I. Introductory data.

The name of this book in the Hebrew is Qoheleth from the word qahal to call an assembly (the verb) or an assembly (the noun). (Note the similarity to Greek kaleo and English “call”). The LXX working from ekklesia translated it as Ecclesiastes or one who speaks to an assembly. The idea of the “preacher” is not so much the modern one, but refers to a teacher of disciples.

Tradition relates this book to Solomon, and the opening chapters (1:1, 12, 16) imply that he is the subject. When this is added to Solomon’s identification with wisdom literature in general, it is possible that Solomon was the author.¹ But it could just as easily come from a later king. “Son of David” merely means descended from David (cf. Matt. 21:9).

We must keep in mind the place of wisdom literature in progressive revelation. The concept of the afterlife was ill-formed and dim. The emphasis was on this life, and blessing was viewed in terms of long life, full days, and gray hair. Sheol was a dim dark place where all went at death. It was unknown and unknowable. Only the NT revelation brings the light of Christ’s resurrection to bear on the problem of the afterlife (Heb. 2:14-15). The NT believer has hope as never before. The OT saint had hope beyond the grave, but it was circumscribed by the limits of his revelation. Consequently, the preacher’s message refers to this life. It would appear that Qoheleth is designed to counter a glib, unbridled optimism about life. We have seen that the proverbs are generalizations that teach what normally happens. However, there are always exceptions to the generalization. Qoheleth is dealing with the “buts” of life: the exceptions to the generalizations.

Qoheleth sounds pessimistic. He is often called a skeptic, but if that were true, life would be so futile it could only lead to suicide. On the contrary, he says: “Go then, eat your bread in happiness, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works” (i.e., enjoy life) (9:7). Delitzsch aptly points out that while the book of Esther makes no direct mention of God, Ecclesiastes refers directly to God 37 times (there are also 38 references to “vanity”). “The Book of Qoheleth is, on the one side, a proof of the power of revealed religion which has grounded faith in God, the One God, the All‑wise Creator and Governor of the world, so deeply and firmly in the religious consciousness, that even the most dissonant and confused impressions of the present world are unable to shake it; and on the other side, it is a proof of the inadequacy of revealed religion in its O. T. form, since the discontent and the grief which the monotony, the confusion, and the misery of this earth occasion, remain thus long without a counterbalance, till the facts of the history of redemption shall have disclosed and unveiled the heavens above the earth.”²

Qoheleth argues that while wisdom teaching is correct, there are many exceptions to it. Normally, just living will produce long life and wicked living will produce shortened lives, but this is not always the case. Wisdom teaching says that there is a proper time for everything. Qoheleth says, “yes there is, but only God knows what that time is.” Consequently, since we do not know the future, we can only trust God for it and live the present with keen enjoyment even as we expect some calamities to take place. People are responsible to use well what God has given, e.g., wealth. The balanced life is the emphasis. Yet, God will ultimately judge everything, so we must be careful how we live.

Contribution to OT Theology. LaSor, et al. list the following contributions to OT theology:

A. Freedom of God and Limits of Wisdom.

1. People are limited by the way in which God has determined the events of their lives (1:5, 7:13).

2. Human creatures are limited by their inability to discover God’s ways. They know He controls their lives, but they cannot understand how or why (3:11).

B. Facing Life’s Realities.

1. Grace—2:24ff; 3:13 (God gives to man the ability to enjoy life).

2. Death—2:14f; 9:2f. Death is the great unifying force. It is inevitable and comes to all alike.

3. Enjoyment. Even though toil dominates Qoheleth’s thinking, he speaks often of joy or enjoyment—2:24f.; 3:12, 22; 5:18‑20; 7:14; 8:15; 9:7‑9; 11:8f.

C. Preparation for the Gospel.

There is no explicit prophecy or even typology that refers to the Gospel, but “its realism in depicting the ironies of suffering and death helps explain the crucial importance of Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Qoheleth’s insistence on the inscrutability of God’s ways underscores the magnificent breakthrough in divine and human communication which the Incarnation effected.”³

II. Outline of Ecclesiastes.

A. Introduction (1:1‑11).

1. The author is Qoheleth, the son of David, King in Jerusalem. This requires it to be a king and possibly Solomon. But the point is not to provide biography but a philosophy.

2. The main idea of the book is set out in verse 2 with the oft recurring phrase: “Vanity of Vanities.” This word is used 38 times in the book. It is intensive in 1:2; 12:7: “the most futile.”⁴ The word “God” appears 39 times in the book. “Under the sun” occurs 29 times.

3. The preacher begins to develop his theme: the repetitive nature of life (1:3‑11).

a. People come and go in the same way (1:3‑4).

b. Nature comes and goes (1:5‑7).

The sun (1:5).

The wind (1:6).

The rivers (1:7).

c. People are not able to comprehend all that transpires (1:8).

d. Nothing new occurs; all that is, was (1:9‑10).

e. Each new generation forgets what went on before (1:11).

B. The preacher provides a counterpoint to the teaching of wisdom by showing the exceptions to the general rule (1:12‑18).

1. His position allowed him to pursue wisdom (1:12).

2. His search showed him that life is full of futility (1:13‑16).

a. The crooked cannot be made straight (i.e., what God has done cannot be undone) (1:15).

b. Wisdom, though it is the result of fear of the Lord, brings pain because of the knowledge it provides (1:17‑18).

C. The preacher sets out to determine what would make life worthwhile (2:1‑26).

1. He discusses the process of the search (2:1‑11).

a. He tested pleasure, laughter, and wine (2:1‑3).

b. He tested building projects (2:4‑6).

c. He tested life through slaves and other experiences including concubines (2:7‑8).

d. He had more than anyone had before him—the result was futility (2:9‑11).

2. He evaluates what he has learned (2:12‑17).

a. He acknowledges that wisdom is better than foolishness (a standard wisdom teaching, of course) (2:12‑14).

b. Yet, he says, both the wise man and the fool must die and there is no memory of them (2:15‑16).

c. As a result, he is despondent about his life (2:17).

3. He draws a conclusion from his observations (2:18‑23).

a. Since he must leave the results of his labor to others, he hates it (2:18).

b. Even though he does not know whether his heir will be a fool or a wise man, the heir will control the fruit of Qoheleth’s labor and receive that for which he has not labored (2:19‑21).

c. The laborer has nothing to show for his labor (2:22‑23).

4. This brings him to his ultimate conclusion: to the theme of the book (2:24‑26).

a. A person must simply enjoy life as it is and not worry about it (2:24a).

b. The ability to enjoy life is a gift from God (2:24b‑26).

D. Qoheleth argues that God has a time for everything, but people do not know what that time is (3:1‑23).

1. He lists 14 pairs of opposites to show that there is a time for everything (3:1‑8).

2. He argues that in this lifetime, even though God has set eternity in the heart (a God consciousness?), man cannot find out God’s work (3:9‑11).

3. He concludes again that the only thing a person can do is enjoy the life God has given him (3:12‑13).

4. He argues strongly that God is responsible for the universe and everything in it (3:14‑15).

5. In spite of that fact, there is injustice and inequity in the world, but God will judge people ultimately (3:16‑17).

6. He concludes that God wants people to see their limitations; that they really are like the animal kingdom (3:18‑21).

a. Both people and animals die and go back to the dust (3:18‑20).

b. No one can actually prove that the breath (spirit) of a human goes up (to God) and that the breath of the animal goes down to the earth (3:21). (Does this not show that an idea existed of direction after death?)

7. He reiterates his earlier conclusion—that people must simply enjoy life and not worry that they cannot control events (3:22).

E. Qoheleth discusses again the pain and struggle in the world (4:1‑16).

1. Because there is so much inequity, he says it is better to be dead (4:1‑3).

2. He argues that skill and labor come about only because of rivalry (4:4).

3. He argues that the fool is a fool because he is not fulfilling his God‑given task of working and therefore enjoying life (4:5).

4. He argues that honest rest is better than striving in rivalry to succeed against others (4:6).

5. He argues that it is silly to work hard if you have no heir to receive the legacy (4:7‑9).

6. He uses a series of proverbs and shows the exceptions (4:9‑16).

a. Two are better than one—but it is bad if there is only one (4:9‑10).

b. Two warm one another—but a single person will be cold (4:11).

c. Two are strong as is a cord of three strands (4:12).

d. A poor, wise youth is better than an old foolish king (4:13‑16).

He was wise enough to rise from prison to the throne (4:14).

The second lad must be the lad spoken of above (4:15).

The crowds thronged to him at the beginning, but were later unhappy with him (4:16).

F. Qoheleth uses proverbs to urge care in worship (5:1‑7).

1. He urges precision in worship (sacrifice) (5:1). (James says “be not many teachers.”)

2. He urges care in speaking to God (5:2‑3). (Much thought should be given to spiritual communication.)

3. He says that vows should be made carefully and fulfilled when made (5:4‑5).

4. In fine he says that care and limits should be placed upon all religious activities, since God is going to hold us accountable for them (5:6‑7).

G. Qoheleth returns to his discussion of the vanity of life (5:8‑20).

1. Oppression and self-aggrandizement unfortunately are part of the system of human rule (yet, Qoheleth seems to imply that God is watching over them—to judge them) (5:8).

2. An agrarian system in which the king is identified with the earth rather than the despotic system of the normal ruler is better (5:9).

3. Lust for money will bring dissatisfaction (5:10‑12).

a. Money will not bring satisfaction to its seekers (5:10).

b. More money will bring more people to consume it (5:11).

c. Honest labor brings sweet sleep (5:12).

4. Hoarded riches will not bring satisfaction (5:13‑17).

a. Riches are hoarded to one’s own harm (5:13).

b. A bad investment can set him back to nothing (5:14‑15).

c. He is no better off than when he was born (5:16‑17).

5. The preacher comes to his now recurring conclusion: enjoy life and do not worry over it (5:18‑20).

a. God has given people the privilege of enjoying their work (5:18).

b. God has empowered them to eat from their wealth (5:19).

c. By keeping themselves busy and enjoying life, he will not fret over the brevity and difficulty of life (5:20).

H. Qoheleth speaks of the ignorance of what is to come after one dies (6:1‑12).

1. He addresses the problem of not being able to enjoy the results of one’s labor (6:1‑6).

a. Some men have plenty, but a stranger receives the man’s goods (6:1‑2). (Does this refer to pillaging by other nations?)

b. Some have many children, but nothing else and die in poverty. They are worse off than a miscarriage (6:3‑6).

