What is the meaning of Matthew 8:10-12

When Jesus heard it, He marveled, and said assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel. And I say to you that many will come from the east and west and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, but the children of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

These three verses refer to the Roman centurion who came to Jesus and asked Him to heal his servant who was paralyzed. The centurion was a Gentile, meaning he was not a Hebrew and was not part of the chosen people, the covenant community, the commonwealth of Israel. That is why in vs. 8-9 he declared to Jesus, “I am not worthy that you should come under my roof. But only speak a word (emphasis added) and my servant will be healed. For I also am a man under authority and have soldiers under me. And I say to one ‘Go’ and he goes, and to another ‘Come’ and he comes, and to my servant ‘Do this’ and he does it.”

So we see why Jesus was amazed at the faith of this soldier who knew about His authority and the power of his word. Since the centurion knew he could command obedience with the power of his words, how much more could God in the flesh heal his paralytic servant with the power and authority of His word?

Jesus commended the centurion for his great faith, and simultaneously condemned unbelieving, disobedient Israel for their lack of faith. That is why he said in vs. 12, the sons of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

                                         

                                       Why are the sons of the kingdom cast out ?

The first thing we to do is identify the sons of the kingdom. When reading vs. 12 in context, Jesus is making clear to his own native people, Israel. The Hebrews were a people chosen by God centuries ago for his own possession because of a promise he made to one man, Abraham (Deuteronomy 7:6-8;Deuteronomy 32:6; Romans 11:2). These are indeed the sons of the kingdom. However, Jesus said the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. What does this mean? Those sons who do not believe will be cast into hell forever for rejecting God’s word; the gospel truth. Keep in mind, all Israel was saved nationally. No one was left behind, but not all were saved spiritually or eternally due to unbelief when they were in the wilderness (Numbers 14:26-38; Psalm 95:8-11). In the Old Testament those who did not believe did not enter into the Lord’s rest –i.e. the land of Caanan.

                                                                   Conclusion

Those who do not believe the gospel of Jesus Christ will never enter God’s eternal rest, heaven. They will be cast out into outer darkness, a synonym for hell where they will be wailing and gnashing or grinding of teeth. Hell is a place of unrelenting pain and torment that will never end. This is the tragic fate of all who never believe the gospel and die in their sins.

Let us all express the humility and the faith of the centurion; we 1) recognize our unworthiness to be in the presence of the Lord and 2) exercise faith and believe every word that proceeds from the mouth of God so that we receive answers to our petitions (Deuteronomy 8:3).

For it would be a beautiful thing to know that the Lord God Almighty would be amazed by our faith in Him and his word.

The consequence of Unforgiveness

There is a valuable lesson for us as believers to learn in Matthew’s gospel in the 18^th chapter. Let’s search the scriptures to see what the Lord would like to teach us.

Our text will come from Matthew 18:21-35. It reads:

 Then came Peter and said to him, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? until seven times?  Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven.  Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, who would make a reckoning with his servants.  And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, that owed him ten thousand talents.  But forasmuch as he had not wherewith to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.  The servant therefore fell down and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.  And the lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.  But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred shillings: and he laid hold on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay what thou owest.  So his fellow-servant fell down and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee.  And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay that which was due.  So when his fellow-servants saw what was done, they were exceeding sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done.  Then his lord called him unto him, and saith to him, Thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou besoughtest me:  shouldest not thou also have had mercy on thy fellow-servant, even as I had mercy on thee?  And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due.  So shall also my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye forgive not every one his brother from your hearts.

In these passages of scripture Jesus is teaching a parable about a king and his servants. One of his servants owed him 10,000 talents – an enumerable debt. A talent was a unit of measure that weighed 100 lbs. In our American currency, the monetized value of one silver talent would be around $384,000. For one gold talent $5,760,000. Here it says the man owed his master 10,000 talents! You do the math. Since he was unable to pay, his master proceeded to sell him and his family into slavery along with liquidating the man’s assets to exact payment for his servant’s debt.

The man pleaded with his master for patience and he would pay him all. The master knew his servant was unable to pay had compassion and forgave him all the debt he owed which once again if you do the math was at least 3 billion dollars in today’s currency if it was silver. But, if it was gold he owed, it would be at least 58 billion dollars, incredible!

