Tag Archives: Christ

Solomon’s Prayer for Wisdom 1 Kings 3:9

12 Saturday Mar 2022

Posted by in 1 Kings

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1 Kings 3 records an appearance of God to Solomon with an interesting request, “What do you want?”

5 At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night, and God said, “Ask what I shall give you.” 6 And Solomon said, “You have shown great and steadfast love to your servant David my father, because he walked before you in faithfulness, in righteousness, and in uprightness of heart toward you. And you have kept for him this great and steadfast love and have given him a son to sit on his throne this day. 7 And now, O Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of David my father, although I am but a little child. I do not know how to go out or come in. 8 And your servant is in the midst of your people whom you have chosen, a great people, too many to be numbered or counted for multitude. 9 Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

1 Kings 3:5–9 (ESV)

There are many peculiar things about this passage, such as it involves God asking what someone wants – rather than God providing instruction. But what interests me here is Solomon’s request, “Give your servant therefore an understanding mind to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

The commentators typically emphasis the direct nature of this request, Solomon asks for the ability to govern:

“Solomon’s desire for an obedient, listening heart is based on his wish to administer justice in Israel. Justice can only emerge when the king is able “to distinguish between right and wrong” (lit., “good and evil”). Justice can become a quite complicated goal, as 3:16–28 proves. Only knowledge of what God considers fair and unfair can guide the king to act justly with any consistency. Though Solomon has already exhibited political craftiness, he knows that long-term wisdom and success reside where David found it—in an ongoing relationship with the Lord.” Paul R. House, 1, 2 Kings, vol. 8, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1995), 110–111.

“ ‘For judging thy people, discriminating between good and evil’: it is precisely the ability to distinguish good from evil, truth from falsehood, that is indispensable in the administration of justice. “For who is able to judge this thy difficult people (את־עמך הכבד הזה)”: not only was the civil life of Israel filled with strife and contention toward the end of David’s reign (cf. 2 Sam 15:1–4), but the political situation likewise continued unstable. This prayer was definitely answered in the sense that Solomon did find the means to suppress all outward show of rebelliousness to the end of his reign.” Simon J. DeVries, 1 Kings, 2nd ed., vol. 12, Word Biblical Commentary (Dallas: Word, Inc, 2003), 52–53.

The Pulpit commentary opens up an interesting cross reference to Hebrews 5:14, “That I may discern between good and bad [i.e., right and wrong, true and false; cf. Heb. 5:14).”

H. D. M. Spence-Jones, ed., 1 Kings, The Pulpit Commentary (London; New York: Funk & Wagnalls Company, 1909), 52.

But there is another cross-reference which think is far more instructive to understand Solomon’s prayer:

16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

Genesis 2:16–17 (ESV)

Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the Lord God had made.

He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” 2 And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, 3 but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’ ” 4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”

Genesis 3:1–5 (ESV)

Peter Leithart picks up on this cross-reference:

“Solomon asks for wisdom, more specifically for “discernment of good and evil” (להבין בין־טוב לרע) (3:9), using a phrase similar to that found in Gen. 2–3 to describe the tree in the garden (עץ הדעת טוב ורע), a tree that gives wisdom (Deurloo 1989, 12). Solomon’s request can thus be described as a request for access to the tree forbidden to Adam.”

Peter J. Leithart, 1 & 2 Kings, Brazos Theological Commentary on the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2006), 44.

I think Mr. Leithart is correct about the reference which underscores this prayer. But I think he got the allusion backwards (I will here quickly note that no one has requested that I publish a commentary and that Dr. Leithart is far better credentialed than I (D. Phil. Cambridge).)

And thus with appropriate trepidation, I make my case.

The immediate correspondence between his prayer and Genesis is the knowledge of good and evil. With that interesting phrase, we can begin to draw a comparison:

Before the FallAfter the Fall
Approached by the SerpentApproached by God
Speaks with Eve, Adam’s wifeSpeaks with Solomon, a type pointing at Christ & Adam
God does not want your goodWhat can I give you?
God has forbidden the tree of good and evilGod has forbidden nothing to ask
God does not want you to have wisdomGod is pleased Solomon asks for wisdom
The temptation is you will be like God and you will be able to determine for yourself good and evilGive me the ability to discern good and evil

Rather than Solomon asking to eat from the eat; I think it better to see this as Solomon asking to reverse the temptation of the Fall. The Serpent came to Eve and said God does not want you to have wisdom. But if you eat from this tree, you will be able to be like God and you will be able to independently exercise your moral judgment.

