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9. Beware of Complaining and Arguing

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Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life—in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing. But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. (Philippians 2:14-18)

Why should Christians do everything without complaining or arguing?

Paul in the previous text called for the Philippian church to “work out their salvation with fear and trembling” (v.12). Here he calls for them to continue the work of conforming to the image of Christ through doing everything without complaining and arguing (cf. Phil 2:6-11). This was especially important because situations in the church were threatening to stagnate or even destroy their spiritual life. They were experiencing persecution for the faith (1:28). False teachers were present in the church (3:2), and there was a division between two women in the congregation (4:2). Many threats to the spiritual growth of this congregation existed, and he calls for them to work out their salvation to completion by not “complaining or arguing” (v. 14).

This is very important for us to hear. We live in a world and society that is prone to complaining. In companies, the employees complain about their bosses and one another. In homes, husbands complain about their wives. Wives complain about their husbands. Children complain about their siblings and their parents. In churches, the members of the congregation complain about one another and the pastor. The pastor complains about the congregants. We live in a world full of complaining and arguing.

This tendency began at the Fall. Before sin entered the world, Adam and Eve never complained about anything. They didn’t complain about God putting a tree in the garden that they were forbidden to eat. They didn’t complain about not having any clothes on. Nor did they complain about the command to only eat vegetables. One of Satan’s first temptations was to get Adam and Eve discontent with God’s plan for them. He says, “Is it true that you cannot eat of every tree in the garden?” He tries to make God’s plan for them feel restrictive and domineering. He then tries to make them feel that God is trying to keep them from the best. He said, “God knows that when you eat of this tree you will be like God.” Satan’s overall temptation was to get them to not trust God and to become discontent with what they already had.

Isn’t that the state of the world today? We are discontent about everything. We are discontent about our job, our home, our TV, our phone, our family, our church, etc. For some people it is hard to find anything that they are content with. In fact, right when Adam sinned we see the tendency of man’s new sin nature to complain. He says to God, “The woman you gave me, gave me the food and I did eat.” When God asked him if he had eaten from the Tree of the Knowledge, he didn’t respond with, “Yes.” He responded by blaming God and the woman for his failure. The woman then blamed the serpent.

What we now see in the world is a tendency to complain. As a veteran of the U.S. military, I can say that the military is probably the place where I have experienced the most complaining. While I was on active duty and now as a reservist, it seems to be part of the culture. We all complained about the military, and this complaining bonded us together. We had a common animosity. I would say the church is at times not too far behind the military. We complain about the worship, the sermon, the seating, the lighting, the offering, the leadership, the members, and anything else we can complain about. Paul realized this tendency was in the Philippians, and Christians overall, and therefore, he challenged them to do “everything without complaining and arguing.” He didn’t say “some things” but “everything.”

Is this realistic? Why should we do “everything” without complaining? In this text Paul teaches us why we should do everything without complaining. His hope was to motivate Christians to live in a manner that would properly reflect our relationship both to God and the world.

Big Question: Why should Christians do “everything without complaining or arguing” according to Philippians 2:14-18?

Christians Should Not Complain and Argue in Order to Obey God

Do everything without complaining or arguing (Philippians 2:14)

Again, Paul says that Christians should do everything without complaining and arguing. “Complaining” can also be translated “grumbling.” “‘Grumbling’ (goggusmon) is an onomatopoeic word that sounds like what it means similar to words such as: buzz, boom, meow, or murmur.”1 It “describes the low, threatening, discontented muttering of a mob who distrust their leaders and are on the verge of an uprising.”2 It is a verbal expression of one’s dissatisfaction with circumstances.

The word “arguing” in the Greek is the word “dialogismos” which is where we get the English word “dialogue”.3 It describes both one’s inner reasoning as we argue in our minds and one’s outer reasoning with our mouths. When we are discontent, we argue both in our minds and with our mouths—with ourselves, other people, and with God. Paul says this is one of the things we must get rid of as we work out our salvation.

The classic story on complaining and arguing is seen in Israel’s wilderness wanderings. When God delivered them from slavery in Egypt and they went into the wilderness, they complained about a lack of water (Ex 15) and a lack of food (Ex 16). In Numbers 11 they complained about their trials in the wilderness, and how they wanted meat. And throughout their time in the wilderness, they complained against Moses and God. Because of their complaining, God judged them and many died. Paul said this about Israel’s experience in 1 Corinthians 10:9-11:

We should not test the Lord, as some of them did—and were killed by snakes. And do not grumble, as some of them did—and were killed by the destroying angel. These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fulfillment of the ages has come.

Paul said God killed them because of their grumbling through a destroying angel. In Numbers 11 God brought a fire and a severe plague in the camp that wiped out many of them. I don’t think many of us have truly meditated on Israel’s wilderness experiences. Think about this, they wandered in the wilderness without water for three days, and when they found some, it was bitter (Ex 15:22-23). For us, we are accustomed to having a drink anytime we want, just as the Israelites were in Egypt. It would be very hard for us to not complain when lacking fluids. Then God gave them manna from heaven for food, but the problem was that was all they ate for days at a time. What if they didn’t like the taste or the texture of it? Wouldn’t it be normal to complain and even acceptable? Plus, even if they liked the taste or the texture, they still ate the same food every day. Who wouldn’t complain? “Come on, God, isn’t your anger and punishment a little unreasonable—to kill them? Father, that just seems like a little too much.” And, also let us consider the fact that they wanted some meat (Num 11:4). I complain all the time while living here in Korea because many meals have no meat or very little meat. To me a meal without meat is not a meal. It is a snack. I want a meal. I figure that if I was in the wilderness with them, I would have complained alongside them.

One of the things we learn from Israel’s wilderness wanderings is that complaining is incompatible with our salvation. They were saved from slavery in Egypt and God deemed it unreasonable for them to complain after such a large display of grace. However, we have received much more grace. We have been delivered from slavery to sin, the world, and the devil. We have been given eternal life and the status of children of God. How much more is our complaining a sin in the sight of God? Therefore, God calls us to work out the completion of our salvation without complaining and arguing.

We must understand that complaining is not a little sin; it is a big sin. The writer of Hebrews said this about bitterness, which again was possibly an allusion to the wilderness wanderings of Israel: “See to it that no one misses the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many” (Hebrews 12:15). Bitterness and complaining is contagious. Not only does it blind us to all the ways God has graced us, but it also spreads to others. It spreads throughout a family, an organization, and a church—limiting and sometimes destroying spiritual growth.

Let us remember the time Israel was at the border of the promised land, and how they sent ten spies to survey the land. Two of them came back with a positive report of God’s faithfulness and how good the land was; while eight of them complained about the giants and the impossibility of taking the land. They then complained about God and Moses and convinced the Israelites not to go into the land (Numbers 13-14). “This task is too great!” they said. This root of bitterness coming from only eight Israelites defiled the whole nation and led to God’s judgment. The Israelites were judged by God and called to wander in the wilderness for forty years while everybody over twenty died for their rebellion.

Many people in the church are in a wandering experience in their spiritual life. They are not progressing; they are not going anywhere. And the reason is because there is a bitter root destroying their harvest and inviting the chastisement of God on their lives. It also might be bringing God’s chastisement on others’ lives as well. Maybe this bitterness is an anger against somebody that harmed them. Maybe it’s simply discontentment with their circumstances or lack of trust in God’s goodness. Whatever it may be, it must be known that this complaining spirit is a very dangerous sin that brings God’s discipline.

Personally, the gravity of this makes me very strict as a parent. My baby daughter is at an age where she likes to throw tantrums and fall on the ground when she doesn’t get her way or simply because she doesn’t like her circumstances. Because of God’s anger about this in Scripture, this is very serious to me. Some parents think tantrums are cute, but it is a very dangerous sin that if not remedied will carry on into adulthood and invite the chastening of God. By training my daughter, I realize that this could save her life—the Israelites died because of their complaining spirit. If I allow her to continue this practice, she will not only complain about us—her parents—she will complain about her teachers, her boss, her husband, and ultimately God, potentially leading to severe discipline.

Some Christians, because of a tendency to complain, are constantly under God’s discipline. God, like a loving parent, is seeking to turn them away from their petty tantrums and their distrust of him. Complaining is like telling God he doesn’t know what’s best and that he doesn’t care. It is an affront to God. Therefore, Christians must forsake complaining and arguing because it is forbidden by God.

Interpretation Question: How can we get rid of this complaining disposition?

1. We get rid of a complaining disposition by learning to trust God more.

Solomon said this: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding” (Prov 3:5). The reason we complain and argue essentially is because we don’t trust God with our circumstances. We don’t trust that he is working all things out for our good (Rom 8:28). Some of us like Adam and Eve doubt God’s essential nature—his goodness (Psalm 135:3). The Lord is good and everything that is good comes from him (James 1:17). He is how we define good, and therefore, to complain is to challenge his nature—his goodness. When we trust that we have an all wise God working all things out for our good, then this trust will deliver us from complaining—complaining about God and others.

2. We get rid of a complaining disposition by acknowledging God’s sovereignty in all situations.

Ephesians 1:11 says God works “all things” according to the counsel of his will. Scripture teaches that God is in control of everything. Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king's heart is in the hand of the LORD; he directs it like a watercourse wherever he pleases.” God controls the heart of man like a person moving around water in his hand. He is sovereign.

We should recognize that the sovereignty of God is a difficult and controversial doctrine and for that reason many don’t like it. However, let it be known that this doctrine is crucial for us to “do everything without complaining and arguing,” and therefore, it is an essential doctrine for our holiness. It is also an essential doctrine for prayer. If God isn’t in control of everything, why pray? It is the backbone of a deep prayer life. If we don’t see God is in control of everything, then we will not pray as we ought.

In order to not complain we must not only trust in God’s goodness but also acknowledge God’s sovereignty. Only a person who is fully trustworthy and good is worthy to be sovereign over the affairs of all things. I may not understand why tragedies happen in the world, but I can have peace because my God is all together good, trustworthy, and sovereign over all situations.

3. We get rid of a complaining disposition by learning contentment with God’s provisions.

First Timothy 6:6-8 says, “But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.”

He says if we have food and clothing we should be content. The word “clothing” just means covering so it could refer to clothes and shelter. We live in a society that teaches us to not be content. Every commercial says, “You need this!” “You need that!”  Therefore, we live in a society not content with anything. We get a new phone that we are all excited about until the newer version comes out. Then we are back to being discontent. This society works off discontentment.

One of the disciplines we must develop is to be content with whatever God has provided even if it is only basic food and covering. This is a discipline Paul challenges Christians to grow in (1 Tim 6:6-8). This is exactly what God promises to provide us with in Scripture. He promises to meet our needs—to give us our daily bread. He doesn’t promise riches, wealth, and health on this earth in contrast with the “prosperity gospel.” Christ told his disciples that God would meet their needs for clothing and food as they sought first the kingdom of heaven (Matt 6:33). We see Paul himself had learned this reality in Philippians 4:11-13. He said he had learned to be content in every circumstance whether in prosperity or lack because of God’s strength working in him.

How do we learn contentment? We learn it by finding our fullness and satisfaction in God. We should ask ourselves these questions, “Is God really enough? Is he really all I need? Will I be satisfied with just him? Do I really need all the clothes, the shoes, the entertainment, the electronics, etc.? Can I be content with just him?” The writers of Hebrews says this: “Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5).

How can we be free from the love of things which is a common cause of discontentment? We can be free by believing God will never leave us nor forsake us. We can be content with what we have because we have God. Christians should be radically different than the rest of the world because they already have everything. They have everything in their relationship with God.

When you are not content with God and his provisions, it is then that you will be tempted to fall into all types of sin including complaining and arguing. Like Adam and Eve, you will spend your time looking at the one thing you don’t have or don’t like instead of the many blessings given to you by God. Trusting God, acknowledging his sovereignty in all things, and practicing contentment will help us to not complain and grumble.

Application Question: What are some areas that you are often tempted to argue and complain about? How would you rate yourself 1-10 on complaining and arguing?

Christians Should Not Complain and Argue in Order to Grow in Godliness

…so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault (Philippians 2:15a)

Paul gives further reasons for us to not argue and complain. In the next phrase, he gives the purpose clause “so that.” Paul says do not argue and complain “so that” or “in order that” you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault.

What does Paul mean by becoming children of God? We are already children of God when we accept Christ as our Lord and Savior and are born again. He simply means that we will manifest that we are children of God. What we are in position, we must become in practice. Children by nature bear the characteristics of their parents, and they are identified by these characteristics. People look at my daughter and immediately say, “She looks just like Greg.” She has many of my features. In the same way, we should both by nature and practice look like our Father in heaven. Paul said this, “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children” (Eph 5:1). We, therefore, demonstrate the character of the Father when we live without complaining and arguing—we grow in godliness.

Observation Question: How do children of God grow in godliness according to Philippians 2:15?

Paul seems to be giving descriptors of children of God who are growing in godliness by not complaining and arguing. We will look at the descriptors Paul gives.

1, Christians grow in godliness by becoming blameless.

The word “blameless” does not mean perfection, but it does mean that a person is practicing holiness. It means that no charge can be sustained against a person. It is very similar to what we saw in the life of Daniel. Daniel 6:4-5 says this:

At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.”

While in Babylon, Daniel demonstrated that he was a child of God. The administrators had nothing to accuse him of other than his faith in God—the character of his Father. It should be the same with us.

We see this blamelessness in Paul as well. He said he would not eat meat nor drink wine if it caused another to stumble (Rom 14:21). He was willing to give up even things that were not sin in order to not cause others to stumble. This is a blameless life—a person seeking to live above accusation not only with sinful things but even with things that are his or her right.

Again, this has particular reference to not complaining and arguing. A person who is a complainer or an arguer will often be worthy of blame or accusation. They cause conflict and division and promote murmuring. This should not be the character of a child of God.

2. Christians grow in godliness by developing purity.

The word “pure” means unmixed. “The term was used to describe pure wine that was unmixed with water and pure metal that was not alloyed. The believer’s life is to be absolutely pure, unmixed with sin and evil.”4 Paul said in Romans 16:9, “I want you to be wise about what is good, and innocent [pure] about what is evil.” Not only must we seek to be free of wrongful actions but we must seek to have right hearts before God. We must keep them from becoming mixed. Jesus said this in Matthew 15:18-19:

But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man ‘unclean.’ For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander.

