Unity | Knowable Word

Ephesians: Uniting All Things in Christ, Part 2

August 26, 2022 By Peter Krol

The first half of Ephesians lays out God’s plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in Christ, things in heaven and things on earth (Eph 1:10). Paul’s doctrine of unity can be summarized in the shape of a capital “I” (in a font with bars across top and bottom). The top horizontal bar represents the unity God has with himself, among the persons of the Trinity. The vertical bar represents the unity between God and his people, brought about by grace through faith. The bottom horizontal bar represents the unity among God’s people that ought to result.

Having followed Paul’s argument in Ephesians 1-3 in the previous post, let’s now walk through Paul’s application of the doctrine of unity within the life of the church.

Diversity Shouldn’t Divide the Church

Paul transitions to application with the urging to walk in a manner worthy of the calling described in the first three chapters (Eph 4:1). And what exactly is a manner of life worthy of the call to unity, in light of God’s plan to unite all things in Christ? It requires humble, gentle, and patient forbearance toward fellow church members (Eph 4:2). Such character arises only from an eager commitment to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Eph 4:3).

Paul roots the unity of the church, explicitly, to the unity of the Trinity (Eph 4:4-6), which includes a victorious Christ ascending to take his throne while dishing out good gifts to his people. Psalm 68, quoted in Eph 4:8, likens the ascension of the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem to the arrival of God’s glory-cloud on Sinai. And Paul capitalizes on the image to explain how Jesus, the true ark, has entered heaven, the true sanctuary. This king cares enough about the unity of his body that he provides the church with leaders tasked with equipping members to serve one another—all so the community can grow together to maturity, according to the image of Jesus himself (Eph 4:9-14). That theological truth plays out in real life as people speak the truth to one another with love and build up one another in love (Eph 4:15-16).

In short, Eph 4:1-16 teaches that every church member is not required to be the same thing, do the same thing, or think the same thing. It assumes that there are differences among people, requiring patience and loving speech toward one another. In other words, diversity shouldn’t divide the church. But sadly, it often does, so the rest of the letter tells us what to do about that. We must give attention to four key areas, each marked with a renewed exhortation to walk (or, in the last case, to stand — Eph 4:17, 5:1, 5:15, 6:10-13).

Four Areas With Potential for Divisive Behaviors

The first area that requires attention in pursuit of unity is purity (Eph 4:17-32). However, notice that the chief problem of impurity is that it makes people like those who are alienated from—not unified with—God (Eph 4:18). The opposite of building up others in love is to serve oneself in sensuality and greed (Eph 4:19). This is not how you learned Christ! (Eph 4:20). A pure life according to the truth in Jesus requires each church member to do three things with their divisive behaviors:

Put off the old self, with its divisive and selfish desires (Eph 4:22).
Get a new way of thinking about how the calling to unity ought to drive your behavior (Eph 4:23).
Put on the new self, which is like God—fully unified with himself and with his body (Eph 4:24).

Paul gives four case studies to show practically how the three-step change process works. The first (Eph 4:25) is about overcoming the divisive power of lies: put off falsehood, start thinking about yourself and other Christians as fellow members of one another, and put on the speaking of truth. The second: Put off sinful anger, recognize it as an opportunity for the devil to rip relationships apart, and put on godly indignation (Eph 4:26-27). Theft (Eph 4:28) and rotten speech (Eph 4:29) round out the case studies, along with a concluding summary of the process (Eph 4:30-32).

Second, Paul highlights the role of love in the pursuit of unity (Eph 5:1-14). He introduced the topic in Eph 4:15-16, but he expands on it in Eph 5:1-14. Such love draws its power and motivation from the love of Christ for his people (Eph 5:1-2). The challenging work of love requires an extensive putting off (Eph 5:3-4), mind renewal (Eph 5:5-6), and putting on (Eph 5:7-14). The walk of love is a walk that will occupy us for the rest of our lives, and will take every bit of attention we can give to it. Since the Lord Jesus gave himself for us, it is worth it to give all we have to develop love in this walk with one another.

Third, Paul turns to the need for wisdom in the application of unity (Eph 5:15-6:9). Wisdom catalyzes unity by recognizing the times (Eph 5:16), knowing God’s will (Eph 5:17), and seeking the Spirit’s filling (Eph 5:18). The marks of those filled with God’s unifying Spirit include Scripture-filled speech (Eph 4:19a), song-filled thought-lives (Eph 4:19b), thanksgiving-filled attitudes toward everything (Eph 4:20), and reverence-filled submission within hierarchical relationships (Eph 4:21).

