One In Jesus

(Mat 6:7-8 ESV)  “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words.  8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

This has always been one of my favorite verses, because Jesus insists on short prayers. Of course. He has to listen to them all, and I’m sure he developed a taste for brevity a very long time ago. Continue reading →

I have some questions about this passage —

(Mat 6:1-6 ESV) “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

2 “Thus, when you give to the needy, sound no trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may be praised by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

5 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 6 But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

(Mat 6:16-18 ESV)  “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward.  17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face,  18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

Notice that Jesus inserts the Lord’s Prayer in the midst of three examples condemning hypocrisy. Why? Well, that’s for post on the Lord’s Prayer.

“Hypocrite” translates the Greek word for actor — someone who plays a part. And he is accusing some Jews of doing their good works to build their reputation in the community. And in an honor culture, this makes consideration sense. If what’s important to you is how you’re perceived rather than how good you are, announce your good deeds as loudly as possible. And we have plenty examples of the Greeks and Romans acting the same way. But, of course, Jesus expects more from us than pagan standards of morality. Continue reading →

So, to return to an outline of the SOTM I suggested several posts ago —

When is it?

It’s the dawn of the Kingdom promised by the Law and the Prophets. Therefore, it’s time to turn back toward God (to repent) and to anticipate the coming of the Messiah and the outpouring of the Spirit. And when the Kingdom promises come true, it will be the poor in spirit, the meek, etc. who find themselves blessed. God’s promises are sure.

Who are we?

We are the light of the world, the salt of the earth. We are the people through whom God has chosen to reveal his light to the world in hopes that the entire world will be saved. If the world doesn’t see our light, it’s because we’ve hidden it.

To change metaphors, if God isn’t giving the increase, it’s not God’s fault. We must not be sowing the word. We must be hiding God’s light shining through us under a basket.

Continue reading →

Let’s talk a little hermeneutics. I’ve disagreed with McKnight’s interpretation of several of these passages because I disagree with his hermeneutics. He sees Jesus as legislating new laws because Jesus disagrees with Moses on various points. I disagree.

After all, the Law of Moses is really God’s law. Jesus cannot disagree with God. And Jesus himself told us how to read the rest of the SOTM:

(Mat 5:19-20 ESV)  19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.

What could be crazier than Jesus saying these words and then repealing the Law of Moses to replace it with a better law? Rather, I’m convinced that Jesus is telling us how we should have been reading the Torah all along. He showing us how to do hermeneutics better than the scribes and the Pharisees.  Continue reading →

(Mat 5:43-48 ESV) “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’  44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,  45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same?  47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

I find myself frequently quoting this passage. In fact, in my decade or so of being an elder, I’ve found the SOTM to repeatedly provide answers to pastoral problems. To me, it’s the central passage on how to lead a church. Continue reading →

I’m finding myself in the just war camp. I’m not 100% comfortable here, but it makes better sense to me than anything else I’ve heard.

History

The doctrine defining a just war goes back to Augustine. Augustine was a bishop at a time when the Roman Empire had adopted Christianity as its official religion. Therefore, the Caesar was a Christian, and the question quite naturally arose as to when a Christian emperor could order troops into the battlefield.

This was also a time when northern European tribes (“barbarians”) were invading Rome. Rome had to either wage war or turn the Empire over the barbarians. Continue reading →