Sermon Series

I received this in the comments section of a previous post and thought I would clear up some obvious misconceptions this anonymous blogger has about the responsibilities of a minister of the Gospel. The comments were as follows:

God bless you, dear young brother in Christ.

I happened upon this blog by accident and probably will not pass this way again, so you can take or leave the following comment--not on this particular post, which I have not read, but on the byline "You know that preacher that offends people when he preaches because sometimes its hard to swallow the truth of God's Word...yeah, that's me." and the photo . . .

The photo forces me to look up at you from below, and the byline implies: (1) I enjoy offending people and (2) when I speak, it's God talking.

Of course that's not what you mean. But it's implied nonetheless.

I'm reminded of a story: The story is told of an arrogant young preacher who headed up to preach full of pride and confidence in himself. The sermon went poorly and he returned to his seat at the close dejected, quiet, and reflective. A dear old saint spoke to him at the door, "Young man, if you had gone up the way you came down, you would have come down the way you went up."

Young is fine. Conservative is fine. Arrogant is not.

There are many obvious issues with these comments that are clearly seen at first glance. Not the least of which is the assumption that Anonymous has made that he/she has some responsibility to leave these remarks, which of course they don't especially anonymously and without reading any part of the blog other than a twenty-four word byline. There are, however, theological issues with some of the assertions made.

1. I know very few people who enjoy offending people. There are however many people who love being offended. I follow the thinking of Brad Stine in the instance when he says that he is offended by offended people. There is a movement in preaching, especially among moderates and liberals, to water down the Gospel and strip away any notion of sin and Hell. This is most often done in the name of political correctness or in an attempt to grow the numbers of people who are willing to listen. The fact remains, however, that the Gospel is going to be offensive when communicated faithfully. Throughout the New Testament the Gospel and its results offended those who either don't understand it¹ or those who simply do not like its implications.²
   With this overwhelming evidence it should be understood that offending is not something to be avoided, but is merely a byproduct of preaching the Truth of God's Word, that Truth and Word being Christ.
   
2. The ridiculous notion that I think I literally am God speaking when I preach is an absurdity. I can only assume that this comes from being familiar with others who do think this as they speak, considering I am familiar with no one, from any denomination, background or educational accomplishment that would think this of themselves. However this does bring up another theological issue with the comments left. When a preacher steps into the pulpit he needs must be confident that God is going to speak through him. He has prepared for this throughout the week and as he begins to share what God has put on his heart, he must trust that the Holy Spirit³ is going to direct him and work in the hearts of those who are listening⁴. So I beg all preachers never to go into the pulpit dejected from the beginning. Go up with boldness, as those who first witnessed to Christ.⁵
   

The issue with my picture is to illogical to even merit some type of reply or justification. If you don't want to look up at my ugly mug, don't. Now to the rude assertion, without knowing, I assume, who I am, that I am arrogant. I have considered my calling and I am indeed have no problem boasting in it⁶
and nor should you.

1. I Corinthians 1:18
   
2. Matthew 13:54-58; Acts 16: 19-23; Acts 4:1-3; Acts 6:8-12; 1 Peter 2:6-8; Mark 6:3; Matthew 15: 11-14;
   
3. Acts 8:35; 1 Peter 1:12; Luke 1:67; Acts 1:18; Acts 4:8; Acts 4:31;
   
4. Acts 10:44
   
5. Acts 4:31; 2 Corinthians 3:12; Ephesians 3:12
   
6. I Corinthians 1:26-31
   

Addie

The Truth of the Cost of Discipleship: An Exegesis of Luke 14:25-35

Background

    Found in Luke's Gospel, chapter fourteen verses twenty-five through thirty-five, we find one of the harder New Testament texts to digest, because this pericope seemingly gives the command to hate. This does not seem to be in line with the broader teachings of Jesus found elsewhere in the New Testament, so it is important to look at the historical background of the text, its writer and the context in which Jesus speaks these striking words before sifting through the text itself.

    The book of Luke, or more accurately the book Luke-Acts, like most Biblical writings is disputed when it comes to the dating of the autographs. Culpepper would date Lucan writing to the mid-eighties, while Lea and Black point out that Luke does not reference the Neronian persecution, which would have been prevalent if this late date were true, as evidence of a date in the early sixties. Either date puts Luke within a generation of the life of Christ and well within a time frame to have access to eyewitness accounts to the resurrection and ascension as well as Pauline letters and Apostolic testimonies.

Luke who was a companion of Paul and according to Colossians was a, "beloved physician" is responsible for the "largest quantitative contribution to the New Testament." It is theorized that he was a gentile because he is left off of several lists of Jews when Paul speaks of those who are with him on his journeys. It is also very clear that he is well educated because of his mastery of the Greek language and his attention to detail, especially in historical details, when he writes. He is, despite the possibility of being a Gentile, a master in his knowledge of the Old Testament as well.

Luke frames his book in a way different than the other three Gospels. He states in the beginning, his purpose for writing the accounts of Jesus' life. Kee frames Luke's introduction this way:

Luke himself at the beginning of his treatise prefixed an account of the cause for which he had made his compilation, explaining that while many others had somewhat rashly attempted to make a narrative of the things which he had himself full knowledge, he felt obligated to release us from the doubtful propositions the others and related in his own gospel the accurate account of the things of which he had himself firmly learnt the truth from his profitable intercourse and life with Paul and his conversation with the other apostles.

This is important for us to know, because Luke has done the work necessary to give an accurate account of what Jesus said and did, and it can be trusted that the words we read are reliable ones.