Solomon is approached by God. Solomon is well passed the Fall. Human beings have fully rebelled – in fact, the refrain of 1 & 2 Kings will be “he did what was evil in the eyes of the Lord.” (When I read through these books with my daughter and I came to another evil King who did evil in the eyes of the Lord, she said, “Oh no, not again!”)

And the book of Judges recording the horror human sin ends with this epitath:

In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.

Judges 21:25 (ESV)

As Paul will write summarizing the degradation of human beings:

“21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

Romans 1:21–23 (ESV)

The act of making one’s own decisions of good and evil lies there at the heart of the horror of human history. (Even the most depraved actions are always justified in the eyes of the perpetrator.)

But Solomon prays for a reversal of the noetic effect of sin: God, I am not going to strike out on my own. In fact, I recognize my inability to judge. Rather than a tree to just know good and evil; I am asking for your intervention that I may discern good and evil.

And in this we see an aspect of how Solomon typifies the Christ to come.

Edward Taylor Oh Wealthy Theme.3

24 Friday Jul 2020

Posted by in Christology, Edward Taylor

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Oh! Wealthy box: more golden far than gold

A case more worth than wealth: a richer delph

Than rubies; cabinet than pearls here told

A purse more glittering than glory ‘tiself

A golden storehouse of all fullness: shelf

Of heavenly plate. All fullness in thyself. 

The box which holds the fullness of Christ, then must be Christ himself. He compares Christ to a box, a case, a cabinet, a purse, a storehouse, a shelf.  For each compared container, Christ is worth more than any earthy good which could be placed into the container; of more worth than gold, rubes, pearls, silver. 

Delph would be variant of a delft, a decorative box. 

Oh! Godhead fullness! There doth in thee flow

All wisdom’s fulness, fulness of all strength:

Of justice, truth, love, holiness also

And grace’s fulness to its upmost length

Do dwell in thee. Yea and thy Father’s pleasure

Thou art their cabinet and they thy treasure.

This stanza makes two points. First, it details the elements of the fullness, which is a summary of biblical statements about Christ. Second, there is a statement of the Father’s pleasure in the Son. 

This stanza is then linked up to the preceding argument by use of the word “cabinet”. Christ is the “cabinet” in which these virtues reside. And the Father then takes pleasure in the cabinet filled with treasure, which is the Son incarnate.

Wisdom:

Colossians 2:1–3 (ESV) 

For I want you to know how great a struggle I have for you and for those at Laodicea and for all who have not seen me face to face, 2 that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 

Strength:

1 Timothy 1:12 (ESV) 

12 I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, 

Justice:

Matthew 12:18–21 (ESV) 

            18         “Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, 

my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. 

                        I will put my Spirit upon him, 

and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles. 

            19         He will not quarrel or cry aloud, 

nor will anyone hear his voice in the streets; 

            20         a bruised reed he will not break, 

and a smoldering wick he will not quench, 

                        until he brings justice to victory; 

            21         and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

Truth:

John 1:17 (ESV) 

17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 

Holiness:

Romans 1:4 (ESV) 

4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 

Grace

2 Corinthians 8:9 (ESV) 

9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. 

Pleasure:

Mark 1:9–11 (ESV) 

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”

For you in you the orphan finds mercy

02 Tuesday Jul 2019

Posted by in Hosea, Uncategorized

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Sometimes there is a question as to the importance knowing the Biblical languages. And, it is true that in most instances, the English text very good. But there allusions which cannot be translated; there are connotations which cannot be understood apart from knowledge of the original. Here is one such example:

Hosea 14:1–3(NASB95)

1  Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God,

For you have stumbled because of your iniquity.

2 Take words with you and return to the Lord.

Say to Him, “Take away all iniquity

And receive us graciously,

That we may present the fruit of our lips.

3 “Assyria will not save us,

We will not ride on horses;

Nor will we say again, ‘Our god,’

To the work of our hands;

For in You the orphan finds mercy.”

I want to consider that last line, “in you the orphan finds mercy.” The first clue is that the line seems a bit out of place. Israel is called too repentance. Israel repents by asking to be forgiven and received. Israel renounces reliance upon politics and human power (Assyria and horses), and idolatry (which is a bogus technology which seeks to harness some magical power in the universe). Then comes a line which seems out of place, “in you the orphan finds mercy.”

One could understand the line in terms of a superlative mercy: you are so merciful that even orphan are received by you. But there is actually something are more grounded in the text of prophecy.

