October 8, 2017

Kids sometimes have some humorous and wise insights on love and marriage. When asked, “How does a person decide who to marry?” Allan (age 10) said, “You got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like if you like sports, she should like it that you like sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.” Kirsten (age 10) replied, “No person really decides before they grow up who they’re going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you got to find out later who you’re stuck with.” She must have been a Calvinist!

What do most people do on a date? Martin (age 10) has some youthful insight: “On the first date, they just tell each other lies, and that usually gets them interested enough to go for a second date.”

Is it better to be single or married? Anita (age 9) says, “It’s better for girls to be single but not for boys. Boys need somebody to clean up after them!” Kenny (age 7) says, “It gives me a headache to think about that stuff. I’m just a kid. I don’t need that kind of trouble.”

Why love happens between two people: Jan (age 9) says, “No one is sure why it happens, but I heard it has something to do with how you smell. That’s why perfume and deodorant are so popular.” Harlen (age 8) says, “I think you’re supposed to get shot with an arrow or something, but the rest of it isn’t supposed to be so painful.”

What is falling in love like? Roger (age 9) says, “Like an avalanche where you have to run for your life.” Greg (age 8) says, “Love is the most important thing in the world, but baseball is pretty good too.”

When is it okay to kiss someone? Pam (age 7) says, “When they’re rich!” Curt (age 7) is more cautious: “The law says you have to be 18, so I wouldn’t mess with that.” Howard (age 8) is a bit more responsible: “The rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you should marry them and have kids with them. It’s the right thing to do.” Jean (age 10) says, “It’s never okay to kiss a boy. They always slobber all over you. That’s why I stopped doing it.”

How to make a marriage work: Ricky (age 7) says, “Tell your wife that she looks pretty even if she looks like a truck!” Bobby (age 9) says, “Be a good kisser. It might make your wife forget that you never take out the trash.” Roger (age 8) says, “Don’t forget your wife’s name. That will mess up the love.”

We are considering the question, “What is Christlike love for your wife?” We’ve seen that…

Sacrificial, purposeful Christlike love should characterize every husband’s relationship with his wife.

Last time we saw that…

1. Love is the priority for husbands.

2. Love is possible for every husband.

3. Love is a self-sacrificing, caring commitment that shows itself in seeking the highest good of the one loved.

“Love is self-sacrificing,” just as “Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (Eph. 5:25).

“Love is caring,” just as a man nourishes and cherishes his own flesh, as Christ does the church (Eph. 5:29).

“Love is a commitment,” as implied by the command to love, by Christ’s covenant love for us, and by the analogy of the body.

“Love shows itself.” It is not just words, but also deeds, as seen by Christ’s going to the cross for us.

“Love seeks the highest good of the one loved,” just as Christ died for us so that He might sanctify and cleanse us, to present us to Himself in all our glory, as holy and blameless (Eph. 5:26-27).

We also looked at two of ten contrasts to help understand what a husband’s Christlike love for his wife looks like.

A. Love is sacrificial, not selfish.

Selfishness is the number one enemy of love.

B. Love is purposeful, not aimless, effortless ecstasy.

Your ultimate purpose is to build up your wife in Christ, so that she is “holy and blameless” (Eph. 5:27). We continue now with the rest of the contrasts.

C. Love is realistic, not blind.

While married love aims at the high ideal of a bride who is holy and blameless, it is realistic. A godly husband accepts his wife for who she is and graciously, patiently works with her to help her become all that God intends for her to be. The fact that a wife is not perfect does not detract a husband from his steadfast love for her.

As we saw, husbands are to love their wives just as Christ loved the church (Eph. 5:25). What kind of church does Christ love? Is she perfect, or close to it? Hardly! Even as He went to the cross, Jesus predicted Peter’s denials and that the disciples all would fall away because of Him (Mark 14:27, 30). The New Testament honestly shows that the early churches were far from perfect. All of the epistles address problems in those churches.

Look at your own life since coming to salvation. Have you perfectly obeyed Jesus Christ? Has your love for Him always been fervent? Have you always kept yourself pure and devoted only to Him? And yet, in spite of your many failures, He loves you with a steadfast, committed love!

One of the questions that I ask couples in premarital counseling is, “Knowing that no one is perfect, name at least five faults in your fiancé.” My aim is not to get couples to find fault with each other, but rather to determine whether they’re entering marriage with their eyes wide open. If they can only name one or two faults, they’re going to be in for a rude awakening after the honeymoon, if not before!

