Leading up to the Tribulation: Matthew 24:1-14

The Scripture

 

1 Jesus came out from the temple and was going away when His disciples came up to point out the temple buildings to Him.

 

2 And He said to them, "Do you not see all these things?  Truly I say to you, not one stone here will be left upon another, which will not be torn down."

 

3 As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, "Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?"

 

4 And Jesus answered and said to them, "See to it that no one misleads you.

 

5 "For many will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many.

 

6 "You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars.  See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end.

 

7 "For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes.

 

8 "But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.

 

9 "Then they will deliver you to tribulation, and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.

 

10 "At that time many will fall away and will betray one another and hate one another.

 

11 "Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.

 

12 "Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold.

 

13 "But the one who endures to the end, he will be saved.

 

14 "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come."

 

The Temple

 

(Image believed to be one of the stones from the Temple!  "To the Trumpeting Place" by Talmoryair.  Wikipedia.  Public Domain in the United States.)

The prophecy of the Temple's destruction was fulfilled only a few decades later, in 70 AD.

This event certainly had significance for the Jews at the time - it was another step, like the veil of the Holy of Holies tearing in two at Christ's death (Matthew 27:51), demonstrating that Judaism was no longer the way to serve God, and that His dwelling place on Earth was no longer a physical building, but in His followers themselves (1 Corinthians 3:16).

But the disciples' questions about the End Times show that they picked up on some apocalyptic significance, as well.  This gets into kind of the mind-bending principle that even though we classify the "End Times" as the 7-year Tribulation of Revelation that is yet to come, the "End Times" basically actually started in Acts.  For example, the prophecy of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit identified as fulfilled in Acts 2:16-21 is also End Times in nature.  But what's significant about the Temple's destruction in terms of the End Times is that it marked a critical event in Roman persecution of the Jews - and of Christians, who were considered a Jewish cult by the Romans.  This corresponds with the fact that, throughout history, Christians around the world have been persecuted - something that will intensify more and more as we get closer to the Tribulation.

Brief Elements

 

How are the false Christs manifested?  Well, in 20th century America we have certainly seen some famous cult leaders literally claim to be Christ and amass followings, and I believe we may see a lot more of that as it gets even closer to the Tribulation.  But we've also seen people presenting false Christs - such as in the "Christian" cults of Mormonism and the Jehovah's Witnesses, who preach a Jesus and a Gospel totally different than the true ones.  And, there have been other religions such as Islam to develop and gain popularity that offer a different identity of God - another type of false Christ.

 

Next, the passage mentions rampant wars, famines, and earthquakes.  There are two ways to look at this: (1) that these will intensify as the world gets closer to the End, and (2) that they will accomplish the "agenda" of the End Times.  It seems to me that both have turned out.  For example, we've had two world wars in the past century, and major natural disasters certainly seem to be escalating (although I don't have statistics on that).  But as for the second way, the End Times are all about demonstrating judgment and bringing people (with emphasis on the Jews) to repentance.  We can certainly see how wars and disasters throughout history could be used to accomplish these objectives.

 

But let's take a moment to step back and look at what Jesus said about how we should react to seeing these things:

• We are to not fear.  We need to remember that even if the world is consumed by war, if natural disasters shatter our nations, and if people seek to kill us because of our faith, that God is still in control.  Easier said than done, obviously, but if we train our minds to remember that God is in control when "little" things go wrong in our lives now, it will be a far more natural reaction when the sky starts to fall.
• We are to keep it all in perspective - there are so many "birth pangs" leading up to the "actual" End that we shouldn't freak out that "The End is nigh!" every time a flood happens or some country threatens to nuke the world.  That doesn't mean that we shouldn't be psychologically prepared for the possibility of the End Times occurring during our lives, or that we shouldn't actively engage in staying attentive to world events and comparing them with Biblical prophecy, but it does mean we shouldn't go crazy.  That only makes people think that Christians are all morons when the End doesn't happen right away - and that can prevent them from coming to Christ themselves.
• We need to stay resolute in our faith.  More on that directly below.

The Great Apostasy

 

We Americans are disgustingly unaware of the persecution of our brothers and sisters around the globe, but frankly, outside of the Western World, it's quite rampant.  And there are certainly many cases where people renounce their faith because of the persecution.  Persecution of Americans has already started on small scales - Christian businesses have been fined for refusing to provide abortion pills to their employees, and we can get fired, suspended from school, and even arrested for "hate speech" for speaking God's Truth.  But one day, probably sooner than many people think, global persecution of the Church will arrive - and that includes America.  If the authorities showed up at your door today ready to cart you off to prison on the charge of being a Christian - would you proclaim your faith in Him?  If the punishment were death - would you still proclaim your faith in Him?  We can all flippantly say, "Well, yeah, of course" - that's easy because we don't really think that will happen.  But think it through - right now.  Vividly imagine that scenario.  Picture the handcuffs.  Picture the prison.  Picture the beatings.  Picture the noose, the electric chair, the firing squad.  Then ask yourself again: Would you claim Him, or deny Him?

 

 

But there's another thing still that drives people to fall away, an evil strong and active in the West right now: apathy.  The Church is lukewarm, claiming Christ but not living it out.  It accepts fornication, freely uses God's Name in vain, and is lazy, encouraging Christians and "Christians" to pursue their own lives with God on the side, rather than making every education choice, career choice, and relationship choice centered on Him.  Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold.  Evil and apathy are rampant, and the Western Church clings to the abominable lie that we have a "right" to a "normal life" - and that "God understands" this.  Friends, that is evil.  If a person couldn't look at a random day of your life and tell that you are not just a "Christian" in the American sense of the word, but that you passionately believe it with every fiber of your being, something is wrong.