Lastly it is important to know the context in which verses twenty-five through thirty-five of the fourteenth chapter of Luke are spoken from the mouth of Christ. Just before this pericope is found the Parable of the Great Supper in which Christ challenges the Pharisees in their religiosity and condemns their priorities when it comes to their relationship with God. This theme is then paralleled in the discipleship pericope in verses twenty-five through thirty-five. While the former pericope is speaking to the small group gathered in the house of one of the rulers of the Pharisees, the setting shifts to the large group that is following Jesus. This is also unlike previous times He has taught on discipleship, because there are others present as opposed to just His disciples. Christ continues into chapter fifteen criticizing the Pharisees for their rejection of sinners in the Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, and Prodigal Son parables, continuing to point out the stark contrasts between the religious ideas they were peddling and the true meaning of the Kingdom of God and how to obtain it.

Exegesis

Verse 25 Now large crowds were going along with Him; and He turned and said to them,

The large crowds represent a change from Jesus' previous audience, both in talking about the priorities which have enveloped His teachings in the previous verses of chapter fourteen and in his openness when talking about discipleship which has been previously reserved for His disciples. He now directs the message of what it is going to take to be a true disciple to a large crowd, therefore expanding His message. The crowd is a phrase used in Luke when Jesus is going to be teaching and is often a transition between two narratives in a different location. As Bock says the openness of this instruction on discipleship also gives opportunity for all who hear to make the choice as to what they will do with their own life. It will also be clear from this point forward what it is going to take for a person to be a disciple.

Verse 26 "If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple.

Jesus begins His teaching in verse twenty-six by making it clear that there is no one who can be an exception to the statues He is about to lay forth. Everyone who wants to follow Him will have to hate all of these people. Nolland points out that this type of language is actually found elsewhere in the Bible and is always serious, not to simply be taken as "love less than". However other writers like Bock would say it does mean to "love less," citing the Great Commandment as a clear indication that no one is to be hated. This is a better reading and can much more easily be reconciled with the whole of Scripture. It is most likely that as opposed to outright hatred toward those people who were around a perspective disciple, they were going to have to be willing to abandon them "in favor of a greater love." For them to leave their faith as Jews in favor of following Christ was going to disenfranchise them from the ones they loved and would often cause them to be hated. It is imperative for all those who want to be disciples to be willing to put Christ as their first priority, even to the detriment of other relationships. Verse twenty-six also includes even his own life. This would be important as foreshadow for what would become of many of the earliest Christians. Luke would be seeing the persecutions that were being carried out on Christians by both the Romans and the Jewish leadership. This very likely may have led to his inclusion of this pericope in his Gospel.

There are also parallels in verse twenty-six to other discipleship narratives in Luke. Earlier in chapter fourteen one of the guests to the banquet in Christ's parable declines the host's invitation because he has just taken a wife. Jesus proceeds to tell the crowd that they must hate their wives to be a disciple. Even earlier in chapter nine verse fifty-nine a man asks if he can first bury his father and then follow Christ, trying to make an excuse why he cannot follow immediately. This is again contrasted when Jesus tells the crowd they must hate their fathers.

 Verse 27 "Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple.

    If verse twenty-six informs the prospective disciple on what it takes to begin the journey, then Christ is telling the crowd in verse twenty-seven what it takes to continue on the journey as a disciple. It seems to be a second statement in a row by Christ that is in no way positive, a contrast to the methodology that is used today by those looking for followers. Alexander McClaren describes the demands of a disciple as such:

Christ sought for no recruits under false pretences, but rather discouraged than stimulate light-hearted adhesion. His constant effort was to sift the crowds that gathered round Him. So here great multitudes are following Him, and how does He welcome them? Does He lay Himself out to attract them? Luke tells us that He turned and faced the following multitude; and then, with a steady hand, drenched with cold water the too easily kindled flame. Was that because He did not wish them to follow Him? He desired every soul in that crowd for His own, and He knew that the best way to attract is sometimes to repel; and that a plain statement of the painful consequences of a course will quench no genuine enthusiasm, but may turn a mere flash in the pan into a purpose that will flame through a life.

Becoming a disciple would be very costly, but remaining one would cost even more and Jesus wanted the crowd to understand that. Even his own life from verse twenty-six can be linked with carry his cross in this verse because the same principle applies to both. There is going to be a cost for discipleship. Verse twenty-six enumerates the loss of relationships with others, but harder for many to swallow is the loss of relationship with one's self. Taking us the cross is the "willingness to go through the process of suffering," and for many they are simply not ready to go through that process. The Rich Young Ruler is faced with this very dilemma. He will have to suffer if he follows the instructions that Christ has given him. The comfort of his wealth will be gone and he is unwilling to commit himself to the will of the Lord. This is important for a prospective disciple to understand before beginning the process. There will be hardship as the journey begins, and it will continue, if not worsen throughout the journey.

    There is also the obvious allusion to Christ's death. The crowd he was talking to would have no doubt witnessed the executions of criminals on the cross and would have been able to connect the image of a man bearing the cross he would crucified on, to Christ's command to bear that cross. "Those who loved their own lives…would not consider Jesus, since trusting him might eventually mean martyrdom."

 Verse 28
"For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?

    Jesus, as he often does, uses parables or illustrations to get His point across about the cost of the type of discipleship He is going to demanding. The first which encompasses verses twenty-eight through thirty describes a person who is going to build a tower. This illustration is slightly different from most of those told by Christ because He asks them, which one of you, automatically engaging them, and preventing anyone in the crowd of thinking that He is speaking to someone else other than them.

    It seems only logical that when anyone is undergoing any building project that they would take the time to figure out what it was going to cost. Many different factors go into construction. Materials are expensive and labor must be figured into the total cost of the project. None of these things can be done without and all must be paid for. It's also true that, "a prudent man would not begin a project until being sure it can be finished." Jesus clearly tells them here that to start the process of discipleship is to make commitment to finish that same process. The cost needs to be counted on the front end so that when the hardships that are going to come to the true disciples arrive, the disciple is prepared.

 Verse 29 & 30 "Otherwise, when he has laid a foundation and is not able to finish, all who observe it begin to ridicule him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish'

Jesus tells them next what happens when both the builder fails to count the cost of his project and the disciple the costs of his devotion to Christ.