God always looks at the heart, and therefore, we must practice being pure in our hearts and our minds. Again, this especially has reference to doing all things without complaining and arguing. Some of us may not complain outwardly, but we are bitter inwardly. God is always looking at the heart to see if it is pure—unmixed with sin and evil.

3. Christians grow in godliness by being without fault.

“Without fault” can be translated “without blemish, spot or defect.” “This is a word that is taken from the Old Testament sacrifices made to God.”5 The concept behind this is that the believer is to live and walk as a sacrifice to God by keeping himself from divisive behavior such as complaining and arguing. Romans 12:1 similarly teaches that believers must seek to live as acceptable sacrifices to God. It says, “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.” James 1:27 says, “Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.”

The implication that Paul gives is that complaining and arguing is a practice that blemishes our offerings before God and makes them unacceptable. In describing public worship in 1 Timothy 2:8, he said that he desired “men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.”  When men led the congregation in prayer, it had to be done “without anger and disputing.” Anger and disputing would corrupt the offering. Jesus said this in Matthew 5:23-24:

“Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.

If you have an offering to give God (prayer, worship, tithe, etc.) but you realize somebody has something against you, Jesus said first go make that right. Again, the implication is that the offering will not be accepted by God if we are living in discord with others. In order to grow in godliness, we must make sure our offerings are without blemish by being free of complaining and arguing. We must seek to be acceptable to the Lord in all we give him, and by doing this, we manifest ourselves as children of God—we grow in godliness.

Christians must seek to be without blame—having no fault in them that others can point to. They must seek to be pure in their motives and actions. Finally, they must seek to be without fault and blemish as acceptable sacrifices to God. And, all these things are done so that they can grow spiritually—manifesting themselves as “children of God.” Complaining and arguing hinders spiritual growth.

Application Question: In what ways is God calling you specifically to grow in godliness by being blameless, pure, and without fault? What practical steps is he calling you to take?

Christians Should Not Complain and Argue in Order to Be Witnesses to Unbelievers

without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life (Philippians 2:15b-16)

The next reason Paul gives for not complaining and arguing is our witness to unbelievers. He pictures the world as a dark place and believers as stars in the universe. The word “crooked” is an interesting word in the Greek. John MacArthur said this about the word:

Crooked is from skolios, referring to what is bent, curved, or twisted. The medical condition scoliosis involves an abnormal curvature and misalignment of the spine. The term was used metaphorically of anything that deviates from a standard or norm, and in Scripture, it is often used of things that are morally or spiritually corrupt.

This world is twisted—it deviates away from God’s original plan. Paul also says the world is “depraved” meaning “corrupt and wicked.” This world is a dark place primarily because they refuse to acknowledge God. Romans 1:28 says this:

Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. 

The world is a dark place filled with every kind of evil because they choose to not acknowledge God. This leads them not only into complaining but into all kinds of perverse sin: idolatry, sexual immorality, homosexuality, disobedience to authorities, murder, and the approval of all these things (cf. Romans 1:28-32).

However, because believers have a relationship with God, they should shine as stars. The word “stars” can also be translated “lights” as in the ESV. We don’t shine because we are light in ourselves, but because we reflect the light of God. In practice, we are more like the moon than stars, as it radiates the sun’s light off its surface. Throughout history people have always recognized that there was something special about the moon. On its own it is just a big pile of rock and dust, but when it is in just the right spot, the sun shines on it and the moon radiates. All of a sudden in the radiance of the moon, people stand in awe, take pictures to remember the moment, and some even fall in love. In one sense, the moon is no different than us. There is nothing special about us on our own. We are just a big ball of dust, but in the light of Christ, magical things happen—people’s lives are changed, people find strength and encouragement, and people are led to Christ. That is the type of light Christians are to manifest in this crooked and depraved world. They should manifest the light of Christ as they dwell daily in his presence (John 15:5).

As long as we are dwelling in the light of God, we reflect his light and his glory. Paul implies three particular ways that we are lights: (1) by not complaining and arguing (2) by growing in godliness—being blameless, pure, and without fault as previously discussed, (3) and by holding out the word of life. “Holding out the word of life” is probably better translated “holding forth” the word of life which seems to refer to evangelism—the preaching of the gospel. However, the primary way we shine as lights to the world in the context is by not complaining and arguing which leads to all the other characteristics.

As Christians live a lifestyle of light, they draw people to Christ. People should look at believers and see a stark difference. This light will either push them away or draw them closer so they can learn about Christ—the reason for this light (cf. John 3:19-21). Again, the primary way we live as lights is by not complaining. When we practice complaining and arguing, we look more like a child of this world.

Scripture actually describes the world as not being “thankful.” Paul said this in Romans 1:21: “For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.” Paul describes the world as those who knew God but refused to glorify or give thanks to him. By denying the knowledge of God, the world has become a thankless place. They refuse to acknowledge the Giver of all good gifts, and therefore, their hearts become dark.

When Christians are in a work place, a family, or a ministry and they choose to be thankful instead of complainers, they demonstrate that they are children of God and lights in the world. They stand out. Their lifestyle becomes a witness to the world and therefore draws others to Christ.

However, it should be heard that when Christians choose to complain and be thankless like the world, they dim the light of the gospel. They instead look just like the world which is characterized by not glorifying and giving thanks to God.

While Job was suffering and he declared, “The Lord giveth and he taketh away. Blessed be the name of the Lord,” he shined like a star in the world (Job 1:21). It pointed those watching him toward faith in God. When Paul was in prison singing worship songs to the Lord in Acts 16, he shined like a star in that prison, and when the jailor accepted Christ, no doubt Paul’s unique, joyful disposition was part of the reason (Acts 16:25-31).

Does how you respond to uncomfortable situations draw people to Christ or does it push people away? Christ said we either gather or scatter (Matt 12:30). There is no in between. One of the reasons we must choose to not complain and argue is for the world—so that they may know Christ.

Application Question: Is unthankfulness a valid descriptor of the world? Why should thankfulness characterize believers?

Christians Should Not Complain and Argue in Order to Honor Our Leaders

in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing (Philippians 2:16)

Surprisingly, the next reason Paul gives for not complaining and arguing is in order to honor the apostle and his ministry to them. He says “in order that I may boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor for nothing.” The day of Christ means the second coming of Christ and specifically the day that Christ will reward believers for their works (2 Cor 5:10). It is a picture of Paul’s future happiness at his disciples’ faithfully following Christ. We see him reiterate the prospect of this future joy both to the Philippians and also to the Thessalonians. Look at what he says:

Therefore, my brothers, you whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, that is how you should stand firm in the Lord, dear friends! (Philippians 4:1)

For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? (1 Thessalonians 2:19)

The word Paul uses for “crown” in both of these texts is not a royal crown for ruling but a wreath given to the winner of an athletic contest. Paul says essentially that his “victory” on the day of Christ—his greatest “reward”—will be seeing that his disciples were faithful. Paul asked them to give him that joy as they worked out their salvation without complaining and arguing.

To some this may seem selfish, but Scripture teaches that those who teach us, especially our elders, will one day give an account for us before God. It also teaches that we should obey them so their work will be a joy and not a pain. The writer of Hebrews says this: 

Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. They keep watch over you as men who must give an account. Obey them so that their work will be a joy, not a burden, for that would be of no advantage to you. (Hebrews 13:17)

In this text, the writer’s primary incentive given for the Hebrew believers’ obedience was their leader’s “joy.” For many pastors and leaders their work is not a joy, in part, because of the constant complaining and arguing of the members of the congregation. The nation of Israel constantly pointed their finger at Moses and complained about his leadership. Even his own family complained against him. Moses became so burdened by the people’s complaints one time, he simply asked God to let him die. Consider what he said:

Moses heard the people of every family wailing, each at the entrance to his tent. The LORD became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. He asked the LORD, “Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? Why do you tell me to carry them in my arms, as a nurse carries an infant, to the land you promised on oath to their forefathers? Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, ‘Give us meat to eat!’ I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, put me to death right now—if I have found favor in your eyes—and do not let me face my own ruin.” (Numbers 11:10-15)

The people were receiving manna from heaven, but they decided that they wanted more variety in their diet. They were tired of bread and wanted meat. Therefore, they complained against Moses and against God. Moses finally responded, “Lord, are these my children? Why do I have to care for them? Why me?” One of the reasons we shouldn’t complain is because of our leaders, not only for their joy on the day of Christ but for their joy now.

Scripture commands us to be considerate of our leaders and to bless them. Galatians 6:6 says, “Anyone who receives instruction in the word must share all good things with his instructor.” We should honor those who feed us and care for us even though they are not perfect. They sin and make mistakes just like everybody else. I think it is their imperfections that should make us honor them even more. They need grace. Paul implies that one of the reasons we should not complain and argue is for our pastors’ joy—so they may boast on the day of Christ.

I can relate to this both as a member of the church and now as a pastor. As member of the church, I look forward to one day meeting with my former Sunday school teachers and pastors who imparted into my life, even just to say, “Thank you.” I also want to encourage them by saying, “I was the apathetic student in your Sunday school class, but one day I got serious about God. Thank you for your labor. Thank you for your prayers.” With that, my other great joy will be those I have labored for and served as a pastor in ministry. Like Paul, I will rejoice to see how they progressed in their spiritual lives. They will be my crown of rejoicing in heaven.

Application Question: Which spiritual leaders have made the greatest impact in your life?

Christians Should Not Complain and Argue in Order to Be Joyful in Every Circumstance

But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me. (Philippians 2:17-18)

Finally, the last reason Paul gives for not complaining and arguing is in order for us to have joy. Paul says “even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service of your faith.” The drink offering was the final part of an offering (Lev 23:18, 37). A person would offer a burnt sacrifice to the Lord and then pour some wine on top of the offering as a sweet smelling savor to the Lord. It was the final act of the offering. Paul here was referring to both his and the Philippians’ suffering for the Lord as a sacrifice (Phil 1:27), and he may be alluding to the possibility of his future death as the drink offering. He essentially says, “Even if this is my final offering to the Lord as I face potential death, I rejoice with you and you should rejoice as well.” He commands them to not complain and argue so that they can have joy in their mutual offering to the Lord.

This is the reality: complaining and arguing not only affects others negatively, but it also affects us. It ruins our own joy. Most Christians are up and down in their spiritual life based on the events that happen. Therefore, their joy is not constant. One cannot have joy if he is constantly complaining and arguing. Paul says that even if the worst thing happens, his potential death, the Philippians should still rejoice.

Paul will command them to rejoice three more times in the letter (Phil 3:2, 4:4). He says in Philippians 4:4, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” He wants them to have joy in spite of their suffering and in spite of the difficulties happening in the church (Phil 4:2). But in order to do that, they must stop complaining. It is the same for us, God wants us to learn to have joy even in the worst circumstances, and one of the ways we do this is by choosing not to complain and argue.

Do you realize that complaining steals our God-given joy? Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Gal 5:22); however, it can be lost when we choose to complain and argue. We grieve the Holy Spirit and forfeit the grace that God wants to give us. Paul said this:

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (Ephesians 4:29-30)

The implication is that we grieve the Holy Spirit when we let anything unwholesome come out of our mouths—cursing, lying, complaining, and arguing. When we grieve the Spirit, we lose the supernatural joy and peace that we should have in our circumstances. Paul says one of the reasons we must not complain or argue is so that we can have joy. Nehemiah said, “The joy of the Lord is our strength” (8:10). Therefore, to complain and argue can actually weaken and cripple us for God’s work.

Application Question: Is it really possible to have joy in every circumstance? If so, how do we develop this? Does being joyful mean never mourning or being sad?

Conclusion

Arguing and complaining is a characteristic of the world. We live in a world that has rejected God and therefore abides in a state of unthankfulness. Many homes and work environments have a culture of grumbling and complaining. However, for Christians this should not be true. God has called us not only to not complain and argue but to be thankful. First Thessalonians 5:18 says, “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” God’s will is for us to be thankful in every situation.

Why should Christians do “everything” without grumbling and complaining?

  1. Christians Should Not Complain and Argue in Order to Obey God
  2. Christians Should Not Complain and Argue in Order to Grow in Godliness
  3. Christians Should Not Complain and Argue in Order to Be Witnesses to Unbelievers
  4. Christians Should Not Complain and Argue in Order to Honor Our Leaders
  5. Christians Should Not Complain and Argue in Order to Be Joyful in Every Circumstance

1 Hughes, R. K. (2007). Philippians: the fellowship of the gospel (p. 99). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

2 Barclay, W. (2003). The Letters to Philippians, Colossians, and Thessalonians (3rd ed. fully rev. and updated., p. 51). Louisville, KY; London: Westminster John Knox Press.

3 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2001). Philippians (p. 180). Chicago: Moody Press.

4 MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2001). Philippians (p. 182). Chicago: Moody Press.

5 Teacher's Outline and Study Bible - Commentary - Teacher's Outline and Study Bible – Philippians: The Teacher's Outline and Study Bible.

Related Topics: Christian Life

Empty Pursuits Made Eternally Meaningful

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“‘Vanity of vanities,’ says the preacher, ‘Vanity of vanities, all is vanity’” (Eccl. 1:1-2). Or, to paraphrase, “all is pointless, all is empty.” Ecclesiastes so reduces our many earthly activities to “chasing after wind” that it begs for an answer to the important question: What, then, gives life and living meaning and purpose?

More to Life

Enjoy God’s earthly blessings—enjoy your job, enjoy your roast beef, enjoy your spouse, et al (and not necessarily in that order). Great advice, but Ecclesiastes lacks a comprehensive explanation of the reason for our existence and various activities. As one of 66 books of the Bible, it can only be understood properly in light of the entire message of Scripture. Yet, when viewed in this greater biblical context the goals of life become meaningful as part of the greater purpose of God. 

We often fail to appreciate this important truth in our youth when so many things lie before us, like learning to walk or ride a bike; graduating from kindergarten, high school, and college; getting a job, career, spouse, kids, and a good retirement. We are easily occupied by a successive series of objectives. But when we are older, when we’ve been there, done that, and get a gold watch for 40 years of hard work, we can better appreciate Solomon’s point. It’s why he can say “it is better to go to a house of mourning than to go to a house of feasting, because that is the end of every man, and the living takes it to heart” (Eccl. 7:2). Death and eternity put our temporal pursuits into proper perspective.

