Archives For Interpretation

A Special Distinction of Zechariah and Elizabeth!

August 15, 2014

God blessed Zechariah and Elizabeth greatly, especially by allowing them to be the parents of John the Baptist. Until yesterday, I had never understood another aspect of their blessedness that serves as a helpful illustration of an important Pauline text.

Pauline Teaching about Confessing Jesus Is the Lord

Paul teaches in First Corinthians 12 that no one is able to “say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost” (1 Cor. 12:3). Saying this, he does not teach that even merely uttering those words is impossible apart from the Spirit, but rather that people can believingly confessing that Jesus is the Lord only through the work of the Holy Spirit in their hearts.

A close look at the events that took place immediately after Gabriel came to Mary to reveal how God had highly favored her (Luke 1:26-28) shows that these events provide us with two wonderful instances of people who confessed that Jesus is the Lord. What’s more, the inspired record of these events plainly illustrates what Paul taught about such confession.

Elizabeth Confessed Jesus Is the Lord by the Holy Spirit

After the miraculous conception of Jesus in Mary’s womb (Luke 1:26-38), the first person of whom we read that encountered Jesus while He was yet unborn was Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-40). When she heard Mary’s greeting, she was filled with the Spirit (Luke 1:41).

Through that filling, Elizabeth declared the blessedness of both Mary and her unborn Child, Jesus (Luke 1:42). She then said, “And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me” (Luke 1:43).

With these words, Elizabeth testified that she believed that the yet-to-be-born Child who was in Mary’s womb was her (Elizabeth’s) Lord! Because we know that she made this utterance when she was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41), we learn that Elizabeth is the first person that we have a record of in Scripture who confessed Jesus is the Lord by the Holy Spirit!

Zechariah Testified the Same Truth by the Spirit

Following the glorious declaration of Elizabeth to Mary (Luke 1:41-45), we read of Mary’s marvelous statements about God’s goodness to her and her people (Luke 1:46-55). After staying with her for about three months, Mary returned to her own home (Luke 1:56).

The Spirit then informs us of what took place when John the Baptist was born (Luke 1:57-80). After explaining how Zechariah confirmed that his newborn son’s name was to be John (Luke 1:59-63) and subsequently praised God (Luke 1:64), we read of Zechariah being filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:67).

Through that filling, Zechariah prophesied marvelous things about how God was blessed because of what He had done for His people Israel (Luke 1:68-79). Among his Spirit-filled prophetic statements, Zechariah said, “And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways” (Luke 1:76).

Saying this, he made known that his son John would be a prophet of the Highest and would precede the Lord to prepare His ways. This vital declaration shows that he believed that John would prepare the way for One whom he believed was the Lord!

Because Zechariah made this declaration through the filling of the Holy Spirit, we learn that Zechariah is the second person that we have a record of in Scripture who confessed that Jesus is the Lord by the Holy Spirit! Zechariah and Elizabeth thus have the special distinction of being the first two people recorded who confessed by the Holy Spirit that Jesus is the Lord!

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Exposition, Theology
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An Overlooked Aspect of Saul’s Enmity against David

August 4, 2014

First Samuel 18-26 records the tragic story of how King Saul wickedly pursued David and tried many times to catch him so that he could slay him. Although I have read this account more than 25 times over the years, I noticed this week an aspect of Saul’s enmity against David that I do not remember every paying attention to in all my previous readings.

Demonic Influence That Repeatedly Incited Saul to Slay David

King Saul first became at odds with David after he was angered greatly when women honored David’s military exploits far more than they did his (1 Sam. 18:6-9). Immediately after this passage, we read that an evil spirit afflicted him, and he sought to kill David (1 Sam. 18:10-11).

Saul later tried to use his daughters as a means to have David slain (cf. 1 Sam. 18:17, 21ff.), but he was unsuccessful. His attempt to have Jonathan, his son, and all his [Saul’s] servants kill David similarly failed (1 Sam. 19:1-5).

Under the influence of the evil spirit, Saul yet again sought to slay David but could not (1 Sam. 19:9-10). Michal then spared David’s life by deceiving the servants that Saul sent to slay David in his home (1 Sam. 19:11-17).

