Introduction

In the days of Jesus’ earthly life the Messianic expectation was at its highest pitch. Christ’s public ministry was surrounded by controversy as He claimed to be Messiah Himself. In His debate with the Jewish religious leaders, Christ quoted from Psalm 82 to prove His Messianic credentials. His citation of Psalm 82:6 must be explored within the larger context of John’s Gospel.

Recall, in John 9, that our Lord had just healed a man who had been blind since birth, thereby demonstrating that He was the “light of the world” (John 9:5). While the blind man came to faith, the Jewish religious leaders willfully closed their eyes to the identity of Jesus as Israel’s Messiah. In the tenth chapter of John’s Gospel Jesus claimed to be the “Good Shepherd,” the door through whom everyone must enter in order to be saved. As the Good Shepherd He promised to lay down His life for the sheep (John 10:11). This statement caused a division among the Jews (10:19). Some insisted that He had a demon and ought to be ignored, while others found it difficult to believe that a demon-possessed man could give sight to a man born blind (10:20-21).

The Jews gathered about our Lord, urging Him to speak forthrightly. Was He the Messiah or not (10:24)? His answer was clear enough for those who believed. He had previously revealed His identity but the majority did not believe. They did not believe because they were not His sheep. Those who were His sheep heard His voice, but the rest did not. Those whom God gave the Son believed and no one could snatch them from the Father’s hand. Climactically, Jesus boldly announced, “I and the Father are one” (10:30).

This seemingly heretical acclamation enraged our Lord’s enemies. They took up stones to put Him to death. This statement was blasphemy in their view. To this charge our Lord responded by quoting from Psalm 82:6: “‘I said, you are gods’” (John 10:34). If God could call those “gods” to whom the word of God had come, why was it wrong for Jesus to claim to be God? Our Lord’s defense did not convince most of His opponents. They attempted to put Him to death, but He eluded their grasp (10:39).

We can hardly be surprised that any argument would fail to convince those so opposed to our Lord. Let me ask you though, my friend, how convincing do you find our Lord’s defense? I must admit that I have always been inclined to think of the Lord’s use of Psalm 82 as more clever than convincing. Wasn’t Jesus just embarrassing His enemies by the use of an ingenious debating technique? At best, wouldn’t our Lord’s argument have proven Him to be a “god” only in the same sense that all men are “gods”? Isn’t this an argument which the cults could use to prove that men can be “gods” in the same way Christ claimed to be? Doesn’t our Lord’s use of Psalm 82 create more problems than it solves?

It was only when a puzzled Christian asked me what our Lord meant in John 10 that I turned to Psalm 82 to try to understand its message. As I have come to a better understanding of Psalm 82 I have also been able to appreciate how well the text our Lord quoted justified His claim to be God. Psalm 82 not only showed that Jesus was Israel’s Messiah, it also had a very pointed message to those who had rejected Him and were attempting to put Him to death. Furthermore, I have come to see that Psalm 82 has a very awesome word to those of us who live in the 20th century. Let us look then to Psalm 82 for a word from God which should challenge our lives as much as it did those who lived so many years ago.

God’s Court Is Convened
(82:1)

1 A Psalm of Asaph. God takes His stand in His own congregation; He judges in the midst of the rulers. (NASB)

This psalm begins on a very solemn note. Asaph, the author of this psalm, describes God as a judge who is convening His court in order to pronounce charges. God is said to “take His stand in His own congregation” (v. 1, NASB). The expression “to take a stand” is indicative of the serious nature of the indictment which God is about to make.¹²⁷ God has taken His stand for the purpose of pronouncing judgment, which the second line of verse 1 indicates, “He judges in the midst of the rulers” (v. 2, NASB). God has taken His stand “in His own congregation” (v. 1, NASB). Literally this expression would be rendered, “in the congregation of God” (cf. marginal note, NASB). I agree with others¹²⁸ that this phrase is best understood in terms of the congregation of Israel. God has taken His stand in the assembly or congregation of His people, Israel, to pronounce judgment upon them.

The second line of verse 1 identifies those whom God has determined to judge. God judges in the midst of the “gods” (v. 1, margin, NASB). The Hebrew word elohim, is rendered “rulers” in the NASB. Elohim is a common designation for God in the Old Testament. Its precise meaning here has been the subject of considerable discussion. It is not only crucial to a proper interpretation of this psalm, it is also essential for an understanding of our Lord’s use of Psalm 82:6 (where the word elohim once again occurs) in the tenth chapter of John.

There are several explanations of who the “gods” are in verses 1 and 6. The first is the view which understands the “gods” to be the mythical gods of the surrounding nations.¹²⁹ Another is that the “gods” are the human rulers of the nations which are oppressing Israel.¹³⁰ Yet another explanation is that the elohim are angels, a view surprisingly held by Kidner.¹³¹

The most reasonable explanation is the view most widely held over the centuries.¹³² The “gods” referred to in Psalm 82:1 and 6 are the rulers of Israel, who have failed to carry out their responsibilities as God’s representatives in the ruling of the nation. Several lines of evidence support this interpretation:

(1) The way elohim is used elsewhere in the Old Testament. The term elohim almost always refers to the one and only God, the God of Israel (Deut. 4:35,39). It sometimes refers to the so-called “gods” of the heathen (e.g. Judg. 11:24; 1 Kings 18:24). The term also occasionally identifies “… rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power …”¹³³ Several passages may use elohim in this sense:

“Moreover, he [Aaron] shall speak for you [Moses] to the people; and it shall come about that he shall be as a mouth for you, and you shall be as God [elohim] to him” (Exod. 4:16).

Then the Lord said to Moses, “See, I make you as God [elohim] to Pharaoh, and your brother Aaron shall be your prophet” (Exod. 7:1).

“Then his master shall bring him to God [elohim, or, the judges who acted in God’s name, margin, NASB], then he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost. And his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him permanently” (Exod. 21:6).

“If the thief is not caught, then the owner of the house shall appear before the judges [elohim], to determine whether he laid his hands on his neighbor’s property. For every breach of trust, whether it is for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for clothing, or for any lost thing about which one says, ‘This is it,’ the case of both parties shall come before the judges [elohim]; he whom the judges [elohim] condemn shall pay double to his neighbor” (Exod. 22:8,9).

The teaching of the Bible is that man was created in God’s image to reign and to rule as a vice regent over the earth (Gen. 1:26,28; cf. also Ps. 8:6; Rom. 8:17-21; 2 Tim. 2:12). Rulers are appointed by God to carry out His purposes of restraining evil and rewarding those who do what is good (cf. Rom. 13:1-4). In this sense rulers not only act for God; they, in a sense, act as God (as “gods”):

And he said to the judges, “Consider what you are doing, for you do not judge for man but for the Lord who is with you when you render judgment. Now then let the fear of the Lord be upon you; be very careful what you do, for the Lord our God will have no part in unrighteousness, or partiality, or the taking of a bribe” (2 Chron. 19:6-7).

(2) The Scriptures teach that men are responsible for the actions commanded in verses 3-4 and those condemned in verse 2. The Old Testament Law commanded the Israelites to care for the needy, the helpless, and the oppressed:

“You shall not pervert the justice due an alien or an orphan, nor take a widow’s garment in pledge. But you shall remember that you were a slave in Egypt, and that the Lord your God redeemed you from there; therefore I am commanding you to do this thing. When you reap your harvest in your field and have forgotten a sheaf in the field, you shall not go back to get it; it shall be for the alien, for the orphan, and for the widow, in order that the Lord your God may bless you in all the work of your hands” (Deut. 24:17-19; cf. also Exod. 23:2-3, 6-9; Lev. 19:15, 33-34; Deut. 1:17).

This passage suggests that all of the injustices and sufferings of Israel while in Egyptian bondage were intended to make God’s people sensitive to the plight of the weak and the oppressed.

What the Law commanded, Proverbs and the prophets reiterated:

“Open your mouth for the dumb, for the rights of all the unfortunate. Open your mouth, judge righteously, and defend the rights of the afflicted and needy” (Prov. 31:8-9).

‘Thus says the Lord, “Do justice and righteousness, and deliver the one who has been robbed from the power of his oppressor. Also do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the orphan, or the widow; and do not shed innocent blood in this place”’ (Jer. 22:3).

(3) The condemnation found in Psalm 82 is elsewhere clearly directed against Israel and particularly its leaders, both in the Old and New Testaments:

Do you indeed speak righteousness, O gods?¹³⁴ Do you judge uprightly, O sons of men? No, in heart you work unrighteousness; on earth you weigh out the violence of your hands (Ps. 58:1-2).

The Lord arises to contend, and stands¹³⁵ to judge the people. The Lord enters into judgment with the elders and princes of His people, “It is you who have devoured the vineyard; the plunder of the poor is in your houses. What do you mean by crushing My people, and grinding the face of the poor?” declares the Lord God of hosts (Isa. 3:13-15, cf. also Ezek. 34:1-6).

“Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues, and places of honor at banquets, who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers; these will receive greater condemnation” (Luke 20:46-47).

(4) Finally the use of the word shaphat in the Old Testament indicates that elohim refers to Israelite rulers. I am convinced that a key to the interpretation of this psalm is a proper understanding of the Hebrew word shaphat, which occurs four times (NASB: “judges,” v. 1; “judge,” v. 2; “vindicate,” v. 3; “judge,” v. 8). Unfortunately the English translation “judge” most often falls short of the much broader nuance of the Hebrew term. In the United States, our government has three branches: the legislative, the executive, and the judicial. At least in theory these three branches are separated to guard against dictatorial rule by a minority. An American thus thinks of “judging” merely as passing judgment in legal disputes, but to the Hebrew mind shaphat would encompass all three functions of governing.¹³⁶

The verb, “judge,” in the Old Testament has a variety of meanings: (1) To act as a ruler, whether as a congregation (Num. 18:22-28), as an individual judge (Deut. 1:16; Judg. 16:31; 1 Sam. 7:16), or as a king (1 Sam. 8:5-6; 2 Chron. 1:10-11, “rule” NASB). Messiah will rule the earth (Ps. 72:12-15; 96:13; Isa. 11:1-5) in the future. (2) To judge in cases of controversy or litigation (Exod. 18:16). (3) To punish (Ezek. 7:3,8; 16:38; 23:24). (4) To defend the rights of men, especially the helpless and the afflicted (“deliver,” 1 Sam. 24:15, NASB; “vindicate,” Ps. 10:18, NASB; “freed,” 2 Sam. 18:19, NASB).

Perhaps the breadth of the meaning of the term shaphat is best illustrated in Psalm 72, a song of Solomon which characterizes the reign of a righteous king. (In verse 4 shaphat occurs and is rendered “vindicate.”) The righteous king rules in righteousness (v. 2). He cares for the afflicted (vv. 2,4,12-14). Under him the righteous prosper (vv. 7,16), while the wicked are crushed (v. 4). To judge righteously is to rule as the righteous king described by Solomon in Psalm 72.

