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Context Matters: Count the Cost

April 1, 2019 By Ryan Higginbottom

Michael Longmire (2018), public domain

Perhaps you’ve heard that Christians need to count the cost. They must plan and be prepared; they should always know what they’re getting into.

The advice to “count the cost” often comes up when raising money for a new building or a missions trip. (Let’s color in that thermometer!) I’ve also heard people use this expression when launching a project or undertaking a new venture.

What does Jesus mean by this little phrase? In Scripture as in life, context matters. If we learn to read the Bible properly—instead of as a loose collection of proverbs and pull-quotes—we’ll find that some familiar phrases and verses have far different meanings than we’ve assumed.

Jesus Teaches About Discipleship

The phrase “count the cost” (or “calculate the cost”) only appears one place in the Bible: Luke 14:28. The larger context is Luke 14:25–35, where Jesus lays out the demands of being his disciple.

Jesus punctuates this sermon with three statements about what qualifies a person to be his disciple; the phrase “cannot be my disciple” appears in verses 26, 27, and 33.

These are indeed hard sayings!

If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple. […] So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. (Luke 14:26–27,33)

It is between the second and third warning that Jesus uses two illustrations about counting the cost. In the first (Luke 14:28–30), Jesus tells of a man who wanted to build a tower. If the builder lacks the proper finances and supplies, he will end up with an unfinished project and ridicule. In the second illustration (Luke 14:31–32), a king ponders an upcoming battle. Outnumbered two-to-one, if he foresees disaster for his army, he will pull out of the fight and ask for a peace treaty.

In the first illustration, the question is: Do I have enough? In the second: Am I strong enough?

What is the Cost?

In the middle of a discourse on discipleship, Jesus’s illustrations raise a natural question: What is the cost of being a disciple of Jesus?

The answer from Jesus flashes as stark as lightning. “So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). Combined with verses 26 and 27, the comprehensive answer is as simple as it is difficult. Being a disciple of Jesus may cost you everything.

Christian discipleship is not about frequent cost-counting and recalibration. It must be obvious from the beginning of your journey with Jesus that you may lose everything. In fact, you must be willing to lose all family, all possessions, all respect, all dignity—even your very life—as a Christian disciple.

The question of counting the cost only needs to be raised once, because the answer is always the same. The only fruitful disciples are those who are willing to drop everything, as Jesus highlights in the last two verses of this chapter (Luke 14:34–35). Like tasteless salt, a Christian still clinging to family, possessions, or life is not effective or useful.

Lose Everything to Gain Everything

Jesus demands everything of his followers. But those who give up everything for Jesus will not find loss, but gain. Those who have Jesus have everything.

And in giving up everything, Christian disciples follow the pattern of the same Jesus who issues the call. He laid aside all family, possessions, relationships, glory, and dignity—at both his incarnation and at the cross—to purchase the salvation of his people.

Have you counted the cost of following Jesus? There is no discount, and the bill is extreme. But Jesus supplies what you lack and gives joy along the path.

Context matters.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

Context Matters: God Won’t Give You More Than You Can Handle

March 22, 2019 By Peter Krol

Perhaps you’ve heard that God will never give you more than you can handle. That, when life turns against you and sin bares its fangs, you can get through it with enough courage and persevering faith.

Context matters. When we learn to read the Bible properly—and not merely as a collection of quotable quotes or inspirational sayings—we’ll find that some of our most familiar sayings aren’t actually in the Bible.

Biblical Context

First, we should deal with the fact that the larger biblical witness clearly contradicts the statement that “God won’t give you more than you can handle.”

Just ask Job, whose vexation at his condition was heavier than the sand of the sea (Job 6:2-3). He would prefer to be crushed than to have to handle his situation any longer (Job 6:8-9). He loathed his own life (Job 7:16) and wished God would lay off him long enough that he could swallow his spit (Job 7:19). And these things all come from only one of his speeches!

Just ask the psalmist (perhaps David), who also asks God to look away from him so he can smile again (Ps 39:13).

Just ask Jonah, who was so completely unable to handle what God gave him that he figuratively died from it (Jon 2:1-3), and later wished he could literally die (Jon 4:8-9).

The consistent biblical witness is that: God gives people more than they can handle so they will learn to trust that only he can handle it. The common aphorism that “God won’t give you more than you can handle” is triumphalistic nonsense that fails to account for the common human need for lament through deep suffering.

Lauren Macdonald (2014), Creative Commons

Literary Context

The phrase “God won’t give you more than you can handle” won’t show up in a Bible keyword search. Just try it. This mistaken sentiment typically arises from a superficial reading of 1 Cor 10:13, which warrants a closer look.