So in this parable we see the incomprehensible forgiveness of the king. But something unfortunate in the parable develops. Jesus tell us the servant who was relieved of all that debt found one of his co-workers who owed 100 denarii (a day’s wage was one denarius a Roman coin about $32)  which today would amount to under $3,000.00 grabbed hold of the man and threatened him by choking him said, “Pay me what you owe me!” The co-worker begged him like he did the king, and asked him to be patient and he would pay. Unlike the king the one forgiven much refused to forgive his co-worker, and threw into prison until he paid the debt. Incredible ingratitude.

The 100 denarii was exactly 3 months wages the co-worker owed the man, not a small sum but compared to what he was forgiven he should have immediately forgiven the man with joy the amount he was owed.

When the king heard about his ungrateful servant’s treatment of his co-worker. He was furious with and threw him to the tormentors which most likely was a jailer so he could be punished in the same manner for which he threw his co-worker in prison (Matthew 18:34). Obviously the man wasn’t saddled with the same debt, but now he was to be severely disciplined for his evil behavior toward his co-worker.

So the question I’m sure would be asked, “did the king revoke his promise to forgive?” The answer would be no. The man was forgiven forever the debt he owed, but now because of his sin of unforgiveness,  had to be severely disciplined for it. He had to learn a lesson. Instead of paying a debt of money he now owed of a debt of the sin of unforgiveness and ingratitude; he should have imitated the attitude of his Lord. The Lord will chastise those he loves. Hebrew 12:5-11 says:

 and ye have forgotten the exhortation which reasoneth with you as with sons, My son, regard not lightly the chastening of the Lord, Nor faint when thou art reproved of him;  For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, And scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.  It is for chastening that ye endure; God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is there whom his father chasteneth not?  But if ye are without chastening, whereof all have been made partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons.  Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?  For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness.  All chastening seemeth for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yieldeth peaceable fruit unto them that have been exercised thereby, even the fruit of righteousness

Also in dealing with our brothers Ephesians 4:31-32 commands us to:

 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamor, and railing, be put away from you, with all malice:  and be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also in Christ forgave you.

So, the over arching point of the parable that Jesus is teaching is that if we do not forgive one another, the Father will not forgive us our trespasses (Matthew 18:35). What a terrible position to exist in. Although we’re children of the King of kings, we do not have an audience with Him due to evil that’s residing in our hearts due to unforgiveness.

Now in case someone gets confused, Jesus is not saying that a true believer will lose his or her salvation as some do unfortunately believe and teach for Jesus’ atonement was efficacious; it cleansed our sins judicially forever. We will never owe that debt again. However in this current time and space, when we withhold forgiveness from our brother or sister, God in his Holy justice exerts the right to withhold your forgiveness until you forgive the sins committed against you.

How graciously the Father has forgiven our sins forever by sending Jesus Christ to die for them; an un-payable debt.  How much more should we imitate the Father and the Son by forgiving one another. For one to refuse to forgive is to show contempt and disparage the work of Christ on the cross just like that worthless servant dealing with his co-worker. He showed contempt and disregarded the compassion of his master when he forgave him all that financial debt. His attitude went from desperation and despair when he had to give an account for his debt that he worshipped his Lord for mercy and was forgiven. Unfortunately he did not keep that same worshipful posture in heart and mind when it was his turn to show mercy to his co-worker. Although he had the right to exact payment from his co-worker he should have showed mercy (Matthew 5:7). His Lord the king had every legal right to sell him and his family along with his possessions and exact payment but released his servant. God has every right to be furious with  and severely chastise us for our ungodly attitudes when we operate in unforgiveness. Let’s forgive immediately and resume our fellowship with the Lord and our brethren.

The book of Jude commentary

Jude is the brother of James who wrote the epistle that bears his name. Judas or Jude was Jesus’ half brother according to the flesh. Jude like James did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah until he rose from the dead (John 7:5; Acts 1:14; I Corinthians 15:7).

Jude begins his letter by stating, “those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ.”

The word called is from the Greek Kletos which means to call, invite, welcomed, appointed. Those who are the elect and chosen of God. The inward, effectual call that produces saving faith within the sinner.

The word sanctified in the Greek is the word Hagiazo which means to set apart and holy unto God. When God saves, he instantaneously sanctifies or set apart the believer and plants within him his Holy Spirit as the promise or guarantee of his current redemption spiritually and his physical redemption in the future (Ephesians 1:14; Philippians 1:6).

The word preserved is from the Greek word Tereo which simply means to keep an eye on, watch, and hence to guard, keep, obey.

Figuratively meaning to keep in safety, preserve, maintain.

The word kept is in the perfect tense, passive voice meaning that the act was performed at some time in the past with results continuing in the present. The subject is currently being acted upon – i.e. the believer. God’s preservation of his saints is an infinite provision.

