A People for His Name

Overcoming Unwarranted Negativity toward Peter's Apostolic Preaching and Teaching

November 7, 2011

The Bible records many shortcomings and failures in the life of the apostle Peter, including the following:

–Doubting Christ after He had enabled him to walk on the sea (Matt. 14:28-33)
–Reproving Christ concerning His going to the Cross (Matt. 16:21-23)
–Flawed statement to Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration (Matt. 17:4-5)
–Cutting off the servant’s ear (John 18:10-11)
–Threefold denial of Christ (Matt. 26:69-75)
–Hypocritical practice that endangered the truth of the gospel (Gal. 2:11-21)

With such a record, it would be easy to understand why not a few people might have at least to some extent a negative predisposition toward Peter that would affect their receptivity to his apostolic preaching and teaching.

I believe, however, that this negative scriptural record does not provide warrant for us to have any negativity toward his apostolic preaching and teaching. In fact, I believe that the Scripture provides us with at least two good reasons why we must overcome all unwarranted negativity in this respect.

First, the record of the Jerusalem Council reveals that the Council gave priority to him and to God’s use of him to preach the gospel to Gentiles at Caesarea (Acts 15; see my post for an explanation of this point). Our understanding of gospel ministry will therefore suffer if we have negativity toward the various records concerning his apostolic preaching of the gospel in Caesarea (Acts 10; 11:1-18; 15:7-9; 14-17).

Second, the Holy Spirit’s choosing to inspire him to write two epistles shows that God deems it necessary that we have ministry from him to be all we are to be for the cause of Christ.

Any negativity, therefore, that we import into our reading of Petrine apostolic preaching and teaching is without validity and will deprive us of God-intended profiting of our lives.

In Interpretation

The "Problem" of Jemimah, Keziah, and Keren-Happuch?

November 6, 2011

After he had gone through his intense period of testing and trial, God “turned the captivity of Job” (Job 42:10). The book then ends with a lengthy account of how the “Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning (42:12).

To understand how the Lord’s latter blessing was more than his blessing on him at the beginning, we compare the two accounts carefully:

“And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters. His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east” (1:2-3).

“The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. . . . So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. He had also seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Keren-Happuch. And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. After this lived Job a hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations. So Job died, being old and full of days” (42:10; 12-17)

The latter account thus states and delineates that God gave Job double the material blessings that he had at the beginning. Job’s latter blessing, however, did not include God’s giving him double the number of sons and daughter as he had before his testing. Instead, God gave him seven sons and three daughters, which was the same number of sons and daughters as he had before.

Interesting differences, however, concerning the information provided about Job’s daughters in the two accounts suggest another aspect of God’s blessing Job more in the latter end than before. Whereas Job’s first three daughters were not named or described concerning their appearance, both names and a description of their appearance are given for his second set of three daughters (42:14-15a).

Both the names (Jemimah, Keziah, and Keren-Happuch) and the description of their appearance highlight their beauty.¹ Based on this data, the account of God’s greater latter blessing of Job seems to include strong emphasis on the physical attractiveness of his latter set of daughters.

In view of the teaching of Proverbs 31:30, is this aspect of God’s blessing of Job in the latter end “problematic” because it emphasizes that God gave him surpassingly beautiful daughters instead of saying that God gave him daughters whose fear of Him exceeded that of all the women of the land?

¹“Jemimah means ‘dove,’ Keziah means ‘cinnamon perfume’ . . . and Keren-Happuch means ‘horn of eyepaint’ (i.e, an animal-horn bottle for holding a dye used to make the eyelashes, eyelids, and eyebrows more attractive). These names speak of the girls’ striking beauty, for which they were well known.” (BKC: OT, 776).

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In Interpretation

Following the Example of Nebuchadnezzar or the Example of Belshazzar: The Choice That We All Must Make

November 5, 2011

Daniel, the prophet, confronted both Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar for their sinfulness (Dan. 4:27; 5:22-23). The difference in their ultimate fates following that confrontation points to the choice that we all must make–following Nebuchadnezzar or Belshazzar.

The Example of Nebuchadnezzar

God abased Nebuchadnezzar “when his heart was lifted up, and his mind hardened in pride” (5:20). When he humbled himself before God, he was exalted by God (4:36). Following his humiliation and exaltation, he praised and extolled and honored “the King of heaven, all whose works are truth, and His ways judgment” (4:37a-b), and testified that “those that walk in pride He is able to abase” (4:37c).

The Example of Belshazzar

Although he knew all that had taken place with his grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar did not humble his heart (5:22). Instead, he lifted up himself “against the Lord of heaven” (5:23). God pronounced sentence upon him (5:24-28), and he was slain in that very night (5:31).

The Choice That We All Must Make

God has provided us with these inspired records of His dealings with the pride of these two Babylonian kings. We, thus, have even more than what Belshazzar had when he was indicted, condemned, and slain for his sinfulness.

For our good, God has set before us these two examples of how humans choose to respond to His convicting them of their pride. The one humbled himself before God after he had been dealt with about his pride, but the other did not.