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Cor 10:13)

This glorious verse sets up Paul’s chief command in this passage: “Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry” (1 Cor 10:14). How did he get here?

In this section of the letter (beginning with 1 Cor 7:1), Paul answers a number of questions the Corinthians had asked him in a letter. In 1 Cor 8:1, he takes up the question of what to do with food sacrificed to idols—a major source of meat in the Corinthian market.

In chapter 8, he gives a preliminary answer that knowledge is important and helpful: There is only one God; therefore eating meat that was sacrificed to a non-existing entity doesn’t really matter. However, what’s even more important than true knowledge about the spiritual realm is love for other believers. If eating this meat might tempt someone back into worship of those idols, don’t do it. Therefore, we can restrict our liberty (due to mature knowledge) at times to serve others.

In chapter 9, Paul uses himself as a positive example. He restricts his liberty, his right, to get paid as a minister. He does this out of love, so he can preach the gospel to more people.

Then in chapter 10, Paul uses Israel’s wilderness generation as a negative example. They took their privileges and liberties for granted. As a result, they fell into idolatry and immorality, and God removed their right to life.

Paul’s point is simply: Liberty + selfishness = idolatry and death. But liberty + love = greater gospel impact on people’s lives.

In this context, he states that “no temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man.” In other words, don’t look down on the characters of Scripture as boneheads. You’re no different than they! You think you can eat meat sacrificed to an idol and not get sucked back into idolatry? You think you’re beyond this? You should remember you have the same inclination toward pride and self-trust as the ancient Israelites. And that temptation will lead nowhere good.

“God…will not let you be tempted beyond your ability.” He doesn’t say he won’t give you more than you can handle. He says that whatever temptation you face will always have an escape. The rock that is Christ still follows you through your wilderness, pronouncing blessing and spewing life. When you can’t handle your circumstances, don’t forget that he can.

Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.

Context matters.

Thanks to Andrew J for the idea for this post.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

Context Matters: This is the Day the Lord has Made

March 15, 2019 By Peter Krol

Perhaps you’ve heard that this is the day the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it (Ps 118:24)! But what makes today any more joyful than another day? And has God not made all the other days?

Context matters. When we learn to read the Bible properly—and not simply as fodder for tired slogans—we’ll find that some of our most familiar verses have a surprising power to change our lives.

State Library of South Australia, Creative Commons

Analysis of the Psalm

I’ve written before on Psalm 118, where I analyzed the poem’s structure and flow of thought. I won’t repeat that material here, but will assume it and move directly to the verse in question.

Processional

Psalm 118:19 begins the victory parade for the returning, victorious king. He starts at the gates of Jerusalem (Ps 118:19), gathers a crowd (Ps 119:20), moves up toward the temple (Ps 118:26), and ends up inside the temple complex at the altar for burnt offering (Ps 118:27b).

It is during this homecoming parade—right where the celebration moves from the lips of the king (the singular “I” and “my” in Ps 118:19-21) to the responsive cries of the people (the plural “us” and “our” in Ps 118:23-27)—that the people proclaim God’s great joke. Their king, who had been rejected by the warring nations surrounding him (Ps 118:10-13), now takes his rightful place as the cornerstone of God’s world-building project.

“The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is Yahweh’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes” (Ps 118:22-23)

It is at this moment that they beg God to save them (Ps 118:25) and offer a sacrifice to take their place (Ps 118:27).

This day—the day of salvation, the day of praise and thanksgiving for rescuing them through their rejected king, the day of lavish feasting—is the day Yahweh made (Ps 118:24). They have much reason to rejoice and be glad, for their God has had the last laugh against their enemies.

Another Such Day Comes

Yet another such day would come. The Jews sang Psalm 118 annually at the feast of the Passover, which explains why it was on their minds when Jesus rode through the gates of Jerusalem like a returning king (Matt 21:9). This also explains why this psalm was on Jesus’ mind when he went to inspect the temple (Mark 11:10-12).

There was a feast on, but these people couldn’t even recognize the one they were supposedly celebrating (Mark 14:1-2).

King Jesus rides through the gates and up to the temple, but he receives no blessing. He never binds the festal sacrifice to the horns of the altar (Ps 118:27); instead he reinterprets the sacrifice around himself and what he’s about to do (Luke 22:14-20). Then he becomes the sacrifice himself.

And this king is not rejected by the surrounding nations. He is rejected by his own people (Matt 26:63-66, John 1:11). And in this way salvation comes to the world (John 3:17, Rom 11:11-12).

“Save us, we pray, O Yahweh! O Yahweh, we pray, give us success!” (Ps 118:25).

Now this is something worth celebrating. This is the day the Lord has made. This is a day that can change your life. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Context matters.

