In vss. 1-5, three things show themselves as absolutely necessary to true understanding (seeing all things as God does) and growing close to the Father:
a. Knowing and TREASURING God’s Word. “Keeping” His Word throughout Scripture is not as much observing the letter of it, as it is seeing it as precious. That which is precious to us, will capture our devotion.
b. Seeking to understand God’s Word, studying it – not simply preserving it like an ancient artifact.
Having a Ming vase that is never used AS a vase, but merely as a work of art, is a good analog. Many approach God’s Word this way. They know it is “precious” but precious in the sense that it is to be put on a self and admired – but not as though it is to be employed in the fabric and situations of every day life.
We cannot approach God’s Word in this way and hope to be truly impacted by it. We must study it not as a curiosity, but as the study of life itself. We must employ it. It will resist being turned into a religious, social or intellectual artifact.
c. Prayer (3). If we are not interacting personally and regularly with our Lord – we cannot hope either to understand Him, or His Word. We must never allow knowledge about Him to eclipse firsthand knowledge OF Him in living discourse. Lose this aspect, and religion freezes into form and mere doctrine at best, and random subjectivity at worst.
Following this – The Writer give us four promises if we will pursue the previous 3.
5-8 / We will come to an understanding the fear of the Lord.
9-15 / We will come to an understanding true righteousness, justice and equality.
16-19 / We will find deliverance from temptation.
20-22 / We will learn how to walk in righteousness.
From Matthew 26:17-25 / A Study in Sovereignty and Personal Responsibility
The doctrine of the absolute sovereignty of God in all things, is the fundamental building block of the Biblical Worldview – of reality. Real, reality as Francis Schaeffer used to call it. There is reality – in terms of all we perceive empirically and experientially – and then there is the truth behind it all which we only receive by means of the special revelation of God’s Word.
I can know the physical universe exists by feeling it, touching it, living in it, smelling it, investigating it, etc. But I cannot know why the universe exists apart from the One who created it revealing His intent. He must speak. And He does so in His Word. It is there alone that we are shown that all things have come from Him, and they exist for Him, and will one day be shown to have served all His plans and purposes.
On top of that basic truth, we find out that all His plans and purposes have to do with eternal things like: “making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.” (Eph. 1:9-10)
And there are other such like comprehensive statements in His self-revelation.
Starting with an unprovoked creation of all things – His purposes lying only within Himself – He goes on to reveal that His sovereignty extends to all things. Even us. So we read in a place like Daniel 4:34-35 “At the end of the days I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted my eyes to heaven, and my reason returned to me, and I blessed the Most High, and praised and honored him who lives forever, for his dominion is an everlasting dominion, and his kingdom endures from generation to generation; all the inhabitants of the earth are accounted as nothing, and he does according to his will among the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand or say to him, “What have you done?”’”
It is here we confront a mystery. How is it that God can be so absolutely in control of all things, and yet humankind, made in His image, still be morally responsible creatures, making and carrying out our own decisions?
In truth, God’s revelation does not tell us HOW it is so that both of things are true – it only tells us that both things ARE true. The mechanics behind this dual reality are not given to us. But that this is the truth, was so important to the Biblical writers, that the Scriptures are replete with examples. Not the least of which examples find a place in the earliest teaching of the Apostles. And, in a passage like the one before us.
A useful Old Testament example can be drawn from Isaiah 10. There, God has told Israel that He will use Assyria to punish Israel for their infidelity to Him. The language is remarkable. “Isaiah 10:5–7 “Woe to Assyria, the rod of my anger; the staff in their hands is my fury! Against a godless nation I send him, and against the people of my wrath I command him, to take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets. But he does not so intend, and his heart does not so think; but it is in his heart to destroy, and to cut off nations not a few.”
What is happening? God is pronouncing woe against pagan, rapacious Assyria for its decimation of Israel. But what does God call Assyria? “The rod of my anger, the staff in their hands is my fury.” Astounding. God is using them. He sends them against Israel, which He calls a “godless nation.” That He Himself appointed them to “take spoil and seize plunder, and to tread them down like the mire of the streets.”
And then we are met with a most amazing insight. Vs. 7 – “But he does not so think.” Assyria is not carrying out this campaign because they are consciously serving God’s purposes. No. It is simply “in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few.” i.e. Assyria is acting by its own sinful will, and yet in God’s providence, their sinful actions carry out God’s plan. They are still responsible for acting upon their sinful impulse are morally responsible agents, even as God’s necessary plan is carried out.