 

We cannot stay strong for Christ on auto-pilot - it is a daily war against the flesh, the evils of this world, and Satan's forces.  There can be no resting from it until the day we are called home.

 

The Gospel to All Nations

 

One of the prerequisites to the literal, official End is for every nation to hear the Gospel.  I can't locate exact information at this time, but last I heard, all we have left is a few pockets in Asia and Eurasia.  In other words: It's almost fulfilled!

 

But this brings up another important issue: What about the people who have never heard the Gospel - how is it "fair" that they go to hell when they've never had a chance to get saved?  Well, even though God likes to use us to spread His Good News (primarily for our sake, I believe, as it gives us a purpose and helps us mature in our faith), it's not as if He's limited to only using human words to bring people into a saving relationship with Him.  Romans 1:20 explains that God reveals the Truth about Himself through nature, and elsewhere Scripture makes clear that if someone is truly seeking God, He will reveal Himself to them, no matter if a missionary is around.  In fact, there have been multiple cases in the Middle East where Muslims have sought the True God, and God revealed Himself to them in dreams.  There will indeed be people from every tongue and tribe and nation from throughout history in Paradise.

 

What, then, is the point of the Gospel being verbally preached to all nations before the End can come?  I believe it's largely symbolic - that God's purpose for the world has been accomplished completely, at long last.

 

Any comments you'd like to add - insight, thoughts, further Scripture references?

Or any questions about this passage (or anything about the Bible or Christianity) you'd like to ask?

Then leave a comment below. :-)  Or you can e-mail me questions, if you prefer.

 

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Correction and the Number Two: Matthew 18:15-20

Correcting a Fellow Christian

 

15 "If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.

 

16 "But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED.

 

17 "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

 

18 "Truly I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."

A lot of church-goers in American society think that you should never take another believer aside and point out something they're doing that's sinful or may appear sinful to others because to do so would be "judging them," which we are clearly instructed against.  But it all comes down to your heart, motivation, and how you handle the situation.  Judging would mean thinking less of them or more of yourself, or making assumptions about their overall state based on that behavior.  But when you lovingly correct a believer, your motivation is to help them get back on track with Christ.  In that regard, correcting them is an act of extreme love.

 

The ideal way such a situation can turn out is one-on-one.  If it works, it doesn't spread to others who might engage in judgmentalism, and the person repents immediately.  We are given instructions on what manner we are to do this in:

 

Galatians 6:1

Brethren, even if anyone is caught in any trespass, you who are spiritual, restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness; each one looking to yourself, so that you too will not be tempted [presumably tempted to judge or join in the behavior].

 

2 Thessalonians 3:15

Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

 

Also note that this isn't about a sin they openly acknowledge they're struggling with; it's something they're either perhaps unaware of or choosing to not take action to rectify.  However, if they're struggling with it, you might offer help, guidance and prayer in helping them improve - especially if their sin is causing problems for other believers.

 

If the person doesn't listen to you, bring one or two other solid Christians who you know won't gossip, will approach the correction with the right heart (as outlined above), know the person well, love the person as a brother/sister in Christ, and have witnessed the sinful behavior or a strong indication of the sinful behavior.  The point to this is that if the person didn't respect your opinion or thought you didn't know what you were talking about, hearing it from more than one person might convince them of the truth.

 

If the person still chooses to continue in that sin, bring it before the Church.  I would personally suggest handling this by bringing it before the clergy first.  They can choose if it's wiser to approach the sinful person as representatives of the congregation or bring it before the whole congregation itself (this way, it doesn't spiral out of control into gossip).  I think the clergy, as the spiritual leaders, should definitely be involved in this process to at least some degree.  One reason the leaders may choose to bring it before the entire congregation is outlined in 1 Timothy 5:20: Those who continue in sin, rebuke in the presence of all, so that the rest will also be fearful of sinning.  It's a reminder of the seriousness of sin.

 

So what's the punishment?  They are kicked out of the church, excommunicated, removed from fellowship.  If they are not living as a follower of Christ, they cannot fellowship with followers of Christ.  This is precisely what the bit about Gentile and tax collector means (because the Jews did not associate with those groups), and what the whole "binding and loosing" refers to (we did a giant study on that one phrase; check it out here if you don't remember it).  2 Thessalonians 3:14 tells us, "If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame."  This type of church discipline is partly to protect the others in the flock, but it also still has the objective of drawing the person to repentance - because not being able to fellowship will demonstrate to them the seriousness of their sin and how they cannot possibly be right because everyone else agrees that they are wrong.  Once it's apparent that they have genuinely repented, they are to be welcomed back wholeheartedly into fellowship!  2 Corinthians 2:6-11 is emphatic about this point.

 

So far we've focused on how to correct another, but it should also be noted that this is a lesson for how we should respond when another believer corrects us!!!  I have been both a corrector and a correctee - it's healthy!  We shouldn't be so focused on learning the correct procedure to correct another that we don't realize we will be on the other end at times.

 

Are there exceptions?  Yes, perhaps.  For example, Titus 3:10-11 takes a particularly strong stance on those who cause division within the church.  And while 1 Timothy 5:19 requires multiple witnesses to a church elder's sin in order for there to be discipline, the power of passages such as 2 Peter 2:1 and Revelation 2:18-29 makes it seem as if false/heretical teachers/leaders should be dealt with swiftly and definitively for the protection of the flock (which means you must determine the line between a leader being a heretic and a leader being in sin).  I would suggest approaching any such situation with prayer, reliance on the Holy Spirit's guidance, and the advice of a trusted spiritual leader.

 

Two or Three, Two or Three

 

19 "Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven.

 

20 "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst."