    First, both are able to lay the foundation for the task they have before them. The builder has enough money to lay the foundation, as it is first on his list and he can build nothing else first. The disciple can begin following, as a matter of fact, here Jesus is talking to a large crowd who are indeed following Him, but it is much harder to continue following for a life time.

As Jesus says, the builder who fails to count the cost ends up unable to finish. It is also unlikely that a disciple who fails to understand what He is vowing in His relationship with Christ will be able to finish because he is simply unprepared to pay the cost.

Jesus also points out that not only will the builder be without the tower which he has worked so hard for and spent all the money he had available on, but he will pay a price in the public eye. "In a society where honor and shame were pivotal values…an uncompleted tower would serve as a monument of shame." This would also ring true for the disciple who stops short of counting the cost of his commitment and fails to abide in Christ. They have brought shame upon themselves. They also, as is so evident in contemporary Christianity, bring shame upon the name of Christ, causing those who are outside the faith to question the reasoning behind being within it.

 Verse 31 "Or what king, when he sets out to meet another king in battle, will not first sit down and consider whether he is strong enough with ten thousand men to encounter the one coming against him with twenty thousand?

    Christ's second parable deals with a king who is going into battle. He is going to face an army that has superior numbers to his own and must figure, with the men he has, whether he has the strength to defeat the army that is before him. "How foolish, too, is the army commander who does not reckon up on the strength of his army before engaging a stronger foe in battle." Here again Christ talks about the necessity of being prepared before taking on such a monumental task. The king is putting the very lives of his men on the line and he must be sure that all of those lives, which will undoubtedly be lost, will not be lost in vain as a result of defeat.

There has been an attempt by some, who would read more allegory into this verse, to show that the kings are somehow representative of the struggle between good and evil. Matthew Henry writes, "The state of a Christian in this world is a military state. Is not the Christian life a warfare? We have many passes in our way, that must be disputed with dint of sword; nay, we must fight every step we go, so restless are our spiritual enemies in their opposition. We ought to consider whether we can endure the hardness which a good soldier of Jesus Christ must expect and count upon, before we enlist ourselves under Christ's banner; whether we are able to encounter the forces of hell and earth." In contrast to this thought is J.C. Ryle in his work in Luke where he writes, "Some regard this 'king' as an emblem of a believer, and the king coming with 'twenty' thousand,' as Satan. I am quite unable to see this. Both here and in the preceding three verses, I believe the Lord is only borrowing an illustration from familiar subjects, and that we are not meant to look further." There is no doubt that there is a struggle when it comes to the Christian in life fighting against the forces of evil that are at work in this world. This, however, does not come from this particular text, especially in light of verse thirty-two which would seem to suggest that the Christian should, when he is unable to overcome the forces of evil, make concessions to end the fighting. This, again, runs contrary to the larger teaching of Scripture where evil is to be overcome and the believers prevail in the end.

 Verse 32 "Or else, while the other is still far away, he sends a delegation and asks for terms of peace.

The king cannot overcome the greater number unless he is prepared. Should he be forced to go and discuss peace treaty, he cannot negotiate with any leverage as he is greatly outnumbered. This would almost certainly mean that he would have to make concessions to the king with the larger army. Again, as Barnes says, "these expressions are not to be improperly pressed in order to obtain from them a spiritual signification." Verses thirty-one and thirty-two are simply a continuation of the teaching on the cost of true discipleship.

    It is also important to understand the Christ is not telling His disciples to surrender. They were going to have a vigorous fight on their hands. This fact, again coupled with the larger teaching of Scripture, does not lend itself to the allegorization of this passage in the Lucan writings. Christ is again, as He was in the parable of verses twenty-eight through thirty telling the crowd that there is a cost to follow Him (i.e., the cost of the building materials and the cost of the soldiers in battle) but also that the same holds true for those who do not count that cost, and in turn face their own losses (i.e., the loss of capital investment and the public humiliation by the builder and the peace concessions of the king who cannot field a large enough army)

 Verse 33 "So then, none of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions.

"The Greek word [for 'give up'] so rendered is more commonly translated, 'bid farewell,' or 'take leave.' The meaning evidently is that a man cannot be Christ's disciple unless he is deliberately prepared to give up everything for His sake, if need be, and to encounter any enemy, and make any sacrifice". This is Christ's summation of the previous eight verses, and in reality the bulk of chapter fourteen. Just as He will later in Luke's Gospel in the narrative of the Rich, Young Ruler, Christ says that all a person has must be willing to give up all He has. "The giving up of 'everything' means recognizing that God has claim on all areas of our lives. Part of discipleship is learning from God what he desires in these areas. No one can know at the start of the walk everything involved, but one can enter the journey with an understanding that God has access to all that we are." Nothing can take priority over our relationship to Christ as a disciple and we be truly living as Christ is commanding the crowd here.

The stringency of the life of a disciple may seemingly turn some of those away for fear they never could live up to this standard. This is not the intention of the message. There is no one who has ever claimed the name of Christ and carried his own cross that has not done so through the power of their relationship with Christ. "The parables [in verses twenty-eight through thirty-two] were not intended to teach that no one should commit to follow Christ if there is the slightest possibility of failing somewhere along the way. This interpretation would undercut the whole meaning of faith. Faith without risk is not faith. Part of total commitment to Christ is trust that Christ will be sufficient for whatever the future holds."

 Verse 34 "Therefore, salt is good; but if even salt has become tasteless, with what will it be seasoned?

    Verses thirty-four and thirty-five compose a third illustration on the cost of discipleship. Salt and its uses are illustrations used by Christ elsewhere in the Synoptic Gospels to describe the interaction of the Christian and the world.

    It is important to first understand the uses of salt in the time of Christ. Salt as, "long as it was salty…was good for the purposes…as a condiment and a preservative." Also it was used as a, "fertilizer, as weed killer and as a catalyst in certain kinds of ovens." Long before the time of refrigerators and freezers, salt was the best way to keep food fresh while it was being stored. Salt, too, was used, as it is today, to add seasoning to food that was bland. This of course makes salt an important part of the everyday lives of the people who would have been following Jesus and they would have been able to easily relate to what He was saying.