So we come to Peter’s preaching at Pentecost: “this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.” (Acts 2:23)
And: Acts 3:17 – “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.”
Yet again: Acts 4:27-28 – “for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.”
You can see how central this concept is in the earliest preaching of the Church, so that 2 things are perfectly preserved: God, sovereign over all, and Humankind, morally responsible for their decisions and actions.
From a slightly different angle, there is the story of an old, poor woman, who was always trying to communicate her faith to her wicked landlord.
One day, the landlord passed by her window, and heard her praying earnestly for just some bread. She had nothing to eat. And he sought the opportunity to overthrow her faith.
The landlord went to the bakery, purchased a loaf of bread, and retuned which she was still on her knees. Without her knowledge, he tossed the loaf onto her bed from the window.
Later, in conversation, the landlord prodded the woman about her faith, and she told him the wonderful news that even while she was praying that day, a loaf of bread miraculously appeared on her bread in answer to her prayer.
“Hah!” scoffed the landlord. “God didn’t hear your prayer, I did. And I went and purchased bread and threw it in through your window. What do you think of your God now?”
The old woman blinked and said: “Why He’s even more wonderful than I imagined! For not only did He hear my prayer for bread, He used the very hand of the Devil to provide it!”
So it is we come back to our text today. “The Son of Man goes as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”
Jesus had to die for our sins, that we might be redeemed from the curse of Adam and reconciled to the Father. And, Judas’ betrayal was not some forced action against His will. He acted out of His own sinfulness. Thus his actions, no matter how used by God, are not mitigated because of God’s sovereignty over his free actions. Judas remains fully, personally, and singly responsible.
So do you and I. God’s sovereignty is never an excuse for our sins either.
Praise God then for the gift of repentance and the forgiveness of sins, for all who take complete responsibility for their sins – and come to Him with no excuses.
“Then”, is a sometimes a very important word. And in this case, monumentally important.
What is it that seems to finally push Judas Iscariot over the edge? What so offended his personal sensibilities that he was ready to kick Jesus to the curb?
John gives us the needed insight.
He thought the money Mary had just “wasted” on anointing Jesus was too much. And, if it had been sold and put into the Disciple’s coffer instead, he could have gotten his cut; by theft. 30 pieces of silver would have been a little over 3 month’s wages. Only 1/3 of what Mary’s perfume probably cost. No one would miss it given their habit of giving to the poor. And it didn’t seem like anyone kept track of how Judas administrated the purse.
Judas just wanted his due – and not for everything to be about and expended upon Christ. He had a bad case of “hireling syndrome.”
You know the tinge of this yourself don’t you? I know I do. I’ll serve Christ and His people, but good golly, I want my share of the praise and recognition. After all, it isn’t ALL about Jesus, is it? Don’t I deserve my pat on the back? The occasional “well done” by others, before the one I’m to receive on the last day? I mean, I’m not just a servant you know, not a slave. I deserve my cut too. I know Jesus is God and all, and He’s deserving of His glory – but not ALL the glory -right?
This is a particularly dangerous temptation for those of us who preach and teach.
None of this is to ignore the fact that as those ministered to by others, we ought to give them proper recognition. Paul writes to Timothy “Let the elders who rule well be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in preaching and teaching. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox when it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer deserves his wages.”’”
But there is a vast difference between our recognition of others, and our “need” to be somehow recognized by others.
By the time we get to this point in the Gospels, Jesus had already said this to His Disciples: ““Will any one of you who has a servant plowing or keeping sheep say to him when he has come in from the field, ‘Come at once and recline at table’? Will he not rather say to him, ‘Prepare supper for me, and dress properly, and serve me while I eat and drink, and afterward you will eat and drink’? Does he thank the servant because he did what was commanded? So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.’ ” (Luke 17:7-10)
Judas wasn’t having it. Not all the way.
Now is all this to somehow suppress or devalue Christ’s servants? Not in the least! We know His value and regard for us as we gaze upon the Cross. He has set a value upon us that is not intrinsic, due to us, but due to His simple, sovereign love.
It is a marvel to contemplate.
But oh how sin has reversed the tables, and somehow caused us to set some certain value upon Him, based on our personal sensitivities, upon our fallen, self-focused self-love. And can any value we place upon Him be quantified in any way? Obviously not.
Mary had said in effect – “nothing is too good or too much to lavish upon Him.”
Judas had said in effect – “He is wonderful, but only – this much – if it costs me in the process.”