2. He speaks of the futility of laboring hard to meet human needs, but the needs are never satisfied (6:7‑9).

3. He speaks again of the people’s ignorance of the future (6:10‑12).

a. Nothing is new, and man is limited. God is greater than man, therefore, man cannot argue with God (6:10‑11).

b. No one knows what is good for man. His life is like a shadow (6:12). (cf. 7:1.)

I. Qoheleth uses proverbs and their flip side to deal with the realities of life (7:1‑14).

Man’s limitations prevent him from explaining everything, and so wis-dom has its limits. Even so, there are some things better than others.

1. The reality of death (7:1‑4).

a. A good name is good—but death is a reality (7:1). (Because it ends life.)

b. To go to the house of mourning is better than that of feasting, because it reminds us of the reality of death (7:2).

c. Sorrow is better than laughter for it provokes serious thinking (joy should be tempered with seriousness) (7:3).

d. Intelligence requires sober thinking about death (7:4).

2. Wisdom is better than foolishness (7:5‑7).

a. Wisdom is better if for no other reason than that it is difficult to listen to fools (7:5‑6).

b. Wisdom brings mental anguish to the wise because he discerns oppression. The connection of this thought with bribery is difficult to see, unless it means that the wise man advises against such conduct, and when it is ignored, he is troubled (7:7).

3. He gives a series of practical wisdom teachings (7:8‑9).

a. End of a matter is better than the beginning (a good beginning is fine, but the obtaining of the goal is better) (7:8).

b. Patience is better than pride (7:8b).

c. Anger is devastating (7:9).

4. He gives a summary statement showing his theology (7:10‑14).

a. It is foolish to compare the present with the past (7:10).

b. Wisdom has its advantages (7:11‑12).

c. God is sovereign but inscrutable (7:13).

d. Enjoy prosperity while it exists but recognize that God is also the author of adversity. This keeps man humbly unaware of what will come after him (7:14).

J. Qoheleth speaks further on the limits of wisdom and the necessity of bal-ance (7:15‑29).

1. He says that wisdom has limits (7:15‑22).

a. Wisdom teaches that the righteous man lives long, and the sinner dies early—Qoheleth says he has seen the opposite (7:15).

The pursuit of wisdom and righteousness will not protect believers from vanity hevel. Yet, in the fear of God, one responds to His special revelation and submits to his general revelation, thus producing righteousness and wisdom.

b. Consequently, he argues that since wisdom does not guarantee long life, one should not overly exert himself in obtaining it (7:16).⁵

c. The corollary statement is to avoid wickedness lest it result in early death (7:17). (Perhaps he is arguing that one should shake himself loose from legalism, but not go to a life of license.)

d. Qoheleth’s final statement is that a wise person lives a balanced life (7:18).

e. Wisdom indeed strengthens a wise man more than ten rulers in a city, but even so, wise men sin. Therefore, even wise men must be listened to with care (7:19‑20).

f. In the same way one should avoid taking too seriously negative comments by his servants (especially when he himself may have spoken in the same way in a light moment) (7:21‑22).

2. Qoheleth says that he has searched out wisdom (7:23‑29).

a. He was unable to understand the past (7:23‑24).

b. He tested folly and foolishness (7:25).

c. His biggest disappointment was a woman of snares (7:26).

d. Few men (one in a thousand) are worthy, but he found no worthy women (7:27‑28).

e. God designed men to be upright, but they have sought out many ways not to be upright (7:29).

K. Qoheleth questions wisdom teaching in the matter of authority and when to do things (8:1‑9).

1. Wisdom is beneficial because it tells one when to make decisions about authority (8:1).

2. Qoheleth says to obey the king because he is in charge and will cause much trouble if there is disloyalty (8:2‑4).

3. Qoheleth deals with the other side of the proverb that there is a right time to do everything. No man controls the day of his death or anything else, so obey authority (8:5‑9).

L. Exceptions to wisdom ideas do not vitiate them (8:10‑15).

1. The wicked die and enter (tombs? perhaps read q^evarim muba’arim קְבָרִים מוּבָאִים), but those who do justice (ken כֵּן) are forgotten (8:10‑11).

2. Sometimes sinners live long lives and righteous people do not (8:12‑14).

3. In light of this, Qoheleth commends a balanced enjoyed life (8:15).

4. He concludes with the statement that wise men have severe limits on what they can know (8:16‑17).

M. A common destiny for all demands a balanced life (9:1‑18).

1. No one knows his destiny (9:1).

2. Death awaits all as a common destiny (9:2‑6).

3. Therefore, enjoy life (God has approved enjoyment), for this is the reward (9:7‑10).

4. Victory is not to those of whom it is expected; so, balance is required (9:11‑13).

5. Wisdom is indeed beneficial, but the wise man often goes unrecognized (9:14‑17).

6. Furthermore, one sinner can do as much harm as one wise man, and it only takes a few flies to make perfume stink (9:18—10:1).

N. Qoheleth gives a series of proverbs to illustrate his last point (10:2‑20).

1. Wise men know the direction of good, but the fool is always lost (10:2‑3).

2. Tact in dealing with even an angry ruler will bring good results (10:4).

3. The social order sometimes is upside down (10:5‑7).

4. Misconduct will often lead to self-hurt (10:8‑9).

5. Sharp tools are more productive! (10:10‑11).

6. Fools and unnecessary words go together (10:12‑15).

7. A land with a youth for a king and lazy prince is in trouble, and the converse is true (10:16‑17).

8. Laziness creates many problems (10:18).

9. Pleasant things are nice, but they cost money (10:19).

10. Keeping one’s own counsel is the safest approach (10:20).

O. Qoheleth says that since we do not know what the future holds, we should be diligent to do good (11:1‑10).

1. Cast bread on many waters, divide your portion, sow your seed (11:1,2,6).

2. The reason is that we do not know the future (11:4, 5, 6b).

3. Enjoy life to the fullest and expect bad days (11:8).

4. Rejoice in youth and recognize that God will judge you for your conduct (11:9‑10).

P. The Creator is to be remembered in youth while the opportunity exists (12:1‑8).

1. Youth is urged to enjoy God while he is able (12:1‑5).

a. Before the time of difficulty (evil) (12:1).

b. Before the body wastes away (12:2‑5).

Watchmen—eyes (Delitzsch says “arms”).

Mighty men—shoulders or legs.

Grinders—teeth.

Lookers—eyes.

Doors—mouth (jaws).

Grinding mill—noises.

Fears.

2. Youth is urged to enjoy God before death (12:6‑8).

a. The silver cord, golden bowl, pitcher, and wheel represent life (12:6).

b. The mortal body will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to the God who gave it (12:7).

c. All is transient (12:8).

Q. Qoheleth concludes his discourse (12:9‑14).

1. Qoheleth accomplished much in the sphere of wisdom (12:9‑10).

2. Qoheleth warns his students to pay attention (12:11‑12).

3. Qoheleth concludes with the teaching that it is proper to fear God, keep his commandments, and recognize that we must all be judged by Him (12:13‑14).

Structure/synthesis of Ecclesiastes

Heading (1:1‑2).

Introduction to the problem (1:3‑11).

ROUND ONE—God/man and use of human resources (1:3—2:23).

Inquiry into the problem (1:12‑2:23).

Wisdom (1:12‑18).

Pleasure (2:1‑11).

Wisdom better but results same (2:12‑17).

Results of Wisdom/work are beyond human control (2:18‑23).

Conclusion (2:24‑26).

“There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink and tell himself that his labor is good. This also I have seen, that it is from the hand of God. For who can eat and who can have enjoyment without Him? For to a person who is good in His sight He has given wisdom and knowledge and joy, while to the sinner He has given the task of gathering and collecting so that he may give to the one who is good in God’s sight. This too is vanity and striving after wind.”

ROUND TWO—God/man and predictable events (3:1-22).

Major premise: God has sovereignly appointed a time for everything (3:1‑8).

Minor premise: Man has no profit in his toil, for he cannot discern God’s time even though he has eternity in his heart (3:9‑11).

Conclusion (3:12‑13).

“I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and to do good in one’s lifetime; moreover, that every man who eats and drinks sees good in all his labor—it is the gift of God.”

Sub-major premise: God is involved sovereignly in the events of history so that men should fear Him. Inequity will someday be set right (3:14‑18).

Sub-minor premise: Man should recognize his utter dependence on God and his human limitation (3:19‑21).

Sub-Conclusion (3:22).

“And I have seen that nothing is better than that man should be happy in his activities, for that is his lot. For who will bring him to see what will occur after him?”

ROUND THREE (4:1—5:17).

He gives a series of proverbs and observations to warn people to be careful and to point up the futility and temporality of life (4:1—5:17).

Conclusion (5:18‑20).

“Here is what I have seen to be good and fitting; to eat, to drink and enjoy oneself in all one’s labor in which he toils under the sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this is his reward. Furthermore, as for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, He has also empowered him to eat from them and to receive his reward and rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. For he will not often consider the years of his life, because God keeps him occupied with the gladness of his heart.”

ROUND FOUR—Limitations of Wisdom (6:1—9:1).

Conclusion (8:15).

“So I commended pleasure, for there is nothing good for a man under the sun except to eat and to drink and to be merry, and this will stand by him in his toils throughout the days of his life which God has given him under the sun.”

Major conclusion to this point in the book (8:16—9:1).

“When I gave my heart to know wisdom and to see the task which has been done on the earth (even though one should never sleep day or night), and I saw every work of God, I concluded that man cannot discover the work which has been done under the sun. Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not discover; and though the wise man should say, “I know,’ he cannot discover. For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God. Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him.”

ROUND FIVE (9:2—11:10).

Major premise: All people have the same fate (death) (9:2‑6).

Death is the great leveler. God deals with man in his arrogance to show him he is no better than animals.

Conclusion (9:7‑10).

“Go then, eat your bread in happiness, and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. Let your clothes be white all the time, and let not oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you under the sun; for this is your reward in life, and in your toil in which you have labored under the sun. Whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do it with all your might; for there is no activity or planning or wisdom in Sheol where you are going.”

Major premise: Not ability but time and “chance” determine outcome (9:11—11:4).

Second major conclusion (1:5‑6).

“Just as you do not know the path of the wind and how bones are formed in the womb of the pregnant woman, so you do not know the activity of God who makes all things. Sow your seed in the morning, and do not be idle in the evening, for you do not know whether morning or evening sowing will succeed, or whether both of them alike will be good.”

FINAL CONCLUSION (11:8—12:7).