In chapter one, God tells Hosea to marry a “wife of whoredom”. She then has a daughter named, “No Mercy” and a son named “Not My People.” God utterly rejects Israel for her adulterous idolatry. Here, in the final chapter that theme is repeated:

Hosea 14:4 (BHS/WIVU)

4   אֲשֶׁר־בְּךָ֖ יְרֻחַ֥ם יָתֽוֹם׃

The last two words need our attention. First the word

יְרֻחַ֥ם

The verb rhm means “to show” mercy. In this verse the verb is in a passive form so rather than show it means to receive mercy. He finds mercy. This is the same root word which was used in chapter one to name the daughter “No Mercy”:

Hosea 1:6(NASB95)

6 Then she conceived again and gave birth to a daughter. And the Lordsaid to him, “Name her Lo-ruhamah, for I will no longer have compassion on the house of Israel, that I would ever forgive them.

She was named Lo (No) Ruhamah (Mercy/compassion) because God will not show mercy on Israel any longer.

The son is named “Lo Ami”, not my people:

Hosea 1:9(NASB95)

9 And the Lordsaid, “Name him Lo-ammi, for you are not My people and I am not your God.”

The father of the child is denying his position as father: The child has a mother, but no father: No My People.  The word for orphan here means a child without a father:

orphan, the boy that has been made fatherless

Ludwig Koehler et al., The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament (Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1994–2000), 451.

m. an orphan, from the root יָתַם, Ex. 22:21, 23; Deu. 10:18; 14:29. Used of a child who is bereaved of his father only, Job 24:9.

Wilhelm Gesenius and Samuel Prideaux Tregelles, Gesenius’ Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon to the Old Testament Scriptures (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2003), 376.

Israel was compared to a pair of children, No Mercy and Not My People. Here at the end of the book, when Israel finally comes to repentance, the people say that God shows mercy upon the child who has no father: which is precisely the description of Israel in chapter one.

The English translation is not transparent to this meaning. In chapter one, the translation is “compassion” which is appropriate and a valid translation; but in chapter 14 it is mercy. In both places it is the same Hebrew root at issue (whether a noun or verb).

Second, the word for “orphan” means a child without a father — which is precisely the child in chapter one: Not My People. His mother was known; it was his father who denied him.

Thus, the fatherless child — the very child rejected by God — will be shown mercy. This points forward to Christ upon the Cross:

Matthew 27:45–46 (NASB95)

45 Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour.
46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” that is, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?”

The here in a mystery of which one dare not speak, there is the language of Fatherlessness and of a loss of mercy but rather an outpouring of wrath. And yet is this Son who receives mercy and has been vindicated by God:

Acts 2:32–35 (NASB95)

32 “This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses.
33 “Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.
34 “For it was not David who ascended into heaven, but he himself says:
‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,
“SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,
35 UNTIL I MAKE YOUR ENEMIES A FOOTSTOOL FOR YOUR FEET.” ’

Jesus is not abandoned and does receive mercy — and not merely mercy, but glory, honor and power. And this vindication then becomes the basis of God receiving the children without a father who have not received mercy:

1 Peter 2:7–10(NASB95)

7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,

“The stone which the buildersrejected,

This became the very cornerstone,”

8 and,

“A stone of stumbling and a rock of offense”;

for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doomthey were also appointed.

9 But you are a chosen race, aroyal priesthood, aholy nation, a people forGod’sown possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

10 for you once were not a people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

The orphan who finds mercy is Israel; but it is even more truly Christ who takes the place of Israel (remember Matthew and Hosea, out of Egypt I have called my son? there is a parallel there). And it is that work of Christ which then becomes redemption of all human beings (because Christ is also the stand in for that “son of God” Adam– Luke 3:38; who himself became the first child without a father at the Fall).

This letter phrase in Hosea draws together the entire book, but also picks up the strands of Christ’s work both in redeeming Israel and in redeeming humanity.

Richard Sibbes Sermons on Canticles, Sermons 2.4

14 Friday Jun 2019

Posted by in Richard Sibbes, Song of Solomon, Uncategorized, Union With Christ

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The previous post on this sermon may be found here:

The next branch is,
III. Christ’s acceptation.

Sibbes here considers the words:

I have gathered my myrrh with my spice; I have gathered my honeycomb with my honey; I have drunk my wine with my milk: eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved.’

Sibbes takes the general sense of the words to mean that Christ comes to his garden to gather the fruit raised upon by his own grace. Christ has engendered the profit of the Church. But he does not merely to receive, but he comes to bestow comfort and grace upon his people. This creates desire for even more Christ in his people

Whence we observe,
That God accepts of the graces of his children, and delights in them.