So we ask ourselves – how do we value Jesus? What is our cutoff point, where we’re not getting our fair share?
As I’ve oft quoted before from old John Flavel: “It is a special consideration to enhance the love of God in giving Christ, that in giving him he gave the richest jewel in his cabinet; a mercy of the greatest worth, and most inestimable value, Heaven itself is not so valuable and precious as Christ is: He is the better half of heaven; and so the saints account him, Psal. 73:25. “Whom have I in heaven but thee?” Ten thousand thousand worlds, saith one,* as many worlds as angels can number, and then as a new world of angels can multiply, would not all be the bulk of a balance, to weigh Christ’s excellency, love, and sweetness. O what a fair One! what an only One! what an excellent, lovely, ravishing One, is Christ! Put the beauty of ten thousand paradises, like the garden of Eden, into one; put all trees, all flowers, all smells, all colours, all tastes, all joys, all sweetness, all loveliness in one; O what a fair and excellent thing would that be? And yet it should be less to that fair and dearest well-beloved Christ, than one drop of rain to the whole seas, rivers, lakes, and fountains of ten thousand earths. Christ is heaven’s wonder, and earth’s wonder.
Now, for God to bestow the mercy of mercies, the most precious thing in heaven or earth, upon poor sinners; and, as great, as lovely, as excellent as his Son was, yet not to account him too good to bestow upon us, what manner of love is this!1
From J.C. Ryle’s Expository Thoughts on Matthew Matthew 27:27-44
“We must not be content with a vague general belief, that Christ’s sufferings on the cross were vicarious. We are intended to see this truth in every part of His passion. We may follow Him all through, from the bar of Pilate, to the minute of His death, and see him at every step as our mighty Substitute, our Representative, our Head, our Surety, our Proxy,—the Divine Friend who undertook to stand in our stead, and by the priceless merit of His sufferings, to purchase our redemption.—
Was He scourged? It was that “through His stripes we might be healed.”—
Was he condemned, though innocent? It was that we might be acquitted though guilty.—
Did He wear a crown of thorns? It was that we might wear the crown of glory.—
Was He stripped of His raiment? It was that we might be clothed in everlasting righteousness.—
Was he mocked and reviled? It was that we might be honored and blessed.—
Was He reckoned a malefactor, and numbered among transgressors? It was that we might be reckoned innocent, and justified from all sin.—
Was he declared unable to save Himself? It was that He might be able to save others to the uttermost.—
Did He die at last, and that the most painful and disgraceful of deaths? It was that we might live for evermore, and be exalted to the highest glory.—
Let us ponder these things well. They are worth remembering. The very key to peace is a right apprehension of the vicarious sufferings of Christ. Let us leave the story of our Lord’s passion with feelings of deep thankfulness. Our sins are many and great. But a great atonement has been made for them. There was an infinite merit in all Christ’s sufferings. They were the sufferings of One who was God as well as man. Surely it is meet, right, and our bounden duty, to praise God daily because Christ has died. Last, but not least, let us ever learn from the story of the passion, to hate sin with a great hatred. Sin was the cause of all our Saviour’s suffering. Our sins platted the crown of thorns. Our sins drove the nails into His hands and feet. On account of our sins His blood was shed. Surely the thought of Christ crucified should make us loathe all sin. Well says the Homily of the Passion, “Let this image of Christ crucified be always printed in our hearts. Let it stir us up to the hatred of sin, and provoke our minds to the earnest love of Almighty God.”
Ryle, J. C. 1860. Expository Thoughts on Matthew. New York: Robert Carter & Brothers.
There are few who argue that this passage is not interesting, wonderful and not easy to apply.
It is interesting in the details.
They are gathered in the house of a leper, Simon by name. The company appears to be Mary, Martha, Lazarus, the Disciples and Simon – with perhaps Simon’s family.
To have gathered there, one of two things had to be true: Either this man had been notably cleansed of his leprosy by Jesus; or, the entire group were tossing off convention in favor of being with him. The latter seems unlikely, especially given the way the Disciples respond to the Woman’s breaking of convention. It is most likely that this was a man who had known the mercy and grace of Christ in a most extraordinary way.
It is interesting to see Mary so powerfully moved at this moment, so as to lavish something valued at around a year’s wages on Jesus. How deeply she must have felt at this moment.
