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Context Matters: Judge Not, Golden Rule

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Perhaps you’ve seen someone defend their wicked or foolish behavior by misquoting Jesus’ immortal command, “Do not judge.” And perhaps you’ve seen fine and thoughtful explanations of the verse (Matt 7:1) that clarify Jesus’ oft-dismissed intention: to prohibit not all judgment but merely hypocritical judgment (Matt 7:2). But let’s also track the flow of Jesus’ argument, the key to which lies in another oft-misquoted verse: The Golden Rule (Matt 7:12)—to guard against possible over-correction to a real problem.

Context matters. If we learn to read the Bible for what it is—and not as a collection of independently assembled proverbial sayings—we’ll discover that some of our most familiar passages say something slightly different from what we’ve always assumed.

A Sermon is a Sermon

These verses from Matthew 7 are part of what we call “The Sermon on the Mount.” And we must not ignore the fact that Matthew presents these verses as part of a sermon (see more on this in my post on Matthew 5).

A sermon has a point. It makes an argument. It seeks to persuade an audience to believe a certain thing or to act a certain way.

A sermon is not…a collection of independently assembled proverbial sayings. So verse 1 is not an independent statement; it’s part of an argument (or series of arguments). The same goes for verse 2, verse 3, and so on. Even verse 12.

Especially verse 12. Which is clearly stated as the current argument’s conclusion: “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”

The Big Picture

The entire Sermon on the Mount is about citizenship in the kingdom of heaven. Chapter 5 describes the type of person who enters the kingdom (Jesus’ later speech in chapter 13 will expand on this theme). Chapter 6 describes the religion and values of those kingdom citizens (Jesus’ speech in chapter 10 will expand on this theme). A glance at chapter 7 as a whole now shows us that Jesus moves onto how citizens of his kingdom relate with one another (Jesus’ speech in chapter 18 will expand on this theme)—we’ve got not only the judgment and conflict resolution between brothers in Matt 7:1-12; we’ve also got guidance to discern true from false brothers in Matt 7:13-23. Then Matt 7:24-27 concludes the entire sermon.

With that flow in mind, we can take a closer look at Matt 7:1-12.

An Argument Involving Reciprocity

Nearly every sentence in Matt 7:1-12 has a sense of reciprocity. What you do to others will return on you. The way you treat them affects the way they treat you. Somebody does something, and somebody else does something back.

  • Judge not, that you be not judged (Matt 7:1).
  • The judgement you pronounce will be pronounced on you (Matt 7:2).
  • Don’t obsess over the speck in your brother’s eye, while neglecting the log in your own eye (Matt 7:3-5).
  • Don’t give holy things to dogs, or they will turn and attack you (Matt 7:6).
  • Ask, and it will be given, etc. (Matt 7:7).
  • Everyone who asks receives, etc. (Matt 7:8).
  • When sons ask, fathers give good things (Matt 7:9-11).
  • So/Therefore…do to others whatever you wish they would do to you (Matt 7:12). Implied reason: Because what you do to them will eventually return to you.

Nicolas Raymond (2013), Creative Commons

Why We Should Care About Reciprocity

When it comes to our relationships, our conversation, our demeanor, and our fighting style, Jesus wants us to hold this one idea paramount: What goes around, comes around. We ought to anticipate this and “pay it forward.” Do to others what you would like them to do back to you. Don’t expect them to act any differently toward you than you have acted toward them.

He’s not talking mainly about salvation, forgiveness, or acceptance by God, who—praise him!—never treats those who are in Christ as their sins deserve. But he is talking about human communities, personal bickering, hurt feelings, pet peeves, and the astounding dynamic that exists when the blinded try to lead the blind. Citizens of the kingdom of heaven are more righteous than the Pharisees (Matt 5:20). They are even expected to be as perfect as their heavenly Father (Matt 5:48). But they’re clearly not there yet.