 

Some people will try to take verse 19 as an absolute promise that they can "claim" to manipulate/force God to do whatever they want - like make them rich, or heal them of cancer.  But we must look at the context: The verses before it are clearly referring to a situation in which a group of Christians are fully tapped into the Holy Spirit and actively seeking God's will.  The fact that they are gathered together in Jesus's name (verse 20), a phrase which (in the original Greek) communicates living as He did and seeking His will, makes it explicitly clear that what is "asked" in that situation is in alignment with God's will.  The word for ask is also aiteo, or "request," so it's spoken with the right attitude, not as a way to try to force God into anything.  So, with all that clarifying out of the way, what is the actual point of the statement?  That when Christians actively seek God's will together, He will absolutely, positively bless their efforts.

 

Finally, verse 20's statement that God is in our midst when 2-3 Christians are gathered together does not mean that He isn't with each one of us all the time.  We know that when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us, and that God has promised to never leave us.  So, what this refers to is that special presence where the Holy Spirit is especially heavy to the point that you can sometimes even feel it.  When believers are gathered together to seek His will, that extra presence will abide!

 

Questions for You

 

Have you been in a situation where you corrected or were corrected by another believer?  Was the situation handled well, as outlined above?  What was the correctee's response?

 

Do you have any other comments, insights, Scripture references, opinions, or life experiences to add to our discussion?  Or any questions?

 

Leave 'em below. :-)

 

Giving Credit Where It's Due

 

Image: A Women's Bible Study on the USS John F. Kennedy, by Photographer's Mate 3rd Class Chris Weibull.  Wikipedia.  Public domain in the United States.

He Values Us, and We Must Value Others- Matthew 18:1-14

And the Award Goes to...

 

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and said, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

 

2 And He called a child to Himself and set him before them,

 

3 and said, "Truly I say to you, unless you are converted and become like children, you will not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

 

4 "Whoever then humbles himself as this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

 

5 "And whoever receives one such child in My name receives Me;"

 

The disciples had a tendency to ask questions about who was greatest or held the highest rank quite frequently.  Jesus later gave a more succinct answer, which He demonstrated here: "So the last shall be first, and the first last."  It is those who humble themselves before the Lord and are willing to forego worldly status who are most honored in God's kingdom - not those who are concerned with rank, like the disciples were doing here.  They had the 100% wrong focus (status, instead of Christ and His will), so Jesus humbled them with a vivid image: He took a human of the absolute lowest station in Jewish society at the time (a child), and told them to emulate him.

 

What does it mean to be like a child?  It's all about humility.  A well-behaved child will view himself and his wishes as not on the same plain as those of his parents and elders, and he will strive to please his parents.  In the same way, we are to submit wholly to God's will, seek to please Him with all of our hearts, and submit to those around us out of love.  Humble is a verb, not just an adjective - it's a choice we make, not a trait we're born with.

 

So, in verse 5, Jesus isn't only talking about literal children; He's talking about other believers, even (perhaps especially) those believers who are of lowly station by worldly standards.  James 2:1-12 deals with this issue in a powerful way, as the letter's original recipients were showing favoritism toward richer Christians and not welcoming poor Christians.  We can please God by humbling ourselves spiritually, and one way of doing this is to humble ourselves to help and associate with those who are humble in the worldly sense.

 

The Tempters

 

6 but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.

 

7 "Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks!  For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the man through whom the stumbling block comes!

 

8 "If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; it is better for you to enter life crippled or lame, than to have two hands or two feet and be cast into the eternal fire.

 

9 "If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you.  It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell.

 

10 "See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven."

 

Normally when Christians talk about temptation, it is stated or implied that the source of the temptation is the demonic realm.  But this passage focuses on the two other sources of temptation we know to exist: the world (made up of other people) and our own flesh.  Also bear in mind that here again, "child" doesn't mean just a literal child, but any believer.

 

When we stumble another believer - through what we say to them (such as prompting them to anger against another), how we dress, how we act around them (such as consuming alcohol if we know they're a recovering alcoholic), etc. - it is a very, very serious issue.  That fact shouldn't be glossed over.  But at the same time, I don't think those verses (6-7) are actually a warning against believers' behavior (although there are other passages such as Romans 14 that deal with that issue).  Instead, these verses take the form of a curse against the world (similar to Matthew 11:20-24), and we also know that a believer tripping up another believer certainly does not incur eternal damnation.  So, the take-away from these verses for us believers is that the causing others to stumble is serious...but don't let the verses freak you out, either. :-)

 

It's also important to note that one of the reasons we humans fear humbling ourselves so much is that we think it will make us vulnerable - but in verses 6-7 and 10, it is abundantly clear that Jesus is very protective of us and has specific measures in place to protect us.  We need not fear surrendering to God.

 

Moving on to verses 8-9, note that they are not advocating for salvation through works - we do not "earn" salvation by living holy lives.  Trying to live as God wants us to as a response to His love is the evidence of genuine faith and repentance, yes, but it is an inherent reaction to the means (Christ's forgiveness), not the means themselves of obtaining forgiveness.  However, if we continue to allow sin to rule our lives and make no effort to break free of that and replace them with Christ as the Lord of our lives, that sin can very easily become our new god - and, as a consequence, we can fall away from the faith.  (Please note that struggling with sin and living in sin are two separate concepts.)  That is the warning here: We need to treat the sin in our lives seriously, and be active in turning our lives over to Christ.

 

Now, random body parts do not actually cause us to sin.  If they did, yes, it would certainly be worth it to sever them from our bodies to draw us closer to Christ, but Jesus was telling a sort of mini-parable here.  The hand, foot, and eye mentioned are whatever it is in your life that is a source of temptation to sin.  This could be a TV show, song, book, relationship, lifestyle, habit, hobby, etc.  And whatever it is, we need to make the conscious decision that Christ is more important than that, and give it up for Him.

