James go
to Mount Tabor.
On the mountain Jesus begins to shine with
bright rays of light,
and the prophets
Elijah and Moses
appear and speak to Him.
Jesus is then called
“Son”
by a voice in the sky
The Transfiguration is seen as a theophany, a manifestation of the Holy Trinity: of the Son in the person of Jesus; the Spirit in the bright, overshadowing cloud; and the Father in the voice from the cloud. There is a link between the Feasts of Christ’s Baptism and his Transfiguration, for both involve the activity and manifestation of the Trinity.
In Christian teachings, the Transfiguration is a pivotal moment, and the setting on the mountain is presented as the point where human nature meets God: the meeting place for the temporal and the eternal, with Jesus himself as the connecting point, acting as the bridge between heaven and earth.
For the apostles the transfiguration formed part of their training. It should have disposed them to believe in the divinity of Christ, even during His passion and death. In particular, the three favored apostles should have become sufficiently mature to remain faithful during their Master’s deepest humiliation on Olivet and Calvary.
For us the transfiguration is, and will always remain, heaven’s testimony to Christ’s divinity. All the miracles of Christ served this end, to reveal the divinity of Christ. Jesus passed His life on earth as a poor, ordinary, simple Jew. But at the transfiguration, He threw off the dark mantle of humanity and revealed Himself in full divine splendor. In spirit we gaze upon Him glorified and say: “Lord, I believe. Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Yet another truth is proclaimed in today’s mystery: that some day we too will be glorified.
What is the importance of the transfiguration to the liturgy itself? Remember, the liturgical texts not only serve to give instruction; their principal function is to signify that which actually takes place. What once happened during the night on Mount Tabor happens again every time the holy Sacrifice is offered. We may see only the simple appearances upon the altar, but with the eyes of faith we behold the glorified Christ; we see, in fact, the King of glory with His court, the saints of the Old and New Covenant. Liturgy actualizes in our
very presence
the
sanctifying act
of
Christ at His transfiguration.
It is, therefore,
not only
Christ who becomes transfigured —
He allows us to share
His glory
The Holy Eucharist
is the
sacrament of the transfiguration,
for it is
"the
seed of glory.”
The purpose of the liturgy is the
divine transfiguration of the
participants.
Prior verses indicated that these
two witnesses
would prophesy for 1,260 days.
The witnesses are referred to
here as the
two olive trees
and the
two lampstands
that stand before
the Lord of the earth.
The reference is appropriate.
The Old Testament
prophet Zechariah received a
vision of a gold lampstand and
two olive trees,
one on each side of the lampstand.
The lampstand
had a bowl and lamps
into which the
olive trees poured oil.
Olive oil was used in Bible times
as fuel for lamps.
The angel
who gave the vision told Zechariah:
"Not by might, nor by power,
but by my Spirit,
says the LORD of hosts"
(Zechariah 4:6),
and he identified the lampstands
as "the two anointed ones who
stand by the
Lord of the whole earth"
(Zechariah 4:14).
Jesus told a parable about ten virgins.
Five of them were wise;
they took flasks of oil with their lamps.
The other five were foolish;
they took no oil for their lamps
(Matthew 25:1–4).
One can see the oil in Matthew 25 as the
Holy Spirit,
and the 2 olive trees
in Zechariah
as the
witnesses of Revelation
Based on that, God's two witnesses
during the
second half of the tribulation
will be empowered
by the
Holy Spirit to shine
God's light
into a dark world.
Speaking about the
Birth of Jesus
hundreds of
years
Before it happened,
Isaiah says,
“For to us a child is
Born,
to us a son is given,
and the
government will be on
his shoulders.
And he will
be called Wonderful Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace”
(Isaiah 9:6).
So Jesus is the “Prince of Peace.”
On the
night of Jesus’ birth, the
Angels Proclaim
the
Good News
to the shepherds, again emphasizing the
Peace
that
Christ would bring:
“Glory to God
in the
highest,
and on
earth peace, good will toward men”
(Luke 2:14, KJV)
But in Matthew 10
Jesus seems to
downplay
His role as Prince of Peace,
as
He warns His disciples
of the
hardships they will
Face
in their Ministry
“Do not Assume
that I have come to bring peace
to the earth;
I have not come to bring peace,
but a Sword
For I have come
to turn
"A man against his father, a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.
A man’s enemies will be the members of his own household’”
(verses 34–36)
Jesus Christ is the Prince of Peace,
yet the kind of peace
He brings is not necessarily
what most people
are
thinking of
when
they hear of “peace on earth”
at Christmas time or see slogans
advocating “world peace.”
There are a number of
different fronts
where conflicts rage today,
and there are a
number of different
kinds of peace needed
in our
World
Crime, racism, abuse,
and violence
are everyday occurrences.
