Comments for January 21

v.2 - This caused family upset and grief - Gen.26:34,35. It has been a problem throughout time - Gen.6:2, Jud.3:6. There is a warning about it issued to the king in Deut.17:17 which Solomon ignored - 1Kings 11:3,4. There has to be a lesson in this when we see the way that Paul uses the marriage state in Ephesians to represent Christ and the church (5:28-33).

In listing the generations of Esau we are being given a framework of his descendants as a point of reference. Later some of these name will crop up again. Therefore it is important to take account of this genealogy.

36:6 In leaving Canaan and going 'from the face of' Jacob Esau is showing yet again that the things of the land and the promises really meant nothing to him.

Genesis 36 - "The Chronicles of Esau 'The Woman Chaser.' " - Lodged in between two chapters describing the fortunes and otherwise of Jacob's family, the Divine record opens a brief window on the family of Esau. With Jacob dwelling faithfully in the land in tents, as his father Isaac and grandfather Abraham had done, Esau goes out of his way to build a "stable" family dynasty of Tribal Chieftains. No identifiable remnant of Esau's family remains today, but the descendants of Jacob are back in their land just as God promised that they would be. Man's glory lasts but a short while, and will disappear like the grass of the field - Psalm 49:16-20. 

36:3 In marrying Bashemath the daughter of Ishmael the children of the flesh are seen to be consolidating their alliance which was by nature at war with the children of God.

This is the story of Esau, whereas most of the Scriptures tell us of Israel. Esau apparently married into the family of Seir, and inherited their land. See how Obadiah’s message foretells their doom.

Gen 36  Esau and Jacob had reconciled their differences when they met as Jacob returned from Mesopotamia. Gen 33  Even at the death of Isaac(Gen 35:29) it appears that the hostility had remained resolved. Today's reading lists the descendants of Esau, which, to this day continue to struggle against Israel. Remember, when Rebekah was carrying the children we are told "the children struggled together within her." Gen 24:22  Over 4000 years later this has not changed, and will not until we see the return of Christ. 

The fact that all of these people are described as dukes denotes that we are only being told here of the leaders of the tribes, as it were, as this title was applied just to leaders.

The genealogy of Esau clearly shows that his marriages were with strange wives (those outside the household of faith).  This is particularly brought home by the fact that Esau married a daughter of Ishmael (v.3).  Ishmael had been plainly rejected as a son of promise (Gen 21:10; Gal 4:22,23).  The line through Isaac represented the seed of the woman, and the line through Ishmael represented the seed of the serpent.  These separate lines continued through Jacob and Esau. The flesh has always been at war with the spirit, and so it was with the two nations which involved these brothers.  Esau founded Edom which subsequently proved trouble for Israel. Interestingly, the Herods, who were influential leaders in the land during our Lord's time on earth, were descended from Esau.  They were the ones responsible for trying to kill Jesus as a baby, and for beheading John Baptist.

36:8-9  repeating our comment from Genesis 13, the strife between Jacob and Esau –like the strife between Abraham’s herdsmen and Lot’s herdsmen Gen 13:5-11 - , highlights a fundamental aspect of human nature. It is inherently divisive in the way it lives. If ‘brethren’ cannot get on with each other we must appreciate that strife and division is a consequence of our mortality. Of course this does not justify it. It simply explains why it is – it is a manifestation of the flesh and as such should be resisted.

Matt 23:11 - This ill defined definition of success could well apply to the Pharisees -

DEFINITION OF SUCCESS - "Buying something you don't need, with money you don't have, to impress people you don't like"

As we read of the prosperity (or growth) of Esau, we see a situation which is not unusual. In outward prosperity we often see the unbeliever appear to be blessed with worldly gain, while the followers of Christ appear to be without. Followers of Adam's ways have everything they possess in worldly gifts, visible for all to see, while followers of Christ have their greatest possession in a Hope...The Hope of Israel, which we know will be fulfilled in the very near future, when our promised absent King returns to this earth.

v:6-8  Although this would seem to indicate that the actual separation of the 2 brothers & their households took place after Jacob's return, in fact it would appear from Gen 32:3  that Esau had already moved before Jacob's return to the land. Perhaps he realised, from what he would have known about the promises to Abraham, that Jacob was to come back to the land of Canaan, the land of promise, & so he wanted to move away in advance of Jacob's return.

36:43           This genealogy lays out the generations of Esau marking the point that this section was written long after the days of Esau. The family tree is replicated in 1Chron 1:35 It is not simply a list of names. It provides the background for later Scriptural comments about the nation of Edom.

36:31  In saying that these are the kings that reigned before there was a king reigning over Israel just makes the point that when Israel clamoured for a king they wanted to be like their ‘brother’ – the one who despised the birthright – Gen 25:34

Different records give different names for the same people. Contrast Aholibamah and her father Anah (v.2) with an earlier record that calls them Judith and Beeri (Gen 26:34).  Judith would be a personal name, while Aholibamah is the name of a district in the mountains of Edom.  Also, Bashemath (v.3) is called Mahalath (Gen 28:9).

36:33-39 The repeated use of ‘died’ when speaking of the dukes of Edom echoes the description of the fate of the son of Adam in Gen 5– as if the record here is forcing the reader to understand that the dukes of Edom were no more powerful than any other son of Adam – A powerful point to remember when we recall that previously Jacob was very afraid of him.

36:43  And so after all the list of the children of Esau we are reminded yet again that Esau is Edom.  This point needs to be remembered carefully because of the way in which Edom figures in relation to Israel in prophecy throughout the rest of the Old Testament.

36:31  That Edom had kings before Israel doubtless was one of the reasons why Israel demanded a king ‘like the nations’ – 1Sam 8:5 – if their ‘brother’ had kings why shouldn’t Israel could well have been their reasoning.

36:31 In saying that Edom had kings before Israel we are reminded of the principle first the natural and then the spiritual - 1Cor 15:46

36:1     The generations of Esau are listed here followed in 37:2 with “the generations of Jacob”. The sons of Esau all “died” Gen 36:32-39. The generations of Judah is the prelude to the life of Joseph who was the “saviour" of Israel. 