Life is fleeting, enjoy your life while you are young and recognize your responsibility to God as you enjoy it. There are many dark days ahead; bear them in mind as you enjoy the happy days. The Creator should be remembered while you are young, for the time will come for old age and a return of the spirit to God who gave it. The ne plus ultra word is “Fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil” (12:13‑14). There is nothing worthwhile apart from the fear of God. Ecclesiastes, however good, is an inadequate philosophy of life. The new dispensation also says, “lay hold of life heartily” (Col. 3:17), but there is an eternal motivation that Qoheleth did not have.

More Thoughts on Ecclesiastes

God’s sovereignty:

God does things in the world that cannot be changed. “What is crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted” (1:15 with 7:13).

The idea that there is a time appointed for everything (3:1-8) implies that God is sovereignly in control of the events of this life. This idea is taken up in 9:1 when he says that “righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God.” A similar idea is found in 11:5 where God’s work is beyond man’s knowledge.

God’s work in the lives of people (3:9-11) as well as the fact that God’s work will remain forever (3:14) and that nothing can be added or subtracted from it, indicates that God is sovereign.

God has the ability to “empower” men to enjoy life and by implication to restrict them from enjoying it. Hence, he controls the destiny of people (6:2).

God’s inscrutability, if not sovereignty, is taught when Qoheleth says that man cannot discover the work of God which He has done under the sun (8:17).

Many of the things listed here can also be subsumed under “man’s limitation,” but the implication is that God is so controlling the events of this life (under the sun) that man’s limitation is a natural result.

Man’s limitation

Whatever profit, advantage (yether יֶתֶר) means, the implication of 1:3 and other verses like it is that man is limited in his ability to enjoy life. Related to this is the inability of man to comprehend the vast creation of God (1:8). This sounds a bit like Job who is silenced when challenged to do this very thing.

Man’s ignorance of life is set out in 3:11 (“yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end”), in 7:14 (“So that man may not discover anything that will be after him”) and in 7:24 (“What has been remote and exceedingly mysterious. Who can discover it?”), and 8:17 “Even though man should seek laboriously, he will not discover; and though the wise man should say, ‘I know,’ he cannot discover.” A concluding statement is made about man’s ignorance of life in 9:1, “righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God. Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him.” His ignorance extends to the time events will transpire: 8:7-8 “If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen?” This same sentiment is echoed in 11:5-6 where the ways of God cannot be anticipated or known. Unexpected and unhappy things happen beyond one’s control according to 9:12.

One’s inability to control the events of his life is graphically stated in 9:11: “the race is not to the swift, and the battle is not to the warriors, and neither is bread to the wise, nor wealth to the discerning, nor favor to men of ability; for time and chance (peg‘a פֶּגַע) overtake them all.” This inability is also expressed in 6:2 where God allows a foreigner to eat the wealthy man’s goods.

In tones reminiscent of Job, Qoheleth states (without complaining as Job does) that one cannot dispute with God in 6:12 (“for he cannot dispute with him who is stronger than he is”).

Above all, man’s limitation is illustrated in the matter of life and death. They have only a few days under the sun (2:3); death levels any attempts to climb in life (3:19-20); one leaves life naked just as he entered it (5:16).

Limits of Wisdom

In his opening unit, Qoheleth uses the word “wisdom” five times to say that he used wisdom in the sense of special ability to accomplish something without producing answers to the riddle of life (1:13-18). Furthermore, all the wealth gained by wise actions is eaten up (6:7-9). By wise action, one should be able to learn what life is all about, but Qoheleth says that all his efforts only led him to the conclusion that the wise man cannot really say, “I know” (8:17). The fool and the wise man suffer the same fate, even though “wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness” (2:12-14), and the wise man cannot control what happens to the stuff he accumulated by wisdom after he is gone (2:19-21).

At the same time, it is important to understand that Qoheleth does not deny the importance and primary place of wisdom. He says that a “poor but wise lad is better than an old and foolish king who no longer knows how to receive instruction” (4:13). “Wisdom,” he says, “strengthens a wise man more than ten rulers who are in a city” (7:19), even so, no one is perfect (7:20). Wisdom is good because it allows a person to understand a matter (8:1); a poor wise man was able to deliver a city from the siege of a great king, and so wisdom is better than strength (9:13-18), but the poor wise man was soon forgotten (9:15). Proverbs extolling the virtues of wisdom are found at 10:10-12 and 7:5-7, 11-12. Finally, “the words of the wise are like goads, and masters of these collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one shepherd” (12:11). That the concept of wisdom is important to Qoheleth is indicated by the fact that ḥokmah (חָכְמָה) and ḥakam (חָכַם) appear some 59 times. Other key terms are “God” Elohim (אֲלהִים) (39 x’s); “vanity” hevel (הֶבֶל) (38 x’s) “under the sun” taḥeth haššemesh (תַחַת הַשֶּׁמֶשׁ) (30 x’s); “fear” yare’ (יָרֵא) (6 x’s).

Teaching about death

Death for Qoheleth is the linchpin of his argument. In spite of the advantages of wisdom in this life, the wise and the fool die alike (2:16); worse yet, both humans and animals die alike. They all go to the same place (3:19-20; 6:6). The phrase “Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth?” is taken by Eaton⁶ to mean “who knows the spirit of man which ascends upward?” In other words, the agnosticism is about the breath/spirit, not whether it goes up or not. He bases this on the clearly positive note in 12:7 where the spirit returns to God who gave it. Either way, he is arguing that we are abysmally ignorant about death. Death is humbling, for after entering the world naked and striving to become “something,” man dies and leaves the world naked (5:15-16). Not only does death humiliate us, we cannot even predict when it will come about (8:8). Because of the bitterness of oppression, Qoheleth congratulates the dead more than the living (4:1-2).

What happens to a man after he dies under the sun is unknown (6:12). The phrase “under the sun” appears some 30 times in the book and should indicate to us that Qoheleth is limiting his discussion to what is observable. He does not enter into the discussion of the afterlife (which he apparently believes in according to 12:7), he is only concerned with this life. Experientially, one cannot know what is beyond the grave. In this sense he can say that a living dog is better than a dead lion (9:4), and that no one knows anything in death. There is no activity or planning or wisdom in Sheol (9:10).

The concluding statement in the book (if 12:9-14 is an addendum by the author) speaks of the process of ageing and dying, culminating with a return of the body to dust and the spirit to God. The young person is admonished to remember his creator while he is young, for these declining days will come quickly enough.

Responsibility to God

In spite of the argument often made about the negative tone and “this worldliness” of Qoheleth, it is instructive to see his attitude about human responsibility toward God. The clearest statements are found in 3:17-18: “God will judge both the righteous man and the wicked man.” This may indeed be in this life (as the rest of the verse may indicate), but man is responsible for his actions to God, nevertheless; 11:9: “Ye know that God will bring you to judgment for all these things”; finally, the last verse in the book says: “For God will bring every act to judgment.” Ecc. 3:15 is difficult, but the NIV renders it: “Whatever is has already been, and what will be has been before; and God will call the past to account.”

Implications of accountability come from the idea that man cannot eat or have enjoyment without God (2:25); that God has given a task to man (3:9); that offerings and vows made to God must be carried out properly (5:1-2, 4-7; 8:2); that labor is a gift from God (5:18; 6:2); and that God will reward those who fear him (8:12).

The importance of trusting and rejoicing

Much of what we have discussed of Qoheleth’s philosophy to this point can be justly characterized as negative and pessimistic. It comes from the musings of one who has carefully observed life from the perspective of wisdom and has become frustrated with the apparent contradictions to the teaching to wisdom. The tension between his faith in the ultimate outworking of wisdom teaching versus the painful observations of violations of that teaching are illustrated in 8:12-13. His experience tells him that sinners do not always die young nor do righteous people always live to an old age, but his faith tells him that “it will be well for those who fear God, who fear Him openly.”

His faith in God gives him the confidence to go on living in spite of the conundrums of life. More even than mere living, he is to rejoice in the life that God has given him. It will contain both good and bad, but he wants to rejoice in the good and be prepared to endure the bad. It seems to me that the “rejoice” sections fit into the cycles of the book as well. The passages are 2:24-26; 3:12-13; 3:22; 5:18-20; 8:15; 9:7-9; 11:8-9.

Given our ignorance about the future (let alone the afterlife), our confidence in the sovereignty of God, and the limitations of man and his wisdom, it is best to trust God for what is going to happen and to live a balanced life. (Is this the meaning of not being excessively righteous, overly wise, or excessively wicked or a fool? (7:16-17). This then is the message of the book, we cannot control our lives, only God does that. We cannot know everything, only God is omniscient. We cannot determine when we will die or what will happen to us, all that is in the hands of almighty God. What are we left with, discouragement and despair? Not at all “Whatever your hand finds to do, verily, do it with all your might” (9:10 with Col. 3:17, 23). Progressive revelation brings hope unthought-of in the Old Testament, but the teaching of Qoheleth is just as relevant today as it was then. Even with our additional information, the things he speaks of “under the sun” are as inaccessible to us today as they were to him. Consequently, we can learn much about trusting and rejoicing.

Ahearne-Kroll, Stephen P. “Psalms in the New Testament,” The Oxford Handbook of the Psalms, William P. Brown, Ed., Oxford: University Press, 2014.

Alexander, J. A. The Psalms, translated and explained, Miami: Hard Press, 2017 (Reprint).

Alford, H. The Greek Testament, Chicago: Moody, 1958, reprint.

Allen, Psalms 101-150 in Word Biblical Commentary. Waco: Word Books, 1983.

Alter, R. The Art of Biblical Poetry, NY: Basic Books, 2011.

ANEP Ancient Near East in Pictures. J. B. Pritchard, ed. Princeton: Princeton U. Press, 1969.

ANET Ancient Near Eastern Texts. As above.

Archer, G. A Survey of Old Testament Introduction. Chicago: Moody, 1964.

Barr. Comparative Philology of the Text of the Old Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1968),

Beall, Todd. Hebrew Poetry, unpublished class notes, Capital Bible Seminary.

Beckwith, The Old Testament Canon of the New Testament Church, Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 1985.

Blomberg, Craig. “The Messiah in the New Testament,” in Richard S. Hess, and M. Daniel Carroll R., eds. Israel’s Messiah in the Bible and the DSS. Baker: Academic, 2003.

Briggs, C. A. Psalms: Vol. 1-50. International Critical Commentary. Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1951.

Bright, J. History of Israel. Phila: Westminster, 1959.

Broyles, Craig C. “The Redeeming King: Psalm 72’s Contribution to the Messianic Ideal,” pp. 23-40 in Craig A. Evans and Peter W. Flint, eds. Eschatology, Messianism, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997.

Bullock, C. Hassel. An Introduction to the Old Testament Poetic Books. Chicago: Moody, 1979.