God has convened His court in the midst of the congregation of Israel. In particular, His grievance is with the leaders of the nation Israel. The specifics of the indictment are outlined in verse 2.

God’s Indictment
(82:2)

2 How long will you judge unjustly, And show partiality to the wicked? Selah. (NASB)

Those being rebuked in Psalm 82 are, first and foremost, Israel’s rulers, who were responsible to promote justice, to punish evildoers, and to defend the weak and the oppressed. Verse 2 indicates that Israel’s leaders had failed in their responsibilities. Injustice was promoted and the wicked were honored and treated with partiality (literally, their face was lifted, almost in the sense that a benediction was pronounced on them). The expression “how long” implies unjust judgment and partiality had been long standing. Unrighteous leadership was not the exception; it was the norm.

The mood of the Psalm suggests that God’s patience with the corrupt leadership was exhausted. Verses 2-4 contain the response of the Supreme Judge of the universe, the Righteous Ruler of the earth. Partiality and unjust judgment must come to an end. More than this, righteous rule must be restored. Verses 3 and 4 state positively what those who stand in God’s place as rulers must do.

The Change Commanded
(82:3-4)

3 Vindicate the weak and fatherless; Do justice to the afflicted and destitute. 4 Rescue the weak and needy; Deliver them out of the hand of the wicked. (NASB)

The weak, fatherless and afflicted must be cared for and protected from wicked men since their vulnerability made them easy prey. Evil rulers not only fail to reward those who do good, and to punish the wicked, they actually prey upon the weak and the defenseless. Through Ezekiel God condemned Israel’s leaders, her shepherds, for failing to care for the flock and also for devouring it:

Then the word of the Lord came to me saying, “Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel. Prophesy and say to those shepherds, ‘Thus says the Lord God, “Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock? You eat the fat and clothe yourselves with the wool, you slaughter the fat sheep without feeding the flock. Those who are sickly you have not strengthened, the diseased you have not healed, the broken you have not bound up, the scattered you have not brought back, nor have you sought for the lost; but with force and with severity you have dominated them”’” (Ezek. 34:1-4).

Likewise, the Lord sternly condemned the scribes for “devouring widow’s houses” (Luke 20:46-47).

The test of a godly leader is what he does on behalf of the poor and the oppressed. Anyone will gladly come to the aid of one who has power and prestige, who is able to return the favor. Our Lord teaches that we are tested in terms of what we do for the “least of our brethren”:

“And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me’” (Matt. 25:40).

God has a particular concern for those who are powerless, poor, and without adequate human protection. Any ruler who is to reflect God in His administration must have the same concern for the oppressed and the afflicted.

Unrighteous Rule:
Its Causes and Consequences
(82:5-7)

5 They do not know nor do they understand; They walk about in darkness; All the foundations of the earth are shaken. 6 I said, “You are gods, And all of you are sons of the Most High. 7 Nevertheless you will die like men, And fall like any one of the princes.” (NASB)

It is difficult to dogmatically determine the antecedent of the pronoun “they” in verse 5. Are “they” the wicked previously spoken of in verses 2-4, or are “they” the weak and the needy who are oppressed by the wicked? Perhaps both are in view, since those who lead often infect others with their own ailments. The sins of the fathers are visited on the sons (Exod. 20:5). In the New Testament Jesus called the wicked religious leaders “blind leaders of the blind” (Matt. 15:14), who fell into the pit, along with their followers. Thus both ungodly leaders and those who follow them lack understanding, so that they grope about as in the darkness. A similar condition is described by Hosea:

So you will stumble by day, and the prophet also will stumble with you by night; and I will destroy your mother. My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children (Hos. 4:5-6).

The lack of knowledge and understanding referred to in Psalm 82:5 is explained in the Book of Jeremiah:

“For My people are foolish, they know Me not; they are stupid children, and they have no understanding. They are shrewd to do evil, but to do good they do not know” (Jer. 4:22).

“Did not your father eat and drink, and do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him. He pled the cause of the afflicted and needy; then it was well. Is not that what it means to know Me?” declares the Lord. “But your eyes and your heart are intent only upon your own dishonest gain, and on shedding innocent blood and on practicing oppression and extortion” (Jer. 22:15b-17).

Israel’s leaders, who are brought to the judgment bar of God in Psalm 82, do not know God. Their ignorance and lack of knowledge is evidenced by their injustice and oppression of the afflicted and needy.

Since the nations were to be established on righteousness and justice (Prov. 16:12; 24:3; 25:5; 29:14), when the wicked rule the foundations are shaken (Ps. 82:5). When the Lord reigns the world is firmly settled:

The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty; The Lord has clothed and girded Himself with strength; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved (Ps. 93:1).

Say among the nations, “The Lord reigns; Indeed, the world is firmly established, it will not be moved; He will judge the peoples with equity (Ps. 96:10).

Verse 6 is crucial, both to this psalm and to the argument which our Lord bases upon its citation in John 10. “I said, ‘You are gods, and all of you are sons of the Most High.’” Earthly rulers must be reminded of the fact that they are to act in God’s place. They are to exercise power in His name. They are also to act in accord with His character and His commands. As the apostle Paul put it, an earthly ruler is “… a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath upon the one who practices evil” (Rom. 13:4). If we do what is good we will “… have praise from the same” (Rom. 13:3). Earthly rulers are only “god-like” when they rule as God would rule.

Verse 6 also serves to remind human magistrates that they are in a position of authority because God appointed them (cf. Rom. 13:1). Often, when human rulers obtain power and prestige, they forget the source of their authority. Thus Nebuchadnezzar had to be humbled by living as a beast:

“King Nebuchadnezzar, to you it is declared: sovereignty has been removed from you, and you will be driven away from mankind, and your dwelling place will be with the beasts of the field. You will be given grass to eat like cattle, and seven periods of time will pass over you, until you recognize that the Most High is ruler over the realm of mankind, and bestows it on whomever He wishes” (Dan. 4:31b-32).

It is possible that the second line of verse 6 is the kind of (synonymous) poetic parallelism which merely restates the thought of the first in different words. I am inclined to think that the second line builds upon the first. While the first line addresses only the rulers, the second broadens the scope of God’s warning to include the entire community of Israel (“all of you”). Now, of course, this may mean “all of you rulers.” I am inclined to think that the condemnation of the earlier verses is being broadened to include all of the people of Israel. After all, how can men be leaders unless there be followers? Many passages place responsibility for just rulers and just rule on all of Israel, not just on its leadership.

“You shall not bear a false report; do not join your hand with a wicked man to be a malicious witness. You shall not follow a multitude in doing evil, nor shall you testify in a dispute so as to turn aside after a multitude in order to pervert justice” (Exod. 23:1-2).

“You shall appoint for yourself judges and officers in all your towns which the Lord your God is giving you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. You shall not distort justice; you shall not be partial, and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and perverts the word of the righteous. Justice, and only justice, you shall pursue, that you may live and possess the land which the Lord your God is giving you” (Deut. 16:18-20).

These passages teach that the responsibility for godly leadership rests upon the community. The people as a whole have an obligation to make sure that godly leaders are appointed. They must resist peer pressure and stand alone, if necessary, in upholding righteousness.

I believe that while God appoints certain men to lead, He expects all of His people to be leaders when it comes to doing what is right. God created man to rule over His creation (Gen. 1:26, 28). Even after the fall of man and the flood, man was still commanded to rule, since he remained a creation in God’s image (Gen. 9:1-7). If Israel would but obey, God promised to make His people a “kingdom of priests” (Exod. 19:6). While this did not happen in Israel’s day, it is a promise partially fulfilled in the church (1 Pet. 2:5) and will be completely fulfilled in the Kingdom which is to come (cf. Rev. 1:6; 20:6). Not only did Israel as a nation have its rulers, Israel was to rule as a nation, seeking to practice and to promote God’s righteousness on the earth. In Hosea 4:6, Israel, as a nation, is rejected by God as His priest among the nations (cf. Exod. 19:6).

The expression “sons of the Most High” is, I believe, virtually equivalent to “son of God”. This phrase, while it applies specifically to Messiah, also refers to those who rule. God established a special relationship with David when He appointed him as king of Israel. The relationship between God and David was one of a father and a son:

“I will be a father to him and he will be a son to Me; when he commits iniquity, I will correct him with the rod of men and the strokes of the sons of men, but My lovingkindness shall not depart from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you” (2 Sam. 7:14-15).

Clearly, the father-son relationship here is between God and David and his sons (all of whom, except Christ, will sin). Sonship, ultimately, is conferred upon the Messiah, who will rule over the earth in righteousness:

I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, ‘Thou art My Son, today I have begotten Thee. Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Thine inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Thy possession’ (Ps. 2:7-8).

Ultimately God will reign in the person of His Son, the Messiah. For now, He reigns through His “sons,” the “gods” who are appointed to reign in His stead. It must also be said, God is to reign in and through His people collectively. We who belong to Him are all His sons, destined to reign with Him in the future (cf. 2 Tim. 2:12; Rev. 20:6), but also to actively promote righteousness now.

The kings of ancient days were frequently worshipped as “gods” (cf. Acts 12:22-23). Perhaps they viewed themselves as “gods,” too, but in a sense different from that conveyed in verse 6. Let such “heady” rulers remember they are only men and they will die like mere mortals.

Interestingly, the word “men” in verse 7 is adam in the Hebrew. He was created in the image of God and destined to rule over God’s creation. Had Adam obeyed God and carried out his calling, he would have lived forever. Due to his disobedience he failed to enjoy the high calling that was his. Let the rulers appointed by God learn from this. In spite of the dignity and power bestowed on them, they will be judged like men (and like Adam). They are, after all, mere men. In their pride this can easily be forgotten, just as we see in the case of Nebuchadnezzar (Dan. 4:28-37) and Herod (Acts 12:18-23). Like the princes before them who failed to remember their responsibility before God, the ungodly rulers of this Psalm will fall. The word “fall” in the second line of verse 7 may, as A. R. Fausset suggests, signify “God’s judgment by a violent death.”¹³⁷ Such warning should serve to humble those who rule arrogantly. A high calling does not necessarily result in a glorious conclusion. Let those who have such a calling carry out their task with humility and diligence.

The Ultimate Cure: Come Lord Jesus
(82:8)

8 Arise, O God, judge the earth! For it is Thou who dost possess all the nations. (NASB)

Despite all the warnings of the first seven verses, the psalmist realizes that righteous rule will only prevail on the earth when God Himself reigns in the person of His Son, Messiah. Verse 8 concludes this psalm with a petition that the God who possesses the earth might establish righteousness fully and finally: “Arise, O God, judge the earth! For it is Thou who dost possess all the nations.” This is the equivalent of what we read in the New Testament: “Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven” (Matt. 7:10; cf. 1 Cor. 16:22; Rev. 22:20).