It is interesting to hear the Disciple’s objection. As Craig Blomberg notes: “Many people with social consciences find the disciples’ objection the same as their own. Those preoccupied with the oppressed and needy of the world often quarrel with any lavish expenditure of monies for church architecture, pageantry, worship, or celebration, however well-intentioned and honoring to Christ they may be. There are in fact times and places for all of this extravagance. So also with M’Neile, “To the few who today spend themselves mainly on worship and meditation (whom Mary again exemplifies in Lk. 10:39–42) active ‘workers’ are warned not to say ‘To what purpose is this waste?’ ” Or with Beare, “The beauty of uncalculating generosity is not to be measured by the yardstick of utility.”11 Blomberg, Craig. 1992. Matthew. Vol. 22. The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
As a pastor I’ve confronted this same mindset several times, especially over discussions surrounding buildings. A strange form of Evangelical asceticism suddenly arises and eclipses any notion of wanting to see things done in Christ’s name done with excellence, in favor of appearing humble. But can we ever really be too extravagant when extolling the wonder of Christ’s sacrifice for sinners? J. C. Ryle writes here: “We can never attach too much importance to the atoning death of Christ. It is the leading fact in the word of God, on which the eyes of our soul ought to be ever fixed. Without the shedding of his blood, there is no remission of sin. It is the cardinal truth on which the whole system of Christianity hinges. Without it the Gospel is an arch without a key-stone, a fair building without a foundation, a solar system without a sun. Let us make much of our Lord’s incarnation and example, His miracles and his parables, His works and His words, but above all let us make much of His death. Let us delight in the hope of his second personal coming and millennial reign, but let us not think more even of these blessed truths, than of the atonement on the cross. This, after all, is the master-truth of Scripture, that “Christ died for our sins.” To this let us daily return. On this let us daily feed our souls. Some, like the Greeks of old, may sneer at the doctrine, and call it “foolishness” But let us never be ashamed to say with Paul, “God forbid that I should glory save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Gal. 6:14.)11 Ryle, J. C. 1860. Expository Thoughts on Matthew. New York: Robert Carter & Brothers.
The text is clear, Jesus perceived this as a testimony to His death. And how can we celebrate that death too extravagantly? What can we rightly withhold in worship making His life, death and resurrection known?
It is wonderful in Jesus’ explication of what Mary had done. She had done what she had to “prepare me for burial.”
No, the question is – was she really cognizant of that reality? Or did Jesus put it so? We cannot be sure, but it is reasonable to assume she was acting in some real way aware.
It is quite possible she had heard Jesus announce His impending death as did the other Disciples. If in fact she had been made privy to His announcement that His death was just 2 days hence as recorded in vs. 2 – then what makes her so remarkable here – and what elicits Jesus’ declaration regarding her in vs. 13 is simply this – she really and truly took Him at His word. She believed Him. In a way the Disciples did not.
What is to be declared everywhere the Gospel is preached? That men believe it! That they believe it so as to order their lives around its reality. That they respond in faith. Just as Mary. The Gospel is not just to be heard, it must be believed. And when it is believed, people act on that belief as life-encompassing truth. Those who hear, and say they believe but act as though nothing is different because of glory of Jesus substitutionary death, burial and resurrection – then they have nothing but Jame’s faith without works – which is dead.
Not Mary. Her faith is living, vital, real. And it moves her. She believes her Savior. She learned to do so at the tomb of her brother. And she would never doubt Him again, even if she couldn’t parse out the details. Wherever and wherever this Gospel is proclaimed, what she did, how she received His Word, believed it and acted upon – is to be told as a supreme example of true, saving faith.
Some details in Scripture are so subtle, we can pass right over them without a second thought. I think we have something of that in the verses before us today.
J. C. Ryle frames the situation for us well: “We now approach the closing scene of our Lord Jesus Christ’s earthly ministry. Hitherto we have read of His sayings and doings: we are now about to read of His sufferings and death. Hitherto we nave seen him as the great Prophet: we are now about to see Him as the great High Priest. It is a portion of Scripture which ought to be read with peculiar reverence and attention. The place whereon we stand is holy ground. Here we see how the Seed of the woman bruised the Serpent’s head. Here we see the great sacrifice to which all the sacrifices of the Old Testament had long pointed. Here we see how the blood was shed which “cleanseth from all sin” and the Lamb slain who “taketh away the sin of the world.” We see in the death of Christ, the great mystery revealed, how God can be just, and yet justify the ungodly. No wonder that all the four Gospels contain a full account of this wonderful event. On other points in our Lord’s history, we often find, that when one evangelist speaks, the other three are silent. But when we come to the crucifixion, we find it minutely described by all four.”1 1 Ryle, J. C. 1860. Expository Thoughts on Matthew. New York: Robert Carter & Brothers.