 

Finally, in verse 10, Jesus pulled his points together by reiterating that we need to love those who the world sees as lowly.  The word despise means to consider as worthless - but we know that everyone has worth to God.  Therefore, one of the body parts we need to sever is our sense of worldly rank or social status.

 

Chasing Sheep

 

11 ["For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost.]

 

12 "What do you think?  If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying?

 

13 "If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray.

 

14 "So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish."

 





Diving into this parable, let's clear something up right away: The shepherd abandoning the ninety-nine doesn't mean anything, it's just a part of the story - God never abandons us.  It's just a storytelling devise to portray just how much He values us.  We need to value the lowly because He values the lowly - and, from the standpoint of His Holiness, we are the lowly!  And yet, He is willing to put effort into drawing us to repentance, and He forgives us no matter how many times we stray (evidenced by how He rejoices when one returns to Him).

 

Now, this passage also brings up the issue of "once saved, always saved."  If you've read this blog for any amount of time, you know that my stance is that, yes, it is possible to lose your salvation (by willingly living in sin and stopping making any effort to have a genuine relationship with God).  See Hebrews 10:26-31 and Romans 11:17-24.  That pops up with this passage because the shepherd desires all the runaway sheep to return to Him, but only "finds" some of them (i.e. only some return to Him).  But the wonderful news is this: "It is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish."  This powerful statement is echoed in 2 Peter 3:9, and we know that absolutely nothing besides our own decision to run can rip us from the arms of God.  And if we run, but then come back to Him, He still loves us with all His heart.

 

Questions for You

 

Have there been times in your life when you have, or have not, extended God's love to someone who is of lowly station by the world's standards?

 

What "body parts" (entertainment, relationships, activities, etc.) have you severed from your life for Christ?

 

Has there been a time in your life when you abandoned your faith, only to return?

 

Anything else you'd like to add about today's passages, or questions you'd like to ask?

 

Giving Credit Where It's Due

 

Images 1 & 2: Courtesy of Sweet Publishing.  Used by permission.

 

Image 3: Suffolk Sheep Posing, by Jacquie Wingate.  Wikipedia.  Used by permission.

Tackling Binding and Loosing - Matthew 16:15-19 (and 18:15-19)

The Scripture Passages

 

In our last study post, we arrived at the point where Jesus mentions the issue the American Church knows as "binding and loosing."  I saved the topic for its own post because it is a very complex, important issue to address.  It is only mentioned twice in Scripture, both in Matthew; we will look at both of those occurences, along with some surrounding verses to provide context (which is critical for their interpretation).  Like some other sayings of Jesus that appear multiple times, this phrase can have multiple different (albiet related) meanings in different contexts.

 

Matthew 16:

 

15 He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"

 

16 Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

 

17 And Jesus said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

 

18 "I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.

 

19 "I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."

 

Matthew 18:

 

15 "If your brother sins, go and who him his fault in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.

 

16 "But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED.

 

17 "If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector.

 

18 "I truly say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.

 

19 "Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that theyu may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven."

 

The Controversy

 

Different denominations, doctrinal groups, and scholars interpret the issue of binding and loosing to mean many different things.  What follows will be my personal view on the matter, a view backed up by two solid Bible teachers whom I trust.  However, I do not stand as firm on this issue as I do many of my other stances precisely because there are so many views, and so little Scriptural material from which to derive and understanding of this matter.

 

One interpretation of "binding and loosing" that I do stand against with firmness is the idea that every time a believer is tempted to do something, he can "bind Satan" for tempting him.  There are multiple Scriptural and logical flaws with this:  (1) Satan will not be "bound" until Revelation 20, at the end of the Tribulation; (2) if Christians have to keep binding him, clearly he keeps getting free...so clearly, it doesn't work and is not backed up by God's authority by which he grants Christians power to command demons; and, (3) it ignores that fact that, in addition to being tempted by Satan and his demons, we are also tempted by our own fleshly natures and by the world (Matthew 13:22, 1 Corinthians 2:12, Galatians 4:3, Ephesians 6:12, etc.).  I think this practice also has the negative consequences of denying personal responsibility, distracing Christians from God because they're obsessed with the demonic realm, and damaging Christians' witness to unbelievers since it appears "crazy."

 

That said, however, again, what follows now is very much just my view on binding and loosing.  Everything I post on this blog except the core of the Gospel I identify as my opinion, but this matter I am less firm in my stance than other issues.

 

Yay, Grammar (but it's Important)!

 

I really like how the NASB translates these verses, because rendering the verb tenses correctly, even at the cost of easy readability, is imperative when it comes to this matter's interpretation.  Let's look at Young's Literal Translation (which stives for pure literalness, not readability at all), and then a modern rendering of it from another Bible teacher I trust:

 

...whatever thou mayest bind upon the earth shall be having been bound in the heavens, and whatever thou mayest loose upon the earth shall be having been loosed in the heavens.

 

...whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound already in heaven, and whatever you shall loose on earth shall have been loosed already in heaven.

 

Now, let's look in the original Greek:

"Bind" is deo, meaning to bind or forbid.

"Loose" is luo, meaning to loose or allow or destroy.

So that gives us:

 

...whatever you shall bind/forbid on earth shall have been bound/forbade already in heaven, and whatever you shall loose/allow/destroy on earth shall have been loosed/allowed/destroyed already in heaven.

 

And finally circling back to interpreting our Scripture passages... :-)

 

Matthew 16

 

As we discussed last time in a bit more detail, Jesus was stating that Peter's faith was remarkable, that that type of faith would be the basis of Christianity, and also that Peter would be a Church leader.  That genuine type of faith would never be overcome by the devil.