The Big Picture

As Christians, our activities need not be pointless, but part of a life of meaning, contentment, and joy. We need not wait until we have been there and done that to know why we go there and do that. Yet, we sometimes forget how our many goals fit into a comprehensive and greater purpose. Our pursuits can lie scattered like pieces of an unfinished jigsaw puzzle on a table top, with little understanding of how they fit together to form a beautiful and meaningful picture. 

What, then, constitutes the ultimate purpose that gives our pursuits eternal significance and value? The answer lies with God’s ultimate purpose to display His glory, to shine forth the majestic beauty of His attributes.

Glory in Creation

God displays His glory in creation and providence—His fingerprints appear on everything. “O Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens” (Ps. 8:1). “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!” (Ps. 108:5). In other words, let the beauty of your holiness, love, goodness, wisdom, power, etc., radiate throughout your universe for all to see. “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1a). The testimony shines so clearly that all people “are without excuse” for not worshipping God and giving Him thanks (Rom. 1:18-20). Every raindrop and bite of food displays His goodness (Acts 14:17).

Glory in Christ and Redemption

The ultimate display of God’s glory resides in the person and saving work of Jesus Christ. God’s excellent character shines forth in the plan and accomplishment of the salvation of unworthy sinners. Indeed, “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world” and “predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself” for “the praise of the glory of His grace” (Eph. 1:4,5,6). We have been “sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given as a pledge of our inheritance…to the praise of His glory” (Eph. 1:13-14). In the saving work of Christ, most particularly in His giving Himself to suffer infinite wrath to save His enemies, the beauty of God’s attributes shines brightly, including His righteousness, holiness, love, goodness, wisdom, and power. 

In fact, to see the excellence of Christ is to see the excellence of the Father: “He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power” (Heb. 1:3). Or, as Jesus responded to Philip, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

God’s Purpose—Our Purpose

What, then, comprises the one purpose that unites and gives meaning to every aspect of life? As created and redeemed by God, our purpose comes from the purpose of the One who created and redeemed us—to display and communicate His infinite excellence. “Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your offspring from the east, and from the west I will gather you….every one who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory” (Isa. 43:5, 7). For “you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light” (1 Pet. 2:9). The testimony of our life and words should proclaim and emulate the character of Christ: “For you have been bought with a price:  therefore glorify God in your body” (1 Cor. 6:20). “Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name” (Ps. 96:7b-8a). “Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples” (Ps. 96:3). The Westminster Shorter Catechism puts it this way: “Man’s chief end is to glorify God, and to enjoy him forever.”

Given that our ultimate purpose consists of God’s ultimate purpose to display His glory, and that His glory radiates most clearly in the person and redeeming work of Christ on the cross, may the beauty of Christ’s character shine in all we say and do. By this the vain and mundane activities of life become part of God’s marvelous purpose in all things. We have been redeemed from meaningless activity to a purpose infinitely greater than ourselves, with eternal consequences. Therefore, “whether… you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31).

Scripture taken from the NEW AMERICAN STANDARD BIBLE, © Copyright The Lockman Foundation 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1988, 1995. Used by permission.

©Craig Biehl, 2016

Related Topics: Basics for Christians, Devotionals

Appendix 1: Study Group Tips

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In leading a small group using the Bible Teacher’s Guide it can be done in various ways. One format for leading a small group is the “study group” model where each member prepares and shares in the teaching. This appendix will cover tips for facilitating a weekly study group.

  1. Each week the members of the study group will read through a select chapter of the guide, answer the reflection questions (see Appendix 2), and come prepared to share in the group.
  2. Prior to each meeting, a different member can be selected to lead the group, and share question 1 of the reflection questions, which is to give a short summary of the chapter read. This section of the gathering could last anywhere from five to fifteen minutes. This way, each member can develop their gift of teaching. It also will make them study harder during the week. Or the other option is that each week the same person could share the summary.
  3. After the summary has been given, the leader for that week will facilitate discussions through the rest of the reflection questions and also ask select application questions from the chapter.
  4. After discussion, the group will share prayer requests and pray for one another.

The strength of the study group is the fact that the members will be required to prepare their responses before the meeting, which will allow for easier discussion. In addition, each member will be given the opportunity to teach which will further equip their ministry skills. The study group model has distinct advantages.

Psalms 69 passages quoted in the New Testament

Psalms 69:4, John 15:25

Psalms 69:9a, John 2:17

Psalms 69:9b, Romans 15:3

Psalms 69:21 Matthew 27:34, 48; Mark 15:36; Luke 23:36; John 19:28-29

Psalms 69:22-23, Romans 11:9-10

Psalms 69:25, Acts 1:20

Lesson 1: What is the Church? (Various Scriptures)

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April 2, 2017

Since I plan to spend the next few weeks preaching on what the Bible says about the church, it’s important that we begin by making sure we’re all on the same page regarding the question: What is the church? The answer is not as simple as you may think!

If you were to ask people on the street, “What is the church?” you’d probably hear, “It’s that building on the corner of Beaver and Benton Streets.” Sometimes we use the word in that way: “I go to the old stone church that is next to NiMarco’s Pizza on South Beaver Street.” But we all know (or should know) that the church is not a building, but rather the people who meet in that building. The building may look like a typical church, with a steeple and a cross on top. Or, it may be an industrial building remodeled into an auditorium and classrooms. In many countries, churches meet in houses, as the early church did. So buildings are not the church. Rather, it’s the people who are the church.

But, even if we all agree that the church is the people, we still need to clarify what the church really is, or at least, what it’s supposed to be. Some might think that the church is the place where you go to meet other nice people. Hopefully, the church generally has a crowd that’s a notch above the local bar! So the church meets a social need.

Others might go to church in the hopes that if they attend church, God will help their lives go better. He will help their businesses. He will bless their families. Some guys go to church because it makes their wives happier. As long as his buddies aren’t doing something more interesting, he’ll tag along to please his wife.

Among those who claim to be born again, the prevailing American view is that you attend church to worship God and get spiritual nourishment. It’s a lot like going to the theater, but with a spiritual focus. When you go to the theater, you sit and watch the show that the film makers and actors have put together for your enjoyment. You may see a few of your friends in the lobby before or after the show and stop to chat. But that’s about the extent of your involvement. You’re a religious consumer and the church provides religious goods. So you attend the church that provides what best meets your and your family’s needs.

Over thirty years ago, I wrote an article titled, “The Best Show in Town?” (You can read it on our church website.) I critiqued the way that many pastors cater to this consumer mindset by trying to put on “the best show in town” every Sunday. The goal is to attract more and more people to attend your “show” so that the offerings increase and you can hire more staff to make the show even more attractive to potential customers. So pastors and their staff members rack their brains and comb through ministry magazines for new ideas on how to get more people to come to your “show.” The church with the most people wins.

The result of this approach is mega-churches with parking lot attendants, a coffee bar that rivals Starbucks, professional “worship” teams that perform with concert level quality, short sermons that speak to the felt needs of the “customers,” and facilities offering midweek exercise programs, along with free babysitting.

But even with all these amenities, many millennial Christians would rather just stay home in their pajamas, sip gourmet coffee, and maybe catch their favorite preacher online. They think, “Why do I need the church? The church is out of touch with where I’m at. It’s full of judgmental old people who are obviously uncomfortable with my tattoos and body piercings. I’d rather just stay home and surf the web for spiritual input or meet with my friends and talk about subjects that concern us.” They don’t see any point in being committed to a local church.

One of my aims in this series is to change your understanding of the church from the prevalent consumer mindset to a biblical view so that you will commit yourself to a local church that, although imperfect, is seeking to be what the Bible prescribes. In this message, my main point is that …

To be committed properly to the local church, you must understand biblically what the church is.

I’ll offer biblical definitions of the local and universal church and then cover a few of the biblical metaphors used of the church.

1. Biblical definitions of the local and universal church:

A. The local church is a gathering of those who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, who are committed to meet regularly for worship, teaching, fellowship, and prayer, and who help make disciples of all people.

There are simpler definitions, but in my opinion, they either are not comprehensive enough or they miss the mark in other ways. For example, Wayne Grudem (Systematic Theology [Zondervan], p. 853, italics his) gives a succinct definition: “The church is the community of all true believers for all time.” While that definition recognizes that the Greek word, ecclesia (literally, “assembly,” but usually translated “church”) is used of God’s people in the Old Testament, it fails to recognize the distinct nature of the church as beginning on the Day of Pentecost, consisting of all who are under the headship of Jesus Christ, having been baptized by the Holy Spirit into the one body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13; Eph. 1:22-23).

While I agree that God has always had a community of true believers, we need to understand that there is a distinct difference between the Old Testament people of God and the New Testament church, which is the body of Christ. James Boice (God and History [IVP], p. 63) points out:

… the church has characteristics that cannot rightly be applied to the Old Testament assembly and which therefore set it off as something new. The church (1) is founded on the Lord Jesus Christ, (2) is called into being by the Holy Spirit, and (3) is to contain people of all races who thereby become one new people in the sight of God.

Mack Stiles is on target when he writes (9 Marks online article, “Nine Marks of a Healthy Parachurch Ministry”),

The church is the God-ordained local assembly of believers who have committed themselves to each other. They gather regularly, they teach the Word, celebrate communion and baptism, discipline their members, establish a biblical structure of leadership, they pray and give together. Certainly the church may do more, but it is not less than this.

Going back to my definition, note first that the local church is a gathering of those who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. This means that the church consists of those who meet together because they believe the gospel. Each member believes: I am a sinner who deserves God’s righteous judgment. He sent His eternal Son, Jesus Christ, who is God in human flesh, to pay the penalty of death that I deserve. He promises that all who believe that Jesus died for their sins and was raised from the dead receive forgiveness of all their sins and eternal life as a free gift. Genuine saving faith includes turning from my sins and growing in obedience to the commandments given by Jesus and His apostles in the New Testament. This belief in the gospel is at the core of true local churches.

Also, those who have believed in Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord are committed to meet regularly for worship, teaching, fellowship, and prayer. Acts 2:42 reports of the early church, “They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Elsewhere, Paul instructs the church (Col. 3:16), “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” These and other similar texts spell out the essential activities of the church when we gather each Lord’s Day.

Also, from my definition: The local church is a gathering of those … who help make disciples of all people. This is the Great Commission that the Lord gave us (Matt. 28:19-20a): “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you.” This command was not just for the apostles or for missionaries who are called to go to foreign cultures. Every Christian should be involved in the process of making disciples (obedient followers of Jesus), whether locally or globally. This includes sharing the gospel with those outside of Christ, helping other believers grow in Christ, and being informed and committed to the cause of Christ worldwide.

Also, it’s important to note that the Bible never uses the word “church” to refer to the building where God’s people met, but almost always to the cities where they met: The church in Jerusalem, Philippi, Corinth, Rome, etc. In many cases, there were probably too many believers to gather in one location each Sunday, so they met in numerous houses throughout the city. Probably each house church had at least one pastor or elder who was responsible for shepherding, oversight, and teaching that flock.

But the church in a city was viewed as one local church, governed by a plurality of elders. Watchman Nee put it (The Normal Christian Church Life [International Students Press], p. 59), “A local church is a church which comprises all the children of God in a given locality.” To be honest, with all of the many Protestant denominations in every city, I don’t know how to recover this as a reality. But the overall point is, the local church is a gathering of believers in Jesus Christ, under His lordship, and committed to one another to help fulfill His saving purposes.

B. The universal church consists of all believers worldwide whom Christ has saved from the Day of Pentecost until He returns.

After describing God’s people at Mount Sinai (Heb. 12:18-21), the author of Hebrews (12:22-24) draws this contrast:

But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to myriads of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the Judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel.

The author was trying to impress on these Jewish believers in Christ, who were tempted to return to Judaism, the superiority of the church over the Old Covenant people of God. We are a part of this great company of all people everywhere who have believed in Jesus and His shed blood. While in one sense that includes Old Testament believers, who looked forward to Christ, in another sense there is a contrast between them and us, in that we are actually members of His worldwide body, the church.

You have no doubt had the same experience that I have had, where you have met someone from another country who is very different culturally than you are. They may only speak broken English. But when you discover that he or she is a believer in Jesus Christ, there is an instant bond of fellowship. Although you both normally meet with believers in very different places around the globe and your church meetings may look very different, you both are members of the one universal body of Christ.

To further help understand what the church is, let’s look at a few biblical metaphors for the church. There are dozens in the New Testament, but I pared it down to seven. Even at that, I can only comment very briefly:

2. There are many biblical metaphors that help us understand what the church is.

A. The church is the body of Christ, the head.

This is perhaps the most familiar description of the church. Paul uses it extensively in 1 Corinthians 12 to make the point that all believers are members of the one body of Christ. He states (1 Cor. 12:13): “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.” He doesn’t mention in that chapter that Christ is the head of the body because his aim is to emphasize both the unity and diversity of the church. Just as in a human body there are many members but each has a different function, so in the body of Christ. Each member has a spiritual gift to be used for the overall good of the body. We’re different, yet we’re one body.

Going along with the point that the church is Christ’s body is the truth that Christ and the church make up the “one new man.” Adam, the first man, fell into sin. But what Adam (“the old man”) lost, Christ (“the new man”), recovered. While most modern translations convey an individual sense to the “new man” (NASB, ESV, NIV = “new self”), Paul’s point is that the new man is corporate: Christ and the church (Col. 3:9-11):

Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self [man] with its evil practices, and have put on the new self [man] who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him—a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.

Paul also states that Christ is the head of His body, the church (Eph. 1:22-23): “And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.” Among many practical applications is that each member of Christ’s body must be in submission to Him as the head and in a complementary relationship with other members of the body.

Also, the most important characteristic of bodies is that they are living. While bodies are highly organized, the organization is useless if there is no life. The church is the organic, living body of Christ. Its members must be alive spiritually through the new birth.

B. The church is the bride of Christ.

Paul presents this image in his discussion of the respective roles of husbands and wives (Eph. 5:22-33). Lest we think that he is limiting his discussion to marriage, he states (Eph. 5:32): “This mystery is great; but I am speaking with reference to Christ and the church.” The apostle John presents the same imagery (Rev. 19:7-8; 21:2, 9; & 22:17): the church is the bride, the wife of the Lamb. The main application is that we are to relate to Christ in love, as a bride relates to her husband, and that we are to thrive in the knowledge that He loves us and chose us to be His bride.