Divorce
Rates Show
the conflict
between husbands and wives.
During the
season of “
peace and goodwill,”
individuals often
disappoint each other
and
fail to meet
expectations
International conflict.
What the term peace on earth
probably means to most people is
international peace
Currently, conflicts continue around the globe,
and
war is nothing
new
In addition to the World War,
there is the
constant threat of
international terrorism
The Middle East, the very place
of
Christ’s birth,
is one of the least
peaceful of all places
on earth,
and in recent years the
City of Bethlehem
has been torn by riots
between various factions
While the need for inner peace, interpersonal peace, and
international peace
might be recognized by most people,
there is one other kind of peace that
rarely
gets a second (or even a first)
thought
Yet this peace is
our most
Pressing Need
We ALL Need
Peace with God
The universal
human response
to the
reign of God
is open
rebellion against Him
Because we have all sinned and
rebelled against God,
we do not have peace with Him.
Romans 5:10 describes people in sin
as “enemies of God.”
This is a statement of fact,
whether or not we
harbor any hostile feelings toward God.
Jesus came to bring peace on earth.
First and foremost,
He came to make peace between God
and
rebellious, sinful human beings.
While we were God’s enemies, “
we were
reconciled to God
by the
death of His Son”
(Romans 5:10).
Jesus paid the penalty
for our sins so that God’s wrath
could be
turned away from us
and we
could have peace with God
This peace
and forgiveness are available
to anyone
who trusts Jesus for salvation:
“Since we have
been justified through faith,
we have peace with God
through
our Lord Jesus Christ”
(Romans 5:1)
Jesus also brings
peace
on earth by sending
The
Holy Spirit
to live
within believers
The Spirit changes them so that
they can gain
a measure of inner peace.
When believers feel turmoil inside,
they have resources to deal with it.
“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything,
by prayer
and petition, with thanksgiving,
present your requests to God.
And the peace of God, which
surpasses all understanding,
will guard your
hearts and your minds in
Christ Jesus”
(Philippians 4:6–7)
Likewise, as believers are
changed into
more
Christlike people,
They develop the capacity to forgive
wrongs done to them
and be more aware
of wrongs
they might do to others
In All
things Seek Peace
However,
there are times when interpersonal conflict
may actually get worse
when a person becomes a
believer in Christ.
This is what Jesus was speaking of
when He said
He did not come to bring peace
to the earth in
Matthew 10:34–36
Jesus warned
of the
persecution
that will come to
His followers
when they confront a world
that rejects Him
Although Christians in the Western world have,
for the past few centuries, experienced a
remarkable level of protection from persecution,
the majority of the world for the
past twenty centuries
has been very hostile to Christians.
Yet, in spite of the interpersonal turmoil that
the Christian
may experience when those
who reject Christ also reject him--
even members of his own family--
the Christian can still
have
inner peace.
Jesus promised, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).
Our Lord also said, “This is my command:
Love each other.
If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first.
If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own.
As it is, you do not belong to the world,
but I have chosen you out of the world.
That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you:
‘A servant is not greater than his master.’
If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also”
(John 15:17–20).
And, “I have told you these things,
so that in me you may have peace.
In this world you will have trouble.
But take heart! I have overcome the world”
(John 16:33).
In this case, Jesus did not come to
bring peace to the unbelieving world,
but He did bring peace to those
who trust Him.
But what about the “peace on earth”
that the
angels proclaimed at Jesus’ birth?
Jesus’ first coming
did not bring international peace;
however,
He promised that He would come again.
The only way there will ever be international peace is when every knee bows and every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is Lord (Philippians 2:10) and the Lord assumes His rightful place as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. When Christ reigns supreme and the nations are living in obedience to Him, then there will be world peace (see Micah 4:2–4; Isaiah 2:4).
In summary, Jesus, the Prince of Peace, came to provide the way for sinful people to have peace with God. He gives believers the resources to experience inner peace and helps them to become the kind of people who can live in peace with others. However, as Jesus suffered persecution, so will His followers. Yet, even in persecution, they can experience the peace of God. And finally, when Jesus returns and sets up His kingdom, the world will be united in peace.
Jesus is referred to as the “Son of Man” 82 times in the New Testament (NIV and ESV). In fact, Son of Man is the primary title Jesus used when referring to Himself (e.g., Matthew 12:32; 13:37; Luke 12:8; John 1:51). The only use of Son of Man in a clear reference to Jesus, spoken by someone other than Jesus, came from the lips of Stephen as he was being martyred (Acts 7:56).
Son of Man is a title of humanity. Other titles for Christ, such as Son of God, are overt in their focus on His deity. Son of Man, in contrast, focuses on the humanity of Christ. God called the prophet Ezekiel “son of man” 93 times. In this way, God was simply calling Ezekiel a human being. Son of man is simply a periphrastic term for “human.” Jesus Christ was truly a human being. He came “in the flesh” (1 John 4:2).
