Thursday, March 23, 2006
The Promised Prophet
V16, And fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and, "God has visited His people!"
The reaction of those is understandable; fear gripped them all. The people rightly knew that the sole author of life is God and that man is the highest form of created life. Only man was created in God’s image and herein death is seen as subservient to His word. So the people correctly began glorifying God.
The spontaneous reaction was proclaiming, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” This would come from their understanding of Moses presenting God’s commandments to the Hebrew people as they witness God’s glory on Mount Sinai. Ex. 20:18-19 And all the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance. 19. Then they said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, lest we die." In their wandering before they cross over into the Promised Land Moses answers their original plea found in Deut. 18:15-18 "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him. 16. "This is according to all that you asked of the Lord your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, `Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, lest I die.' 17. "And the Lord said to me, `They have spoken well. 18. `I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. Peter proclaims that this promised prophet is none other than Jesus, Acts 3: 22, 26 "Moses said, `The Lord God shall raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren; to Him you shall give heed in everything He says to you. 26. "For you first, God raised up His Servant, and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways."
In the miracle of restoring life to this son, the Jews rightly understand that God has visited His people by showing them that His power is alive and well by which they may take comfort. Their faith however was not rightly seen to be a restoration of a holy and just relationship by cancelled sin, but a selfish faith of earthly prosperity that excited all the masses. This is seen in the following verse.
V17. And this report concerning Him went out all over Judea, and in all the surrounding district.
The reaction of those is understandable; fear gripped them all. The people rightly knew that the sole author of life is God and that man is the highest form of created life. Only man was created in God’s image and herein death is seen as subservient to His word. So the people correctly began glorifying God.
The spontaneous reaction was proclaiming, “A great prophet has arisen among us!” This would come from their understanding of Moses presenting God’s commandments to the Hebrew people as they witness God’s glory on Mount Sinai. Ex. 20:18-19 And all the people perceived the thunder and the lightning flashes and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood at a distance. 19. Then they said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen; but let not God speak to us, lest we die." In their wandering before they cross over into the Promised Land Moses answers their original plea found in Deut. 18:15-18 "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him. 16. "This is according to all that you asked of the Lord your God in Horeb on the day of the assembly, saying, `Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God, let me not see this great fire anymore, lest I die.' 17. "And the Lord said to me, `They have spoken well. 18. `I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. Peter proclaims that this promised prophet is none other than Jesus, Acts 3: 22, 26 "Moses said, `The Lord God shall raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren; to Him you shall give heed in everything He says to you. 26. "For you first, God raised up His Servant, and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways."
In the miracle of restoring life to this son, the Jews rightly understand that God has visited His people by showing them that His power is alive and well by which they may take comfort. Their faith however was not rightly seen to be a restoration of a holy and just relationship by cancelled sin, but a selfish faith of earthly prosperity that excited all the masses. This is seen in the following verse.
V17. And this report concerning Him went out all over Judea, and in all the surrounding district.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Family Ties
V15b. And Jesus gave him back to his mother.
We see the action that takes place on the account of His compassion. Regeneration to life in scripture is closely tied to the family and its restoration. 1Kings 17:23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down from the upper room into the house and gave him to his mother; and Elijah said, "See, your son is alive." 2Kings 4:32 When Elisha came into the house, behold the lad was dead and laid on his bed. 35-37 Then he returned and walked in the house once back and forth, and went up and stretched himself on him; and the lad sneezed seven times and the lad opened his eyes. 36. And he called Gehazi and said, "Call this Shunammite." So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, "Take up your son." 37. Then she went in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground, and she took up her son and went out. Luke 8:52-55 Now they were all weeping and lamenting for her; but He said, "Stop weeping, for she has not died, but is asleep." 53. And they began laughing at Him, knowing that she had died. 54. He, however, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Child, arise!" 55. And her spirit returned, and she rose immediately; and He gave orders for something to be given her to eat. 56. And her parents were amazed; but He instructed them to tell no one what had happened. John 11:32 Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." 40-44 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you, if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" 41. And so they removed the stone. And Jesus raised His eyes, and said, "Father, I thank Thee that Thou heardest Me. 42. "And I knew that Thou hearest Me always; but because of the people standing around I said it, that they may believe that Thou didst send Me." 43. And when He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth." 44. He who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings; and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."
At this point I must digress to say that the miracles of regeneration are alive and well today as God has ordained us to proclaim His truth that the dead may live at His own choosing. Merrill Unger defines miracles as supernatural manifestations of divine power in the external world, in themselves special revelations of the presence and power of God; and in connection with other special revelations to which they are subservient, as aiding in their attestation, establishment, and preservation.