C. The church is the family (or household) of God.

In Ephesians 2:19, Paul states, “So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints, and are of God’s household.” (See, also, Gal. 6:10; 1 Tim. 3:15; 1 Pet. 4:17). The family imagery is also seen in the many places where God is called our Father and we are called brothers and sisters in the Lord. We are God’s children through the new birth (John 1:12-13; Rom. 8:14-17; Gal. 3:26; 1 John 3:1-2) and also through adoption (Rom. 8:15, 23; Eph. 1:5).

In addition to assuring us of God’s fatherly love and care for us, this truth affects our mindset toward the church. If the church is a Sunday program that you attend, then you go for what you can get out of it. But if the church is the family of God, then you’re a member with your brothers and sisters. Families gather for fundamentally different reasons than audiences do. Families get together for relationships because of the common family bond. Family members don’t threaten to go join another family if there are conflicts or if the family gatherings aren’t meeting their needs. The family bond keeps them together so that they work out their differences in love. Or at least that’s what should happen in Christian families and in the family of God!

D. The church is the temple of God.

Referring to the church, Paul writes (Eph. 2:21-22): “in whom the whole building, being fitted together, is growing into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling of God in the Spirit.” In one sense, a believer’s body is individually a temple of God, but in another sense, the entire church is God’s temple (1 Cor. 6:19; 3: 16-17). This means that He dwells in our midst and thus we must be holy in all our behavior.

E. The church is the flock of God.

Paul challenges the Ephesian elders (Acts 20:28): “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.” Peter commands the elders (1 Pet. 5:2), “shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness.” This means that the church belongs to the Lord, not to any pastor or elder, and that church leaders are shepherds, responsible to the Lord to care for His flock.

F. The church is the pillar and support of the truth.

1 Tim. 3:15: “but in case I am delayed, I write so that you will know how one ought to conduct himself in the household of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and support of the truth.” Paul mentions the metaphor of the church as the household of the living God, but then adds that the church upholds and supports the truth. In this day of widespread departure from the truth of God’s word, the church must stand firm in proclaiming and practicing the truth. A main task of elders is that they must hold “fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict” (Titus 1:9).

G. The church is the kingdom of God.

The relationship between the church and God’s kingdom is complicated, and many books have been written on it (George Ladd, The Gospel of the Kingdom [Eerdmans], is helpful). In Colossians 1:13-14, Paul writes, “For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” In 1 Thessalonians 2:12, Paul states his aim, “so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.” (See, also, Acts 8:12; 19:8; 28:23; 1 Cor. 4:20; Rom. 14:17). God’s kingdom has broken into the world through the church, but it awaits a completed form when Christ returns and rules over all the earth (What is the Mission of the Church? Kevin DeYoung & Greg Gilbert [Crossway], p. 117).

The practical application for us is that in the church we live under the rule of Jesus Christ, our King. We serve His purposes. We proclaim His rightful lordship to others, seeking to bring them into submission to His rule. We do not make up our own ideas about what the church should be, but rather submit to the teaching that he has given us in His word.

Conclusion

The main thing that I want you to see in this message is that the church is not a place you attend for spiritual input two or three times a month if you don’t have anything better to do. We’re not here to provide the best show in town for your spiritual enjoyment. If you’ve trusted in Christ, you’re organically joined to other members, so that you’re one body with them under the Head. You’re a member of the family of God, related to other family members, with a God-given ministry to fulfill.

The idea that a Christian could live his or her independent spiritual life separate from the life of a local church is foreign to the New Testament. God wants every part of the body to work together, causing “the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love” (Eph. 4:16).

Application Questions

  1. How would you define “the church”? How is the New Testament church different than God’s people in the Old Testament?
  2. Think about and discuss some other applications for the various New Testament metaphors of the church. Which ones do you need most to apply?
  3. Discuss the implications of this statement: Families gather for fundamentally different reasons than audiences do.
  4. How can we change the common mindset of Christians so that they change from being spiritual consumers to serving members of the body of Christ?

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

Related Topics: Ecclesiology (The Church)

3. Turning the Water into Wine

I. OBSERVATION

A. Passage Selected: John 2:1-11

This miracle is only recorded in John.

B. Progression Stated: Biographical

We can track this miracle biographically by following the conversations between Jesus and others involved in the miracle account.

C. Presentation Summarized:

1. The context

Chronological context - There are four separate references to “day” in the context 1:19, 29, 35, 43 and 2:1 Some suggest that this is the third day after the 4th day. Thus this is the seventh day. John’s book also ends with a record of seven days. Perhaps these are “book ends” to the book. From Jerusalem up to Galilee was about a two or three day journey. So perhaps this is just a reference to the third day since Jesus was in Jerusalem.

Conceptual context - John has just presented Jesus as the creator in John 1:3. Now we will see him creating in chapter two. I think this is the most important contextual clue to consider.

2. The conversations
a. Between Mary and Jesus (1-5)

The wine gave out. That would have been a social embarrassment in that culture - or any culture for that matter. What is Mary doing hosting this wedding ceremony? She is from Nazareth. This is happening in Cana (8.3 miles away). Chances are this is a relative’s wedding. She goes to Jesus and tells him the wine is out. Why does she approach Jesus? He hasn’t performed any miracles yet. Because He hadn’t performed any miracles yet, some say that Mary didn’t expect Him to perform one here, but you must remember that she knew who He was. He was a perfect son. She knew He was the Messiah. Perhaps she had heard about His baptism and the Voice coming out of heaven. Perhaps she thought it was time for Him to go public with His identity. Perhaps she is just going to him, expecting him to bail her out of her social predicament or give her advice as some suggest, but I think she might have even expected something supernatural - a miracle. I think that because of what Jesus says.

Jesus says, “Woman, what do I have to do with you?” Literally, “Woman, what to you and to me.” This sounds a little rude to us. This is a Semitism which is either a hostile answer or an intentional disengagement. Another way to translate it might be “Why do you involve me?” or “What do you want with me?” By addressing his mother as “Woman” he is distancing himself from her. He uses the same term of address in John 19:26 when he is hanging on the cross and about to leave her. I think in John 19: he is indicating that his earthly existence is over and with it, the mother-son relationship. Why does He say that here? Because, with the Baptism by John, His ministry has begun, and with it His responsibility to the Father and accomplishment of His mission has now taken even more of a priority than before.

His response is that His time has not yet come. This introduces the theme of “the hour” in the gospel of John. The hour is the hour of his passion. When he gives the bread to Judas, he says his hour has come. So, when He says here that His hour has not yet come, He is saying the time when he would be glorified has not yet come. It is this statement by Jesus (who knows what people are thinking) that makes me think this is what His mother is expecting—that He get with it and show everyone who He is.

Why does he balk at her question and then go ahead and perform the miracle? What Jesus is saying is, “Nobody writes in my daytimer.” Mary was trying to dictate when Jesus was to start manifesting Himself as the Son of God. This doesn’t mean He can’t help her. He is just pointing out that she doesn’t control when He reveals Himself. Later in John His brothers tell Him to go up to Jerusalem and manifest Himself at the feast. He tells them it is not his time and then later goes to the feast in His own way - not to manifest himself as the Christ. Both of these events make it look like Jesus says one thing and does another, but when you understand this concept, it clears up the confusion.

After saying all this, it is in fact time for Jesus to begin manifesting that He is God and so He does a miracle.

b. Between Jesus and the servants (6-8)

Nearby stood six stone ceremonial water jars. Water pots could not be ceremonially clean unless hewn out of stone. These pots held between 20 and 30 gallons.

He tells the servants to draw water and fill the jars. This is the miracle proper (vs. 6-8).

He told them to put water in the pots first and then draw it out. He does this so that they would know that there was nothing in the pots beforehand. There was not a can of juice concentrate or a freeze dried package of wine in the bottom which became wine when the water was added. It removed all doubt that this was miraculous.

If you were to fill a ceremonial pot with just any old water, what would happen to the pot? It would become unclean and unfit for ceremonial use from then on. We will come back to this.

Did Jesus touch the water? Did he speak magic words over the water? One of the things we will see as we study the miracles is that there is no standardized way that Jesus performs miracles. There is very little “hype” in his miracles. People who claim to perform miracles usually surround the event with much “hype.” In all of His miracles there is almost a disengagement from the miracle event so that we can focus on the meaning. I think that is important to remember when we later discuss the current charismatic, signs and wonders movement. One of the questions to ask is “Where is their focus?”

c. Between the headwaiter and the bridegroom (9-11)

The bridegroom would have been responsible for providing the wine for the celebration. The headwaiter points out that usually people serve the good wine first and bring out the bad wine after everyone is a little too tipsy to tell the difference. vs 10 can literally be translated “usually you bring out the lower quality wine after everyone has become drunk...”

This miracle debunks one common teaching in certain Christian circles. Some try to teach that everyone in that culture drank diluted wine. Therefore, any wine or beer that we would drink today is much stronger than the wine of Jesus’ day and therefore sinful. However, it was common for people to get drunk on the wine of that day. The headwaiter said so, and Paul wouldn’t counsel against being drunk with wine in Ephesians if that was true.

II. INTERPRETATION

John says in vs 11 that this was the beginning of Jesus’ signs. Indicating that this miracle had significance or meaning. What was the purpose or significance? There are several:

A. The purpose in the context.

In my research on this miracle I checked out the web site that contains many of Ray Stedman’s sermons. He wrote the following:

In his very helpful book Miracles, C.S. Lewis has pointed out that every miracle of Jesus is simply a kind of short-circuiting of a natural process; a doing instantly something which in general takes a longer period of time. Lewis says, “Each miracle writes for us in small letters something that God has already written, or will write, in letters almost too large to be noticed, across the whole canvas of nature.” That is what Jesus is doing: he is overleaping the elements of time, of growth, gathering, crushing and fermenting. He takes water---an inorganic, non-living, commonplace substance---and without a word, without a gesture, without any laying on of hands, in utter simplicity, the water becomes wine, an organic liquid, a product of fermentation, belonging to the realm of life. Thus he demonstrated his marvelous ability to master the processes of nature.

C.S. Lewis and Ray Stedman are usually very good, but here I have to disagree. If you filled a pot with water and put it on your front porch, it could sit there for a 1000 years and never turn into wine. Not only is this impossible, it misses the point of the miracle. In John 1:3, John said, “All things came into being by Him...” Now John is recording a miracle in which Jesus demonstrates that He is the creator. He creates wine. He doesn’t speed up the natural process.

So, the purpose in the context is that this is a miracle of creativity.

B. The Significance to the Jewish Audience

Why would the production of wine be important to a Jewish audience? There are many passages in the OT that predicted that when the Messiah came there would be an abundance of wine. cf. Amos 9:12-15. Wine is a symbol of the presence of the Messiah. The opening sign of the ministry of Jesus is the production of wine that proclaimed that the Messiah was present and ready to establish the kingdom.

 

  • “You saved the best for last” may be an allusion similar to Hebrew 1. “Heb 1:1 God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, 2 in these last days has spoken to us in His Son ...”
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  • Jesus is commanding servants to act in defiling ways with Jewish water pots to accomplish His purposes. Is that important? Yes, Jesus is demonstrating that He is superior to the rituals and traditions of the Pharisees. He will do this several times throughout His ministry.

    Jesus demonstrates himself to be the Creator and Messiah. He revealed his glory (John 1:14).

    C. The Significance to the Disciples

    This also confirmed the faith of the disciples. It says so in vs 11.

    III. APPLICATIONS

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  • From the conversation between Mary and Jesus we learn that Jesus is greater than Mary.
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  • Mary submitted to Christ and so should I.
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  • We also see that we shouldn’t demand that God meet our schedule or desires. He will do what He wants when He wants.
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  • Jesus sanctioned the institution of marriage by his presence at the wedding and reception. Jesus is not interested in monasticism, asceticism.
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  • Jesus made the wedding celebration even more enjoyable by providing the wine. Therefore, God is interested in our joy as well as our needs.
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  • The disciples believed, therefore, the right response to seeing the glorious person and work of Christ is to believe. Notice that even the first miracle has the purpose of building faith. Jesus starts off by pointing out that it is not the hour and then performs a miracle anyway. This miracle was glorious, but it was not the hour of glory. All the miracles build up to the what is most important - the most glorious work of Christ - His death - which is the basis of genuine saving faith.
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  • The servants saw the same miracle (from a closer vantage point than anyone else), but there is no record of their faith. Principle: Many see the works of God and do not respond in faith. This point is missed by the followers of the Vineyard Movement who teach that if people could just see miracles, then they would believe. It makes you wonder if they have read this miracle.
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  • Let’s go back to the creation theme. Jesus created wine with apparent age. This has significance for the creation/evolution debate. Evolutionists say that the earth has to be millions of years old because of the empirical evidence. But ask yourself the question. If God made a tree on Monday and you cut it down on Tuesday, ho w many rings would it have? If God created the world, why couldn’t He create it with apparent age? If you take God out of the equation, the world looks old. But if God did it 10,000 years ago, and created everything with age, then the empirical evidence for the age of the earth is not a conflict with scripture. There is no empirical evidence for transition of life forms. Consequently, scientists have opted for abrupt appearance as the explanation for the origin of life on earth. What better explanation of abrupt appearance than the creation account in Genesis?
  • Related Topics: Miracles

    11. 鬼與豬 (馬太福音 8:28-34)

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    我們現在繼續研究這個大段落的另一篇經文,這經文顯示耶穌擁有在靈界之上的權柄。馬太福音記錄了耶穌在公開傳道前,被鬼王 – 魔鬼 – 試探的事件。在耶穌公開傳道的日子,祂遇到一些被邪惡勢力控制的人,他們失去了自我控制能力,我們使用「被鬼附」這詞來形容他們。鬼控制了他們,折磨和扭曲了他們的生命;當耶穌到達他們所在之地,祂把他們從黑暗勢力拯救出來。

    閱讀經文

    28 耶穌既渡到那邊去,來到加大拉人的地方,就有兩個被鬼附的人從墳塋裡出來迎著他,極其兇猛,甚至沒有人能從那條路上經過。29 他們喊著說:神的兒子,我們與你有甚麼相干?時候還沒有到,你就上這裡來叫我們受苦麼?