Son of Man is a title of humility. The Second Person of the Trinity, eternal in nature, left heaven’s glory and took on human flesh, becoming the Son of Man, born in a manger and “despised and rejected by mankind” (Isaiah 53:3). The Son of Man had “no place to lay his head” (Luke 9:58). The Son of Man ate and drank with sinners (Matthew 11:19). The Son of Man suffered at the hands of men (Matthew 17:12). This intentional lowering of His status from King of Heaven to Son of Man is the epitome of humility (see Philippians 2:6–8).
Son of Man is a title of deity. Ezekiel may have been a son of man, but Jesus is the Son of Man. As such, Jesus is the supreme example of all that God intended mankind to be, the embodiment of truth and grace (John 1:14). In Him “all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form” (Colossians 2:9). For this reason, the Son of Man was able to forgive sins (Matthew 9:6). The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath (Mark 2:28). The Son of Man came to save lives (Luke 9:56; 19:10), rise from the dead (Mark 9:9), and execute judgment (John 5:27). At His trial before the high priest, Jesus said, “I say to all of you: From now on you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven” (Matthew 26:64). This statement immediately ended the trial, as the court accused the Lord of blasphemy and condemned Him to death (verses 65–66).
Son of Man is a fulfillment of prophecy. Jesus’ claim before the high priest to be the Son of Man was a reference to the prophecy of Daniel 7:13–14, “I was watching in the night visions, And behold, One like the Son of Man, Coming with the clouds of heaven! He came to the Ancient of Days, And they brought Him near before Him. Then to Him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, That all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, Which shall not pass away, And His kingdom the one Which shall not be destroyed” (NKJV).
Daniel saw
glory, worship, and an
everlasting
kingdom given to the
Messiah--
here called the
“Son of Man”—and
Jesus applied this prophecy to Himself.
Jesus
also spoke of
His coming kingdom
on other occasions
(Matthew 13:41; 16:28).
The author of Hebrews used a reference to
the “son of man” in
the Psalms
to teach that Jesus, the
true Son of Man,
will be the ruler of all things
(Hebrews 2:5–9; cf. Psalm 8:4–6).
The Son of Man,
in fulfillment
of Old Testament prophecy,
will be the King
Jesus was fully God (John 1:1),
but He was
also
fully human (John 1:14).
As the
Son of God and the Son of Man,
He is deserving of both titles.
What is “blasphemy of the Holy Spirit”?
The sin of blaspheming
the
Holy Spirit
is essentially the sin of rejecting
Christ
By continually rejecting
God’s free gift of salvation
in Jesus,
a sinner sears his conscience
(ignores the voice of the Holy Spirit)
and stiffens his neck. Eventually,
he gets to the place where
genuine
repentance is no longer
possible.
This stubborn and unrepentant
attitude — persistent self-hardening --
is the chief mark
of
true blasphemy
against the
Holy Spirit.
Jesus’ statement
about
this “unpardonable sin” came as
He was speaking specifically
about the grumblings
of the
scribes and Pharisees.
After witnessing the power of Christ in the healing
of a demon-possessed man,
these religious leaders made comments like,
“It is only by Beelzebul,” or
“By the prince of demons he casts out the demons”
(Matthew 12:22-24 and Mark 3:22).
Basically,
the scribes and Pharisees
were
rejecting the grace
of God
revealed in Jesus Christ.
They were rejecting
it by
attributing Jesus’ works
to the
power of the devil.
They weren’t just doubting
or even
denying the
truth
Instead, they were
wickedly
contradicting
what they had
seen with their
own eyes
The writer to the Hebrews might have been thinking of the scribes and Pharisees when he spoke about those who have
“trampled underfoot
the
Son of God … and
outraged the Spirit of grace”
(Hebrews 10:29, ESV).
Their proud and high-minded attitude was
exactly the opposite of the spirit of truth.
"Blasphemy against
the
Holy Spirit"
is conscious and hardened
opposition to the
truth,
"because the Spirit is truth"
(1 John 5:6).
Conscious
and hardened resistance
to the truth
leads man away
from
humility and repentance,
and without
repentance, there
can be
no forgiveness.
Wrath is defined as
"the emotional response to perceived
wrong and injustice,”
often translated
as “anger,” “indignation,” “vexation,”
or “irritation.”
Both humans and God
express wrath.
But there is vast difference
between the
wrath of God
and the wrath of man.
God’s wrath is
HOLY
and always justified;
man’s is never
holy
and rarely justified
In the Old Testament, the
wrath of God
is a
divine response
to human sin and disobedience.
Idolatry
was most often the occasion
for divine wrath.