Charlesworth, ed. James H. The Messiah: Developments in Earliest Judaism and Christianity. Augsburg: Fortress, 2002

Childs, B. S. Introduction to the OT as Scripture. Phila: Fortress, 1979.

Cohen, A. “The Five Megilloth: Hebrew Text, English Translation with Introduction and Commentary” in Soncino Books of the Bible. Surry: Soncino Press, 1946.

Craigie, P. C. The Book of Deuteronomy in NICOT. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1976.

Craigie, P. C. Psalms 1-50 in Word Biblical Commentary. Waco: Word Books, 1983.

Crenshaw, James L. Old Testament Wisdom; an Introduction. Westminster: John Knox, 2009.

Dahood, M. Psalms I-Ill (3 vols.; AB; NY: Doubleday, 1965, 1968, 1970.

Davidson, A. B. A Commentary on the Book of Job (1-14), 1862. (Quoted in Gray, The Book of Job, Pt. I, 25).

Delitzsch, F. Psalms. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1973 (orig. pub. 1867).

Denton, R.C. “Tobit” in The Apocrypha of the Old Testament, Revised Standard Version. B. M. Metzger, ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1965.

Dhorme, E. A Commentary on the Book of Job. Camden, N. J.: Nelson, 1967 (French edition: La Livre de Job, 1926).

Dillard, R. and Tremper Longman, An Introduction to the Old Testament, Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1994.

Dillow, J. C. Solomon on Sex. New York: Nelson, 1977.

Dodd, C. H. According to the Scriptures, the sub-structure of New Testament Theology. London: Nisbet, 1953.

Driver. S. R. An Introduction to the Literature of the Old Testament (1897, rep. 1956 NY: Meridian Books).

Eaton, M. A. Ecclesiastes in Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, Downers Grove: IVP, 1983.

Eissfeldt, O. The Old Testament, An Introduction. New York: Harper and Row. 1965.

Evans, Craig A. “The Messiah in the DSS.” In Richard S. Hess and M. Daniel R. Carroll R., eds. Israel’s Messiah in the Bible and the DSS Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2003.

_____ and Peter W. Flint, eds. Eschatology, Messianism, and the Dead Sea Scrolls. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1997.

Fokkelman, J. P. Narrative Art and Poetry in the Books of Samuel. Vol. 1. Netherlands: Van Gorcum, 1981.

Glueck Nelson. Hesed in the Bible. Wipf and Stock Eugene OR, 2011.

Gordis, R. The Song of Solomon and Lamentations, New York: KTAV, 1954.

_____. The Book of Job, NY: JTS, 1978.

Goulder, Michael D. Psalms of the Return. JSOT Supplement Series #158, Ed., David J. A. Cline, Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press, 1998.

Gunkel, H. The Psalms: A Form-Critical Introduction (1862-1932). Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1967.

Heater, H. Young David and the Practice of Wisdom,” in Integrity of Heart; Skillfulness of Hands, Eds. Dyer and Zuck, Grand Rapids, Baker, 1994.

_____. “Structure and meaning in Lamentations,” in Vital Old Testament Issues, ed. R. B. Zuck, Grand Rapids: Kregel, 1996.

_____. God Rules among Men. Easley SC: Hesed Publications, 2019.

Hengel, M. “Christological Titles in Early Christianity.” In Charlesworth, James H., ed., The Messiah: Developments in Earliest Judaism and Christianity. Augsburg: Fortress, 2002.

Hess Richard S. and M. Daniel R. Carroll R., eds. Israel’s Messiah in the Bible and the DSS. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2003, p. 108.

Hoftijzet, J. and G. Van Der Kooij, eds., Aramaic Texts from Deir ‘Alla, Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1976.

Hutton, Rodney R. “Korah,” in Anchor Bible Dictionary, New York: Doubleday, 1992.

P. Joüon, Grammaire de l’Hebreu Biblique, Rome: Institut Biblique Pontifical, 1923.

Kee, H. C. “Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs” in The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, J. H. Charlesworth, ed. NY: Doubleday, 1983.

Keil, F. C., and F. Delitzsch. Biblical Commentary on the OT. 25 vols. Reissued in 10 vols. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1972.

Kidner, D. Proverbs, An Introduction and Commentary. Downers Grove: IVP, 1964.

_____. Psalms 1-72; Psalms 73-150 (2 vols.; Tyndale OT Commentaries; Downers Grove: IVP, 1973, 1975).

Kirkpatrick, A. F. The Book of Psalms, Grand Rapids: Baker, 1982. (Reprint of 1902 edition.)

Kitchen, Kenneth. On the Reliability of the Old Testament, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans. 2003.

_____. Ancient Orient and Old Testament, Chicago: IVP, 1966.

Klausner, Joseph. The Messianic Idea in Israel: from Its Beginning to the Completion of the Mishnah. London: Allen and Unwin, 1956.

Knibb, Michael A. “Eschatology and Messianism in the Dead Sea Scrolls” in The Dead Sea Scrolls after Fifty Years, eds Flint, Peter W. and James C. Vanderkam, 2 vols., Leiden: Brill, 1998.

LaSor, et al. Old Testament Survey. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982.

Leupold, H. C. Exposition of Psalms. Grand Rapids: Baker, 1959.

Lewis, C. S. Reflections on the Psalms. New York: A Harvest Book, 1958.

McCarter, P. Kyle 1 Samuel in the Anchor Bible. Garden City, NY: Doubleday, 1980.

McNamara, Martin “Intertestamental Literature.” Vol. 23 in Old Testament Message. Wilmington, Del.: Michael Glazier, Inc., 1983.

Metzger, Bruce M. ed. The Oxford Annotated Apocrypha: The Apocrypha of the Old Testament. New York: Oxford University Press, 1965.

Mowinckel, S. “The Ideal of Kingship in Ancient Israel,” He That Cometh, Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, Reprint 2005, originally published 1956.

Murphy, Roland. The Tree of Life, New York: Doubleday, 1990.

O’Neill, J. C. “Who is Comparable to Me in My Glory, 4Q491 Fragment 11 (4Q491C) and the New Testament,” Novum Testamentum, XLII 1, Jan 2000.

Orlov, Andrei A. The Enoch-Metatron Tradition in Texts and Studies in Ancient Judaism, 107, Mohr Siebeck, 2005.

Pope, M. H. Job in Anchor Bible. NY: Doubleday, 1977.

_____. Song of Songs in Anchor Bible, NY: Doubleday, 1977.

Rabin, Chaim, “The Song of Songs and Tamil Poetry” in SR 3:205‑219, 1973.

Roberts, J. J. M. “The Old Testament’s Contribution to Messianic Expectations.” In James H. Charlesworth, ed. The Messiah: Developments in Earliest Judaism and Christianity, Augsburg: Fortress, 2002.

Rogers, J. S. “Asaph,” in Anchor Bible Dictionary. New York: Doubleday, 1992.

Sanders, J. S. The Psalms Scrolls of Qumran Cave 11. Oxford: University Press, 1965.

Scott, R. B. Y. Proverbs. In Anchor Bible. NY: Doubleday, 1981.

Seow, C. L. “Ark of the Covenant,” in The Anchor Bible Dictionary, New York: Doubleday, 1992.

Skehan, P. Studies in Israelite Poetry and Wisdom. CBQMS. Washington, D. C., 1971.

Talmon, S. “The Concepts of MASIAH and Messianism in Early Judaism.” In James H. Charlesworth, ed. The Messiah: Developments in Earliest Judaism and Christianity. Augsburg: Fortress, 2002.

Tate, M. E. Psalms 51-100. Word Biblical Commentary. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1991.

Thirtle, J. W. The Titles of the Psalms. (https://archive.org/details/titlesof-psalms th00thiruoft/page/1.)

Von Rad. Old Testament Theology. New York: Harper, 1962-65.

Waltke, Bruce and James Houston. The Psalms as Christian Worship. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2010.

_____. Notes on the Book of Psalms, unpublished notes, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1967.

Wright, G. E. Biblical Archaeology. Phila: Westminster, 1957.

Wenham, G. The Psalter Reclaimed. Wheaton: Crossway, 2013.

Würthwein, E. The Text of the OT. Tr. P. Ackroyd. Oxford: Blackwell, 1957.

Yadin, Y. Bar-Kokhba. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 1971.

Zeitlin, Solomon “The Origin of the Idea of the Messiah.” (pp. 99-111 [pp. 447-459 in “The Origin of the Idea of the Messiah,” In Time of Harvest, NY, 1963]).

Apocrypha: Selected Bibliography

Charles, R. H. The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament, 2 vols., Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913.

This was the standard work for decades. Because it began to go out of print, and because some of the conclusions needed reevaluation, and because of the question about what to include and not include, a revised edition was published in 1984.

Charlesworth, James H, The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha, 2 vols., Garden City, NY: Doubleday & Company, 1983.

The work is superseding Charles’ work, and will no doubt become the classical work in the days to come.

Kee, Howard Clark. The New Testament in Context; Sources and Documents. New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1984.

As the title implies, this book covers a broader area than some of the others. It provides historical and literary background for the New Testament in general, including the Greco-Roman situation.

McNamara, Martin. Intertestamental Literature. Vol. 23 in Old Testament Message; a Biblical-Theological Commentary.

This work by a Roman Catholic Scholar provides an introduction to all the various types of literature and gives examples ranging from the Apocrypha to literature of Judaism and Pharisaism. A concluding chapter summarizes the Jewish situation from 200 B.C. to A. D. 200.

Mendels, Doron. The Land of Israel as a Political Concept in Hasmonean Literature: Recourse to History in Second Century B.C. Claims to the Holy Land. Tübingen: J.C.B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), 1987.

This monograph is a study of the ideas about the geographical dimensions of the Holy Land in the literature of the period in the title.

Metzger, Bruce M., ed., The Apocrypha of the Old Testament, New York: Oxford University Press, 1965.

The is the RSV translation of the books of the Apocrypha including the books omitted by the Council of Trent.

Sparks, H. F. D., ed. The Apocryphal Old Testament, Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984.

This work is the revision of Charles spoken of above.

Van Unnik, W. C., ed. La Littérature Juive entre Tenach et Mischna; Quelques Problemes. Vol. 9 in Recherches Bibiques. Leiden: E. J. Brill, 1974.

A series of essays, some specific, some general on the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha.