    30 離他們很遠,有一大群豬吃食。31 鬼就央求耶穌,說:若把我們趕出去,就打發我們進入豬群罷!

    32 耶穌說:去罷!鬼就出來,進入豬群。全群忽然闖下山崖,投在海裡淹死了。33 放豬的就逃跑進城,將這一切事和被鬼附的人所遭遇的都告訴人。34 合城的人都出來迎見耶穌,既見了就央求他離開他們的境界。

    符類福音的平行經文

    馬太福音、馬可福音和路加福音被稱為「符類福音」。它們常常記錄了一些相同的事件,但卻有少許不同的記載。我們這次研讀的經文,也記載於馬可福音5:1-20和路加福音8:26-39,而且這兩段經文的記載都比較長。當我們研讀時,比較這三篇經文是重要的,原因如下:(1)看看有沒有需加處理的差異;(2)收集有關該事件的更多資料,以確保詮釋正確;(3)讓我們更能明瞭福音書作者所作出記載的選擇。

    首先,我們要問記載的事件是否有明顯的分歧。有兩方面我們需要處理:其一是馬太說耶穌遇見兩個人,而其它經文則說一人。有些詮釋者很快,並且簡單地得出馬太出錯或他創作出另一人。可是,這兩個解釋都沒有必要,也對事情沒有幫助。較理想的解決方法是:馬太親身在現場,他有較完備的資料,也有第二人的資料。1 在那裡有兩個被鬼附的人,但其中一人和耶穌對話;而其餘兩卷福音書的作者只是報告別人告訴他們有關耶穌和被鬼附的人的對話,他們的焦點只在那一個人,因這已滿足他們的寫作目的。同樣的事情也在馬太福音20:30出現,馬太記載了兩名瞎子遇見耶穌。

    除此以外,當其中一人較重要時,只提及那人亦並非不常見。有人說:「今天我在城裡遇見約翰。」稍後他補充約翰當時和家人在一起。這不可列為差勁的報導。

    另一難題是地名。馬太說那兒是加大拉人的地方,馬可和路加卻說是格拉森 (Gerasa)。有些較古老的版本則說按較後期的手稿傳統,那兒是Gergesa。

    加大拉(Gadara)極可能是Um Qeis,位於加利利湖東南約五哩的地方。第一世紀猶太歷史學家約瑟夫說加大拉位於湖邊,有一些鄉村。我們也不要忘記這兩人住在墳塋,很可能是城鎮以外的地方。這便解說了為何馬太說那兒是加大拉人的地方,而非加大拉。

    按馬可和路加的記載,那裡是格拉森。有人建議那裡是Jerash,但這地點在湖東面三十哩的地方,與經文記載在湖邊的說法並不相符。 2  格拉森很可能是指在  Koursi 或 Kersi的其中一條村落,在加利利湖的東面,馬太所述的位置與此重疊。不同的福音書使用了不同的表達方式,馬太以主要城鎮的名字,而其他兩卷福音書則使用了當地鄉村的名字。這神蹟在城市和鄉村以外的墳塋發生,因此,使用城鎮或鄉村名字皆可。

    所以,在粗略閱讀時看似錯誤的,可以並非那麼一回事。若考慮不同的報告者的角度,可以很容易得到解釋。不過,這段經文讓我們察覺到讀經的一些重要事項:假如你懷著聖經充滿不實和不協調的錯誤的心態,你可以找到像這類的差異,使你演繹出你的觀點;然而,你若懷著聖經是小心的記載,也是歷史的詮釋,並願意協調這些難題,那看似差異的地方,你會得到合理的解釋。可是,很多人都沒有花點心思去看看有沒有可以協調的地方。文學評鑑的一個基本原則是當你在一位很好的作者的作品中找到明顯錯誤時,你要假設自己是無知的,直至你盡力尋找所有可能的解釋。有很多「學者」並不願意假設自己是無知的,相反,他們認為自己比作者所知的更詳盡。

    比較這些事件的第二個目的是詢問不同的記載有沒有提供額外的資料。因馬可和路加的篇幅較長,很可能有更多的資料。三卷福音書都把這事件放在一系列事件的記載當中,也有這神蹟的基本要素:豬和城裡的人。馬太並沒有提及「群」這名字,而「群」代表鬼的數目;馬太也沒有交代住在墳塋被鬼附的人所受的折磨,怎樣坐下,怎樣被潔淨和醫治,神智回復正常,與及希望追隨耶穌。因此,當結合所有的記載,整幅圖畫就顯現在我們眼前,被鬼附的特點和鬼被驅趕後的戲劇性改變。當我們詮釋馬太福音時,我們的工作要基於馬太給我們的材料;不過,知道其他福音書的記述,使我們可以更準確地說馬太實實在在告訴我們甚麼。

    第三、為何馬太不包括這些額外細節呢?我認為細節雖有差異,卻是支持聖經誠實可信的證據。不同的作者包含了他們認為可達至他們寫作目的的材料,卻不是確保他們的材料相同。因此,不同的福音書各自為他們的聽眾呈現獨特的觀點。馬太的寫作目的是展現耶穌是神的兒子,猶太人的王,擁有在實質世界和靈界之上的所有權柄,馬太用他選取的材料達至他的目的。馬可和路加對此也感興趣,但他們同時希望給讀者展現耶穌是完美的人,是人子,滿足人類的需要。因此,對比被鬼附的人所受的煎熬和他被醫治後回復神智,對他們的聽眾來說十分重要。此外,因這神蹟並非在猶太境內發生,地點是外邦國度,使其趣味增加。

    神學背景

    你或許需要閱讀一些你手上有的字典或神學典籍,看看被鬼附的整個課題。現代一些自稱是基督徒,但對聖經抱持懷疑論的人,他們認為被鬼附是垃圾,他們也許會說這只是遠古人類對患有精神病或社交障礙的人的描述。可是,聖經並非穿鑿附會或迷信的著作。假如這些事件是虛構或幻想出來的,它們會被修正。相反,聖經確定有靈界環繞我們,這是不容忽視的。

    在福音書裡,靈界的啟示始於馬太記載耶穌受試探。撒旦(或魔鬼)按聖經傳統是一名因叛逆神而被逐出天堂的天使長,他明顯帶了為數不少的天使與他一同離開,這些墮落天使被指是惡魔(或鬼)。在我們研讀的經文裡,有一個有趣的地方,鬼從一開始就知道耶穌是誰,也知道祂的出現意即為他們帶來審判。他們記得祂的榮耀,他們知道祂降世的使命,他們也知道審判的權柄已經交給祂。

    這個課題的經文太多了,我不會將它們全都列出來。不過,我們可以肯定創世記第三章的事件帶出女人的後裔(人類,終極指向耶穌)和蛇的後裔(魔鬼)為敵。啟示錄12:7-9給我們進一步的資料,讓我們認清蛇和他的天使的關連;猶大書第8-10節給我們另一扇窗,看到靈界的爭戰;尤如但以理書10:13所提及波斯背後的靈界力量;以西結書28:11-19關於推羅王的預言,很快便提到在他背後的靈界力量。這也是聖經有關撒旦歷史的提示。彼得前書3:19看似指向被監禁的邪惡的靈,他們自從洪水就離開他們起初的居所,他們敗壞那世代,可能指向創世記第6:1-4那上古英武有名的人。耶穌升天時宣告祂大大勝過他們。

    我相信這裡已經有足夠的資料讓你忙上一陣子。但聖經所要顯示的,是這些靈在不順服和敗壞的黑暗領域中變得活躍。在那裡,人類讓他們能夠容易運作;然而,那裡有正義和純潔,鬼便無意在那裡停留。明顯地,鬼喜歡加大拉這地方,他們不願意離去。在稍後的經文,我們將會讀到耶穌對門徒講解有些鬼較難處理,需要多多的禱告。馬可和路加告訴我們,耶穌怎樣把他們趕出來。

    基督徒會被鬼附嗎?你需要為這課題閱讀一些書籍。不過,我認為聖經的教導是鬼不能附在基督徒身上,但他們會攻擊基督徒,在生命的屬靈爭戰中引發許許多多的麻煩。假如基督徒如聖經所肯定,有聖靈內住在他們裡面,鬼就無法住在其中。聖經告訴信徒要抵擋魔鬼,他就會逃跑;而抵擋魔鬼的方法就是順服神(雅各書4:7)。相對在一名由聖靈掌管生命,留意魔鬼的技倆和抵擋他們的基督徒,魔鬼明顯地有別的較容易讓他們作居所的地方。

    我從魯益司的著作所提出的警告,得到有關魔鬼和魔鬼活動的提醒:人常犯的兩個毛病,若不是少看這問題而全不理會,就是過於著迷或心思意念被預先佔據了。魔鬼的活動是真實的,它們在較黑暗 3 的地域中會較為活躍,但基督徒卻不應活在恐懼中,因為基督已經勝過這些邪惡勢力。

    經文觀察

    有了這少許背景資料,你現在可以多加思想馬太記載的細節。其中一項值得留意的是這事件在湖的對岸發生,從迦百農橫過湖,若按當日的疆界地圖顯示,那裡大部份是外邦人的土地,十個城邦聯盟 – 低加波利 (Decapolis)– 在此設立。

    這解釋了為何猶太人視豬為不潔的動物,而那地方卻有人養豬。摩西律法嚴禁吃豬肉有多個原因:有些動物被稱為不潔是因為牠們是異教敬拜的對象;有些是清道夫,吃不潔淨的屍體;有些是偏離了創造秩序(不會游水的魚,不會飛的鳥等)。這可以是很複雜的課題,你可以閱讀有關以色列的飲食條例(我在利未記的註釋《Holiness to the LORD》有詳細的討論)。但那時的外邦人吃豬肉,因此加大拉很可能是外邦城鎮,而豬群的主人或許是外邦人。若說雖然猶太人不吃豬肉,卻可以賣豬肉給外邦人,豬群的主人是猶太人也勉強可以成立。不管是那一種情況,在以色列的土地養豬,若按摩西律法作判斷,是不合理的;耶穌趕鬼到豬群證明了這點。

    這篇經文的記敘方式,同樣是事件與論述混合在一起。馬太記載耶穌只說:「去罷!」但所用的方法和語調,顯示這話包含在天上的權柄。其餘的話從稱呼耶穌到請求進入豬群都是鬼說的話。這段經文的結構如下:

    A. 在湖邊遇見被鬼附的人

    B. 鬼擔心耶穌提早審判他們,並要求進豬群

    C. 耶穌命鬼進豬群

    B’ 豬衝下崖浸死

    A’ 遇見城裡的人,他們拒絕耶穌

    這故事的中心是那被鬼附的人回復正常的神蹟,那人再次成為健康的人。這是神的兒子在世上一次最戲劇性從黑暗之子手中把人拯救的事件,祂使他們的身體和靈性再次完全。經文中最大的對比是那被鬼附、受盡折磨的人,他們被認為是最差勁的人,而那城中「受尊敬」的人卻要求耶穌離開他們地域的人。可是那「受尊敬」的,卻被證明他們才是最差勁的呢!

    我們可以把這段經文分成數段,讓我們更容易作出分析。首先是在加大拉遇見被鬼附的人、第二是趕鬼、而第三是人的反應。

    分析經文

    I.  在加大拉遇見被鬼附的人(8:28,29)。

    經文告訴我們當耶穌到達湖的對岸正下船時,被鬼附的人跑過來與祂相遇。馬太簡單提及他們極其凶猛,沒有人能馴服他們。我們也知道有些人為了馴服他們而用鎖鏈綑綁他們,但他們卻把鎖鏈弄斷。因他們極危險,其他人都避開他們。他們住在城外的墳塋中,那是以色列人認為不潔,但卻是適合鬼的地方。

    這裡不單是兩個人走向一艘船,而且發生了更多的事情。他們高聲向耶穌說:「神的兒子,我們與你有甚麼相干?時候還沒有到,你就上這裡來叫我們受苦麼?」鬼明顯佔有了這兩個人,並且透過這兩人說話。

    他們所說的話意味深長。首先,他們知道耶穌真正的身份。耶穌行了平靜風浪的神蹟,在船上的門徒可能嘗試找出耶穌的身份,但鬼卻清楚知道這是神的兒子,或如別的經文為最高神的兒子,這強調祂在眾靈之上的神聖身份。這些鬼無拘無束地在這兩人身上,或透過這兩人做卑劣的事,但耶穌在他們所在的地方出現卻使他們感到困擾。  

    第二、他們知道耶穌有消滅他們的能力,這事並且已經定下時日。約翰福音5:22告訴我們父不審判人,乃將審判的事全交與子。這些鬼知道審判者正步入他們的領土,他們害怕他們享有的自由被縮減,這是何等奇怪的現象 – 鬼知道他們有朝一日被審判,但卻只希望暫時保著他們小小的邪惡經驗。他們經常說服人作這樣的想法。

    鬼懼怕在指定日期以前受折磨確實諷刺;但與此同時,他們卻折磨那兩個可憐的人。我們無法得知在這地區的邪惡活動到底從何而來,但在福音書和使徒行傳中,當基督的真理明顯進入人們的生命,把他們從罪惡與死亡之中拯救出來時,好像有很多在靈性上敵擋的事情發生。在福音書的開端,我們看到希律嘗試殺害耶穌,而他並非獨自行事。

    II.  趕鬼 (8:30-32)。

    在這初步的對抗後,鬼要求耶穌趕他們到附近的豬群。他們希望若不能繼續住在人裡面,至少他們仍留在該地。不潔的豬是不潔的靈的自然居所。

    耶穌說:「去罷!」這麼輕鬆簡單的命令顯出基督的權柄。不久之前祂責備風和浪:「靜了罷!住了罷!」現在祂只說:「去罷!」就這樣把「群」驅趕。按聖經的啟示,我們亦可預期在末日的審判,祂亦只簡單地說:「離去罷,我不認識你們。」祂的權柄是真的,祂發出的命令使病得醫治、平靜風浪和趕鬼。馬太希望讀者看到這簡而易見的事。

    故事中的對比也是十分奇妙。這些威力強大的邪靈,卻因懼怕基督而感到惶恐不安,擔心他們的日子已到了末時,他們亦知道他們要接受審判。他們可以在那兩個不幸的人身上施展力量,但面對基督,他們卻完全無力對抗,並且感到絕望。