They need to get their religion (Matt 6:1-18) and values (Matt 6:19-34) straight. They should not be surprised when they bump into other sinners like themselves (Matt 7).

And when they do, they must be prepared to distinguish between a true—albeit wrong or sinful—brother (Matt 7:1-5, 7-12), and a pig-dog, or false brother (Matt 7:6, 13-23). And the most important thing to remember is: What goes around, comes around.

Reciprocity in Practice

This point is quite simple to grasp but excruciating to put into practice. Yet we must settle for no less (Matt 7:24-27). What is it that Jesus wants us to not only hear but also do?

  • Don’t judge (Matt 7:1). This should always be your first reaction. If you can let it go, then let it go. Find any way possible to cover it over in love. Don’t you wish other people wouldn’t size you up so much (Matt 7:2)?
  • But Jesus knows that’s not always possible. So your second reaction must be to look at yourself first to see what you have contributed to the tension or conflict (Matt 7:3-4). There is always something. And if you can’t see it, you will not be able to see your brother’s issue clearly (Matt 7:5).
  • Remember, though, that not everyone is a brother. There are those who are outside the kingdom (Matt 7:6, also Matt 5:20, 6:7, 6:32), though we learn in Matt 7:13-23 that, outwardly, they might look just like true brothers—unless we know to look at the right bits of evidence. Don’t try to fix non-brothers! Don’t bother to help with their specks. The only result will be your own demise. In this, Jesus taps into the wisdom tradition of Solomon (Prov 9:7-9). (To be more direct: I’m suggesting that the “holy things” and the “pearls” in this verse are rebuke or correction!)

Wouldn’t you love it if others treated you this way? If they didn’t size you up? If they didn’t jump all over everything you did wrong or that hurt them? If they introduced the topic by confessing first how they had failed you? If they trusted you enough as a sibling in Christ to respect you and try to help? If their help came not with accusation but empathy and compassion, respecting your boundaries and hot buttons, and resulting in greater effectiveness for you in the faith?

So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.

What’s Next

I’ll stop there for now. But next week, I’ll discuss how the verses in Matt 7:7-11 fit into the argument. Before then, can you take a look at it yourself? Please don’t assume he’s suddenly changing the topic to prayer, and try to see for yourself how those verses advance the argument. I’d love to hear what you come up with. (Note: In Luke 11:1-13, Luke repackages this teaching to give it a clear context of prayer. But Matthew seems to have something different in mind. Let’s not read Luke’s point back into Matthew.)

Context matters.

Context Matters: The Most Commonly Overlooked Life Advice

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Perhaps you’ve heard about the famous Bible verse for graduates: “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope” (Jer 29:11). I’ve heard that this verse comes up often in commencement speeches. And why not? It’s packed with inspiring vision and hope for young people about to proceed into young adult life. Sure, people sometimes criticize the way this verse tends to be read (for example, see The Gospel Coalition and Relevant Magazine take it on). Such critics talk a lot about context…exiles…70 years in Babylon…blah blah blah. But if we could only free our minds from these shackles, we’d see that the common usage of this verse doesn’t go nearly far enough.

Context matters. If we keep reading the Bible as a collection of independently assembled proverbial sayings, we’ll discover that we really can look deep within our hearts for ultimate meaning and get whatever we want out of life.

Why Jer 29:11 Doesn’t Go Far Enough

Sometimes people offer a vision for life, prosperity and wellness from that lone verse, Jer 29:11. But it might be good to consider an even more helpful verse, which comes just a few chapters earlier, and therefore clearly applies in the same sort of situation (life advice for young people experiencing a momentous milestone). Jeremiah must have intended this verse for 21st century graduates of Christian high schools. And if I ever have the privilege of speaking at such a school’s commencement ceremony, I will make sure to cover this crucial verse.