Psalm 78:56-66 describes
Israel’s idolatry
The wrath of God
is consistently directed
towards those
who do not follow
His will
(Deuteronomy 1:26-46; Joshua 7:1; Psalm 2:1-6).
The Old Testament prophets often
wrote of a day in the future,
the "day of wrath"
(Zephaniah 1:14-15)
God’s wrath
against sin and disobedience
is perfectly justified because
His plan
for mankind
is holy and perfect,
just as
God Himself is
holy and perfect.
God provided a way to
gain divine
favor—repentance--
which turns
God’s wrath
away from the sinner.
To reject that perfect plan
is to reject
God’s love, mercy, grace and favor and
incur His righteous wrath.
The New Testament
also
supports the concept of
God as a God
of
wrath who judges sin
The story of the
rich man
and Lazarus speaks of the
judgment of God
and
serious consequences
for the
unrepentant sinner
(Luke 16:19–31)
. John 3:36 says,
"Whoever
believes in the Son
has
eternal life,
but whoever rejects the
Son
will not see life,
for
God’s wrath remains
on him.”
The one who
believes in the Son
will not
suffer
God’s wrath for his sin,
because
the Son took God’s wrath
upon Himself when
He died in our place on the cross
(Romans 5:6–11)
Those who do not believe
in the Son,
who do not receive Him
as Savior,
will be judged on the day of wrath
(Romans 2:5–6).
God alone
is able to avenge because
His vengeance
is perfect and holy.
To realize freedom from the domination of wrath,
the believer needs the
Holy Spirit to sanctify and cleanse his heart
Romans 8 shows victory
over sin in the life
of one who is living in
the Spirit
(Romans 8:5-8). Philippians 4:4-7
tells us that the mind controlled by
the Spirit is filled with
peace
The wrath of God is a fearsome and terrifying thing. Only those who have been covered by the blood of Christ, shed for us on the cross, can be assured that God’s wrath will never fall on them. “Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him!” (Romans 5:9).
After the beast has
killed the two Prophets,
we read in Revelation 11:8,
Their bodies
will lie
in the street of the
great city,
which is figuratively called
Sodom and Egypt,
where also their Lord
was
crucified.
Why is the
great city of Jerusalem
figuratively
called
Sodom and Egypt?
The Revelation
contains hundreds of references and allusions
to the Hebrew Scriptures
(An exact count varies from one commentator to the next.)
He quotes, paraphrases, and adapts
parts of the scriptures
so often and so thoroughly,
we can safely say the author knew the
Hebrew scriptures inside and out.
Where Their Lord
Was Crucified
Some commentators equate the
'great city'
of Revelation 11 with the
'great city'
Babylon from Revelation 17.
Many of those same commentators
identify
Babylon as a cipher for
Rome,
hence, they read the
'great city' of Revelation 11
as Rome.
However, the author's description of this 'great city'
as the place
'where their Lord was crucified'
appears to be a conscious attempt
to avoid any such confusion
(i.e. with the latter 'great city', Babylon).
All extant Christian literature from the first century
that has anything to say on the issue associates
Jesus' crucifixion with Jerusalem,
not Rome
(e.g. Luke 23.7,28; John 19.20; Acts 4.27; cf. Hebrews 13.12).
Is there precedent for
Jerusalem
being compared to
Sodom and Egypt?
Comparisons of Israel, Judah, or Jerusalem
to that of Sodom
(and Gomorrah) are frequent
and
direct in the Hebrew scriptures:
Deuteronomy 29.23; Isaiah 1.9-10; 3.8-9;
Jeremiah 23.14; Ezekiel 16.1-2,44-58;
Amos 4.11; Lamentations 4.6.
Comparisons to Egypt are extremely rare,
but they do occur.
Deuteronomy 28
details the
rewards and penalties
of Israel's
covenant with God
In the event of disobedience to the covenant; 28.27 and 28.60
compare a disobedient
Israel
as worthy of the same
plagues
that came on
Egypt
during the exodus
A similar instance occurs in Amos 4.10.
While the statement that
Jerusalem is 'spiritually'
equivalent
to Sodom and Egypt
is very brief in the Revelation,
it is very probable
the author was drawing influence from
the Hebrew Scriptures, and
compressed it into a single thought.
1st of all, the presumption of the question is that
the "Great City" is Jerusalem.
In a poll of commentators, about half agree that
it is Jerusalem,
and the other half see it as an extension of
Babylon/Rome.
Matthew Poole's Commentary states,
Some, by the great city, would have Jerusalem understood;
but that was now far from a great city,
nor do the addition of those words in the
latter end of the verse prove it;
for Christ
was not crucified in that city,
but without the gates.
Most judicious
interpreters, by the great city here,
understand Rome,
which is seven or eight times
(under the name of Babylon)
The city is described as the great city (comp. Revelation 16:19),
and also as Sodom, Egypt, and Jerusalem.