When couples come for marriage counseling, invariably they are blaming each other. He blames her for her faults; she blames him for his faults. Speaking to husbands (because our text does), your wife is imperfect, just as the church is imperfect. But Christ calls you to love her as she is with the kind of steadfast love that helps her to grow in godliness. But this means that you need to set the example by your patient, kind, love toward her.

D. Love takes the initiative; it does not depend on a response.

Scripture is clear that God took the initiative in loving us and drawing us to salvation. God didn’t look down through history, see in advance who would believe, and then choose them for salvation. That would make salvation based on some good that He foresaw in us, not on God’s grace alone! Romans 5:8 is plain: “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 9:16 declares, “So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy.” Thankfully, His love took the initiative.

Applied to husbands, this means that you must continually initiate and demonstrate self-sacrificing love for your wife, regardless of her response. If you think, “Well, I’ll go 50-50, or even, 75-25,” that’s not enough. You’ve got to love 100 percent, even if she’s being disagreeable or difficult to live with. If you respond to her anger with your anger, it only increases alienation. I encourage every husband (and wife) to memorize 1 Peter 3:8-9, which follows immediately Peter’s counsel to wives and husbands: “To sum up, all of you be harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit, not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead; for you were called for the very purpose that you might inherit a blessing.” Love takes the initiative to bless; it doesn’t wait for the other person to go first.

E. Love is consistent, not conditioned on performance.

This is the outworking of the previous point. Love takes action even when it is undeserved. But also, you must show consistent love over the long haul, even when your wife is not being especially lovely. I’ve heard husbands complain, “If she would just curb her anger and be more submissive, it would be easier to love her.” But, the husband’s job is not to get his wife to submit or to love her only when she’s lovable, but to love her consistently, just as Christ loves an often difficult, disobedient church.

This does not mean that you never confront your wife regarding her sin. Many husbands err here. Perhaps a wife is frequently angry, but rather than patiently, lovingly helping her acknowledge and overcome her anger, the husband runs for cover to get some relief. Or, he sinfully fights back by confronting her anger with his anger. Neither approach is godly.

A Christlike husband is not quarrelsome, but kind, patient, and able to speak the truth, even when wronged (2 Tim. 2:24-25). He gently, but faithfully comes alongside his wife and teaches her, “Your anger does not glorify God. I want to help you be a godly woman. Let’s see what God’s Word says about how to overcome anger.” By example and by teaching, he helps her to grow in godliness. That’s how Christ deals with His bride the church. That’s how a loving husband must deal with his wife, even when she is not all that she is supposed to be.

F. Love is a total sharing of life, not two independent lives.

Paul says (Eph. 5:28-29), “So husbands ought also to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself; for no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ also does the church.” He is not encouraging us to learn to love ourselves so that we can love our wives! That’s modern psychobabble. Rather, he is pointing out that normal people love their bodies, as seen by the way that we care for our bodies and protect them from danger. His point is that your wife is a part of your body, just as we (the church) are members of Christ’s body (Eph. 5:30). A husband and wife are one flesh (Eph. 5:31). When you love her, you’re loving your own body.

That’s an amazing concept! Paul is probably going back to the creation of Eve, who was not created out of the dust of the ground, as Adam was. Rather, she was taken out of his body, bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh (Gen. 2:23). This has profound implications for Christian marriage. For one thing, it means that husbands and wives should not be competing with each other, but cooperating. You’re on the same team. Also, if your wife is hurting, you’re hurting! If you’re insensitive to her pain, you’re denying the fact that she is your body. If you coldly ignore her feelings and say, “That’s your problem,” you’re ignoring yourself. If you attack her with harsh words, you’re attacking yourself. It would be as if a man hit his thumb with a hammer and then said, “You stupid thumb! Why did you get in the way? You deserve to hurt for being so dumb! I’ll teach you!” So he smashes it again! That would be crazy! And yet, that’s how many men treat their wives.

A husband who becomes so engrossed with his career that he ignores his wife is committing the same error, of living independently of his wife. Some years ago, a reporter asked the new head coach of a professional football team if his wife objected to his 18-hour workdays. He replied, “I don’t know. I don’t see her that much.” (From Focus on the Family, May, 1987.) I don’t know if they’re still married, but that coach was not sharing his life with his wife as if she were his own body. At the very least, this analogy means that a husband must spend a lot of time with his wife, sharing his life with her and allowing her to share her life with him.