From First Samuel 18-19, it is clear that direct demonic influence incited Saul at least twice to slay David. His other attempts to kill David may also have been incited by the evil spirit, even though there are no direct statements to that effect.

Evil Human Influence That Incited Saul to Slay David

Two later passages reveal that another key influence besides the evil spirit played a role in Saul’s enmity against David and his efforts to kill him:

1Sa 24:9 And David said to Saul, Wherefore hearest thou men’s words, saying, Behold, David seeketh thy hurt?

 10 Behold, this day thine eyes have seen how that the LORD had delivered thee to day into mine hand in the cave: and some bade me kill thee: but mine eye spared thee; and I said, I will not put forth mine hand against my lord; for he is the LORD’S anointed.

1Sa 26:19 Now therefore, I pray thee, let my lord the king hear the words of his servant. If the LORD have stirred thee up against me, let him accept an offering: but if they be the children of men, cursed be they before the LORD; for they have driven me out this day from abiding in the inheritance of the LORD, saying, Go, serve other gods.

 20 Now therefore, let not my blood fall to the earth before the face of the LORD: for the king of Israel is come out to seek a flea, as when one doth hunt a partridge in the mountains.

These passages show that David pled with Saul on at least two occasions not to listen to the words of wicked men who were stirring him up against David by lying to him by saying that David was trying to hurt him (1 Sam. 24:9; cf. 26:19). These two statements are remarkable because the Holy Spirit does not provide us with any other record of any such lying statements made by evil people who were inciting Saul to slay David!

Conclusion

Based on the earlier statements about the evil spirit and on these direct statements by David, we can be certain that Saul was incited by both demonic influence and evil human influence to attempt repeatedly to kill David. Although Scripture does not say so, it is very likely that the latter was in reality another facet of the former, so that demonic influence on other people was directly responsible for their lying about David to Saul.

Beyond learning a key truth about Saul’s enmity against David that I have overlooked in the past, I am both amazed and challenged by my having overlooked for all these years the statements by David about evil human influences on Saul. Although I have studied the Bible very carefully and intensely for years, this discovery motivates me to read Scripture even more carefully than I have in the past.

 

 

 

 

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Bible reading, Exposition, Theology
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“Remember Me, O My God, for Good”

July 28, 2014

The book of Nehemiah ends with a striking prayer—“Remember me, O my God, for good” (Neh. 13:31b). An analysis of this prayer and of three preceding ones by Nehemiah provides biblical basis for Christians’ praying for themselves that God would bless them for good!

Nehemiah prayed at least four times to God that He would remember him for good (Neh. 5:19; 13:14, 22, 31). Each of these prayers instructs us about how we should pray.

Remember Me for What I Have Done for God’s People

Nehemiah ministered sacrificially for the good of God’s people (Neh. 5:14-18). He prayed that God would remember him for good because of all that he had done for them:

Neh 5:19 Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

Like Nehemiah, Christians who have diligently served God’s people have a legitimate basis for appealing to God to bless them with good (cf. Rom. 16:2; Heb. 6:10).

Remember Me for What I Have Done for God’s House and Its Services

Nehemiah was very diligent about seeking the welfare of God’s house and its offices (Neh. 13:4-13). Because he had done many such good deeds, he asked God to remember him:

Neh 13:14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.

Christians who have lived lives devoted to their churches and their services (cf. Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:2; Heb. 10:25) have a biblical precedent in Nehemiah to pray to God that He would do good to them.

Remember Me for What I Have Done for God’s Day

Nehemiah zealously labored for the sanctity of the Sabbath Day among God’s people (Neh. 13:15-22). Based on what he had done for God’s Day, he prayed for God to remember him for good:

Neh 13:22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

As Nehemiah expended himself for the sanctity of the Sabbath (cf. Is. 58:13-14), God’s special day for His OT people, many believers today have devoted themselves to setting apart the Lord’s Day as special for God’s NT people. Such Christians can confidently cry out to God for His blessing upon them for what they have done for the glory of the Lord’s Day (cf. Acts 20:7).