36:8   It might seem to be a casual historical detail that Esau dwelt in Mount Esau. However this little detail is further evidence that Esau had no real interest in the promise of inheritance of the land of Canaan.

36:6-8 The way in which Esau moved echoes that of Lot – Gen 13:10-11.

36:2    In taking wives of the daughters of Canaan Esau violated the instruction given regarding Jacob – Gen 28:1

Gen 36:1Gen 36:1  Now these are the records of the generations of Esau (that is, Edom). 

Gen 36:3  also Basemath, Ishmael's daughter, the sister of Nebaioth. -3

There appears to be a mix up of names here. Compare the original account in Gen. 26 and 28

 Gen 26 KJV

And Esau was forty years old when he took to wife Judith the daughter of Beeri the Hittite, and Bashemath the daughter of Elon the Hittite: 

Gen 26:35  Which were a grief of mind unto Isaac and to Rebekah. 

Gen 28:9  and Esau went to Ishmael, and married, besides the wives that he had, Mahalath the daughter of Ishmael, Abraham's son, the sister of Nebaioth. 

Here Bashemath is the dauther of Elon not Ishamael. Not sure what the explanation is. I know that people often carry more than 1 name in scriptures but this does seem to confuse Basemath. 

36:1,9  We read of the generations of Esau twice in close succession. Why? One thing we learn is that Esau’s descendants had not part in the promises made to Jacob. Their possession was outside the land of promise.

36:2  in tracing the ancestry of both Adah and Aholibamah to tell us that they were of Zibeon the Hittite we see a stark contrast with Jacob, He also took two sisters to wife. But they were from his own county. Not Canaan.

Gen 36:1,43 The chapter begins (v.1) informing us that “…these are the generations of Esau who is Edom.”and concludes (v.43) “…he is Esau the father of the Edomites.”

We may ask why the names of the generations of Esau, his sons and grandsons are recorded? Esau despised his birthright in that he sold it for bread and pottage of lentils to satisfy his physical needs (Gen 25:29-34). the record shows he took Hittite wives (Gen 26:34-35 ; Gen 36:2) which was a source of grief of mind to Isaac and Rebekah.

The LORD God of Abraham and Isaac promised Jacob the land, (Gen 28:13-14).

Esau’s blessing was notably different, his “dwelling” (<4186> seat or inhabited place) was to be the “fatness” (<4924>, rich, fertile field) of the earth and the  dew of heaven and he was to live by the sword and serve his brother (Gen 27:38-40).

These names are evidence that God was working out His promises to Abraham’s family.  Isaac and Jacob were blessed with the land the LORD would give them (Gen 28:13-14). Esau's family only inhabited the land “according to their habitation in the land of their possession”(<272> something siezed, i.e.land) (Gen 36:43).

36:2 “Esau took wives of the daughters of Canaan” tells us all we need to know. His heart was not with the promises of God. His focus was on the here and now. Rather than being a stranger in the land he happily associated with it. Let this be a warning to us. Not just that we do not marry those who are not associated with the promises to Abraham but that we avoid all partnerships with such individuals. We, of necessity, have to trade with them. However we should not cast out lot in with them and then be committed to their way of thinking and behaving.

36:6-7 It would appear that wealth and prosperity was a driving force which prompted Esau to move away from the land promised to Abraham and his seed. Whilst it is true that the promise were conferred on Jacob it did not follow that Esau had to leave the land of promise. Do we sometimes feel that we have been slighted by fellow believers? Do we sometimes even consider walking away from the promises because of the behaviour of others?     

36:1 Whilst the generations of Esau are seen here we wait to Gen 37:1 for the generations of Jacob. As is often the case the spiritual line is recorded after the natural life – first the natural and then the spiritual – 1Cor 15:46 seems to drawing on a principle.

36:3-8 Esau was not interested in the land of promise which his father had loved. He did not wait for Jacob to discuss with him a resolution to the problem of their great flocks being a burden to the land. He just walked away from the land of promise. Thus we see where his real focus was – on material things rather than the things of the promises.

36:6-7 Esau, like Lot, left the company of Godly family and moved away to pursue his own dreams. Sadly those dreams had nothing to do with godly thinking and behaviour.

GOOD COMPANY

There is a marked difference between the descendants of Esau and the descendants of Jacob. Both boys, Esau and Jacob grew up in the household of Isaac and Rebekah. They both would have known about the God of Abraham. And while they both had different natures, perhaps one of the marked differences between them came from who they married.

Esau married foreign women who worshipped other gods. As we read through the record of Esau’s descendants, we see that the trend continued as Esau’s children also chose their wives and friends from among people who had no fear of God. They had no problem mixing with the people around them.

Jacob married within the family – wives who also had an understanding of the God Jacob worshipped. Jacob’s family on the whole, kept their relationships within the family, and as a consequence, kept their faith in the LORD, while Esau’s did not.

This comparison shows us how important it is to choose the people we live with wisely. The attributes and values of the people we spend time with will rub off on us, and depending on who is influencing us, will either turn us toward God or away from him. Let us put our faith first and choose to associate with people who will influence us for good.

36:6-8 Having chosen not to followed Isaac’s advice to Jacob – not to take a wife of the daughters of Canaan – Esau does the opposite. Having married daughters of Canaan Esau completes his separation from his father and the things of God. He journeys east away from the land of promise.

v.1 says 'rebuke me not' David recognises that God was involved in his life chastening him. He knows he deserves it (v.4) and that he cannot resolve it himself. He makes a very necessary move (v.18) and in v. 21 his appeal to God brings about forgiveness. He is forgiven by God and should not therefore have to endure human criticism. But we know all to well that this is not the case. v.19,20 show that he certainly did.

v.8 - This word roar, when applied to a man, seems to indicate a cry of distress, rather than anger, which we may think when it is of an animal. It is also applied to God in scripture - Jer.25:30, Hos.11:10, Joel 3:16, Amos 1:2

David speaks of his condition as being like an unacceptable animal sacrifice :3, 7 no soundness :11 sore. This is how David felt after committing adultery with Bathsheba. It was this realisation which caused him to say :18 'I will be sorry for my sins. Which echoes Psalm 32:5 - another Psalm from this time in David's life.