The psalmist turns from the general subject of righteous rule to the specific solution: the Righteous Ruler. Only when He comes will there be a rule that is truly righteous. Here is the messianic hope of the Old Testament saint. Even the great kings like David and Solomon fell short of God’s ideal. Messiah Himself must come before the ideal government will become a reality.

Our Lord’s Interpretation of Psalm 82:6

Jesus answered them, “Has it not been written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? (John 10:34).

John’s purpose in writing his gospel is explicitly stated to be that of convincing his readers of the deity of Christ (20:30-31). In order to do this John recorded a series of signs (cf. 20:30) which led to the inevitable conclusion that Jesus was not only God, but also Israel’s Messiah. As the evidence mounts in this gospel, so does the opposition. While the disciples soon began to believe in Jesus (cf. 1:49; 2:11), the scribes and Pharisees quickly rejected Him, especially after the cleansing of the temple (2:14-22). Early on, the Jewish rulers sought to put Jesus to death, and each new confrontation with Him only added to their determination (5:18).

With this growing opposition there was an accompanying polarization among the people. The division became wider and wider: “The Jews therefore began to argue with one another, saying, ‘How can this man give us His flesh to eat?’” (6:52) As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew, and were not walking with Him any more (6:66).

And there was much grumbling among the multitudes concerning Him; some were saying, “He is a good man”; others were saying, “No, on the contrary, He leads the multitude astray.” Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews (7:12-13).

Therefore some of the people of Jerusalem were saying, “Is this not the man whom they are seeking to kill? And look, He is speaking publicly, and they are saying nothing to Him. The rulers do not really know that this is the Christ, do they? (7:25-26).

They were seeking therefore to seize Him; and no man laid his hand on Him, because His hour had not yet come. But many of the multitude believed in Him; and they were saying, “When the Christ shall come, He will not perform more signs than those which this man has, will He?” (7:30-31).

Some of the multitude therefore, when they heard these words, were saying, “This certainly is the Prophet.” Others were saying, “This is the Christ.” Still others were saying, “Surely the Christ is not going to come from Galilee, is He?” … So there arose a division in the multitude because of Him (7:40-41, 43).

There arose a division again among the Jews because of these words. And many of them were saying, “He has a demon, and is insane. Why do you listen to Him?” Others were saying, “These are not the sayings of one demon-possessed. A demon cannot open the eyes of the blind, can he?” (10:19-21).

While some had come to believe Jesus was the promised Messiah, many had chosen to follow their leaders in rejecting Him. The feeding of the five thousand and giving sight to the man born blind failed to convince the critics of our Lord. While they attributed His miracles to demonic powers (8:48; 10:20), His teaching they considered outright blasphemy. In John 8:58 Jesus claimed to be the “I AM” of the Old Testament, and therefore the Jews attempted to stone Him (8:59). Jesus’ claims continued. In chapter nine He taught that He was the “light of the world” (v. 5). In chapter ten He said, “I and the Father are one” (v. 30).

One of the central issues involved in the conflict between our Lord and the religious leadership of the nation was who had the authority to lead. They quickly noted that Jesus was gathering disciples and baptizing them, even more than John the Baptist (John 4:1-2). Jesus claimed His authority to judge came from the Father (5:22,27,30). Jesus accused his opponents of judging “according to appearance” rather than “with righteous judgment” (7:24). The scribes and Pharisees sought to condemn the woman caught in adultery (8:4-5), but Jesus refused to condemn her (8:10-11). He then accused the Jewish leaders of judging “according to the flesh” (8:15), while He judged according to truth (8:16,26). When the blind man was given sight, the judgment controversy again surfaced:

And Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see; and that those who see may become blind.” Those of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these things, and said to Him, “We are not blind too, are we?” (9:39-40).

In John 10 our Lord boldly spoke forth, identifying Himself as the Messiah and the Good Shepherd. He also made it clear that the religious leaders who had rejected Him were the evil shepherds, like those depicted centuries earlier by the prophet Ezekiel (Ezek. 34). God promised to come and to judge between the sheep, and to set up one shepherd over His flock:

Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them, “Behold, I, even I, will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you push with side and with shoulder, and thrust at all the weak with your horns, until you have scattered them abroad, therefore, I will deliver My flock, and they will no longer be a prey; and I will judge between one sheep and another. Then I will set over them one shepherd, My servant David, and he will feed them; he will feed them himself and be their shepherd” (Ezek. 34:20-23).

When our Lord announced that He was the Shepherd, the good One, He identified Himself as the fulfillment of Ezekiel’s prophecy.¹³⁸ He also identified His opponents, the religious leaders of the nation Israel, as the shepherds who dominated and abused the flock, rather than caring for the weak and the sickly (Ezek. 34:1-4). No wonder they reacted to Jesus’ teaching so violently and wanted to stone Him (John 10:31,39).

When accused of blasphemy, Jesus based His defense on the statement quoted from Psalm 82:6: “I said, you are gods.” This was no time for clever tricks or weak arguments. When Jesus referred to this psalm, He did so, I believe, because no passage argued His case more forcefully. It is not just that one verse, but the argument of the entire psalm upon which Jesus rested His defense. Psalm 82 warned the unrighteous judges (leaders) of Israel of God’s impending judgment upon them. When Jesus appealed to this psalm He not only identified Himself as the fulfillment of verse 8, He also identified them as the fulfillment of verses 1-7. The warning of the psalm was being fulfilled in their midst. God had finally come to judge the “gods.” How much better the name God suited Jesus than the title “gods” suited the scribes and the Pharisees.

To have understood the message of Psalm 82 and our Lord’s application of it would have been to bow the knee to Him as the Son of God, the promised Messiah. To reject this message was to reject the Messiah, which, in fact, many did. No one better interpreted or applied Psalm 82 than our Lord. No one better fulfilled it than He.

Conclusion

The relevance of Psalm 82 to the people of our Lord’s day is now obvious. The people must ascertain the person and character of the Righteous Judge. Either the religious leaders were correct (and Jesus must be put to death) or Jesus is God’s Righteous Ruler (and the Jewish leaders must be rejected). Even today, men must make the same decision. Either we bow the knee now to the Lord Jesus as our Savior, or we will bow the knee to Him as our Judge (Phil. 2:9-11). Let us do so now, so that we will not stand before Him condemned.

There are other applications for us as well. Let me suggest three areas to which Psalm 82 speaks. First, this psalm should serve as a somber warning to all who lead, regardless of the level of leadership. I fear that many seek leadership positions for the power and the prestige they seem to offer. There is, Psalm 82 informs us, power and authority invested in leaders. That is part of the reason why the word elohim is employed in the psalm. However, the authority and power of leadership is not ours; it is God’s. To fail to exercise our God-given power consistent with God’s character and commands is to fall under His judgment. Let those of us who lead do so with “fear and trembling”. Also, let us remember that power has been given, not so much for our benefit, as for the protection of those who are weak and oppressed. The measure of any leader’s effectiveness is his protection and care for the weak. In short, leaders are called of God to serve others, not to be served, even as our Lord came to serve at the sacrifice of His life (Mark 10:45).

Second, there is a lesson here for those who are under authority. I have personally gained a new appreciation for the dignity of the office God has given leaders. In Ephesians Paul exhorts wives to submit to their own husbands as “to the Lord” (5:22), and slaves to submit to their masters as “to Christ” (6:5). Peter, in urging wives to submit to their husbands, refers to Sarah, who expressed her submission to Abraham by calling him “lord” (1 Pet. 3:6). All of this causes me to think that submission to God-given authorities involves a deeper reverence or respect than I have been inclined to suppose in the past. We are not to respect or reverence earthly authorities as God, but given the teaching of the Bible we do need to see them in the light of their God-given position and power. For me, this requires more respect than I have heretofore given.

Furthermore, Psalm 82 also warns me about following the right leaders. While God holds leaders accountable for their administration, He also holds me accountable for following them, in particular, when they are wrong and I know it. I understand Jesus to be warning His listeners about following their leaders when He cited Psalm 82:6. The nation Israel had a choice to make. Would they follow their leaders in rejecting Christ and putting Him to death, or would they follow the Good Shepherd? The pattern of the Scriptures, as I understand them, is that we ought not attempt the overthrow of a corrupt government, but that we must refuse to obey it when its commands are contrary to the revealed word of God (cf. Dan. 3:13-18; 6:10; Acts 5:29).

Strange as it may seem, Psalm 82 has something to say to us about church discipline. The church members are “gods” in the same way that Israel’s leaders were, because we are assigned the responsibility of acting in God’s behalf when church members willfully disregard God’s word and the warning of fellow saints. With this is mind, look once more at our Lord’s words to His church:

“And if your brother sins, go and reprove him in private; if he listens to you, you have won your brother. But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that by the mouth of two or three witnesses every fact may be confirmed. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax-gatherer. Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. Again I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. For where two or three have gathered together in My name, there I am in their midst” (Matt. 18:15-20).

Are we not taught that we are to act for God in this matter of correction and that God is intimately involved with the decisions of the church in the discipline of willful members of His body, the church? I believe that this is what Paul practiced in 1 Corinthians 5:5-6 when he turned a sinful member over to Satan in “the name of our Lord Jesus.” Church discipline is essential because God has instructed us to act in His behalf when fellow Christians fail to heed God’s word. To fail to obey God in this unpleasant task is to misrepresent the character of God and to disobey His command to us to reflect His holiness by dealing with sin in the church (cf. 1 Cor. 5:6-8).

Finally, I see a very clear command that we, as Christians (and thus, sons of God), must be concerned about social justice. James puts it this way: “This is pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father, to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (James 1:27).

While Christians have often been at the forefront of the cause of the poor and the oppressed throughout history, it is amazing to me that many Christians today are apathetic about social justice. The reasons are various. Some shy away from it because the “liberals” are taking up the banner of social justice. Others seem to be passive because they view the time immediately preceding Christ’s return as days of apostasy and social decadence (Paul believed this too, cf. 2 Tim. 3:1-13, and so do I). They therefore seem to stand idly by, as mere spectators, often delighted by what they see, for they feel it must mean that our Lord’s return is near.

Let me remind you that the psalmist also believed in the coming of Christ. This was something for which he prayed (v. 8). Nevertheless, this did not deter him from warning unrighteous rulers, nor did he hold back from exhorting leaders to look out for the needs of the weak and the oppressed (vv. 3-4). Indeed, even in the darkest hours of man’s history, before the return of our Lord, it is the treatment of the oppressed which serves as the standard for spirituality (Matt. 25:31-46).

I sometimes hear my Christian brothers and sisters bemoaning the fact that our country allows refugees to settle here, away from the ravages of war and political persecution. I do not mean to say that there are no good reasons for excluding some from coming to our country. What I am asking you to seriously consider is whether your reasons for opposing them are biblical, in the light of our study.