Remember Me for What I Have Done for God’s Ministers

Nehemiah concluded his book by praying that God would remember him for good both because of all his efforts to cleanse the priesthood and the Levites (Neh. 13:28-30) and because of what he had done to provide for them to carry out their ministries (Neh. 13:31a):

Neh 13:31 And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

Christians who give themselves to honoring and serving God’s ministers (cf. Rom. 16:4; Philippians. 2:29-30; 2 Tim. 1:16-18) have biblical basis in the example of Nehemiah for asking God to remember them for good.

Conclusion

Christians who devote their lives for the sake of God’s people, God’s house and its services, God’s Day, and God’s ministers have strong biblical grounds for seeking divine blessing upon their own lives. May God grant us such consecrated lives of devotion to the things of God (cf. Philippians. 2:21-22) and may He remember us for good!

 

 

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Exposition, Interpretation, Prayer
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Should Christians Pray for God to Remember Them for Good?

July 25, 2014

Scripture records four prayers from Nehemiah that essentially have the same basic idea—that God would remember him for good:

Neh 5:19 Think upon me, my God, for good, according to all that I have done for this people.

Neh 13:14 Remember me, O my God, concerning this, and wipe not out my good deeds that I have done for the house of my God, and for the offices thereof.

Neh 13:22 And I commanded the Levites that they should cleanse themselves, and that they should come and keep the gates, to sanctify the sabbath day. Remember me, O my God, concerning this also, and spare me according to the greatness of thy mercy.

Neh 13:31 And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.

Should Christians pray for God to remember them for good?

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Interpretation, Prayer, Theology
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An Illuminating Parallel between Romans 6:4 and Colossians 3:1-17

July 21, 2014

Over the years, I have frequently heard people who have baptized others say something to this effect as they have baptized people: “Buried with Him in the likeness of His death—raised with Him to walk in newness of life.” These words reflect the persuasion that Romans 6:4 is a key text concerning baptism:

Rom 6:4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

While preparing recently to read Colossian 3:1-17 publicly as the Scripture reading for a worship service, I discovered that there is an illuminating parallel between what Paul teaches in Romans 6:4 and what he teaches in Colossians 3:1-17 because of how Paul begins Colossians 3:

Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.

Whereas Romans 6:4 teaches that we who have been buried with Christ by baptism into death should walk in newness of life, Colossians 3:1 (and the following verses) teaches that those who are risen with Christ must live their lives in certain specified ways. The conceptual parallel between these two texts shows that Colossians 3 provides us with a glorious passage that illuminates what comprises a walk in newness of life by those who are risen with Christ!

Based on the illuminating parallel between these passages, a walk in newness of life includes the following:

1. Seeking “those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God” (Col. 3:1)

2. Setting “your affection on things above, not on things on the earth” (Col. 3:2)

3. Mortifying, “therefore, your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry” (Col. 3:5)

4. Putting “off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth” (Col. 3:8)

5. Lying “not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man” (Col. 3:9-10)

6. Putting “on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering” (Col. 3:12)

7. “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye” (Col. 3:13)

8. “Above all these things put[ting] on charity, which is the bond of perfectness” (Col. 3:14)

9. Letting “the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body” (Col. 3:15a)

10. Being “thankful” (Col. 3:15b)

11. Letting “the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord” (Col. 3:16)

12. Whatever you may be doing “in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Col. 3:17)

Praise God for giving us this marvelous passage that teaches us so much about what a walk in newness of life by those who have been raised with Christ looks like! Let us use this insight into Scripture to examine our lives about areas that we need to grow in as those who have been baptized in obedience to Christ.

 

 

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Interpretation, Theology
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The Evangelistic Importance of Testimony about Jesus’ Exorcisms

June 14, 2014

In many ways, the NT highlights the evangelistic importance of testimony about Jesus’ exorcisms. This evidence calls for adjusting our evangelistic strategies so that they properly account for this importance.