Psalm 38 - There is a striking resemblance between this psalm and Psalm 6:1-10, in the general structure, and in some of the particular expressions. Both appear to have been composed in a time of sickness, though not probably in the same sickness; and both express substantially the same feelings. The forty-first psalm, also, appears to have been composed on a similar occasion. Some think that this Psalm may be another that David penned chronicling his physical and mental experiences and anguish after his dalliance with Bathsheba. From the time of the very first transgression in the Garden of Eden, mankind has suffered mentally and physically, and such Psalms as David has penned here give all of us the necessary thoughts we need to take any of our problems to the Father in prayer.

38:18-19 Whilst David had repented of his sin those who should have been compassionate to him are his ‘enemies’. One wonders how we react to those who have fallen and then repented. Do we strive to help them to be restored to the ecclesia or do we continue to point the finger? If we do the latter we become their enemies.

Psalm 38  This Psalm, along with Psalm 39 seem to go together. This Psalm is a prayer for God's help at a time of great personal physical suffering, while Psalm 39 appears to be a prayer for spiritual strength during the time of physical affliction described in Psalm 38

David suffered from physical sickness and mental anguish in his life.  Some of these problems were brought about by the poor choices he had made (e.g. his affair with Bathsheba).  We too can suffer for our own faults.  There is no glory in this.  But if we suffer for the Truth's sake, then the Lord is pleased (1Pet 2:20).

In this Psalm we see a picture of a man who feels to have reached a serious low in his life.  To some extent or other we each can relate to this, some more than others, but we can see just where he is coming from.  In the perception of the individual in distress, v.11 always seems true - maybe it sometimes is, but often it seems to be in the mind of the depressed person.  When things go badly, we often feel our closest friends and companions have deserted us.

V.19-20 David is still being humbled by God, he is a victim of deadly enemies, full of malice and treachery. "enemies are lively"  literally  "of life"  who would take my life.

David confesses in this Psalm that he has sinned, and that he knows God is displeased with him. God's anger is harder for him to bear than anything else. He is sorry for his sin.

38:5     This Psalm was written consequent of David’s sin with Bathsheba. There were no physical ‘wounds’. David saw his behaviour as defiling himself. Taking the analogy of an animal sacrifice David saw himself as being unfit to be offered as he had ‘a blemish’ - see the way that ‘without blemish’ figures in the sacrifices in Leviticus.

38:4We need to get to the state of mind where we feel that our iniquities are too great for us. It is all too easy to think that by sheer effort we will be able to overcome our sins. This cannot be, though we should try. Jesus died for us because we cannot save ourselves.

38:11 David’s experience was even his friends avoided him when they became aware of his sin. It is so easy for us to avoid our brethren and sisters who have sinned. We should seek to ‘restore such an one’ Gal 6:1.

38:12-14 David is saying that when his adversaries rose against him with accusations and criticisms he pretended he had not heard them. What a wonderful way to respond. We so often feel the need to defend ourselves against those who would find fault with us

V.11 Like a leper, David was rejected and isolated by friends and family.  Another man who had a similar experience was Job (Job 19:14-19).  Both David and Job were types of Christ.  They foreshadowed the rejection that Jesus would experience (Isa 53:3). 

Psa 38:11;88:18 reminds me of how Christ's friends literally stood afar off and how Judas was estranged choosing darkness and death over light and life Matt 26:58,69,70;27:55;Mark 15:40;Luke 23:49;Matt 27:5;Acts 1:18.

38:3  David sees a direct correlation between his feelings of depression and God’s chastening hand. How often do we look for God’s hand at work in our lives?

Can illness come because of sin?

There are many reasons why we or our loved ones go through illness. On this occasion David had sinned gravely (v1-5), had not yet come to repentance, and was bearing God's chastening. This manifested itself in what appears to be the same illness that Hezekiah bore (for example the sore/boil in v5,11 and Isa 38:21). If it is the same illness, then David was actually going to die from it. Deut 28 confirms this in v27 and 35 "you cannot be healed". God forced David to come to terms with his sin, to repent and to call upon God as the only one who could forgive and heal. It is possible that this was also the same illness as King Asa, who unlike David and Hezekiah, did not repent and call on God, but sought doctors instead (2Chron 16:12).

38:4  There are several similarities between this Psalm and Isaiah 1.  The idea of sin being a burden conveyed in this verse, finds a parallel in Isa 1:4.  Additionally, the language used by David in verses 3, 5 and 7 links with Isa 1:5-6.  Some have suggested that David was indeed suffering from a physical illness (leprosy?) at the time of writing this Psalm.

v3 My sin, v4 my iniquities, v5 my wounds.  Again,  v17 my pain, v18 my iniquities, v18 my sin.  But then the Psalm ends on an optimistic note.  Despite his sin, despite his current state, David knows where to place his hope:  v20 my God, v21 my salvation.

There are several Messianic hints in this Psalm.  v2 - for arrows, read nails; v5 Jesus was scourged; v9 let not my will....; v11 Peter followed at a distance;  v12 could have been written of Jesus' life;  v13 = Isa 53:7 (see also Psa 39:2) and, of course, the last four words of the Psalm.

38:12  In the earlier part of the Psalm David speaks of his own sorrows and despair, and now he adds to that the persecution of others.  How we respond to others who are troubled will either help or hinder their journey through grief.

38:2   In speaking of God’s “arrows” David is speaking like Job who lamented God’s involvement in his life – Job 6:4.

The title of Psalm 38 notes "to bring to remembrance" which reminds me of (Luke 22:19) "do this in remembrance of me".

Psa 38:2 - perhaps the arrows echo the sacrificial nails Jesus endured (Psa 22:16;Zech 12:10).

Psa 38:3,4,7 - "no soundness in my flesh...neither is there any rest...a heavy burden...no soundness in my flesh" perhaps this echoes the sin-nature of Christ and that there was no freedom from temptation (Heb 4:15).

Psa 38:4,18 - Christ makes our burden light and bore the sin of many (Matt 11:28-30;Isa 53:12).