He then states three reasons why God accepts the graces of his children. First, because of the relationship he bears:

First, Because they are the fruits that come from his children, his spouse, his friend. Love of the person wins acceptance of that which is presented from the person. What comes from love is lovingly taken.

We far too often undervalue the nature of our relationship to God. He calls us by the closest and most enduring of relationships: son, wife, friend. The church is called, family, household, people and body. These are relationships which overcome difficulties.

The second reason God values the graces is due to their source:

Second, They are the graces of his Spirit. If we have anything that is good, all comes from the Spirit, which is first in Christ our husband, and then in us.

As Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 3:18, we are transformed into the glory of Christ by seeing the glory of Christ. And as it says 1 John 3:2, we will become like Christ when we see him as he is:

Christ sees his own face, beauty, glory, in his church; she reflects his beams; he looks in love upon her, and always with his looks conveys grace and comfort; and the, church doth reflect back again his grace. Therefore Christ loves but the reflection of his own graces in his children, and therefore accepts them.

This is precisely the purpose of being made in the image of God: it is to reflect God.

Finally, he accepts our graces due to his own gracious nature:

Third, His kindness is such as he takes all in good part. Christ is love and kindness itself. Why doth he give unto her the name of spouse and sister, but that he would be kind and loving, and that we should conceive so of him? We see, then, the graces of Christ accepting of us and what we do in his strength.

Sibbes then explains what we offer in light of what Christ has done in making an offering to God on our behalf:

Both we ourselves are sacrifices, and what we offer is a sacrifice acceptable to God, through him that offered himself as a sacrifice of sweet smelling savour, from which God smells a savour of rest. God accepts of Christ first, and then of us, and what comes from us in him.

Because of Christ has done, we may come to God:

We may boldly pray, as Ps. 20:3, ‘Lord, remember all our offerings, and accept all our sacrifices.’ The blessed apostle St Paul doth will us ‘to offer up ourselves,’ Rom. 12:1, a holy and acceptable sacrifice to God, when we are once in Christ. In the Old Testament we have divers manifestations of this acceptation. He accepted the sacrifice of Abel, as it is thought, by fire from heaven, and so Elijah’s sacrifice, and Solomon’s, by fire, 1 Kings 18:38; 1 Chron, 21:26.

He then concludes:

So in the New Testament he shewed his acceptation of the disciples meeting together, by a mighty wind, and then filling them with the Holy Ghost, Acts 2:3. But now the declaration of the acceptation of our persons, graces, and sacrifice that we offer to him, is most in peace of conscience and joy in the Holy Ghost, and from a holy fire of love kindled by the Spirit, whereby our sacrifices are burned. In the incense of prayer, how many sweet spices are burned together by this fire of faith working by love; as humility and patience in submitting to God’s will, hope of a gracious answer, holiness, love to others, &c.

The Heart of Christ in Heaven, to Sinners on Earth (Thomas Goodwin) 3

07 Wednesday Mar 2018

Posted by in Ascension, Christology, Thomas Goodwin, Uncategorized

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06apollo

ANDREA DEL CASTAGNO

1447
Fresco
Sant’Apollonia, Florence

As Goodwin explains, John 13 gives us a view into the heart of Christ as prepares to leave his disciples. Next Goodwin considers this aspect of Christ’s “long sermon” on leaving, “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth it is to your advantage that I go away”. John 16:7 Christ will (1) send the comforter (John 16:7), and (2) prepare a place for them. John 14:3. He goes on ahead to prepare a place for them, to make certain it is done. And like the High Priest, he carries their names over his heart when enters into the holiest place.

Goodwin then draws out the implications of this going and coming, sinking deep into the concept of marriage which runs throughout the Scripture:

“I will come to you again and receive you to myself.” He condescends to the very laws of bridegrooms, for notwithstanding all his greatness, no lover shall put him down in any expression of true love. It is the maker of bridegrooms, hen they have made all ready in their father’s house, then to come themselves and fetch their brides, and not to send for them by others, because it is the time of love.

Love descends better than ascends, and so doth the love Christ, who indeed is love itself, and therefore comes down to us himself.

….”Heaven shall not hold me, nor my Father’s company, if I have not you with me, my heart is so set up you; and if I have any glory, you shall have a part of it.”

….He will not stay a minute longer than needs must, he tarries only till he hath throughout all ages by his intercession prepared every room for each saint, that he may entertain them all at once together, and have the all about him.