    現在,鬼進入豬群,那些可憐的動物未能承受他們,所以牠們迅速妄撞地衝落湖中浸死了。馬可告訴我們,那群豬有二千頭。人能容忍與鬼同住,但這些不潔的動物卻不能。鬼給牠們突如其來的衝擊,把牠們趕到海(湖)裡。

    在較早前的課題,我們提及在古代海是邪惡的象徵,是從起初便存在的災難。因此,鬼衝下那把豬群浸死的海裡也合情合理。鬼自已不會浸死,但他們被耶穌趕出來,他們知道祂能控制他們,並且掌握他們的終極命運。也許,他們衝進湖裡,他們進到陰間更深之處(參看別的訴說),並且被禁鎖;可是,經文的文本並沒有這麼說。這故事是關於鬼被戰勝,而被鬼附的人得拯救。

    III. 被當地人拒絕 (8:33,34)

    消息很快就傳到城中,當然也傳到豬的主人的耳中。有很多人都趕來看到底發生了甚麼事,要看看那些人是否真的從被鬼附的情況下被潔淨,這無疑是人類歷史中無法想象的事情。

    但使人詫異是當這些人遇見耶穌時,他們竟然請祂離去。為何他們不以耶穌是偉大的拯救者歡迎祂?或許,他們只想著他們因失去豬群而帶來的損失;又或許他們因自身問題而驚懼,因為在他們當中的並非一位普通的先知,而是那趕出邪惡的那一位和審判者;或許他們不願意這樣的能力進入他們的境界,因他們要放棄許許多多的東西。我們並不知道,因我們不明白為何有些人相信,有些人卻不信;不過,他們不希望耶穌留在他們當中。因此,這是福音書記載縱使基督證明了祂是誰,卻被大大拒絕的其中一次。

    與舊約的關聯

    我已提及有關最初撒旦或鬼的活動和造成世界破壞的經文。對於人類被折磨的記載,我們很自然會想起約伯記。撒旦在地上來回往返,無疑如彼得所說要尋找可吞噬的人。神以約伯向撒旦挑戰,撒旦可以透過攻擊約伯生命中的一切來摧毀約伯的誠信,若以過份的說法來描述,神以約伯和撒旦打賭。整個安排,神以祂的主權控制撒旦;祂准許撒旦折磨約伯,卻不可取他性命。神要向撒旦證明信心能勝過苦難。在約伯記,我們看到神擁有主權,能控制撒旦:甚麼他能作,甚麼他不能作。

    與新約的關聯

    在福音書以外的新約書卷,我們有好些經文處理靈性衝突(你的研讀會開展這些範圍)。也許屬靈爭戰這課題,我們最感興趣的是我們仍與一些靈異力量角力的事實。保羅說我們並不是與屬血氣的爭戰,乃是與那執政的、掌權的、管轄這幽暗世界的,以及天空屬靈的惡魔爭戰(以弗所書6:12)。表面上看來,我們是和人爭戰,但保羅卻說在他們裡頭有更惡的力量,因此,我們不能用一般的武器;當然,也不是用我們自己的力量和知識,我們必須使用保羅在以弗所書第六章所列出的神賜的全副軍裝。

    如我在前面所提及,新約告訴我們,基於基督的十字架和復活,已肯定勝過了撒旦和他的黨羽(參我有關啟示錄12章的講章)。只要我們抵擋魔鬼,魔鬼就必離開你們逃跑了。當然,我們期盼基督把所有邪惡勢力殲滅的那天來臨。

    結論和應用

    這篇經文的重點是表明耶穌是彌賽亞,是神的兒子,擁有絕對權柄,在靈異世界之上、在撒旦之上,在鬼之上,在被鬼控制的人之上。耶穌把「群」趕出來,顯示了祂的權柄;也是這些邪靈終極審判的預告。

    可是最後審判並未出現,要等到在十字架上的勝利。到那時,蛇的頭被傷(創世記3:15)。有趣的倒是耶穌早已預言祂掌控一切,並且會死;耶穌也曾說若祂求父,父會派天軍毀滅世界,但祂的門徒仍企圖阻止耶穌被捉。若門徒成功阻止耶穌被捉,聖經的應許就沒有應驗。在邪魔接受審判以先,必先進行十字架上的審判。當這審判完成,基督把所有仇敵作腳凳的時刻就指日可待。

    對於基督的這個啟示,人們的即時回應是以祂是神真正的兒子敬拜祂,事奉祂。他們也應基於祂完全掌管世上邪惡勢力而得到極大的安慰和鼓勵。認識基督的大能驅走所有的懼怕。

    按其他的經文,我們認識到人若單靠自己的力量,無法勝過邪靈;但我們有大於世上所有的靈內住在我們裡面,給我們屬靈資源去面對這場屬靈爭戰。保羅並沒有命令我們參與和邪靈的戰鬥和驅魔,但他指示我們如何在戰鬥中使用屬靈軍裝:真理、公義、救恩和福音來趕走邪惡,把人從罪與死亡之中拯救出來。

    因此,這篇經文使我們為這課題提高警覺,同時,因基督的權柄,給我們信心和勇氣。我們經常說應用時把自己代入故事人物來取得靈感,但這篇經文卻難以這樣做。也許,我們可以說不要像那些「尊貴」但「不守律法」的當地居民,他們希望耶穌離去,因祂破壞了他們的制度。我們可以跟隨基督和與人分享祂戰勝了邪惡,讓那失喪的世界認識基督。雖然我們大多數人並未經歷從被鬼附中得拯救,我們可以分享加大拉的見證,耶穌從黑暗的國度把我們拯救,並且使我們完全。


    1 有人嘗試爭辯馬太創造出第二個人,以便符合律法「兩個見證人」的要求。但這完全欠缺憑證,因為馬太在這裡並非強調見證人。

    2 我們曾到那地區視察,我們曾討論關於地勢的問題。其中一名養豬的人說這個神蹟應在靠水的一個山坡上發生,因為豬並非越野好手。而另一個詼諧的人(無疑是個聰明人)卻說:「所言甚是,但這些卻是被鬼附的豬。」

    3 當我說黑暗世界時,我並非指那崇奉巫術及魔法,或在儀式中所行的法術。明顯地,希特勒納粹世界被邪惡力量操控,使希特勒對聖經啟示的神和基督充滿憎恨,以及對神秘的依戀。

    11. 鬼与猪 (马太福音8:28-34)

    Related Media

    我们现在继续研究这个大段落的另一篇经文,这经文显示耶稣拥有在灵界之上的权柄。马太福音记录了耶稣在公开传道前,被鬼王 – 魔鬼 – 试探的事件。在耶稣公开传道的日子,祂遇到一些被邪恶势力控制的人,他们失去了自我控制能力,我们使用「被鬼附」这词来形容他们。鬼控制了他们,折磨和扭曲了他们的生命;当耶稣到达他们所在之地,祂把他们从黑暗势力拯救出来。

    阅读经文

    28 耶稣既渡到那边去,来到加大拉人的地方,就有两个被鬼附的人从坟茔里出来迎着他,极其凶猛,甚至没有人能从那条路上经过。 29 他们喊着说:「神的儿子,我们与你有什么相干?时候还没有到,你就上这里来叫我们受苦么?」

    30 离他们很远,有一大群猪吃食。 31 鬼就央求耶稣,说:「若把我们赶出去,就打发我们进入猪群罢!」

    32 耶稣说:「去罢!」鬼就出来,进入猪群。全群忽然闯下山崖,投在海里淹死了。 33 放猪的就逃跑进城,将这一切事和被鬼附的人所遭遇的都告诉人。 34 合城的人都出来迎见耶稣,既见了就央求他离开他们的境界。

    符类福音的平行经文

    马太福音、马可福音和路加福音被称为「符类福音」。 它们常常记录了一些相同的事件,但却有少许不同的记载。 我们这次研读的经文,也记载在马可福音5:1-20和路加福音8:26-39,而且这两段经文的记载都比较长。 当我们研读时,比较这三篇经文是重要的,原因如下:(1)看看有没有需加处理的差异;(2)收集有关该事件的更多资料,以确保诠释正确;(3)让我们更明白福音书作者所作出记载的选择。

    首先,我们要问记载的事件是否有明显的分歧。 有两方面我们需要处理:其一是马太说耶稣遇见两个人,而其它经文则说一人。 有些诠释者很快,并且简单地得出马太出错或他创作出另一人。 可是,这两个解释都没有必要,也对事情没有帮助。 较理想的解决方法是:马太亲身在现场,他有较完备的资料,也有第二人的资料。1  在那里有两个被鬼附的人,但其中一人和耶稣对话;而其余两卷福音书的作者只是报告别人告诉他们有关耶稣和被鬼附的人的对话,他们的焦点只在那一个人,因这已满足他们的写作目的。 同样的事情也在马太福音20:30出现,马太记载了两名瞎子遇见耶稣。

    除此以外,当其中一人较重要时,只提及那人亦并非不常见。 有人说:「今天我在城里遇见约翰。 」稍后他补充约翰当时和家人在一起。 这不可列为差劲的报导。

    另一难题是地名。 马太说那儿在加大拉人的地方,马可和路加却说是格拉森 (Gerasa)。 有些较古老的版本则说按较后期的手稿传统,那儿是Gergesa。

    Gadara 极可能是 Um Qeis ,位于加利利湖东南约五哩的地方。 第一世纪犹太历史学家约瑟夫说加大拉位于湖边,有一些乡村。 我们也不要忘记这两人住在坟茔,很可能是城镇以外的地方。 这便解说了为何马太说那儿是加大拉人的地方,而非加大拉。

    按马可和路加的记载,那里是格拉森。 有人建议那里是Jerash,但这地点在湖东面三十哩的地方,与经文记载在湖边的说法并不相符。2  格拉森很可能是指在 Koursi 或 Kersi的其中一条村落,在加利利湖的东面,马太所述的位置与此重迭。 不同的福音书使用了不同的表达方式,马太以主要城镇的名字,而其他两卷福音书则使用了当地乡村的名字。 这神迹在城市和乡村以外的坟茔发生,因此,使用城镇或乡村名字皆可。

    所以,在粗略阅读时看似错误的,可以并非那么一回事。 若考虑不同报告者的角度,可以很容易得到解释。 不过,这段经文让我们察觉到读经的一些重要事项:假如你怀着圣经充满不实和不协调的错误的心态,你可以找到像这类的差异,使你演绎出你的观点;然而,你若怀着圣经是小心的记载,也是历史的诠释,并愿意协调这些难题,那看似差异的地方,你会得到合理的解释。 可是,很多人都没有花点心思去看看有没有可以协调的地方。 文学评鉴的一个基本原则是当你在一位很好的作者的作品中找到明显错误时,你要假设自己是无知的,直至你尽力寻找所有可能的解释。 有很多「学者」并不愿意假设自己是无知的,相反,他们认为自己比作者所知的更详尽。

    比较这些事件的第二个目的是询问不同的记载有没有提供额外的资料。 因马可和路加的篇幅较长,很可能有更多的资料。 三卷福音书都把这事件放在一系列事件的记载当中,也有这神迹的基本要素:猪和城里的人。 马太没有提及「群」这名字,而「群」代表鬼的数目;马太也没有交代住在坟茔被鬼附的人所受的折磨,怎样坐下,怎样被洁净和医治,神智回复正常,与及希望追随耶稣。 因此,当结合所有的记载,整幅图画就显现在我们眼前,被鬼附的特点和鬼被驱赶后的戏剧性改变。 当我们诠释马太福音时,我们的工作要基于马太给我们的材料;不过,知道其他福音书的记述,使我们可以更准确地说马太实实在在告诉我们甚么。

    第三、为何马太不包括这些额外细节呢? 我认为细节虽有差异,却是支持圣经诚实可信的证据。 不同的作者包含了他们认为可达至他们写作目的的材料,却不是确保他们的材料相同。 因此,不同的福音书各自为他们的听众呈现独特的观点。 马太的写作目的是展现耶稣是神的儿子,犹太人的王,拥有在实质世界和灵界之上的所有权柄,马太用他选取的材料达至他的目的。 马可和路加对此也感兴趣,但他们同时希望给读者展现耶稣是完美的人,是人子,满足人类的需要。 因此,对比被鬼附的人所受的煎熬和他被医治后回复神智,对他们的听众来说十分重要。 此外,因这神迹并非在犹太境内发生,地点是外邦国度,使其趣味增加。

    神学背景

    你或许需要阅读一些你手上有的字典或神学典籍,看看被鬼附的整个课题。 现代一些自称是基督徒,但对圣经抱持怀疑论的人,他们认为被鬼附是垃圾,他们也许会说这只是远古人类对患有精神病或社交障碍的人的描述。 可是,圣经并非穿凿附会或迷信的著作。 假如这些事件是虚构或幻想出来的,它们会被修正。 相反,圣经确定有灵界环绕我们,这是不容忽视的。

    在福音书里,灵界的启示始于马太记载耶稣受试探。 撒旦(或魔鬼)按圣经传统是一名因叛逆神而被逐出天堂的天使长,他明显带了为数不少的天使与他一同离开,这些堕落天使被指是恶魔(或鬼)。 在我们研读的经文里,有一个有趣的地方,鬼从一开始就知道耶稣是谁,也知道祂的出现意即为他们带来审判。 他们记得祂的荣耀,他们知道祂降世的使命,他们也知道审判的权柄已经交给祂。

    这个课题的经文太多了,我不会将它们全都列出来。 不过,我们可以肯定创世记第三章的事件带出女人的后裔(人类,终极指向耶稣)和蛇的后裔(魔鬼)为敌。 启示录12:7-9给我们进一步的资料,让我们认清蛇和他的天使的关连;犹大书第8-10节给我们另一扇窗,看到灵界的争战;尤如但以理书10:13所提及波斯背后的灵界力量;以西结书28:11-19关于推罗王的预言,很快便提到在他背后的灵界力量,这也是圣经有关撒旦历史的提示。 彼得前书3:19看似指向被监禁的邪恶的灵,他们自从洪水就离开他们起初的居所,他们败坏那世代,可能指向创世记第6:1-4那上古英武有名的人。 耶稣升天时宣告祂大大胜过他们。