Psa 38:5 - "my foolishness" demonstrates humility and self examination and is proper demeanor for believers.

Psa 38:11 - friends standing afar off (Luke 23:49;Psa 31:11;John 6:60,66;Matt 26:56).

Psa 38:13-14 - openeth not his mouth (David - 2Sam 16:9-11. Christ - Isa 53:7;Matt 26:62-63;1Pet 2:22-23).

Psa 38:18 - "sorry" [<1672> can mean "anxious"]..."sin" [<2403> from <2398> can mean "sacrifice, punishment (of sin), purifying (-fication for sin)"].

Psa 38:19 - "they that hate me wrongly are multiplied" (Psa 69:4;John 15:25).

Psa 38:20 - "they that rendered evil for good" (Psa 35:11-12;Mark 14:55-57).

38:18   In saying “I will be sorry for my sin” we see David speaking rather like he did in Psa 32:5. Earlier in the Psalm (:2) we see David speaking of God’s chastening hand like he did in Psa 32:4.

These are two of a number of links between the two Psalms which indicate that they are probably written concerning the same event – David’s sin with Bathsheba.

 Psa 38.

Throughout this psalm, it is obvious that David is very, very sick. And it also seems as though this particular illness is the direct result of his sins (see especially v. 3). When might this psalm have been written? And what sin(s) might he have been referring to?

It seems to fit well into the time period of David's sins with Bathsheba and against Uriah, Bathsheba's husband (i.e. adultery and murder). Although the historical account of these incidents in 2 Sam. 11 & 12 don't refer to a time of serious illness in between his sins and his meeting with the prophet Nathan and subsequent confession and forgiveness, it is obvious from this psalm and others that he was very sick, near death, and that this illness was a direct result of some grievous sins.

Two other psalms - similar in theme to this one - are Psa. 32 & 51. They are even more clear as to the connection between his sin and illness. For example -

Psa. 32:3-5 - "When I kept silent (i.e. concerning my sin - see Psa 32:1,2), my bones wasted away, through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD' - and you forgave the guilt of my sin."

Also Psa. 51:2-4,7 - "Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is always before me. Against you, you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are proved right when you speak and justified when you judge. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow."

There's a pretty strong hint back in Psa. 38 that David's disease was leprosy. In v. 11 he says, "My lovers and my friends stand aloof from my sore, and my kinsmen stand afar off." That word translated "sore" in the K.J.V. ("stroke" in K.J.V. margin) comes up 54 times in the Old Testament, always in connection with the disease of leprosy. Also what other disease besides leprosy brought about this kind of ostracism that David is referring to? Also back in Psa 51:7 when he asks to be cleansed with hyssop, that was an ingredient used in the process of the cleansing of a leper (see Lev 14:4,6).

So, though it's not 100% provable, there seems to be a good chance that his illness was one that came upon him directly after his sins with Uriah and Bathsheba, and he was subsequently healed soon after his repentance.

HIDDEN SIN

It is when we are not troubled by sin that we are likely to have problems. It may be that we are living a perfect life, and if that is the case, then praise the LORD! But it may also be that we are not recognising our sin or that we have forgotten the principles God wants us to live by. If that is so, then we will feel quite happy in a sinful life without realising that we are adding to the nails in the cross by our sinful actions.

David said, "I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin." (Psa 38:18) David was very aware of his sin. His desire was to live for God, and it troubled him when he failed. As he confessed, he was able to be forgiven by God, to change and live a more godly life.

If we find ourselves not being troubled by sin, it may be that we are blind to it. I have found it helpful to pray that God would reveal my hidden sins to me. Sometimes I have hidden them without realising, and don't realise that they are there. And when he answers that prayer (and he always does), let's ask for the strength and courage to change. We need it!

Let's be people of God who are troubled by our sin, but have confessed, been forgiven and have changed for good.

38:20    A feature of a faithful life is that those who are antagonistic to God seek occasion against the believer. When the believer falls the antagonist focuses on that failure and persecutes the believer. This is what David is speaking about. God, speaking through Nathan, says as much 2Sam 12:14.

38:1  Whilst we have said that the Psalm was written as a consequence of David’s sin with Bathsheba it speaks equally truly of how David was treated in Absalom’s uprising. David sees the problems as originating with God’s chastening. So he pleads that God will not be angry. We should recognise that God’s anger is seen against the wicked who will not respond to His chastening.

38:3  When David mentions his “bones” we are being shown (again) a way in which David speaks about his feelings as can be seen in other Psalms Psa 6:2, 22:14and a number more).

38:2     In saying that God’s hand pressed sore on David we see similar language to the related Psalm – Psa 32:4

38:13   David realised that it was not always wise to speak. He understood the principle later laid out by his son Solomon – Ecc 3:17

38:2   In David’s case the “arrows” speak of God chastening David. The chastening was not pleasant – it was like being shot at. However it was evidence that God is merciful. He was seeking for David to repent so that he could be forgiven. Do we think of chastening in our lives similarly? Do we see it as God working with us that we might be more like His son Jesus?

38:11 the friends who stand afar off are found – Luke 23:49 – at the cross of Jesus during his crucifixion. This Psalm is prophetic of the time of Jesus’ death.

38:21-22 David was in a difficult situation. He had sinned. However his concern was that God would not forsake him. This should be a comfort to us when we think we have sunk so low that God cannot café for us any more.

38From Sin to repentance

Having committed adultery with Bathsheba David, for some time resisted God’s chastening hand until finally he acknowledged his sin and received God’s forgiveness. This Psalm traces David’s journey.

He saw God’s chastening hand (:2) and recognised his sorry state (:3,7,8) but was, initially, unwilling to acknowledge his sin and repent (:13-14). However God persisted with His chastening until David came to repentance when David said “I will be sorry for my sin” (:18). The historical record – (2Sam 12:13) records the words of Nathan “the Lord hath put away thy sin”

Our Father is so gracious that we can avail ourselves of the type of forgiveness that David experienced. Eternal life is the promise to those who sin and respond to His chastening hand (Heb 12:11)

38:14 the word “reproofs” in the KJV can equally be translated “answers”. This is the position of a man who has sinned. There is nothing he can say to justify himself. We do  well to take notice of David’s reaction when confronted with his behaviour. He confessed – 2Sam 12:13. Confession will lift a load off the mind.