My political convictions, quite honestly, are somewhat to the right in the spectrum. I am not opposed to “Reaganomics” as many are. Yet, I want to suggest that some who cite conservative politics as their defense for cutting “social justice” matters out of the budget may be doing so for reasons which Psalm 82 condemns.

I understand that these matters are both sensitive and a matter of deep conviction. I simply urge you, regardless of your political and economic point of view to evaluate your positions in the light of the command to care for the weak and the oppressed. This is what rulers of days gone by failed to do. This is why our Lord came the first time. This is why He will come again as the Righteous Ruler. Even so, come Lord Jesus.

127 “The word nitzabh denotes a deliberate and formal act, connected with a definite purpose. I Sam. 19:20.” J. J. Stewart Perowne, The Book of Psalms (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, l972), II, p. 105.

128 “The word ‘edah is frequently applied to the congregation of Israel as such.” H. C. Leupold, Exposition of Psalms (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House [reprint], 1969), p. 594. [Israel is called the ‘congregation of Jehovah’ in Num. 27:17; 31:16; Josh. 22:16-17.]

129 “In more recent years scholars have tended to identify the ‘elohim with the national gods of the various peoples of the world, who have been demoted to the position of Yahweh’s servants …” A. A. Anderson, The Book of Psalms (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1981), II, p. 592.

Such “gods” however do not exist, nor are they responsible for administering justice on the earth. How can a non-existent god be summoned to judgment or be threatened with death? How then can our Lord possibly use this psalm, thus interpreted, to prove His deity?

130 Kirkpatrick mentions this as one of the interpretations which should be rejected. A. F. Kirkpatrick, The Book of Psalms (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House [reprint], 1982), p. 495.

131 “… these ‘gods’ are ‘principalities and powers’, ‘the world rulers of this present darkness’ (cf. Eph. 6:12). … On the whole this view seems truer than the former to the language of the psalm (e.g. verse 7) and to the occasional Old Testament use of the term ‘gods’ or ‘sons of God’ for angels (see on Ps. 8:5; cf. Jb. 1:6; 38:7).” Derek Kidner, Psalms 73-150 (Downers Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1975), p. 297.

While Kidner’s argument is based upon a sound effort to define the term “gods” from usage elsewhere in the Old Testament, it hardly gives good sense to the psalm, and it seems inconsistent with the argument which our Lord develops from the psalm in John 10. Kirkpatrick’s rebuttal of the view held by Kidner is forceful: “The idea that angels can be punished with death is startling, and foreign to the O. T. view of angelic nature. … There is not the slightest hint that vv. 2-4 refer to anything but the oppression of men by men. The language, as has been pointed out above, closely resembles that of the Law and the Prophets, and there is no reason for taking it in a non-natural sense.” Kirkpatrick, p. 495.

132 Leupold says this psalm “… presents a judgment pronounced by the Lord on the judges or rulers of Israel. For in Israel the term judges had practically the same meaning as the term rulers, the Israelite usage being derived from the chief function of rulers. … Up to about seventy years ago there was a practical unanimity in the church as to the interpretation of this psalm, commentators being agreed that it treated the subject just as we have just indicated.” Leupold, p. 592.

133 Brown, Francis; Driver, S. R.; and Charles Briggs. A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1966), p. 43.

134 The word here rendered “gods” is elim, not elohim. These two words are related, but not identical. Kirkpatrick remarks, “Elim, however is not so used elsewhere, and may simply mean ‘mighty ones.’” Kirkpatrick, p. 327.

135 “Stands” here is a translation of the Hebrew word, ‘omed, and is therefore not the same word as in Psalm 82:1. The force of the two is nearly the same, however, a fact which Perowne notes. Cf. Perowne, p. 105.

136 “Shaphat,” Robert D. Culver, Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (Chicago: Moody Press, 1980), II, p. 947. This is an excellent article (pp. 947-949), which I highly recommend for your reading.

137 Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, A Commentary Critical Experimental and Practical on the Old and New Testaments (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans [photolithoprinted], 1967), III, p. 290.

138 Luke introduced our Lord as the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy: “And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book, and found the place where it was written, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are downtrodden, to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord’” (Luke 4:17-19). Here, Jesus identified Himself as the Messiah, Israel’s ideal leader. The thrust of His ministry was to do the very things which the wicked rulers of Israel (as indicated in Psalm 82) had failed to do.

December 11, 2016

All of God’s commandments in the Bible are beyond our ability to obey in the flesh, so we must rely on His indwelling Holy Spirit. But some of the Bible’s commands are not just difficult, but impossible. Matthew 5:48: “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” In all of history, no one except Jesus has ever come close to keeping that command! Or, could anyone claim to have achieved perfect obedience to the two great commandments, to love God with your total being and to love others as much as you love yourself (Matt. 22:37-39)?

Our text gives us three impossible commands (1 Thess. 5:16-18): “Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” If Paul had only said, “Rejoice a lot, pray often, and try to be thankful,” I maybe could say, “Okay, I’ll try to do that!” But no one honestly can say, “I rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and in everything give thanks!” And you can’t resolve, “I’ll start obeying those commands today!” Next week, you couldn’t honestly say, “I’ve kept those commands this past week. There wasn’t a single moment when I wasn’t rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks!”

So what do we do with these impossible commands? Curiously, John Stott (The Message of 1 & 2 Thessalonians [IVP Academic], p. 124) argues that these commands are not directed to us individually, but rather to the church regarding our public worship. He says that joy and happiness are not at our command, to turn “on and off like a tap.” But there are many biblical commands to rejoice and be glad in the Lord. And while our corporate worship should be filled with joy, prayer, and thanksgiving, we will not do these together in worship if we haven’t been doing them individually during the week. So I think that they must apply to us individually first.

It’s interesting that Paul doesn’t offer any explanation or help here on what these commands mean or how we can obey them. He just states them in staccato fashion and moves on! But other Scriptures do offer some help in understanding what these commands mean and how we can begin to develop the attitudes and habits that will help us move toward the mark, even if in this life we will never obey these commands perfectly. Paul’s idea is easily stated:

God commands us to rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and give thanks in everything.

With each command, I want to explain what it means and give some help on how to grow in obeying it. Note, also, that Paul says (1 Thess. 5:18), “for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” Virtually all commentators agree that “this” refers to the previous three commands, not just to the third. You may have trouble discerning God’s will in some areas of your life. But, rejoicing always, praying without ceasing, and giving thanks are always God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

That last phrase gives the underlying clue as to how we can begin to obey these commands: We must be “in Christ Jesus.” Without being in union with Him through His indwelling Holy Spirit, we could never come close to obeying these commands. We are placed into union with Christ the moment that we trust in Him to save us from God’s judgment that we deserve because of our sins. As Paul says (1 Cor. 1:30), “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption.”

So to obey these impossible commands, we must have experienced the new birth so that we are in Christ and He dwells in us. As we learn to abide in Him and trust in Him to work through us, we will progressively become conformed to His image. Jesus was always rejoicing, always praying, and always thankful. So being in Him and relying on Him are the keys to becoming like Him in these three qualities.

1. God commands us to rejoice always.

What does this command mean?

Does “rejoicing always” mean that you always go around with a smile on your face and an upbeat “Tigger” bounce in your steps? Are you sinning if you ever feel sad, depressed, upset, or grieved? I have met Christians who seem to think so. One man I used to know had some major problems in his life. But whenever I asked, “How are you doing?” he would reply, “I’m just praising the Lord!” He seemed to think that it would be unspiritual to reply, “I’m really struggling with some things.” I think he had bought into the positive confession heresy that our words create reality. So he always put on a happy face and said that he was praising the Lord. But he seemed to be denying reality.

If “rejoicing always” means always being upbeat and never feeling sadness, then we have a problem, because neither Jesus nor Paul were always happy. It’s interesting that the shortest verse in the Greek New Testament is (1 Thess. 5:16), “Rejoice always,” but the shortest verse in the English New Testament is (John 11:35), “Jesus wept.” As He faced the cross, Jesus prayed “with loud crying and tears” (Heb. 5:7). In 2 Corinthians 6:10, Paul described himself, “as sorrowful yet always rejoicing.” In Romans 12:15, he tells us, “Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.” He does not say, “Exhort those who weep to stop weeping and start rejoicing!”

So “rejoice always” does not mean, “Deny your feelings, put on a happy face, and never feel sad.” Regarding the trials that God brings into our lives to train us as His children, the Bible acknowledges (Heb. 12:11), “All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness.”

So, what does Paul mean when he commands, “Rejoice always”? First, it’s important to remember that he wrote this to new believers who were suffering persecution because of their faith (1 Thess. 3:3-4). And the command follows Paul’s exhortation that we should not get even when someone mistreats us. Probably Paul had taught them Jesus’ words (Matt. 5:11-12):

“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

Or, as James (1:2-3) put it: “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance.” In Romans 5:3-5, Paul wrote, “And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”

So, given their difficult circumstances, this command to rejoice always has to be viewed not primarily as a matter of feelings, but rather of obedience. When we are in difficult trials or if people have mistreated us because of our faith, we have a choice: either we can focus on our trials and lapse into self-pity. Or we can set our minds on the things above, where Christ is at the right hand of God, where our life is hidden in Him (Col. 3:1-4), and rejoice. As Paul commanded the Philippians (4:4), “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice!” That little phrase, “in the Lord” is the key. Since we are eternally “in the Lord” through faith in Christ, we can always rejoice “in the Lord.” Our joy cannot be totally oblivious to circumstances, but neither should it be governed by them.

So “rejoicing always” is a conscious attitude of contentment, hope, and happiness that comes from deliberately focusing on Christ and the eternal treasures that we have received freely from Him. Sometimes, as John Piper puts it (When I Don’t Desire God [Crossway]), we have to “fight for joy” in the Lord. We see this often in the Psalms. The psalm begins with the psalmist crying out to God for help in the midst of some life-threatening trial. But by the end of the psalm he’s praising the Lord and rejoicing in Him, even though his circumstances haven’t yet changed. What changed was his deliberate focus on the Lord. For example, Psalm 5 begins with David mentioning his groaning and his cry for help. As the psalm unfolds, we see that he was groaning because of enemies, whose inward part was destruction and their throats an open grave (Ps. 5:9). But having meditated on God’s abundant lovingkindness (Ps. 5:7), David concludes on this triumphant note (Ps. 5:11-12):

But let all who take refuge in You be glad,
Let them ever sing for joy;
And may You shelter them,
That those who love Your name may exult in You.
For it is You who blesses the righteous man, O Lord,
You surround him with favor as with a shield.

