Episode 213 - "Be mature in your thinking!" - 1 Corinthians 14:20-25

1 Cor. 14:20 Brothers, do not be children in your thinking. Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature. 21 In the Law it is written, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” 22 Thus tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers, while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers. 23 If, therefore, the whole church comes together and all speak in tongues, and outsiders or unbelievers enter, will they not say that you are out of your minds? 24 But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or outsider enters, he is convicted by all, he is called to account by all, 25 the secrets of his heart are disclosed, and so, falling on his face, he will worship God and declare that God is really among you.

It may seem like Paul is beating a dead horse, so to speak, with his instruction concerning spiritual gifts. But the fact of the matter is that this is a divisive issue among Christians still today. There are people who think they’re more godly or special because they claim to have a certain gift. There are people who want to argue that others cannot be Christian if they don’t have the gift of tongues or some other sign gift. There are churches that make it a part of their doctrinal statement that the sign gifts have ceased, and they make it clear that those who think otherwise are not welcome among them. I think if the Apostle Paul were here today, he would say the same thing he tells the Corinthians, “You all need to grow up!”

I love how he says in verse 20, “Be infants in evil, but in your thinking be mature.” In terms of experience in the ways of the world, he would prefer them to be naive and innocent or inexperienced. People sometimes think they need to experience the things others around them are doing. Paul wants them to avoid things that are evil. However, they are to be mature in their thinking. He follows this with perspective to assist them in thinking more maturely.

Technically, “the Law” is the first five books of the Old Testament. However, it’s often used to speak of the whole Old Testament. Paul paraphrases Isaiah 28:11 when he writes, “By people of strange tongues and by the lips of foreigners will I speak to this people, and even then they will not listen to me, says the Lord.” (v. 21) In citing this text, he argues that “tongues are a sign not for believers but for unbelievers while prophecy is a sign not for unbelievers but for believers.” (v. 22) Oddly, his argument in verses 23-25 appears to work in the opposite manner. What gives?

It’s important to interpret what Paul is getting at by considering the historical context of the Isaiah passage he has just quoted. Isaiah, writing the Lord’s revelation, is describing a coming judgment upon unbelieving Israel. In other words, God is telling Israel, “Because you haven’t listened to my clear revelation through the prophets speaking a language you understand, I am going to send people who speak a language you don’t understand.” This later comes true. The northern kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Assyrians, and later the southern kingdom of Judah was conquered by Babylon. Paul is using this example to show that tongues had been used by God as a sign for unbelievers. Israel should have been believing God’s word in their own language.

Paul is using that to help the Corinthian believers understand that if, in their immaturity, all of them are speaking in tongues, the scene will look crazy and confusing to unbelievers and result in them still being unbelievers. But that’s not the objective. We desire unbelievers to become believers.

So, if everyone is prophesying, by the Spirit, the gospel will be explained, and there will be a revelation in the unbelieving person’s heart, leading them to faith. Therefore, prophecy is for believers. It’s a generalization and not an absolute rule.

Consider what happened at Pentecost in Acts 2. The Holy Spirit filled the apostles, and they spoke in tongues, languages understood by the foreign visitors who heard these men speak. The effect was that it got people’s attention, but it didn’t lead people to faith. It wasn’t until Peter explained what was happening and gave them a clear explanation of Jesus’ death on the cross and his resurrection that the Holy Spirit convicted many to respond in faith.

So, the point of all of this is to have a mature understanding of the value of tongues and prophecy. It’s more important that God’s word be spoken and explained in a way that people can understand it and allow the Holy Spirit to convict people and draw them into faith. Spiritual maturity leads us not to foment an emotional experience for ourselves but to seek how we can be used by the Holy Spirit to speak God’s truth to others leading them to worship God in faith.

Episode 128 - "Behold! Your Son" - John 19:23-27

John 19:23   When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,

“They divided my garments among them,

and for my clothing they cast lots.”

 So the soldiers did these things, 25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

As I began thinking about this text this week, I couldn’t help but think about how John mentions the crucifixion but focuses on his garments and what happens to them with the soldiers. Commentators agree that crucifixion was perhaps the most horrific form of execution ever conceived and people didn’t need it described for them and likely did not want to be reminded of it. I would imagine that if we had witnessed a crucifixion, we would not want to think about it ourselves. However, we do reflect upon it. Every time we partake of the Lord’s Supper, we meditate upon his sacrificial love on the cross in order to lead us to thanksgiving for his love and “proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Cor. 11:26)

The author’s point here, I believe, is not to provide an R-rated drama of all the details of the crucifixion in order to shock us. The point is to show again that God’s word is being fulfilled to the smallest detail. The description of what is happening with the garments was prophetically revealed in the time of David and is being fulfilled in amazing detail. It reveals that even some of the smallest details concerning Jesus’ life and ministry are all under the omniscient knowledge and will of his Father in Heaven. I would encourage you to read at least Psalm 22:1-18 and remember this was written long before Jesus walked around in Israel.