 

In Matthew 16, I believe binding and loosing refers to Jesus transfering His authority and backing to those with Peter's faith in their witnessing efforts - basically, He's saying He is pleased with that faith, and was planning to use it to further His kingdom.  Where do I get this?  Context, and a whole lot of verses using the same wording, such as these examples:

 

Acts 2:24 KJV

God has raised up, having loosed the pains of death.

 

Psalm 147:3

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.

 

Ezekiel 34:16

I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken and strengthen the sick.

 

So, God is the ultimate One who looses pains, cords, chains, etc., allowing them to go free, and binds  up their wounds, forbidding their sin to rule them.  With the literal renderings of today's verses, He has already done these, but will use us to accomplish that on earth.

 

Matthew 18

 

In Matthew 18, the context is about Church discipline - if you see a Christian living in sin (not struggling with it - living in it), you're to approach him about in alone first; if he doesn't repent, bring a couple other solid believers with you, and if he doesn't repent after that, bring the matter before the Chruch (not in a gossippy manner - with the American Church setup, I personally, generally recommend bringing the matter to the Church leadership, who can bring the manner before the Church in a more controlled manner than a layperson can).  If he doesn't repent even then, fellowship is cut off (he's "excommunicated" - no longer treated as a believer).  This process is outlined repeatedly in the New Testament.

 

Forbidding and allowing obviously fit in here, pertaining to partaking of fellowship with other believers - you allow or forbid them to continue fellowshipping with believers.  So, this variation of the same issue is that when God cuts off His own relationship with someone because they openly reject him by unabashedly living in unrepentant sin, He gives His Church the authority to cut off fellowship as well, and when He has a relationship with someone, the Church is to welcome them as well.

 

Tying Them Together

 

So, binding and loosing in both Matthew 16 and 18 are different variations of the exact same issue: When God creates or cuts off a relationship with a human, He gives authority to His followers to manifest physically/on this Earth what He's already done.

 

Questions for You

 

That's my take - but what are your thoughts?  I want to know! :-)

 

Or, if you haven't really thought about this issue before (because, admittedly, the verses are a bit easy to gloss over in reading), was there anything I didn't make clear?

Two Enormous Miracles, All in a Day's Work: Matthew 14:15-36

Feeding the 5,000

 

15 When it was evening, the disciples came to Him and said, "This place is desolate and the hour is already late; so send the crowds away, that they may go into the villages and buy food for themselves."

 

16 But Jesus said to them, "They do not need to go away; you give them something to eat!"

 

17 They said to Him, "We have here only five loaves and two fish."

 

18 And He said, "Bring them here to Me."

 

19 Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them toward the crowds,

 

20 and they all ate and were satisfied.  They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets.

 

21 There were about five thousand men who ate, besides women and children.

 

Let's do a speedy review of where we left off since it's been a little while since we've been in Matthew (my fault - sorry!).  Jesus was exhausted and emotionallly distraught over his cousin getting executed, yet when he saw how much the crowds were in need of Him, He had compassion on them and chose to minister to them.

 

*That* is why is the disciples' reaction here can be considered not just "a human reaction," but in this case, a moral mistake.  Yes, it is perfectly natural to become exhausted (as they surely were) and think "logically" or "practically" and assume that the crowds were hungry, so it was time to get everything moving.  BUT, not only had they already witnessed Jesus perform amazing miracles, but they had *just* seen Him exhibit a superhuman degree of love toward the people.  In this case, telling their Teacher that it was a bad time to hang out with the crowds was second-guessing Him - a lack of faith.  Worsening the situation is the fact that, as we learn in John 6:8-9, the bread and fish were donated by a little boy - presumably what his mother had packed him for his meal.  This means that the boy had enough faith to believe that Jesus could truly do something with it, and he was willing to sacrifice his own comfort - both things that the disciples lacked.  This is a poignant example of how we shouldn't assume that those of high religious respect (the disciples then, or clergy, seminary graduates, etc. today) are more godly or spiritually mature, or have more faith, than even the lowliest of believers.  But at the same time, no matter how poorly the disciples are doing in this story so far, it still stands that Jesus chose *them* to be His closest followers - which is wonderful news for us, because we can rest assured that no matter how often or how badly we screw up, God still loves us and craves an intimate relationship with us.

 

Here's another critical thing to notice about this passage:  Jesus instructed them to do something for Him (feed the crowds), but they were unable to do it by themselves (they only had a bit of bread and fish).  So, He did everything they couldn't do for them (miraculously multiplied the food), then provided that for them to carry out His original instructions (He had them pass out the multiplied food).  In just the same way, if God tells you to do something, but it seems impossible, I can guarantee that He will provide a way for you to do it.

 

Finally, let's talk about the fact that there were 12 baskets left over.  I don't put too much weight into Biblical numerology because I believe some groups overdo it to their own doctrinal detriment, but in some cases I think it entirely appropriate, including here.  Sometimes, numbers in Scripture are symbolic.  In this story, I see two possibilities - maybe one's true, maybe they're both wrong, maybe they're both right.  I'm speculating; judge for yourself. :-)  One possibility is that the 12 baskets represent the twelve tribes of Israel, thereby demonstrating a completeness in God's care for and protection of Israel.  In Jesus's day, Israel was suffering greatly under Roman rule and felt quite abandoned by God, so if the people saw the 12 baskets and interpreted it that way, it would have been very impactful.  This would also fit with a prophetic promise of God never abandoning Israel; even though the Church is made mostly up of Gentiles (non-Jews today), Israel is still God's people, and prettymuch the whole point of the End Times is to draw Israel back to Him...so, yes, Israel is very important.  Another possibility is that the 12 baskets represent the twelve disciples.  Since they had just exhibited a lack of faith in Him, it seems to me that witnessing the huge crowd be fed, and then each having an entire basket left over would be an image they wouldn't soon forget, causing the lesson to stick in their minds longer.