Thanks to Elizabeth H for the idea for this post.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

Context Matters: I Can Do All Things Through Him Who Strengthens Me

March 8, 2019 By Peter Krol

Perhaps you’ve seen the face paint or placard at an athletic event: “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Sometimes the mere reference “Phil 4:13” is enough to inspire. Perhaps you’ve drawn on this verse to motivate your best efforts and deep confidence. But is that what Paul had in mind when he wrote it?

Context matters. When we learn to read the Bible properly—and not merely as a collection of proof-texts for personal inspiration—we’ll find that some of our most familiar verses speak to situations we hadn’t considered.

Encouraging Quotes (2016), Creative Commons

What are the “All Things”?

Phil 4:13 ends a paragraph where Paul expresses joy at how concerned the Philippian church has been for him. And their “concern” was expressed through financial support of his ministry (Phil 4:15-16, 18).

Paul rejoices at their concern for him, but he wants to make sure they know that he is not in grave need (Phil 4:11). His need is not great because he has learned to be content in whatever situation he finds himself. He knows how be brought low, and he knows how to abound. He can handle plenty and abundance. He can handle hunger and need (Phil 4:12).

In other words, in all circumstances, he has learned how to be content with his lot, and to make it last as long as it must. How can he do this?

Because the one who strengthens him enables him to do it. He can survive any and every situation without panicking or being anxious. So these are the “all things” he can do: plenty and hunger, abundance and need. He can do (live with) them all, for whatever he has is just enough.

Why Does Paul Say This?

We know from the historical context that the Philippian Christians were not wealthy people themselves. Their generous contributions to Paul were given as a test of affliction, despite their extreme poverty (2 Cor 8:1-2). Though they have expressed their “concern” for Paul by giving generously, Paul has his own concern: that they may have given even beyond their means (2 Cor 8:3). This gives him a great opportunity to spur on the wealthier Corinthians to greater generosity. But it leaves him in a tough spot with the Philippians.

Is it really in their best interests to continue giving to him when they have greater need than he does?

So it’s likely that one of Paul’s motives for writing to the Philippians was to ask them to stop giving! He makes his request in quite a roundabout way, so as not to communicate any lack of gratitude.

“It was kind of you to share in my trouble” (Phil 4:14).
No church partnered with me financially except you (Phil 4:15).
You gave time and again during my time in Thessalonica (Phil 4:16).
I don’t want your money, though I am so grateful for the fruit it has borne, which is to your credit (Phil 4:17).
I’ve received it all. I’ve received enough, and more. I am well supplied already (Phil 4:18).
My God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19). In other words, may God continue to grant you exceptional contentment in all circumstances.

Conclusion

Paul wants the Philippians to know that, while he is tremendously grateful for their donations, he does not need them to keep giving for him to continue in ministry. In case they fear he’ll go bankrupt without them, he wants them to know that the Lord Jesus strengthens him to endure both plenty and need, making the most of his available resources.

Context matters.

Thanks to Alison and Daniel for the idea for this post.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

Context Matters: Forgetting What Lies Behind

March 1, 2019 By Peter Krol

Perhaps you’ve heard that you ought not dwell too much on the past. Especially your regrets, failures, or inadequacies. Or maybe you’ve been to a business seminar, inspiring you to keep the past in the past and press on toward a glorious vision of the company’s future. At such times, especially if it was a Christian business conference, you may have heard reference to Phil 3:13: “…forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead…” Now are these things really what Paul had in mind?

Context matters. When we learn to read the Bible properly—and not merely as a collection of sound bites or independent proverbial sayings—we’ll find that some of our most familiar verses mean something other than what we may have assumed.

The Statement

Believe it or not, the phrase in question is part of a complete sentence:

“But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” (Phil 3:13b-14)

Paul states that he does one thing. And this one thing has three parts.

Forgetting what lies behind
Straining forward to what lies ahead
Pressing on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

The first two parts set up the third part. So the “one thing” is really just the third part. The first two parts are the prerequisites for the third part.

So what Paul is after is to press on toward the goal, which is the prize of God’s upward call in Christ Jesus. Now what does that mean?

Haakon von Martinsky (2014), Creative Commons

Work Backwards

The sentence immediately before this is: “Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own” (Phil 3:13a). A critical interpretive question we ought to ask is: “What is ‘it’?” What is the thing Paul has not yet made his own?

Going back one more sentence, we see: “Not that I have already obtained this…but I press on to make it my own…” (Phil 3:12). So here we see Paul pressing on for something—a good sign that it’s the same thing as “the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” But we still don’t know what “it” is. What is the thing Paul wants to make his own, which he has not yet obtained?

Going back one more sentence, we hit a very long sentence, which ends like this:

“…that I may know him and the power of his resurrection…that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead” (Phil 3:10-11).