What follows this is a description of at least five witnesses besides the soldiers. Jesus’ mother Mary is one of them. I cannot imagine what this must have been like for her. Alongside her are thee other women and “the disciple whom he loved.” As mentioned before, we believe this is the author of this account; the Apostle John. 

Once again in this book, people are being told to “Behold!” It is a command to look upon or pay attention. We saw this early in this book when John the Baptist pointed his own disciples toward Jesus and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) 

I don’t know about you. But, I get so busy at times that I am living life in the fast lane and I’m not paying attention to what is important. Sometimes I need someone to tell me, “Dave. Pay attention!” In his weakness and agony, Jesus told his mother Mary and his friend John to Pay attention! There is something you need to see and observe. Jesus said to his mother, “Behold! Your son.” (v. 26)

Don’t miss this. Who is her son? It’s Jesus. We read a detailed account of this woman in her early youth when the angel appears to her and reveals that she has been chosen by God to bear a son conceived by the Holy Spirit who would be the Messiah.  She is the most blessed among women. (Luke 1:48) We revere her faithfulness and obedience to the LORD. However, even she must pay attention to her son. He is the Son of God. We should follow that example, that command.

The context here reveals the more direct and literal meaning here and that is Jesus is telling his mother to “Behold! Your son (John). In his dying hours, Jesus is concerned about others and their care. He instructs her to depend upon John and for John to “Behold! Your mother.” What a beautiful and loving act of someone who is in extreme agony. In all things, Jesus is concerned about us, personally. Let us pay attention to him that we might best honor him and be the light of Jesus to others around us to have so many needs and cares.

Episode 41 - Moses wrote about Jesus (Feeding of the 5000)

In the last episode we read how Jesus told his antagonists that Moses wrote about him (Jesus). If you are like me, you might be thinking to yourself, “I’ve been back and forth through the first five books of the Bible and don’t have a clue where Moses writes about Jesus. In this episode, I’m going to suggest one area that is likely intended by Jesus to support this claim. There is probably much to learn or discuss concerning the details of this passage; things like the significance of twelve baskets of leftovers. But, I think it’s more important to recall that prior to this miracle, John has given us an account of Jesus making this claim. This miracle will lend itself to the defense of that claim. Let’s read it.

John 6:1   After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. 2 And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. 3 Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. 4 Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. 5 Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, “Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?” 6 He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. 7 Philip answered him, “Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little.” 8 One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, said to him, 9 “There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?” 10 Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” Now there was much grass in the place. So the men sat down, about five thousand in number. 11 Jesus then took the loaves, and when he had given thanks, he distributed them to those who were seated. So also the fish, as much as they wanted. 12 And when they had eaten their fill, he told his disciples, “Gather up the leftover fragments, that nothing may be lost.” 13 So they gathered them up and filled twelve baskets with fragments from the five barley loaves left by those who had eaten. 14 When the people saw the sign that he had done, they said, “This is indeed the Prophet who is to come into the world!”

We see how Jesus and his disciples go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. We aren’t given a reason why. The account just seems to indicate that it’s a remote area but many people followed him because of the signs he was working. The account says about 5,000 men. That may not include numbers of women and children. Jesus goes up a mountain with his disciples. Now this is interesting to me because Moses himself went into a wilderness area followed by a large group of people. Moses then went up Mount Sinai to speak with God.

Jesus poses a question to the disciples about how all these people are going to get fed. One disciple indicates that it would cost too much money to afford to feed all these people. Andrew observed that there was a boy in the crowd who had five loaves of bread and two fish, “but what are they for so many?” he asked. 

These men had been present when Jesus turned the water into wine. They had also witnessed other miracles. I can’t tell whether Andrew’s response was searching in hopeful expectation that Jesus might provide enough food with these fews loaves and fish or whether he himself was still doubting. Due to the number of people, it would be easy to suspect that it might be beyond what could be done. 

Jesus instructs the disciples to have all the men sit down. Why is this important? For one, it would allow for an orderly distribution of food. Secondly, it would make it easy for people to observe Jesus working a miracle before their eyes. 