P.S. I personally know two people who the above story - food multiplying miraculously - has actually happened.  God still works today.

 

Walking on the Sea

 

22 Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of Him to the other side, while He sent the crowds away.

 

23 After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone.

 

24 But the boat was already a long distance from the land, battered by the waves; for the wind was contrary.

 

25 And in the fourth watch of the night He came to them, walking on the sea.

 

26 When the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, "It is a ghost!"  And they cried out in fear.

 

27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take courage, it is I; do not be afraid."

 

28 Peter said to Him, "Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water."

 

29 And He said, "Come!"  And Peter got out of the boat, and walked on the water and came toward Jesus.

 

30 But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"

 

31 Imediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"

 

32 When they got into the boat, the wind stopped.

 

33 And those who were in the boat worshipped Him, saying, "You are certainly God's Son!"

 

34 When they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennasaret.

 

35 And when teh men of that place recognized Him, they sent word into all that surrounding district and brought to Him all who were sick;

 

36 and they implored Him that they might just touch the fringe of His cloak; and as many as touched it were cured.

 

When we transition to this account, we see that Jesus, at this point, does send the crowds away - so He can go off and pray.  Although we shouldn't get so focused in on our own emotional/spiritual states that we shove everyone out of our lives (like refusing to help someone because you scheduled that time for Bible study - because, in truth, that's wholly counterproductive in getting close to God!), we also need to be careful not to get so burned out from ministry that our own walks with Christ suffer.  I believe with every fiber of my being that this is one of the primary arrows in Satan's quiver.

 

I also find it a bit humorous that (as far as we know) the disciples didn't question Jesus's insistence on doing something they thought odd (staying behind) this time.  They had short-term memories when it came to God's power, just as we all do, but at least the lasted a few hours, lol. ;-)

 

This is one of my absolute favorite stories in the entire Bible because I'm obsessed with the power of water, so to have a God who conquers that amazes me.  If you've been around the ocean or a waterfull or a giant outdoor fountain, you know what I'm talking about. :-)  But beyond that, Matthew's account of this event is my favorite because it's the only one that mentions Peter's excursion out of the boat.  I love this because it's where we fit into the story - it's a symbol of the entire Christian walk.  And it always makes me wonder...Did Jesus wait on the mountain and arrange this whole situation *just* so Peter, one man, could have this personal experience?

 

Okay, so what's the deal with Peter asking Jesus that if it's Him, to command him to come out?  I mean, what kind of test is that - if it wasn't Jesus, couldn't the ghost they thought it was just lie and tell him to come out?  Well, what I think is going on is is Peter knows that the voice of God is POWERFUL, and that ever fiber of his being will recognize it as the very voice of the Almighty.  It's kind of like in Ezekiel 1:28-2:2 when Ezekiel can do nothing but fall on his face at the vision of the Father in His glory, but the Spirit enters him and literally pulls him to his feet - he has no choice in the matter, God is *that* overwhelming.  Just the same, I think Peter knew he would absolutely, completely overwhelmed by the voice of God and automatically climb out of the boat and walk toward Him.  So, is this a way to "test" if the figure was indeed Jesus?  Yes.  Was it also a reaction from deep, deep within his soul to seeing God Himself conquering this storm, stirring up un-squelchable yearnings to just be with the God of the universe?  I think that's definitely it, too!

 

Peter's short stroll on the waves is a great picture of our Christian walks.  So often, it seems we hit the peaks in our walk where we're all gung-ho and take off running.  But then...we get scared and lose faith.  We get bogged down by spiritual warfare, or distracted by sin, or afraid of what other people think will think of us, or afraid of financial issues, or afraid of even physical retaliation, or whatever.  But the irony is, we still believe in God's power, and while we are doubting, we cry out for Him to save us - just as Peter did.  The moment he took his eyes off Jesus and looked at the waves (lesson there!), he lacked the faith to keep walking forward - but he still held faith in God's power to save him.  It's an entirely illogical paradox, but we all do it.  It's like in Mark 9:24 when the man proclaims, "I do believe; help my unbelief!" 

 

So what's Jesus's response?  "You of little faith, why did you doubt?"  From what we know of Jesus's character, I seriously doubt He said that with anger.  Instead, I hear Him saying it very softly and kindly.  He's not reprimanding Peter here, He's gently pointing out the logical flaw we just discussed.  Frankly, I think His point is powerful enough by itself that it doesn't need angry emphasis.  Also notice that Peter didn't have to reach for Jesus - he just called out for Jesus's help, and Jesus extended His hand and grabbed hold of Peter.  God wants to save us, and wants to help us along our walk - we don't have to flail about to get His attention.  He's already there.

 

Finally, let's touch on the healings that went on after they got to the other side.  First of all, if Jesus was exhausted before - and then prayed and walked across a stormy lake - He definitely is now - yet, once agian, He ministers to the crowd despite that.  Second, this is the third set of major miracles in one day - feed the 5,000, walk on the sea, heal a bunch of people.  Yeah, our God rocks. :-)  Third, I wanted to clarify something.  Jesus's cloak was not "magic."  These people wanted to touch His cloak out of reverence - they felt unworthy to make actual contact with the Messiah Himself.  Touching the cloak healed them not because of anything inherent to the cloak, but as a reward for their faith.

 

Got a question?  Think of something I missed?  Leave a comment below. :-)

 

Giving Credit Where It's Due

 

Image Number One: Christ Feeding the Multitude, artist unknown.  Wikipedia.  {{PD-1923}} Public domain in the United States.