Do not passages like this show conclusively that to
deny the mystical or allegorical sense of the
Apocalypse is to keep
the husk and cast away the seed?
The city is great, for it is all-important in the eyes of the inhabitants, as public opinion is all-important to the weak or the worldly; it is Sodom, for it is the place where, through pleasure and luxuriousness (fulness of bread), the worst forms of immorality take root; it is Egypt, for it is the house of bondage, where the wages of sin become tyrannous; it is Jerusalem, for it is the apostate place where the presence of Christ is hated.
Both commentators give compelling reasons: Jerusalem is certainly the scene of the Lord's crucifixion, that fact that it was 'outside the city proper' does not negate the fact that it began within the city, and indeed, the actual event taking place outside the city fulfills Scriptural precedent,
(Heb. 13:12-13)
" Wherefore Jesus also,
that he might sanctify the people
with his own blood,
suffered without the gate.
Let us go forth therefore
unto him without the camp,
bearing his reproach."
This passage is in reference to Lev. 24:14,
Bring forth him that hath
cursed
without the camp;
and let all
that heard him lay their
hands upon his head,
and let all the
congregation stone him.
Jesus bore the curse for all sin outside the camp; since the Temple was permanently in Jerusalem, the precedent was that we would go 'outside' Jerusalem a short distance, that the sin could be taken 'outside' and the camp/city be healed. Jesus Himself said, (Luke 13:33)
Nevertheless
I must walk to day, and to morrow,
and the day following:
for it cannot be that a
prophet perish out of Jerusalem.
The question
that has divided the commentators,
and the subject of our discussion is:
"How can Jerusalem be
both the
"City of the Great King"
and
"Sodom and Egypt"?
What must 1st be noted is that
the deaths of Jesus;
the prophets that preceded Him,
nor the
Apostles that followed Him, up to
the deaths of the
2 witnesses did not cleanse
the city.
There is no
question that Jerusalem
was to
reflect the glory of God,
(Jer. 3:17)
At that time they shall call Jerusalem
the throne of the LORD;
and all the nations shall be
gathered unto it,
to the name of the LORD,
to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk
any more after the
imagination of their evil heart.
This is "The City", the "Great City"
that rules over
all the kingdoms of the earth.
However, in
killing the prophets,
as well as those who bring
testimony of Jesus
to it,
Jesus says,
(Matt. 23:37-39)
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that
killest the prophets,
and stonest them which are
sent unto thee,
how often would I have
gathered thy children together,
even as a hen gathereth her
chickens under her wings,
and ye would not
! Behold, your house is left unto
you desolate.
For I say unto you,
Ye shall not see me henceforth,
till ye shall say,
Blessed is he that cometh in the
name of the Lord.
Sodom and Egypt fell
under the
Lord's judgment;
Sodom for all eternity and
Egypt under
numerous times.
Jerusalem had incurred God's wrath
in the same manner as
Sodom and Egypt,
as she had participated in the
sins both were guilty of;
hence figuratively
she could be called the same as them.
The difference is "til"
(Matt. 23:39)
Gods favor for Jerusalem
goes beyond their sinfulness; when she says,
"Blessed is He who comes
in the
name of the Lord"
then she becomes the
"Joy of the Whole Earth"
and the City
that reigns over all the earth.
Egypt represents
power, luxury and influence
It is symbolically describing
a nation
which influences much
of the world
and
inspires its own
materialistic image
The pyramid
is a great symbol to illustrate this point;
a system of control that is supported
by contributing masses
on the bottom and controlled
by the powerful leaders at the top.
In between the two, you have the middle class.
Egypt
represents a powerful international economy.
Egypt
is also notorious for false religions
and the practice of
worshiping numerous gods.
Sodom represents an empire
which
inspires sexual immorality.
Backed by the
power of a
materialistic empire
with the
likes of Egypt,
perversion
and sin is a widespread
attribute in the place the author
describes as "Sodom and Egypt".
Together, "Sodom and "Egypt"
depict a pagan nation
with both
economical and spiritual power.
This term reflects a nation with the
characteristics of the two.
It is empirically powerful
as well as
sinfully benevolent
Looking at the destruction
of
both Sodom and Egypt,
you
can easily assume this
place is very much in God's disfavor.
"Sodomy and Capital Power"
Jesus said, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:17–18). This important statement of our Lord gives us insight into His mission and the character of God’s Word.
Jesus’ declaration that He came to fulfill the Law and the Prophets, not to abolish them, obviously contains two statements in one. There is something Jesus did and something He did not do. At the same time, Jesus emphasized the eternal nature of the Word of God.