G. Love is responsible, not irresponsible.

Paul says (Eph. 5:29-30) that husbands must nourish and cherish their wives, “just as Christ also does the church, because we are members of His body.” This reveals at least two ways that husbands must demonstrate responsible love for their wives:

1) Responsible love provides; it is not lazy.

Nourish has the nuance of feeding. Every man feeds his own body. Every husband is responsible to feed his wife. This includes material provisions, such as the basic necessities of food and covering. A lazy man who refuses to work to provide for his family has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever (1 Tim. 5:8).

But beyond that, nourishing also implies that a husband cares about his wife’s total well-being. He exerts himself to provide for her in every way. He tries to provide for her emotionally and spiritually. At the very least, this means taking the initiative to bring your wife and children to church on Sunday, where you all can be fed nourishing food from God’s Word. Many husbands just shrug their shoulders and go to church wherever the wife wants to go. But a responsible husband takes the lead in making sure that the church they join preaches the truth of God’s Word.

Also, providing for your wife spiritually means reading the Bible and praying together as a family. Read good Christian books and talk about them. Talk about the truths of the faith. Occasionally, go to a good spiritual life or marriage conference. As a husband, you’re responsible to provide spiritual food for your wife.

2) Responsible love cares; it is not callous.

Love cherishes. The word means “warmth,” and pictures a mother tenderly holding her infant against her to keep it warm from the cold. (Paul uses the Greek verb of a mother in 1 Thess. 2:7, where the NASB translates, “tenderly cares.”) Again, this verb stems from the analogy of the wife actually being part of the husband’s body. If your hands get cold on a winter day, you don’t say, “Stupid hands, stay out in the cold for all I care!” Rather, you put them inside your coat and tenderly warm them again. Responsible love cares; it is not indifferent or calloused.

H. Love is emotionally mature, not immature.

In verse 31, Paul quotes Genesis 2:24, “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and shall be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This was written about Adam and Eve, neither of whom had a mother or father! So it was given for our instruction, to show us that a man must be mature enough to leave his parents before he enters into marriage.

Some husbands expect the same treatment from their wives as they got from their mothers! They expect her to clean the house, buy the groceries, manage the money, and generally take care of them, while they buy toys and go play with their buddies. That’s immature, to say the least! A husband must leave his parents so that he can be joined to his wife and lead her in a mature, responsible manner. He should be her leader, not her little boy!

I. Love is a permanent commitment, not a temporary arrangement.

“Be joined to” (Eph. 5:31) points to a permanent, lifelong covenant relationship. Marriage creates a new, one-flesh identity of head and body. It is the permanent commitment that enables a couple to work through difficulties, as every couple has to do. I advise every couple to remove the words “divorce” and “separation” from your vocabularies. Even in the heated emotions of a disagreement, never threaten to leave! As we’ve seen, marriage isn’t just about our happiness. It’s an earthly picture of Christ and the church. For a husband to threaten to leave his wife when there is a problem would be like Christ threatening to leave His bride, the church. But, thankfully (Heb. 13:5b), “He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.’”

J. Love is growing, exclusive intimacy, not a casual relationship.

In verse 31 Paul cites Genesis 2:24, which lays the foundation of marriage as a one flesh relationship. When God instituted marriage, it was between a man and a woman, not between two people of the same sex, which is an abomination to God (Lev. 18:22). It was also between one man and one woman, not between one man and many women, whether at the same time or in serial fashion. Although God tolerated polygamy in the Old Testament, it never reflected His original design for marriage and it always created problems. The same is true of divorce. God’s design is that one man and one woman be joined exclusively for life.

“One flesh” refers primarily to the sexual union. Paul says (1 Cor. 6:16) that even when a man has sex with a prostitute, he becomes one flesh with her. God has designed the sexual union to create this intimate, one flesh relationship, even when it’s a one-time, impersonal event! But it is to be confined within the boundary of lifelong covenant marriage in order to deepen the relationship between a husband and wife. Casual sex, outside of the permanence of marriage, is never an expression of love, but only of lust.