Here is the verse:

Then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: Drink, be drunk and vomit, fall and rise no more.’ (Jer 25:27)

Daniel Filho (2006), Creative Commons

Let’s Not Be Merely Hearers of the Word, but also Doers

Here is the word of the Lord! I am prepared to obey God by saying this to them. I hope they are prepared to obey God by living according to it. It doesn’t matter how scared or confused they are about the future; God has spoken his will with utmost clarity. May they not be like the foolish builder, who built his house on the sand. Such is the person who hears the word of God and fails to do it.

If they won’t listen to me, the next verse tells me just what to do:

And if they refuse to accept the cup from your hand to drink, then you shall say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: You must drink!’ (Jer 25:28)

All we have to do is read a single verse, on its own, as though it had been addressed directly to us, and we, too, can enter the third heaven. We don’t even have to wait for our next major milestone. We can put it into practice, and have the time of our lives, this very weekend.

Context matters.

Context: Children and Parents

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Mike Leake shows us why context matters in the letter of 2 Corinthians. Some might see a universal principle in 2 Cor 12:14: “Children are not obligated to save up for their parents, but parents for their children.” But the historical, logical, literary, and biblical contexts show us the limited scope of what Paul meant.

Leake does a great job showing us how to approach the text of Scripture with caution and care for the context.

Check it out!

Context Matters: You Have Heard That it was Said…But I Say to You

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Perhaps you’ve heard about Jesus’ disagreement with the Old Testament. The people of Israel had received a set of laws through Moses, but Jesus trumped them in his Sermon on the Mount. An extreme version of this view might say that Jesus disregarded the Old Testament law and put a new law in its place. A softer view might say that Jesus took the outwardly focused OT laws and added to them an inward dimension, focused on the heart. But perhaps we should take a closer look.

My goal in this post is not to develop a comprehensive theology of Old and New Testaments, nor to explain what our thinking should be on the OT law. My aim is more focused. I want to look at just one passage that some might use to claim that Jesus either set aside, or in some way added to, the law of Moses.

Context matters. If we learn to read the Bible for what it is—and not as a collection of independently assembled proverbial sayings—we’ll discover that some of our most familiar passages don’t actually mean what we’ve always assumed.

The Pertinent Formula

I’m referring to Jesus’ repeated formula: “You have heard that it was said…But I say to you…” (Matt 5:21, 27, 31, 33, 38, 43). Seems clear enough, right? You have heard what Moses said—you shall not murder, you shall not commit adultery, and so on—but I have something new and/or different to say. Moses was great, but I am greater. The old has become obsolete and is ready to disappear; the new has come. The law of liberty. The law of love. The law of Christ.

ajshain (2011), Creative Commons

The Immediate Context

But look at where Jesus just came from. Remember that the Sermon on the Mount was a sermon. It was all spoken at once. In fact, what Matthew has recorded to us could be spoken out loud in about 10 minutes, and it’s highly unlikely that such large crowds would have gathered on a mountain for only a 10-minute speech. So Matthew has likely condensed and summarized all that Jesus actually spoke that day. But the point remains: Don’t break it into tiny pieces. Read the sermon as a unit.

And right before Jesus launches into his sixfold “but I say to you” formula, he makes the following introductory comments:

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. 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. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. (Matt 5:17-20)

Jesus could not be more clear about the fact that he did not come to abolish the Law. Certainly, we can debate what exactly it means that he came to “fulfill” it. But there is no question that Jesus did not come to abolish it (Matt 5:17). Heaven and earth will pass away before the tiniest stroke of the Law passes away (Matt 5:18). And Jesus has no goodwill toward anyone who would relax “one of the least of these commandments” or teach others to relax them. The great ones in his kingdom are those who do the Law, and who teach others to do it (Matt 5:19). And to even enter Jesus’ kingdom, we must have a righteousness that exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees (Matt 5:20).