Submission is both complex and so easy to get wrong; frequently, we obey the wrong authorities, and we rebel against the right authorities. All such behaviors are divisive within the body of Christ, so Paul expands on this demonstration of Spirit-filling (submission) by exploring three pairs of hierarchical human relationships: wives and husbands (Eph 5:22-33), children and fathers (Eph 6:1-4), and slaves and masters (Eph 6:5-9). In each pair, Paul showcases the vertical unity between believers and God as both model and motivation for the horizontal unity among human relationships.

The fourth and final area that requires particular attention when pursuing unity in the church is that of spiritual warfare (Eph 6:10-20). As I’ve written elsewhere, we are in great danger of getting this text wrong when we read it in isolation from the argument Paul has been making all through the letter. True and lasting unity is one of the most difficult tasks facing the church of Jesus Christ. Look around, and it’s not difficult to find abundant examples of the evil one’s flaming darts (Eph 6:16) leveraging the opportunity granted him by our sinful anger toward one another (Eph 4:26-27), seeking to retain his dominion as the great power of the air (Eph 2:2). God called Paul to proclaim the astounding unity of people from all nations who believe, right in the face of the spiritual authorities in the heavenly places (Eph 3:8-10). Because they’re not pleased with this plan, they do all they can to break up that unity. Therefore, our fight for unity is never against one another within the church. It is always against those spiritual forces seeking to turn us against one another (Eph 6:12). And we cannot win unless we are strengthened by the Lord (Eph 6:10) by means of taking up his own armor (Eph 6:14-20).

Closing Greeting

Paul closes the letter with a reminder of his desire for unity with the letter’s recipients. This desire has led him to send Tychicus as his agent to share all the news and encourage their hearts. Finally, Paul wishes for peace in the church and grace toward all who love the Lord Jesus.

Conclusion

Because the unified God has united believers to himself, the church ought now walk worthy of its calling by pursuing a full-orbed unity. This unity does not require uniformity, but it presumes a diversity of opinions, personalities, social roles, and people groups. Because diversity naturally produces friction, the church ought to give particular attention to humble and patient purity, love, wisdom, and spiritual warfare in its pursuit of unity. This is the sort of walk worthy of the calling of the one God, who is Father, Son, and Spirit.

Interpretive Outline

Grace and peace to the saints – Eph 1:1-2
Doctrine: The unity to which you’ve been called – Eph 1:3-3:21
- Praise to a unified and unifying God – Eph 1:3-14
  - Prayer for eyes to see what that God is doing – Eph 1:15-23
    - The gift of grace that unifies people with God – Eph 2:1-10
      - The unity of the new humanity in the peace of Christ – Eph 2:11-22
    - The gift of grace that revealed and now preaches the unity of people with God and with each other – Eph 3:1-13
  - Prayer for supernatural strength to comprehend such divine, unifying love – Eph 3:14-19
- Praise to an astonishing God who empowers unity in ways we could never imagine – Eph 3:20-21
Application: Walk in a manner worthy of this calling to unity – Eph 4:1-6:20
- Diversity shouldn’t divide – Eph 4:1-16
- Areas to address when diversity threatens to divide – Eph 4:17-6:20
  1. Purity – Eph 4:17-32
  2. Love – Eph 5:1-13
  3. Wisdom – Eph 5:14-6:9
  4. Spiritual warfare – Eph 6:10-20
Final greeting of peace, love, and grace – Eph 6:21-24

This post is part of a series of interpretive overviews of the books of the Bible.

Ephesians: Uniting All Things in Christ, Part 1

August 19, 2022 By Peter Krol

The blessed God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Salvation by grace through faith. Knowing the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. One Lord, one faith, one baptism. Equipping the saints for the work of ministry. Speaking the truth in love. Putting off the old self. Walking in love. Making best use of the time. Loving wives as Christ loved the church. The whole armor of God.

Despite its brevity, the letter of Ephesians has a remarkably high concentration of beloved verses and memorable sayings. But how do they all fit together? What is Paul’s chief argument in this theological masterpiece?

Literary Markers

Ephesians marks its main sections through logical connector phrases and major shifts in topic. As with many of Paul’s letters, a salutation (Eph 1:1-2) and benediction (Eph 6:21-24) bookend doctrine (Eph 1:3-3:21) and application (Eph 4:1-6:20).

