Wednesday Evening Bible Study

December 26, 2001

 

:15-17  Bring the Children

This is also found in Matthew 19:13-15 and Mark 10:13-16.

:15 And they brought unto him also infants, that he would touch them: but when his disciples saw it, they rebuked them.

brought – prosphero – to bring to, lead to.  The verb is an “imperfect” tense, meaning that this was a continual thing.  This wasn’t a “one time” occurrence.

infants – brephos – an unborn child, embryo, a fetus; a new-born child, an infant, a babe

he would touch – haptomai – to fasten one’s self to, adhere to, cling to; to touch

Matthew records that part of the parents’ desire was for Jesus to pray for the children.

(Mat 19:13 KJV)  Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put his hands on them, and pray

Mark says that Jesus “blessed” the children.

(Mark 10:16 KJV)  And he took them up in his arms, put his hands upon them, and blessed them.

rebuked – epitimao – chide, rebuke, reprove, censure severely; to admonish or charge sharply; simply to rebuke, in any sense. It may be justly or unjustly, and, if justly, the rebuke may be heeded or it may not.  Also an imperfect tense, continual rebuking.

Perhaps the disciples thought that Jesus shouldn’t be bothered with little children.  Perhaps they thought He was too important for that.

Lesson

Attitude towards children

I think we need to be careful that we don’t fall into the trap of thinking that children aren’t important.  When you see the children of the church running around, are they just “in the way”, or are they valuable to the Lord.  I don’t mean to imply that children shouldn’t have any discipline, but they are very precious.

:16 But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.

Mark records,

Mr 10:14  But when Jesus saw [it], he was much displeased …

called … unto – proskaleomai – to call to; to call to one’s self; to bid to come to one’s self

them – the children and their parents

suffer – aphiemi – to permit, allow, not to hinder, to give up a thing to a person

little children – paidion – a young child, a little boy, a little girl; infants; children, little ones

forbid – koluo – to hinder, prevent forbid; to withhold a thing from anyone; to deny or refuse one a thing

of such – toioutos – such as this, of this kind or sort

Lesson

Ministry to Children

This is why we do “Baby Dedications” at church.  As a church we pray over the children and ask God to bless them.

We do not see anywhere in Scripture that children are to be baptized.  But we do see Jesus commanding that we bring the children to Him.

This is also why we have a “Children’s Ministry” as a very important part of our church.  We don’t want to just provide “childcare”, we want to minister to the kids and help them to learn to come to Jesus.

:17 Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

verily – amen – firm; metaph. faithful; verily, amen; at the beginning of a discourse-surely, truly, of a truth

receive – dechomai – to take with the hand; to take hold of, take up; to take up, receive; to receive or grant access to, a visitor, not to refuse intercourse or friendship; of the thing offered in speaking, teaching, instructing; to receive favourably, give ear to, embrace, make one’s own, approve, not to reject; to receive. i.e. to take upon one’s self, sustain, bear, endure

little child – paidion – a young child, a little boy, a little girl; infants; children, little ones

Lesson

Like a child

What is it about children that we are to be like?

Trusting – a child tends to be trusting of others.  We have to trust Jesus.

Simple – it isn’t complicated, even a child can understand opening their heart to Jesus.

Humble – a person who thinks they are more important than a child has a lot to learn.

Loving – a child knows how to put their arms around your neck and hug without being embarrassed.

Purity – a child has pure motives, they haven’t had their minds polluted by the gross things of the world.