38:3  David uses the same word that God through Isaiah would use later –Isa 1:6 – to describe Israel. The corruption spoken of in that case relates to idol worship. Whilst David was not involved in idol worship his focus had moved from God to himself when he committed adultery with Bathsheba which, it seems is the focus of this Psalm.

38:1-2 Notice that David, when experiencing God’s chastening hand, does not ask that the chastening should stop. Rather his focus is on God’s attitude. He accepts the chastening but is concerned that his God is not just showing anger.

David realised that there was value in chastening – and sought to understand it. Is this how we view the trials of life?

v.38 - The things in which they placed their trust were temporal and to their consequent destruction. Matt.24 carries straight on from here, and see what Jesus says to the disciples (v.2). The desolation of Jerusalem, and especially the temple (representing spiritual Jerusalem) was predicted by God's foreknowledge through the prophets. Isa.64:10,11, Jer.7:9-14, Zech.11:1-6.

Jesus' Language in Matthew 23 - Matthew 23 was spoken just prior to Jesus leaving Jerusalem to go to the mount of Olives a couple of days before his death. However it was a distillation of what he had already said to the scribes and Pharisees on different occasions, commencing with the time of his baptism:

We should beware of being smug when reading Jesus' reproof of the scribes and Pharisees. Their love of the praise of men was a consequence of their humanity. Human nature likes praise. These men manifested this characteristic because the Scriptures had not affected their minds on this matter. Human pride - which produced their attitude - is all pervasive and we can easily manifest it ourselves.

:12 In warning the disciples about self aggrandisement Jesus is reminding them of things he has already said (Luke 14:11)

23:11 The caution ‘he that is greatest … servant’ repeats the warning given specifically to the disciples earlier (Mark 9:35)

:23 is the culmination of the previous verses and sums up the problem.  The Pharisees were so tied up in their own complex law with its tiny indiosyncrasies that they completely missed the point that salvation cannot be attained that way - not even considering, it seems, such heavyweight issues as a judgement, mercy and faith, without which they have no hope.

Matt 23:12  "Whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted" With minor variations this proverb occurs in Scripture again and again. (Job 22:29, Prov 29:23, Luke 14:11, Luke 18:14, James 4:6)   

Matt 23:39  This will not happen until Israel is completely humbled

V.9 Catholic priests are called father contrary to the command of Christ.  Furthermore, they set themselves up as mediators between God and man.  Again, this is contrary to the scriptures (1Tim 2:5).

The Lord's condemnation of the Pharisees' swearing oaths (v.16-22) reminds us of our own stance in not taking oaths (James 5:12).

It is easy to shake one's head in disgust at Jesus' condemnation of the Pharisees, but we should be careful to examine our own behaviour (Matt 5:20).  Doing things decently and in order
(1Cor 14:40) should not be an excuse to supplant faith with legalism.

v.17,19 - To refer to the Scribes and Pharisees as fools was a very heavy condemnation and they would have been highly offended by it.  This chapter is full of condemnation for them eg. v.24,25,26,27,29.  They did not listen, which is typical behaviour of those who live by law, as living by law breeds self-fulfilment and confidence in one's own righteousness, but we do not live by law, but by faith, so may we have our eyes and ears open that He might not accuse us of blindness or of being fools.

23:2-3 This observation that the Scribes and Pharisees word were to be obeyed even though their lifestyle left much to be desired demonstrates that the validity of the message should not be measured by the lifestyle of the preacher. A valuable lesson for us to bear in mind when we are reproved by brethren and then we seek to denigrate the brother's lifestyle - 'He is a right one to talk - he doesn't live up to what  he is saying’ might well be our response. Jesus shows here that such a response is not valid. If the message is correct it should be heeded whatever the messenger is like

V.36 It is remarkable how literally this prophecy was fulfilled in a matter of a few years. All we have to do is read Luke's record of the Acts of the Apostles: Antioch (13:45; 50), Iconium (14:2), Lystra (14:19), Thessalonica (17:5), Berea (17:13), Corinth ( 18:12,  20:3), Jerusalem ( 21:21,  23:12), and Caesarea (24:1-9). 

Matt 23:11 - Greatness comes from serving - WHAT KIND of greatness do we seek?

The Lord Jesus showed His very tender side at the end of today’s chapter (Matt 23:37-39). He wanted to save and protect Jerusalem, but they wouldn't respond to Him at all. He wanted to give them the blessings of forgiveness, but they didn't realise they needed it. Within 40 years the city was destroyed. Their house was left desolate.

23:2 It is so easy to disregard the message when the person presenting it does not live up to the message being spoken. We must take care not to neglect Bible teaching simply because the person presenting it has weaknesses that we know about.

23:4    The heavy burdens that were grievous to be borne is a matter that is returned to – Acts 15:10 – when the apostles meet in Jerusalem to decide whether gentiles should keep the law or not.

Vs.2,3 Jesus did not criticise the Pharisees as teachers of the Law, but He did condemn their hypocrisy.  They did not practice what they preached.  It is an easy for anybody to do this, so care must be taken to make words and deeds compatible.

V.14 is not found in some manuscripts.

Compare Matt 23:1 with Matt 5:1. Jesus talks to the "multitudes" and "his disciples" on both occasions. One is at the start of his ministry, the other at the end. At the start, he talks about opportunities for blessing (beatitudes) but by the end all that remains for the Scribes and Pharisees is a series of woes. In the RV there are 7 woes in Matt 23. These seem to bear a direct contrast to the first 7 beatitudes in Matt 5 in order (some are more forced than others, but some are striking). There are other contrasting connections between the Sermon on the Mount in Matt 23 too. Jesus' denunciation of the Scribes and Pharisees ends in Matt 23:38 with "behold your house is left unto you desolate" - rather like the foolish man who built his house upon the sand at the end of the Sermon on the Mount in Matt 7:24-27. The Lord had prophesied what would happen to those who "heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them not" (Compare Matt 7:24 and Matt 23:3). Now it was set to happen, albeit not until AD70.    