Paul begins to transition from doctrine to application in Eph 3:1, but breaks off mid-sentence to discuss the gracious nature of his ministry. He completes the transition in Eph 4:1, which labels the two main sections of the letter as “the calling to which you have been called” and “the urging to walk in a manner worthy of that calling.”

Greeting of grace and peace to the saints – Eph 1:1-2
Doctrine: The calling to which you’ve been called – Eph 1:3-3:21
Application: Walk in a manner worthy of this calling – Eph 4:1-6:20
Final greeting of peace, love, and grace – Eph 6:21-24

Part 1 Walkthrough

The apostle of Christ is so by the will of God, and the saints in Christ are so through faith. There is much harmony between the will of God and the people of God in this opening. In addition, “grace” and “peace” become more than a simple greeting in this letter, as both words play major roles in the rest of the letter.

Part 2 Walkthrough

Paul begins with an extended doxology (word of praise) to “the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph 1:3-14). Why is this God blessed? Because the Father is a God who blesses, by choosing in Christ and predestining through Christ, according to grace (Eph 1:3-6). Christ the Beloved is both redemption and inheritance of grace for those who hope in him (Eph 1:7-12). And the Holy Spirit seals and guarantees the inheritance, that is Christ, for believers who will one day possess him fully. In short, Paul blesses the God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, each person working in perfect harmony with the others to accomplish the plan he set for the fullness of time—that toward which all history is moving—”to unite all things in [Christ], things in heaven and things on earth” (Eph 1:10). Since verse 10 tells us what these tremendous blessings are all for, we must not miss its crucial role as a thesis statement for the letter.

Paul’s first prayer, then, is for God to grant his readers to know him (Eph 1:17), which requires heart-perception of his hopeful calling, his rich inheritance, and his great power (Eph 1:18-19). This very power overturned death and reunited heaven and earth in the person of Jesus Christ (Eph 1:20-23). Therefore, in Jesus Christ, the church on earth now has an unimpeachable head of state. All things are now poised to be united in him—but we desperately need God to answer the prayer that we might see with our hearts that it is so.

Next Paul discusses the glorious transfer from death to life, from earth to heaven, undergone not only by Jesus himself (Eph 1:20-23) but also by all who trust him (Eph 2:1-10). So uniting all things to Christ requires the overturning-of-death and the reunion-of-heaven-and-earth to become the experience of all of Christ’s body, not solely that of the head. What a gift (Eph 2:8)! And that gift comes with expectations of good works, prepared for us well in advance (Eph 2:10).

If all things will be united in Christ, the process must begin in the church, where people of all nationalities are being remade into a single new humanity by faith (Eph 2:11-22). Jesus, who preached peace to those near and far, is himself our peace. All are now fellow citizens and members of the family. All are part of his new temple. We have access to the Spirit, so true unity in Christ is not only possible but expected.

This causes Paul to reflect on the gift of grace given to him, not only in his redemption but in his apostleship (Eph 3:1-13). Grace was given to reveal that Gentiles are now fellow heirs (Eph 3:1-6). And grace was given to preach this eternal purpose—and thereby to offer bold access to people from all nations—in full view of the spiritual powers of heaven (Eph 3:7-13).

And such reflection on the grace of Paul’s apostleship leads him into his second prayer (Eph 3:14-19) and doxology (Eph 3:20-21). He knows better than his readers—who otherwise wouldn’t even know to ask—that they’ll require supernatural strength to comprehend that which would otherwise be incomprehensible: the unifying love of Christ for his church.

First Half Conclusion—The Church’s Calling

The God who is fully unified with himself has a glorious plan for the future: to imprint his unity on the rest of the universe by graciously uniting all of heaven and earth under one head, Jesus Christ. To get there, he first unites a new humanity with himself through faith in Christ. And that new humanity is now called to live in unity with itself in Christ. In other words, the church’s calling is to walk in true unity. The power for that unity originates from the unity the church already has with the fully unified Trinity. And that present unity anticipates the coming unity of all heaven and earth in Christ.

To violate the church’s unity, therefore, is to tell lies about who God is and what he is doing in the cosmos. Disunity in the church—which is disobedience to the church’s calling—is a path to surrender to the course of this world, to the prince of the power of the air (Eph 2:2), and to his demonic authorities in the heavenly places, who want nothing more than to thwart the manifold wisdom of God to unite all things in Christ (Eph 3:9-10).

I’ll save for next week’s post the letter’s second half, which provides the practical instruction for how the church can walk in a manner worthy of this calling to unity.