:18-30  The Rich Young Ruler

A parallel version of this story is found in Matthew 19:16-30; Mark 10:17-27

:18 And a certain ruler asked him, saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

asked – eperotao – to accost one with an enquiry, put a question to, enquiry of, ask, interrogate; to address one with a request or demand; to ask of or demand of one

ruler – archon – a ruler, commander, chief, leader

Master – didaskalos – a teacher; in the NT one who teaches concerning the things of God, and the duties of man

Good – agathos – of good constitution or nature; useful, salutary; good, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy; excellent, distinguished; upright, honourable

life – zoe – life; the state of one who is possessed of vitality or is animate; life real and genuine, a life active and vigorous, devoted to God, blessed, in the portion even in this world of those who put their trust in Christ, but after the resurrection to be consummated by new accessions (among them a more perfect body), and to last for ever.

eternal – aionios – without beginning and end, that which always has been and always will be; without beginning; without end, never to cease, everlasting

inherit – kleronomeo – to receive a lot, receive by lot; esp. to receive a part of an inheritance, receive as an inheritance, obtain by right of inheritance; to be an heir, to inherit; to receive the portion assigned to one, receive an allotted portion, receive as one’s own or as a possession; to become partaker of, to obtain

This is the same question the lawyer asked Jesus earlier, leading to the telling of the story of the Good Samaritan

(Luke 10:25-37 KJV)  And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? {26} He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? {27} And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. {28} And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live. {29} But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? {30} And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. {31} And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. {32} And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. {33} But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, {34} And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. {35} And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. {36} Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? {37} And he said, He that showed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Jesus answers the same question in two different ways, but in a way they’re the same.

Jesus’ answer here is to share the two greatest commandments, the two that sum up all the commandments. 

The first commandment, to “Love the Lord” summarizes the first four of the Ten Commandments.

The second commandment, “love thy neighbor” summarizes the last six of the Ten Commandments.

Of these two commandments, Jesus focuses on the second one, to “love thy neighbor as thyself”.

If you pay attention, Jesus will still focus on this same section of the Law.

:19 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? none is good, save one, that is, God.

callest – lego – to say, to speak; affirm over, maintain; to call by name, to call, name

good … good – agathos – of good constitution or nature; useful, salutary; good, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, happy; excellent, distinguished; upright, honourable

none – oudeis – no one, nothing

Lesson

Jesus is God

No Jewish rabbi was called “good” in direct address.

Jesus is saying one of two things:

Either He’s saying that He isn’t good.

Or He’s saying that He is God.  Which He is.

:20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Honour thy father and thy mother.

Does any of this sound familiar?  Jesus is quoting from the Ten Commandments.

commit adultery – moicheuo – to commit adultery. This is the seventh of the Ten Commandments

kill – phoneuo – to kill, slay, murder. This is the sixth of the Ten Commandments.

steal – klepto – to steal; to commit a theft; take away by theft i.e take away by stealth. This is the eighth of the Ten Commandments

bear false witness – pseudomartureo (“false” + “witness”) – to utter falsehoods in giving testimony, to testify falsely, to bear false witness. This is the ninth of the Ten Commandments

honor – timao – to estimate, fix the value; to honour, to have in honour, to revere, venerate. This is the fifth of the Ten Commandments

(Exo 20:1-17 KJV)  And God spake all these words, saying, {2} I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

First Half – Laws regarding our relationship with God

First

{3} Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Second

{4} Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: {5} Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; {6} And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

Third

{7} Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Fourth

{8} Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. {9} Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: {10} But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: {11} For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it.

Second Half – Laws regarding our relationships with each other

Fifth

{12} Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.

Sixth

{13} Thou shalt not kill.

Seventh

{14} Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Eighth

{15} Thou shalt not steal.

Ninth

{16} Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour.

Tenth

{17} Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour's.

Back in Luke 10, Jesus simply dealt with the two commandments that summed up the Ten Commandments.  He told that man to love God and to love his neighbor.  Then Jesus focused on loving your neighbor with the parable of the Good Samaritan.

By looking at the commandments that Jesus gives here, it seems that Jesus is again pointing the man’s attention to the second half of the Law, the subject of loving your neighbor.

Jesus doesn’t mention one of the Laws.  Which one doesn’t Jesus mention?

He doesn’t mention the tenth law, the law of coveting.

I think this is important because I think this is what Jesus is going to aim at for this man.