The Synoptic Gospels Provide Much Testimony about Jesus’ Exorcisms

The Synoptic Gospels underscore the evangelistic importance of Jesus’ exorcisms by providing multiple accounts of his casting demons out of people. The following list provides in chronological order[1] the passages that record Jesus’ performing exorcisms (parallel passages among the Gospels are indicated by the use of “/” between references):

1. Mk. 1:21-28/ Luke 4:31b-37;

2. Matt. 8:16/ Mk 1:34;

3. Matt. 4:24/ Mk 1:39/ Luke 4:41;

4. Matt. 12:22-37/ Mk. 3:20-30;

5. Matt. 8:28-34/ Mk. 5:1-20/ Luke 8:26-39;

6. Matt. 9:27-34

7. Matt. 15:21-28/ Mk. 7:24-30;

8. Matt. 17:14-21/ Mk. 9:14-29/ Luke 9:37-43a.

9. Luke 11:14-36

The Synoptic Gospels also underscore the evangelistic importance of Jesus’ exorcisms by providing information about other exorcisms that Jesus performed for which the writers of the Synoptic Gospels chose not to give an actual account of His doing so (seven demons cast out from Mary Magdalene [Mk. 16:9]).

This data makes clear that the Holy Spirit viewed including testimony about Jesus’ exorcisms as vital in the writing of these Gospels. Because the Gospels were written to evangelize people, the inclusion of these accounts shows us the importance of evangelistic testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms.

The Synoptic Gospels Record Jesus’ Commands to Testify about His Exorcisms

The Synoptic Gospels further emphasize the evangelistic importance of testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms by recording on at least two occasions that Jesus commanded people to give testimony about His exorcisms:

 Luk 8:38 Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, 39 Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

Luk 13:32 And he said unto them, Go ye, and tell that fox, Behold, I cast out devils, and I do cures to day and to morrow, and the third day I shall be perfected. 

Because the Synoptic Gospels not only provide testimony about Jesus’ exorcisms but also make known that He commanded some people to testify about them, we learn that such testimony has great evangelistic importance.

Acts Records Apostolic Gospel Testimony about Jesus’ Exorcisms

Like the Synoptic Gospels, Acts also shows the evangelistic importance of testimony about Jesus’ exorcisms, but it does so in different ways than the Gospels do. Acts emphasizes such testimony by recording a seminal statement in Peter’s gospel message in Caesarea:

Act 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Luke highlighted testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms in a profound way with this statement because that testimony is the only explicitly recorded information that we have about how Peter testified on this occasion to the miraculous works of Jesus.

Through directing Luke to record this gospel testimony for us, the Holy Spirit also has provided us with a superb model of how we should evangelize people concerning their understanding of the term Christ (for more information about this point, see the brief discussion of Acts 10:38 here).

Acts Highlights the Evangelistic Importance of Testimony to Jesus’ Exorcisms through a Striking Account of Jewish Failure in Exorcism

Acts further emphasizes the evangelistic importance of testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms through a striking account that contrasts apostolic success in exorcising people possessed by demons versus Jewish failure to do so (Acts 19:11-17). While Paul was in Ephesus, God worked special miracles through him, including even the casting out of demons from people through their coming into contact with handkerchiefs or aprons from his body (Acts 19:11-12).

Some Jewish exorcists then attempted to perform an exorcism by invoking the name of Jesus whom Paul preached (Acts 19:13-14). Not only did these men fail to drive out the demon, but also the man who had the demon overpowered them and drove them out “naked and wounded” from the house where they were (Acts 19:15-16).

Through the spreading of news about their striking failure, the name of the Lord Jesus was greatly magnified among all who were in Ephesus (Acts 19:17). Hence, through testimony that dramatically contrasted the successful apostolic exorcisms with the unsuccessful attempt of these Jewish exorcists, many lost people received a powerful evangelistic witness of the power of Jesus’ name.

As the readers of Acts, we thus see that Acts accords with the Synoptic Gospels in emphasizing the evangelistic importance of testimony about Jesus’ exorcisms.

Discussion

Both the Synoptic Gospels and Acts instruct us in various ways about the evangelistic importance of testifying to Jesus’ exorcisms. This evidence is more than sufficient to teach us that we should include such testimony in our evangelism whenever possible.

Some may object to this conclusion by pointing out that explicit testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms is strikingly lacking in the Gospel of John, which has an explicit statement about its evangelistic purpose (John 20:31). Does this seemingly major difference between the Synoptics and the Gospel of John mean that testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms is not an important aspect of proper evangelism?