Interpretive Outline

Grace and peace to the saints – Eph 1:1-2
Doctrine: The unity to which you’ve been called – Eph 1:3-3:21
- Praise to a unified and unifying God – Eph 1:3-14
  - Prayer for eyes to see what that God is doing – Eph 1:15-23
    - The gift of grace that unifies people with God – Eph 2:1-10
      - The unity of the new humanity in the peace of Christ – Eph 2:11-22
    - The gift of grace that revealed and now preaches the unity of people with God and with each other – Eph 3:1-13
  - Prayer for supernatural strength to comprehend such divine, unifying love – Eph 3:14-19
- Praise to an astonishing God who empowers unity in ways we could never imagine – Eph 3:20-21

This post is part of a series of interpretive overviews of the books of the Bible.

Context Matters: The Whole Armor of God

August 12, 2022 By Peter Krol

Perhaps you’ve heard of the Christian’s armor that must be worn to serve God faithfully. The key passage in Ephesians 6 is famous enough that you may have even handed out coloring pages to children (or colored a few yourself in days gone by). This passage is worthy of its fame among Bible students and Sunday school programs. But what is real point of it? To what end does the apostle employ his extended metaphor in light of his argument in the letter to the Ephesians?

Context matters. If we learn to read the Bible for what it is—and not simply as a collection of vibrant metaphors for vague spiritual truths—we’ll discover that some of our most familiar passages may have far more usefulness than we’d previously assumed.

Immediate Context

When Paul instructs his readers to “put on” (Eph 6:11) and “take up” (Eph 6:13) the whole armor of God, he does this to elaborate on his chief command: “Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might” (Eph 6:10). That first overarching command governs the paragraph and ought to guide our understanding of the armor.

But what does it mean to be strong in the Lord and in his might? Does it mean we need to do more spiritual pushups and sit ups to increase our godly muscle mass and stay in shape for some sort of invisible battle?

Most commentaries will quickly reveal that the Greek verb translated as “be strong” is in the passive voice. That means it is not primarily something we do but something that is done to us. The CSB makes the passive voice more evident by translating it as “be strengthened by the Lord and by his vast strength” (Eph 6:10, CSB). Interestingly, Paul uses the same syntax in 2 Tim 2:1, and the ESV translators chose to keep the passive voice explicit in that verse: “You, therefore, my son, be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus.”

The point is simply this: Paul’s instructions to put on and take up the whole armor of God explains, or fleshes out, what it looks like for the Christian to become strong by receiving God’s own strength. By putting on God’s own armor. And Paul did not invent this idea of God’s strength, God’s armor, because Paul knows his Bible.

Biblical Context

While Paul’s language draws in part on the vocabulary of the Roman military (after all, he likely dictated this letter while chained to one such soldier – Eph 6:20), he synthesizes the Roman imagery with that of the prophet Isaiah.

Observe Isaiah 59:17, speaking of what God does when he perceives both injustice and a lack of heroes to help:

He put on righteousness as a breastplate,
and a helmet of salvation on his head;
he put on garments of vengeance for clothing,
and wrapped himself in zeal as a cloak.

And observe Isaiah 11:5 and Isaiah 49:2, speaking of God’s Chosen One (the Messiah) who will serve him by ushering in an age of peace:

Righteousness shall be the belt of his waist,
and faithfulness the belt of his loins…

He made my mouth like a sharp sword;
in the shadow of his hand he hid me;
he made me a polished arrow;
in his quiver he hid me away.

So when Paul instructs his readers to put on and take up the whole armor of God, he speaks not of armor one wears only in honor of God. He speaks of borrowing God’s own armor, having been tailored to fit the Messiah, and now also on loan to all who follow him. “Be strengthened by the Lord and by the strength of his might.” But why do Christians require such strength? What sort of battles should they expect to face, battles that cannot be won without the empowerment of him whose mighty strength is far above all rule and authority and every name that is named (Eph 1:19-21)?

Larger Context

I believe the main idea of Ephesians is best summed up in the words of Ephesians 1:10. What is God’s plan from before the foundation of the world, for the fullness of time? “To unite all things in [Christ], things in heaven and things on earth.” This letter is a letter for unity.

Paul’s framework for unity begins with the foundation of God’s unity within himself, among the persons of the Trinity, who work together in perfect harmony to execute this plan for the ages (Eph 1:3-14, 4:4-6). The Lord, our God, the Lord is one (Deut 6:4). And that one God consists of one Spirit, one Lord, and one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Eph 4:4-6).