 

Image Number Two: Walking on Water, by Ivan Aivazovsky.  Wikipedia.  {{PD-1923}} Public domain in the United States.

The Sower: A Parable, and So Much More - Matthew 13:1-23

Setting the Scene

 

1 That day Jesus went out of the house and was sitting by the sea.

 

2 And large crowds gathered to Him, so He got into a boat and sat down, and the whole crowd was standing on the beach.

 

We open with Jesus taking a little daytrip to the beach.  It could be that He needed some time to be alone with God and His thoughts, as we see Him do elsewhere, but when the crowds showed up He chose to minister to them anyway - as we also see elsewhere.  Or, it could be that He wanted to preach to a large crowd, and knew that houses could only hold a small number of peole (usually 30-35 maximum, at this time).

 

Now, what about that boat?  We see elsewhere in Scripture that Jesus has to get on a boat just to create a little distance so the crowds don't crush him in their effort to be in the "front row."  Here's another cool thing - open water acts as a microphone.  If you've ever been on a really big lake, you know how well this works (I saw it in action this past summer at the Great Salt Lake).  So, getting out on the open water would have been a way for Jesus to ensure that the entire crowd could hear Him.

 

Okay, so we've got some ideas as to what Jesus is doing and why.  Let's look at the first parable itself, now.

 

This is a long passage with related information separated by large spans, so for organizational purposes, we'll look at: < 3 > < 4, 19 > < 5-6, 20-22 > < 7, 22 > and < 8, 23 > to join the parable and Jesus's explanations together, and then we'll come back to the part in the middle < 9-18 > for His discussion with the disciples.

 

Fair warning: We're going to skim the surface of some very controversial issues today - predestination, losing your salvation, the role of good works, what happens to those who don't comprehend the Gospel, and God hardening people's hearts.  Yeah...we've got our work cut out for us, eh? :-)

 

The Sower

 

3 And He spoke many things to them in parables, saying, "Behold, the sower went out to sow;"

 

A sower is a planter whose job it is to scatter seeds on the ground.  In this case, the seeds are the Gospel, and the sower is God (God as Jesus or God as the Holy Spirit, in different cases and depending on your view).

 

There's something fascinating here: God scatters the seed - extends the Gospel, His offer of forgiveness - to every single human being.  What determines whether or not the seed takes root is what kind of soil they are - that is, the state of their heart.  If God predestined certain people to follow Him and certain people to go to hell, why would He bother scattering the seed to everyone?  Just a thought.  No, the answer is that the choice to accept or reject His offer is all on us.  We'll revisit this when we get to verses 9-18.

 

By the Road and Eaten by Birds

 

4 and as he sowed, some seeds fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate them up.

 

19 When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart.  This is the one on whom seed was sown beside the road.

 

Here we see some people who God reaches out to, but they don't understand His message.  Then, the devil encourages them to not bother wasting time thinking about something too "difficult" for them to understand.

 

Here's the thing: We know that every person, even those in far-off countries who have never heard the Gospel in their live, has access to God if they're willing to respond to His presence, and He promises to reveal Himself and His forgiveness to them if they just seek Him.  I've actually heard of this in action in some Muslim countries - people have no access to Bibles or missionaries or anything like that, but God speaks to them in a dream and they come to accept Jesus from that.  God really, truly is not limited by human access - He can call anyone to Him, anywhere.

 

So, it is clear that He hasn't made some vague philosophy that require years of contemplation to catch a glimpse of like some Eastern religions.  "Understanding" here does not mean mental capability.  Rather, it is meant in the sense we will see in verses 19-23, and in the sense of John 1:5, "The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." - a refusal to understand.  God reaches out to everyone, but some people refuse to accept that they're wrong about anything, and don't want to consider the possibility that their worldview is incorrect because that is guaranteed to cause some serious changes in their life.  When these people refuse to let the Word inflitrate their hearts, Satan capitalizes on the situation and encourages them not to consider what God is trying to reveal.  Simply, they had the opportunity, and they refused to take it.

 

(Remember the < birds = Satan and his demonic forces > thing; we'll see that in another parable!)

 

On the Rocks

 

5 Others fell on the rocky places, where they did not have much soil; and immediately they sprang up, because they had no depth of soil.

 

6 But when the sun had risen, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away.

 

20 The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy;

 

21 yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away.

 

These people are fair-weather friends to God.  They want the happy part - forgiveness and blessings - but they're not willing to accept the persecution, the laying down your life (physically and in daily actions and interactions) for Christ.

 

Thomas a Kempis commented on this when He said, "Jesus hath many lovers of His heavenly kingdom, but few bearers of His Cross.  He hath many desirous of consolation, but few of tribulation.  Many love Jesus so long as no adversities befall them."

 

They sprouted plants - they were genuinely saved - but once they figured out that allowing God to transform you into becoming like His Son (the ultimate goal of salvation!) isn't easy, they decided it wasn't for them.  Yes, it is possible to lose your salvation by choosing to reject God - see Romans 11:17-24 and Hebrews 10:26-31.

 

It is NOT that your good works earn you salvation, it is that if you genuinely want forgiveness, that means you want to genuinely be like God - so if you refuse the ways He is using make you like Him (trials, tests, and tribulations), then clearly you don't really want to be like Him with all your heart.

 

In the Briar Patch

 



7 Others fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked them out.

 

22 And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the decietfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful.

 

These thorns are anything that distract us from God to the point that we put them above God - these are idols - it may be wealth, or fame, or power, or security, or a romantic relationship, or a group of friends, or a lifelong dream.