We all must choose whose example we will follow–Nebuchadnezzar or Belshazzar. Our ultimate fates depend on the choice that we make either to humble ourselves for our pride or to exalt ourselves in pride.

Let us choose to follow the example of Nebuchadnezzar because “GOD RESISTETH THE PROUD, AND GIVETH GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time” (1 Pet. 5:5c-6; cf. Ps. 75:4-10).

In Exhortation

The Same Crucial Truth in Four Gospels and Three Languages!

November 4, 2011

In the biblical record concerning the crucifixion of Jesus, one truth about Him is singularly highlighted in all four gospels:

“And set up over his head His accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS” (Matt. 27:37).

“And the superscription of His accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE JEWS” (Mk. 15:26).

“And a superscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS” (Lk. 23:38).

“And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross, And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS” (John 19:19).

John, who was the last one to write his Gospel, gives additional information concerning the title on the Cross of Jesus that the Synoptics do not:

“This title then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, the King of the Jews; but that He said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written I have written” (19:20-22).

John thus informs us that the top Jewish leadership objected to this title because it spoke of Him as being the King of the Jews instead of saying that He claimed to be the King of the Jews.

Based on the inspired record from all four gospels concerning the superscription of His cross, we should note carefully that the specific wording of the official charge against Jesus was not concerning His claiming to be God! Rather, all the gospel writers inform us that the wording of the charge specifically spoke of Him as the King of the Jews.

Moreover, we learn that this truth was testified to in three different languages. Because the Gospels do not explicitly record that any other truth concerning His crucifixion was testified to in multiple languages, we can be all the more certain of the unique importance of this truth.

Is it legitimate, therefore, in evangelistic preaching of and testimony to the crucifixion of Jesus, that very often great stress is placed on the proclamation of His deity, but very little or not even anything specifically is said about Him as the King of the Jews? In view of the divinely directed testimony about the latter truth that was given both before His conception (Luke 1:32-33) and at His crucifixion, ought we not rather to hold that testimony to Jesus as the King of the Jews is as essential to gospel preaching as testimony to His deity?

Let us be diligent to evangelize “the things concerning the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ” (Acts 8:12) by bearing testimony to Jesus as the God-appointed King of the Jews (Luke 1:32-33)! Our gospel preaching will then be in line with the same crucial truth that is highlighted in all four Gospels, a truth which was testified in three languages at the crucifixion of Christ.

In Evangelism, Gospel, Interpretation, Ministry, Preaching

From Jesus to Paul: Verbal Ministry about the Kingdom of God and about Jesus

November 2, 2011

Observing how a book begins and ends is an important part of discovering what a writer desires to communicate. When both the beginning and the ending of a book stress the same ideas, we can have confidence that those are key ideas to which the author is seeking to direct attention.

The book of Acts begins with Luke’s teaching about Jesus’ post-resurrection ministry:

“The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after that He through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom He had chosen: To whom also He shewed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God” (1:1-3).

Following this introduction, Luke records how Jesus commissioned His apostles with teaching concerning their future testifying to Him throughout the world (1:4-8). By beginning the book this way, Luke emphasized that Jesus’ ministry to the apostles focused on instruction about the kingdom of God and about Himself.

Luke concludes Acts with two noteworthy accounts of Pauline ministry in Rome:

“And when they had appointed him a day, there came many to him into his lodging; to whom he expounded and testified concerning the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening. . . . And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came unto him, preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him” (28:23; 30-31).

He thus could hardly have stressed more emphatically than he did that Paul’s ministry for two entire years was to minister the same things in the same way to everybody that he interacted with: preaching the kingdom of God and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ.

Based on how Luke begins and ends the book of Acts, it is certain that he intends to stress that from Jesus to Paul, the emphasis was on verbal ministry about the kingdom of God and about Jesus. We, therefore, should have the same dual emphases in our evangelistic and discipleship ministries.

In Discipleship, Evangelism, Interpretation

Let Us Proclaim Forgiveness in the Name of the God-Exalted Supreme Authority!

November 1, 2011

Scripture provides us with three inspired records of Peter’s proclamation of forgiveness through Jesus Christ (Acts 2, 5, 10). In each case, he declared that forgiveness was through Jesus as the One exalted by God as the supreme Authority:

Acts 2

“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. . . .Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (2:36, 38).

Acts 5

“The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with His right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins” (5:30-31).

Acts 10

“And He commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is He which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins” (10:42-43).

Peter thus proclaimed to both Jews and Gentiles forgiveness in the name of Jesus as the God-exalted supreme Authority! Lest anyone think that these three inspired records are not really authoritative for us because they are in the book of Acts, Peter also taught essentially the same truth many years later: “Who by Him do believe in God, that raised Him up from the dead, and gave Him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God” (1 Pet. 1:21).

Let us learn from these key statements to proclaim forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus Christ as the One whom God has exalted to be the supreme Authority!