23:8 Clearly the Jewish leaders had ‘lost their way’ in seeing their religion as a means whereby they could be elevated above their brethren – but it all had the appearance of Godliness. We are no different in our makeup than these leaders. It is equally easy for us to fall into the same trap – having respect of person.

V.27 The hypocrisy of the Pharisees reminds us of the hypocrisy of the Jewish leaders in Ezekiel’s time. Then, they built up a wall and daubed it with untempered mortar (whitewash) (Eze 13:10). In both cases, falsehood was covered over by an attractive exterior. We use the term whitewash, in modern parlance, in referring to the glossing over of mistakes. There's an old plasterer’s saying which says: A good finish hides a multitude of sins.

V.35 The Zachariah referred to was probably the priest/prophet who was killed at the behest of Joash (2Chron 24:20-22). Abel is recorded in Genesis, the first book of the Bible; while Zachariah is recorded in the last book (2 Chronicles) of the Jewish Bible. 

minutia - a small or minor detail

So often we choose to major in minor things. We allow most of our focus to dwell on those things that don't really matter, the less weighty things, as Jesus puts it (v23-24). If this is so we ought to feel uncomfortable at the rebuke of Jesus "fools and blind!". But hopefully for us it hasn't come that far yet. Nevertheless, taking a good look at where our focus lies, and redressing any imbalance is advisable. Are we taking more time in matters regarding the building we meet in, than the spiritual / physical / emotional welfare of those who meet in it?

humility - Matt 23:11-12;Luke 22:24-27;John 13:5-17;Matt 6:3

v 32 First Principles>Kingdom of God>Was overturned>History of fulfilment
8. The crucifixion of Jesus filled the cup of iniquity (Matt 23:32). Christ warned of the coming judgement Luke 19:43,44, Luke 21:20-24
Go to Deut 28:49 to see more details of the history of Israel and its overturning.

LONGING FOR JESUS

How much are we really longing for the return of Jesus?

Jesus has promised he will come back. With him he will bring huge changes to the world. Life as we know it will change completely. The capitalism we are used to in the western world will be replaced with an attitude of sharing and equality. Any pride we have will be brought low. Most of the things we place our trust in will be whipped away from under us. Our life of comfort and entertainment will be cut short and any religious facade will be stripped away. At the return of Christ there could be some very painful changes to have to face. At the same time there will also be some very positive changes.

Jesus said, "For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.'" (Matt 23:39)

If life now is a little bit comfortable we may have difficulty in longing for the return of Jesus. After all, none of us likes change. What will it be that brings us to our knees and makes us desire the return of Christ more than anything else in the world? It will be true that the Jews will be forced into such a tight spot at the time of the end that they will literally cry out, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." But unless we desire to be with Jesus with the same intensity, we too may miss out.

"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord."

23:24 The tithing of small things has its counterpart in our ecclesial life. We can so easily focus on minor things and present them as ‘principles’ and yet miss the main point of an issue. For example we may be so concerned about the rights and wrongs of a situation such as divorce that we neglect to care for those who, whilst in that situation, wish to serve God faithfully. We are so busy arguing the rightness of our position that we do not notice the one in need of our care and support.

23:19  Jesus’ comment that the gift is sanctified by the altar is based upon a comment in the law – Exo 29:37

23:34  Jesus has – Matt 20:19– spoken of the mode of his death – only Matthew has Jesus using the word ‘crucify’ to describe the method of his death. Now he warns his disciples that some of them can expect the same fate.

LOOKING RELIGIOUS

Speaking to the crowds and the people, Jesus pronounced seven woes on the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law.

The people all looked up to the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law because they were the spiritual leaders in Israel. But Jesus said, "You must obey them and do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach." (Matt 23:4)

The Pharisees and Teachers of the Law had the right teaching, but they would not put it into practice themselves, while expecting everyone else to follow their instruction. Jesus described them as hypocrites. Another word for hypocrites is play actors. They were trying to look religious while they actually had no regard for God at all.

Were the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law the only people who ever showed a form of religion while really having no relationship with God? No. Before the Pharisees, generations of Israelites had also been practicing the art of hypocrisy. And since the time of Jesus, many who call themselves Christians have also done the same.

We don't need to worry about the people around us, but we do need to examine ourselves. Do we say we are followers of Christ, but don't live it? Do we say one things and do another? Let us believe in God and live for him with all our hearts. God can see the honesty in our actions. We can't deceive him. Let's not deceive ourselves or others. Let us develop pure hearts for God.

23:5  In doing things to  ‘to be seen of men’ they were seeking glory for themselves. Jesus has already warned against this in Matt 6:2.

23:5    Enlarging the borders of their garments is a comment on the way in which they emphasised the observation of the requirement of Deut 22:12

Matt 23:5 the religious leaders of the day loved to play act at religion and the clothes they wore were an essential part of the pantomime. This entailed enlarging the border of their garments. That part of the garment that was to remind them of holiness and they thought they were the epitomy of true religion and holiness. In this verse it tells us that all they did was to be seen of men .. to receive the praises and adulation of men. Now the word enlarge<3170> means to magnify and whereas Mary wanted to magnify the Lord Luke 1:46(the same Greek word) the leaders wanted to magnify themselves..they robbed God of His glory. The same Greek word is used by Paul Phil 1:20 His body was to be used to magnify the Lord

22:22  That they marvelled at Jesus words should not have surprised them. On an earlier occasion – John 7:46 – men had returned to, possibly, the same leaders advising them that Jesus’ words were unique.

23:7    In reproving the leaders for “loving greetings in the market place” Jesus is only saying what he had said previously – Luke 11:43

Matt 23:5 notice how the scribes and pharisee's dress in fancy garments, yet if we compare David in 2Sam 6:14 he cast off all regal clothing to dress in a linen ephod to represent a servant, just as Christ did when he put on an apron to wash his disciples feet.