4 Goodwin, “The Heart of Christ in Heaven”, 100.

Book Review: Shepherds After My Own Heart, Timothy S. Laniak

02 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by in Book Review, Ministry

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Short version: If you are a pastor, buy and read this book

Long version:

Laniak has written a biblical theology of the Shepherd-Motif which begins in the Pentateuch and ends in Revelation. While the book does create a basis for understanding the work of a pastor in daily church work and does make occasional “practical” comments, this book is not a how-to of the pastor’s office.

It is precisely this lack of detailed “practical” information which I think makes this book particularly useful and necessary. Too many pastoral books and blogs are written without a sufficient grounding in theology. Pastors are trained to be pragmatists, not pastors, and thus have done a better job at filling building, selling things and moving people around than they have in leading people safely to Christ.

Lanai rightly explains, “Biblically, leadership can only be understood in terms of a fully integrated theological vision of God and his work on work” (249). This is where his book is so needed:

Our theology of leadership is informed by this breathtaking choice of God to grant royal prerogatives to his creatures. To be made in his image is rule with him and for him….Every shepherd leader is first and always a sheep who relates to god as ‘my Shepherd.’ (248).

Shepherding is a profoundly theological task — and thus the theology must be rightly understood.

Christ is the True God-Man Shepherd:

Laniak reads the Scripture as one of progressive revelation (thus working out biblical theology in the lines set out by Vos), showing out the pastoral imagery is made complete in Christ.

He begins the work with a useful discussion of metaphor. He explains not merely the how of metaphor, but also the why: metaphors teach us and affect us: “It is precisely in the combining of cognitive content with affective associations that metaphor gains its power” (39). Metaphors help us to understand by both explaining to us and changing us. It is one thing to say that God is in control for our good; it is better to say that God cares for us like a shepherd.

That leads to the second chapter: If we will understand the metaphor, we must understand the original. Most of the readers will be like me — I am not a shepherd from the ANE and I have never been shepherd. My sheep time amounted to a few minutes in a petting zoo at the fair.

Thus, Laniak gives a detailed treatment of the shepherd’s work and the shepherd’s economy. He also shows how the shepherd image was a common one throughout the ANE.

Having provided a background, Laniak begins his analysis of God as the shepherd of Israel in the wilderness during the Exodus. This theme of God as the wilderness shepherd is a strand which Laniak traces throughout the Scripture, tying the understanding of the wilderness shepherd to Jesus as the Shepherd of the Church. The Scripture has an organic whole where the first elements culminate in the last:

The Shepherd of Israel was, through Israel, seeking a remnant from all the nations (cf. Amos 9:12), i.e., ‘sheep which are not of this fold’ (John 10:16 NASB). (93)

Next comes the Davidic King as the development of God as the Kingly Shepherd over the people of God. Unfortunately, the actual kings of God’s people were corrupt and not fit undershepherds of Israel’s God. Therefore, God sent prophets who rebuked the false shepherds and promised the new — true Shepherd — who lead God’s people in a second Exodus.

Interestingly, in the prophetic development of the Shepherd there are human and divine elements. First, It is God who is the true shepherd of Israel (115). Human authority is secondary:
“Isaiah describes God’s rule over his people and the world as unmeditated. The human king, occasionally mentioned, has delegated authority and thus can never claim to be more than a servant of the Lord” (131). Thus, the prophets regularly condemn the false shepherds who fail to recognize God as the true sovereign — these false shepherds use the sheep for their own ends.

Second, God promises to send a new Davidic King to shepherd the people:
Ezekiel 34:23–24 (ESV)
23 And I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. 24 And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be prince among them. I am the Lord; I have spoken.

These two strands: God as the true shepherd and the servant David as the shepherd come together in Christ who is the true shepherd. This culminates in the Jesus Christ of Revelation is God, King, Shepherd and Lamb.

Conclusion

As I stated above, this is a theology book — it is not a how-to blog post with tweet-able quotes. The book is hard work. Laniak sets out and develops a thesis across the entire scope of Scripture. There are footnotes and references to original languages (those always transliterated and always defined). This might scare off some readers.

But if a reader is scared off from a theology book, perhaps that man should not be a pastor.

How We Have Fellowship With the Son (2 Cor. 3:18)

10 Saturday Oct 2015

Posted by in 1 John, 1 Peter, 2 Corinthians

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2 Corinthians 3:18 (ESV)

18 And we all, with unveiled face, beholding the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another. For this comes from the Lord who is the Spirit.