Allen Bible Church

December 26, 2021

Mathew 2:1-12 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying, 2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star when it rose in the east and have come to worship Him.” 3 When Herod the king heard about it, he was deeply disturbed, and all Jerusalem with him. 4 And gathering together all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Messiah was to be born. 5 They said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea; for this is what has been written by the prophet:

6 ‘AND YOU, BETHLEHEM, LAND OF JUDAH,
ARE BY NO MEANS LEAST AMONG THE LEADERS OF JUDAH;
FOR FROM YOU WILL COME FORTH A RULER
WHO WILL SHEPHERD MY PEOPLE ISRAEL.’”

7 Then Herod secretly called for the magi and determined from them the exact time the star appeared. 8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.” 9 After hearing the king, they went on their way; and lo and behold, there it was – the star they had seen in the east! It went on ahead of them until it came to a stop over the place where the Child was to be found. 10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. 11 And after they came into the house, they saw the Child with His mother Mary; and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then they opened their treasures and presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. 12 And after being warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod, the magi left for their own country by another way.1

Introduction

A few years ago, I was asked to conduct the funeral service of a man who attended our church. I learned that his parents had participated in the Oklahoma Land Rush of 1889. The most interesting thing I learned about this man was that he had an uncle who took an entire year to travel to Pike’s Peak in Colorado. . . BY COVERED WAGON!

I can hardly imagine such a journey. And yet the distance (about 550 miles) might be similar to that traveled by the magi, in the event described by our text in Matthew chapter two. 2 You can imagine that the journey to Bethlehem was not an easy one for the magi. After all, a camel does not have first-class seating (though it does have bucket seats)!

Besides Luke’s account of the birth of John the Baptist, and of Jesus, this story of the magi in Matthew’s gospel is the only other description of the events surrounding the birth and early years of our Lord Jesus. Unfortunately, our understanding of what happened here is more influenced by a number of Christmas pageants than it is by the actual account provided us by Matthew.

So, let’s take a careful look at this text with the purpose of seeing what it actually says, and what it does not. And, then, let us consider what we can learn from the story of the magi.

So that you will know what to expect, I will tell you in advance that this message has three parts.

• Part I: What is important, and what is not.
• Part II: The story, as Matthew tells it.
• Part III: What we should learn from the magi.

Part I: What Is Important, And What Is Not

The story revolves around its main characters:

The Main Character Is The Baby Jesus, The King Of The Jews.

A careful look at Matthew and Luke will reveal that very little is said about the actual birth of Jesus. After all, the birth itself is not miraculous. The events leading to Jesus’ birth, and those following it (such as what we are now discussing) are the things that are emphasized. We don’t know why, but there was something about this baby that made it clear to the shepherds, Simeon and Anna (Luke 2), as well as the magi, that this baby was the promised King of the Jews. It is the apocryphal gospels that describe almost magical events which take place in the early life of Jesus.

Tradition, and the apocryphal gospels written many years later, tell many absurd and fanciful things about the flight of the family and their entrance into Egypt. The flowers were said to spring up in their steps as they entered the land; the palm trees to bow down in homage, and wild animals to come near in friendly approach.3

The Magi Are, Of Course, The Central Focus Of Our Text.

I think of the magi as both astronomers and astrologers. As astronomers, these students of the heavens watched and observed what took place in the heavens. In this capacity, the magi observed the appearance of a new “star” and took note of it, watching it carefully.4

The magi were also astrologers, and as such, they believed that the stars and their movements were a source of revelation. And so it was that they sought the meaning of the appearance of this new star in the east. I don’t know how, but in this case, they discerned the “message” of this star. A baby boy was born on the day of the star’s appearance. He was to be the “King of the Jews,” and as such, they were to seek Him out and worship Him. I should add that this implied the deity of Jesus, for one only worships a person who is divine.

We find “magi” in the Book of Daniel (e.g. 2:2,10). These were the “astrologers” who, along with “magicians,” “sorcerers,” and “Chaldeans,” were unable to tell Nebuchadnezzar what his dream was, or what it meant.

While we think fondly of these magi in Matthew, they were not highly regarded in the Bible, for they were usually condemned as a false source of revelation and counsel. For example:’

“You are wearied with your many counsels; Let now the astrologers, Those who prophesy by the stars, Those who predict by the new moons, Stand up and save you from what will come upon you” (Isaiah 47:13, NAU).

Then There Is Herod, The Present “King Of The Jews.”

Herod was one bad dude. He was devious and insanely jealous, and fearful that someone might take his throne, so much so that he had a number of family members killed. From what we read in Matthew of his killing the Bethlehem baby boys, it is easy to believe the secular accounts of his cunning and violence.

The People Of Jerusalem.

It is easy to believe that Herod was greatly troubled by the news of Jesus’ birth. What we might not expect is that this term, “greatly distressed” was used to describe not only Herod’s reaction, but also that of the people of Jerusalem. And to make it clear that he was not speaking of a small segment of the people, Matthew writes that “all Jerusalem” was greatly distressed by the news brought to them by the magi.

And Finally, There Was “The Star.”

To say that the appearance of the star was mysterious would be a great understatement. But the fact is that most of the time when the term “star” or “stars” appeared in the Bible it meant simply that – a star. I would say we are forced to leave it at that.

So How Do We Know What Is Important And What Is Not?

In the simplest of terms, what is important is what we are clearly told, and what is not important is what we are not told. God set this principle down in the Book of Deuteronomy:

“The secret things belong to the LORD our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our sons forever, that we may observe all the words of this law” (Deuteronomy 29:29, NAU).

The problem is that we are tempted to focus our attention of what we do not know, more than on what we are told. We are curious, and we don’t like unsolved mysteries. That was true of the prophet Daniel, and here is God’s response:

8 As for me, I heard but could not understand; so I said, “My lord, what will be the outcome of these events?” 9 He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time. 10 “Many will be purged, purified and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand. 11 “From the time that the regular sacrifice is abolished and the abomination of desolation is set up, there will be 1,290 days. 12 “How blessed is he who keeps waiting and attains to the 1,335 days! 13 “But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age” (Daniel 12:8-13; see also Luke 10:23-24; 1 Peter 1:10-12).

So what is it we are not told? We are not told the exact day of our Lord’s birth, as hard as some try to do so. Ironically, Herod knew Jesus’ birthday, because the magi told him when the star appeared. We are told very little of about these magi, where they came from, or how they came to the conclusions the did about the “King of the Jews.” How we would love to know how the appearance of a star could reveal all that they had come to believe.

How, then, do we know what is truly important? First of all, we pay attention to what we are told. We are told that the events of our text happen after the birth of Jesus (verse 1). We are told that the magi found Jesus “in the house,” not in a manger (verse 11).

There is a very important clue to what is important in our text, and it is the use of the term “behold.” Matthew uses this term twice in our text, once in verse 1, and again in verse 9. Amazing as it is, the latest version of the New American Standard Bible (2020) omits any use of the word “behold.”5 So, too, the NIV, the NIRV, and the NLT omit it as well. The NET weakly renders it “once again.”

In the city of Richardson, where Jeannette and I live, there are some stop signs that folks sometimes overlook (perhaps looking at their cell phones). And so, the city has encircled these signs with a string of flashing lights, so as to call attention to the sign.

Matthew does this with the term behold, and to neglect, ignore, or mistranslate it does the reader no service. I believe that “behold” is a key term in our text. Let me illustrate why.

Years ago we were talking to Don and Maggie, who lived in the apartments we managed. They told us a story about what happened to them, some time before. Don did not appreciate being interrupted when he was in the middle of a project. And so one day he instructed Maggie that when she found him working on a project, she was to quietly wait for him, until he was finished. They he would nod to her, indicating that the time had come.

One day Maggie came outside and found Don busily at work. Dutifully Maggie waited – for some time – until Don had finished, and gave her the nod of permission to interrupt. She quietly said, “The house is on fire.”

No, she needed our word, “behold.” She should have bolted out the door, grabbed Don by the sleeve, and hollered in his ear, “Behold, the house is on fire!”

I believe that the translations that have omitted the word “behold” have treated the text as Maggie did the report that the house was on fire. The word behold is linked to the magi (verse 1) and to the star (verse 9). These are the two most important elements of Matthew’s account, and so we must pay careful attention to what we are told about them (not what we are not told about them).

Part II: The Story, As Matthew Told It6

The magi, as astronomers, carefully watched the heavens, looking for patterns, or for significant changes (like the appearance of a new star). They would then seek, as astrologers, to discern the meaning of these movements. One day, a new star appeared in the east, and the magi perceived this to be of great significance. They concluded (I know not how) that this signified the birth of a child who was the “King of the Jews.” They also reasoned that He was divine, and thus they should find Him and worship Him.

We don’t know how much time passed between the appearance of this new star, and the magi setting out to find the One of whom it spoke. Neither do we know exactly how many magi there were. A caravan of sorts was probably arranged, and security may well have been in mind as well. Traveling with gold, frankincense, and myrrh, all valuable items, could pose some dangers.

When they set out for the Holy Land, the star moved in such a way as to guide them (we saw this at the exodus of Israel as well – Exodus 13:21) along the way.

It was when they were approaching Jerusalem that something significant happened: the star went out; it simply disappeared. Someone turned of their GPS! What to do now? It surely seemed logical to assume that since they were approaching Jerusalem the folks who lived there would also know about the birth of a king.

Here Is Where So Many Get It Wrong, Based Upon Christmas Pageants Or Sunday School Stories.

We are taught that the magi went straight to Herod, and asked him where they might find and worship the new king. There are several reasons why this would not have been the case.

First, the wording of the text should make it clear that the magi went about Jerusalem, seeking directions to the birthplace of Jesus.

Second, the likelihood of mysterious foreigners getting a face-to-face interview with a king was highly unlikely. Think of Esther, risking her life to have entrance to the king (Esther 4:11).

Third, if these men knew anything about Herod, they would never consider talking to him directly. Just imagine the scene: The magi go to Herod’s door and knock. Herod comes to the door, and he hears these words: “Pardon me, king, but would happen to know where we could find the new king, the “King of the Jews,” who must be your replacement?” I don’t think so.

Consequently, I read Matthew’s account differently. The magi respond to the disappearance of the star by going into the city, going down its streets, and asking those they encounter for directions to the birthplace of the new king. We know that this created great distress for the people of Jerusalem, and so it is not surprising that word of these strangers would reach the ears of Herod.

Herod hears this news, and like the others in Jerusalem, is greatly distressed.7 I believe that Herod has not yet talked face-to-face with the magi, and that he privately assembled the religious experts to give their response.8 If there was to be born a “King of the Jews” where would that be? The answer seems to be on the tip of their tongues, based on the prophecy of Micah 5:2.