23:27   When Jesus speaks of the scribes as white sepulchres he is repeating what he has already said – Luke 11:47. The garnished the very graves that they were like.

23:4    God instituted, in particular, the Day of Atonement to lift heavy burdens – Isa 58:6 – in contrast the leaders in Jesus’ day increased those burdens. God required Israel – and us – to recognise the burden [of sin] that He is willing to lift. By contrast the leaders, by their actions, caused Israel to be more weighed down by their sinfulness. I would hope that we, in our talking and preaching, do not make our fellow believers bowed down by sin. Rather we should try, from the word of God, to raise the spirits.

23:39   The words that the rejected leaders will say are a quotation from Psa 118:26. Maybe more importantly they are also the words said by the common people when Jesus entered Jerusalem –Matt 21:9 –which words the religious leaders wanted Jesus to silence – Luke 19:39

Matt 23

The Scribes

The Masoretic Text (MT) translators were post-crucifixion scribes and Torah teachers from about the 5^th century A.D. They used the Tiberian system, which superseded those of Babylon and Palestine in the Masoretic Text. They came up with the system known as pointing, which consists of a series of strokes and dots below or above the consonants. Accents were added for punctuation and for tones. They used block script because of the shape of most of their characters, which they borrowed from Assyria around the 6^th-7^th century. This was so unlike the ancient original Hebrew text that was written in pre-block, pre-unpointed script using only consonants, no vowels. In doing so, no matter how accurate they thought they were, variations of dialect and changes in pronunciation that took place in the Hebrew language. They succeeded in almost completely effacing any prior dialects and changes in pronunciation of the Hebrew language of Biblical Old testament times. At the same time they also inserted their own interpretation of the text by means of their pointing! Masoretes (literally, “conveyors of tradition”) comes from the Hebrew word masorah meaning, tradition (cf. Matt 23:13-36).

The Masoretic Text, accurately speaking, is not a Tanakh, or Old Testament, as it is a commentary of the Old Testament! Adam Clarke in the General Preface of his Biblical commentary, 1810, wrote: “The MASORETES were the most extensive Jewish commentators which that nation could ever boast. The system of punctuation, probably invented by them, is a continual gloss on the Law and Prophets; their vowel points, and prosaic and metrical accents, &c., give every word to which they are affixed a peculiar kind of meaning, which in their simple state multitudes of them can by no means bear. The vowel points alone add whole conjugations to the language. This system is one of the most artificial, particular, and extensive comments ever written on the word of God; for there is not one word in the Bible that is not the subject of a particular gloss through its influence. This school is supposed to have commenced about 450 years before our Lord, and to have extended down to A.D. 1030. Some think it did not commence before the fifth century.” (Emphasis added).

An article appeared in the 1948 edition of the Encyclopedia Britannica quoting Louis Cappel, a Hebrew scholar, who wrote in the early 17^th century and investigated this matter. “As a Hebrew scholar, he concluded that the vowel points and accents were not an original part of Hebrew, but were inserted by the Masorete Jews of Tiberias, not earlier than the 5^th Century AD…” What we call the Masoretic Text is, strictly speaking, the Tiberian Masoretic Text produced by the last of the Ben Asher family, Aaron ben Asher.

In the early 20^th century, the Dead Sea Scrolls (DDS) were discovered in caves near Qumran. They revealed an ancient Hebrew textual tradition which differed from the tradition preserved by the Masoretes. Psa 145:17 is not in the Masoretic Text, but it appears in the KJV 1611, and found word for word in the Septuagint (LXX) and the DSS! In the 2^nd century A.D. Justin Martyr investigated a number of Old Testament texts in various Jewish synagogues. He concluded that the Jews who had rejected Christ had also rejected the Septuagint, and were tampering with the Hebrew Scriptures. He wrote, “But I am far from putting reliance in your teachers, who refuse to admit that the interpretation made by the seventy elders who were with Ptolemy [king] of the Egyptians is a correct one; and they attempt to frame another…” And so it was…

Matt 1:23, “… Behold, a virgin shall be with child…” appears in the LXX in Isa 7:14. The MT has “behold, the young woman is with child…” Matthew was quoting from the LXX!

Matt 12:21, “And in his name shall the Gentiles trust.”  Again, Matthew quoted from LXX Isa 42:4! The MT and KJV 1611 have “… and the isles shall wait for his law.”

Luke 4:18, “… recovering of sight to the blind…” Jesus quoted Isa 61:1 from the LXX! The MT and KJV 1611 say nothing here about restoring sight to the blind!

Heb 1:6, “… And let all the angels of God worship him.” This is quoted directly from the LXX found in Deut 32:43. Nothing of angels is mentioned in the MT and KJV 1611! Paul quoted from the LXX!

Heb 10:5, “… a body hast thou prepared me.” Again, Paul quoted directly from the LXX in Psa 40:6! The MT changed it to “… mine ears hast thou opened…” and so appears in the KJV 1611.

Psa 22:16, “they pierced my hands and my feet.” David quoted Psa 21 verse 17 in the LXX. The MT has “Like a lion my hands and my feet.”

The KJV 1611 was beautifully written by some of the best scholars of the day and its reputation as fine literature is well deserved. Forty-seven scholars, all members of the Church of England, some with Puritan leanings, actually used several previous Bibles to affect their translation.

To say that the LXX is a corrupted version and not inspired and not used by Christ and his disciples is an error of the greatest magnitude! It undermines the Gospel, the New Testament Holy-inspired apostles and Christ! They did, in fact, quote the LXX, as shown!

While most scholars saw the LXX inferior to the Hebrew Bible known as the Masoretic Text (MT), this all changed with the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS). Ancient Hebrew scrolls were found that follow the LXX, not the Masoretic Text. The DSS showed that the LXX had an underlying Hebrew Text that different from the MT. Because of the DSS, scholars now believe the LXX to be superior to the MT!