In Evangelism, Gospel

"Silent Night" in Solfeggio and Basic Chords in Any Key

October 31, 2011

This newly formatted version of Silent Night provides both the melody and the basic chords to play the song in any key. The melody is in my solfeggio format, and the basic chords are given with Roman numerals that designate which chord in a key you should play and when.

This document also provides a chart that shows what basic chords you would play the song in the keys of C, G, D, A, E, and F.

In Guitar Music

Learning a Minimal Spanish Witness

October 29, 2011

In the past several years, I have encountered a fair number of Spanish-speaking people on door-to-door visitation. Not knowing much Spanish at all, I have not been able to witness to them much at all beyond trying to give them a tract.

This afternoon, I decided to use Google Translate to come up with a minimal Spanish witness that I could use with Spanish people when I have opportunities to witness to them. This minimal witness is based on an approach to visitation that I first learned years ago when I began to go on door-to-door visitation at my church.

Hi, my name is Rajesh.	Hola, mi nombre es Rajesh.
I am from Mount Calvary Baptist Church.	Yo soy de la Iglesia Bautista Monte Calvario.
This is _______________ (name of visitation partner).	Este es ____________________.
We are going through the neighborhoods around our church and visiting with people.	Estamos pasando por los barrios alrededor de la iglesia y visitando a la gente.
We want to help people to know for sure that their sins are forgiven.	Queremos ayudar a que la gente sepa a ciencia cierta que sus pecados son perdonados.
Can I give you something to read that explains how you can know for sure that your sins are forgiven?	¿Puedo darle algo para leer que explica cómo se puede estar seguro de que tus pecados han sido perdonados?
Thanks for your time!	Gracias por tu tiempo!
Have a nice day.	Que tenga un buen día.

By learning how to pronounce these words properly and carrying this card in my Bible, I hope to evangelize Spanish-speaking people more effectively in the future when I give them a gospel tract.

In Evangelism, Spanish

"Jesus Loves Me" in Solfeggio and Simplified Chords Format

October 28, 2011

For the past three weeks, I have been teaching a guitar class for a number of people in a church. Because it is a Spanish church, I have been developing a new method of playing guitar that uses the solfeggio syllables instead of notes.

Working on this new method has reinforced my own understanding of playing of the guitar in ways that I was not expecting. It has also helped me improve my own playing!

My latest piece in my solfeggio and simplified chords format is Jesus Loves Me.

Notes for playing this piece:

“DO” means the do that is an octave higher than “Do.”

In the simplified chords diagrams, the partially shaded dot above the first string in the F chord means that you can either not play that string at all or play that string open. Not playing the first string at all, the chord is an F chord; playing the first string open, it is an Fmaj7 chord, which is an acceptable substitute for an F chord.

In Guitar Music

Should We Sing Prayers to Jesus and the Holy Spirit?

October 27, 2011

In response to a question that was recently directed to me, I have been pondering again whether we should pray to Jesus and to the Spirit as well as to the Father or whether we should pray only to the Father. It occurred to me tonight that we sing many songs that are prayers directed to Jesus and to the Spirit.

If we should pray only to the Father, should we be singing any prayers like the following?

Whiter Than Snow	“Lord Jesus, I long to be perfectly whole . . . Break down every idol . . .” Similarly, every stanza is a prayer to Jesus.
O to Be Like Thee!	“O to be like Thee, Blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art; Come in Thy sweetness . . . Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.”
“Are Ye Able,” Said the Master	“‘Are ye able’, said the Master, ‘To be crucified with Me?’ . . . ‘Lord, we are able.’ Our Spirits are Thine. Remold them , make us . . .”
Draw Me Nearer	“Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord, To the cross where Thou hast died . . .”
More Love to Thee	“More love to Thee, O Christ, More love to Thee! Hear Thou the prayer I make . . .”
Break Thou the Bread of Life	“Break Thou the bread of life, Dear Lord to me, As Thou didst break the loaves Beside the sea . . .”
Lead Me to Calvary	“Lest I forget Gethsemane; Lest I forget Thine agony; Lest I forget Thy love for me, Lead me to Calvary.”
My Faith Looks Up To Thee	“My faith looks up to Thee, Thou Lamb of Calvary . . . Now hear me while I pray, Take all my guilt away . . .”
Have Thine Own Way, Lord!	“Touch me and heal me, Savior divine!”
Near the Cross	“Jesus, keep me near the cross . . .”
Jesus, Savior, Pilot Me	“Jesus, Savior, pilot me . . .”
I Need Thee Every Hour	“O bless me now, my Savior . . .”
Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us	“Blessed Jesus, Blessed Jesus, Hear, O hear us when we pray . . .”
Spirit of God, Descend upon My Heart	“Spirit of God, descend upon my heart, Wean it from earth . . .”
Fill Me Now	“Hover o’er me, Holy Spirit, Bathe my trembling heart and brow . . .”
Open My Eyes, That I May See	“Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!”

If it is right for us to sing these prayers to Jesus and the Spirit, then it would seem . . .

What do you think?

In Music, Prayer

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