Interesting. Note all the contrasts lined up in a row:

  • Jesus came not to abolish the Law :: Jesus came to fulfill the Law
  • Heaven and earth will not pass away :: The Law will be accomplished
  • Anyone who relaxes even a single command, and teaches others to do so, is least :: Anyone who does the commands, and teaches others to do them, is great
  • Scribes and Pharisees [presumably, by the sentence’s logic] will not enter the kingdom :: Those more righteous than scribes and Pharisees will enter the kingdom

So Jesus contrasts his purpose (fulfill) with what is not his purpose (abolish). And he contrasts right use of the law (do) with wrong use of the law (relax). And he contrasts those who get into the kingdom (more righteous than scribes) with those who don’t (scribes).

And then… He works through 6 more contrasts, 6 case studies, having to do with the Law. “You have heard that it was said…. But I say to you….” The context therefore suggests that the 6 contrasts of verses 21-48 are following on the theme of verses 17-20. In other words, they are contrasting those who abolish or relax the commands with those who do them and teach them.

The Quotations (OT Context)

But that doesn’t make sense of the fact that Jesus actually quotes the Old Testament laws! The thing he is negating is the Old Testament text. The OT Law. “You shall not murder,” “You shall not commit adultery,” and so on.

But there is more here than meets the eye.

  • For the first two (murder and adultery – Matt 5:21, 27), Jesus quotes Exodus, and then he goes on to talk about heart-intentions. But I’ve written before (e.g. here and here) about how the law in Exodus was always about heart-intentions. This is nothing new.
  • The third quote (on divorce – Matt 5:31) is from Deut 24, which permits divorce only on the ground of “indecency” (i.e., sexual immorality). Jesus is not disagreeing with Moses but simply reiterating what Moses said.
  • The fourth quote (on swearing – Matt 5:33) is drawn from Lev 19:12, Num 30:2, and Deut 23:21. But none of those passages say anything about swearing “by heaven” or “by the earth” or “by Jerusalem”or “by your head” (Matt 5:34-36).
  • The fifth quote can be found all throughout the books of Moses (Matt 5:38), but never in support of vengeance. In fact, this stipulation exists to prevent personal vengeance and to limit what sanctions civil courts may impose.
  • The sixth quote…is no OT quote at all (Matt 5:43). It has a ring of truth (“You shall love your neighbor”). But you can spend all day looking up “and you shall hate your enemy” and you will not find it.

This sixth “quote” is the linchpin that alerts us to something significant. Jesus is not quoting the Old Testament laws to correct them in some way. He is quoting what these people have heard their teachers say about the Old Testament laws.

He is quoting those who have, in fact, relaxed the commands. Those who teach others to do the same. Those who abolish what God has required of them. Those whose righteousness is like the scribes and Pharisees…. Actually, we have much reason to believe he is quoting the scribes and Pharisees themselves.

Matthew’s Broader Context

Chapter 5 is not the first place in Matthew where Jesus quotes the Old Testament. Look at how Jesus chooses to refer to the Old Testament itself:

  • “It is written” (Matt 4:4)
  • “Again it is written” (Matt 4:7)
  • “For it is written” (Matt 4:10)

Later in the book, he will incredulously ask the scribes and Pharisees “Have you not/never read…?” (Matt 12:3, 5; 19:4; 21:16, 42; 22:31). He will command them to go and learn what the Scripture says (Matt 9:13, 12:7). He will accuse them of setting aside (relaxing) the word of God for the sake of their oral tradition (Matt 15:3, 6). He will curse them for not entering the kingdom (Matt 23:13) and for missing the point of the law (Matt 23:23-24).

My point: When Jesus refers to the Old Testament, it is the written word. When he mentions what “you have heard that it was said,” he is talking about the Pharisees’ oral traditions.

Conclusion

In Matthew 5, Jesus is not setting aside the Old Testament law in favor of a new teaching. He is upholding the full standards of the law, as intended by God. He identifies those who obey the law and adhere carefully to the written word according to its original intention, and he contrasts them with those who relax the commands, who abolish them, to hold to their own accumulated teachings about the law.

