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Date: Tue, 28 May 1996 08:23:59 +-200
Reply-To: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel
Sender: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel
From: Teus Benschop
Subject: ChrExp, The Scriptures opened, 85
To: Multiple recipients of list CHR-EXP
Status: U
Contents
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1. Matthew 9:34 - The Gergesenes bid Jesus depart
2. Romans 13:13,14 - A godly man's conduct
3. Proverbs 17:5 - The poor and his Maker
1. Matthew 9:34 - The Gergesenes bid Jesus depart
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Matthew 9:34
They besought Him that He would depart out of their coasts.
The longer you think of this text, the more astonished you become. How
was it ever possible that they besought Jesus to depart out of their
lands? With this request they rejected the Saviour of the world!
Moreover, they rejected the Saviour that came in their country to
preach there. How is that possible? Why were they so foolish?
When Jesus was come into the country of the Gergesenes, two people
possessed with devils met Him. They were coming out of the tombs, and
were exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. When
they saw Jesus, they cried out: "What have we to do with Thee, Jesus,
Thou Son of God?" These were not words of the two possessed, although
it was their mouths that spoke them. These were not words of men, but
of the devils themselves. "Are Thou come hither to torment us before
the time?" They knew that once their time would come, that they would
be tormented for ever and ever. But they feared that Jesus had come
now, to torment them before that appointed time. The two men possessed
with devils came to Jesus. And there was a good way off from them a
herd of many swine feeding. They fed on a hill, as the other gospels
witness. According to Josephus, book 17, chap. 13, the Gergesenes
lived after the order of the Greeks, and therefore we are not
surprised to meet swine there. When Jesus commanded the devils to go
out these men, the devils besought Him that they might go into those
swine. They said: "If Thou cast us out, suffer us to go away into the
herd of swine". Swine were unclean beasts, according to the law.
Devils, being unclean too, asked to go into those swine. Unclean
searches company of unclean, as we see here. When they had besought to
go into the swine, Jesus said to them: "Go". Then the demons left the
men, and went into the herd of swine. And what happened? The whole
herd of swine ran violently down a steep place into the see, and
perished in the waters. And they that kept them fled, and went their
ways into the city, and told everything; and also what was befallen to
the possessed of the devils. Instead that they rejoiced greatly that
some possessed were delivered, they complained about the loss of the
unclean swine. Instead of rejoicing over the removal of the unclean
spirits, they mourned for the loss of the unclean beasts. When the
people heard it, the whole city came out to meet Jesus, and when they
saw Him, they besought Him that He would depart out of their coasts.
They showed that they cared not about the lives of the two men
possessed, but that they were upside-down of the loss of their income.
Rather then seeking for life, they sought their money. They loved
their income, and, since Jesus was of another attitude, they bid Him
leave. Jesus left them. Now wonder then, since they lived as swine,
that Christ does not abide there, but the devils.
The same you find in our times. Rather then going to church whenever
possible, to hear the Word of God, the people choose their money, and
bid Jesus leave. And when they have some free time, rather then
praying and reading Scriptures and doing well to the people, they
spend it in idle things, or in pleasures. They bid Christ, and the
Holy Ghost leave, because they care not for Them; they love themselves
and the world. When they hear one is converted to God, and delivered
from the snares of satan, instead of rejoicing greatly (as the angels
in heaven do) they grieve for the loss. No wonder then that God will
leave them, and return not.
In our text we read that they bid Jesus leave. "And, behold, the whole
city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him
that he would depart out of their coasts." After Jesus left them,
according to their wish, he went to another place. "And he entered
into a ship, and passed over, and came into his own city. And, behold,
they brought to him a man sick of the palsy, lying on a bed: and Jesus
seeing their faith said unto the sick of the palsy; Son, be of good
cheer; thy sins be forgiven thee." So, Jesus leaving the Gergesenes,
comes into his own city. There they bring to him a sick man. Jesus,
seeing their faith, says to the sick man that his sins are forgiven.
Let then the Gergesenes have their swine, but this man has a treasure
laid up in heaven. His sins are forgiven, but the Gergesenes will bear
their own sins. If then the country of the Gergesenes throws Jesus
out, there will be another country where they will gladly accept Him.
Likewise, when one church begins to apostate and fall away from the
truth, or fall back in Jewish ceremonies, then Jesus leaves them, and
plants His church elsewhere. Do you not bring forth fruit? Then the
tree of you will be hewn down and rooted out. And God will plant His
church elsewhere, namely there where they will bring forth much useful
fruit.
2. Romans 13:13,14 - A godly man's conduct
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Romans 13:13,14
Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness,
not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put
ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to
fulfil the lusts thereof.
Let us live honestly. That is, let us walk godly in the sight of God,
and let us also live honestly in the sight of men. Let us have our
conversation among the gentiles honestly, so that they see our works
and glorify God because of them. Those that are not of Christ and only
profess His name say: "It doesn't matter what I do among men; for God
is my Judge, and not the people. I care not for their opinion about
me". These are the ungodly, but those that really are of Christ, keep
their conversation honest among the people. They indeed have God as
their Judge, but in addition to this, they should live honestly among
men. Let us, therefore, live honestly.
Let us live honestly, as in the day. The night of sin has passed. The
darkness of ignorance wherein we lived formerly, is brightened up by
the saving knowledge of Christ, through God's grace. Let us then live
honestly, as in the day. We are no longer in the night. In the night,
no man can see us. Therefore, many, while they are in the night of
sins, do their own will, and do whatever they like. Being in the
night, they think none sees them. Having nobody that warns them, or
closing their eyes and ears for the truth, they live as in the night;
in uncleanness, in theft, in slander, in anger. But let us live
honestly, not as in the night, but as in the day. This conduct becomes
those that are of Christ, and to whom the saving grace of God has
appeared.