We see the action that takes place on the account of His compassion. Regeneration to life in scripture is closely tied to the family and its restoration. 1Kings 17:23 And Elijah took the child, and brought him down from the upper room into the house and gave him to his mother; and Elijah said, "See, your son is alive." 2Kings 4:32 When Elisha came into the house, behold the lad was dead and laid on his bed. 35-37 Then he returned and walked in the house once back and forth, and went up and stretched himself on him; and the lad sneezed seven times and the lad opened his eyes. 36. And he called Gehazi and said, "Call this Shunammite." So he called her. And when she came in to him, he said, "Take up your son." 37. Then she went in and fell at his feet and bowed herself to the ground, and she took up her son and went out. Luke 8:52-55 Now they were all weeping and lamenting for her; but He said, "Stop weeping, for she has not died, but is asleep." 53. And they began laughing at Him, knowing that she had died. 54. He, however, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Child, arise!" 55. And her spirit returned, and she rose immediately; and He gave orders for something to be given her to eat. 56. And her parents were amazed; but He instructed them to tell no one what had happened. John 11:32 Therefore, when Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." 40-44 Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you, if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" 41. And so they removed the stone. And Jesus raised His eyes, and said, "Father, I thank Thee that Thou heardest Me. 42. "And I knew that Thou hearest Me always; but because of the people standing around I said it, that they may believe that Thou didst send Me." 43. And when He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth." 44. He who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings; and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."
At this point I must digress to say that the miracles of regeneration are alive and well today as God has ordained us to proclaim His truth that the dead may live at His own choosing. Merrill Unger defines miracles as supernatural manifestations of divine power in the external world, in themselves special revelations of the presence and power of God; and in connection with other special revelations to which they are subservient, as aiding in their attestation, establishment, and preservation.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Regeneration Viewed
V14. And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise!"
He, Jesus, came up, or approached, and touched the coffin. We view two Greek words in this passage to gain insight as to what is happening. One is haptomai – to touch, which also could be to lay hold of. If this is the case we could see Jesus actively holding the bearers load so that they came to a halt. This is plausible. The other word is poorly translated as the coffin. A.T. Robertson and Marvin Vincent translate soros – a bier. Edershiem calls it of wicker-work. This would be a framework much like a stretcher for carrying a body. Coffins were not used in this era. We can readily see this in how Jesus body was prepared in “grave clothes” and placed in a tomb. Matt. 27:57-60 And when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given over to him. 59. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60. and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away.
Our scene is now of two large multitudes in amalgamation that could possibly be restricting the traffic flow of the Nain city gate. The exiting crowd may well have been stopped partially inside the city due to Jesus stopping the corpse bearers.
Vv.14b-15a. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise!" 15a. And the dead man sat up, and began to speak.
What more can one comment on these words? Scripture is crystal clear as to what has just taken place.
Calvin comments, “We ought to know that this young man, whom Christ raised from the dead, is the emblem of spiritual life which He restores to us.” Again we see the authority in the words, “I say to you,” these are the words of authority whose sovereignty encompasses all creation in life and death. G. Campbell Morgan writes, “He talked to him as though he was alive. He was alive! The body was dead. The man was not dead. No man is ever dead when his body lies dead! There is a dissolution between the spirit and the body, but not in death.”
In this case, as in Lazrus’, we see that when all hope humanly possible is gone, the word of regeneration comes instantly and completely when Jesus’ Holy Spirit commands, “I say to you, arise!” There is no argument; the dead man sat up, and began to speak. Only the regenerate can comprehend the command. Rom. 4:17b even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.
He, Jesus, came up, or approached, and touched the coffin. We view two Greek words in this passage to gain insight as to what is happening. One is haptomai – to touch, which also could be to lay hold of. If this is the case we could see Jesus actively holding the bearers load so that they came to a halt. This is plausible. The other word is poorly translated as the coffin. A.T. Robertson and Marvin Vincent translate soros – a bier. Edershiem calls it of wicker-work. This would be a framework much like a stretcher for carrying a body. Coffins were not used in this era. We can readily see this in how Jesus body was prepared in “grave clothes” and placed in a tomb. Matt. 27:57-60 And when it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. 58. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given over to him. 59. And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60. and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away.
Our scene is now of two large multitudes in amalgamation that could possibly be restricting the traffic flow of the Nain city gate. The exiting crowd may well have been stopped partially inside the city due to Jesus stopping the corpse bearers.
Vv.14b-15a. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise!" 15a. And the dead man sat up, and began to speak.
What more can one comment on these words? Scripture is crystal clear as to what has just taken place.
Calvin comments, “We ought to know that this young man, whom Christ raised from the dead, is the emblem of spiritual life which He restores to us.” Again we see the authority in the words, “I say to you,” these are the words of authority whose sovereignty encompasses all creation in life and death. G. Campbell Morgan writes, “He talked to him as though he was alive. He was alive! The body was dead. The man was not dead. No man is ever dead when his body lies dead! There is a dissolution between the spirit and the body, but not in death.”
In this case, as in Lazrus’, we see that when all hope humanly possible is gone, the word of regeneration comes instantly and completely when Jesus’ Holy Spirit commands, “I say to you, arise!” There is no argument; the dead man sat up, and began to speak. Only the regenerate can comprehend the command. Rom. 4:17b even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist.
Monday, March 20, 2006
Colliding Crowds
V12. Now as He approached the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a sizeable crowd from the city was with her.