 

John Newton’s Counsel in Hope Based Upon Christ (April 29, 1776)

05 Monday Oct 2015

Posted by in 1 Peter, John Newton

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Pastoral counseling is not merely correction, but must also be of encouragement. The Christian life can only be lived rightly with a view set directly upon the return of Christ and the joy to follow. To see the importance of such a sight of the end, consider this passage from First Peter:

1 Peter 1:3–17 (ESV)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,

The explicitly eschatological elements have been highlighted. Note that Peter does not dwell upon the mechanics of the eschaton as much as its present effect upon us. It is the basis for our hope — which puts us in a future orientation. Our present holiness demands upon our future hope. We live now in both hope and fear, which Peter lays as the predicate (at the very least the psychological predicate) for holiness.

John Newton in this letter wants to create an eschatological mind in his reader. Note carefully how he does this:

My dear Miss M****, April 29, 1776.

The pleasantries are short; he moves most quickly to blessings enjoyed by this woman. The letter does not disclose the reason for this encouragement, which is well — because any believer can pick up this letter and apply it; the blessings disclosed herein are the common blessings of the believer, the church and Christ.

I thank you for your last; and I rejoice in the Lord’s goodness to you. To be drawn by love, exempted from those distressing terrors and temptations which some are beset with; to be favoured with the ordinances and means of grace, and connected with those, and with those only, who are disposed and qualified to assist and encourage you in seeking the Saviour; these are peculiar privileges, which all concur in your case: he loves you, he deals gently with you, he provides well for you, and accompanies every outward privilege with his special blessing; and I trust he will lead you on from strength to strength, and shew you still greater things than you have yet seen.

Note the blessings: To be drawn by love. This language sounds like an allusion to,

Hosea 11:4 (ESV)

4    I led them with cords of kindness,

with the bands of love,

and I became to them as one who eases the yoke on their jaws,

and I bent down to them and fed them.

 

When the Father draws the elect (John 6:44), he draws by the cords of kindness, the bands of love. Consider further the movement of the argument: to be drawn is to move from place to another, from one state to another.

Another allusion in this letter is “from strength to strength”:

 

Psalm 84:1–7 (ESV)

1    How lovely is your dwelling place,

O Lord of hosts!

2    My soul longs, yes, faints

for the courts of the Lord;

my heart and flesh sing for joy

to the living God.

3    Even the sparrow finds a home,

and the swallow a nest for herself,

where she may lay her young,

at your altars, O Lord of hosts,

my King and my God.

4    Blessed are those who dwell in your house,

ever singing your praise! Selah

5    Blessed are those whose strength is in you,

in whose heart are the highways to Zion.

6    As they go through the Valley of Baca

they make it a place of springs;

the early rain also covers it with pools.

7    They go from strength to strength;

each one appears before God in Zion.

This is a Psalm with an eschatological movement: First, it is a Psalm of travel. Second, it is a Psalm which promises the transformation of the creation (Baca becomes springs. Third, while the immediate reference to appearing before God is likely the earthly sanctuary, we know that the earthly references the heavenly.

Whether Newton chose the Psalm for an eschatological allusion, I do not know. But there is at least a consonance in his thinking: it is where we are going that orients the Christian life.

Newton also praises the work of the church in this woman’s life: both the ordinances (baptism and the Lord’s Supper) as well as those who able to rightly use the Word of God in assisting the maturity of her soul.

(I know above that I said that the blessings listed in this letter blessings available to every believer. However, sadly, often a local congregation is led by those who are not “disposed and qualified”. That does not mean that the church is not a common blessing of believers. What it does mean is that many sin in the work of ministry, either being unfit for the work by ability or disposition. We must sadly acknowledge this is true.)

Newton now takes an insight from John Calvin’s Institutes, the human being does not rightly know himself until we know ourselves before and in the light of God. While our knowledge of God leads us to greater hope and faith, the knowledge of ourselves leads to a greater sense of our unworthiness:

They whom he teaches are always increasing in knowledge, both of themselves and of him. The heart is deep, and, like Ezekiel’s vision, presents so many chambers of imagery, one within another, that it requires time to get a considerable acquaintance with it, and we shall never know it thoroughly. It is now more than twenty-eight years since the Lord began to open mine to my own view; and from that time to this, almost every day has discovered to me something which till then was unobserved; and the farther I go, the more I seem convinced that I have entered but a little way. A person that travels in some parts of Derbyshire may easily be satisfied that the country is cavernous; but how large, how deep, how numerous the caverns may be, which are hidden from us by the surface of the ground, and what is contained in them, are questions which our nicest inquirers cannot fully answer. Thus I judge of my heart: that it is very deep and dark, and full of evil; but as to particulars, I know not one of a thousand.