For several reasons, attaching such determinative significance to this lack of testimony in the Gospel of John is invalid. First, as noted above, the Synoptic Gospels and Acts provide abundant evidence that such testimony is important.

Second, because the Gospel of John was almost certainly written after all the other Gospels and Acts were written, any reader of the Fourth Gospel would need to interpret it in conjunction with all that God had revealed prior to giving this final Gospel.

Third, at the point that John was written, the apostles and other believers had already been evangelizing people for several decades and thus already knew well what was important to include in evangelistic testimony. For that reason, the lack of explicit testimony to Jesus’ exorcisms in John would not have played any important role in changing the thinking of believers about what they should say when they evangelize people.

Finally, although John lacks any explicit accounts of Jesus’ exorcisms, John has implicit teaching that fully accords with that vital aspect of Jesus’ ministry. John writes that Jesus interpreted a voice that thundered from heaven (John 12:28-29) by giving vital testimony concerning what His upcoming death would mean for the devil:

 Joh 12:30 Jesus answered and said, This voice came not because of me, but for your sakes.

 31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out (Gk. ekballw).

 32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

 33 This he said, signifying what death he should die. 

Jesus’ statement that the devil would be cast out (John 12:31) ties at least implicitly to many passages in the Synoptic Gospels about His casting out demons from people because the same verb ekballw is used both in John and in those passages in the Synoptic Gospels.[2] This strong link between John and the Synoptic Gospels further supports the conclusion that lack of explicit testimony in John to Jesus’ exorcisms does not negate the vast evidence in the Synoptic Gospels and Acts about the importance of such testimony.

Conclusion

Profuse testimony in the Synoptic Gospels about Jesus’ exorcisms makes clear that such testimony is of great importance in proper evangelism. Additional evidence in Acts further supports this conclusion.

We should include testimony about Jesus’ exorcisms in our witnessing whenever it is possible to do so. We can provide such testimony by sharing Acts 10:38 with everyone we witness to and explaining that statement to them thoroughly.

 

[1] This chronological listing is based in part on information provided in “An Outline For a Harmony of the Gospels” (Thomas and Gundry, A Harmony of the Gospels, 7-14).

[2] Matt. 8:16, 31; 9:33, 34; 12:24, 26, 27, 28; 17:19; Mk. 1:34, 39; 3:22, 23; 7:26; 16:9; Lk. 11:14, 15, 18, 19, 20; 13:32

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Evangelism, Exposition, Gospel, Interpretation
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Why Whether Jesus Was Ever Married Matters

June 9, 2014

Recently, some have claimed that they have found an ancient document that says that Jesus had a wife.[1] Does it make any difference whether Jesus was ever married?

Answering this question properly requires the careful consideration of at least five lines of reasoning based on Scripture. The following treatment of those lines of reasoning provides evidence that sufficiently shows what the right answer to this question is.

No Scriptural Mention of Jesus Being Married

Scripture abounds with statements that God’s providing a man with a godly wife is an exceedingly great divine blessing (Prov. 18:22; 19:14; 31:10-11; 30). Had God the Father provided Jesus with such a priceless blessing, He surely would have made it known to us in Scripture that He did so.

Scripture has no statements, however, that speak of Jesus ever marrying anyone. For those who believe fully in the authority of Scripture, this evidence alone should be enough to convince them that Jesus was never married.

Committing His Mother to John

Shortly before He died, Jesus committed His mother Mary to the care of the apostle John:

Joh 19:26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!

 27 Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.

If Jesus had a wife, why would He have committed His mother to the care of John when His wife would have been living? In fact, Mary Magdalene, whom some have suggested was Jesus’ wife, was present when Jesus did this (John 19:25).

As Ruth cared for Naomi of old, so any woman who would have been married to Jesus certainly would have played a leading role in caring for her mother-in-law after His death. We have no evidence in Scripture, however, that Mary Magdalene or any other woman who was supposedly married to Jesus played a major role in caring for Mary after Jesus had died.

We should conclude that Jesus did not have a wife.

Failure to Provide for His Own

Before His death, Jesus made provision for the care of His mother (John 19:26-27). Scripturally, however, had He been married, His first obligation would have been to provide for His wife (cf. 1 Tim. 5:8).