    There are also two different possibilities when it comes to what Jesus was referring to when He states, but if even salt becomes tasteless. If He is speaking of pure salt (the chemical compound NaCl, which we know as table salt) it is impossible for it to lose it saltiness without undergoing a chemical reaction. In saying this it comes across as almost well if salt could lose its saltiness. However many commentators point out that the salt used in this area was not pure NaCl and was, as it still is today in parts of Israel, mixed with different elements. "The salt taken from the Dead Sea was adulterated, mixed with gypsum and other substances. This impure salt was subject to losing its salty taste." This would make since as the people following Christ would be very used to the salt they had obtained from the Dead Sea area.

    The struggle in this passage often comes with the phrase, with what will it be seasoned? There could be a tendency to lean toward an abandonment of a pro-preservation of the saints theological view point. This would be, however, a lack of understanding when looked at in the context of all teaching about salt in the Gospels. The parallel passages to verses thirty-four and thirty five tell the prospective disciple that as a follower of Christ they will be the salt of the earth. They will in fact be the ones who will bring the seasoning that the earth is lacking. They are made into salt through their relationship with Christ, but if they lose their saltiness, how can they recapture it? If it was Christ who made them into the salt of the earth, who is it then can restore their flavor if they did not submit to Christ. Is there anyone greater than he? Since not, there is nothing there available to re-salt them who have abandoned Christ.

 Verse 35 "It is useless either for the soil or for the manure pile; it is thrown out. He who has ears to hear, let him hear."

    So what use is the disciple who has lost his seasoning? Christ points out here in verse thirty-five that salt which ceases to be salt is useless. This holds true for the disciple who fails to fully commit himself; the disciple who fails to count the cost and therefore loses that effectiveness that he is given with his commitment to Christ. As previously stated in reference to verse thirty-four, salt could be used as a fertilizer. Strauss points out that salt was heaped on manure piles to help control weeds, when it was spread, and to prevent the manure from fermenting. However, salt which has lost its seasoning will not even serve its purpose on a pile of dung. These are obviously harsh words from Christ, but make it again clear that true discipleship is no easy task. Simply trying to be salt without being salty is in fact worthless discipleship and brings no honor to the King and His kingdom.

    The only use for this salt without flavor is for it to be cast out. It is of no use or benefit. The same holds true for, "a disciple who gives up in midstream because the going is too tough….He is like salt which has lost its taste and is unfit…even for the ground; it cannot be made useful again." A disciple must have a desire to please his Master. He must seek to follow after those things which the Master desires for him. Failure to do so causes the Master to use other disciples to accomplish those desires.

    This pericope ends with a familiar phrase in the teachings of Christ, he who has ears to hear, let him hear. Christ uses this phrase no less than fifteen times in the Synoptics and Revelation. It also had Old Testament usage in Ezekiel and may very well stem from Ezekiel 12:2 in which, "Ezekiel speaks of Israel as a rebellious people who have 'eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear'" Each time Christ utters these words it also denotes something of extreme importance that His listeners should not fail to hear much like the "verily, verily" or "truly, truly" statements found in John's Gospel.

Conclusion

    The road to true discipleship is a costly one. A disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ must be willing to sever any tie, walk any road, and carry any cross demanded by his Master. The fluff religion peddled by the church today fails to even resemble the rigorous demands placed on the Christian life in Luke 14:25-35. We fail to instruct prospective believers on the high cost that must be paid if they truly wish to accept the love and forgiveness of Christ. Dietrich Bonhoeffer referred to this diminishment of the faith as cheap grace. With the Nazi regime on the rise, a regime that would eventually order his death, he wrote, "Cheap grace is preaching forgiveness without repentance; it is baptism without the discipline of community; it is the Lord's Supper without confession of sin; it is absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without the live, incarnate Jesus Christ." This cheap grace is what Jesus taught us to avoid. It is small-minded and superficial. Cheap grace and cheap and easy discipleship will never live up to the expectations that the Father places on His children. Christ's call was to change the world and that cannot be accomplished by cheap grace.

    Bonhoeffer knew what Biblical discipleship looked like. He called it costly grace: "Costly grace is the hidden treasure in the field, for the sake of which people go and sell with joy everything they have. It is the costly pearl, for whose price the merchant sells all that he has, it is Christ's sovereignty, for the sake of which you tear out an eye if it causes you to stumble. It is the call of Jesus Christ which causes a disciple to leave his nets and follow him." That is the kind of followers Christ said He desired. That is the kind of disciple God intends to transform out of a sinner. That is the kind of disciple each person who starts out on the journey of faith should desire as their end. The one who seeks to follow the plan for discipleship that Christ Himself lays forth in Luke 14:25-35, has counted the cost and found that it does not outweigh the blessing that comes from a life that is truly devoted to the commands of the Father. The path is difficult for all those who travel it, but a fully devoted disciple is the one that Christ can use for His kingdom.

 

Bibliography

Barnes, Albert. The Gospels, Barnes' Notes. Grand Rapids: Bakers Books, 2005.

Bock, Darrell L. Luke 9:51-24:53, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1996.

________. Luke in the NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1996.

Bonhoeffer, Dietrich. Discipleship. Dietrich Bonhoeffer Works. vol. 4. Geffery B. Kelly and John D. Godsey, eds. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 2001.

Culpeper, R. Alan. The Gospel of Luke: Introduction, Commentary, and Reflections. in vol. 9 of The New Interpreter's Bible. ed. Leander E. Keck . Nashville: Abington Press, 1995.

Dean, Robert J. Luke, Layman's Bible Book Commentary. vol. 17. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1983.

Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1992.

Kee , Howard Clark. The Origins of Christianity: Sources and Documents. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, 1973.