Of course, Paul himself had displayed this deliberate joy in the Lord when he was unjustly arrested, beaten without a trial, and thrown into the stocks in the Philippian jail. At midnight, he and Silas were praying and singing hymns of praise to God (Acts 16:25). The same was true of the apostles. After the Jewish leaders flogged them for preaching the resurrection of Jesus, we read (Acts 5:41), “So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name.” So to rejoice always means that we must make this deliberate choice to focus on the Lord and the unfathomable riches that we have in Him, not on our difficult circumstances. And this joy shines the brightest in dark situations. If we do all things with joy in the Lord rather than grumbling or complaining, we will stand out as lights in this dark world (Phil. 2:14-15).

Leon Morris (The First and Second Epistles to the Thessalonians [Eerdmans], p. 172) observes about these first century believers:

Persecution was always threatening and often actual. The believers were usually in straitened circumstances and compelled to work hard for a living. Their lot can rarely have been other than hard. But if we fasten our attention on these things we put our emphasis in the wrong place. They thought more of their Lord than of their difficulties; more of their spiritual riches in Christ than of their poverty on earth; more of the glorious future when their Lord should come again than of their unhappy past.

So the question becomes,

How can we develop a habit of rejoicing always?

First, daily focus on the riches that God has freely given you in Christ. For example, Ephesians 1:3-14 says that you have all spiritual blessings in Him. God chose you in Him before the foundation of the world. In love, He predestined you to adoption as His child. He freely bestowed His grace on you in Christ. In Him you have redemption and forgiveness of all your sins, lavished upon you by His grace. He has made known to you the mystery of His will. He has given you an inheritance and has sealed you with the Holy Spirit of promise. Now, what is your problem?

Second, walk in the Spirit, not the flesh. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22). To walk in the Spirit means daily to yield to Him and to rely on Him to control your life in every situation. It takes time to produce fruit. It doesn’t pop out on a tree the day after you plant it! But if you walk consistently by the Spirit, eventually the fruit of joy will be yours.

Third, sing! If you’re feeling down, get out a hymnbook or put on some solid Christian music and sing of God’s goodness, grace, and love. Singing is one way of implementing the first strategy—focusing on the riches that God has freely given to you in Christ. I have not verified it, but I heard once that the most frequent command in the Bible is, “Sing!” The longest book in the Bible is a songbook. Use it often to set your mind on the things above.

2. God commands us to pray without ceasing.

What does this command mean?

Does this mean that you must pray every waking moment? Obviously, not, because neither Paul nor the Lord Jesus did that. It is helpful to know that the word translated “without ceasing” was used of a hacking cough. A person with a bad cough doesn’t cough continuously, but often and repeatedly. It was also used of repeated military attacks. An army would attack a city but not succeed. They would regroup and attack over and over until they won the victory.

Even so, our prayers should be frequent and persistent. Like the friend who came at midnight to ask for a loaf of bread (Luke 11:5-13), we keep knocking until we get what we’re after. Like the widow who kept bothering the unjust judge (Luke 18:1-8), we keep coming back until we obtain what we were asking for.

Rejoicing always and praying without ceasing are related, because it is through prayer that we lay hold of the riches that we have in Christ, which are the source of true joy. Prayer claims the promises of God in our trials. Laying hold of God’s promises brings joy, because we know that He is for us. As Paul wrote (Rom. 8:31-32), “If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”

How can we develop a habit of praying without ceasing?

It’s a lifelong process. But, first, (in the words of Paul Miller, A Praying Life [NavPress], p. 44), “Know that … you can’t do life on your own.” In other words, recognize your need to depend on the Lord in every situation. Prayer is the language of trusting in the Lord.

Second, send up short prayers whenever you can. When you think of a loved one or friend, send up a short prayer for him or her. When someone asks you to pray for some need, don’t promise to pray later and then forget. Pray right there with the person. I love the scene where Nehemiah, the cupbearer to the pagan King Artaxerxes, had been sad in the king’s presence. This was a serious offense and Nehemiah was afraid. He explained to the king that he was sad because his home city, Jerusalem, was desolate and destroyed. The king asked what Nehemiah would request. Nehemiah (2:4-5) reports, “So I prayed to the God of heaven. I said to the king ….” I’m sure he didn’t excuse himself for a few minutes of prayer! Rather, he shot up a silent prayer to God and then spoke to the king.

Third, spend time in God’s word and prayer each morning. Pray the word back to God. The Psalms are helpful in this way, but also all of Scripture (see Donald Whitney, Praying the Bible [Crossway]). Keep asking until you receive, seeking until you find, and knocking until the door is opened unto you (Luke 11:9-10).

Fourth, read some good books on prayer. Two that I’ve found helpful are Paul Miller’s A Praying Life [NavPress] and Bill Thrasher’s A Journey to Victorious Praying [Moody Publishers]. Also, Answers to Prayer [Moody] from George Muller’s Journal, George Muller of Bristol [Revell], by A. T. Pierson, and the 70 pages in John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion [Westminster Press], 3:20, are very helpful. On our church website, I have a short list of “Insights on Prayer” I gleaned from Calvin and Muller.

3. God commands us to give thanks in everything.

What does this command mean?

This command means that in every situation we are to give thanks to our sovereign and good God and Savior. In Ephesians 5:20, Paul puts it, “always giving thanks for all things in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to God, even the Father.” Giving thanks in every situation does not mean that we must be happy with every situation or resigned to accept matters without praying and working for change. I was not satisfied when I was single at age 26, and so I prayed often that God would change that. But by faith I could still thank Him, knowing that He was using that lonely time in my life to deepen my relationship with Him. And, ever since He answered my prayer when I met Marla on January 5, 1974, I have been overflowing with thankfulness for His giving her to me.

Also, we don’t need to feel thankful before we give thanks. When God takes us through hard trials, we don’t feel thankful. But by faith we can say, “Lord, I trust that You are good and that You know what You’re doing in this difficult situation. I submit to Your sovereign hand and purpose, knowing that You will work it together for my good.” So, like rejoicing always, giving thanks in everything is often a choice to believe God in difficult circumstances.

How can we develop a habit of thankfulness to God in every situation?

First, and most importantly, deepen your understanding of God’s sovereignty and goodness. The story of Joseph (Genesis 37-50) illustrates this truth. Joseph’s brothers hated him and planned to kill him until they saw a caravan of traders heading toward Egypt. So they cruelly sold their brother into slavery. He ended up getting thrown in prison, even though he obeyed God by resisting the advances of Potiphar’s wife. He begged the cupbearer to mention his case to Pharaoh so that he could be released, but the cupbearer forgot. Two years later, Joseph interpreted Pharaoh’s dream and was instantly elevated to the second most powerful position in the country.

Later, he was able to be reconciled to his brothers and to see his aged father again. But after Jacob died, the brothers feared that Joseph would get even with them for what they had done. At that point, Joseph wept and asked, “Am I in God’s place?” Then he revealed the theological perspective that had sustained him during those awful years of slavery and imprisonment (Gen. 50:20): “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.” Joseph saw God both as sovereign and good. Submitting to the sovereign goodness of God in every situation the key to a thankful heart.

Second, thankfulness will be our habit when trust in God is our habit. Thankfulness and trust are bound together. If you are trusting God, you’re thankful. If you are not thankful, then you’re not trusting God. This is illustrated with the children of Israel. God delivered them from slavery in Egypt by the ten miraculous plagues on the Egyptians, while sparing Israel. He miraculously brought them through the Red Sea and then closed the water on top of the pursuing Egyptian army. You would think that by this point, they could thankfully trust in God. But we read (Exod. 15:22-24) that they then went three days into the wilderness, found no water, and grumbled at Moses, which really was grumbling at God. They didn’t trust that the God who had powerfully saved them from slavery could provide water in the desert.

If you’re grumbling, you’re not trusting. If you’re not trusting, you’re not thankful. Develop a habit of trusting God, especially in trials, and you will thank Him both for His great salvation and for the opportunity to see Him work in your time of need.

Conclusion

Thirteen years before his conversion, John Wesley had a conversation one night with a porter of his college that impressed Wesley that there was more to Christianity than he had found. The porter had only one coat. He had eaten no food that day and yet his heart was full of gratitude to God. Wesley said to him, “You thank God when you have nothing to wear, nothing to eat, and no bed to lie upon? What else do you thank him for?”

“I thank him,” answered the porter, “that He has given me my life and being, and a heart to love Him, and a desire to serve Him.” (A. Skevington Wood, The Inextinguishable Blaze [Eerdmans], p. 100)

“Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks.” Even though we’ll never obey these commands perfectly, we should be working at making progress, because, “this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Application Questions

1. Where is the balance between not denying our feelings and yet not living by feelings, but by faith? For example, see Psalm 44.
2. Discuss: Is depression a sin? Always? Never? Sometimes?
3. Agree/disagree: Whatever one’s personality, every Christian can consistently experience God’s joy?
4. What has most helped you to grow in prayer and thankfulness?

Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2016, All Rights Reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The Lockman Foundation

耶稣在加利利海平静风浪是福音书中最为人津津乐道的故事。只要阅读马太福音 8:23-27这几节经文，我们便能得出耶稣拥有在大自然之上的权柄，而门徒因信心薄弱的缘故而感到害怕。马太福音以一系列的故事报告了耶稣在各领域权柄，这些故事的范围还包括：疾病、灵异世界、死亡和罪。这些故事描绘这位王不仅是以色列的王，祂也是大自然的王。

这故事编排在第八章，无疑是要展示耶稣的权柄。若按时序，它应在耶稣地上事工较后期发生；大约在耶稣事工第二年的秋冬期间（公元31年秋冬）。这么说的理由是马太福音9:9 记载呼召马太的事迹，而马太目睹这些事件，所以呼召马太应在湖边各事件发生以前。马太若因修辞目的或神学目的而重新编排事件的记载次序，并没有问题。

处理这段经文时，你仍有一些明显的难题需要处理。当你阅读对观福音 ¹ 的经文时，你很快便会发现问题所在。这三篇平行的经文是马太福音8:23-27、马可福音4:37-41和路加福音8:23-25。

首先，马太福音记载门徒向耶稣呼求：「主啊！ 救我们，我们丧命啦！ 」马可则记载说：「夫子！ 我们丧命，你不顾么？ 」而路加福音的记载则是：「夫子！ 夫子！ 我们丧命啦！ 」这明显的「分歧」常常给我们好机会去理解对观福音。有些学者会尝试分析故事来决定门徒到底说了甚么话，为何福音书的作者的报导那么「混账」。可是，这些书虫的生硬观点，完全不真确。这些可以全都是门徒曾说的话，可能还不止这些呢！ 试想想，我们若在湖中遇到突然而至的滔天大浪，我们坐的小船正下沉；故事中的门徒正处于这种恐惧中，不同的话从他们口中呼喊出来。你认为他们会聚在一起商量，决定用甚么言辞后，找个代表去叫醒耶稣吗？ 当然不会。因此，将三卷福音书里门徒所说的话合起来，给我们反映了门徒在船上遇到灾难时的惊惶失措的场景。马太把他记得的记下；马可记录彼得的话写成马可福音，他把彼得所记得的记下来；路加透过研究写成路加福音，他追寻了一些其他人的记忆记下来。这并不是互相矛盾的陈述，也并不是差异。每位福音书的作者都记下了一些当时在船上发生的事情。