    我相信这里已经有足够的资料让你忙上一阵子。 但圣经所要显示的,是这些灵在不顺服和败坏的黑暗领域中变得活跃。 在那里,人类让他们能够容易运作, 然而,那里有正义和纯洁,鬼便无意在那里停留。 明显地,鬼喜欢加大拉这地方,他们不愿意离去。 在稍后的经文,我们将会读到耶稣对门徒讲解有些鬼较难处理,需要多多的祷告。 马可和路加告诉我们,耶稣怎样把他们赶出来。

    基督徒会被鬼附吗? 你需要为这课题阅读一些书籍。 不过,我认为圣经的教导是鬼不能附在基督徒身上,但他们会攻击基督徒,在生命的属灵争战中引发许许多多的麻烦。 假如基督徒如圣经所肯定,有圣灵内D住在他们里面,鬼就无法住在其中。 圣经告诉信徒要抵挡魔鬼,他就会逃跑;而抵挡魔鬼的方法就是顺服神(雅各布书4:7)。 相对在一名由圣灵掌管生命,留意魔鬼的技俩和抵挡他们的基督徒,魔鬼明显地有别的较容易让他们作居所的地方。

    我从鲁益司的著作所提出的警告,得到有关魔鬼和魔鬼活动的提醒:人常犯的两个毛病,若不是少看这问题而全不理会,就是过于着迷或心思意念被预先占据了。 魔鬼的活动是真实的,它们在较黑暗 3 的地域中会较为活跃,但基督徒却不应活在恐惧中,因为基督已经胜过这些邪恶势力。

    经文观察

    有了这少许背景资料,你现在可以多加思想马太记载的细节。 其中一项值得留意的是这事件在湖的对岸发生,从迦百农横过湖,若按当日的疆界地图显示,那里大部份是外邦人的土地,十个城邦联盟–低加波利(Decapolis)–在此设立。

    这解释了为何犹太人视猪为不洁的动物,而那地方却有人养猪。 摩西律法严禁吃猪肉有多个原因:有些动物被称为不洁是因为牠们是异教敬拜的对象;有些是清道夫,吃不洁净的尸体;有些是偏离了创造秩序(不会游水的鱼,不会飞的鸟等)。 这可以是很复杂的课题,你可以阅读有关以色列的饮食条例(我在利未记的注释《Holiness to the LORD》有详细的讨论)。 但那时的外邦人吃猪肉,因此加大拉很可能是外邦城镇,而猪群的主人或许是外邦人。 若说虽然犹太人不吃猪肉,却可以卖猪肉给外邦人,猪群的主人是犹太人也勉强可以成立。 不管是那一种情况,在以色列的土地养猪,若按摩西律法作判断,是不合理的;耶稣赶鬼到猪群证明了这点。

    这篇经文的记叙方式,同样是事件与论述混合在一起。 马太记载耶稣只说:「去罢! 」但所用的方法和语调,显示这话包含在天上的权柄。 其余的话从称呼耶稣到请求进入猪群都是鬼说的话。 这段经文的结构如下:

    A. 在湖边遇见被鬼附的人

    B. 鬼担心耶稣提早审判他们,并要求进猪群

    C. 耶稣命鬼进猪群

    B’ 猪冲下崖浸死

    A’ 遇见城里的人,他们拒绝耶稣

    这故事的中心是那被鬼附的人回复正常的神迹,那人再次成为健康的人。 这是神的儿子在世上一次最戏剧性从黑暗之子手中把人拯救的事件,祂使他们的身体和灵性再次完全。 经文中最大的对比是那被鬼附、受尽折磨的人,他们被认为是最差劲的人,而那城中「受尊敬」的人却要求耶稣离开他们地域的人。 可是那「受尊敬」的,却被证明他们才是最差劲的呢!

    我们可以把这段经文分成数段,让我们更容易作出分析。 首先是在加大拉遇见被鬼附的人、第二是赶鬼、而第三是人的反应。

    分析经文

    I. 在加大拉遇见被鬼附的人(8:28,29)。

    经文告诉我们当耶稣到达湖的对岸正下船时,被鬼附的人跑过来与祂相遇。 马太简单提及他们极其凶猛,没有人能驯服他们。 我们也知道有些人为了驯服他们而用锁链捆绑他们,但他们却把锁链弄断。 因他们极危险,其他人都避开他们。 他们住在城外的坟茔中,那是以色列人认为不洁,但却是适合鬼的地方。

    这里不单是两个人走向一艘船,而且发生了更多的事情。 他们高声向耶稣说:「神的儿子,我们与你有甚么相干? 时候还没有到,你就上这里来叫我们受苦么? 」鬼明显占有了这两个人,并且透过这两人说话。

    他们所说的话意味深长。 首先,他们知道耶稣真正的身份。 耶稣行了平静风浪的神迹,在船上的门徒可能尝试找出耶稣的身份,但鬼却清楚知道这是神的儿子,或如别的经文为最高神的儿子,这强调祂在众灵之上的神圣身份。 这些鬼无拘无束地在这两人身上,或透过这两人做卑劣的事,但耶稣在他们所在的地方出现却使他们感到困扰。

    第二、他们知道耶稣有消灭他们的能力,这事并且已经定下时日。 约翰福音5:22告诉我们父不审判人,乃将审判的事全交与子。 这些鬼知道审判者正步入他们的领土,他们害怕他们享有的自由被缩减,这是何等奇怪的现象 – 鬼知道他们有朝一日被审判,但却只希望暂时保着他们小小的邪恶经验。 他们经常说服人作这样的想法。

    鬼惧怕在指定日期以前受折磨确实讽刺;但与此同时,他们却折磨那两个可怜的人。 我们无法得知在这地区的邪恶活动到底从何而来,但在福音书和使徒行传中,当基督的真理明显进入人们的生命,把他们从罪恶与死亡之中拯救出来时,好像有很多在灵性上敌挡的事情发生。 在福音书的开端,我们看到希律尝试杀害耶稣,而他并非独自行事。

    II. 赶鬼 (8:30-32)。

    在这初步的对抗后,鬼要求耶稣赶他们到附近的猪群。 他们希望若不能继续住在人里面,至少他们仍留在该地。 不洁的猪是不洁的灵的自然居所。

    耶稣说:「去罢! 」这么轻松简单的命令显出基督的权柄。 不久之前祂责备风和浪:「静了罢! 住了罢! 」现在祂只说:「去罢! 」就这样把「群」驱赶。 按圣经的启示,我们亦可预期在末日的审判,祂亦只简单地说:「离去罢,我不认识你们。 」祂的权柄是真的,祂发出的命令使病得医治、平静风浪和赶鬼。 马太希望读者看到这简而易见的事。

    故事中的对比也是十分奇妙。 这些威力强大的邪灵,却因惧怕基督而感到惶恐不安,担心他们的日子已到了末时,他们亦知道他们要接受审判。 他们可以在那两个不幸的人身上施展力量,但面对基督,他们却完全无力对抗,并且感到绝望。

    现在,鬼进入猪群,那些可怜的动物未能承受他们,所以牠们迅速妄撞地冲落湖中浸死了。 马可告诉我们,那群猪有二千头。 人能容忍与鬼同住,但这些不洁的动物却不能。 鬼给牠们突如其来的冲击,把牠们赶到海(湖)里。

    在较早前的课题,我们提及在古代海是邪恶的象征,是从起初便存在的灾难。 因此,鬼冲下那把猪群浸死的海里也合情合理。 鬼自已不会浸死,但他们被耶稣赶出来,他们知道祂能控制他们,并且掌握他们的终极命运。 也许,他们冲进湖里,他们进到阴间更深之处(参看别的诉说),并且被禁锁;可是,经文的文本并没有这么说。 这故事是关于鬼被战胜,而被鬼附的人得拯救。

    III. 被当地人拒绝 (8:33,34)

    消息很快就传到城中,当然也传到猪的主人的耳中。 有很多人都赶来看到底发生了甚么事,要看看那些人是否真的从被鬼附的情况下被洁净,这无疑是人类历史中无法想象的事情。

    但使人诧异是当这些人遇见耶稣时,他们竟然请祂离去。 为何他们不以耶稣是伟大的拯救者欢迎祂? 或许,他们只想着他们因失去猪群而带来的损失;又或许他们因自身问题而惊惧,因为在他们当中的并非一位普通的先知,而是那赶出邪恶的那一位和审判者;或许他们不愿意这样的能力进入他们的境界,因他们要放弃许许多多的东西。 我们并不知道,因我们不明白为何有些人相信,有些人却不信;不过,他们不希望耶稣留在他们当中。 因此,这是福音书记载纵使基督证明了祂是谁,却被大大拒绝的其中一次。

    与旧约的关联

    我已提及有关最初撒旦或鬼的活动和造成世界破坏的经文。 对于人类被折磨的记载,我们很自然会想起约伯记。 撒旦在地上来回往返,无疑如彼得所说要寻找可吞噬的人。 神以约伯向撒旦挑战,撒旦可以透过攻击约伯生命中的一切来摧毁约伯的诚信,若以过份的说法来描述,神以约伯和撒旦打赌。 整个安排,神以祂的主权控制撒旦;祂准许撒旦折磨约伯,却不可取他性命。 神要向撒旦证明信心能胜过苦难。 在约伯记,我们看到神拥有主权,能控制撒旦:甚么他能作,甚么他不能作。

    与新约的关联

    在福音书以外的新约书卷,我们有好些经文处理灵性冲突(你的研读会开展这些范围)。 也许属灵争战这课题,我们最感兴趣的是我们仍与一些灵异力量角力的事实。 保罗说我们并不是与属血气的争战,乃是与那执政的、掌权的、管辖这幽暗世界的,以及天空属灵的恶魔争战(以弗所书6:12)。 表面上看来,我们是和人争战,但保罗却说在他们里头有更恶的力量,因此,我们不能用一般的武器;当然,也不是用我们自己的力量和知识,我们必须使用保罗在以弗所书第六章所列出的神赐的全副军装。

    如我在前面所提及,新约告诉我们,基于基督的十字架和复活,已肯定胜过了撒旦和他的党羽(参我有关启示录 12 章的讲章)。 只要我们抵挡魔鬼,魔鬼就必离开你们逃跑了。 当然,我们期盼基督把所有邪恶势力歼灭的那天来临。

    结论和应用

    这篇经文的重点是表明耶稣是弥赛亚,是神的儿子,拥有绝对权柄,在灵异世界之上、在撒旦之上,在鬼之上,在被鬼控制的人之上。 耶稣把「群」赶出来,显示了祂的权柄;也是这些邪灵终极审判的预告。

    可是最后审判并未出现,要等到在十字架上的胜利。 到那时,蛇的头被伤(创世记3:15)。 有趣的倒是耶稣早已预言祂掌控一切,并且会死;耶稣也曾说若祂求父,父会派天军毁灭世界,但祂的门徒仍企图阻止耶稣被捉。 若门徒成功阻止耶稣被捉,圣经的应许就没有应验。 在邪魔接受审判以先,必先进行十字架上的审判。 当这审判完成,基督把所有仇敌作脚凳的时刻就指日可待。

    对于基督的这个启示,人们的即时回应是以祂是神真正的儿子敬拜祂,事奉祂。 他们也应基于祂完全掌管世上邪恶势力而得到极大的安慰和鼓励。 认识基督的大能驱走所有的惧怕。

    按其他的经文,我们认识到人若单靠自己的力量,无法胜过邪灵;但我们有大于世上所有的灵内住在我们里面,给我们属灵资源去面对这场属灵争战。 保罗并没有命令我们参与和邪灵的战斗和驱魔,但他指示我们如何在战斗中使用属灵军装:真理、公义、救恩和福音来赶走邪恶,把人从罪与死亡之中拯救出来。

    因此,这篇经文使我们为这课题提高警觉,同时,因基督的权柄,给我们信心和勇气。 我们经常说应用时把自己代入故事人物来取得灵感,但这篇经文却难以这样做。 也许,我们可以说不要像那些「尊贵」但「不守律法」的当地居民,他们希望耶稣离去,因祂破坏了他们的制度。 我们可以跟随基督和与人分享祂战胜了邪恶,让那失丧的世界认识基督。 虽然我们大多数人并未经历从被鬼附中得拯救,我们可以分享加大拉的见证,耶稣从黑暗的国度把我们拯救,并且使我们完全。


    1 有人尝试争辩马太创造出第二个人,以便符合律法「两个见证人」的要求。 但这完全欠缺凭证,因为马太在这里并非强调见证人。

    2 我们曾到那地区视察,我们曾讨论关于地势的问题。 其中一名养猪的人说这个神迹应在靠水的一个山坡上发生,因为猪并非越野好手。 而另一个诙谐的人(无疑是个聪明人)却说:「所言甚是,但这些却是被鬼附的猪。 」

    3 当我说黑暗世界时,我并非指那崇奉巫术及魔法,或在仪式中所行的法术。 明显地,希特勒纳粹世界被邪恶力量操控,使希特勒对圣经启示范神和基督充满憎恨,以及对神秘的依恋。

    Lesson 2: Who Needs the Church? (Matthew 16:18; Ephesians 5:25; 3:8)

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    April 9, 2017

    I grew up in a home where we were at church every Sunday morning, Sunday evening, and Wednesday evening. I have a pin that I was awarded for seven years of perfect Sunday school attendance. I think I actually racked up eight or nine years but just didn’t get the award. Going to church every Sunday used to be what almost all Christians did. But nowadays for many Christians, the church is not very important.

    I’ve read that many who claim to be born again Christians think that they’re really committed if they attend church two or three Sundays a month. Many other Christians want nothing to do with the church. They find it irrelevant and boring. Going to church messes up a much-needed weekend off. They can get what they need spiritually online. And many have been wounded by the church more than once, so they want to avoid more pain. They think, “Who needs the church?”

    For others, the church is a nice slice of life, but it’s not essential. It’s not at the center. Self-fulfillment and happiness are at the center. To the extent that the church helps them feel fulfilled and happy, they attend. But if the church doesn’t deliver what they want, they either shop around for a new one or join those who have dropped out.

    Many years ago in California I was having breakfast with one of our elders, who held a top administrative position with a worldwide evangelistic organization. I drew a circle on a napkin with a smaller circle in the middle and divided the rest of the circle into pie-shaped pieces. I explained to him that many Christians view the church as one piece of the pie that makes for a “full pie,” but it’s not in the center or hub.