Marriage is a great mystery, in that it is an earthly picture of Christ and the church (Eph. 5:32). Sex in the Bible is often described as a man knowing his wife. A husband and wife’s sexual union is a sacred picture of the intimate, face-to-face knowledge that we share with our heavenly Bridegroom. Jesus said that there will not be any marriage in heaven (Matt. 22:30). I’ve often said to Marla, “How can heaven be heaven if I can’t be married to you?” The biblical answer is, in heaven there will be no need for the picture, because the reality will have come. We will be married to our heavenly Bridegroom for all eternity. Therefore, we must guard our purity to keep ourselves sexually only for our mates. The picture of Christ and His church is at stake!

Conclusion

The Christlike love that every husband daily should give to his wife is a self-sacrificing, caring commitment that shows itself in seeking the highest good of the one loved. J. Allan Petersen observed (Reader’s Digest [10/93], p. 201):

Most people get married believing a myth—that marriage is a beautiful box full of all the things they have longed for: companionship, sexual fulfillment, intimacy, friendship. The truth is that marriage, at the start, is an empty box. You must put something in before you can take anything out. There is no love in marriage; love is in people, and people put it into marriage. There is no romance in marriage; people have to infuse it into their marriages.

A couple must learn the art and form the habit of giving, loving, serving, praising—keeping the box full. If you take out more than you put in, the box will be empty.

Someone asked a woman who had been married to her husband for over 60 years for her best relationship advice. She paused and then said, “Don’t be afraid to be the one who loves the most.” (Nate Bagley, in Reader’s Digest [2/15], p. 45.) That’s good advice for both wives and husbands, but especially for husbands, because God’s command is directed to you (Eph. 5:25): “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” It’s a lifelong, growing process. But make sure that you work at obeying it this week!

Application Questions

1. Love accepts imperfections, but when a mate is repeatedly sinful, is there a point where you say, “That’s it”? Is divorce ever justified when a mate is abusive or difficult to live with?
2. What do you do when there is something about your mate that you just don’t like? Is it ever right to try to change her/him?
3. How can a husband who feels spiritually inferior to his wife provide for her spiritual well-being? Where does he begin?
4. What should a wife with an immature, irresponsible husband do? Should she try to change him or just accept him as is?

Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2017, All Rights Reserved.

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

O Novo Testamento é um registo de eventos históricos, os eventos da “boa-nova” da vida salvadora do Senhor Jesus Cristo – a Sua vida, morte, ressurreição, ascensão e a continuação da Sua obra no mundo –, que é explicada e aplicada pelos apóstolos que Ele escolheu e enviou para o mundo. É também a concretização daqueles acontecimentos há muito antecipados pelo Antigo Testamento. Para além disso, é história sagrada que, ao contrário da história secular, foi escrita sob a orientação sobrenatural do Espírito Santo. Tal significa que se encontra, à semelhança do Antigo Testamento, protegida de erro humano e que possui autoridade divina para a Igreja, nos dias de hoje e através da história da Humanidade, até que o Senhor regresse.

Origem e Significado do Termo “Novo Testamento”

A nossa Bíblia está dividida em duas secções, às quais chamamos Antigo e Novo Testamentos, mas o que significa isto exactamente? A palavra grega para “testamento”, diaqhkh (latim testamentum), significa “vontade, testamento ou aliança”. Utilizada em ligação com o Novo Testamento, “aliança” é a melhor tradução. Como tal, refere-se a um novo acordo feito por um grupo, no qual outros poderão entrar caso aceitem a aliança. Usada em referência às alianças de Deus, designa uma nova relação na qual os homens podem ser recebidos por Ele. O Antigo Testamento ou Aliança é primariamente um registo da interacção de Deus com os israelitas, baseada na Aliança Mosaica concedida no Monte Sinai. Por outro lado, o Novo Testamento ou Aliança (antecipada em Jeremias 31:31 e instituída pelo Senhor Jesus, 1 Co. 11:25) descreve o novo acordo entre Deus e os homens de todas as tribos, línguas, povos e nações que aceitarem a salvação tendo por base a fé em Cristo.

A antiga aliança revelava a santidade de Deus no padrão justo da lei e prometia a chegada de um Redentor; a nova aliança mostra a santidade de Deus na justiça do Seu Filho. Portanto, o Novo Testamento contém aqueles escritos que revelam o conteúdo desta nova aliança.