Now we’re getting somewhere! So the thing Paul presses on toward, that he wants to attain, is the resurrection of the dead. So it makes sense that he would later call this “the upward call.” Just as God called his Son Jesus Christ up from the grave to new life, so he calls Paul to new life, to resurrection from the dead.

Now how does this affect the way we read the phrase “forgetting what lies behind”?

The Things Paul Left Behind

We must go back a little further into the context to see what exactly Paul has left behind. What has made up his “life,” according to which he must “die” (Phil 3:10), so he might attain to resurrection?

In verse 3, Paul claims to be part of “the circumcision,” which is defined as those “who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh.” This is in contrast to the dogs and evildoers who “mutilate the flesh” (Phil 3:2). So circumcision is not about mutilating flesh—about cutting off a foreskin—but about putting no confidence in the flesh.

Paul has much reason for confidence in the flesh (Phil 3:4-6). Circumcised on the eighth day, an Israelite from the tribe of Benjamin, a superb Hebrew, a meticulous keeper of the Law, a zealous persecutor of “false” religions, a blameless adherent to the righteousness of the law.

“But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ and be found in him” (Phil 3:7-9).

So all that important stuff that made up Paul’s pedigree—all the things in which he had taken pride—are now considered but manure scrapings stuck to his sandals. He was happy to lose it all for the sake of Christ. He has suffered the loss of these things so he might have new life in Christ. He has thereby shared in Christ’s sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that he might attain the resurrection from the dead (Phil 3:10-11).

Conclusion

So that which lies behind Paul, which he is committed to “forget,” is all the great stuff on his spiritual CV that formerly shaped his identity. It was all his accomplishments, his law-keeping, his zeal for God, and his righteousness. He sets all these things aside so he might obtain new life, resurrection, through knowing Jesus and becoming like him.

So this verse is not about forgetting your failures or regrets. (In fact, it’s often important to remember these things to highlight God’s grace at work in you – Eph 2:1-4, 11-13.) And it’s not about casting vision for the future. It’s about repenting of your self-reliance, and coming to realize you have absolutely nothing to offer to make you right with God. Even your obedience to God and your ministry in service to him—such things ought never be your confidence.

“Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you” (Phil 3:15).

Context matters.

Thanks to Josh T for the idea for this post, and for showing me the flow of Paul’s argument in Philippians 3.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

Context Matters: The God-Breathed Scripture

February 22, 2019 By Peter Krol

Perhaps you’ve heard that the Scriptures were breathed out by God, and that they are profitable for teaching and for training in righteousness. 2 Timothy 3:16 is everyone’s go-to verse when explaining the Bible’s doctrine of itself, and rightly so. But have you considered what exactly Paul meant by this verse at the time he wrote it (Hint: He wasn’t authoring a systematic theology)? And how this verse would have landed with Timothy when he read his mentor’s letter?

Context matters. When we learn to read the Bible properly—and not merely as a collection of proof-texts for Christian doctrine—we’ll find that some of our most familiar verses have a depth we hadn’t noticed.

Paul’s Argument

See last week’s post for an explanation of the argument of 2 Timothy. The key point to remember for this week’s passage is that we’re at the end of a section where Paul instructs Timothy in how to deal with controversy in the church (2 Tim 2:14-3:17). Particularly when there are detractors swerving from the faith and challenging Timothy’s ministry.

Timothy is to learn from and follow Paul’s example in enduring persecution (2 Tim 3:10-12). He is to continue teaching the Scriptures he’s learned (2 Tim 3:14-15).

And he ought to draw confidence from the fact that the Scriptures he’s teaching are God’s own words (2 Tim 3:16). They will succeed at making Timothy a useful servant in God’s house (2 Tim 3:17).

Paul’s language

The words and phrases Paul uses in this beloved verse are carefully chosen to reinforce the points made all throughout the letter.

All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (2 Ti 3:16).