    But based on Matthew 6:33, where Jesus tells us to seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness, I said that Christ and His church (His kingdom) should be at the center of that circle. Everything else should be governed by that center. Even though this elder had been through many hours of biblical training from top Bible teachers in the country, he looked at my drawing and said, “I’ve never heard anything like this before!”

    In this message, I’m arguing that Christ and His body, the church, is essential, not just nice. Christ and His church should be at the center of every Christian’s life. It’s not a slice of the pie that helps round out a full life. It’s the core or center that should govern everything else. The late Anglican preacher, John Stott, put it like this (The Message of Ephesian: God’s New Society [IVP], p. 129; cited by Josh Harris, Dug Down Deep [Multnomah], p. 202):

    If the church is central to God’s purpose, as seen in both history and the gospel, it must surely also be central to our lives. How can we take lightly what God takes so seriously? How dare we push to the circumference what God has placed at the centre?”

    Let’s look at three reasons why the church is of utmost importance, and thus why you need it:

    The church is important because Christ promised to build it, He loves His church and gave His life for her, and His church reveals Him to the lost world.

    The first two reasons personally impacted me when I was in my twenties. I couldn’t shake them. I thought, “If Christ promised to build His church, then it will be built. I want to be a part of helping build His church. And, if Christ loved the church enough to die for her, and I love Christ, then I’ve got to love His church, warts and all.” The Lord’s impressing those two truths on me were what caused me to commit myself to serve the local church.

    1. The church is important because Christ promised to build it.

    Jesus asked His disciples (Matt. 16:13), “Who do people say that the son of Man is?” They replied (Matt. 16:14), “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” Then Jesus asked the most crucial question for every person to answer (Matt. 16:15): “But who do you say that I am?” Your eternal destiny hinges on getting that question right! Peter gave his well-known answer (Matt. 16:16): “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Jesus replied (Matt. 16:17-19):

    “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.”

    Jesus here reveals four reasons why the church is important:

    A. The church is important because it belongs to Christ, not to us.

    Jesus calls it, “My church.” This means that it isn’t my church or your church. No pastor can claim that any church is his church. It’s Christ’s church. He bought it with His blood (Acts 20:28). It belongs exclusively to Him. No one—no matter how influential or how much money he has donated or how long his ancestors have been members of a church—can rightly claim, “This is my church!” No, it’s not! Jesus Christ owns it. He only allows us to serve in it for His kingdom purposes.

    B. The church is important because it is built on the right understanding of the person of Jesus Christ.

    Peter, under direct revelation from God the Father, correctly proclaims of Jesus (Matt. 16:16), “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Christ means that Jesus is the Jewish Messiah or Anointed One, prophesied about in over 300 Old Testament prophecies. For example, Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 predict the Messiah’s suffering on the cross as a sacrifice for sinners. Psalm 2 and Daniel 7 proclaim Him as the future ruler over all the kingdoms on earth. Psalm 110 reveals Him both as David’s son and David’s Lord (cf. Matt. 22:41-46).

    In Zechariah 12:10 the Lord proclaims, “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.” That verse proclaims the deity (“Me”), death, resurrection, and future coming in glory of Messiah, resulting in a widespread conversion of the Jewish people. There are dozens more astounding prophecies that Jesus either has fulfilled or yet will fulfill.

    Peter’s pronouncement that Jesus is “the Son of the living God” may have been a parallel way of saying that Jesus is the Messiah. But it also reveals Jesus to be the eternal second person of the trinity. The only way that David’s son could at the same time be David’s Lord is that He is the Lord God. When Jesus walked on the water and then stilled the storm, the disciples worshiped Him, saying (Matt. 14:33), “You are certainly God’s Son!” Jesus did not rebuke them for worshiping Him, which any reverent Jew would have done (Acts 10:25-26). Rather, as always, Jesus accepted the highest worship and praise offered to Him (John 5:23; 20:28-29). He is God in human flesh (John 1:14).

    But as you probably know, these verses raise three controversial issues: Who or what is “the rock”? What are “the gates of hell”? And, what does Jesus mean by the “keys of the kingdom” and “binding and loosing”?

    There are three main interpretations of Jesus’ words about Peter and the rock (I’m following James Boice, The Gospel of Matthew [Baker], 1:305-308): (1) Peter is the rock. This is the view of the Roman Catholic Church, which views Peter as the first pope and claims a direct line of succession from Peter to every pope. Even some reputable Protestant scholars identify Peter as the rock, in the sense that he was the first to make this confession and, along with the other apostles and prophets, became the foundation for the church (Eph. 2:20). But these scholars also make it clear that there is no mention here of Peter’s supreme authority or his successors.

    (2) Peter’s confession is the rock. This is the main view among Protestant scholars, but also even among many early Catholic fathers. Chrysostom, for example, said (cited in Boice, 306), “He did not say upon Peter, for it was not upon the man, but upon his faith.” This is my preference. But the third view is quite similar:

    (3) Christ is the rock. These scholars hold that Jesus was making a pun on Peter’s name, which means, “rock,” or “stone.” The noun which Jesus used for rock can mean, “bedrock,” or “foundation rock.” In favor of Jesus being the rock is that in Matthew 7:25, Jesus alluded to Himself as the rock on which every person should build his or her life. And in Matthew 21:42 He refers to Himself as the stone which the builders rejected, which became the chief cornerstone. Also, neither the New Testament nor Peter ever hints that he is the supreme apostle or that he is the stone on which the church is built. Rather, Peter says (1 Pet. 2:4-8) that Jesus is the living stone to whom we are to come and be built upon as a spiritual house for the Lord (Boice, 306). Certainly this is true.

    This means that it is of utmost importance for the church to preserve and proclaim sound doctrine about the person of Jesus Christ. The cults and liberal Protestant churches deny His deity. But as Bishop Moule stated (preface to Robert Anderson, The Lord from Heaven), “A Savior not quite God is a bridge broken at the farther end.” There is no salvation for those who deny Jesus’ deity.

    But what did Jesus mean by giving Peter “the keys of the kingdom of heaven” with the authority to bind and loose?

    C. The church is important because it has the authority to proclaim God’s only way of salvation to this world that is under His judgment.

    The Roman Catholic Church interprets this to mean that Peter and his successors (the popes and priests under them) have the authority to forgive or retain people’s sins (John 20:23). But since only God can see what is in human hearts (1 Sam. 16:7; 1 Cor. 2:11), no pope or priest can know enough to pronounce authoritatively that someone is forgiven or not forgiven.

    Rather, Jesus meant that Peter, representing the apostles, had the authority to proclaim the gospel of forgiveness of sins to all who repent and believe in Jesus, or judgment to those who refuse to believe. In fact, we see Peter doing this with the Jews on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2), with the Samaritans (Acts 8), and with the Gentiles (Acts 10). And we have the apostolic testimony to God’s way of salvation in the New Testament. As members of the church, Christ has entrusted to us the most important message in the world: whoever believes in Jesus will not perish, but have eternal life as God’s free gift (John 3:16; Eph. 2:8-9); but those who do not believe are condemned.

    D. The church is important because Christ is coming back for it and it alone will remain after this present evil world comes under judgment.

    Jesus said (Matt. 16:18), “I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.” But what did He mean? Some argue that since “gates” do not represent an aggressive force, they symbolize death. Thus even the power of death cannot stop Jesus’ church from final victory. But this fails to recognize that in the ancient world, the city gates were the place where the government transacted official business. So it was a figure of speech for government authority, much as if we said, “The White House said ….” We mean, the governing authorities have declared something. So I think that Jesus meant that all the powers of hell cannot stop His church from ultimately triumphing over the powers of darkness.

    In spite of the church’s many shortcomings and failures, eventually it will reign with Christ in glory. Evil rulers have sought to destroy the church through persecution. Atheistic communism sought to eradicate Christianity. Islam spread over North Africa, effectively wiping out the church for centuries. Hinduism dominates India. Buddhism prevails in Southeast Asia. And yet, Jesus prophesied (Matt. 24:14), “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” This present evil world will perish under God’s judgment (2 Pet. 3:10-12). Then (Rev. 11:15), “The kingdom of the world [will] become the kingdom of our Lord and of His Christ; and He will reign forever and ever.”

    Thus the church is important because Christ promised to build it and His promise will not fail. When we commit ourselves to His church, we’re committed to the only cause that will triumph.

    2. The church is important because Christ loves her and gave His life for her.

    Ephesians 5:25: “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her.” Paul goes on to state (Eph. 5:28-30), “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, because we are members of His body.” The church is the bride of Christ, which He loves, and the body of Christ, which He tenderly nourishes, cherishes, and cares for.

    If Christ loved the church enough to die for her, then if I love Christ, I must love His church sacrificially. John Calvin (The Institutes of the Christian Religion, ed. by John T. McNeill [Westminster Press], 4:1:10) wrote, “Separation from the church is the denial of God and Christ.” Then, referring to Ephesians 5:23-32, he adds, “Nor can any more atrocious crime be conceived than for us by sacrilegious disloyalty to violate the marriage that the only-begotten Son of God deigned to contract with us.”

    Loving Christ’s church in the abstract is easy. You may know the ditty, “To dwell above with the saints we love, O that will be glory. But to dwell below with the saints we know, well, that’s a different story!” But if the church is Christ’s bride, one flesh with Him, and we love Christ, we must love and commit ourselves to a local church and learn to work through our differences and offenses in a biblical way. We must love “the saints we know”!

    3. The church is important because it reveals Christ and His glory to the lost world.

    Ephesians 3:8-11: “To me, the very least of all saints, this grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unfathomable riches of Christ, and to bring to light what is the administration of the mystery which for ages has been hidden in God who created all things; so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places. This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

    Paul scrapes the heavens here, but I can only touch on it briefly (see my sermon, 12/9/07, “God’s Eternal Purpose and You,”). The church is God’s means of accomplishing His eternal purpose for creation: to exalt Christ above all (Eph. 1:9-12; Col. 1:20). The church is His temple, where He dwells and wants His glory to be manifested (Eph. 2:21). We not only reveal Christ’s glory to this lost world, but also to the rulers and authorities in heavenly places! Two thoughts:

    A. To reveal Christ and His glory, we must proclaim and uphold God’s word of truth in this relativistic world.

    As I pointed out last week, the church is the pillar and support of the truth (1 Tim. 3:14-16). God’s word is abundantly clear that there is a clearly defined body of spiritual and moral truth, which also means that there is such a thing as spiritual and moral error or falsehood. Satan is the father of lies, but Jesus spoke the truth and is the truth (John 8:44-45; 14:6). He prayed for His disciples (John 17:17), “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” As the church, we are charged with upholding and proclaiming God’s truth as revealed in His word, especially with regard to the gospel and God’s moral standards.

    The gospel is always under attack from different angles, because everything rides on whether or not a person has believed in the true gospel. The gospel is not about how to have a happy life or a better marriage or to raise happy kids, although it may result in those things. Rather, the gospel is about how sinners can be reconciled to a holy God through faith in the crucified and risen Savior.

    But believing the gospel always results in holy living. A recent Barna survey shows that only 60% of practicing Christians believe in absolute moral truth. A recent article by the Pew Research Center stated that 51% of evangelical Protestants in the millennial generation and 36% of all evangelical Protestants believe that homosexuality should be approved by society. When the church goes along with the culture in departing from biblical truth, we no longer reveal Christ and His glory to this lost world.

    B. To reveal Christ and His glory, we must be growing in Christlike character and relationships.

    After stating that Christ loved the church and gave Himself up for her, Paul continues (Eph. 5:26-27), “so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.” To reveal Christ to this lost world, we as His church must be growing in Christlikeness (summed up by the fruit of the Spirit), both in our character and in our relationships.

    The laboratory for developing Christlike character and relationships is the home, which should be permeated with the love and grace of Christ. Husbands are to sacrificially love their wives. Wives are to respect and love their husbands. Parents should love their children and bring them up to know and love Jesus. And, a second laboratory for both developing and displaying the love of Christ is the church. As Jesus said (John 13:34-35), “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

    Conclusion

    You need the church because it is of vital importance: Christ promised to build it; He loves it and gave Himself for it; and, His church is His means of revealing Himself to this lost world.

    When Apple Computer fell on difficult times some years ago, their young chairman, Steven Jobs, went to New York to try to convince Pepsico’s John Sculley to move west and run the struggling computer company.

    As they sat in Sculley’s penthouse office overlooking the Manhattan skyline, Sculley started to decline the offer. He said that Apple would have to offer him an astronomical salary and benefit package. Flabbergasted, Jobs gulped and agreed—if Sculley would move to California. But Sculley would only commit to being a consultant from New York.

    Then a frustrated Jobs confronted Sculley: “Do you want to spend the rest of your life selling sugared water, or do you want to change the world?” It knocked the wind out of Sculley. He hadn’t thought of it that way. He accepted the offer and moved west. (From, Leadership, Spring, 1991, p. 44.)

    Many Christians don’t put the local church at the center of their lives because they’re too focused on themselves and they don’t understand why the church is important. We have a far greater purpose than making and marketing computers, I-phones, and I-pads. The church is at the center of God’s eternal plan for this world. I urge you to commit yourself to the church to help it become all that God wants it to be.

    Application Questions

    1. Have you ever been tempted to drop out of the church (or actually dropped out)? Why? How did you work through it?
    2. What should a Christian do when another believer in the church causes offense or hurt? Is it ever right to just go to another church? Why/why not?
    3. Is there a difference between loving another Christian and liking him (or her)? If so, what is the difference?
    4. Practically, what does it mean to put Christ and His church in the center of your life? What would you need to change to do this?

    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

    Related Topics: Ecclesiology (The Church)

    The Church

    This multi-part expository study was preached at Flagstaff Christian Fellowship in 2017. Audio and manuscripts are available for each lesson.

    For permission to reproduce/distribute these resources from Steve Cole (including the Word document and audio files found on the individual lesson pages below) please see Bible.org's ministry friendly copyright and permissions page. Likewise, to reproduce/distribute PDF/audio versions of his messages which may be found on Flagstaff Christian Fellowship's website see their permission statement.

    Related Topics: Ecclesiology (The Church)

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