This is clearly an address to Christians exclusively, not to unbelievers. The letter is actually an ardent rebuke against the worst of unbelievers; mainly false teachers.

Jude was initially going to write about our regular salvation but was compelled rather to encourage readers to contend earnestly (fight with vigor) for the faith was once delivered to them due to the infiltration of false teachers in the church (vs. 3-4).

Jude describes the false teachers in four rebukes:

First rebuke

a.       Ungodly men – vs. 4

b.      They pervert the grace of God into lewdness – vs. 4

c.       They deny the Lord Jesus Christ proving they are not born again – vs. 4

d.      They defile the flesh – vs. 8

e.      They reject authority – vs. 8

f.        Speak evil of dignitaries (may make reference to angels) – vs. 8

Because of them, many will be led astray, and doomed to hell like they are. Although they sit and eat with you does not mean they are with you at heart. These false teachers are out for gain; how they may take advantage of the gullible and unsuspecting (vs. 12).

Jude continues to describe these false teachers:

Second rebuke

a.       They have gone in the way of Cain meaning they are self righteous – vs. 11

b.      They have gone in the way of Balaam who was a prophet for hire and desired Israel’s enemy to

 to curse God’s people. They love money – vs. 11

c.       They have also followed the way of Korah who spoke against Moses’ leadership and was swallowed up by the earth – vs. 11

d.      These are spots in your love feasts. Eating with you with all pretense instead of being afraid knowing they’re hypocrites amongst the real Saints – vs. 12

e.      Clouds with no water – vs. 12

f.        Late Autumn trees with no fruit. Speaks of bareness and lifelessness – vs. 12

g.       Twice dead, plucked up by the roots. These apostates first of all have no good deeds which speaks of death. Also they have no root which speaks of a second and final death spiritually. There is no hope for them at all.

h.      Raging winds of the sea foaming up their own shame – vs. 13

i.         Wandering Stars – Ultimately they have no purpose for living – vs. 13

These vivid descriptions clearly teach us that these imposters are doomed for eternal damnation with NO hope of redemption ever!!

Jude said Enoch the seventh from Adam prophesied their demise in a non biblical source. Jude was writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit so we can conclude that although Enoch’s prophecy doesn’t appear in the Canon, we know it to be true (vs. 14).

Again Jude pronounces more woe on these apostates:

Third rebuke

a.       Grumblers

b.      Complainers

c.       Walking after their own lusts

d.      Mouthing off big talk to soothe, and bewitching many so as to take advantage of them – vs. 16

Jude reminds his readers that the Apostles warned of this day (Read 2 Peter 2)

Jude gives his final imprecatory upon the enemies of the cross:

Fourth rebuke

a.       Sensual persons who cause divisions – vs. 19

b.      They are devoid of the Spirit of God proving they are not born again – vs. 19

We as believers must persist in prayer according to the will of God. Keep ourselves in God’s love, and look for the mercy of God unto eternal life, keeping our focus on the Lord’s salvation. It’s the only way we can have a ready defense against the enemies’ attacks (vs. 20-21).

We also must be on a rescue mission as well by saving some  from the corruption of these false teachers with love. We need to pull them aside and keep them separate from these defilers due to their immaturity in Christ. Their discernment skills are not exercised enough where they can stand on their own to defend themselves against the assaults of pervasive heretical doctrine that has drawn them into falsehood (vs. 22).

Others are so deep in the sins of the false teachers that they need to snatched from their hellish grip and doctrine with earnest and fear lest they become a hopelessly damned proselyte, sharing the fate of these irreligious leaders who inoculated them. Their soul is so contaminated that their outer garments if possible would be defiled by their evil speech and conduct. These individuals spiritual lives hang in the balance! They MUST receive the power of the true gospel so that they would be cleansed and saved (John 13:10;17:17) vs. 23. The alternative is hell.

Jude ends his letter with a doxology. He reminds the Saints of God that they will be brought before the Lord’s presence without fault. This speaks to the preservation of the Saints. True believers are forever protected from eventually falling away to the degree that we fall from God’s grace finally and perish without hope unlike the false teacher Jude describes.

Thank God for his magnificent grace vs. 25.

Comparing I John 1:8-10 with I John 3:6-9

The main issue in the aforementioned verses is sin. When we read these verses, it appears that the apostle John contradicts himself. Let’s examine them to find out what’s going on.

In I John 1:8-10 we read, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive our sins, and cleanse to us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.”