Context matters.

Context Matters: A Bruised Reed

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Perhaps you’ve heard of the Puritan Richard Sibbes and his famous work The Bruised Reed and Smoking Flax. Though you may not have read it, you’ve likely been influenced by it. If you hear the phrase “bruised reed,” and your first thought is of a suffering person desperate for hope, you largely have Sibbes to thank. And while Sibbes’s work is packed with exceptional pastoral wisdom that looks to Jesus, our Chief Shepherd, it’s frankly lacking in careful contextual Bible study. No matter how familiar we are with biblical phrases, let’s make every effort to observe them carefully and heed their context.

Context matters. If we learn to read the Bible for what it is—and not as a collection of independently assembled proverbial sayings—we’ll discover that some of our most familiar passages don’t actually mean what we’ve always assumed.

Crack the Code

When people throw around phrases like “Jesus never broke a bruised reed,” they use it like a code. Almost an allegory. The “reed” is a person. The “bruise” is their suffering. To “break a bruised reed” would be a failure of tenderness or compassion that crushes the spirit or destroys the trust of the wounded soul.

Pastorally, these principles are crucial to understand. I would not condone any efforts to ignore them or justify harsh treatment of Christ’s sheep. Those who suffer are particularly wounded and vulnerable. And our Lord’s tenderness and compassion sound forth from the Scripture at high decibels (Ex 19:4, Ezek 34:11-16, John 21:15-19, Mark 5:33-34, Mark 5:39-43, Luke 7:11-15, etc.).

So I am not challenging the wisdom of compassionate tenderness, especially when someone has gone through the valley of the shadow of death. I think only that we need to be careful with our metaphors, so we don’t run afoul of the biblical author’s intent.

I’ve written for Desiring God on this topic of the bruised reed. But let me repeat here the arguments of both Isaiah and Matthew, in their use of the bruised reed metaphor. Please suspend your disbelief with me, try to set aside your familiarity, and look at these texts with fresh eyes.

Dominic Alves (2006), Creative Commons

Isaiah 42

The image of the bruised reed is in verse 3, but let’s follow Isaiah’s thought before and after it. This poem speaks of Yahweh’s servant, upheld, chosen, and delighted in (Is 42:1a). Yahweh put his Spirit into this servant, with the goal that “he will bring forth justice to the nations” (Is 42:1b).

This goal of justice is no small matter for Isaiah. We could trace the theme of justice all through his book of prophecy. The lack of it is a major accusation against Judah (Is 9:18-10:4, etc.) and the surrounding nations (Is 14:4-6, etc.). Its restoration in the future is the hope of Israel and her promised Davidic king (Is 11:1-5, etc.).

And in chapter 42, the Spirit is on Yahweh’s servant to bring forth justice (Is 42:1). He will bring forth this justice faithfully (Is 42:3). And he will not grow faint or be discouraged until he establishes this justice in the earth (Is 42:4). The main idea here is that the servant will bring justice on earth, even though we might expect him to grow faint or be discouraged before he’s able to do so.

Now how will he do it?

“He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street” (Is 42:2). He will not force the unjust to comply. He will not open a picket line until he gets his way. He won’t even be a major public figure. His voice will work effectually away from the typical forums of civil discourse or political advancement.

And that’s when Isaiah brings in his metaphor. “He will not cry aloud…a bruised reed he will not break…he will faithfully bring forth justice” (Is 42:2-3). The metaphor illustrates the point made in verse 2, that he will not cause political change through typical political channels. He will be an unlikely hero. He will accomplish Yahweh’s purpose of justice, but not according to the world’s expectations of someone who can or will exercise justice (along with great power, pomp, pizzazz, or military might).