A mensagem do Novo Testamento centra-se na (1) Pessoa que se entregou a Si mesma para a remissão dos pecados (Mt. 26:28) e no (2) povo (a Igreja) que recebeu a Sua salvação. Assim, a salvação é o tema central do Novo Testamento.¹

As designações Antiga e Nova Alianças foram, portanto, aplicadas em primeiro lugar às duas relações que Deus estabeleceu com os homens e, depois, aos livros que contêm os registos destas duas relações. “O Novo Testamento é o tratado divino cujos termos permitiram que Deus nos recebesse, rebeldes e inimigos, na paz Consigo Mesmo”. ²

Preparação Divina para o Novo Testamento

No tempo do Novo Testamento, Roma era a potência mundial dominante, reinando sobre a maior parte do mundo antigo. Ainda assim, numa pequena cidade da Palestina, Belém de Judeia, nasceu aquele que mudaria o mundo. A respeito desta Pessoa, o apóstolo Paulo escreveu: “Mas, ao chegar a plenitude dos tempos, Deus enviou o Seu Filho, nascido de mulher, nascido sujeito à Lei (isto é, à Antiga Aliança)” (Gl. 4:4). Mediante meios especiais e maravilhosos, Deus preparou o mundo para a chegada do Messias. Vários factores contribuíram para esta preparação.

Preparação Através da Nação Judaica

A preparação para a chegada de Cristo é a história do Antigo Testamento. De todas as nações, Deus escolhera os judeus para serem um bem valioso, enquanto reino de sacerdotes, e uma nação santa (Êx.19:6). A este respeito, começando com a promessa que Deus concedera aos patriarcas, Abraão, Isaac e Jacob (Gn. 12:1-3; Rm. 9:4), deveriam ser os guardiães da Palavra de Deus (o Antigo Testamento [Rm. 3:2]) e a via para o Redentor (Gn. 12:3; Gl. 3:8; Rm. 9:5). Portanto, o Antigo Testamento estava cheio de Cristo e antecipava a Sua vinda como Salvador sofredor e glorificado. Para além disso, estas profecias proporcionavam detalhes não só numerosos, mas também muito precisos acerca da linhagem do Messias, local de nascimento, circunstâncias em torno da data do Seu nascimento, vida, morte e até ressurreição.

Embora Israel tivesse sido desobediente e levado para o cativeiro em consequência do julgamento de Deus face à sua dureza de coração, mesmo assim Deus trouxe de volta à sua terra natal um resto do povo setenta anos depois, conforme prometera em preparação para a chegada do Messias. Mesmo que quatrocentos anos tivessem passado desde a redacção do último livro do Antigo Testamento, e apesar do clima religioso ser de aparências e hipocrisias farisaicas, pairava no ar o espírito de antecipação Messiânica, e um resto procurava o Messias.

Preparação Através da Língua Grega

É altamente significante que existisse, no tempo de Cristo – aquele que viera para ser o Salvador do mundo e que enviaria os Seus discípulos até aos confins da terra, a fim de proclamarem o Evangelho (Mt. 28:19-20), – aquilo que A. T. Robertson chamou de “um discurso mundial”.³ Tal resultava das conquistas e aspirações de Alexandre, o Grande, filho do Rei Filipe da Macedónia, que, mais de 300 anos antes do nascimento de Cristo, percorreu o mundo antigo, conquistando nação após nação. O seu desejo consistia num só mundo e numa língua comum. Na sequência das suas vitórias, estabeleceu a língua grega como lingua franca, a linguagem comum, e a cultura grega como padrão de vida e pensamento. Embora o seu império tenha sido de curta duração, a difusão da língua grega persistiu.

É relevante que o discurso grego se tenha tornado um só em vez de muitos dialectos, ao mesmo tempo que o poderio romano se espalhava pelo mundo. A língua difundida pelo exército de Alexandre no mundo oriental persistiu após a divisão do reino e chegou a todas as partes do mundo romano, inclusive à própria Roma. Paulo escreveu à igreja de Roma em grego e Marco Aurélio, Imperador Romano, escreveu as suas Meditações... em grego. Era a língua não só das cartas, mas também do comércio e da vida quotidiana. ⁴

O importante é que Deus estava a trabalhar na preparação do mundo para uma língua comum, que era um veículo ímpar de comunicação clara e precisa, a fim de proclamar a mensagem do Salvador. Em resultado, os livros do Novo Testamento foram escritos na língua comum da época, o grego koiné. Não foram escritos em hebraico ou aramaico, embora todos os escritores do Novo Testamento fossem judeus, à excepção de Lucas, que era gentio. O grego koiné tornou-se a segunda língua de praticamente toda a gente.