Jesus goes out of His way to promote the authority of the Law of God. He did not come to abolish the Law, regardless of what the Pharisees accused Him of. In fact, Jesus continues His statement with a commendation for those who teach the Law accurately and hold it in reverence: “Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:19).
Note the qualities that Jesus attributes to the Word of God, referenced as “the Law and the Prophets”: 1) The Word is everlasting; it will outlast the natural world. 2) The Word was written with intent; it was meant to be fulfilled. 3) The Word possesses plenary authority; even the smallest letter of it is established. 4) The Word is faithful and trustworthy; “everything” it says will be accomplished. No one hearing Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount could doubt His commitment to the Scriptures.
Consider what Jesus did not do in His ministry. In Matthew 5:17, Jesus says that He did not come to abolish the Law and the Prophets. In other words, Jesus’ purpose was not to abrogate the Word, dissolve it, or render it invalid. The Prophets will be fulfilled; the Law will continue to accomplish the purpose for which it was given (see Isaiah 55:10–11).
Next, consider what Jesus did do.
Jesus says that
He came to fulfill
the Law and the Prophets.
In other words,
Jesus’ purpose
was to establish the Word,
to embody it,
and to fully accomplish
all that was written.
“Christ is the culmination of the law”
(Romans 10:4).
The predictions of the Prophets concerning the Messiah would be realized in Jesus; the holy standard of the Law would be perfectly upheld by Christ, the strict requirements personally obeyed, and the ceremonial observances finally and fully satisfied.
Jesus Christ fulfilled the Prophets in that, in His first coming alone, He fulfilled hundreds of prophecies concerning Himself (e.g., Matthew 1:22; 13:35; John 19:36; Luke 24:44). Jesus Christ fulfilled the Law in at least two ways: as a teacher and as a doer. He taught people to obey the Law (Matthew 22:35–40; Mark 1:44), and He obeyed the Law Himself (John 8:46; 1 Peter 2:22). In living a perfect life, Jesus fulfilled the moral laws; in His sacrificial death, Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial laws. Christ came not to destroy the old religious system but to build upon it;
He came to finish the Old Covenant
and
establish the New.
Jesus came not to destroy the
Law and the Prophets
but to fulfill them. In fact,
the ceremonies, sacrifices, and other elements
of the
Old Covenant
were “only a shadow of the good things that are coming--
not the realities themselves” (Hebrews 10:1).
The tabernacle and temple were
“holy places made with hands,”
but they were never meant to be permanent;
they were but
“copies of the true things” (Hebrews 9:24, ESV).
The Law
had a built-in expiration date,
being filled as it was with
“external regulations applying until the
time of the new order”
(Hebrews 9:10).
In His fulfillment of the
Law and Prophets,
Jesus obtained our eternal salvation.
No more were priests
required to offer sacrifices
and
enter the holy place
(Hebrews 10:8–14).
Jesus has done that for us,
once and for all.
By grace through
faith,
we are made right with God:
“He forgave us all our sins,
having canceled the
charge of our legal indebtedness,
which stood against us
and condemned us;
he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross”
(Colossians 2:14).
There are some who argue that, since
Jesus did not “abolish” the Law,
then the Law is still in effect--
and still binding on New Testament Christians.
But Paul is clear that
the believer in Christ is
no longer
under the Law:
"We were held in custody
under the Law,
locked up
until faith should be revealed
So the Law became our guardian
to lead us to Christ,
that we might be justified
by faith
Now that faith has come,
we are
no longer under a guardian”
(Galatians 3:23–25, BSB).
We are not under the Mosaic Law
but under
“the law of Christ”
(see Galatians 6:2).
If the Law is still binding on us today, then it has not yet accomplished its purpose—it has not yet been fulfilled. If the Law, as a legal system, is still binding on us today, then Jesus was wrong in claiming to fulfill it and His sacrifice on the cross was insufficient to save. Thank God, Jesus fulfilled the whole Law and now grants us His righteousness as a free gift. “Know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified” (Galatians 2:16)
The Holy Eucharist
is the
sacrament of the transfiguration,
for it is
"the
seed of glory.”
The purpose of the liturgy is the
divine transfiguration of the
participants.
In Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer, Jesus prays to His Father, saying, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17). In this verse, Jesus communicates two important facts: God’s Word is truth—God’s Word equals truth—and it’s by that truth that God sanctifies us, or sets us apart for holy service to Himself.
In the same prayer, Jesus prays for His disciples and all who will believe in Him through the gospel (John 17:20). Believers accept God’s words (John 17:6) and accept Jesus as God’s Word (John 17:8). God is truth, and His truth brings salvation to all who accept it (Titus 2:11). Further, God’s written and living Word will sustain believers as they are in the world (John 17:14).