All Scripture is breathed out by God—In 2 Tim 2:19, Paul paraphrases a few verses from Numbers 16 to show that God vindicates his servants against their detractors. Timothy does not need to defend himself; the Lord will defend him. Timothy must only continue (2 Tim 3:14) in preaching the word (2 Tim 1:6, 4:2). In so doing, he is speaking with the power and the love of God himself (2 Tim 1:7).
And profitable—Part of Timothy’s mandate is that he be useful in God’s house (2 Tim 2:21). The Scriptures are responsible and adequate to produce that usefulness in him.
For teaching—Paul was appointed to be a teacher (2 Tim 1:11), and Timothy is to train teachers (2 Tim 2:2). Timothy himself must be able to teach (2 Tim 2:24) so he can correct opponents. Timothy has followed Paul’s teaching (2 Tim 3:10). People will not always endure sound teaching (2 Tim 4:3), but Timothy must persist in it completely (2 Tim 4:2).
For reproof—Reproving is a part of preaching (2 Tim 4:2), and is required when detractors swerve from the truth and upset the faith of some (2 Tim 2:17-18).
For correction—The Scripture provide Timothy the ammunition to correct his opponents gently, in hopes that God may grant them repentance (2 Tim 2:25).
For training in righteousness—Timothy must have nothing to do with ignorant, that is “untrained,” controversies (2 Tim 2:23), but he is to train people with gentleness (2 Tim 2:25). He’s already been taught by Paul to value training in godliness, which has value in every way (1 Tim 4:6-8). As he pursues righteousness (2 Tim 2:22) and calls people to depart from unrighteousness (2 Tim 2:19), the Scripture will both train him in righteousness (2 Tim 3:16) and prepare him to receive a crown of righteousness from the judge of righteousness (2 Tim 4:8).

Paul’s Purpose

These glorious truths about the Scripture are not simply to be believed and revered. They are also to produce a harvest in the life of the preacher.

…that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work (2 Ti 3:17).

This verse forms an inclusio (bookend) with the beginning of the section, where Paul gives a metaphor to describe Timothy’s responsibility during controversy:

Now in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver but also of wood and clay, some for honorable use, some for dishonorable. Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work (2 Ti 2:20–21).

Timothy is to be one of those useful vessels, set apart for honorable use. He is not to be like the useless teachers who constantly quarrel about words and pursue irreverent babble (2 Tim 2:14, 16). As he teaches the Scripture (2 Tim 2:15) with competence, patience (2 Tim 2:24), and gentleness (2 Tim 2:25), he will have been equipped to usefully perform every good work.

These works cannot save him (2 Tim 1:9). But they will bolster his confidence when he’s tempted to shame (2 Tim 2:15, 1:8), thus equipping him to do his critical work of evangelism (2 Tim 4:5).

Conclusion

2 Timothy 3:16 has profound implications for our doctrine of Scripture. But Paul would not be satisfied with our reading of his letter without a correspondingly profound impact on the competence and the perseverance of a teacher’s ministry of the word.

Context matters.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

Context Matters: The Unashamed, Approved Worker

February 15, 2019 By Peter Krol

Perhaps you’ve seen the latest internet firestorm where that Bible teacher was attacked and discredited for saying something controversial. Or perhaps you’ve been through the drama in your own church where a faction of people didn’t like the pastor and called for his removal, or at least for a recanting of a certain teaching. These situations are scary and tense, drawing out the worst in all of us.

Context matters. When we learn to read the Bible properly—and not as a collection of disconnected proverbial sayings—we’ll find that some of our most famous mantras connect in unexpected and profound ways with real life.

Paul’s Thesis in 2 Timothy

Before diving into a particular verse (2 Tim 2:15), we ought to grasp Paul’s thesis which drives the letter:

For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. (2 Tim 1:6-7)

Comparing this statement with Paul’s comments in 1 Tim 4:13-16, we see that “the gift of God” which Timothy received through the “laying on of hands” was his preaching and teaching ministry. Paul’s second letter to Timothy has as its chief objective the flourishing of Timothy’s preaching, in the wake of Paul’s impending execution, from a spirit of power and love and self-control.

Paul’s Argument

Paul’s argument then moves through:

the consequences of Timothy’s preaching: suffering, which will tempt him to shame (2 Tim 1:8-12)
the content of Timothy’s preaching: the pattern of sound words, the deposit, received from Paul and rejected by many (2 Tim 1:13-18)
the continuation of Timothy’s preaching: being strengthened by grace (2 Tim 2:1, 8-13) to entrust this ministry to the faithful few (2 Tim 2:2-7)

Now Paul moves into a lengthy section about the confrontation of Timothy’s preaching (2 Tim 2:14-3:17).¹

Immediate Context

Why do I say this section is about confrontation?

2 Tim 2:14 calls Timothy to remind his faithful men (from 2 Tim 2:2) not to quarrel about words, lest they ruin their hearers.
2 Tim 2:16 calls him to avoid irreverent babble.
2 Tim 2:17-18 gives an example of a two such quarreling babblers, who have been upsetting the faith of some in Timothy’s congregation in Ephesus.

So this paragraph (2 Tim 2:14-19) is all about confronting, in Timothy’s own community, the false teachers, who declare that the resurrection has already happened. This teaching is to be condemned, as the coming resurrection is a critical motivator for those who will suffer for the true faith. Remember Jesus Christ, who rose from the dead (2 Tim 2:8). If we die with him, we will also live with him (2 Tim 2:11). If the resurrection has already taken place, and we’ve missed it, why bother enduring?