Lea, Thomas D. and David Alan Black, The New Testament: It's Background and Message. 2^nd ed. Nashville: Broadman and Holman, 2003.

Marshall, I. Howard. Luke, New Bible Commentary. G.J. Wenham, J.A. Motyer, D.A. Carson, and R.T. France, eds. Downers Grove: Intervarsity, 1994.

McClaren, Alexander. St. Luke, Expositions of Holy Scripture. vol. 9. Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdman's Publishing, 1944.

Nollad, John. Luke, The Word Biblical Commentary, vol. 35B. Dallas: Word, 1990-93.

Ryle, J. C. Luke, Expository Thoughts on the Gospels. vol. 2. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 2007.

Stratus, Mark, The Zondervan Illustrated Bible backgrounds Commentary. vol. 1. Clinton E. Arnold, ed. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2002.

Tolbert, Malcom O. Luke, in vol. 9 of The Broadman Bible Commentary. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1970.

 

THE THEOLOGY OF LAMENTATIONS

    Personal responsibility. There is, at least that is put into practice, little knowledge of the meaning of this phrase in our contemporary society. We, especially in the United States, take the things that have been handed down to us from successive generations past for granted, even to the point of squandering them away. We, however, are not the first to do so and most likely will not be the last. Part of the lost state of mankind, because of our broken relationship with God, due to sin, is that instinct to rebel. Whether it be to resist the teachings of our parents, our leaders, or our God or a more common combination of the three, each generation deals with this urge and many generations have succumb.

    For Israel, the manifestation of the consequences of rebellion can be found in the words of Lamentations as Jeremiah reflects back on the circumstances that Israel now finds itself in and their causes. There has been debate in recent decades about the theological meaning of these consequences and how they relate back to the connection between God's punishment as the nation is destroyed and the Covenant promises of the Pentateuch. Norman K. Gottwald in his book Studies in the Book of Lamentations stated:

It is no wonder, then, that orthodox rationalism and moralism, whether Jewish or Christian, continue to be nourished by the Deuteronomic outlook. And so the lines were drawn, from which there could be no retreat: Yahweh and his faithful people Israel would be tangibly vindicated in history. Such a conviction, so neatly stated, is obviously open to empirical testing.

    But how did history treat this deep conviction? Young Josiah, the finest king Judah ever had, was killed by Pharaoh Necho at Megiddo (600); his son Jehoahaz was deposed and the latter's servile elder brother Jehoiakim was set on the throne as an Egyptian puppet ruler. With the shift of the ancient Near Eastern balance of power to Babylon, Jehoiakim became the subject of Nebuchadnezzar, and after an abortive rebellion in 598, his son, Jehioachin, then reigning, and several thousand citizens suspected as politically dangerous, were deported to Mesopotamia. In 587, after another revolt, Jerusalem we besieged and starved into submission, King Zedekiah and the leaders were killed or exiled, and Judah was organized as a Babylonian province. Imagine the discrepancy between the historical optimism of the Deuteronomic Reform and the cynicism and despondency evoked by these reversals of national fortune!

    This analysis however seems to overlook the Biblical record which states about Jehoiakim, "he did evil in the sight of the LORD his God" and Jehoiachin though he was only eight years old, "he did evil in the sight of the LORD" and Zedekiah, "did evil in the sight of the LORD his God." Josiah and his son Jehoahaz do find their reigns both short and abruptly ended but this is foretold to Josiah when he has Hilkiah the priest to inquire of the LORD through Huldah, the prophetess about the fate of Israel and Judah. The LORD tells him,

Behold, I am bringing evil on this place and on its inhabitants, even all the curses written in the book which they have read in the presence of the king of Judah. Because they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to other gods, that they might provoke me to anger with all the works of their hands; therefore My wrath will be poured out on this place and it shall not be quenched. But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the LORD God of Israel regarding the words which you have heard, "Because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before God when you heard His words against this place and against its inhabitants, and because you humbled yourself before me, tore your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you," declares the LORD. "Behold, I will gather you to your fathers and you shall be gathered to your grave in peace, so your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place and on its inhabitants."

    This should give some clarity to this surface discrepancy, once Lamentations is put into its historical context there is little doubt that God is still honoring his part of the vassal-lord treaty of Deuteronomy. As Tremper Dillard and Raymond Longman state,

…this judgment, (the destruction of Jerusalem) which is due to the sin of the people, is God himself. It is not the Babylonians, but God himself who will destroy them, specifically, God the Warrior. Normally, of course, God fought on behalf of his obedient people, but at times of judgment he fought against the, as we see in Lamentations 2:4-5.

This leads to the question then, why would it matter either way in respect to the theological view of Lamentations? The reading of Lamentations is changed if the reader is unaware of the historical background of the book and the Covenantal relationship between God and His people. It is easy to make the assumption that somehow the covenantal relationship between Israel and Yahweh has changed because Yahweh has allowed them to be destroyed. This in mind, the theological lesson of Lamentations becomes much less complex, pointing back to the promise made to Abraham, Moses, and to each generation of God's people and can be broken down into two parts which are not mutually exclusive, but are rather circular in nature and reverse in order compared to the Deuteronomical Covenant. Looking a the twenty-eighth chapter of Deuteronomy the LORD says if He is obeyed then there would be blessings, but if the people of Israel failed to keep their portion of the covenant, primarily not keeping His commandments, then everything He was going to bless, He would curse. Lamentations is, however, laid out in the opposite order and reveals first the consequences of sin and then the hope that can be found, despite of the sins of the people, in the LORD.

THE CONSEQUNCES OF SIN

The Septuagint calls it "Lamentations," from which we derive the name. It refers not merely to the events which occurred at the capture of the city, but to the sufferings of the citizens (the penalty of national sin) from the very beginning of the siege; and perhaps from before it, under Manasseh and Josiah (2Ch 33:11; 2Ch 35:20-25); under Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, and Zedekiah (2Ch 36:3, 2Ch 36:4, 2Ch 36:6, 2Ch 36:7, 2Ch 36:10, 2Ch 36:11, etc.).