一个相似但较麻烦的问题，是耶稣斥责门徒的话有差异。按马太的记载，耶稣说：「你们这小信的人哪！ 为甚么胆怯呢？ 」马可的记载是：「为甚么胆怯？ 你们还没有信心么？ 」而路加则简单地记载：「你们的信心在那里呢？ 」这些记载有少许差异，他们的并非不同的人说不同的话，而是报告了耶稣所说的话。可是我们要记着，福音书的作者记载事情，并不是按口述抄录，他们是用自己的话讲述发生的事情。² 不同的福音书用了不同的措辞，他们都并不是不正确。耶稣斥责门徒信心微弱，路加捕捉了斥责的要点，撮要成一个问句；马太和马可的记载还包含了耶稣质询门徒为何害怕的言词。此外，马太选用「小信」，而马可却说：「你们还没有信心么？ 」马可的意思并非指门徒完全没有信心，他的意思是门徒已经跟随耶稣好些时日了，他要传递的信息是门徒信心不足够，他所说的其实和马太所说的相同。

当你比较这三本福音书的故事时，紧记福音书的作者可以自由地撮写一些讲话，或将所说的用他们自己的言词写出来。当所说的是重要的教导或一些经常重复的教导，他们在福音书的记载会则较接近确实的用语。有时一番肯定的话，可以问句形式写出来；又或许正面的，以反面的方式表达。他们尝试捕捉说了些甚么，但把捕捉到的用他们个别听众群体最容易理解的方式表达出来。

举个简单的例子：有一天，我在课堂给学生交功课的指示，我郑重地告诉他们只可在纸的一面书写。有一个位学生问另一位同学：「老师说甚么？ 」同学回答：「他说，不要写在纸的背面。」假如我们寻求一字不改或录音式的对话内容，那学生并非复述我的话；但却可以肯定那是我所说的话的意思。用另一个表达方式，也许能帮助那位同学较容易明白（他没有好好去聆听的习惯）。故此，当你遇到叙述上一些明显差异时（有些诠释者喜欢利用它们，把它们说成错误），要记着，作者有一定自由度，用他们自己的言词去总结或挑选部份材料写成他们的作品。但我们要小心，他们并不是以谎话去美化或点缀事件。

阅读经文

23 耶稣上了船，门徒跟着他。24 海里忽然起了暴风，甚至船被波浪掩盖；耶稣却睡着了。25 门徒来叫醒了他，说：「主阿，救我们，我们丧命啦！ 」

26 耶稣说：「你们这小信的人哪，为甚么胆怯呢？ 」于是起来，斥责风和海，风和海就大大的平静了。

27 众人希奇，说：「这是怎样的人？ 连风和海也听从他了！ 」

对观福音的平行经文

除了上述所提及的，马可还提供了一些额外资料：事件在晚上发生（ 4:35 ），耶稣说：「我们渡到那边去罢。」（4:35），有别的船和他们同行（4:36），耶稣在船尾上，枕着枕头睡觉（4:38），耶稣斥责风，向海说：「住了罢！ 静了罢！ 」（4:39），门徒大大的惧怕（4:41），彼此说：「这到底是谁？ 」（4:41）。

路加说「有一天」耶稣对门徒说：「我们可以渡到湖那边去。」（8:22），耶稣睡着了（8:23），湖上忽然起了暴风，船将满了水，甚是危险（8:23）。其它的差异则只是用语上的微小差异。

所以，三段经文合起来给我们一幅更完整的图画，将它们保持在脑海中很有帮助。不过，今次是查考马太福音的经文，因此，是次研经将会集中在马太福音所提出的各点。因为你是研读马太在福音书怎样处理这事件。

经文的背景和环境

我们若了解一些直接事件，再看故事的重点会有帮助。我们要处理加利利海突然而来的暴风。这海（若称它为「湖」则更贴切）在以色列北部，是该国的一个淡水湖，故此是一个捕鱼的好地方。在福音书经常被提及的迦百农和伯赛大在湖的西北和北部岸边的渔村。

这湖最阔的地方有七哩（形状像竖琴，因此在希伯来文被称为 “ Kinnereth ” ），湖的最深处有 160 呎，但在一年间的不同时期会有变化，湖面在海平线下 600 呎。这个故事发生的地方，应该在湖的西北，耶稣和门徒在迦百农附近上船，因他们在「对岸」格拉森附近下船（在湖的东面沿岸一半的路程）。

加利利海突然而来的风暴十分普遍。我曾计划与一组人乘船游湖，却因湖的对岸翻起十五呎高的巨浪而取消。这湖位于一个著名的裂谷，这条天然的裂缝从这地区的北面一直伸延，经过约旦河谷、死海、直到非洲。北面的黑门山高9,000呎，而死海却在海平线下1250呎，即从河谷到沙漠这个很短的距离，有极大的落差。河谷常常突然起热风，当遇上从北面黑门山而来的冷风，便会引发突然而来的风暴。

这些资料，你可以从一本好的神学辞典查到。假如你能亲身到以色列，便能更确切地感受到距离、气候、高度等情况。

经文中耶稣和门徒所乘坐的渔船并非是一艘大渔船。考古学家在数年前发现了一艘第一世纪同类的渔船。那年极干旱，湖水下降，他们在迦百农南岸发现一艘埋在泥中2000年的渔船，他们用了数年的时间把船修复。该船现在放在湖旁革尼撒勒一所新建的博物馆中。船并不大，乘坐十多人没有问题，但若坐很多的人便不可以了。因此，我们不难明白经文中那些在船上的人，纵使他们是经验丰富的渔夫，坐在这样的渔船上遇到风暴，也难免惊惶失措。

经文观察

结构 ：这段很短的经文，结构十分清晰，按描述的事情，可分为三部份。第一部份是湖突然起了风浪，门徒向耶稣求救；第二部份是耶稣责备门徒和平静风浪；第三部份是门徒对耶稣感到惊讶的话。

对比 ：我们亦可以从对比这个角度来看这故事。风暴与神迹后的平静作对比；门徒的惶恐不安和在船上睡觉的耶稣成对比；耶稣责备门徒和耶稣责备风浪作对比。假如我们将下一个故事也纳入范畴，门徒问这到底是谁也和鬼清楚知道耶稣是谁成对比。

马太喜欢把耶稣和普通人作对比，本章的对比反映福音书本身所提出的矛盾。当耶稣好像一般人被试探时，祂指摘撒旦（马太福音第四章）；当耶稣被质疑祂靠着鬼的力量，祂却把鬼赶出来（马太福音第十二章）。这段经文描述耶稣感到疲倦而睡了，但祂却能控制大自然（马太福音第八章）。

耶稣所说的话 。细看经文中耶稣说的话很有益处。上文，我们已经提及对话怎样给我们提供故事情节的意义，在这里也是如此。如果没有对话，我们便只有一场风暴，耶稣的门徒惊惶失措，耶稣平静风浪，门徒感到惊讶。但加上对话，我们便看到耶稣是按门徒的要求平静风浪。但在平静风浪以前，祂责备门徒小信，而事后门徒惊讶这是怎样的人。其实当门徒求耶稣拯救时，已回答了「这是怎样的人」。

在门徒请求耶稣与他们感到惊讶之间，耶稣责备他们信心微弱，是这段经文的焦点。这显示耶稣行这神迹并非为了证明祂的宣告，而是为了建立门徒的信心。

经文分析

这段经文十分简洁，而我们又已经留意到好些事情，因此在这里，我们的讨论也会很简洁。假如我们逐部份仔细地分析经文，我们可以观察到帮助我们得出经文的信息的一些事情。

I. 门徒在风浪中求主救他们（第23, 24节）

我们在上文已经讨论了船和风浪的问题，在此不再重述。经文提及耶稣登船（离开群众）和门徒随从祂上船。我不会因门徒和祂同行作太多的演绎（有些人会从一些普通句子得出一些属灵事项），因为原文翻作同行的那字，也用来描述那些不论耶稣往那里去也跟随祂，但却不信祂的群众。在这里，只是报告门徒跟随耶稣上船。

起风浪时，耶稣正在睡觉，但门徒却惊惶失措。其他福音书的经文还描述了他们惧怕，不过，从马太福音记述他们向耶稣所说的话：「我们丧命啦！ 」也能看到这一点。这些人中，有经验丰富的渔夫，他们在这湖面对过无数的风浪，但他们仍然害怕，这已显示出这次风浪十分厉害。

耶稣正在睡觉表达出人类的特质，值得注意。耶稣在群众中进行祂的事工，精疲力竭，纵然在风暴中，耶稣在船上睡着了。这点提醒我们耶稣也是百份百的人。

门徒所说的话很有趣：「主啊！ 救我们。」对于他们来说，这纯粹是一个紧急的请求，他们不想浸死。福音书的这类情节常被信徒群体保留下来，并且增添意义。「主，救我！ 」（Kyrie soson）成为有需要的人向主呼求的教会基本礼仪语言。

II. 耶稣平静风浪以激励门徒的信心（第26节）

耶稣对门徒的呼求所作的第一个回应是责备他们信心微弱。祂说：「你们这小信的人哪！ 」门徒对耶稣呼求是对的，同时表示他们相信耶稣能救他们；可是他们的恐惧出卖了他们的信心薄弱。他们到耶稣跟前时充满惶恐，并非带着信心。耶稣并没有责备他们把祂弄醒或求祂救他们，但却责备他们在惶恐中叫醒祂。他们已和耶稣在一起超过一年了（从时序得知），听了耶稣许许多多的教导和看见祂行的神迹，他们应当有更强的信心（「小信」亦曾在6:30; 14:31; 16:8; 17:20; 和路加福音 12:28 使用）。但他们正处身使他们惊惶失措的风浪中，他们想即使神的儿子和他们在一起，他们快要丧命了。故此，耶稣提出的修辞问句：「为甚么胆怯呢？ 」无须作答，意即告诉他们，祂在这里，他们没有甚么需要害怕的。

耶稣接着责备风和浪，它们便静止了。这里我们可以看到耶稣的话所带有的权柄在大自然之上。祂曾经使用祂的话语行神迹，现在祂再次使用祂的话语静止风浪。当然，一些自由派的神学家会说这是巧合，突然起的风浪也很可能是短暂的，而耶稣因知道这情况，在风浪将停的那一刻责备风浪。可是这样说却不合常理，因为那班极有经验的渔夫，直到耶稣把风浪平静前，都以为他们会丧命；如果风浪会突然静止，他们也定必能够预见。这是基督所行的一个神迹，显示祂的权柄在风浪之上。