So in the midst of his instructions of what not to do in the face of detractors—don’t quarrel, don’t let your men quarrel on your behalf, and avoid irreverent babble—Paul also gives Timothy a suggestion of what to do: Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved (2 Tim 2:15).

What This Means

When a church leader or Bible teacher faces opposition from within the Christian community, the chief temptation will be to go on the attack. To engage in quarreling and to justify it by calling it “debate.” Paul is not saying that debate is always unhelpful; he’s only saying that it’s not the best way forward in the face of direct opposition.

Rather, the man of God (2 Tim 3:17), the Lord’s servant (2 Tim 2:24), the ordained leader of the church (2 Tim 1:6) ought to redouble his efforts to preach the word (2 Tim 4:2). He must fan this gift into flame. He must follow this pattern of sound words. He must guard this good deposit (2 Tim 1:14) and keep proclaiming it simply and clearly.

As he handles the word of truth rightly and accurately, he has no need to be ashamed (though he will still be tempted to shame when he suffers opposition from his detractors – 2 Tim 1:8). God will vindicate this faithful Bible expositor as the one he approves, over against the false teachers. The way the man of God demonstrates his vindication—his approval by God for his task of preaching the word—is by clearly and faithfully opening God’s word, skillfully setting it before the people, and proclaiming God’s message with God’s authority, week after week after week.

Paul will go on to say that he must do this with kindness, competence, and patience (2 Tim 2:24). He must correct opponents gently (2 Tim 2:25). As he continues proclaiming the word, without watering down its message but making it plain to the people and applying it clearly to the matters at hand, God might just grant repentance to some of those detractors (2 Tim 2:25-26). But the teacher must understand that most of them will not repent, and they are therefore to be avoided personally (2 Tim 3:1-9).

My previous paragraph describes what it means to be useful as a servant in God’s great house (2 Tim 2:20-21)—another statement that loses its meaning, and thereby gets misapplied, when we remove it from its context.

Gospel Hope

What will motivate the teacher of God’s word to endure in his task, even while some violently oppose him or even call for his resignation?

He stands on a firm foundation laid by his God (2 Tim 2:19). Paul paraphrases Numbers 16:5 and Numbers 16:26 to correlate Timothy’s detractors with Korah, Dathan, and Abiram, who opposed Moses, the Lord’s servant, the one laboring usefully in God’s house. God vindicated Moses with theatrical flair, proving to everyone that he knew who his man was. And God called the people to make sure they lined up behind the approved teacher lest they be swept up in the unapproved teachers’ destruction.

So for those who have been opposed for teaching the Scripture faithfully: Take heart. You do not need to quarrel to defend yourself; the Lord will defend you. He will not allow them to get very far. He will make their folly plain to all (2 Tim 3:9), and he will raise you up to reign with Christ (2 Tim 2:11-12). Just keep teaching God’s word, and do your best to learn how to do it even better than you already do. God’s firm foundation stands.

And for those who are watching and listening to the criticism and public assault on Christian leaders, wondering whom you can trust: Go with the approved workmen. Look for those who proclaim God’s word rightly—this requires you to know how to do that yourself so you’ll know it when you see it—and who do so with gentleness, kindness, and patience. Avoid the proud, abusive, babbling quarrelers, lest you be caught in their snare. God’s firm foundation stands.

Context matters.

¹Thanks to David Helm for showing me this structure at a recent Simeon Trust workshop on biblical exposition.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

Context Matters: With His Wounds We are Healed

February 1, 2019 By Peter Krol

Perhaps you’ve heard that Jesus will heal all your sickness and disease, if you would only have faith that he will do so. Since Jesus healed every sick person who came to him while he was on earth, surely he will do the same for sick people who come to him while he is in heaven. Jesus still bears the wounds that now heal us.

In this post, I’m not able to tackle the full ideology of faith healing, nor do I intend to discuss whether we ought to expect miraculous healings to continue taking place today. These are complex issues that warrant complex treatment. But in this post I will deal one small part: the common appeal to Isaiah 53:5 to support expectations of physical health and healing.

Context matters. When we learn to read the Bible properly—and not as a collection of unqualified personal promises to which we turn in our moments of need—we’ll find that some of our most famous mantras take us in a different direction.

Seattle Municipal Archives (1999), Creative Commons

Isaiah’s Train of Thought

I’d like to address Isaiah 53:5 from three angles. The first is the larger train of thought of Isaiah 40-55.