 

Now, please note, as we've discussed before, that this is not talking about struggling with sin - that's "growing pains," it's to be expected and is evidence of trying to overcome your sinful nature and become like Christ.  Rather, if you ever get to the point that you say, "I know it's wrong, but I want it anyway," that is when you need to honestly be concerned for your soul.

 

This parable could certainly apply to people who won't accept the Gospel because they like their current lifestyles too much, but it also applies to Christians who refuse (not struggle to give up - refuse) the idols in their lives.  The latter seems closest since verse 22 mentions it becoming unfruitful.

 

Healthy Plants

 

8 And others fell on the good soil and yielded a crop, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.

 

23 And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty."

 

Finally!  The optimistic one! :-)

 

We see here that those who are true believers consider the Gospel and decide to accept it, are willing to act on it, and because they're willing to act on it, good results.

 

This good - the hundreds, sixties, and thirties bit - may be in the form of sharing the gospel with others, or discipling others, or ministering to others, or accomplishing work for God's kingdom in some other capacity.  It has absolutely nothing to do with numbers - it's just saying that when you strive to follow God, good will eventually come of it, even when you can't see it.

 

Those Aren't Exactly Uplifting Odds!

 

In this parable, there are three broad groups of people who ultimately reject Jesus, and one group that accepts Him and chooses to follow Him with all their heart.  That's not to say that exactly 25% of humans are saved; it's the point out how few there really are.  Jesus did say in Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it.  For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it."  You may have heard statistics of the number of "Christians" in the world that seems to contradict this, but remember, not everyone who claims to be a Christian really is, whether they're lying to you or to themselves.

 

So, I ask you today: Which type of soil are you?  Have you accepted God's forgiveness?  And have you stuck with it, or have you allowed difficulties or any idols in your life to pull you away?  Repent TODAY, and turn to God!  If you would like to learn how to accept Jesus as your Savior and as the Lord of your life, click here or click on the tab above titled, "How to Receive Salvation."  Is English not your first language?  Click here to learn the Gospel in other languages, as well!

 

More on the Parable, Besides the Parable

 

9 "He who has ears, let him hear."

 

10 And the disciples came and said to Him, "Why do You speak to them in parables?"

 

11 Jesus answered them, "To you it has been granted to know the mystery of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.

 

12 "For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him.

 

13 "Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

 

14 "In this case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, 'YOU WILL KEEP ON HEARING, BUT WILL NOT UNDERSTAND; YOU WILL KEEP ON SEEING, BUT WILL NOT PERCIEVE;

 

15 FOR THE HEART OF THIS PEOPLE HAS BECOME DULL, WITH THEIR EARS THEY SCARCELY HEAR, AND THEY HAVE CLOSED THEIR EYES, OTHERWISE THEY WOULD SEE WITH THEIR EYES, HEAR WITH THEIR EARS, AND UNDERSTAND WITH THEM AND RETURN, AND I WOULD HEAL THEM.'

 

16 "But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and you ears, because they hear.

 

17 "For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see wha you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it."

 



The whole point is that those who genuinely want to understand what God has to say will be rewarded with understanding, and those who don't care or are offended by what God has to say will stop of their ears (psychologically, not physically).  I  love how the Amplified version of the Bible phrases Mark 4:24: "And He said to them, Be careful what you are hearing.  The measure [of thought and study] you give [to the truth you hear] will be the measure [of virtue and knowledge] that comes back to you - and more [besides] will be given to you who hear."  The disciples (remember, this isn't just the 12; disciples means His followers) are probing deeper because they want to understand - they're asking questions.  Because of their diligence, dedication, and hunger for the truth, Jesus is blessing them with understanding.  While there were surely some among the crowd that day who genuinely wanted to follow Jesus, it seems the vast majority of them were just there for the show - they had no interest in hearing talk of laying down their lives, difficulties, and tribulation.

 

A quick clarification: Verse 12 sounds horrible when taken out of context, but within the context of this passage, it's simply saying that those who have a little understanding of God's Word (presumably) through their own efforts will be given more by God, spiritually, but for those who don't bother learning what God has to say, He will ensure they have no udnerstanding at all.

 

We learn two lessons from this: (1) We need to be diligent to contemplate and study God's Word if we truly want to understand the riches it holds.  (2) We need to be willing to truly hear what He has to say, even if it's not something pleasant.

 

Finally, look at how beautiful verse 17 is!  God waited until 2000 years ago to reveal His Messiah; before then, many godly men like the prophets yearned to meet the Messiah in their lifetimes, but could not.  We should consider it an immense blessing that we were born into a time when God's ultimate plan for salvation is clear, and when we can have our own Bibles and not have to rely on a priesthood for the source of all communication with God.

 

Talk to Me!

 

What types of soils have you been at different points in your life?

 

Do you have anything you'd like to ad?

 

Is there anything I didn't make clear, or did today's post spark other questions?

 

Giving Credit Where It's Due

 

Image Number One: Representation of the Sower's Parable from Sts. Konstantine and Helen Orthodox Church in Romania.  Photograph by Sulfababy.  Wikimedia Commons.  Public Domain.

 

Image Number Two: Two ravens standing guard at the Tower of London.  Photography by Cj005257.  Wikipedia.  Used by permission.

 

Image Number Three: The rocky side of a mountain creek near Orosi, Costa Rica.  Photograph by Dirk van der Made.  Wikipedia.  Used by permission.

 

Image Number Four: Rose Prickles.  Photograph by JJ Harrison.  Wikipedia.  Used by permission.

 

Image Number Five: Traditional apple orchard in Eastwood, Essex.  Photograph by Graham Burnett.  Wikipedia.  Used by permission.

 

Image Number Six: Image of a human ear showing vestigial muscles.  By Thomas Woolner.  Wikipedia Commons.  {{PD-1923}} Pubic domain in the United States.