:21 And he said, All these have I kept from my youth up.

all – pas – individually; each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything; collectively

kept – phulasso – to guard; to watch, keep watch; to guard i.e. care for, take care not to violate; to observe

youth – neotes – youth, youthful age

We usually call this man the “rich young ruler”.  But I don’t see where he was “young”.

The man seems to be feeling kind of smug.

:22 Now when Jesus heard these things, he said unto him, Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven:

lackest – leipo – to leave, leave behind, forsake, to be left behind; to lag, be inferior; to be wanting, to fail

all – pas – individually; each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything; collectively

sell – poleo – to barter, to sell

distribute – diadidomai – to distribute, divide among several; to give over, deliver

poor – ptochos – reduced to beggary, begging, asking alms; destitute of wealth, influence, position, honour; helpless, powerless to accomplish an end; poor, needy

treasure – thesauros – the place in which good and precious things are collected and laid up; a treasury; storehouse, repository, magazine; the things laid up in a treasury, collected treasures

Lesson

Giver or taker?

What was the one law out of the second part of the Ten Commandments that Jesus hadn’t yet quoted?

#10 – Thou shalt not covet

What Jesus is doing is dealing with the man’s coveting.

The opposite of coveting is giving.

A “coveter” is a person who is focused on what he is going to “get”.

God wants us to be people who know how to “give”.

Lesson

Get rid of the obstacles

Jesus decided to pinpoint this area in the guy’s life.

This was the main thing that was keeping the man from God.

Does Jesus require this of everyone who follows Him?

This seems to be the only person Jesus required it of.

Jesus required this of the man because Jesus knew that this was the very thing that was keeping the man from following Jesus with a whole heart.

To others, Jesus might say,

Stop hating

Stop lusting

Honor your parents

Stop lying

Stop stealing

Lesson

It only takes one sin

Note that Jesus doesn’t say, “Well, you’re doing pretty good, you shouldn’t have any trouble getting into heaven!”

We don’t get into heaven because we have “more good than bad”.

It’s about being perfect.

James writes,

(James 2:10 KJV)  For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

Lesson

It’s harder than it looks

I think what Jesus has done is simply to show what kinds of implications the Law has in our lives.

I kind of wonder if Jesus couldn’t have picked any of the other commandments and singled them out and used them to show the man his conviction over sin.

For example, Jesus could have left out, “thou shalt not kill” and said,

“Have you ever hated anyone in your life?  If you have, you have committed murder.”

But Jesus knew one particular thing that this guy needed to hear.

:22  and come, follow me.

come – deuro – of place,; hither to this place; in urging and calling, here! come!

follow – akoloutheo – to follow one who precedes, join him as his attendant, accompany him; to join one as a disciple, become or be his disciple

Lesson

Follow Jesus

This is the bottom line – get rid of whatever is keeping you from Jesus, and follow Him.

:23 And when he heard this, he was very sorrowful: for he was very rich.

very sorrowful – perilupos (“around” + “sorrow”) – very sad, exceedingly sorrowful; overcome with sorrow so much as to cause one’s death

rich – plousios – wealthy, abounding in material resources

very – sphodra – exceedingly, greatly

The man wasn’t sorrowful just because he was rich, but because he was rich and he was living a life of wanting more (coveting), not one of giving to others.

We should be careful that we don’t assume that the man went away sad because he didn’t want to follow Jesus.  It could be that he went away to tell his accountant to sell everything, and though he was sad, he may have done what Jesus said.

:24 And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, he said, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

very sorrowful – perilupos (“around” + “sorrow”) – very sad, exceedingly sorrowful; overcome with sorrow so much as to cause one’s death

hardly – duskolos – with difficulty; from duskolos – hard to find agreeable food for, fastidious about food; difficult to please, always finding fault; difficult

riches – chrema – a thing, a matter, affair, event, business; spec. money, riches

If we’re not careful, we can get the idea that Jesus didn’t care for this guy and was just trying to make things difficult for the man.  This was not the case.  Mark records it this way:

(Mark 10:21 KJV)  Then Jesus beholding him loved him (agape), and said unto him, One thing thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.