经文中使用「斥责」一词有点特别，值得我们细看。这词一般用于谴责一些不当的事情，比如门徒信心薄弱，这给我们一些关于风浪的线索。虽然是一场大风浪，却是有关大自然别的问题的征状。

这词显示耶稣的权能。耶稣是百份百的人，但同时是「人子」（参马太福音16:21-23，但以理书7:13-14），这表明祂是弥赛亚，人人都相信祂就是全地的主。

耶稣使用带有权能的命令把风浪平静，也扫除了门徒的恐惧。透过在困境给予的照顾，耶稣去除他们的恐惧，帮助他们建立对祂的信心。耶稣斥责门徒的小信，并非只想指出他们信心薄弱，而是要解决他们信心薄弱的问题。每当他们回顾这事件时，他们便会想起耶稣问他们：「为甚么胆怯呢？ 」他们与祂同在时，不会再次如此惊惶失措。

这点成了这段经文给所有信徒的重点。纵然我们在生命中遇到很多威胁，使我们惧怕，当我们愈认识我们的主和祂的能力，我们就愈不会感到害怕。在祷告中祈求救我们脱离凶恶的祈求会减少，在惶恐和绝望中作这祈求也会减少；而怀着信心的祈求则会增加。

III. 门徒对祂的大能感到希奇（第27节）

门徒的反应是希奇！ 他们从来没有见过这样的事，因此他们问：「这是怎样的人？ 」这问题其实是修辞手法，并非要求答案，而是表达没有别的人能作这样的事。试问谁能凭口里所出的话使风和浪顺服？ 答案十分明显：没有！

马太透过这话表明耶稣是独一的，因祂的权柄在大自然之上，祂拥有真实的权柄。

与旧约经文的联系

这里没有直接引用旧约经文，因此，我们可以透过耶稣的话语能力加以联系。使用说话来控制大自然，是旧约对神的描述。你或许会即时联想起创世时，神透过祂的话语使各事物存在，当中包括了对海的控制（创世记第一章）。控制海的这个主题在约伯记38:8-11被强调，而那想法对圣经来说十分重要，因为海代表祸患。控制海表示神能控制宇宙中的祸患。事实上，按古代近东文化，海代表阴间、深渊和邪恶的敌人。而神却被描述为胜过波浪澎湃的海洋（诗篇95篇）。

诗篇第 29 篇和我们所研读的经文，可以很好地联系在一起。诗篇29篇描述地中海的雷暴直扫黎巴嫩的内陆，引发地震、山摇树倒。这一切被视为「主的声音」（并非巴力 – 迦南掌管雨的神；而耶稣平静风浪这事件在迦南发生）。这诗结束时，提醒读者神掌管大洪水（创世记第6章），所以，按旧约的记载，只有神有权命令和控制大自然，特别是诗篇29篇所描述大自然灾难性的风暴，我们还可以参考诗篇65:5-7; 89:9; 107:23-32 。此外，一些故事，例如：底波拉战西西拉（士师记4-5章），神使用雷暴来协助以色列。

耶稣平静风浪，祂的命令显示出祂拥有属天的权柄。门徒却感到希奇这是怎样的人？倘若明白道成肉身的神与我们同在，我们便得到这问题的终极答案。

与新约经文的联系

在门徒面前的耶稣，无可置疑是百份百的人，可是祂却拥有在大自然之上的特别权柄，祂可管治世界与海。诗篇第八篇说神叫祂比天使微小一点，却叫万物都服在祂脚下。万物在人的治理下（创世记1:27-28）；希伯来书的作者，引用诗篇第八篇说：「我们所说将来的世界，神原没有交给天使管辖。但有人在经上某处证明说：人算甚么，你竟顾念他？ 世人算甚么，你竟眷顾他？ 你叫他比天使微小一点，赐他荣耀尊贵为冠冕，... 」（希伯来书 2:5-9 ） 耶稣是第二个亚当，是仁义的种子，开创一个新人类。

我们研读的经文，是一个和大自然相关的神迹。耶稣展示了神的计划，这也是为何耶稣选择自称作「人子」。「人子」这称呼出于但以理书7:13-14，是给弥赛亚的称谓。同时，祂亦把自己描述为一个真真正正的人，满有大能，但却谦逊、顺服，并且顺服至死在十字架上。

耶稣管治大自然的能力，在希伯来书的开端已经述说了。希伯来书的作者提醒我们，耶稣常用权能的命令（所说的话）托住万有（希伯来书1:3）。有时，主带有权能的话，以生动逼真的图画描述出来，例如启示录记载：从祂口中出来一把两刃利剑，可以击杀列国（启示录19:15）。

结论及应用

这段经文的信息十分直接：耶稣拥有在大自然之上的权柄。这几章关于君王所作出的整体描写，显示祂有权柄执行祂到世上来的任务。耶稣的权能通常是透过祂充满大能的行动和神迹显示出来。好些时，所行的神迹并不壮观，但已足以向我们展示神的儿子的本质，但祂也像我们有那么多的限制。

这对我们有甚么意义呢？ 首先、它帮助我们建立在基督里的信心。我们并非追随一位漂泊不定，来自加利利的传道者；我们追随的耶稣是弥赛亚，是神的儿子。对祂来说，没有甚么是不可能的。

其次、当我们在生命中面对问题与危难时，透过祷告表达我们的信：「主啊！ 救我们。」这段经文有趣的地方是耶稣没有因所祈求的事责备门徒，纵使门徒「小信」，耶稣还是按他们的请求平静风浪。转向基督，向祂祈求，都是信心的行为，向祂祈求是正确的。

第三、当我们在圣经和我们身周信徒的的经历（也许我们自己的经历），愈看到主的大能，我们的信心会愈强。这生中我们经常在惶恐中争扎，只因我们所居住的世界并不是一个安全的地方。可是，我们所学的愈多，信心渐长，就如门徒一般（参使徒行传第二至第四章），我们会变得自信和勇敢，对主的信心增添。在建立信心的过程中，我们必须忍耐，并且持之以恒。尽管我们惧怕与惶恐，只要有薄弱的信心，我们仍可向主呼求：「主啊！ 你若愿意，求你拯救 / 医治 / 引领 / 保护...」 祂常常回应我们的祷告，祂使用的方式，我们只能感到希奇，并且说：「这是怎样的人？ 」

¹ 研读福音书时、你会经常遇到翻译作「对观」（synoptic）这个字，synoptic这个字由两部份组成，‘syn’意即一起或共同，而另一部份‘ optic’意思是看见或视觉。 我们用这个字来描述首三卷福音书，虽然这三卷福音书的描述有些分别，但格局相近。 约翰对于耶稣的生平有不同的观点，故此平行经文不多。

² 很多现代的学者假定：福音书的作者是按照有关基督的言行较早期，但不同的来源，并且按其写作目的，将基督的话作出编排。 不过，他们却没有凭空虚构或扭曲其义。

December 25, 2016

At some point in your life, you will have to wrestle with the question, “Is Christianity really true?” Perhaps you were raised in a Christian home and have never questioned the Christian faith, but at some point, you will. Maybe something you read raises serious questions that threaten Christianity. Or a college professor ridicules the faith as a bunch of ancient, unscientific myths. A friend tells you that he is an agnostic and gives many reasons why he doubts the Bible. The attacks leave your head spinning and you begin to wonder, “Could Christianity be just a bunch of legends?”

Or, perhaps you made a profession of faith in Christ and never have doubted your faith, but then you’re hit with difficult trials that shake your world. You pray, but God seems to be on vacation. You can’t make any sense of what is happening to you. Doubts start creeping in, slowly undermining your trust in God and His promises. The enemy tempts you with the thought, “You’re just believing a fairy tale!”

Or, maybe you’re reading the Bible and you come across verses that seem to endorse slavery. You read how God ordered the slaughter of the Canaanites, including women and children. Or you read one verse that seems to contradict another verse. You come to difficult doctrines, such as the eternal punishment of unbelievers or God’s predestining some, but not all, to eternal life. Difficult issues like this cause you to question the truthfulness of the Bible.

What should you do at such times? When I’m there, I come back to the most crucial question that every person needs to answer correctly. This question is far more important than the questions of what career you should pursue, where you should live, or whom you should marry. It’s the question that Jesus asked His disciples. He began with the safer question (Matt. 16:13), “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” The disciples answered (Matt. 16:14), “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.”

Then Jesus asked the crucial question (Matt. 16:15), “But who do you say that I am?” Peter gave the profound answer (Matt. 16:16), “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus affirmed Peter’s answer (Matt. 16:17), “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.”

But, a short time later, Peter’s faith in Jesus was shaken when Jesus told the twelve that He would suffer at the hands of the Jewish leaders and be killed and raised up on the third day. Horrified, Peter rebuked Jesus for saying such a thing (Matt. 16:21-22)! But Jesus sharply rebuked Peter (Matt. 16:23), “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” At that point, Peter either could have walked away from following Jesus or he had to fall back on his earlier confession about who Jesus really is.

A similar thing happened on another occasion. Jesus taught some things that were repugnant to Jewish sensibilities: they must eat His flesh and drink His blood if they wanted to have eternal life. He also taught them that no one could come to Him unless it had been granted to him from the Father (John 6:44, 53-57, 65). These were hard teachings. Then we read (John 6:66-67), “As a result of this many of His disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, ‘You do not want to go away also, do you?’” Again, Peter answered, coming back to the crucial question of Jesus’ identity (John 6:68-69): “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.” Peter was not oblivious to the difficulty of Jesus’ teachings, but he was sustained by his certainty about who Jesus is.

The four Gospels don’t leave us in the dark on this crucial question of who Jesus is. Repeatedly they show us how Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies, healed the sick, opened the eyes of the blind, raised the dead, and calmed the stormy sea with a word. Matthew opens his Gospel by tracing the genealogy of Jesus from Abraham through David to show that Jesus is the promised seed of Abraham who would bless the nations. He is the Son of David who would rule on his throne forever. Then in the birth narrative, Matthew reveals further who this unique child is:

Jesus is fully God and fully man, the Savior of sinners, no less than God with us.

1. Jesus, born of Mary while she was still a virgin, is fully God and fully man.

Matthew 1:18: “Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.” To understand the situation, you have to realize that the Jewish betrothal system was more than our engagement. Parents usually arranged marriages and secured them with a formal contract. After this, the couple would be referred to as husband and wife, although they did not live together or consummate the marriage until after a yearlong waiting period, during which the purity of the bride was to be demonstrated. If she was found to be with child during that period, it was obvious that she was not pure and had been unfaithful. Thus the marriage could be annulled (this paragraph relies on Louis Barbieri, Jr., The Bible Knowledge Commentary, New Testament [Victor Books], ed. by John F. Walvoord & Roy B. Zuck, p. 20).