The unity of all things then proceeds to encompass a cosmic unity between this one God and his people (Eph 2:1-10). God raised his son from the dead and seated him in the heavenly places (Eph 1:20). So also those who are “in Christ Jesus” have been raised with him and seated with him in those same heavenly places (Eph 2:5-6). Because none of this is granted as payment for works, but is only a gift of grace, it is available to all who simply believe (Eph 2:4-5, 8-9).

But that’s not all. God is one with himself. God is also one with his people. By implication, then, it must also be true that his people are to be one with each other. This is why the church of Jesus Christ is made up of not only Jews but also Gentiles from all nations (Eph 2:11-22). The great mystery has now been revealed through special revelation to Paul, that Gentiles are fellow heirs and members of the same body as Jews (Eph 3:1-6). Paul’s ministry is a gift of God’s grace to make this Jew/Gentile unity take place, in full sight of all the spiritual forces and powers of the universe (Eph 3:7-13).

For this reason, it requires supernatural strength from God to even fathom the depth of this uniting love of Christ (Eph 3:14-21). And it is of great importance that particular local churches now walk in the very unity to which they’ve been called (Eph 4:1-6:9). To highlight just one moment in the argument: Anger toward others is a particularly effective disunifier. We must give it special attention, lest we give the devil an opportunity to rip apart the unity God seeks to build in his church (Eph 4:26-27).

I won’t walk through all of chapters 4 through 6, but suffice it to say that Paul concludes his practical application with three pairs of hierarchical human relationships where unity is often rare to find and comes at a premium: Wives and husbands, children and fathers, slaves and masters (Eph 5:22-6:9).

Conclusion

So in the argument of Ephesians (with reference to Isaiah), what is the chief spiritual battle for which the church of Jesus Christ requires supernatural strength and God-granted armor? It is the fight to maintain unity among God’s people, of all nations and flavors (Eph 4:1-3). To maintain the unity that ought to flow from their inseparable unity with God, and from God’s own unity within himself. The very unity that threatens the dominion of darkness in the heavenly places.

Because the devil employs the full weight of his resources to disrupt the unity of the church, it is of chief importance that we recognize who our real enemy is. It is never the fellow church member who disagrees with you, annoys you, or offends you (Eph 6:12). The real enemy can be defeated only with the unifying strength of God through Christ. Real unity will therefore require truth, righteousness, and a readiness to preach peace (Eph 6:14-15). Real unity will not be maintained without faith, salvation, Scripture, or prayer (Eph 6:16-20).

Next time you get in a fight with a brother or sister in Christ—perhaps even within your own household—please let the whole armor of God strengthen you to the ends of peace and victory over the devil’s divisive schemes.

Context matters.

For more examples of why context matters, such as the widow’s mite, the love chapter, and all things work together for good, click here.

Context Matters: Ask, Seek, Knock

August 24, 2018 By Peter Krol

When you hear those 3 short words—ask, seek, knock—what is the first thing to enter your mind? If you cross paths with the statement, “Ask, and it will be given to you,” you don’t even need the context, right? You know beyond a shadow of doubt that it’s talking about prayer. Can’t we just get right to application? Why bother asking the interpretive question: What does it mean?

Because 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.

The Text

What does “ask, seek, knock” mean? My answer to the question depends on which text we’re looking at. For the sake of this post, I’m focusing on Jesus’ words in Matt 7:7-11, deep within the Sermon on the Mount.

Marco Verch (2017), Creative Commons

The Problem

The problem is that the paragraph also appears, nearly verbatim, in Luke 11:9-13. And the context there clearly refers to prayer:

“Lord, teach us to pray” (Luke 11:1).
“And he said to them, ‘When you pray, say…'” (Luke 11:2-4).
“How much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask for him!” (Luke 11:13).

So I would be wrong to say that “ask, seek, knock” is not about prayer. Certainly it’s about prayer…in Luke 11.

And so we take this clear teaching on prayer in Luke’s gospel, and we assume Matthew means the same thing in the Sermon on the Mount. I’ve even seen commentaries on Matthew that take “the Holy Spirit” from Luke 11:13 and import it into Matt 7:11, as though “the Holy Spirit” must be the “good things” Jesus wants us to ask for in Matt 7.

Now I affirm that Scripture interprets Scripture. But we must not forget that each Scripture has a context. We have no trouble remembering this fact when we try to reconcile Paul’s teaching on justification by faith with James’s teaching on justification by works. Similarly, Matthew 7:11 meant something to the original audience of Matthew’s gospel, who probably didn’t yet have access to Luke’s gospel. So how would they have understood Matt 7:7-11 within its own context?