While the language here cannot bear more weight than is intended, nevertheless we see this remarkable feature: It is only “WHEN” Jesus had finished all these sayings and announced once more His impending crucifixion, that the opposition which had been mounting all along – finally “THEN” gathered to plot their final actions.
As the Expositor’s Bible Commentary notes as well: “Certainly the opposition had been rising for some time…On the other hand, by placing 26:3–5 immediately after vv. 1–2, Matthew gives the narrative the flavor of God’s sovereign control. The leaders may plot; but if Jesus dies, he dies as a voluntary Passover sacrifice (vv. 53–54; John 10:18).11Carson, D. A. 1984. “Matthew.” In The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke, edited by Frank E. Gaebelein, 8:523–24. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.
O how we need to see the sovereign hand of God in it all.
Many may think that only one thing is going on in Jesus’ death – that wicked men are having their day. That darkness has its hour. That Satan murders the King. And while all those are true, it is also true that God is doing what He had foretold from the Garden on – that the Seed of the woman would at last crush the Serpent’s head. And so the evil of the Devil and those under his influence can only in the final analysis, actually accomplish God’s sovereign will in making the atonement for sin.
Beloved, this is what is happening in your life and mine as well – this very moment.
Yes, the World, the Flesh and the Devil conspire to enslave our souls to sin and keep us from our Redeemer. But the hand of the One who rules all is at work on our behalf. The Christian knows His loving Father’s sovereign hand in the most difficult, confusing, and painful circumstances no matter how involved the enemy of our souls may be.
For us, it is only “when” our God speaks, that “then” even the most wicked forces can act. And then it is we see the wonder of Romans 8:28 “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.”
The verse DOES NOT say all things are good in and of themselves. But in our Father’s hand, all that befalls us, is designed and used that we might know His glory, and come to greater good.
We may not be able to see how it is so in some situations, and may never know fully until eternity. But this we know, we can trust Him. And if even the “then” of Jesus’ enemies couldn’t transpire until the “when” of Jesus’ pronouncement – we can know He rules in our lives the same.
And of Zion it shall be said,
“This one and that one were born in her”;
for the Most High himself will establish her; The LORD records as he registers the peoples,
“This one was born there.” Selah Ps. 87:5-6
In human terms, it is common for us to both refer to and bear the marks of – our heritage.
I, am a native New Yorker. That brings peculiarities with it. When I am in the South, those things distinguish me. My accent, certain attitudes, etc.
Even more specifically, I am from Rochester – western NY. And that means I know what a garbage plate is, and until recently, Wegman’s (a local grocery chain) was uniquely ours. White hot dogs, the prominence of fish-frys on Fridays. NY pizza. Different from everywhere else. The Lilac Festival, what The Can of Worms was, and all sorts of other things mark me out. Not the least of which is the nasally way we say “Rahchester”.
In Matthew 26, when Peter was following Jesus to His mock trials, some bystanders marked Peter out as a Galilean due to his accent.
But what are the distinguishing marks of those born again into the new heritage of hailing from The City of God? What is our accent? How do our speech, our comportment, our attitudes, responses, values and motivations make us known as citizens of Zion?
Can people note something different about us? Like those in Acts 4:13, will people take note that we have “been with Jesus”?
Will they note what it is we love, and what it is we detest? Will they see us as a joyous people? Peaceful and seeking peace? Patient in trial in tribulation? Inherently kind? Upright in our dealings with others? Loyal and faithful to our Master and one another? Gentle in the face of opposition? And full of self-restraint?
Will they be able to know that we are filled with His Spirit because refuse to be drunk with wine and flee debauchery? Addressing fellow citizens of Zion with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs because we are forever making melody to the Lord in our hearts, and thus perpetually thankful to the Father in the name of Christ?
Bold but not brash. Steadfast but not unnecessarily rigid. Flexible but not compromising. Truthful and merciful at the same time. Seeking the best for the souls of others before the throne of God. Hopeful in the face of a disintegrating culture and world.
Will any be able to say after meeting us: “I know where they are from, they must have been born in Zion, the City of God?”
O may it truly be so. May our accent give us away every time.