Isaiah expands on this idea later in the chapter, where Yahweh confesses, “For a long time I have held my peace; I have kept still and restrained myself; now I will cry out like a woman in labor; I will gasp and pant” (Is 42:14). The servant will faithfully labor to bring forth justice by working behind the scenes, quietly and carefully. But after a while, the time will come when Yahweh will, in fact, cry out and simply “lay waste” and “dry up” and “turn darkness into light” (Is 42:15-17).

The point is this: When Isaiah speaks of the bruised reed, he is not using it as an allegory of ministry to hurting people. He is using it as a word picture to describe the quiet and unobtrusive machinations of Yahweh’s servant establishing justice. This servant keeps such a low profile that, as he passes through the marshes, not even bruised reeds will break off. Not a twig will snap. His draft won’t have enough force to blow out even a smoldering wick. And this unpretentious strategy will not last forever. The time will come for him to eventually beat his chest, get everyone’s attention, and just get the job done.

Matthew 12

According to Matthew, Jesus heals a man’s withered hand, on the Sabbath, in direct defiance of the ruling elite (Matt 12:9-13). As a result, those elites begin conspiring to destroy him (Matt 12:14).

Jesus knows what’s going on, and he withdraws (Matt 12:15a). He doesn’t put up a fight or launch a PR campaign; he just slinks back into the shadows. And many follow him, and he heals them (Matt 12:15b), but his goal right now is not to make too much of a fuss. He has to keep laying low. So he orders these people not to make him known (Matt 12:16).

This was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah…my servant…a bruised reed he will not break…until he brings justice. (Matt 12:17-21)

According to the flow of Matthew’s gospel, it was not yet time for Jesus to make a fuss. For this season, he backs off and avoids too much attention. “His messianic mission had a noteworthy ninja element” (DG).

But while going up to Jerusalem one last time, he can talk about almost nothing but his coming victory over death (Matt 20:17-19, 22, 28). He will faithfully bring forth justice. The time for silence has ended. So he must pick a fight in the most public forum—the temple during the Feast of Passover—in order to get himself killed (Matt 21-23). They take up their plot once again (Matt 26:3-5). This is his path to victory.

Conclusion

This contextual study of the bruised reed metaphor is not meant as an excuse to ever be harsh, demanding, or manipulative with wounded people. By no means! Instead, I hope merely to show you the glory of your Savior Jesus Christ, who accomplished all he set out to do.

And by way of application, perhaps we ought to be slow to use Jesus’ harsh words with the Pharisees as a model for our own public dialogue. That is, unless we are called by God to get ourselves killed for the sin of the world.

Context matters.

Looking for Ideas for “Context Matters”

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I’m on the road this week and don’t have time to write a regular full post. So it’s as good a time as any to ask for suggestions!

I’ve really enjoyed writing some sample Bible studies on verses that are easily misunderstood when removed from their context. Do you have any suggestions on other verses I could write on for this series? What are some verses you’ve seen commonly taken out of context? Or what are some verses that you’re really not sure what to do with, and you’d like to know how the context can help you make progress in understanding them?

For reference, here is a list of verses I’ve covered so far.

Please let me know your ideas for future posts. You can comment below, use the contact form, or email me at peter.krol@knowableword.com.

Or, you can even try your hand at writing your own “context matters” study and submitting it as a guest post!

Context Matters: Valley of Dry Bones

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Perhaps you’ve heard of Ezekiel’s vision in the valley of dry bones, where the Spirit of the Lord sets Ezekiel down and commands him to prophesy over the bones, and to the breath, so they might live. After a rattling sound, bone comes together with bone, flesh appears, and the dead come back to life, an exceedingly great army. You may have heard this story read from Ezek 37:1-10, with its accompanying interpretation: You are the dead ones, brought out of your sin and misery because of God’s Spirit giving you faith in Jesus Christ. Seems clear, right? Perhaps not so much.

Context matters. If we learn to read the Bible for what it is—and not as a collection of independently assembled inspirational stories—we’ll discover that some of our most familiar passages don’t actually mean what we’ve always assumed.