Having learned that the birthplace of the new king was Bethlehem, Herod privately met with the magi. Herod knew the birthplace of Messiah, but not the time of His birth. And so, the first item on his agenda was to learn from the magi the exact time the star appeared. (All of this was so that he knew the ages of those infants he had resolved to kill.)

Having learned this, all Herod needed to know was where to find the Messiah. He told the magi that they would find the “King of the Jews” in Bethlehem, and no doubt told them the direction they should take to make the 6-mile journey. He also instructed them to report the child’s location to him on their journey home, so that he could “worship” Him.

With this knowledge, the magi set out on the final leg of their journey. Finding Bethlehem would not be difficult. Finding the baby would present more of a challenge. But as they made their way, behold the star mysteriously re-appeared, guiding them not only to Bethlehem, but to the very house where Jesus was to be found, along with His mother.9 Matthew tells us that the magi responded to the return of the star’s guidance with great joy. They were definitely on the right track.

Having found the Messiah, the magi worshipped HIM (not them, and not her), presenting their gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

This seems to have happened in the night, and thus the magi would not begin their journey home until daylight. During the night, an angel of the Lord warned the magi in a dream that Herod had planned to use them to locate the child and to kill him. They were instructed to return home by another route.

This reaches beyond our text, but I would imagine that Herod anxiously awaited the return of the magi, so that he could carry out his wicked scheme. He waited, and waited, and all the while Joseph, Mary, and the Child were hurriedly making their way toward Egypt. By the time Herod figured out that he had been outwitted he was furious, and he took out his anger on the baby boys of Bethlehem.

Part III: What Are We To Learn From This Story?

Many are the lessons to be learned from this story, but let us focus on a few of them as we conclude.

First, This Story Sets The Stage For What We Should Expect To See In The Rest Of This Gospel.

We should expect trouble, not only from this Herod (who will die fairly soon) and other Roman rulers, but also from Jerusalem and the Jewish religious leaders. Jerusalem will become a dangerous place for Jesus to visit.

The magi are Gentiles, and we have seen the efforts to which God has gone to bring them the good news of salvation through Jesus. That being the case, we should expect to see more Gentiles coming to faith in Matthew. He began by naming Gentile women in the genealogy (chapter 1). In chapter 8 Matthew will write of the Gentile Centurion and his faith, which surpassed that of the Jews:

5 And when Jesus entered Capernaum, a centurion came to Him, imploring Him, 6 and saying, “Lord, my servant is lying paralyzed at home, fearfully tormented.” 7 Jesus said to him, “I will come and heal him.” 8 But the centurion said, “Lord, I am not worthy for You to come under my roof, but just say the word, and my servant will be healed. 9 For I also am a man under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes, and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes, and to my slave, ‘Do this!’ and he does it.” 10 Now when Jesus heard this, He marveled and said to those who were following, “Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in Israel. 11 I say to you that many will come from east and west, and recline at the table with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven; 12 but the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Matthew 8:5-12, NAU).

In chapter 15, we are told of the Gentile (Canaanite, no less!) woman who appealed to Jesus to cast the demon out of her daughter. In spite of being put off for a bit, her request was granted because of her faith.

And let us not forget how this book ends, with the Great Commission:

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18-20).

Second, The Story Of The Magi Assures Us Of The Providence Of God.

Let us be sure we are all on the same page regarding the providence of God. In our contemporary society and thinking, providence would rather quickly be brushed aside as “good luck.” But in biblical terms, providence is divine providence, God’s intervention in earthly affairs. We see a great deal of divine intervention in Matthew related to the birth of Jesus.

• It was divine intervention (a tax, no less) that resulted in the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem, rather than Nazareth.
• God arranged for the birth of Jesus to be proclaimed in Jerusalem (including Herod), (by Gentiles, no less).
• I believe it was the Providence of God that kept the exact day of our Lord’s birth a secret (known only to the magi and to Herod). Had our Lord’s birth date been recorded we would be tempted to celebrate our Lord’s incarnation only one day in the year. But when our Lord established communion (the Lord’s Table) He purposed that the incarnation would be frequently celebrated, as often as the Lord’s Table was celebrated.
• By arranging for the escape of Jesus and his family, at a later time than His birth,10 so that mother and child could make the (approximately 10-day) trip to Egypt. And providing for their material needs with the gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.11
• The providence of God is also evident in the ways in which God fulfilled prophecies related to Messiah.12

Let me suggest two things to reflect upon, related to divine providence as we see it in our passage, in the Bible, and as we experience it in our lives.

We see here that divine providence is seldom, if ever, recognized as such at the time we first experience it. In our story, Rome’s tax and registration was not immediately recognized as God’s means of getting Mary to Bethlehem, so that the birth of Jesus could fulfill the prophecy of Micah 5:2. Likewise, Joseph’s betrayal by his brothers, resulting in his sojourn in Egypt was not understood as divine providence until much later (see Genesis 45:5-7; 50:20).

Likewise, divine providence often comes to us in the form of adversity, suffering, or difficulties. Divine providence may well come to us in the form of our suffering. When Jacob was told that he must release his beloved son, Benjamin, to go to Egypt with his brothers, he saw this as anything but divine providence:

Their father Jacob said to them, “You have bereaved me of my children: Joseph is no more, and Simeon is no more, and you would take Benjamin; all these things are against me” (Genesis 42:36).

The Roman requirement to register in the place of one’s origin required a difficult journey to Bethlehem, but in the end, we see the hand of God in it. Divine providence helps us to embrace Paul’s words in Romans chapter 8:

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).

Most important of all, can we not recognize that the rejection of our Lord, and His suffering and death on the cross of Calvary was divine providence? Notice the change in the outlook of the followers of Jesus as this reality dawned upon them. So, too, God often brings suffering and adversity into the lives of sinners, who need His salvation, to draw them to Himself.

11 When the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, “Why is your Teacher eating with the tax collectors and sinners?” 12 But when Jesus heard this, He said, “It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick. 13 “But go and learn what this means: ‘I DESIRE COMPASSION, AND NOT SACRIFICE,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matthew 9:11-13).

And large crowds came to Him, bringing with them those who were lame, crippled, blind, mute, and many others, and they laid them down at His feet; and He healed them (Matthew 15:30; see also Matthew 5:1-6).

Before I was afflicted I went astray,
But now I keep Your word (Psalm 119:67).

It is good for me that I was afflicted,
That I may learn Your statutes (Psalm 119:71).

I know, O LORD, that Your judgments are righteous,
And that in faithfulness You have afflicted me (Psalm 119:75; see also Psalm 73).

Is it possible that you are presently experiencing adversity, and that this might be the providential hand of God, drawing you to Him?

Which raises a very practical and relevant question for all believers: “Is it possible that the present Covid Crisis is really a part of God’s providential intervention in the affairs of men, and, if so, what should Christians do in response to this?”

Third, Christmas Is About Jesus.

One would hardly think this was necessary to point out, but look around in this Christmas season. How many nativity scenes do you see in front yards, compared to Santa’s, reindeer, and snowmen? And in the plethora of Christmas movies, how many feature Jesus, even mention Him?

Fourth, Christmas Is About Giving, Not Getting.

From Black Friday to pre-Christmas sales, the emphasis is on receiving gifts, big gifts. Children sit on Santa’s lap, so they can give him their list of wanted items. The emphasis of Scripture is on giving, rather than receiving (Acts 20:35; Ephesians 4:28), on serving, rather than on being served (Matthew 20:25-28; Mark 10:45). And let us note the fact that the giving of the magi was to God, not to men. I believe that the generosity of our giving is directly proportional to our grasp of the greatness and goodness of our God.

Fifth, It Isn’t Just What We Know, But What We Do With What We Know.

I don’t understand how, but it amazes me that in the end the magi knew the very same things the people of Jerusalem knew from Micah 5:2. Strangely (and inexplicably), the magi received this revelation from a very different source than Scripture.

• A Messiah was coming – indeed, had come.
• He was divine and human (you worship God, not men).
• He was the “King of the Jews.”
• He was born in Bethlehem.13

How these two groups responded to the revelation they received is very different. Herod responded like Judas, seeking to kill Jesus. The people of Jerusalem could not find it in themselves to walk the meager 6 miles to Bethlehem to check out the report of the magi, even though Messiah’s birth in Bethlehem was foretold in prophecy.

In stark contrast, the magi were Gentiles, not Jews, but they came such a great distance to find and to worship a Jewish King. They travelled many miles, over many days, to find Messiah. And they presented gifts that were most expensive.

In this Christmas season, we would do well to reflect on those texts (whether prophecy or fulfillment) that tell or foretell our Lord’s first coming. And we would likewise do well to consider how (by time and money) we are responding to our Lord’s incarnation.

I should perhaps remind you that neither our Lord, or the apostles, not the Scriptures instituted Christmas. But in the regular celebration of communion, the bread we partake is a symbol of our Lord’s incarnation, fully God and fully human, a Lamb without blemish, so that His death could pay the penalty for our sins.

Merry Christmas!

A ministry of…

Author: Dr. Roger Pascoe, President,
Email: [email protected]

I. Strengthening Expository Preaching
Preaching N.T. Gospels, Pt. 1

In this edition of the NET Pastors Journal, I will begin to explore the topic of preaching Gospel narratives. The four Gospels, which comprise almost half of the N.T. on a percentage basis, are centered on the life and ministry of Jesus Christ (Mk. 1:1; Matt. 1:1; Acts 1:1-2; Jn. 20:31). Since Jesus Christ is the central figure of all four Gospels, it makes sense that our interpretation and preaching of the Gospels reflect that Christocentric priority.

In the Gospels, Jesus Christ is portrayed as the fulfillment of the Law, the second Moses, the Coming One of whom the prophets wrote. Therefore, when we approach any Gospel passage, we need to ask first: “What does it tell us about the good news of Jesus Christ, His love for us, His mission, His suffering, death, and resurrection, His coming kingdom, His will for us and society?” (Sidney Greidanus, “Preaching in the Gospels”, 333).

In addition, we need to ask what role other characters play in the Gospels? I think it is fair to say, that, whenever other characters enter a narrative scene in the Gospels, such characters are there to enhance and advance the message and ministry of Jesus and our understanding of him. For example, if you were preaching on John 6:1-14, what Andrew and Phillip said and did in response to Jesus’ question (6:5) is important from the perspective of the story. Thus, we need to explain that in order to properly understand the story. Nonetheless, the focus of the narrative is on who Jesus is and how he manifests himself in the narrative event. We learn that Andrew and Phillip really didn’t know Jesus, because if they had known him they would not have said and done what they did. The point of the narrative is that since Jesus is God, (1) he could make loaves out of stones (to feed the crowd), or (2) produce money from a fish’s mouth (to buy bread), or as they discovered (3) he could multiply five small loaves and two fish to feed a multitude. The answer to his question is that Jesus didn’t need to buy bread because he is the Creator God. That’s what I mean by the Christocentric interpretation of that episode.