Isaiah 40 presents such a sharp change of subject matter and implied audience that many scholars believe the second half of the book could not have been written by Isaiah son of Amoz in the 8th century B.C. While condemnation of Judah’s sin is not absent (e.g. chapter 48), the focus lands far more heavily on proclamation of comfort (Is 40:1-2). And the audience appears to be no longer in the land of Judah (Is 7:1), but in captivity in Babylon (Is 48:20-21). The chief enemy is no longer Assyria but Babylon (Is 46:1-47:15). And the chief hero is not Hezekiah (Is 36-39), but Cyrus, King of Persia (Is 44:24-45:7), along with the representative “servant” of Israel.

Isaiah 56-66 presents yet another perspective, that of those who have returned from exile, now rebuilding the nation and city. So let’s limit our attention for now to chapters 40-55.

Isaiah 40:2 sets up two main announcements for the languishing exiles. “Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her:

That her warfare is ended
That her iniquity is pardoned”

These two points are then expanded as: “that she has received from Yahweh’s hand double for all her sins.” The following chapters expand on these two announcements.

First, in chapters 40-44, Isaiah shows that Yahweh, and Yahweh alone, is both willing and able to do these things. No idols can end the warfare with Babylon to return the exiles. And no idol can do a thing to pardon the people’s great iniquity toward God.

Second, Is 44:24-48:22 describes how Yahweh will go about bringing the first announcement to pass. He will anoint Cyrus for the job, he will bring the people home, and he will wipe out Babylon once and for all.

Third, Is 49:1-55:13 describes how Yahweh will go about bringing the second announcement to pass. He will raise up his unnamed servant to bear iniquity, he will put his words into the people’s mouths, and he will reconstitute them to bear his name.

As we follow Isaiah’s train of thought, we see that the suffering servant in chapter 53 is not raised up (or crushed or wounded) for the people’s physical well-being. Cyrus was the appointed savior for that sphere. The suffering servant is dealing instead with the sin problem. Though Isaiah makes use of the terminology of sickness (affliction, grief, affliction, etc.), these terms serve primarily as metaphors for the main issue: “Yahweh has laid on him the iniquity of us all” (Is 53:6).

Matthew’s Summation

There’s no avoiding the fact that Jesus physically heals people during his earthly ministry. And we are right to draw implications for ministry today: that the proclamation of the kingdom ought to be accompanied by improvements to societies and their quality of life.

It’s striking, however, that Jesus didn’t heal everyone who came to him. His message about the kingdom was more important than any physical healing he could offer (Mark 1:36-39).

Perhaps this is why Matthew explicitly states the purpose of Jesus’ healing miracles (Matt 8:16-17):

That evening they brought to him many who were oppressed by demons, and he cast out the spirits with a word and healed all who were sick. This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah: ‘He took our illnesses and bore our diseases.’

Jesus healed in order to fulfill what Isaiah had spoken about. In other words, Jesus healed people both to illustrate and to authenticate his mission to pardon iniquity (Matt 1:21). It is no accident that Jesus conducts one such healing simply to prove he has the authority to forgive sins (Matt 9:1-8).

Peter’s Assertion

Peter makes the connection even more explicit. He alludes to Isaiah 53:5 (“by his wounds you have been healed”) to support his point that Jesus died so “we might die to sin and live to righteousness” (1 Pet 2:24-25). In context, this assertion should motivate servants to submit to their masters, even when their masters treat them unjustly (1 Pet 2:18-25).

Conclusion

In context, Isaiah’s poetic statement—”with his wounds we are healed”—is not an absolute promise of physical well-being, if we would only believe. It is a declaration of the forgiveness of Israel’s sin, which had led to her exile in Babylon. The New Testament then uses Isaiah’s shadow to explain the reality of Jesus’ dying for our sin to make us righteous before God, if we would only believe.

Context matters.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

Thanks to Bob and Daniel for the idea for this post.

A Simple 3-Step Bible Reading Plan for Children

January 30, 2019 By Peter Krol

My children have really enjoyed making use of audio Bibles to develop a habit of daily Bible reading—even long past their preschool years. A few of them enjoy writing down some reflections, but most prefer to simply draw while listening. We have found that their listening comprehension is excellent.

But since every child and family is different, I believe there are many options for teaching children to love God through his word. Joe Carter has another idea that may work better for you or your kids. He proposes 3 simple steps:

Make a chart listing every chapter of the Bible.
Assign them to read a chapter each day, with each day of the week focusing on a different part of the Bible.
Have them cross off the chapter they read that day to see their progress.

Perhaps this could work for your family. Carter helpfully reminds us that flexibility is the most important principle: It’s okay if they miss a day. The most important thing is that we foster an environment where Bible reading is a habitual part of everyday life.

To develop a biblical worldview, we need to saturate our minds in Scripture. This requires repeatedly reading and engaging with the Bible throughout our lifetime. The earlier we begin reading the Bible the more time we have for God’s Word to seep into the marrow of our souls. That’s why helping a child to develop the habit of Bible reading is one of the greatest gifts we can give them.