Scripture provides no indication that Jesus took any steps that would be consistent with caring for a wife who would soon have been a widow. We can be confident, therefore, that He was not married to anyone when He died.

Expecting Greater Commitment from Some of His Disciples Than He Himself Had

Jesus taught that some of His disciples would not marry for the sake of the kingdom (Matt. 19:11). Yet, if He were married, He himself would have not have set Himself apart for the sake of the kingdom to the extent that He taught that these disciples have done.

It is unthinkable that any other human will ever have committed himself to divine service more than Jesus did. For Jesus ever to have been married would be utterly inconsistent with biblical teaching about His unsurpassed setting Himself apart to God.

An Earthly Bride and a Spiritual Bride

Had Jesus been married to anyone prior to His death and resurrection, He would have had an earthly bride. Scripture, however, does not say anything about Him ever being married to an earthly bride.

Furthermore, Scripture speaks explicitly of the Lamb having a spiritual bride (Eph. 5:22-28; Rev. 19:7-9); if He were also to have been married to an earthly bride, He would then have had at least two brides—one earthly and one spiritual. Because no passage in Scripture even remotely suggests that Jesus will have two brides, we can be confident that He was not ever married to Mary Magdalene or any other woman while He lived on the earth.

Conclusion

Based on the five lines of reasoning from Scripture treated above, we have ample biblical basis to reject alleged evidence from some purportedly legitimate extrabiblical source that says that Jesus had a wife. Jesus was never married while He lived on the earth prior to His crucifixion.

 

[1] See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gospel_of_Jesus’_Wife for information about this claim.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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The Horrific Destructiveness of Unclean Spirits

June 5, 2014

Scripture records several accounts of the vicious activities of unclean spirits toward humans (Matt. 15:22; Mark 5:2-5; Luke 13:11, 16). The aftermath of Jesus’ dealings with a demon-possessed man in “the country of the Gadarenes” (Mark 5:1) reveals the horrific destructiveness of unclean spirits in a distinctive way that is easily overlooked.

The Deliverance of a Horribly Afflicted Man

Dwelling in tombs, a man possessed by an unclean spirit lived a terrible life of continual misery:

Mar 5:2 And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit,

 3 Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains:

 4 Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him.

 5 And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones.

Through an encounter with Jesus, this man was graciously delivered from his horrible plight (Mark 5:6-13; 15). After Jesus had forced the many demons who had possessed him to come out of him (Mark 5:9, 13), he was “sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind” (Mark. 5:15).

The Horrific Destruction of a Vast Number of Pigs

The many demons that had possessed this man requested permission of Jesus to enter into a large herd of swine that were feeding nearby (Mark. 5:11-12). Receiving that permission, they entered the swine “and the herd ran violently down a steep place into the sea . . . and were choked in the sea” (Mark 5:13).

These unclean spirits, therefore, caused the violent destruction of “about two thousand” pigs (Mark 5:13). Although these pigs had posed no threat whatever to these unclean spirits, the spirits still viciously attacked them and cruelly led them to a horrific death of being choked in the sea.

Three Accounts of Unwarranted Demonic Cruelty to Animals

Three Gospel writers record the account of these unclean spirits afflicting both this man and these seemingly innocent animals (Matt. 8:32; Mark 5:13; Luke 8:32). These multiple accounts of that event underscore that the malevolence of unclean spirits extends far beyond destructiveness toward humans—they also mercilessly attacked these animals.

Based on this biblical data, we should be mindful of the possibility that similar activity by unclean spirits may be responsible for the horrific destruction of many animals on other occasions in history.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Exposition, Theology
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Are These Prohibitions Still the Will of God for His People?

June 3, 2014

The Lord spoke to Moses and made known to him that he was to make a holy anointing oil (Exod. 30:22-33) and a “pure and holy” perfume (Exod. 30:34-38) for sacred use in the tabernacle. God sternly warned that His judgment would be upon any of His people who made either of these for any other use:

Exo 30:32 Upon man’s flesh shall it [the holy anointing oil] not be poured, neither shall ye make any other like it, after the composition of it: it is holy, and it shall be holy unto you.