In the High Priestly Prayer in John 17, Jesus confirms that He brought the message of salvation to the world: “Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent” (John 17:3). Jesus’ mission of bringing the truth has been accomplished (John 17:4), and He turns the focus of His prayer to God working through the disciples and other believers. He confirms that believers will be rejected by the world for believing “Your word is truth,” but believers are also assured joy, God’s protection from the evil one, and sanctification by God’s Word (John 17:13–19).
The Old and New Testaments both affirm that the words recorded in the Bible are God’s words and that they are true. Since God cannot lie, His Word is truth: “As for God, his way is perfect: The Lord’s word is flawless” (Psalm 18:30). Since God is eternal and unchanging, His Word is always the same: “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” (Matthew 24:35; cf. Isaiah 40:8). Jesus uses the Word as He rebukes the devil who was tempting Him: “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4; cf. Deuteronomy 8:3).
If we want to know truth, we will look in God’s written Word (2 Timothy 3:16–17) and look to Jesus Christ (John 14:6; 2 Corinthians 4:6; Hebrews 1:3). John refers to Jesus Christ in John 1:1–2, saying, “In the beginning was the Word. And the Word was with God and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God.” The Word is God’s total message, and Jesus embodied that full message, which is why He is called the “Logos,” or “Word,” of God (Colossians 1:19; 2:9). God is truth. His Word is truth. Salvation comes by accepting Jesus and agreeing that “Your word is truth.”
Jesus said, “Your word is truth.” When we look at the Bible, we see truth. The Bible does not merely contain the truth; it is the truth. Every word is truth, in every part of the Bible. “The words of the LORD are flawless, like silver purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times” (Psalm 12:6). This is the doctrine of the verbal, plenary inspiration of Scripture.
How we respond to God’s written Word and the Word made flesh has an eternal impact on us. Since God’s Word is truth, rejecting the Bible and rejecting Jesus is rejecting God Himself. Believing, cherishing, studying, and obeying God’s Word is the key to salvation, understanding God, and living abundantly (John 10:10). No matter what we may face in this world, we are sustained by the truth prayed over us in Jesus’ prayer: “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17).
Job 28:12–19 informs us that wisdom is priceless “beyond rubies.” It cannot be purchased “with the finest gold,” silver, or any precious stones. What, then, did Solomon mean when he said, “Buy the truth and do not sell it—wisdom, instruction and insight as well” (Proverbs 23:23)?
Rather than suggesting that truth, wisdom, instruction, or insight can be bought like a commodity, Solomon urges wisdom seekers to value truth highly and never give it up. Wisdom is the ability to correctly apply truth, knowledge, experience, insight, or common sense. In the original Hebrew, the word translated as “buy” here means “to get something, often through one’s efforts or as compensation.” The “buying” of truth involves effort and sacrifice. The wise person will do whatever it takes to gain truth, wisdom, instruction, and insight, which are far better than gold and silver (see Proverbs 16:16). Once a person takes hold of truth, he should never let it go.
The word rendered “sell” in Proverbs 23:23 comes from a Hebrew verb meaning “to exchange or deliver something for money or its equivalent.” Solomon advises the wise person to get truth and keep it. Don’t exchange truth for anything or sell it later. Truth will hold its value, and the person who has it is truly rich. The apostle Paul warns that godless people have foolishly “exchanged the truth about God for a lie” and pursued idolatry (Romans 1:18–25). Instead of buying the truth, they sell themselves out to the lie of a darkened, shameful, sin-filled life.
Solomon’s encouragement to hold tightly to truth and wisdom echoes in Proverbs 4:7: “The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.” Truth, discernment, understanding, knowledge, insight—these are all priceless possessions that must be sought out and secured through determined exertion (Proverbs 18:15). The things of God are beyond compare, as Jesus taught in the Parable of the Hidden Treasure: “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field” (Matthew 13:44). Jesus also compared the kingdom of heaven to “a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it” (Matthew 13:45–46).
John Bunyan, in his allegory The Pilgrim’s Progress, illustrates Proverbs 23:23 in the scene of Vanity Fair. The pilgrims Christian and Faithful are passing through Vanity Town, a place that kept a year-round fair. The vendors there “sold all sorts of vanity” (Signet Classics, 1981, p. 84). The two pilgrims stood out from the crowd by adamantly refusing to do any sort of business; in fact, they “cared not so much as to look upon [the merchandise]” (ibid., p. 86). Things quickly came to a head: “One chanced mockingly, beholding the carriage of the men, to say unto them, What will ye buy? But they, looking gravely upon him, answered, ‘We buy the truth.’ [Prov. 23:23] At that there was an occasion taken to despise the men the more; some mocking, some taunting, some speaking reproachfully, and some calling upon others to smite them. At last things came to a hubbub and great stir in the fair, insomuch that all order was confounded” (ibid., p. 86). In a world full of baubles, we, like Bunyan’s brave men, must commit to buying only the truth.