Many is the time I’ve heard a Mother’s Day sermon preached on this passage. Maybe you have too. And there is no question that one considering marriage does well to consider the kinds of attributes displayed in this passage when choosing a prospective mate. One must remember however this is a collective of ideals. All will fall short in places. AND, women should keep in mind those passages which outline the character traits of a godly man before opting for someone to be one with. There are some pretty high standards to be found for men as well.
All that said, I think we may lose something of the broader application of this passage if we only see it in terms of human marriage. Along with the likes of the Venerable Bede, John Gill, Wordsworth, Ambrosius, Augustine, Harry Ironside, Robert Hawker, Peter Lillback and others – I see here something of great importance in describing what should be the nature of Christ’s Bride – The Church. Read that way, the passage gives us much to consider if the Church is painted with these colors.
Think about it –
Proverbs 31:10–11 An excellent wife who can find? She is far more precious than jewels. The heart of her husband trusts in her, and he will have no lack of gain.
Can Christ trust us that He will gain from our efforts? That we are committed to His interests?
Proverbs 31:12 She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life.
Do we do Him and His cause good? Or does His work or reputation suffer at our hands?
Proverbs 31:13 She seeks wool and flax, and works with willing hands.
Are we industrious for the Kingdom? Or just making do?
Proverbs 31:14 She is like the ships of the merchant; she brings her food from afar.
Do we go to great lengths to get His choice Word for our souls?
Proverbs 31:15 She rises while it is yet night and provides food for her household and portions for her maidens.
Do we labor secretly to see to it His Word is prepared for ourselves, His household, and for those who are close at hand?
Proverbs 31:16 She considers a field and buys it; with the fruit of her hands she plants a vineyard.
Do we seek the growth of the Kingdom and set in motion plans to make it happen, that the Fruit of His vine might increase?
Proverbs 31:17 She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.
Have we strengthened ourselves in the Lord? And clothed ourselves in His righteousness?
Proverbs 31:18 She perceives that her merchandise is profitable. Her lamp does not go out at night.
Do we perceive how eternally valuable what we have in Him is – this ministry of the Word? Does His Word light us at all times?
Proverbs 31:19 She puts her hands to the distaff, and her hands hold the spindle.
Are we busy producing the bare thread of what becomes the garments of righteousness?
Proverbs 31:20 She opens her hand to the poor and reaches out her hands to the needy.
Are we generous to the lost and those in need?
Proverbs 31:21 She is not afraid of snow for her household, for all her household are clothed in scarlet.
Do we not fear evil and “cold” seasons because we have prepared well in Him? Prepared our hearts to trust Him at all times and in all things?
Proverbs 31:22 She makes bed coverings for herself; her clothing is fine linen and purple.
Do we make room for times of deep intimacy with Him? And do we adorn ourselves with the good works that make us attractive to Him?
Proverbs 31:23 Her husband is known in the gates when he sits among the elders of the land.
Have we protected Christ’s reputation in the marketplace?
Proverbs 31:24 She makes linen garments and sells them; she delivers sashes to the merchant.
Are we about the business of getting the garments of salvation out among the people?
Proverbs 31:25 Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.
Are we strong in our relationship with Him and not fearful of the coming judgment because of it?
Proverbs 31:26 She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.
Are we making the Gospel known, and communicating it in kindness and compassion for the souls of men?
Proverbs 31:27 She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.
Are we mindful of the orderliness of His Household, and not disengaged or lazy in our labors within it?
Proverbs 31:28 Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:
Will those who come to Christ rise to bless our efforts on their behalf? Will the other saints? Will he?
Proverbs 31:29 “Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.”
Are we admired by Him for how we have attended Him in faithfulness?
Proverbs 31:30 Charm is deceitful, and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.
Have we been more occupied with making ourselves beautiful outwardly to the world, than about what pleases Him?
There are churches which specialize in charm – in appealing to tastes. And churches which specialize in the temporary beauty of the hour, being outwardly attractive. But the Church God praises, is the one that fears Him above all. This does not mean we ought to be purposefully unattractive or repellent, but it does mean fearing God will give us a sweet aroma and a beauty in the eye of the One we wish to please most.
Proverbs 31:31 Give her of the fruit of her hands, and let her works praise her in the gates.
If our reward is the fruit of what we’ve done in His name – will it prove sweet, satisfying and abundant?
Is the Church, are we – His excellent wife? Heavenly Father, make us so by Your Spirit.