“The NT makes it clear that Jesus, the apostles, and the NT writers frequently used the LXX. Studies have determined that the NT, LXX and MT agree only about 20% of the time. Of the 80% where some disagreement is evident, the NT and MT agree less than 5% of the time. That means that the NT writers use the LXX most of the time when they quote the OT (Jobes and Silva 2000: 189–93).”

http://www.biblearchaeology.org/post/2012/02/17/The-Role-of-the-Septuagint-in-the-Transmission-of-the-Scriptures.aspx#Article

23:9       We must realise that the one speaking to them was “Christ” though they did not recognise him as such. Jesus was happy for his disciples to call him “master” (Rabbi) John 13:13so clearly they recognised him as the Messiah, though not fully understanding his work.

23:22 Here was have another echo of Jesus’ teaching in Matt 5:34.

Matt 23:1-12 - Jesus speaking to the disciples and the crowd about the "Scribes<1122>" and "Pharisees<5330>" who didn't practice what they preach and used titles that elevate as opposed to being a humble "servant<1249>" (Phil 2:3-11) as they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God (John 12:43):

1. Matt 23:4 - the contrast in  burdens (Matt 11:28-30;Isa 53:4-6).

2. Matt 23:5 - "phylacteries<5440>" (Gen 13:16;Deut 6:4-9;Deut 11:18) tiny boxes with verses inside attached to forehead and/or arm were used to be seen of men as a show.

3. Matt 23:6 - Christ was honored before his crucifixion with an upper room (Mark 14:14-15).

4. Matt 23:8 - "Rabbi<4461>"; "Master<2519>"; "Christ<5547>"; "brethren<80>"

5. Matt 23:8-10 - do not be called Rabbi, Master, father (noting the honorary religious title context, the calling of a priest etc. 'father' is wrong though there are other instances where it is appropriate Matt 6:9;Luke 16:24,30;Acts 7:2).

6. Matt 23:9 - "father<3962>"

7. Matt 23:11-12 - the "humble<5013>" "servant<1249>" shall be exalted; "abased<5013>"

8 blessings compared to 8 woes (this includes Matt.23:14 which is not included in some manuscripts):

1. Matt 5:3 - KIngdom opened vs Matt 23:13 - Kingdom closed (to blind leaders and unfortunate sheep following them); "woe<3759>"; "hypocrites<5273>"

2. Matt 5:4 - mourners comforted vs Matt 23:14 - mourners devoured (if this is not included there are 7 woes)

3. Matt 5:5 - meek shall inherit the earth vs Matt 23:15 - hypocrites inherit "hell<1067>"

4. Matt 5:6 - true righteousness through sincerity vs Matt 23:16 - false righteousness through materialism (Matt 6:24;Matt 23:16-22- hypocritical blind ritual or formalism; V22 "God<2316>".

5. Matt 5:7 - the merciful obtain mercy vs Matt 23:23 - mercy left undone (neglecting the important matters of the law - justice, mercy, faithfulness).

6. Matt 5:8 - purity within vs Matt 23:25 - purity without, uncleaness within (appearing clean externally, but hearts not clean Jer 17:9).

7. Matt 5:9 - peacemakers live as sons of God vs Matt 23:27-28 - lawless hypocrites claimed to be children of God but were wicked and spiritually reduced to dead bones ("whited<2867>"; at Passover time the graves would be white-washed so people in transit could see to avoid them and thus not become unclean Num 19:16).

8. Matt 5:10 - persecuted receive the kingdom vs Matt 23:29-33 - persecutors receive hell (V33 - seed of the serpent or seed of the woman Gen 3:15).

Excluding Matt 23:14, there would be 7 woes in Matt 23 which could be compared to the 7 woes in Isa 5:8,11,18,20,21,22;Isa 6:5.

Matt 23:24 - they literally would strain a gnat through a cloth from polluting wine, and making it unclean.

Matt 23:35;Luke 11:51 - Abel, slain by his brother, was the first martyr (Gen 4:10) while Zechariah was the last martyr slain in the Hebrew order of the Old Testament (2Chron 24:19-22).

Matt 23:36 - "...All these things shall come upon this "generation<1074>"

23:3 That the behaviour of the scribes and Pharisees was not to be imitated is seen in the way in which Jesus condemns their behaviour repeatedly in the chapter - :13,14,16,23,25,27,29

23:26 From an outward appearance the Pharisees looked righteous. They thought that their dress and demeanour matched God’s requirements. However their inward thinking was astray from God. We often judge on the basis of outward appearance. Outward appearance does not prove what a person’s heart is like. We should try and move beyond appearance if we are going to form judgments. In order to do this it is essential that we get to know the person we are looking at. The human tendency is to decide, on outward appearance, whether we want to get to know someone. This sort of approach will mean we fail to recognise some truly wonderful gems amongst God’s jewels.

23:15 Notice the stark warning. The scribes and Pharisees would make disciples but they moulded those disciples to be just like themselves. We must be extremely careful not to project our prejudices onto our converts when we teach them the gospel message.

We should strive to mould our lives on the example of Jesus .

23:12 Jesus’ reproof  that neither they nor others they should have been teaching would enter the land reflects the way that the leaders in the wilderness would not enter the land – see Num 13 and discouraged others – Num 32:9 from believing that God would give them the land.

23:2 The scribes and Pharisees were not appointed by God to “sit in Moses’ seat”. However they took to themselves that position. So consequently they had a responsibility to accurately present what scripture said.

In like manner no one of us has been directly appointed by God as a spokesman for Him. However whenever we take to ourselves the opportunity to speak God’s word and explain them we have an obligation to accurately present His word.

Matt 23

JUSTICE, FAITH AND LOVE

“AFTER all that the prophets had said, Christ needed to explain the law of justice again. His contemporaries were zealous for their traditions, but they neglected the weightier matters of the law of God, justice, faith and love. They were eager to lade men with heavy and unnecessary burdens, but they could not apply the just balance and the just measure to the affairs of spiritual life.

So has it been in the later days. There has often been a passionate zeal for rectitude in little matters of form and expression, resulting in bitter criticism and often injustice to fellow labourers. We have a strong conviction that when the Just One passes final judgment, some well-meaning but self-centered men will be reproved because they have rigorously enforced so many rules of their own and have been neglectful of justice, mercy, faith and the love of God.”

Islip Collyer, Principles and Proverbs, p. 186