 33 Whosoever compoundeth any like it, or whosoever putteth any of it upon a stranger, shall even be cut off from his people.

Exo 30:37 And as for the perfume which thou shalt make, ye shall not make to yourselves according to the composition thereof: it shall be unto thee holy for the LORD.

 38 Whosoever shall make like unto that, to smell thereto, shall even be cut off from his people.

Both of these prohibitions were given to God’s people, Israel.

Are these prohibitions still the will of God for His people today (Christians; cf. Acts 15:14) or are Christians free to make one or the other or both of these mixtures that God said were holy for His people Israel and use them however they wish?

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Interpretation, Theology
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Remembering the Ultimate Reason We Have to Have a Memorial Day

May 26, 2014

On Memorial Day, every American should remember with great gratitude all that our armed services personnel have done for us throughout our country’s history. For Christians, this day provides a good opportunity for us to remember also the ultimate reason that we have to have such a day.

Satan’s Assault on Adam and Eve

Human sin, loss, sorrow and all other negative realities that we face continually had their beginning in the Garden of Eden when Satan assaulted the first humans, Adam and Eve (Gen. 3). Because they did not resist his assault, they forfeited many of the glorious privileges that God had blessed them with when He created them and put them there.

Satan’s Role in Cain’s Slaying Abel

Immediately after the account of the Fall of man (Genesis 3), we read of the first conflict between humans and its aftermath (Gen. 4:1-15). Cain slew his brother Abel “because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous” (1 John 3:12b-c).

Cain thus became the first human to murder another human, but it is a serious error to think that he did so only because he himself was an evil person. Rather, we must not fail to note the role that Satan had in Cain’s doing so—“Cain . . . was of that wicked one, and slew his brother” (1 John 3:12a).

As Jesus taught, Satan was “a murderer from the beginning” (John 8:44), and we must keep in mind that he had a part in the first conflict between humans that led to one party’s slaying another.

Satan’s Role in the Slaying of Job’s Servants

At the prompting of God, and only with His permission, Satan assaulted Job fiercely (Job 1:1-19). His assault included the coming of Sabeans and Chaldeans to slay Job’s servants “with the edge of the sword” and to steal his oxen, asses, and camels (Job. 1:15, 17).

Satan, therefore, was behind the murderous actions of these humans who assaulted Job. As he was active in the mortal conflict between Cain and Abel, so Satan was active also in the armed conflicts that Job and his household experienced.

Satan’s Role in the Slaying of Jesus

Satan entered Judas (Luke 22:3; John 13:27) and energized him (John 13:2; cf. Eph. 2:2-3) to betray Jesus to those Jewish authorities who played leading roles in His being assaulted by armed men (Luke 22:52) and ultimately slain (Acts 3:15; 4:26; 5:30; 10:39). Satan preeminently displayed his murderous nature in his role in the crucifixion of Christ (cf. Rev. 12:4).

Satan’s Continuing Role in the Slaying of Multitudes of Believers

The NT repeatedly warns of Satan’s leading role in the conflicts that believers have experienced since the crucifixion of Christ (Eph. 6:11, 12, 16; 1 Pet. 5:8-9; Rev. 2:10, 13), including some being martyred (cf. Rev. 2:13). Satan will yet assault the world on an unprecedented scale, resulting in vast numbers of believers being martyred (Rev. 12:12-17; 13:7, 15).

Conclusion

Beginning with the first human conflict between Cain and Abel, and right up to this present day, Satan has played a leading role in the conflicts that God’s people have experienced. He has been responsible for the unrighteous slaying of multitudes of believers at the hands of other humans.

On this Memorial Day and hereafter, we, therefore, as Christians would do well to remember the ultimate reason we have to have a day like this—the horrific murderous assaults of the wicked one on all mankind, especially God’s people. Remembering his unceasing wicked assaults on the world, we should continually pray what Jesus taught us to pray: “And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil” For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever, Amen” (Matt. 6:13).

Let us also obey God’s commands to us concerning our putting on the whole armor of God (Eph. 6:10-20) and pray for the soon return of our Lord: “’Surely I come quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus” (Rev. 22:20).

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Exhortation, Interpretation, Theology
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