We now come to the end of Jesus’ public teaching on the end times. It is both a sour and a hopeful note. Which, depends upon your relationship to Him in faith. J.C. Ryle writes: “There are few passages in the whole Bible more solemn and heart—searching than this. May we read it with the deep and serious attention which it deserves.” Ryle, J. C. 1860. Expository Thoughts on Matthew. New York: Robert Carter & Brothers.
Note first, that we must beware of turning an analogical statement into a full orbed theological and doctrinal construct. This is a common error in our Bible study and interpretation, and an easy one to fall into. Jesus’ simple point is, that on the final day, He will separate Believers from unbelievers, and each will receive appropriately from His hand.
Some, mistakenly, have turn this parabolic statement into a construct of ontology. They see it as though the world is made up of people who are as fundamentally different by nature, as sheep are from goats. One confused soul even said to me once: “I was never a goat, I was always a sheep.” This is just confused.
Yes, the one who is saved by grace has become a dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, born again by His grace and adopted into the Family of God. But we must never forget Paul’s words in Eph. 2 when marking out what ALL of us used to be: “And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.” (Eph. 2:1-3)
Did you catch that last sentence? We were all, “by nature” children of wrath like the rest of mankind. There was no ontological, no constitutional difference between all human beings before salvation. We are all drawn from the same, fallen lump of Adam’s race.
As Don Carson is wont to say, we cannot make every simile, analogy or parable “walk on all fours.” We can over-interpret this way and end up distorting Scripture.
Note second: In the same vein as above, be careful to see that there is no attempt on Jesus’ part to turn “sheep” into believers everywhere sheep are mentioned in Scripture and “goats” everywhere they are mentioned into unbelievers. Sometimes, sheep are just sheep, and goats are just goats. All that is said here is that the Son will separate the believers from the unbelievers, in the same way a shepherd separates sheep from goats. The issue is separation, not ontological assignation.
Once again, if we press Jesus’ analogy too far, we’ll be at a real loss to deal with things like the Passover meal when instituted in Ex. 12; where the Israelites could select their Passover sacrifice from either the sheep or the goats, without distinction.
Note third: That the judgment for these two groups is different. One is rewarded for what they DID do, the other, punished for what they DIDN’T do. It is a most interesting dichotomy.
The Believer is rewarded according to his good acts, and the Unbeliever punished for his wicked acts.
Nothing that is holy but neglected will go undiscovered. Nothing done in earnest to serve Christ will go unnoticed either.
Note fourth: Both the terror and the glory of this one thing – It is Christ Himself who will sit as judge. Many a religionist fails to recognize that Jesus Himself is the judge. Yes, He is The Savior. Yes, He is the substitute. Yes, He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And yes, He will be our final judge. The omniscient, Son of God. The God who walked in human flesh and knows every heartache, every temptation, every opportunity, every obstacle, every circumstance we all have faced in this life. He, will judge us all. With the unsparing scrutiny of His omniscience. He is the Living Word, who discerns even the thoughts and intents of the heart.
Nothing will serve as a justifiable excuse for failure to reckon with the demand of the Gospel to find forgiveness and grace in Christ. He knows us. He knows all we face. He knows all of our circumstances. And no one will be able to exempt themselves from His all-seeing examination.
By the same token, nothing that any who are His have done because they are His, no matter how small, how seemingly insignificant, how unknown by any other human eye or ear – will go unrewarded.
Note fifth: Because of who He is – because He is God, and perfectly holy, He can neither over-punish, nor under-punish sin. He knows what the penalty of sin costs personally. He endured it on the Cross. And for the very same reasons, He can neither over-reward nor under-reward His saints in judgment. And yet, He is free to pour out of His limitless grace, infinitely more than our just rewards, for He makes Himself our inheritance. His eternal limitless self. The fountain of all goodness, grace, love, wonder and joy.
1 Pet. 1:3-9 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.”
We looked first at an overview of Chapter 24, and then Jesus’ parable of the 10 virgins. But He is not done. He has two more major exhortations to make.
In 24 – The basic theme was: Don’t be fooled, lots of bad stuff is going to happen before I return, and there will be lots of Messianic imposters too. When I come, you won’t be able to miss it. With a bottom line that undergirds all four sections: Personal anticipation of and readiness for – Jesus’ return.
Men can argue all they want about signs of the times, world events, blood moons, eclipses, earthquakes, wars, yada, yada, yada – but none of it means a thing if I am not personally invested in His return, facing the full impact of what that will imply, and seeking to be ready to meet my King. None of it.