So when it was revealed that Mary was pregnant during this waiting period, Joseph, assuming that she had been unfaithful, planned to send her away quietly, not wanting to disgrace her. No doubt he was deeply wounded to think that the young woman he loved would do such a thing. But then an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, revealing that the child Mary was carrying had been conceived miraculously by the Holy Spirit in fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14 (Matt. 1:23): “‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which translated means, ‘God with us.’” This is the first of at least 40 citations in Matthew from the Old Testament which show that Jesus is the promised Jewish Messiah (William Hendriksen, The Gospel of Matthew [Baker], pp. 80-82).

Right away, the reader of Matthew’s Gospel is confronted with a crisis of faith: Should I believe that Jesus was miraculously conceived in the virgin Mary by the Holy Spirit without a human father, or is this just an ancient myth that grew up around an illegitimate birth? Liberal scholars, who assume that miracles are mere fables passed down from a time when people were superstitious and scientifically ignorant, are quick to point out that there were numerous “virgin birth legends” floating around the ancient world. These were not strictly parallel, in that they all were stories of a god having relations with a woman, resulting in a half-god, half-human creature, which is not the case here. But nonetheless, liberals argue that the story of Jesus’ virgin birth fits into this mythical genre.

But the Bible records not just one, but two separate accounts of the virgin birth. Luke, who claims to have investigated carefully the events recorded in his Gospel (Luke 1:1-4) and probably learned of the story of Jesus’ birth directly from Mary, records how an angel told her that she would conceive a son and name Him Jesus. When Mary asked how this could be since she was a virgin, the angel replied (Luke 1:35), “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God.”

So, you have a choice: Do you believe the testimony of these two writers, both of whom lived at the time and who both got their information from reliable sources? Or, do you doubt the testimony because of an a priori bias against the possibility of miracles? As far back as 1970, Christianity Today (Sept. 11) published a survey that revealed that 60 percent of Methodists, 49 percent of Presbyterians, 44 percent of Episcopalians, 34 percent of American Baptists, and 19 percent of American Lutherans, deny the virgin birth. I assume those numbers have not improved over time! Perhaps you wonder, “Is it important to believe in the virgin birth?” Yes, here’s why:

A. Believing the virgin birth is essential to affirm Jesus’ deity.

If Jesus Christ is the son of a human father and a human mother through natural biological processes, then He is not God in human flesh. He might, under those circumstances, be a man indwelt by God or a man upon whom God’s Spirit rested. But He would only have been a man. His existence would have begun at conception. He could not be the eternal God in human flesh.

But the Scriptures repeatedly affirm the full deity of the Lord Jesus Christ. John 1:1, 14: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.... And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Hebrews 1:8: “But of the Son, He says, ‘Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, and the righteous scepter is the scepter of His kingdom.’” Jesus Himself told the Jews (John 8:58), “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” When Thomas saw the risen Lord Jesus and cried out, “My Lord and my God,” Jesus didn’t rebuke him for blasphemy, but rather He accepted and commended such worship (John 20:28, 29). In Revelation 1:8, the Lord God says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega.” In Revelation 22:13, Jesus says, “I am the Alpha and the Omega.” Or, as Matthew (1:23) adds, this child is, “God with us.”

No natural union of a human husband and wife ever could bring God into this world. The means God used to take on human flesh was the miraculous conception of Jesus in the womb of the virgin Mary. To affirm the full deity of Jesus Christ you must affirm His supernatural virgin birth. If Jesus is not fully God, then He could not be our Savior. As Bishop Moule stated (preface to Robert Anderson, The Lord from Heaven), “A Saviour not quite God is a bridge broken at the farther end.”

B. Believing the virgin birth is essential to affirm Jesus’ sinless humanity.

Just as the Scriptures teach the full deity of Jesus Christ, so they clearly teach His full humanity. He was not a hybrid God-man, half of each. He is undiminished deity and perfect humanity united in one person forever. But if Jesus was born of natural parents, then He was born a sinner like all other human beings, and He Himself would have needed a Savior. If He had sin of His own, He could not have died as the perfect substitute for others. The Scriptures clearly teach that the whole human race, from Adam onward, is born under the curse of sin (see Romans 5:12; Eph. 2:1-3). To redeem that race from sin, Christ had to be identified with us in our humanity, but be sinless Himself.

Jesus had to have at least one human parent or He would not have shared our humanity. But through the superintendence of the Holy Spirit in the virgin birth, Jesus was able to be born as fully human and yet as sinless. As we saw, the angel told Mary that because the Holy Spirit would come upon her and the power of the Most High would overshadow her, “for that reason the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God” (Luke 1:35).

Mary herself was not immaculately conceived. In Luke 1:47 Mary refers to, “God my Savior.” You don’t need a Savior unless you’re a sinner. Some theologians have speculated that the sinful nature is communicated through the male, but we cannot be certain about that. The earliest prediction of a Savior (Genesis 3:15) mentions Him as the seed of the woman, not of man (see Gal. 4:4, 5). What we can say for certain is what the angel asserted: because Mary would conceive miraculously through the Holy Spirit, her offspring would be the holy Son of God. The virgin birth is necessary to affirm the sinless humanity of Jesus Christ.

This isn’t just interesting but useless theology. Because Jesus is the eternal God in human flesh, we can come to Him with all of our needs, knowing that He is able to come to our aid. We know that He knows all of our inner struggles and secrets, and yet He loves us and wants a personal relationship with us (John 21:15-19). And, because He is fully human, Jesus can sympathize with our weaknesses. He is a merciful and compassionate high priest who invites us to bring our every need to Him (Heb. 4:14-16). So in answer to the crucial question, “Who is this child?” we must affirm, “Through the virgin birth, He is fully God and fully man.”

2. Jesus is the Savior of His people from their sins.

Christmas isn’t just a story to make us feel warm and cozy about family, friends, and peace on earth. At the heart of the Christmas story is the truth that the human race is alienated from the holy God because of our sin. Thus the angel told Joseph (Matt. 1:21), “She will bear a Son; and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Jesus means, “Yahweh saves.” Salvation is a radical word. People who can help themselves may need a little help or support now and then, but they don’t need saving. People who are basically good, but just need some moral improvement, may benefit from a few helpful hints, but they don’t need saving. But sinners, who are dead in their trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1), at enmity with the Holy God and under His righteous wrath because of their sins (John 3:36), need saving!

The greatest news in the world is that which the angels announced to the shepherds on the night of Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:10-11), “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” All the people includes the worst of sinners, as the apostle Paul spoke of his own past in persecuting the church (1 Tim. 1:15), “It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.” Best of all, all the people includes you!

The only way that Jesus could save us from our sins was to live the sinless life which God demands and then to offer Himself as the perfect substitute to pay the penalty that we deserved. If God forgave all sins without the penalty being paid, He would not be a just judge. He would not be holy. Through the birth, sinless life, and substitutionary death of His eternal Son Jesus, God could be both just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus (Rom. 3:26). As Paul explained (2 Cor. 5:21), “He [God] made Him [Jesus] who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” Perfect righteousness, full forgiveness, and eternal life is offered as a free gift to every sinner who trusts in Jesus! As Paul exclaimed (Rom. 6:23), “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (See also, John 3:16; Eph. 2:8-9.)

Suppose you get sick and go to the doctor. He examines you and determines that you have a serious illness. He prescribes a drug that has been proven to cure your illness. You go home and research the drug and read testimonials from people who have taken the drug and have been cured. But that knowledge, even though proven to be true, will not do you a bit of good unless you personally take the medicine.

In the same way, it’s not enough to answer correctly the crucial question, “Who is this child?” He is the One miraculously born of the virgin Mary, fully God and fully man. He was also born to save His people from their sins. Thousands of people can testify that Jesus has saved them from their sins. But knowing these truths or hearing these testimonies is not enough. You must respond by personally trusting in Jesus Christ to be your Savior and Lord. Have you done that? Take the medicine God prescribes while you can!

Jesus is God in human flesh. He came to save us from our sins. But, Matthew also wants us to know that…

3. Jesus is God with us.

As we’ve seen, Matthew 1:23 cites Isaiah 7:14: “‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child and shall bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,’ which translated means, ‘God with us.’” Jesus is none other than the living God with us! If you have trusted in Him, Jesus promised that you dwell in Him and He dwells in you (John 14:20, 23; 15:1-5; 17:20-23). Just as Matthew begins with this promise that Jesus is God with us, so he ends with Jesus’ promise (Matt. 28:20), “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” After commanding us to be free from the love of money, Hebrews 13:5 assures us, “for He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.’” Jesus—God in human flesh—is always with us who have trusted in Him!

One of the best books that I read this year was Ryan Lister’s The Presence of God [Crossway]. He develops this significant biblical truth (p. 24): “the presence of God is a fundamental objective in our redemption and, simultaneously, the means by which God completes this objective.” Dr. Lister shows that throughout the storyline of the Bible (p. 25), “God is working to establish a people and a place for his presence.” God was with Adam and Eve in the garden, but their fellowship with Him was broken because of their sin. But through His covenant promises culminating in Jesus’ taking on human flesh to dwell with us; and through His death, resurrection, and second coming; at the end of the Bible we read (Rev. 21:3), “And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, ‘Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them ….’” The new heavens and new earth will be God’s dwelling with us and our dwelling with Him throughout eternity!

But the message that God dwells with us in the person of His Son, who came to offer Himself on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, is only good news if you have received the Lord Jesus as the One who bore your sin (John 1:12). Robert Reymond (The Evangelical Dictionary of Theology [Baker], ed. by Walter Elwell, p. 550) points out that since God is infinitely holy and we are all sinners deserving His wrath, we “could hardly blame God had he sent His Son as ‘God against us’ or ‘God opposed to us.’ When, however, he reveals His Son as ‘God with us,’ the messianic task, full of grace and the promise of salvation, is suggested.” If you have welcomed Jesus as your Savior and Lord, then God is not against you, but for you (Rom. 8:31)!

Conclusion

At this time every year, people wander through stores looking for the right gifts as the sound systems play Charles Wesley’s, “Hark! The Herald Angels Sing,” with its verse, “Veiled in flesh, the Godhead see; hail the incarnate Deity; pleased as man with men to dwell, Jesus our Immanuel.” But they miss that profound truth of who Jesus is while they go on shopping! Don’t miss it yourself: Jesus is fully God and fully man, the Savior of sinners, no less than God with us! Put your trust in Him and you will have an anchor for your soul whenever the storms of doubt or trials assault you.

Application Questions

1. Can a person knowingly deny the virgin birth of Jesus or His full deity or perfect humanity and still be a born again Christian? Why/why not?
2. Some who claim to be evangelical Christians say that the Bible has errors, but that it is infallible on matters of faith and practice. Why is this view dangerous? How would you refute it?
3. How would you witness to a person who says, “I don’t believe in miracles; show me a miracle and I will believe”?
4. As believers, we all know that God promises to dwell with us. But how can we experience His presence more consistently?

Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2016, All Rights Reserved.

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture Quotations are from the New American Standard Bible, Updated Edition © The Lockman Foundation