But the certain knowledge of our sinfulness, our darkness is no cause for despair — provided this knowledge comes accompanied by a knowledge of the God in Jesus Christ. Newton’s knowledge of his own poverty causes him to rejoice, because it merely underscores the infinite wealth of Christ.

Before we look to this passage, consider our “normal” response: When we feel badly about ourselves, we seek to solve the psychological, emotional, spiritual stress by bolstering our self-esteem. Newton will have none of it. He does nothing to protect himself, but like a true theologian of the cross (rather than a theologian of glory), Newton looks to Christ for all:

And if our own hearts are beyond our comprehension, how much more incomprehensible is the heart of Jesus! If sin abounds in us, grace and love superabound in him: his ways and thoughts are higher than ours, as the heavens are higher than the earth; his love has a height, and depth, and length, and breadth, that passeth all knowledge; and his riches of grace are unsearchable riches, Ephes. 3:8, 18, 19. All that we have received or can receive from him, or know of him in this life, compared with what he is in himself, or what he has for us, is but as the drop of a bucket compared with the ocean, or a single ray of light in respect of the sun. The waters of the sanctuary flow to us at first almost upon a level, ankle deep, so graciously does the Lord condescend to our weakness; but they rise as we advance, and constrain us to cry out, with the Apostle, O the depth! We find before us, as Dr. Watts beautifully expresses it,

A sea of love and grace unknown,

Without a bottom or a shore.

Imagine a poor soul caught in a sin. Our first response is to come, “You are not so bad.” But the truth is that we are all far worse than our public exposure of sin reveals. We know that in ourselves, that is in our flesh, no good thing dwells. We are a mass of rebellion (whether the vilest sin or the strongest morality and self-righteousness) without Christ. Newton will not come and say, we are not so bad. No, we will only learn more and more of the depth of our sin — But Christ! His mercy, glory, righteousness are only magnified by rescuing poor, helpless sinners.

Newton unites this knowledge with his eschatological hope. Our present good from Christ will only grow as we continue on. We will not come to the end and find the depth of the knowledge, we will only begin. Our present desire will only be met with greater satisfaction and greater desire. We will think less or ourselves and more of Christ — and what a joy that will be to be emptied of myself and filled with Him!

O the excellency of the knowledge of Christ! It will be growing upon us through time, yea, I believe through eternity. What an astonishing and what a cheering thought, that this high and lofty One should unite himself to our nature, that so, in a way worthy of his adorable perfections, he might by his Spirit unite us to himself! Could such a thought have arisen in our hearts, without the warrant of his word (but it is a thought which no created mind was capable of conceiving till he revealed it), it would have been presumption and blasphemy; but now he has made it known, it is the foundation of our hope, and an inexhaustible spring of life and joy. Well may we say, Lord what is man, that thou shouldst thus visit him!

 

How Christ Makes Way for Peace

21 Monday Sep 2015

Posted by in Biblical Counseling, Peacemaking

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(I’ve been studying reconciliation and how to address it. Here are some more thoughts on the topic. Sadly, the need to reconcile is an all too common feature of the Christian life; although we should not be surprised when the Church requires us to live in such close proximity. We are bound to sin against one-another, and thus be ready, willing and able to quickly overlook — and where such is not possible, to confess and forgive):

 

To be spiritually minded is peace — and Christ is our peace. (Rom.8:6; Eph. 2:14). Not all confrontation is godly (Gal. 5:14-15 & 20). It is only the operation of the Spirit which produces the necessary grounds for peace (Gal. 5:22-24).

When we [note that true God-glorifying reconciliation will require a Godward heart on both sides; secondly, courtesy tends to be attractive, therefore “we”, not “you” or “I”] consider Hebrews 1:1-4, we see plainly how Christ makes the place for peace.

First, conflict arises from our heart (Mark 7:21-23) as a desire for something we do not have (James 4:1-5). But here in Hebrews we see that God has spoken to us in the Son who is the “heir of all things”. Now, since we will inherit with Jesus (Rom. 8:17), all things are ours (1 Cor. 4:21-24). Therefore, there is no longer any ground for you or I to quarrel over some-thing whether it physical or otherwise (such as status or honor). If you and I have all things, what more is there to fight about?