Preparação Através dos Romanos

Mas Deus não acabara de preparar o mundo para a chegada do seu Salvador. Quando Cristo nasceu na Palestina, Roma dominava o mundo. A Palestina encontrava-se sob o poder romano. Acima de tudo, Roma destacava-se pela insistência na lei e ordem. Com o reinado de César Augusto, a mais longa e sangrenta guerra civil da história de Roma terminara finalmente. Em resultado, foi colocado um ponto final a mais de 100 anos de guerra civil, e Roma ampliara vastamente as suas fronteiras. Para além disso, os Romanos construíram um sistema de estradas que, com a protecção providenciada pelo seu exército, que as patrulhava com frequência, contribuiu grandemente para o grau de facilidade e segurança com que os viajantes se podiam deslocar ao longo do império romano. Augusto foi o primeiro romano a usar a púrpura e coroa imperiais, enquanto governante exclusivo do império. Era moderado, sábio e atencioso para com o povo, tendo trazido um tempo grandioso de paz e prosperidade, fazendo de Roma um lugar seguro para viver e viajar. Tal introduziu um período denominado “Pax Romana”, a paz de Roma (27 A.C. – 180 D.C.). Graças a tudo o que Augusto alcançou, muitos diziam que, quando nasceu, nasceu um deus. Foi nestas condições que nasceu Alguém que era e é verdadeiramente a fonte da verdadeira paz pessoal e paz mundial duradoura, versus a paz falsa e temporária que os homens podem proporcionar – não importa quão sábios, bons ou excepcionais. Também era verdadeiramente Deus, o Deus-Homem, em vez de um homem chamado Deus. A presença da norma e lei romanas ajudou a preparar o mundo para a Sua vida e ministério, a fim de que o Evangelho pudesse ser pregado.

Marcos 1:14-15. Depois que João foi preso, Jesus dirigiu-se para a Galileia. Pregava o Evangelho de Deus, e dizia: “Completou-se o tempo e o Reino de Deus está próximo; fazei penitência e crede no Evangelho”.

O Mundo Religioso no Tempo do Novo Testamento

Antes de se analisar o Novo Testamento, também seria bom ter uma imagem global do estado da esfera religiosa quando o Salvador entrou em cena e a Igreja foi enviada ao mundo. À medida que for lendo a citação de Merrill Tenney, repare na grande similaridade com o mundo actual. A mensagem do Salvador revelada no Evangelho é como uma lufada de ar fresco depois de estar fechado numa sala cheia de fumo.

A Igreja Cristã nasceu num mundo cheio de religiões concorrentes que podiam diferir largamente entre si, mas possuíam uma característica comum – a luta para alcançar um deus ou deuses que permaneciam inacessíveis. À excepção do Judaísmo, que ensinava que Deus Se revelara voluntariamente aos patriarcas, a Moisés e aos profetas, nenhuma fé podia falar com certeza acerca da revelação divina nem de algum verdadeiro conceito de pecado e salvação. Os padrões éticos em voga eram superficiais, apesar do ideal e discernimento de alguns filósofos e, quando discursavam a respeito do mal e da virtude, não tinham nem o remédio para um, nem a dinâmica para produzir a outra.

Mesmo no Judaísmo, a verdade revelada fora obscurecida, quer pela incrustação de tradições, quer por negligência...

O paganismo e todas as religiões afastadas do conhecimento e fé na Palavra de Deus originam sempre uma paródia e uma perversão da revelação original de Deus ao homem. Retêm muitos elementos básicos da verdade, mas distorcem-nos em falsidade prática. A soberania divina torna-se fatalismo; a graça transforma-se em indulgência; a justiça torna-se na conformidade com regras arbitrárias; a adoração transforma-se num ritual vazio; a oração torna-se uma súplica egoísta; o sobrenatural degenera em superstição. A luz de Deus fica obscurecida por lendas fantasiosas e completa falsidade. A consequente confusão de crenças e valores deixava os homens à deriva num labirinto de incertezas. Para alguns, a conveniência tornou-se a filosofia de vida dominante; pois, se não é possível haver uma certeza definitiva, não podem existir princípios permanentes que orientem o modo de agir; e, se não existem princípios permanentes, uma pessoa deve viver tão bem como for possível, tirando partido do momento. O cepticismo prevalecia, já que os velhos deuses haviam perdido o seu poder e não tinham aparecido novas divindades. De cada canto surgiram numerosos novos cultos, que invadiram o império e se tornaram os caprichos dos ricos diletantes ou o refúgio dos desesperadamente pobres. Os homens haviam perdido em larga escala as noções de júbilo e de destino que faziam a existência humana valer a pena.⁵