On a collision course we have two crowds approaching one another in opposite directions. We have Jesus approaching the gate of the city and a sizable funeral procession coming out of this same gate. As verse 11 describes the incoming multitude, this verse describes the crowd coming from the city. The reason for their leaving the city was that tradition dictated that the dead were to be buried outside the city.
We see a dead man being carried out on a stretcher by at least two bearers, possibly more. The real tragedy is seen in the only surviving family member. This is his mother and the dead man is her only son. But the horror of it all is that she was widow now left on her own dependent upon the mercy of others for her providence.
V13. And when the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, "Do not weep."
This verse gives insight into our author, Luke, as he records the words: “the Lord”. Luke was not an eyewitness to the events that he recorded but relates to his readers that Jesus Christ is personally the Lord. Luke 1:1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, 2. just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word have handed them down to us, 3. it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; 4. so that you might know the exact truth about the things you have been taught. He also records that He, Jesus, felt compassion for this widow whose hope is now exhausted.
The impact of these colliding multitudes is felt in the Lord’s words to the widow as he said to her, “Do not weep.” This interruption is viewed as anything but compassionate to the funeral procession. And, would be because hired mourners accompanied these events; He is putting an end to the gravity of this tragic situation by creating a calamity. The multitudes from both directions would be aghast at the lack of solemnity.
On a collision course we have two crowds approaching one another in opposite directions. We have Jesus approaching the gate of the city and a sizable funeral procession coming out of this same gate. As verse 11 describes the incoming multitude, this verse describes the crowd coming from the city. The reason for their leaving the city was that tradition dictated that the dead were to be buried outside the city.
We see a dead man being carried out on a stretcher by at least two bearers, possibly more. The real tragedy is seen in the only surviving family member. This is his mother and the dead man is her only son. But the horror of it all is that she was widow now left on her own dependent upon the mercy of others for her providence.
V13. And when the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, "Do not weep."
This verse gives insight into our author, Luke, as he records the words: “the Lord”. Luke was not an eyewitness to the events that he recorded but relates to his readers that Jesus Christ is personally the Lord. Luke 1:1 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, 2. just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word have handed them down to us, 3. it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; 4. so that you might know the exact truth about the things you have been taught. He also records that He, Jesus, felt compassion for this widow whose hope is now exhausted.
The impact of these colliding multitudes is felt in the Lord’s words to the widow as he said to her, “Do not weep.” This interruption is viewed as anything but compassionate to the funeral procession. And, would be because hired mourners accompanied these events; He is putting an end to the gravity of this tragic situation by creating a calamity. The multitudes from both directions would be aghast at the lack of solemnity.
Sunday, March 19, 2006
Alive Again!
74. A Widow’s Son Raised at Nain
Luke 7:11-17
Luke 7:11 And it came about soon afterwards, that He went to a city called Nain; and His disciples were going along with Him, accompanied by a large multitude. 12. Now as He approached the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a sizeable crowd from the city was with her. 13. And when the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, "Do not weep." 14. And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise!" 15. And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother. 16. And fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and, "God has visited His people!" 17. And this report concerning Him went out all over Judea, and in all the surrounding district.
Luke 7:11 And it came about soon afterwards, that He went to a city called Nain; and His disciples were going along with Him, accompanied by a large multitude.
Luke records that it came about soon afterwards (some manuscripts say, “The next day”) referring to the healing of the centurion’s servant that He, Jesus, went to a city called Nain. This is the only time that this place is recorded in scripture. Historians place this city about 20 miles south southwest of the previous event.
His disciples were going along with Him accompanied by a large multitude. In this verse we see the magnetism that Jesus had over the crowd as they are so entranced with Him that they will follow, on foot, great distances. The people saw for the most part a political force that they trusted could defeat the Roman occupation. This next event would further that misunderstanding.
Luke 7:11-17
Luke 7:11 And it came about soon afterwards, that He went to a city called Nain; and His disciples were going along with Him, accompanied by a large multitude. 12. Now as He approached the gate of the city, behold, a dead man was being carried out, the only son of his mother, and she was a widow; and a sizeable crowd from the city was with her. 13. And when the Lord saw her, He felt compassion for her, and said to her, "Do not weep." 14. And He came up and touched the coffin; and the bearers came to a halt. And He said, "Young man, I say to you, arise!" 15. And the dead man sat up, and began to speak. And Jesus gave him back to his mother. 16. And fear gripped them all, and they began glorifying God, saying, "A great prophet has arisen among us!" and, "God has visited His people!" 17. And this report concerning Him went out all over Judea, and in all the surrounding district.
Luke 7:11 And it came about soon afterwards, that He went to a city called Nain; and His disciples were going along with Him, accompanied by a large multitude.
Luke records that it came about soon afterwards (some manuscripts say, “The next day”) referring to the healing of the centurion’s servant that He, Jesus, went to a city called Nain. This is the only time that this place is recorded in scripture. Historians place this city about 20 miles south southwest of the previous event.
His disciples were going along with Him accompanied by a large multitude. In this verse we see the magnetism that Jesus had over the crowd as they are so entranced with Him that they will follow, on foot, great distances. The people saw for the most part a political force that they trusted could defeat the Roman occupation. This next event would further that misunderstanding.