    If a reader were to stop after only the first few chapters of the book of Lamentations, which as depressing as they are would seem common, their reading coupled with the title of the twenty-fifth book in the Bible may lead to the assumption that it contains nothing but doom and gloom. There would be some validity to that assumption as verse one states, "How lonely sits the city that was full of people! She has become like a widow who was once great among the nations! She who was a princess among the provinces has become a forced laborer!" and the concluding verse reads, "Unless you have utterly rejected us and are exceedingly angry with us." This is fundamental to the theology found in Lamentations, a truth that is often left out of contemporary teaching about the personality of the LORD. God has and does release judgment when sin prevails over holiness, both in the lives of God's children and in the lives of those who do not follow Him. Jeremiah is lamenting what has happened to his beloved homeland and he, rightly so, blames it on the LORD. He is not, however, blaming the LORD by means of anger toward God, but rather simply He points out the historical promise made in Deuteronomy 28 and elsewhere in Scripture. This reveals the consequences of sin. It could not be expected that the LORD would withhold judgment on the nation when they had fallen into sin, considering He had always delt harshly when evil was done in His sight. Jeremiah is clear that this is the cause of the calamity. He writes, "Enemies now rule the city and live as they please. The LORD has punished Jerusalem because of her awful sins; he has let her people be dragged away" and "All her people groan as they search for bread; they trade their treasures for food to revive their strength. Look, O LORD, and see, for I am despised. 'Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which was brought upon me, which the LORD inflicted on the day of his fierce anger.'" It is important to remember that God's punishment for sin comes to His children on both an individual level and as a national display of His sovereignty. It wasn't just a nation carried into captivity, but real people and real families. This is, however, in keeping with the Deuteronomical Covenant but should not be lost on the contemporary reader. Even now, in the time after Christ, when salvation is a personal relationship and judgment leading to punishment, at least in the afterlife, can be avoided despite a lack of national faith, it is still obvious that God judges sin on a national level and will treat a nation accordingly.

    The five poems found in Lamentations are not however simply about the consequences of sin. Considering God always provides a way for His people to overcome the consequences of disobedience, this book is no exception, Jeremiah lays out why God is both still in control and the hope of the nation should abide in Him even in the midst of destruction.

THE HOPE FOUND IN THE LORD

We now in a measure understand for what purpose this Book was written by JEREMIAH: his object was to shew that though nothing in the land appeared but desolation, and the Temple being destroyed, the Covenant of God appeared as made void, and thus all hope of salvation had been cut off, yet hope still remained, provided the people sought God in true repentance and faith; and he thus proceeded in the course of his calling, and made it evident that his doctrine would not be without benefit.

    The book of Lamentations takes a shift in chapter 3 verse twenty-one. Up until this point there is a sorrowful outpouring that sees little hope in the situation the nation is currently in. They are in captivity. Their city has been decimated. The temple lay in ruin. Joy is gone from Israel. But Jeremiah is not convinced that all is lost and God has abandoned them outright. With what little optimism a person in his situation can muster, Jeremiah reflects on God's sovereignty and understands that while it was God who has brought down judgment on them as the consequence of their sins; it is also God who will raise them up again. "For the Lord will not cast off for ever: But though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies."

    Jeremiah could reflect both on the past and the future to draw this hope. He could see those times when the nation had turned back to God and had been forgiven, receiving again those blessings which the LORD had promised them. He also could rest in the message that God had given him, "for I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith Jehovah, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you hope in your latter end."
It would have been hard to see where there was going to be hope, but Jeremiah had faith enough to know that it would reveal itself.

    His hope did not have to be completely in the future either. He didn't say that he would have hope, but rather had it now. This is important because it speaks to God's abiding love toward His people regardless of their circumstances. John Darby writes regarding this theme in Lamentations: "the affliction of His people does not escape the eye of God. He is afflicted in their affliction: His Spirit takes knowledge of it; and, acting in the heart of those whose mouth He uses, gives expression to the feelings He has produced there." The hope found in the words of Lamentations is not simply a lofty idea of what the future might bring for those who are to come, but Jeremiah believes that there is hope now, if for no other reason than his being a child of God.

CONCLUSION

Personal Responsibility. Each citizen in a nation is responsible for the success or failure of their county. For the Jewish faith, the book of Lamentations is still read to remember the time when the nation suffered greatly both then and in recent history. Dr. Edward R. Dalglish reflects on the importance of the events leading up to Lamentations, saying,

The momentous events that surrounded the Babylonian capture of Judah furnished the themes and the calendar for the Exilic fasts: the siege of Jerusalem, observed on the tenth day of the tenth month (2 Kings 25:1; Jer. 52:4; Zech. 8:19; the breach of the walls of Jerusalem, celebrated on the ninth day of the fourth month (Zech 8:19; compare Jer. 52:6-8; 2 Kings 25:3-5); the burning of the city, observed on the tenth day of the fifth month (2 Kings 25:8; Zech 7:3 ff.; 8:19); and the assassination of Gedaliah, observed on the third or the twenty-fourth day of the seventh month (2 Kings 25:23 ff.; Jer. 41 ff.). In the Jewish community the Book of Lamentations has been read in observance of the destruction of Jerusalem, no doubt beginning in the Exilic period and continuing to the present on the ninth day of the fifth month. After the destruction of the Temple in AD 70, the Jews observed both destruction of the city on the ninth day of the fifth month and read the book of Lamentations as a fitting Scripture for the occasion. All this indicates how deep an impression was made up the Judeans by this mind-shattering disaster, and the reading of the Lamentations reprints on the Jewish consciousness the solemn lessons so tragically depicted therein. The book added a significant dimension and contributions to the liturgy of Judaism.