While the primary focus of the Gospel narratives like this one is to record the Gospel writers’ theology about Jesus’ divine nature and character, is that everything they want to teach us? Or, are there practical lessons that we learn from them that we can apply to our own lives? I would argue that the secondary characters, like Andrew and Phillip, in the Gospel narratives play a very important role not only in highlighting Jesus’ life and ministry, but also in recording human limitations, need, sin, unfaithfulness etc., especially in their relationship to, and understanding of, Jesus. While we must be careful not reduce these Gospel narratives to merely moral lessons, nonetheless, surely the authors also recount the details about these secondary characters with the intention that in them we see ourselves (our unbelief, limited understanding and distrust of Jesus) and in them we see real life examples with whom we can identify in their spiritual and theological struggles to understand who Jesus truly is. While this may not be the primary function of the Gospels it is, nonetheless, an important one.

Jesus’ ministry centered on “preaching the gospel of kingdom” (Matt. 4:23; 9:35; Mk. 1:14-15; Lk. 4:43), a kingdom that is “near you” (Lk. 10:9, 11), has “come upon you” (Matt. 12:28), is “at hand” (Matt. 3:2;10:7) and “within you” (Lk. 17:21), because the King was present. Likewise, Jesus commissioned his disciples to preach the same message (Matt. 10:7; Lk. 9:2), a message which they wrote in their Gospels for our benefit. This Gospel message, of course, continued to be preached by the apostles as recorded in the Acts (cf. Acts 28:31) and the epistles.

In the Gospels the long looked-for redemption in the O.T. finally arrives. All the types and shadows of this redemption (in the sacrifices etc.) come to their fulfillment in Christ. This final, once-for-all sacrifice is placed in historical context in the Gospels – the prophesied message and event actually unfold in history (i.e. become reality) beginning with the announcement by the last of the O.T. prophets (John Baptist) that the Messiah was coming (Matt. 3:1ff.), and continuing with his birth, life, teachings, death, resurrection, and ascension. Now, we look back on those events, and our preaching task is to bridge the gap of time, culture, and theological perspective.

A. The Gospel genre: Its literary style, structure, and characteristics.

The “gospel” means good news, the good news about Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 15:1) and proclaimed by him (Mk. 1:14-15).

1. Literary Style. The Gospel genre is unique to the four Gospels and, to some degree, Acts – at least, Acts continues the basic episodic literary style as it reports on the growth of the Christian church after Jesus’ ascension. Notice the following literary characteristics of the Gospels…

a) The Gospels are narratives (collections of short stories). That’s the form the Holy Spirit chose to communicate the message about and by Jesus, undoubtedly so that we enter into the story and not just to learn a set of historical facts. Hence, they communicate the sights, smells, sounds, imagination. Each Gospel, therefore, is comprised of a series of short stories, some of which are linked together to form a section on the same theme.

b) The Gospels are biographical, although perhaps not in the form that we might be used to. The Gospels were written to communicate theological history, centred in Jesus Christ. Hence, they are Christological, theological, and biographical.

c) The Gospels are “sermonic” (homiletical) in style, reflecting the preaching of Jesus and his disciples.

d) The Gospel writers chose their historical material selectively. Each Gospel presents its own unique account of Jesus’ life and ministry, by narrating certain selected episodes (i.e. not every episode) of Jesus’ life and teachings from a particular perspective. A comparison of the differences in each record of the same event is a good indicator of the evangelist’s perspective.

e) Each Gospel writer wrote to suit his particular theological purpose. For example, in John 20:31, while John’s aim is evangelistic, it is not solely evangelistic in that once one believes in the Son of God, one must then live with him and in him and for him. Thus, the gospel writers recorded the historical facts and presented those facts in order to convince us to believe and “have life in his name.”

f) Each Gospel writer wrote to present his particular theological perspective about Jesus – his life, teachings, and mission. Thus, Matthew presents Jesus as the Messiah and his kingdom. Mark presents Jesus as the perfect, suffering Servant. Luke presents Jesus as the Son of Man (i.e. Jesus’ perfect humanity). John presents Jesus as the Son of God (i.e. Jesus’ deity).

Because each writer presents a different perspective, their stories begin at a different place. Matthew begins with Jesus’ genealogy and birth. Mark begins with the message of John the Baptist (no birth narrative). Luke begins with John the Baptist’s birth and then Jesus’ birth. John begins with Jesus’ pre-incarnate existence.

g) The Gospel writers arranged their material differently. Each gospel event is not necessarily chronological in arrangement - sometimes it is topical. This explains the different sequence of material in each gospel. They also have variations in wording, which reflects the fact that these accounts are not made from tape recordings - i.e. not necessarily word-for-word but paraphrased or condensed. Nor did they report everything that Jesus said or did (cf. Jn. 21:25). This explains how Jesus could sometimes speak for hours but what is recorded only takes a few minutes to read (e.g. the Sermon on the Mount).

h) The common emphasis in each of the Gospels is on the last week of Jesus’ life. This topic comprises the largest amount of material on a percentage basis. For example, the last week of Jesus’ life in John’s gospel begins in chapter 12. Thus, we conclude that the Holy Spirit directed the Gospel writers as to what to include and how to arrange it.

i) The Gospel genre is not a carry-over from the O.T., but there is continuity with the O.T. - for example in the following ways:

(i) The continuing topic of salvation history.

(ii) Both the O.T. and the Gospels, broadly speaking, contain narrative history, parables, law, apocalyptic, miracle etc.

(iii) The Gospels record the fulfillment in Christ of the O.T. expectation and, thus, the prophetic sayings. Nonetheless, as far as genre goes, I would argue that “gospel” is a unique genre.

2. Literary structure and characteristics. Three of the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) are called “synoptic” (literally, “seen together, look alike) Gospels, because they contain similar material, whereas John’s Gospel is entirely different.

The Gospels are compositions of short stories each of which says something about Jesus, some of which are linked together in series to form bigger stories, and all of which constitute one large story. Hence, when reading the Gospels, ask yourself:

a) What does the short story tell us about Jesus?

b) What is the writer telling us in the bigger story (i.e. the combination of short stories), taking into account the context of went before and what comes after.

For example, take the series of three short stories recorded in Luke 10:25 to Luke 11:13 (see Duval and Hays, Grasping God’s Word, 248-249)…

a) Luke 10:25-37 recounts the episode about the lawyer who wants to inherit eternal life.

The context of this interaction begins with the lawyer’s question to Jesus: “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (10:25) and is carried along by his second question: “Who is my neighbor?” (10:29). Jesus answers this second, self-justifying question by way of a parable concerning “a man who was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho” (10:30-35).

The theological principles that we learn from this episode are:

(i) Our neighbor is anyone in need.

(ii) Love for our neighbor is not limited by race, religion, money, nationality.

b) Luke 10:38-42 recounts the story of Jesus’ visit in the home of Mary and Martha.

The theological principle that we learn in this episode is that sometimes we can be so busy working for Jesus that we neglect our relationship with him.

c) Lk. 11:1-13 recounts Jesus’ teaching on prayer in answer to the disciples request, “Lord, teach us to pray” (11:1). Here we learn the theological principles that…

(i) Prayer is directed to God the Father and is an expression of reverence of God (11:2).

(ii) Prayer includes requests to God for our daily needs, the forgiveness of our debt of sins, and the request for protection from temptation (11:3-4).

(iii) We can be bold in our prayers (11:5-8).

(iv) Prayer is an expression of trust in God as our Father to answer when we ask, guide us as we seek, and open the way when we knock (11:9-10).

(v) As a loving Father, God delights to grant our prayer requests (11:11-13).

The common thread running through these separate but theologically and topically linked short stories is “relationships.”

a) Lk. 10:25-37. Love and serve those in need (i.e. our “neighbor,” our fellow human beings) regardless of who they are and our preconceived hang-ups about them.

b) Lk. 10:38-42. Always put your personal relationship with, and devotion to, Jesus ahead of religious (ministry) activities.

c) Lk. 11:1-13. Talking to God in prayer is a wonderful privilege, expressing our love of God and our dependence upon Him for our daily needs.

Final Remarks

I hope that this introductory article on preaching Gospel narratives is a help to you in understanding “Gospel genre: Its literary style, structure, and characteristics.” Next time, I will continue this study by providing some interpretive hints and principles that will help you further in your understanding and preaching of Gospel narratives.

II. Strengthening Biblical Leadership
“The Ministry of Reconciliation, Pt. 3: The Reconciliation of God’s People” (2 Cor. 6:1-6:10)

We continue our study of the wonderful pastoral instructions that Paul writes to the church at Corinthian. The passages in this series that we have covered so far are structured as follows…

2 Cor. 2:14-3:6, Confidence in ministry (Spring 2013)

2 Cor. 4:1-16, The Nature of Authentic ministry:

Pt. 1, The nature of the message, 2 Cor. 4:1-6 (Summer 2012)

Pt. 2, The nature of the ministry, 2 Cor. 4:7-16 (Summer 2013)

2 Cor. 4:16-5:17, The Motivation for Ministry

Pt. 1, Our future transformation, 2 Cor. 4:16-5:9 (Fall 2013)

Pt. 2, Our accountability to God, 2 Cor. 5:10-13 (Winter 2014)

Pt. 3, Christ’s sacrificial love, 2 Cor. 5:14-17 (Spring 2021)

2 Cor. 5:18-7:16, The Ministry of Reconciliation

Pt. 1: The reconciliation of all people, 2 Cor. 5:18-21 (Summer 2021)

Pt. 2, The reconciliation of God’s people, 2 Cor. 6:1-7:16

1. An appeal for the reconciliation of God’s people to God, 2 Cor. 6:1-2 (Fall 2021).

2. An appeal for the reconciliation of God’s people to God’s minister (6:3-7:16).

a) An appeal for reconciliation based on a commendable ministry, 2 Cor. 6:3-10 (Fall 2021 and Winter 2022).

b) An appeal for reconciliation based on a pastoral heart, 2 Cor. 6:11-7:16 (to come in subsequent editions).

In the last edition of this Journal (Edition 41, Fall 2021) we ended our study at 2 Corinthians 6:5, part way through the section 2a (above): “An appeal for reconciliation based on a commendable ministry.” We noticed that a ministry is commendable by the way it …

(i) Sustains physical suffering (6:4-5).