Composição e Organização do Novo Testamento

O Novo Testamento é composto de vinte e sete livros, escritos por nove autores diferentes. Com base nas suas características literárias, são frequentemente classificados em três grupos principais:

1. Históricos (cinco livros, os Evangelhos e Actos)
2. Epistolares (21 livros, de Romanos a Judas)
3. Proféticos (um livro, Apocalipse [Revelação]).

As duas tabelas que se seguem ilustram a divisão e focam-se nesta classificação tripla dos livros do Novo Testamento. ⁶

A Ordem dos Livros do Novo Testamento

Conforme observado na classificação prévia, a ordem dos livros do Novo Testamento é mais lógica do que cronológica. Como Ryrie explica,

Primeiro vêm os Evangelhos, que registam a vida de Cristo; em seguida Actos, que fornece a história da difusão do Cristianismo; depois as epístolas, que mostram o desenvolvimento das doutrinas da Igreja juntamente com os seus problemas; e, finalmente, a visão da segunda vinda de Cristo, em Revelação.⁷

Embora os estudiosos bíblicos divirjam quanto à data exacta em que os livros do Novo Testamento foram escritos, a ordem de redacção dos livros foi aproximadamente a que se segue:

A Compilação dos Livros do Novo Testamento

Originalmente, os livros do Novo Testamento foram postos a circular em separado, e apenas gradualmente compilados para formar aquilo que agora conhecemos como a parte do Novo Testamento no cânone da Escritura. Graças à conservação providenciada por Deus, os nossos vinte e sete livros do Novo Testamento foram separados de muitos outros textos aquando da Igreja primitiva. Foram preservados enquanto parte do cânone do Novo Testamento, devido à sua inspiração e autoridade apostólica. Ryrie apresenta um excelente resumo deste processo:

Depois de serem escritos, os livros individuais não foram imediatamente reunidos no cânone, ou colecção dos vinte e sete textos que compõem o Novo Testamento. Grupos de livros, como as cartas de Paulo e os Evangelhos, foram primeiro conservados pelas igrejas ou pessoas a quem foram enviados e, gradualmente, os vinte e sete livros foram compilados e formalmente reconhecidos como um conjunto pela Igreja.

Este processo demorou cerca de 350 anos. No século segundo, a circulação de livros que promoviam heresias acentuou a necessidade de distinguir entre a Escritura válida e outra literatura cristã. Certos testes foram desenvolvidos a fim de determinar que livros deveriam ser incluídos. (1) O livro foi escrito ou aprovado por um apóstolo? (2) Era o seu conteúdo de natureza espiritual? (3) Fornecia evidência de ser inspirado por Deus? (4) Foi amplamente recebido pelas igrejas?

Nem todos os vinte e sete livros eventualmente reconhecidos como canónicos foram aceites por todas as igrejas nos primeiros séculos, mas tal não significa que aqueles que não foram imediata ou universalmente aceites fossem espúrios. Cartas endereçadas a indivíduos (Filémon, 2 e 3 João) não circularam tão amplamente como as enviadas às igrejas. Os livros mais disputados foram Tiago, Judas, 2 Pedro, 2 e 3 João e Filémon, mas por fim foram incluídos, e o cânone foi certificado no Concílio de Cartago em 397 D.C..

Embora não reste nenhuma cópia original dos textos que compõem o Novo Testamento, existem mais de 4,500 manuscritos gregos de todo ou parte do texto, em conjunto com cerca de 8,000 manuscritos em latim e pelo menos 1,000 outras versões de tradução dos livros originais. O estudo cuidadoso e a comparação destas múltiplas cópias concederam-nos um Novo Testamento preciso e confiável.⁸

Artigo original por J. Hampton Keathley III, Th.M.