Now, in I John 3:6-9 we read, “Whoever abides in Him does not sin (italics added). Whoever sins has neither seen Him or known Him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested that He might destroy the works of the devil.       

Whoever is born of God does not sin (italics added), for His seed remains in him, and he cannot sin (italics added) because he has been born of God.”

The first set of verses (I John 1:8-10) clearly tell us that we as believers do sin, and that’s why I John 2:1-2 says…“that if anyone sins, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation (or satisfaction) for our sins…

Jesus delivered us from the power and penalty of sin forever, but currently not it’s presence. Sin does continue to operate in our mortal flesh which has yet to experience it’s redemption. We’ll experience that when Jesus returns for his bride, the church and our bodies will be changed from mortal to immortal (I Corinthians 15:51-58; I Thessalonians 4:13-18).

But, in the second set of verses, we read that whoever abides in Him-that is in Christ does not sin. Which set of verses are true? Verse nine in particular by itself is implicit, meaning by it’s implication would purport one to believe that Christians do not and can not sin. That is not what the verse is saying at all. To define verse nine, we must connect it with verse seven which is an explicit verse – a verse that is very clear with no ambiguity. Verse nine of I John 3 is ambiguous when it stands alone.

Verse seven of I John 3 says, “ He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.

The key word here is “practice”, from the Greek word prasso. To practice something requires continuous, habitual action. The apostle John is comparing those that are saved or righteous who practice righteousness verses those that are wicked  who practice wickedness. Verse nine does not mean that we do not sin; we do.  What it has  to mean is that believers do not practice sin as a way of life. They’re not engaged in sin as they were prior to their conversion, and they can not habitually sin, because God’s seed- the Holy Spirit remain (abides, dwells, lives) in them. The Spirit of the living God provides a checks and balance system within the believer to prevent him/her to engage in habitual sinful behavior; and when we sin we know we must confess our sins to the Lord (I John 1:9). That inward faculty will drive us to repentance continually and keep us pure.

These verses provide a litmus test for anyone to know whether they’re truly born again or not. Do you  endeavor to practice righteous living or unholy living? No one can have it both ways!

We must remember and accept that the fact that sin has no more dominion over us because we’re free from it (Romans 6:12). We’re no longer slaves to it.

                                                        

                                                        In conclusion

We must always remember to interpret implicit passages in light of the explicit ones. In this case, we interpret  I John 3:6a and vs. 9 (The implicit)  in light of I John 3:7 along with I John 1:8-10 (The explicit). When we do this, we do not run into error. This is proper hermeneutics.

A person who claims to know God and sins habitually is a liar. And as the scripture say the truth is not in them (I John 1:8); Explicitly speaking, that type of person is not saved.

A Living Sacrifice?

“I beseech you  therefore brethren by the mercies of God that you  present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service.”

-          Romans 12:1

I’ve pondered that question lately, and wondered how I can be alive and sacrifice myself at the same time? Yet God commands us as believers to do it. I must be alive, and reckon myself as dead; seems impossible.

What does the scripture have to say about these seemingly mutually opposed ideas?

Jesus said this in Matthew 16:24-25, Then Jesus said to disciples,” if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever will save his life shall lose it, and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.

So, what do these verses mean?

The word cross in the Greek is the word Stauros; primarily means stake or pale. Metaphorically it means the believer’s identification with Christ in that we’re separating ourselves from the passions of the world to follow Jesus. The cross was literally an instrument of torture, humiliation and death. As believers we MUST sacrifice all for the Excellency that’s in Christ Jesus even if it costs our very lives. If one is only interested in his own ambitions and dreams, then he’s not living unto God, he’s living to fill his own belly which will lead to certain death. Jesus categorically said, “What will profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses his soul? Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul? Obviously nothing (Matthew 16:26). The Christian life is one of self denial.

An even more vivid description of a living sacrifice is in Romans 6:11, “Likewise reckon yourselves to be dead unto sin (emphasis added), but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The apostle Paul is commanding us by the Holy Spirit to treat our bodies as dead to sin. Why? Because Jesus nailed our sins to the Cross when he died. The scriptures tell us that when He died, we died. Now wait a second! How could we die with Christ when weren't even born yet? Paul is obviously speaking in symbolic language, not literal. Our bodies idiomatically were crucified with our Lord when He died literally. This truth we must accept by faith although this glorious revelation transcends our minds.  Paul also declares in vs. 4, 8, 11 that since we’re crucified with Christ, we also will be raised with him in newness of life. This shows our identification with the one who lovingly sacrificed his life for us. A tremendous reality!