Sadly it seems, the enemy of our souls has done more damage by getting us fixated on trying to discern secret details about His return, than being about the truly central things. Peter put it most succinctly when he wrote by the Spirit: “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” (2 Pet. 3:18)
Right now, the “apocalyptics” (to coin a term) are all about being “preppers.” This is true of nearly every Christian cult, and even in Evangelicalism. Store up food! Get guns and ammo! They’re coming for us! (whoever “they” are) and let’s all fight the one-world government! Of course, if the Bible says that’s going to happen anyway, I don’t know what you hope to accomplish. Antichrist will arise and there is precious little said in any portion of Scripture regarding trying to prevent it. No, not precious little – nothing. How can we possibly stop something inextricably tied to His return? It makes no sense.
All of this turns us away from Christ to news outlets and barking pundits. To sub-culture movements and obscurantists. Would you know all about the end times? Hear Christ! Read these portions. Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness. And live in accord with His stated plan for everyone who is in Christ – being increasingly conformed to the image, the character of Christ, informed by the Word and empowered by the Spirit. Grow in the grace and knowledge of the person and work of Christ! That is the only real thing you can do in preparation for His return.
And so it is we have today’s text.
Note first: It is impossible to miss the picture Christ paints. He pictures Himself as one who has gone on a long journey, from which He will return.
In 1 Thess. 1, Paul sets out four marks of the truly born again: 1 – They turn FROM their idols. 2 – They do so to SERVE the living and true God. 3 – And they do these in an attitude of anticipation – waiting for His Son from Heaven. 4 – Looking to Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come at His return. In this sense, all true Christianity is eschatological. The Christian to BE a genuine Christian, must be looking for Jesus’ return, and that His return includes the coming wrath of God. We live in the light of these truths. They inform our entire mindset. If not, we are not living as Christians.
Note second: Our King has put something of the improvement of His kingdom within us, into our hands.
Christians are not passive in our growth in Christ. True, such growth is not left up to our natural abilities. As the parable notes, He grants us His grace, His gifting to work from. But that we are called to use that grace and to (as the Puritans used to call it) “improve” that grace. Use it. Grow in it. Exercise it. Take on more and more of the likeness of Christ by the Spirit.
The old Puritan pastor Richard Baxter (1615-1691) used to meet with every congregant at least once a year. He used a simple diagnostic tool to probe. He asked first: “Have you grown spiritually in the past 12 months?” If they replied “yes”, then he would ask – “how do you know?” What are the indicators that is so? If they replied “no”. He asked – “why not?”
What if we were each to take such diagnostics on ourselves? Not to become Evangelical naval-gazers, but to take an honest look at our own spiritual condition from time to time.
What is apparent in Jesus’ parable here, is that He gives us something of His grace, and expects a return on it when He returns.
Does such a thoughts even enter the mind of the average Evangelical in America today? I fear not. Yet look at the emphasis Christ puts upon it here.
Note third: God does not require the same thing from each of us – only to be faithful according to what He has apportioned us.
Our God never requires us more than He supplies for us. Not everyone is gifted to counsel, preach, teach, evangelize, write, give etc. Each serves according to their sovereignly given capacity – hence we can never judge ourselves by others, nor anyone else by ourselves. While it may be useful to be challenged by seeing how others have employed what’s been given them, Paul will remind us that “But when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding.” We dare not go there.
What has God given you? Use that. Employ that. It may seem small in your eyes, but if it His appointment, it is all He requires. He doesn’t expect children to do adult tasks, the physically impaired to jump through hoops, the poor to give as the rich, the slave to serve as though free, nor the ill to rise up off their beds as the hale and hearty.
Seek Him. Seek to grow in His likeness. Love and serve His people and your gift(s) will emerge naturally. And when they do, be about them as best you can.
Note fourth: The one who had but one talent here, wasn’t judged because he had little, but because he had no interest in his Master’s business, but only in how these matters impacted himself. This self-focus in the Kingdom, not caring for Christ’s agenda and plans and purposes, but only for our own, is the mark of one who knows not The Master.
The man’s argument was: “I didn’t become evil, I just didn’t grow in grace, I made no spiritual progress. Isn’t it enough that I just stayed and OK person?”
And Jesus’ answer is – no. That’s not enough.
Some measure of grace has been given to and shown to all – the redeemed and the lost. And each will have to answer for what happened with that grace in our lifetime.
Note lastly: How richly He delights to reward His own. We deserved no grace to begin with. We only did what was fitting with what we had. And yet He multiplies it when we have sought to be faithful.
ResponsiveReiding 