An Analogy

Different biblical authors can use the same event for a different purpose. We have endeavored to show this fact with respect to the feeding of the 5,000 and the resurrection of Jesus.

And if they can use the same event for a different purpose, why can’t they also use the same sayings for a different purpose?

The Sermon

I’ve already argued for reading the full Sermon on the Mount as a single speech. And I’ve explained the sermon’s big picture, along with the main theme of Matt 7:1-12: reciprocity.

Matt 7:7-11 fits squarely within this train of thought:

Matt 7:1: First reaction to tension or conflict among kingdom citizens: Don’t judge. Let it go.
- Matt 7:2: Your standards of sizing others up will be reciprocated against you. Implication: Be as generous as possible in your assessment, so others will be generous in their assessments of you!
Matt 7:3-4: If you can’t let it go, your second reaction is to evaluate yourself first.
- Matt 7:5: Otherwise, you will not be able to see your sibling’s issue clearly.
Matt 7:6: Not everyone is a fellow kingdom citizen. Those outside the kingdom are not strong candidates for correction.
Matt 7:7-11: [The text at hand.]
Matt 7:12: Conclusion: Do to others what you wish they would do to you.

Catch This Train

So, when Jesus tells you to keep the principle of reciprocity in mind (doing to others what you want them to do to you), and he applies it to cases where we find ourselves in the midst of disagreement…

Wouldn’t it be marvelous if he gave us some direction about how to resolve those disagreements?

Now that I’ve discerned that my antagonist is a brother (Matt 7:3-4) and not an outsider (Matt 7:6), and I’ve confessed my part in the conflict and have taken full responsibility for it (Matt 7:5a)…how do I now help my fellow Christian to get the speck out of his or her eye (Matt 7:5b)?

Jesus’ conclusion is clear enough: I should approach this person in the way I would want him to approach me (Matt 7:12). So how would I want someone to approach me if they’ve got a problem with me they can’t overlook (Matt 7:1)?

I would want them to ask for my perspective on the matter instead of making declarations about how terrible they believed my motives to be.
I would want them to seek to understand my perspective and not merely dismiss it as foolish, immature, or idolatrous.
I would want them to knock on my door, gently respecting how sensitive the issue might be to me. I would not want them to force their way in with their side of the story.

So perhaps I ought to approach others in the same way I would prefer to be approached.

What the Father has to Do With It

As a father, I understand these principles of gentle and compassionate reciprocation. If my son asks for bread, I won’t give him a stone (Matt 7:9). If my son asks for a fish, I won’t give him a serpent (Matt 7:10).

And my Father in heaven is even better than I am at giving good gifts when I ask (Matt 7:11)! So we do have, after all, an oblique reference to prayer. But this prayer in Matt 7:11 is not the paragraph’s main idea. It simply supports the larger argument that it will go better for you if you ask questions instead of making demands.

Jesus does something here that he’s already done in chapter 6 of this sermon (which Ryan carefully explained a few days ago): He links our relationship with God to our relationships with one another. In Matt 6:14-15, he explains that a failure to forgive others is evidence that we have not been forgiven by God. And now in Matt 7:11 he suggests that if we can trust God to give us good things when we ask, and we can trust our evil selves to give good gifts to the children we love, so we can trust God’s people to give us good things when we ask as well.

Conclusion

What better thing can we ask others for than peace, unity, understanding, and mutual respect, especially when we have offended one another?

In other words, the way to remove the speck of a fellow Christian is not to come at it with a shovel and dig it out. You do it by asking questions, seeking to understand the person’s point of view, and knocking on the issue respectfully until the person is willing to open the door and let you in. Isn’t this exactly how you wish people would treat you when they have a problem with you?

Context matters.

Note: I readily admit I could be wrong about this. Perhaps Jesus really is changing the subject to prayer in Matt 7:7-11, and then again to a broad principle for relationships in Matt 7:12. As one example, perhaps John Stott is right when he says, “Matthew 7 consists of a number of apparently self-contained paragraphs” (Stott, J. R. W., & Stott, J. R. W. (1985). The message of the Sermon on the mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian counter-culture (p. 174). Leicester; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.). The issue is that Stott—an otherwise keen observer of the Bible’s train of thought—does not in this case argue his point from the text; he merely assumes it and exposits the text accordingly.

So I wrote this post in an effort to allow the genre and train of thought—more than widespread assumption—to drive interpretation.

Thanks to Adewale Odedina in Nigeria for suggesting I tackle these verses.