In remembering these events they are in fact remembering the faithfulness of God to His promises. He had promised them that if they failed to obey His statues and commands that not only would he cease to watch over them, but they would in fact be subject to His punishment. This had come to fruition in a way that the nation had never seen before, but as previous shown, it was not something that they had not been warned time and time again to be prepared for.

    However, there is hope. Jeremiah knew God had made a way for previous generations who had fallen away from Him and He would again. While Lamentations is not foretelling the coming Messiah by directly pointing toward the time where He will bring hope and peace, we can see the consistency of God's grace and mercy by His provision of One who would come and put an end to the suffering that sin had brought into the world.

God has not changed from the laments of Jeremiah until today and applying that truth shows us why it is dangerous to look at the New Testament and say that somehow God has had a complete reversal on His holiness causing Him to stop carrying about sin. There is a tendency among many today to stray from the truth of scripture and substitute in political correctness because it makes people more comfortable. That is not the teaching in Lamentations, as well as the whole of scripture, which shows that there are consequences for sin. There is pain and suffering because of man's fallen state, but God is faithful, and there is hope in the LORD regardless of what we see around us.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 

Barnes, Albert. Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2005.

Calvin, John. Commentaries on the Book of the Prophet Jeremiah and the Lamentations. Grand Rapids: Bakers Book House Company, 1984.

Clarke, Adam. Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible. Grand Rapids: Baker Publishing Group, 1983.

Dalglish, Edward R. Jeremiah, Lamentations in volume 11 of Layman's Bible Book Commentary. Nashville: Broadman Press, 1983.

Darby, John Nelson. Synopsis of the Old and New Testaments

Faussett, A.R. The Lamentations of Jeremiah Commentary in A Commentary on the Old and New Testaments.

Gottwald, Norman K. Studies in the Book of Lamentations. London: SCM Press LTD, 1954.

Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry's Commentary: In One Volume Genesis to Revelation. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1961.

Keil, C.F. and Delitzsch, F. Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament. Peabody: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc. 1996.

Longman III, Tremper and Dillard, Raymond B. An Introduction to the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006.

Wenham, G.J., Motyer, J.A., Caron, D.A., France, R.T., ed. New Bible Commentary. Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 1994.

The Names of God in the Old Testament

    Throughout the Old Testament the Lord is referred to with many different names. When descriptions of the Lord are added in as "names" the list is extremely extensive. The Lord is referred to as a Judge (Psalm 7:8), a Stone (Genesis 49:24) and a Father (Psalm 68:5). Though these aren't names, in the sense of Elohim, Jehovah, or YHWH, they are titles that describe the work of the Lord. As a matter of fact titles like Father are much more familiar with the lay Christian than many of the formal names given to God by the writers in the Old Testament.

    The Hebrew names of God found in the New Testament do reveal to the present day reader how the nation of Israel saw God at work in their daily lives. Whether it is El Shaddai or Jehovah Sabaoth when they were facing a battle or Jehovah-Raah when they were looking for comfort during a difficult ordeal, they saw that they served a multifaceted God and that translated into the multiple names and names attached to adjectives when they spoke about their God. A study of the names of God that are found in the Old Testament can give the Christian a better understanding of how God was viewed both in the times that the Biblical text was written as well as in the time of Christ. We can see for instances, the parallel between God being a father to the fatherless (Psalm 68:5) and Jesus calling God, Father, throughout the New Testament. Or David, also in the Psalms, talking about God judging him, and the images in Revelation of final judgment of all mankind.

    The following is an overview of some of the most prominent names ascribed to God:

1. El Shaddai (Lord God Almighty)
   
   1. אני אל שדי
      
   2. Occurs seven times in the Old Testament
      
   3. Genesis 17:1; Genesis 28:3; Genesis 35:11; Genesis 43:14; Genesis 48:3
      
   4. El is a word commonly translated "God" and is combined with other words to describe various aspects of God's personality and how he interacts with humans in various situations.
      
2. El Elyon (The Most High God)
   
   1. עליוןאל
      
   2. Occurs twenty-eight times in the Old Testament
      
   3. Genesis 14:18; Genesis 14:19; Genesis 14:20; Genesis 14:22; Psalm 57:2; Psalm 78:35
      
   4. Can also be translated "the Most Exalted God"
      
3. Adonai (Lord, Master)
   
   1. אדני
      
   2. Occurs four hundred thirty-four times in the Old Testament
      
   3. Genesis 15:2; Exodus 34:23; Exodus 20:7; Ezra 10:3
      
4. Yahweh (Lord, Jehovah)
   
   1. יהוה
      
   2. Occurs six thousand five hundred and nineteen times in the Old Testament
      
   3. Genesis 2:4; Jonah 1:1; Job 1:6; Daniel 9:2; Ezra 1:1
      
5. Jehovah Nissi (The Lord My Banner)
   
   1. יהוה נסּי
      
   2. Occurs one time in the Old Testament
      
   3. Exodus 17:15
      
   4. During battle, armies would march under banners. For Israel their banner was the LORD.
      
6. Jehovah-Raah (The Lord My Shepherd)
   
   1. יהוה
      רעה
      
   2. Occurs four times in the Old Testament
      
   3. Genesis 48:15; Genesis 49:24; Psalm 23:1; Psalm 80:1
      
   4. Can also be translated, "The Lord is My Friend"
      
7. Jehovah Rapha (The Lord That Heals)
   
   1. יהוה רפה רפא
      
   2. Jeremiah 30:17; Jeremiah 3:22; Isaiah 30:26; Isaiah 61:1; Psalm 103:3
      
8. Jehovah Shammah (The Lord Is There)
   
   1. שׁםיהוה
      
   2. Occurs only once in the Old Testament
      
   3. Ezekiel 48:35
      
9. Jehovah Tsidkenu (The Lord Our Righteousness)
   
   1. 
      יהוה
      צדקנו
      
   2. Occurs two times in the Old Testament
      
   3. Jeremiah 23:6; Jeremiah 33:16
      
10. Jehovah Mekoddishkem (The Lord Who Sanctifies You)
    
    1. 
       