Caitlin Tobias (2014), Creative Commons

Remember What You’re Reading

We’re helped here by the historical context. The prophet Ezekiel was living in Babylon with the early Jewish exiles (Ezek 1:1). These people had been carried off before the nation of Judah’s final fall to Nebuchadnezzar. Ezekiel spoke of God’s glory departing the temple in Jerusalem (Ezek 10:1-22) and going to reside in exile with God’s people (Ezek 1:1-28).

Ezekiel prophesied to a broken people, who were devastated by the Babylonian conquest and captivity. They were too crushed even to admit that their own idolatry had caused this turn of events. Therefore they persistently resisted Ezekiel’s message (Ezek 3:7-11).

And to these defeated, exiled people, Ezekiel promises a coming day (Ezek 36:22-32). A day when God will vindicate the holiness of his name (Ezek 36:22-23). A day when he will sprinkle them with water to cleanse them from the filth of their idolatry (Ezek 36:25). A day when he will give them new hearts of flesh to replace their dead hearts of stone (Ezek 36:26). A day when he will put his own Spirit within them and enable them to obey him (Ezek 36:27).

Ezekiel leaves no doubt about when this day will come. It is the day when “I will take you from the nations…and bring you into your own land” (Ezek 36:24). The day when they “shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers” (Ezek 36:28).

The exiled people, dead in their idolatry, will be raised to new life when God restores them back to their land.

Read a Little Further

We’re also helped by the immediate literary context. It’s all too easy for us to read only Ezek 37:1-10, because it feels like it could have been written to us. But the next few verses remind us that, though this may have been written for us (1 Cor 10:11), it was not written to us:

Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.” (Ezek 37:11-14)

The Lord himself makes the interpretation clear to Ezekiel. There is no reason for us to be unclear on this ourselves. The dead bones coming back to life are a picture of the exiled people being brought back into the land of Israel, placed in their own land. A people without hope are resurrected to new hope.

Reflect on the New Covenant

Some might ask: “But doesn’t all that simply find greater fulfillment in the new covenant, when those dead in sin believe on Christ and are raised to new life?” And I would say: “Yes! Of course!”

But look at what we miss if we ignore the context of Ezekiel and jump right to today.

  • The restoration after the exile was no minor blip on the timeline of God’s redemptive purposes. It warrants further theological reflection as the resurrection of God’s people.
  • This means that the death and the resurrection of God’s people have significant corporate implications. These things are not only for individual believers, but also for the entire body of God’s people.
  • This explains why the disciples were so baffled when Jesus took this key Old Testament idea of death and resurrection, and applied it to himself, an individual (Mark 9:9-10).
  • We, too should expect some corporate implications today from our “death and resurrection” as those who are “in Christ.” For example, Ephesians 2:1-10 summarizes the theology of the Christian’s death and resurrection in Christ. But Ephesians 2:11-22 goes on to unfold the corporate implications of this theology in the community life of the church. Paul had far more in mind than the salvation of individuals.

Even if our intentions are good, let’s not miss what God has communicated about himself and his rescue of us.

Context matters.

For more “context matters” posts, such as the widow’s mite, the faith hall of fame, chief of sinners, and quick to listen, slow to speak—click here.

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Context Matters: Moses’ Shining Face

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Perhaps you’ve heard of how Moses covered his shining face with a veil so people couldn’t see the blazing glory emanating from it. And perhaps you’ve also heard of the veil that now lies over people’s hearts that prevents them from being able to see Jesus in the Old Testament Scripture. These well-intentioned lessons might feel personal and impactful, but they have little to do with what the text of Scripture says.

Context matters. If we learn to read the Bible for what it is—and not as a collection of independently assembled inspirational stories—we’ll discover that some of our most familiar passages don’t actually mean what we’ve always assumed.