Check it out!

Context Matters: Where Two or Three are Gathered in Jesus’ Name

January 25, 2019 By Peter Krol

Perhaps you’ve heard that Jesus is specially present when two or three people gather in his name (Matt 18:20). And perhaps you’ve wondered how that jives with the fact that he is present with all of his disciples when they make disciples by going, baptizing, and teaching (Matt 28:19-20). Or how it’s any different from the fact that the Father sees and hears when you pray to him alone and in secret (Matt 6:6). Couldn’t Matthew get it straight? What is our quorum for ensuring the blessing of Jesus’ presence?

Context matters. When we learn to read the Bible properly—and not merely as a collection of one-liners and sound bites—we’ll find that some of the most famous passages take on different and deeper meanings than we’ve thought.

Life in the Kingdom

Jesus’ speech in Matt 18 addresses what the new covenant community of Christ-followers should look like. It speaks to such things as humility, compassion, initiative, conflict, restoration, and forgiveness. This speech particularly highlights how to handle the sin that will inevitably infect the community.

Offense from Sin

After telling his disciples that we must not despise any straying sinner, for God seeks to win every one of them back (Matt 18:10-14), Jesus moves into practical instruction regarding what to do when someone sins against you (Matt 18:15-20). In other words, it’s one thing to feel compassion for people whose sin hurts only themselves; it’s far more challenging to lovingly pursue those whose sin has hurt you personally.

Yet that is the very situation Jesus speaks to: “If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault” (Matt 18:15). When you’re directly affected by another person’s sin, to the point where you’re tempted to despise that person (Matt 18:10), your first recourse is to speak to that brother or sister privately.

If that doesn’t work, bring one or two others along for another set of conversations, to provide witnesses for the interaction (Matt 18:16).

If that still doesn’t work, then tell it to the church (presumably, begin with the church leadership). If that still doesn’t work, then treat him as a Gentile or tax collector (Matt 18:17)—that is, as someone you love and pursue, with whom you share the gospel (Matt 9:11-13).

Authority to Bind and Loose

This leads Jesus to explain the nature of church authority. What you bind on earth is bound in heaven; what you loose on earth is loose in heaven (Matt 18:18). This cryptic statement should not be too confusing, as it simply alludes back to what Jesus said to Peter two chapters earlier (Matt 16:18-20). Peter’s confession in chapter 16 highlighted a great privilege he would have to wield the keys of the kingdom of heaven. We see Peter later wielding this authority to bind and loose as leader of the fledgling Jerusalem church (e.g. Acts 5:1-11). This in no way meant he was infallible or above criticism (see Gal 2:11-14); it just meant that Jesus delegated real authority to him as a leader.

And that authority was not unique to Peter. In Matt 18:18, it describes the assessment of “the church” toward an unrepentant sinner. And the next verse restates the situation more practically as one where “two of you agree on earth about anything they ask” (Matt 18:19). Here he’s not talking about any old two people agreeing about any old topic. He’s talking about the church wielding the keys of the kingdom, binding and loosing, deciding to treat an otherwise professing believer as an unbeliever. He’s talking about the leadership of the church exercising its responsibility to discipline members of the community who continue unrepentantly in sin.

Jesus Present with Two or Three

And now we arrive at the verse in question: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matt 18:20). Notice the “for,” which is a connector word identifying this sentence as a reason or explanation for the previous verse.

So the “two or three” he’s talking about are not the faithful few who showed up at this week’s prayer meeting. They are the authorized leadership of the church, who have witnessed a sinner cause offense to another member of the community and fail to turn from it. Just as their decision to bind or loose (to either retain or remove membership in the community) will be recognized in heaven, so Jesus’ authoritative presence is with them to enact said decision.

Peter’s Concern

This leads Peter to be deeply concerned about how many times he’ll have to let someone “off the hook” (Matt 18:21). If all they have to do is turn away from their sin, and he can no longer give them what he thinks they deserve—how long does he have to put up with such behavior? Of course, they’re lost sheep and all, but surely there’s got to be a limit to such disrespectful behavior, right? Wrong (Matt 18:22-35).

Addendum: When to Apply Matthew 18

We should note that Matt 18:15-20 is not intended to be a catch-all process for dealing with any and all sin. It is about what to do when someone sins against you, and you are not able to overlook it or live with it. It’s not about public sin, or sin that doesn’t personally impact you, or secondhand rumors about sin in a community. And it’s not about what to do whenever someone offends you; you must be able to prove that they have sinned. We must look to other passages of Scripture for guidance in each of these other areas.

Context matters.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.

Thanks to Tommy, George, Nat, and Daniel for the idea for this post.

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