It works. Jesus takes the loaves and fish and multiplies this food until everyone has eaten as much as they wanted AND the leftovers were far more than what was originally available in the original source of food. Jesus has miraculously fed a large multitude of people in a wilderness area. Moses also fed a large multitude of people in a wilderness area by the divine power of God as well didn’t he. Is this a coincidence? Am I reading into this something that is not there? All I can say is that this appears to be how the people who were fed responded to the miracle having seen it themselves. They say, “This is indeed the Prophet that is to come into the world.”(v. 14) They recognize that what Moses wrote about in Deuteronomy 18:15-19 has come about through Jesus. 

Deuteronomy 18:“15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16 just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ 17 And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.

This is John’s way of helping his audience understand and believe that Jesus is fulfilling the Scriptures and that Moses truly wrote about him. 

Episode 27 - The Son of Man must be lifted up

John 3:9-15

John 3:9   Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? 11 Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. 12 If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

We pick up where we left off in the middle of a conversation between a man named Nicodemus, who was a religious leader of the Jews, and Jesus. Nicodemus has approached Jesus, addressed him as Rabbi and acknowledged that he is a teacher who is from God. He says “We know that you’ve come from God because no man can do these things you’re doing unless God is with him.” 

But, Jesus takes the discussion to a different level by explaining that everyone needs a spiritual birth from God to even see God’s kingdom.  Nicodemus does not understand what Jesus is explaining to him and we come to this point where Jesus is not just indicting Nicodemus, he’s indicting those who consider themselves the authority of God’s word to the Jews. When Jesus says “you” in verse 10 and the first part of verse 11, it is in the singular. However, it can mean a group of people. This becomes evident in verse 11 when he says, “You do not receive our testimony.” The verb is clearly in the second person plural meaning the indictment is against the people whom Nicodemus represents. Jesus then explains that if he ( or others ) cannot believe truths he’s giving them in the earthly context in which they live and their physical senses perceive, how can they believe in things of heavenly and spiritual nature? This is Jesus’ answer to Nicodemus’ question. 

The other element of this dialogue that fascinates me is how Jesus also begins to speak in the first person plural “we” and “our.” Just like Nicodemus has said “We know . . . ,” Jesus does the same thing when he says in verse 11, “we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony.” The question here is, “Who is ‘we’?” Some scholars believe that Jesus is referring to his disciples as well as himself. That’s entirely possible and reasonable. However, I’m inclined to believe that He is speaking of God the Father, the Hebrew Scriptures, John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit, and the signs that he is working. But, we’ll hold off on developing that idea right now. I’ll attempt to point out my support for this view in future episodes. At the very least, however one takes this, the text is communicating that Jesus is not alone in his testimony. He has support. He has witnesses. But, Nicodemus and the religious rulers do not believe all the testimony.

Perhaps as you read this and think about it you are asking yourself the question, “if Jesus doesn’t believe Nicodemus can believe his answer, is it fair to come down so hard on him?” To answer that, you may want to look at passages like Isaiah 32:15-20, Isaiah 44:3, Joel 2:28 and Ezekiel 36:25-27. These are passages that Nicodemus and other religious rulers would have been familiar with and they speak of God pouring out His Spirit upon people for the purpose of spiritual cleansing and restoration. Look at the Ezekiel passage for instance:

Ezekiel 36:25-27 

25 I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. 26 And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules

Does this not speak of mankind’s need for God to bring spiritual renewal and His promise to do so? If so, how was it that Nicodemus, as “the teacher of Israel” had such a difficult time with Jesus’ words? It sounds like Nicodemus is still in “the dark” and he has not understood the Light. 

Verse 13 says, “No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.” It’s important to know that this term, “Son of Man” is a term used in Daniel 7:13-14 in which the Son of Man is given authority and an eternal kingdom from God the Father. Nicodemus has already said, “We know that you are a teacher come from God.” This verse is suggesting that if Nicodemus and others recognized that Jesus was from God, they should recognize that he is the Son of Man prophesied in Daniel and therefore by implication, they should believe everything he says. But, there is more information that is important about the Son of Man that follows.

In verse 14-15, John writes, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” It’s not absolutely clear whether these are Jesus’ words to Nicodemus or John’s words explaining what was important for them and us to believe about the Son of Man. He uses the story from Numbers 21 when the Israelites were in the wilderness complaining against God and God sent venomous serpents among them. Then when Moses interceded for the people, God instructed Moses to make a bronze serpent. Moses did that and put in on a pole. If people looked at the serpent, they would live. (Numbers 21:4-9)

In John 3, this story is recalled because it is interpreted not only as a historical event and God’s mercy to the Israelites but also as a prophecy of the crucifixion of the Son of Man.  Everyone who would look to him in faith would live. Jesus is claiming to be the Son of Man.

As you can tell there is quite a bit to take from this conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus. Don’t worry about getting it all. Think about it and we’ll move on. As you return to this gospel later on, more things will catch your attention.

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