(ii) Maintains ethical standards (6:6-7).

(iii) Endures paradoxical realities (6:8-10).

Last time, we covered (i) a commendable ministry sustains physical suffering (6:4-5), so we will continue this study with…

ii) A commendable ministry maintains ethical standards (6:6-7). Ethical standards serve to identify and affirm “God’s ministers” (6:4) who display a commendable ministry. Ethical ministry is marked ⁶...by purity, by knowledge, by patience, by kindness, by the Holy Spirit, by sincere love, ⁷ by the word of truth, by the power of God, through weapons of righteousness for the right hand and the left” (6:6-7). When duly exemplified and upheld, these ethical standards characterize a commendable minister and ministry. As God’s ministers, the apostles had “commended themselves in everything” (6:4) by overcoming a diversity of physical suffering (as we noted last time, 6:4-5) and by enduring in their ethical standards.

Let’s examine these ethical standards by which a commendable ministry is known…

“…by purity” (6:6a) means that we, as God’s servants, maintain our ethical standards by upholding and practicing holiness of life. We are to live beyond reproach, having nothing in our lives for which we can be justly discredited. We are people of moral integrity. This, obviously, is fundamental to making our ministry commendable.

“…by knowledge” (6:6b) refers to our understanding, especially of spiritual things, that undergirds our ministry. Our knowledge of God's truth must be the basis for our ethical standards and behaviour.

“…by patience” (6:6c). Ministry takes a lot of patience especially with those who oppose us and who often do not have a sound, biblical knowledge base from which to argue. Paul himself was dealing here with those in the church at Corinth who criticized and opposed him. He knew all about the test of patience.

“…by kindness” (6:6d) is the mercy and grace and gentleness of Christ. Patience and kindness undoubtedly enabled Paul to handle and respond appropriately when he suffered physically from those who opposed him, and when he suffered emotionally from those who knew him and should have treated him better (e.g. the Corinthians). It has been pointed out that “patience is reactive, kindness is proactive.” (P. Barnett, cited in David E. Garland, 2 Corinthians, 308). No doubt these two moral qualities described Paul’s example in all circumstances, whether facing opposition and persecution of the enemies of the gospel, or the criticism and rejection of God's people. He demonstrated the same example of Christ who “when he was insulted, he did not insult in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten but entrusted himself to the one who judges justly” (1 Pet. 2:23).

“...by the Holy Spirit” (6:6e). Some suggest that this refers to the human spirit. But to the contrary, the Holy Spirit is often connected to the qualities of holiness, patience, kindness, knowledge etc. (cf. Rom. 14:17; 15:13; 1 Cor. 12:8; Gal. 5:22). The Holy Spirit is, after all, the One who enables us to display these ethical graces. Paul certainly exemplified the fruit of the Spirit in and by the power of the Spirit.

Proper ethical standards can only be adequately manifested by those who are “filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18) and, thus, empowered by him to live and minister for God. Indeed, the ensuing phrases “the word of truth” and “the power of God” and “the armour of righteousness” (2 Cor. 6:7) would further support the view that Paul is here referring to a divine person, the Holy Spirit, as the divine agent who empowers us as ministers to live out these behavioural qualities.

“...by sincere love” (6:6f). Genuine love is another building block of a commendable ministry. Sincere love is love without hypocrisy, unfeigned love. Indeed, perhaps Paul had in mind a sharp contrast with the Corinthians whose love for him was hypocritical, conditional, and occasional.

“...by the word of truth” (6:7a), the Scriptures. Possibly, Paul may also be referring to the Word spoken in truth. But probably he is speaking here of the Word of God which is the truth and declares the truth.

“...by the power of God” (6:7b). Just as a minister who upholds ethical standards in his ministry is enabled to behave in exemplary ethical ways by the power of the Holy Spirit, so also “by the power of God.” We have no strength of our own to be able to live exemplary lives for God in ministry. We can only do so to the extent that we walk “in the Spirit” and are propelled “by the power of God” not our own strength (cf. Rom. 1:16; 15:19; 1 Cor. 1:18; 2:4-5; 1 Thess. 1:5).

“...by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left” (6:7c). We are not only empowered by God (6:7b) for ministry, but we are also protected by God in the spiritual warfare of ministry by the spiritual “armour of righteousness” which he provides to us (cf. Eph. 6:11-17). “On the right hand and on the left” seems to indicate that we are protected for every situation no matter where the attack comes from, no matter what circumstances the attack occurs in, and no matter what form it takes, whether we are the subject of “glory” or “dishonour,” “slander” or “good report” (6:8).

Thus, Paul in these eight ethical characteristics has contrasted genuine ministers to the frauds, the false apostles who were criticizing him. The genuine minister of the gospel maintains his ethical behaviour and standards without wavering.

So, a commendable ministry is known by how it (i) overcomes physical suffering (6:4-5), (ii) maintains ethical standards (6:6-7), and...

(iii) A commendable ministry endures paradoxical realities (6:8-10). Here Paul describes nine paradoxical situations through which he perseveres and despite which his ministry was still commendable. With the word of truth, the power of God, and the righteousness of God as his weapons of warfare for attack or defence, he is able to withstand any situation, whether true or untrue, whether complimentary or uncomplimentary, whether encouraging or discouraging.

“...through glory and dishonor; through evil report and good report” (6:8a). Paul certainly knew what it was to endure diverse and contrasting appraisals of himself and reports of his ministry. One moment people were falling down to worship him as a god; the next moment they were stoning him to death (e.g. at Lystra, Acts 14:8-19). Some reports were praiseworthy of his ministry; others were discrediting. Some reports were just plain evil and misrepresentations; others were good. But, no matter whether others honored him or dishonored him, spoke well of him or evil, Paul endured with his ministry because his focus was on being commendable to God.

The list of continues but now there are two antithetical paradoxes – i.e. antitheses between how others viewed him and who he really was…

“...regarded as deceivers, yet true” (8:b). Despite the accusations of his enemies who considered him a deceiver, and despite the inferences of the Corinthians that he was not telling the truth (e.g. 2 Cor. 1:17-20), the reality was that he spoke the truth in love. Others (presumably the false apostles) may consider him (and accuse him of being) a deceiver, leading people down the garden path, but the truth is that what he proclaims is true. So, don’t let the accusations of others deter you from the ministry.

“...as unknown, yet recognized” (6:9a). While he did not strive for fame or public acclamation, nonetheless, he was undoubtedly known by reputation if not direct contact. More specifically, those who were not near to him (or actually opposed him) didn’t really know his pastoral heart and his upright character. To that extent he was “unknown.” And furthermore, he wasn’t the kind of person who easily exposed his inner thoughts and feelings (as he does in this epistle). But to those to whom he ministered in tangible and personal ways, he was well known. His motives were well known, his message, his ethics, his principles, his way of life, his devotion to God, his unswerving preaching of the gospel.

Now the antithetical paradoxes switch to complementary paradoxes…

“...as dying, yet see – we live” (6:9b). Death was always a imminent reality in Paul’s ministry - it was a vocational hazard. It was the consequence of the hardships which he faced (2 Cor. 4:8-10; Acts 11:24-25; 16:19-26). It was also the reality of living in the “fellowship of Christ’s sufferings, being conformed to his death” (Phil. 3:10; 2 Cor. 4:11).

“…as being disciplined, yet not killed” (6:9c). The hardships and opposition and persecution that Paul had experienced throughout his ministry are regarded by him as God’s “discipline” (1 Cor. 11:32; Heb. 12:6). These trials which God caused him to pass through, severe though they were, stopped short of death itself. In the context of this passage, it seems that Paul is citing these extreme experiences as those in which “commendable” ministers demonstrate who they are by their distinctly Christ-like response, accepting such circumstances as the chastening hand of God for their benefit and growth.

“...as grieving yet always rejoicing” (6:10a). Despite Paul’s positive outlook on life and ministry, that does not mean that he did not experience sorrow. (e.g. 2 Cor. 2:1-3; Rom. 9:2; Phil. 2:27). But he was able to face grief with an unshakable joy.

“...as poor yet making many rich” (6:10b). Paul plied his trade of tent maker in order to live. No doubt such a trade did not make him a rich man. Nor did he get rich from preaching the gospel (2 Cor. 2:17; 4:2; cf. Phil. 4:12). In fact he chose to be poor in order not to be indebted or a burden to anyone (2 Cor. 11:9;12:6) nor to discredit the gospel (Acts 20:33-35). But he made many others rich spiritually through his ministry to them (1 Cor. 4:8; 2 Cor. 1:6).

“...as having nothing and yet possessing all things” (6:10c). Despite his poverty, he isn’t crying foul. He possesses everything in Christ. He is rich (Phil. 4:12).

Final Remarks

The purpose of Paul’s description of these characteristics of a commendable ministry and a commendable minister is that “the ministry will not be blamed” (6:3). Commendable ministry can withstand the light of scrutiny by anyone because such ministers conduct themselves admirably in a variety of difficult and oppressive circumstances, such as sustaining physical suffering (6:4-5), maintaining ethical standards (6:6-7), and enduring paradoxical realities (6:8-10).

By inference Paul is contrasting genuine and commendable ministers with disingenuous and fraudulent ministers. As one commentator puts it, “Paul assumes that the gospel is discredited by those ministers who are lustful, impure, ignorant, overbearing, indignant, rude, unkind, and hypocritical in their love, cultivating those whom they think can benefit them in some way. Such ministers have neither the Holy Spirit nor power of God” (David E. Garland, 2 Corinthians, 310).

May we be challenged by this study to ensure that our own ministries are blameless and without offense by conducting ourselves in a way that brings glory to God.

III. Sermon Outlines

Title: Learning from Jesus, Being Influential Christians, Pt. 1 (Matt. 5:13)

Theme: Influential Christians are those who make a difference for God in the world

Point 1: We fulfill our mission when we influence the world for God (5:13a)

“You are the salt of the earth.”

1a. We are to be a life-giving influence in a corrupt and dying world

(i) … by preserving the world against the decay of sin

(ii) … by purifying the world from the infection of sin

1b. We are to be a distinct influence in an immoral and irreligious world

(i) … by permeating the world without losing our identity

(ii) … by flavoring the world without being distasteful

Point 2. We fail in our mission if we become unusable in the world by God (5:13b)

“But if the salt should lose its taste, how can it be made salty? It’s no longer good for anything but to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet”

2a. We can become unusable if we lose our purpose for God in the world

– i.e. by becoming like salt that “loses its taste.”

2b. We can become unusable if we lose our value for God in the world

– i.e. by becoming “good for nothing.”