Let we live as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness. The apostle
mentions rioting and drunkenness, wherein we should not walk. First
rioting. The rioting people, in those times, formed a nocturnal and
riotous procession of half drunken and frolicsome fellows, who after
supper parade through the streets with torches and music in honour of
Bacchus or some other deity, and sing and play before houses of male
and female friends. So, generally, those are rioting that go to feasts
and drinking parties, which are protracted till late at night, and
indulge in revelry. Let we therefore take heed, lest we join in those
greedy and indecent meals. Let us, therefore, not live in profusion
and in playfulness, and in dance, and in several sorts of
thoughtlessness. Secondly, the apostle mentions drunkenness. It is
written: "Woe unto [them that are] mighty to drink wine, and men of
strength to mingle strong drink." Isa. 5:22. Let us therefore not be
mighty to drink wine to our own and our neighbour's hurt, lest God's
woe comes down on us. Several that say they believe in Christ,
excessively booze wine and strong drink. But let us forsake that.
Besides not walking in rioting and drunkenness, let us also walk "not
in chambering and wantonness", says the apostle. Generally, adultery
and whoredom is committed in the bedrooms. Let us therefore not play
the whore, nor fornicate. Let us also not walk in wantonness. That is,
let us forsake the horny playfulness, and forsake every kind of
impurity and lewdness. These are works of darkness. But, being
children of the day, let us not walk in these nightly and dark works.
Let us walk honestly, as in the day; "not in strife and envying", Paul
continues. For, "if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye
be not consumed one of another." Gal 5:15. Let us not do as the armies
of enemies of Israel did in former days. They helped one another into
death, and Israel stood by looking and rejoicing in the God of their
salvation. "For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the
inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy [them]: and
when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped
to destroy another." 2 Chron 20:23. Let us, having this and many such
verses, for warning examples, not walk in strife and envying, lest we
help the congregation of the Lord into destruction. These are works of
darkness, but we, as in the day, let us live in unity and love.
Instead of all these evil things, let us do something else. Let's not
walk in strife, "but put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ", says the Word.
We should put on Jesus Christ. This putting on means that we should
put Him on like one puts on his garments and equipment and weapons.
When we go out to our work, we put on our garments. When the soldier
goes out to fight for his fatherland, he puts on his weapons. Let us
put on Christ, because we should go out to our work. Let we put on
Christ's virtues, because we have a fight, not with flesh and blood,
but with the evil spirits and with darkness and sin. "Put ye on the
Lord Jesus Christ". How? How may we put on Him? Put ye on Christ our
Lord through faith, accepting His righteousness, and imitating all His
virtues. Instead of clothing your body with all sorts of vain outward
apparel, cloth your body and soul with Christ's virtues. Instead of
adorning yourself with gold and other perishing metals, adorn your
body and soul with good works - with faith - with Christ's
righteousness. "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ
have put on Christ." Gal 3:27. The believers once have put on Christ.
Let them continue in the way the once have taken.
Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, "and make not provision for the flesh,
to fulfil the lusts thereof". Make not provision for the flesh, that
is, make no provision for the body. With this is not forbidden to make
provision for the necessary things for the body, as some clothing,
food, drink, medicine, and other things necessary for the maintenance
of the body. For, all this is recommended. "No man ever yet hated his
own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the
church." Eph 5:29. But when it is said that we should not make
provision for the flesh, it is added: "to fulfil the lusts thereof".
So, do not fulfil the evil lusts of the flesh, and don't make
provision for that. "But I keep under my body, and bring [it] into
subjection." 1 Cor 9:27. Fulfil not the desires of the body, which
tend to excess, pride, greediness and lewdness. Subject your body, and
make no provision for it to fulfil the lusts of it. "For all that is
in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the
pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the
world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will
of God abideth for ever." 1 John 2:16,17.
Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness,
not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put
ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to
fulfil the lusts thereof.
3. Proverbs 17:5 - The poor and his Maker
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Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his Maker.
Proverbs 17:5
In the beginning God created heaven and earth. He also made the beasts
of the field. At the end, He made man, according to His Own image. God
not only made Adam, the first man, but also Eve. He also gave them
children. Every child that is born, is made by God. Not only the well-
formed and healthy people are made by God, but, according to our text,
also the poor are made by Him. It pleased God to make men as they are
now. It pleases Him to make some men rich, and some others poor. It is
His will. This is the reason that, "whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth
his Maker". It pleases God to make the poor, and should we then mock
those people?
Poor men are often neglected. We honour the rich and lick their boots.
But who is there that honours the poor, since they also are made by
God their Maker? It may be that we not openly mock them, being held
back by some decency. But many of us, though they say no word, yet
mock the poor in their heart.
Whoso mocks the poor reproaches his Maker. He dishonours God, Who
created the poor. He dishonours God, Who exercises the people with
poverty. The poor, having no help of the people, rely on God. Will
God not be very angry with you, when you mock the poor? For, you not
only mock the poor (which in itself is reprehensible), but also his
Maker.
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chr-exp@nic.surfnet.nl
"A Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel"
Institute Practical Bible-education
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/ipb-e/ipbe-home.html
Written by Teus Benschop -- t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl
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file: /pub/resources/text/ipb-e/so: s-open-085.txt
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