       יהוה
       צדקנו
       
    2. Occurs two times in the Old Testament
       
    3. Exodus 31:13; Leviticus 20:8
       
11. El Olam (The Everlasting God)
    
    1. אל
       עולם
       
    2. Genesis 21:33; Jeremiah 10:10; Isaiah 26:4
       
12. Elohim (God)
    
    1. אלהים
       
    2. Occurs more than two thousand times in the Old Testament
       
    3. Genesis 1:1; Proverbs 2:5; Ruth 1:16; Joel 2:13
       
13. Qanna (Jealous)
    
    1. אל
       קנא
       
    2. Occurs six times in the Old Testament
       
    3. Exodus 20:5; Exodus 34:14; Deuteronomy 4:24; Deuteronomy 5:9; Deuteronomy 6:15
       
14. Jehovah Jireh (The Lord Will Provide)
    
    1. יהוה יראה
       
    2. Occurs once in the Old Testament
       
    3. Genesis 22:14
       
15. Jehovah Shalom (The Lord Is Peace)
    
    1. יהוה שׁלום
       
    2. Occurs once in the Old Testament
       
    3. Judges 6:24
       
16. Jehovah Sabaoth (The Lord of Hosts)
    
    1. יהוה
       צבאות
       
    2. Occurs more than two hundred and eighty-five times in the Old Testament
       
    3. Isaiah 10:26; Isaiah 14:22; Jeremiah 9:15; Jeremiah 48:1; Hosea 12:5; Amos 3:13; Micah 4:4; Nahum 3:5
       
    4. Can be translated at "Lord of the Armies"
       

    Blue Letter Bible. The Names of God in the Old Testament. Blue Letter Bible. 1 Apr 2002. 29 Sept 2008.
    

    <http://blueletterbible.org/study/misc/name_god.html>.
    

    Smith's Bible Dictionary by Dr. William Smith (1884)
    

    Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible
    

    The Names of God by Lambert Dolphin <http://ldolphin.org/Names.html>
    

    The Names of God by Kenneth S. Hemphill Published by B & H Pub Group, 2001
    

    Strong's Exhaustive Concordance by James Strong, S.T.D., LL.D., 1890.
    

Hearing with the Ear or Listening with the Heart

I.    Introduction – Often when I tell my children to do something, I know that they hear me, but often simply do not do what I have asked. Many times they just ignore me, even though they know what is being asked. They understand by do not respond. The question this morning is, do we hear God or do we listen?

II.    What is hearing?

a.    Hearing means that the message is received by the person to who it is directed.

b.    Most of us have heard the message of the Gospel time after time.

i.    We have heard the call to repent

ii.    We have heard the call to follow

iii.    We have heard the call to share the message

III.    What is listening?

a.    Listening is a totally different act than hearing.

i.    Listening involves taking the message that has been heard and received and conforming our lives to it without question.

1.    It isn't what we take it to be.

2.    The message is what it is and we are to obey it.

b.    The things we have heard we must listen to.

i.    We have to listen to the call to repent

ii.    We have to listen to the call to follow

iii.    We must listen to the call to share

IV.    Challenge – Samuel agreed that he would listen to whatever it was that God called him to do. That was the sound advice given my by Eli and it is sound advice for today. When God called, we have a responsibility to listen.

Socialism

We must now accept the fact we now live in a Socialist country. As a Christian, you should examine what this means. Very soon your liberties are gone. Very soon your free speech is gone. It's coming. Be ready.

If this is change we all can believe in, America's best days are behind Her. – Sen. Lindsay Graham

Three Realities of Heaven

I. Introduction – For the Christian, the culmination of our Journey here on earth ends with eternity in heaven. We have an abundance of information in Scripture and this morning we will look at three distinctions that separate this world from our eternal home.

II. Pain turned to Joy

a. Revelation 21:3-4

b. In this life we often find times of pain

i. Physical pain
ii. Emotional pain
iii. Spiritual pain

c. Heaven however will be a place filled with joy where we will experience no more pain

III. Hope turned to Fulfillment

a. I John 2:25

b. Here in this life we have hope in many things if we abide in Christ.

i. Hope in Christ's Victory
ii. Hope in Christ's Sufficiency
iii. Hope in Christ's Coming

c. Heaven however will be a fulfillment of those things. We will

i. Share in the victory
ii. Understand His sufficiency
iii. Be a part of His coming

IV. Faith turned to Vision

a. I John 3:2-3

b. The faith that we have will be turned into vision when we see Him face to face.

c. At the End of John's Gospel, Jesus said blessed are those who believe without seeing.

i. That is us this morning. We have never seen Him face to face and yet we have faith. When we join Him in eternity, our faith will be replaced with vision.

V. Challenge – this morning, I trust that many of you believe in heaven. You believe it will be a place more wonderful that we could imagine. If this be the case, our lives should reflect this and we should be challenge to share the good news of heaven and the one who holds its key to all.

The Man of God

1 Timothy 6:11-12

I. Introduction – Paul is telling Timothy about living as a man of God. He says But flee from these things, you man of God. Things like the love of money, strife, men who teach false doctrine.

II.
Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, perseverance and gentleness.

a. When we as men flee from the evils of this world we are called to pursue things that draw us closer to God.

III. Fight the good fight of faith

a. Live the Gospel, and defend the cause of God. Build up the Church, live in the spirit of thy religion, and give thyself wholly to this work.
b. We live in a constant state of battle. We are in a war and we are soldiers for our Lord's army.

IV.
Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called, and you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.

a. Eternal Life begins when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior and it is our responsibility as men to hold on to it. To live it out. To demonstrate it to our wives and families and the people around us.
b. We as men who have claimed Christ have made a public profession and it's time we stand up for that. We can't let it fall on our wives or our children, God demands we lead in the church.