God is the essence of truth (Numbers 23:19; Psalm 33:4; Isaiah 65:16; Jeremiah 10:10; John 3:33), and He wants His people to reflect His truth in their lives (Psalm 15:1–5; Ephesians 4:25). The Lord delights in His children who buy the truth and do not sell it (Proverbs 12:22). To His faithful followers, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:31–32).
Jesus Christ is the embodiment and complete revelation of God’s truth: “And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life” (1 John 5:20, NLT). Jesus told His disciple Thomas, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6). When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we “come to a knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3–4)—we “buy the truth and not sell it”—we lay hold of the truth and never let it go.
The gospel of our salvation is “the message of truth” (Ephesians 1:13; Galatians 2:5; Colossians 1:5). When we receive Jesus Christ, we also gain “the Spirit of truth” who guides us “into all truth” (John 16:13; see also 1 John 5:6). Jesus explained, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you” (John 14:16–17; see also John 15:26).
Truth is a rarity, but that’s only part of what makes it so valuable. Truth aligns with what is real; it reflects God’s character; it guides us through life. Once we possess the truth, no amount of wheedling, cajoling, rationalizing, mocking, or threatening should ever cause us to part with it.
Proverbs 25:11 is found in a four-verse cluster of similes:
“Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a ruling rightly given.
Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear.
Like a snow-cooled drink at harvest time is a trustworthy messenger to the one who sends him; he refreshes the spirit of his master.
Like clouds and wind without rain is one who boasts of gifts never given” (verses 11–14).
In order to help give context to Proverbs 25:11, let us reverse the order of the verses and paraphrase them in a form that is a bit less poetic:
“A person who promises gifts but never gives them is like clouds and wind without rain.
A trustworthy messenger is like a cold drink at harvest time; both are refreshing.
The rebuke of a wise person should be just as pleasant to the listening ear as earrings of gold are pleasant to the physical ear.
Proper words are like apples of gold in settings of silver.”
All of these similes take natural or physical phenomena that everyone would recognize as good or bad and then applies them to human behavior and gives a spiritual judgment based on wisdom:
Verse 14: In such a dry climate as Israel has, rain is a gift. When clouds and wind come, they seem to promise rain. When they do not deliver, it is a disappointment. The lesson is, don’t promise gifts and then fail to give them.
Verse 13: A cold drink is very refreshing to a person who is working hard. The lesson is that a faithful person can be very refreshing to the person who is counting on him or her to complete a task.
Verse 12: Rebuke is often offensive to the one who receives it. However, this is the wrong response. Just as earrings of gold are an enhancement to the ear, so a genuine rebuke should be a benefit to the listener.
Verse 11: A wise word, spoken at a proper time, is a thing of beauty. The NIV translates the verse this way: “Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a ruling rightly given.” A “ruling” is something we normally associate with some kind of official judgment, perhaps in a court of law. When a person goes to court, he expects that the rulings will be correct. When a judge or a court gives a faulty ruling or, worse, a corrupt ruling, it is an ugly thing. Flawed rulings are inappropriate and do not belong in a court of justice. On the other hand, when the judge delivers a correct ruling and justice is served, it is a beautiful, attractive thing. A correct ruling in a court means that the ruling is attractive and the court is attractive as well. It is like apples of gold in settings of silver—both are valuable and beautiful.
Other translations, including the ESV, use the phrase a word fitly spoken. In this translation there is no indication of an official ruling but simply a word that is appropriate for the setting. Regardless of the context, an improper word or an incorrect judgment can be a terrible thing. Scripture warns of the terrible destruction that the tongue can cause (see James 3:6.) A proper word at the proper time is a wonderful thing.
The meaning of the term translated “apples of gold” is uncertain. It could refer to a number of other fruits including citrons, quinces, oranges, or apricots. All of these have a yellow-to-orange color, which could be thought of, in a poetic sense, as “golden.” So the verse might be talking about golden-colored fruit served in a silver bowl. This would certainly be quite appetizing and pleasant to the eye.
More likely, apples of gold in settings of silver refers to some type of artistic carving. A column of silver adorned by carved fruit of gold would be an opulent and beautiful piece of art. Each element would enhance the other. You would not expect to find a solid golden fruit hung on a piece of old wood, nor would you expect a silver setting to be adorned by fruit carved from some inexpensive material. A silver setting with golden fruit is about as opulent as you could imagine in ancient times. A correct word, spoken in the proper context is just as beautiful, opulent, and valuable.
Only some parents can give their children trust funds, estates, and huge fortunes as an inheritance. But every parent can give their children fitting words—encouraging words, truth at the proper time, and good advice. This will be just as valuable as “apples of gold in settings of silver” at today’s precious metal prices.
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you.