Second, we quarrel because we seek justice. But we see in Hebrews 1:3, that Jesus has already made the purification for sin. In 1 Peter 2:18-25 we see how Christ answers for any injustice we suffer, and how this leads to peacefulness even when we suffer wrong. That is why the only option open to either you or me when we suffer is to bless and forgive. But what if there is injustice done? Then it is given over to the Judge of all. If there is a need for punishment, he will punish. If there is correction, he will correct. But what if the one who has done me wrong is a Christian, then he will not be punished! In such a case I must rest in the knowledge that Christ has suffered for the sins of a believer even when those sins have been rendered against me.

John Newton’s Advice to Young Man

30 Thursday Jul 2015

Posted by in Biblical Counseling, John Newton, Prayer

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On August 24, 1774, John Newton sent a letter to a young who left out in life. First, as a wise counselor, Newton begins by seeking engagement with the young man. He does not merely throw advice at him from a distance, but Newton draws up close and shows a personal concern for this man at this time.

Newton begins with the circumstances of their parting. Newton is careful enough to note even the manner of speech and his own conduct at the meeting:

THE lowness of your voice, and a blameable absence of mind on my part, prevented me from understanding what you said when you took your leave of me; nor did I just at that instant recollect that you were so soon going away.

Such careful involvement with the life of the person addressed is a necessary aspect of love in counseling. One must not merely offer information. Rather an honest concern with the life of the other is necessary, or the knowledge has been given without love.

Next, Newton notes the natural advantages of the young man, both a fortune and a good upbringing by his part. Newton notes a thing which is invisible to young men — the necessity of a wise restraint to obtain that which is good:

How many at your years, who have been brought up in affluence, are unprincipled, uninstructed, and have already entered upon a course of dissipation and folly, in which it is impossible they themselves can find satisfaction, and which (unless they are reclaimed from it by an Almighty arm) will infallibly preclude them from usefulness or esteem!

He then commends to the young the gift of God in the manner of the young man’s life:

What may I not then further hope from these beginnings, especially as it is easy to observe that He has given you an amiable and promising disposition of spirit,

It is easy to forget that our very lives, including our intelligence and disposition, are gifts from God. Moreover, Newton points to God as the source of the restraint from foolishness as a gift of God.

Having noted the grace of his prior restrain from foolishness, Newton briefly addresses the vanity of the creature — but not as an end in itself, but rather as a stepping stone to the satisfaction of the Creator:

[perhaps] you feel a vanity in science, an emptiness in creatures, and find that you have desires which only He who gave them can satisfy

Restraint is not a negative move; rather it is a necessary step to obtain that which is greater. By getting on an airplane, we restrain our options for the moment so as to obtain the greater good of the destination. Newton quickly moves through possible infidelities and distractions which may meet the young man on the way.

Newton notes that the life of Christian is the only possible way to fit one for a fruitful life in this world — but he does not stop there. All the things of this life are not worth comparison to the goodness of Christ:

But then, the religion, which only deserves the name, must come from above; it must be suited to the state and wants of a sinner; it must be capable of comforting the heart; it must take away the sting and dread of death; and fix our confidence upon One who is always able to help us. Such is the religion of Jesus, such are its effects, and such are the criteria whereby we are to judge of the various forms and schemes under which it is proposed to us. But I forbear; I am only reminding you of what you know, and what you have known to be verified by living and dying examples.

This happiness, my dear sir, is open to you, to all who seek. He is enthroned in heaven, but prayer will bring him down to the heart. Indeed, he is always before-hand with us; and if we feel one desire towards him, we may accept it as a token that he gave it us to encourage us to ask for more.

Newton keeps his own on the end: there will be death, there will be judgment. No degree of distraction of foolishness in this world can avoid that end. Only Christ is a sufficient ground for our life and happiness.

I wish to underscore especially two elements of Newton’s commending Christ. First, Christ is brought near by prayer:

He is enthroned in heaven, but prayer will bring him down to the heart.

Our need commends us to Christ and draws Christ to our heart.

Second, the fact that we desire Christ is evidence that Christ desires our company — and thus should encourage us to come to Him:

if we feel one desire towards him, we may accept it as a token that he gave it us to encourage us to ask for more.

In the end, this letter brings comfort to all by reminding us that Christ will come to our heart — and that our desire for Christ is a proof that Christ will come to us.

John Newton, Richard Cecil, The Works of the John Newton, vol. 1 (London: Hamilton, Adams & Co., 1824), 633.