Tradução de C. Oliveira

J. Hampton Keathley III, Th.M., licenciou-se em 1966 no Seminário Teológico de Dallas, trabalhando como pastor durante 28 anos. Em Agosto de 2001, foi-lhe diagnosticado cancro do pulmão e, no dia 29 de Agosto de 2002, partiu para casa, para junto do Senhor.

Hampton escreveu diversos artigos para a Fundação de Estudos Bíblicos (Biblical Studies Foundation), ensinando ocasionalmente Grego do Novo Testamento no Instituto Bíblico Moody, Extensão Noroeste para Estudos Externos, em Spokane, Washington.

¹ Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Ryrie Study Bible, Expanded Edition, Moody, p. 1498.

² J. Greshem Machen, The New Testament, An Introduction to Its Litereature and History, editado por W. John Cook, The Banner of Truth Trust, Edinburgh, 1976, p. 16.

³ A. T. Robertson, A Grammar of the Greek New Testament in the Light of Historical Research, Broadman Press, Nashville, 1934, p. 54.

⁴ Robertson, p. 54.

⁵ Merrill C. Tenney, New Testament Times, Eerdmans, Grand Rapids, 1965, p. 107-108.

⁶ A primeira tabela foi retirada de Ryrie Study Bible, Expanded Edition, por Charles Caldwell Ryrie, Moody, p. 1500.

⁷ Ryrie, p. 1498.

⁸ Ryrie, p. 1499.

He was graduated from the finest four-star Christian college. The product of a distinguished evangelical church, he had a good personal grasp of the Scriptures. From a strong Christian family, he was a personable and handsome green shoot -- the whole nine yards!

Like many in his league, however, he was riding rather than building on his background. At seminary he was acceptable, certainly not outstanding. He suffered from a severe case of the blahs, turning in papers that would make better kindling than academic projects. He generally frittered away his time.

Toward the end of his four-year tour of divine duty, I had developed an excellent personal relationship and I called him into my office.

“Bill, I’m disappointed in you.”

“Really, Prof, why?” His eyed widened and blinked.

“Well, I could be wrong but my evaluation of you is this: you are a ten-cylinder man operating on about three, and comparing yourself with others who have only two.”

The atmosphere electrified. He flushed, stifled internal anger, and left. Apparently he felt he had been misunderstood and our friendship bond weakened.

Upon reflection he cooled to thinking temperature. “Maybe Prof is right. Could it be that he’s the only man who loves me enough to tell it like it is? He blew my cover.”

In time our rapport was mended. Bill went on to become a military chaplain, serving with distinction and impact. One of the cherished letters in my file is from Bill, thanking me for caring enough to face him with my convictions.

Counselors can often be cowards, not caring enough to confront. Probably the reason I was sensitive to Bill’s problem is that I had walked the same street some years before.

Prior to graduation from Wheaton College, an administrator called me into his office and “read me the riot act.” Every time I opened by mouth he told me to keep it shut. I, too, stormed out of his office, hotter than a hornet, only to reflect that he was really right. My conclusion: I finally met the first person in twenty-two years who loved me enough to look me in the eye and challenge me with my greatest problem -- an undisciplined tongue. In fact, in review I believe that flaw could have been fatal to my ministry. Another template had been furnished by the Spirit-controlled man who truly loved me, and who, like a good surgeon, was willing to hurt in order to heal.

Too often I have seen marriages go down the drain, relationships deteriorate to the point of destruction, people with glaring personal limitation go unchecked -- all because Christians who know precisely what is wrong will not love sufficiently to tackle the problem.

“I was afraid I would hurt their future,” is one lame excuse. But that is exactly what happens.

My mind recalls the words of our Lord to Peter when he veered off course; it seems a harsh slash to the disciple who had a short time before confessed him as Lord. “Out of my sight, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” (Matthew 16:23) These words came from the lips of the One who loves with everlasting love.

A former pastor told me about his experience of sinking into an illicit sexual relationship. He said he felt like an exhausted swimmer battling alone in the pounding surf, unable to escape the strong undertow, about to go down for the last time. On shore he could see all the people of his church. Some were shaking their heads in weeping and despair; others were shouting and shaking their fists in anger and frustration. There were words of encouragement and gestures of good will. There they were, all lined up, watching and waiting for something to happen. Only one man stepped forward and risked everything to plunge into the water and help the victim to safety.

Am I willing to be that man'

Footprints, Howard & Jeanne Hendricks, Multnomah Press, 1981, p. 40-42