:25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle's eye, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.

easier – eukopoteros (“good” + “labor”) – with easy labour; easy

camel – kamelos – camel

eye – trumalia – a hole, (eye of the needle)

needle – rhaphis – a needle

Some say this is referring to a small little gate that was used to enter a city after the main gates were closed.

Pastor Chuck says the guides in Israel will tell you all about this.  After the main gates were closed and someone wanted to come into the city, they would have to go through this small little doorway.  For a camel to get through, you’d have to unload the camel and get it down on its knees.  But Chuck says these are basically made up stories.  No one can point to the proof of the story.

Chuck said that some of the guides will have all kinds of made up things to tell you,

Like the guide who was showing the minister through the cathedral in Milan, St. Ambrose Cathedral there.  And he showed him this case and the skull in the case, and he was assuring the  people that that was Peter’s skull, that somehow it had been rescued when he was crucified and preserved and highly revered.  One of the fellows spoke up and said, "Hey, we were down in the area of Rome the other day and in another cathedral and they showed us a skull.  And they said that was Peter’s skull."  He said, "It was smaller than this one," then he says, "Oh, yes, but that was when Peter was a boy."

Robertson: The Talmud twice speaks of an elephant passing through the eye of a needle as being impossible.

This is simply a way of saying, “It’s pretty difficult, if not impossible”.

Lesson

Wealthy people can be saved, but it’s difficult

Paul wrote to Timothy,

(1 Tim 6:17-19 NLT)  Tell those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which will soon be gone. But their trust should be in the living God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment. {18} Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and should give generously to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given them. {19} By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may take hold of real life.

God can use wealthy people just like He can use poor people.  But they need to be careful that they haven’t learned to trust in their wealth rather than in God.

:26 And they that heard it said, Who then can be saved?

can be – dunamai – to be able, have power whether by virtue of one’s own ability and resources, or of a state of mind, or through favourable circumstances, or by permission of law or custom; to be able to do something; to be capable, strong and powerful

saved – sozo – to save, keep safe and sound, to rescue from danger or destruction; to save in the technical biblical sense

Lesson

It’s impossible

People had this idea (and still do) that being wealthy was a sign that God was on your side.  Everyone had the idea that if anyone was going to be saved, a wealthy person would be.

The disciples are realizing the truth about the Law.

The Law shows us God’s perfect standard for eternal life, but it also shows us that it is impossible to attain to that standard.

(Rom 3:19-22 NLT)  Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses and to bring the entire world into judgment before God. {20} For no one can ever be made right in God's sight by doing what his law commands. For the more we know God's law, the clearer it becomes that we aren't obeying it. {21} But now God has shown us a different way of being right in his sight--not by obeying the law but by the way promised in the Scriptures long ago. {22} We are made right in God's sight when we trust in Jesus Christ to take away our sins. And we all can be saved in this same way, no matter who we are or what we have done.

We inherit eternal life not by earning it through good works, but only because Jesus has died in our place, paying the penalty for our sins.

:27 And he said, The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.

impossible – adunatos – without strength, impotent, powerless, weakly, disabled; unable to be done, impossible

possible – dunatos – able, powerful, mighty, strong; to be able (to do something)

Lesson

God can save anyone

With any person, Jesus could have used the Law to point out how far they fall short of God’s standards.

But with Jesus, it is possible to be saved because He has paid for us with His death on the cross.

(Rom 8:3-6 NLT)  The law of Moses could not save us, because of our sinful nature. But God put into effect a different plan to save us. He sent his own Son in a human body like ours, except that ours are sinful. God destroyed sin's control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. {4} He did this so that the requirement of the law would be fully accomplished for us who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. {5} Those who are dominated by the sinful nature think about sinful things, but those who are controlled by the Holy Spirit think about things that please the Spirit. {6} If your sinful nature controls your mind, there is death. But if the Holy Spirit controls your mind, there is life and peace.