Yu-cheng Hsiao (2009), Creative Commons

Exodus 34

To set us straight with Exodus 34, we don’t need the context; we just need to observe more carefully:

As he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with God. Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him. But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses talked with them. Afterward all the people of Israel came near, and he commanded them all that the Lord had spoken with him in Mount Sinai. And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.

Whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded, the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him. (Ex 34:29-35)

Perhaps my experience is atypical, but I have often heard people talk about how Moses used the veil to protect people from seeing the glory radiating from his face. But this is not what Exodus says. It says that he allowed them to see the glory when he spoke the words of Yahweh to them. And then he put the veil over his face until the next time he got a recharge from speaking with the Lord within the tent.

2 Corinthians 3

But some will argue that 2 Cor 3 says that Moses used the veil to hide the glory. And that that’s where we get the idea that the veil is a metaphor for people who can’t see Jesus in the Old Testament. A few verses seem to imply these things:

Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory… (2 Cor 3:7)

But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away. Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts. But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. (2 Cor 3:14-16)

Here is where we need help from the context.

First, notice the next clause in verse 7: “the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end.” Now this could mean that they could not gaze at the glory, and the glory was coming to an end—two separate thoughts. But look at where he goes next.

Second, notice the nature of the old/new contrasts. Old = condemnation; new = righteousness (2 Cor 3:9). Old = glory that became no glory; new = surpassing glory (2 Cor 3:10). Old = glory of what was being brought to an end; new = glory for what is permanent (2 Cor 3:11). These contrasts are getting at the superior glory of the new covenant. But that glory is superior primarily because it has no end. It is permanent. It will not fade.

Third, notice Paul’s clarification of what the Israelites saw. His point is not that they saw only a veil and not the glorious face of Moses. His point is that they “might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end” (2 Cor 3:13). In other words, Moses’ veil was never about hiding the glory from the people. It was all about hiding the fact that the glory was fading.

And by contrast, what we have in the new covenant is something permanent. Something unsurpassed. Something that will never fade, but will instead transform its subjects “from one degree of glory to another” (2 Cor 3:18).

The Argument

I covered this in my Bible study of Exodus 34:29-35, but the train of thought is worth repeating here.

Paul uses this episode from Exodus to make a profound point about the glory of the New Covenant in Christ (2 Cor 3:1-4:18). If we assume that Moses’ veil was covering the glory itself (when it was actually concealing the fact that the glory was fading), we miss Paul’s point. Paul’s argument:

  • The people he ministers to are themselves the proof of Paul’s recommendation from Christ (2 Cor 3:1-3).
  • His sufficiency as a minister of the new covenant comes from Christ who makes him sufficient (2 Cor 3:4-6).
  • While Moses’ ministry had a blazing, terrifying glory, it was always a fading glory (“the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end” – 2 Cor 3:7-11).
  • Therefore, Paul is not like Moses, who tried to conceal the fact that his glory was fading (“Moses…put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end” – 2 Cor 3:12-13).
  • Even today, the Jews fail to see the temporary, fading nature of the Old Covenant when it’s read to them (2 Cor 3:14-15).
  • But when they turn to Christ, they finally see the Old Covenant for the fading and temporary thing it is. They behold the Lord’s face and become perpetually and increasingly glorious (2 Cor 3:16-18).
  • This is why the people, whose reflection of Christ’s glory never fades but always brightens, are themselves the proof of Paul’s qualification for ministering this superior covenant (2 Cor 3:1-3, 4:1-15).
  • This gives Paul tremendous courage to persevere when ministry is hard (2 Cor 4:16-18).

Conclusion

The veil conceals the fact that the glory of the old covenant is, and always has been, fading. Only by gazing on the unfading—no, the ever-increasing—glory of Jesus Christ through his Spirit, can the veil be lifted and people finally see the old covenant for what it is (fading).

Context matters.

For more examples of why context matters, click here.