So, since our bodies have to be reckoned as dead to sin, meaning we MUST on purpose deny our sinful desires which produce death (i.e. dead works) we have the right, and ability to serve God as we sacrificially place ourselves on the Lord’s altar daily to serve him as we carry our cross with joy.

This behavior is a concerted attitude one must commit to in order to gain victory in Christ. We have to by faith live an “Everyday death sentence kind of life” Once this mindset is ours, we understand when I die daily to myself, Jesus by the Holy Spirit looms ever so brighter and larger in my life.  I’m now totally hidden, and Jesus Christ is magnified.

John the Baptist said it well, “He must increase, and I must decrease (John 3:30).”

Paul declared this in Galatians 2:20, “I’m crucified with Christ. Nevertheless I live, yet not I, but Christ lives in me; and the life I live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me, and gave himself for me.”

The apostle once again is declaring that he’s living in the power of Jesus Christ by faith. He doesn’t trust himself to do this alone for he (Paul) declared in Romans 7:18, “I know in my flesh; this body of sin, dwells no good thing.” That has to be every believer’s mantra. We can not trust ourselves to do what’s right so we must rely on the power source of another, namely the Spirit of the living God to help us through. In  Galatians 2:20 we see a perfect illustration of the wonderful duality of  the living sacrifice dynamic in demonstration. Paul first off identifies spiritually that he was crucified with his Lord. He also realizes he’s now alive in Christ.

He goes on to declare that the life he lives in his body (now dead to sin because of  Christ’s sacrifice  on the cross), he lives in full confidence, trust and reliance on Christ, because of Christ’s love and sacrifice for him.

If we as believers meditate on the Spirit filled words of Paul, we too can live a life of self sacrifice. Never has life had such meaning as it has in Jesus Christ; but ironically in order for anyone to live this life faithfully, they have to die everyday of their lives in order to execute it.

Simultaneously we have to die to ourselves, and live unto God. That’s the essence of a living sacrifice. Be willing to place yourself at God’s altar and leave yourself there. Allow your life to be a sweet smelling aroma that pleases God as you do what he commands (Hebrews 11:6).

This is a strange, but true saying, our continual death (to sin), and our life to Christ both are well pleasing to God. Again, we MUST believe we were crucified with our Lord by faith so that our body of sin is dead as well. And again we MUST believe we’re alive to God by faith. The body that we must suppress is the same instrument that we by faith present to God as a living sacrifice.

The dead body of sin is also alive so that we can continually offer it to God as a living sacrifice.

I hope the reality of this is clear.

Only the power of the living God can perform this.

Hebrews Chapter 9 - Commentary

Comparisons are made between the earthly tabernacle and the heavenly:

The High Priest had to offer blood sacrifices year by year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), first for his own sins and then for the people of Israel (cf. Leviticus 16:1-34). The High Priest had to take blood and sprinkle it on the Mercy Seat so that it was consecrated by the blood which was the sanctifying agent (vs. 1-7).

This religious ceremony was accepted by God according to Mosaic law, but it was never complete and sufficient to remove sins. It was merely symbolic of what Jesus would do when he offered up himself (vs. 9).

Jesus sacrifice of himself is the ultimate priestly act because it cleanses the soul forever from sin of the one who believes (vs. 10-15).

A couple of glorious things are revealed here:

#1. Jesus made a covenant with his people. In that covenant there’s an inheritance. In order for that testament to have any force , the testator has to die. Jesus sacrificial  death by his blood shed ratified that covenant.

    

       This new testament supercedes the blood covenant during Moses’ time (vs. 16-23)

#2. When Jesus entered into the heavenly Holy Holies, he deposited his own blood  on the heavenly mercy seat which cleansed men of sin forever. He did this once for all. When Jesus returns, we’ll know in real time that God the Father was satisfied with his High Priestly act. Right now, we embrace these truths by faith (vs. 24-28).

Hebrews Chapter 8 - Commentary

This chapter primarily deals with the New/Everlasting covenant which was prophesied by Jeremiah 31:31-32.

Prior to that, the text deals with Jesus’ priesthood could not be of this world because of the Levitical priesthood was in force which offered gifts and sacrifices according to the law which were shadows of the things to come (vs 1-5).

Jesus’ priesthood was based on a better covenant based on better promises. This new covenant was ratified with the shedding of his own blood (Matthew 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20;I Corinthians 11:25).

The New Covenant provides complete access to God because of the once and for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ.