Avoiding Deception

Notes for the Ekklesia Meeting
Sundays @ 10:00 a.m. Info: (651) 283-0568 Discipleship Training Ministries, Inc www.dtminc.org

Today’s Date: February 26, 2006

Avoiding Deception
by Dan Trygg

"But Jesus answered them, ‘You are deceived, not knowing either the Scriptures nor the power of God.’” Matthew 22:29

Earlier in this same day (Tuesday of Passion Week), Jesus was confronted by a group of Pharisees, chief priests, and elders of the people. When He rebuffed them, the Pharisees sent their best students, along with some of Herod’s sympathizers, to attempt to entrap Him in His teachings. When that also failed, after an interval of time the Sadducees also tried their shot at Him. They did not believe in angels or spirits, or even a resurrection of the dead (that’s why they were sad-you-see), so they employed a scenario which they felt exposed the foolishness of the idea of the resurrection of the dead. They told about a man, one of seven brothers, who married a woman, but then died before having a child. According to the provisions of OT law (Deut. 25:5-10; e.g., Gen. 38), it was the duty of the next oldest brother to take the widow as his wife. Their first child would be treated like the son of the deceased older brother, and would become heir to his estate. It was a way of providing for widows, preserving the name and memory of the deceased brother, and keeping wealth more evenly distributed in ancient Israel. In the scenario (actual or hypothetical) described by the Sadducees, the first brother died, leaving no heir, and so did all the others, each in turn taking the woman as wife. Finally, the woman herself died. The punch line, or set-up question, by which the Sadducees hoped to trip up Jesus, at least to embarrass Him, was, “In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will she be? For they all had her.”

Earlier in the day, Jesus did not do as the other groups had anticipated, …nor did He take the bait here, and get pulled into a useless debate (cf. Tit. 3:9). He met them head on with a clear statement that they were wrong, and why it was that they had been deceived. “You are misled, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.” The Greek word translated as “you are misled” can also mean “you have gone astray” or “you have wandered off”. They did not stay with the truth because they did not adequately know the scriptures or what God was capable of. Actually, the Sadducees prided themselves in being faithful to preserve the scriptures. Jesus was saying that they had not carefully and thoroughly studied the very scriptures they guarded and valued, …at least not enough to recognize the truth. If it was not the scriptures they were following, what was it? They were guilty of doing what so many theologians have done through the centuries. They were building their theological understanding more on their own rational thought and experience than upon the revelation of God. Because the primary source of their information was their own reason and experience, they were filtering the scriptures through that lens, rather than informing their understanding from what the scripture declares. If it didn’t make sense to them, they explained it away as myth or story, rather than permit the plain revelation to speak for itself.

We may think we are not guilty of that same offense, but we would be surprised to see how many of us do not clearly understand the scriptures, and how we tend to treat God as if we did not really expect Him to be living, active, and powerful, …able and willing to intervene in our lives to support us, or to discipline us. Instead of being steeped in the scriptures, our minds and expectations are informed by our culture and the media we are bombarded with every day. The messages and world view we grew up with, and those which we are surrounded by, more profoundly color and shape our understanding of reality, morality and God than any other source. We may be the most free and privileged people to ever live on this planet, but we are also the most programmed. The bombardment of media messages, chosen and unchosen, is relentless and ubiquitous. There is no public place you can go where there is not music being played, or where your eye does not see advertisements and signs purposely placed there to direct and channel our thinking. If that were not enough, now the prevalence and popularity of portable CD players, radios and ipods have extended the reach of media even more into our waking hours. Do you think that all of these songs, advertisements, and messages do not affect your view of life? Do you think they do not color your expectations and your focus of what your life is to be about? The programming is so subtle and unconscious we don’t begin to see what is happening. Do you think Jesus might say to you, “You are misled, not knowing the scriptures or the power of God”? I think He could say those words to every one of us, and be right every time, to some degree. I have been studying the Bible daily for 35 years, and I am still seeing how I have been programmed and deceived by the input that I have received in my life. I am also old enough to see how the change in our media culture has desensitized and shaped me in ways that I would not have believed, had you asked me 30 years ago. The world in which my kids have grown up is vastly different than mine was. The question is, “How much is my thought process, understanding and expectations affected and informed more by our non-Christian culture than by what God has revealed to us in the scriptures?” If I have been compromised in those areas, how will I ever get my bearings?

“Does it really matter?” you might ask. “I mean, isn’t it OK to believe what I want? Is it all that serious?” Yes, it does matter. It is hugely important what a person thinks and believes, because it determines their destiny and direction in life. It matters because, knowingly or unknowingly, there is an ultimate reality. There is a standard by which we will all be measured, and that is not a matter of opinion or preference. Whether we like it, or not, we will have to give an account of our lives to God, and He will be measuring us by His standards, not ours or that of our culture (Acts.17:31; Matt. 25:31-46; II Cor. 5:10). The goal is not to fit in, or be successful, or be happy, or even be good. The goal is to accomplish His will for our lives. We are all individuals, so that will not look exactly the same, but that is not up to us to decide. It is up to us to discover and implement His plan and design for our lives.

In the overall general sense, our lives are not about the here and now. We are not to be living for this brief span of time between cradle and grave. We are aliens and strangers here (I Pet. 2:11). This is not our true, ultimate home. This is a temporary time and place we are passing through. So, don’t lay up your treasures here. Don’t live for here. What are we here for? We are not to simply maturate, accumulate, and procreate, though those may be part of what we do within the overall purpose. In the main, however, the question we will be asked and will be measured by, directly or indirectly, is “How many did you bring with you?” Jesus gave us a commission before He left: to make active, obedient Christ-followers all over the world (Matt. 28:19,20). People are blinded, deceived and held in bondage by Satan. Our primary objective is to plunder Satan’s domain by reaching people with the gospel, setting them free from bondages and ignorance to follow hard after Jesus. That is what life is all about. If we don’t see that, then we are “mistaken, not knowing the scriptures or the power of God”. Obviously, we can’t do that all by ourselves. We are to be part of a team that is about accomplishing that task. In the setting of that team effort, our individual abilities find their fulfillment. Jesus thought of that, too. He called it His “ekklesia”, His gathered-people, or church.

It has been said, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing.” Satan’s primary methodology is to use distraction to divert us from the main thing. He wants to confuse us so that we do not realize what we are here for, and we waste our lives on unimportant things. As long as we are distracted, we are no significant danger to him. The Bible clearly tells us that there is an intelligent, evil spiritual kingdom operating in our midst, attempting to draw people into hurtful, dangerous, and destructive behaviors (Eph. 2:1-3; II Tim. 2:26; I Pet. 5:8,9;.Rev. 12:9; Jas. 3:14-16). If our eyes are opened, and we see what is going on, we can escape his grasp (II Tim. 2:24-26). By devoting ourselves to knowing and living the truth of God’s word, we will be able to expose the lies in our lives, and escape the blindness and confusion in our minds. As we draw near to God, and put off our sinful behaviors, we will be able to resist the devil effectively, and he will flee from us (Jas. 4:7,8). Unfortunately, so many do not actively pursue an understanding of the scriptures, or do the hard work of learning and living out the word of God. They grieve the Spirit by their disregard of the things of God, and they are left to their own devices. God would warn them, like He did ancient Israel, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children.” (Hos. 4:6).

The NT consistently encourages us to read and study the scriptures. They are uniquely given by God, and are profitable for teaching us, for exposing our errors, pointing us back toward the correct way, and training us in righteous living (II Tim. 3:16,17). When we are a new Christian, we should be taking it in like a baby drinks milk (I Pet. 2:2). As we grow, and become familiar with it, there are new depths of understanding to explore, and these are likened to spiritual meat (Heb. 5:11-14). If we want to know the truth and find freedom from bondages to sin, Jesus told us to continue in His word, which implies both study and obedience (Jn/ 8:32). Twice Jesus spoke of the certainty and inviolability of the word of God. It will never pass away, and it will never be broken (Matt. 24:35; Jn. 10:35). It is dependable, and will not change (Psa. 119:89). We must apply ourselves diligently (work hard) to know it and correctly understand it (II Tim. 2:15). To know God’s word is more desirable than fine gold, and God will reward those who walk in His statutes (Psa. 19:9-12).

Jesus’ answer entails two parts. First, the resurrected state will not be like our earthly lives. There will be no marriage there, nor death. We will be like the angels, being children of God through resurrection (Lk.20:36; cf. Rom. 1:4). Therefore, the entire scenario which they describe does not apply. Secondly, regarding the resurrection of the dead, Jesus brought them to Moses’ encounter with God at the burning bush, where God says, “I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (Ex. 3:15). Matthew’s account emphasizes the “I am” portion of that statement, stating that the verb shows that He remains the God of these people, who are still existing. He is not the God of the dead, but of the living. Luke’s account adds, “for all live to Him” (20:38).

What Belongs to God

Notes for the Ekklesia Meeting
Sundays @ 10:00 a.m. Info: (651) 283-0568 Discipleship Training Ministries, Inc www.dtminc.org

Today’s Date: February 19, 2006

What Belongs to God?
by Dan Trygg

"Then the Pharisees went and plotted how to entangle Him in His talk. 16 And they sent their disciples to Him, along with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that You are true and teach the way of God truthfully, and You do not care about anyone's opinion, for You are not swayed by appearances. 17 Tell us, then, what You think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?’ 18 But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, ‘Why put Me to the test, you hypocrites? 19 Show Me the coin for the tax.’ And they brought Him a denarius. 20 And Jesus said to them, ‘Whose likeness and inscription is this?’ 21 They said, ‘Caesar's.’ Then He said to them, ‘Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.’" Matt. 22:15-21

Having been soundly routed by Jesus when they had tried to challenge Him directly, the Pharisees regrouped and tried a different approach. The first time, the chief priests, elders and scribes had come to Him in the temple while He was teaching. They were the recognized, older leaders, well dressed in the stylish garb that was appropriate to their positions. Now, they send some of their best trained disciples, who would have been younger and less dignified looking, appearing more like an everyday person. Accompanying them were some Herodians, Jewish people who were supporters of King Herod and sympathizers with Rome. This was a very unlikely coalition, since normally there was no love lost between these two groups. Pharisees stood for Jewish purity, especially keeping the old customs and ritual cleanliness, while Herodians typically were compromisers of these values. They were more cosmopolitan in their tastes, and were willing to rub shoulders with gentiles. This day they join forces against Jesus, who they perceive to be a common enemy, since He exposed the inconsistencies of both groups, and was a possible threat to the Roman peace. Their purpose: to entrap Jesus in His own words. They were going to try to set up a scenario where they could manipulate Jesus into saying something they could use against Him. They "took counsel" or strategized how they might set up such a trap.

These spies infiltrated the crowd and prepared to set up their ambush. First, they tried to butter Jesus up by offering some compliments. This probably had two purposes. They may have wanted to put Him at ease, and make themselves appear as His friends. Secondly, they were attempting to secure a straight answer, especially in light of how the Lord had side-stepped the question of their masters. Putting the variant readings of the other gospels together, we find that they said, "Teacher, we know that You are true, that You speak straightly (i.e., not crookedly), and that it is not a care to You concerning anyone, for You do not look toward any person (i.e., to see what they may think about what You say), nor receive anyone with partiality, but You teach the way of God in truth."

Before moving on, let’s just consider what they said about Jesus. They said He was a man of integrity, a man who was not afraid of what others thought, but did and said what was true regardless of who was listening. They acknowledged that He unashamedly proclaimed the way of God accurately. He did not compromise what He believed and taught in order to impress or appease other people. This much of what they were saying appeals to what we all know is a valuable character quality. We all ought to strive to have this kind of integrity. It is easy to "look at" other people, and adjust what we say so as win their acceptance and approval. If we do that, we may compromise ourselves and our message. Fear of disapproval, or even the wrath of others, keeps many of us from being forthright and outspoken for what we believe. The spies also said that Jesus did not treat others with partiality. The Greek phrase is "You do not receive face" (Lk. 20:21), meaning "You do not accept people on the basis of outside appearance". Not only was Jesus unafraid of what people thought, He also did not adjust His remarks to curry special favor with people of wealth, influence or beauty. He was not a "brown-noser". His integrity worked both ways. He did not compromise out of fear, nor did He concede anything in order to win the approval of the rich or powerful. He treated everyone with value and respect, and let the truth itself sort those who would be drawn to Him or not. We ought also to be people of like integrity, not to fear what others think, but live and speak consistent with our faith, and allow the light of our lives to either attract or repel those around us (Matt. 5:14-16; Phil. 2:12-15; Jn. 3:19-21).

After this positive build-up, the spies drop their loaded question, "Tell us what You think. Is it permitted to pay taxes to Caesar or not? Shall we give, or not give?" This was presented as a yes or no question, being designed to entrap Jesus with either answer He might give. Luke 20:20 tells us that their intent was to hand Jesus over to the rule and authority of the governor. They were hoping He would say that the Romans were not the rightful rulers of the Jewish people, and therefore did not have a right to tax the people. They were attempting to flush Jesus’ "hidden agenda" out into the open. They thought that He was preparing to declare Himself as King of the Jews. If He tried to declare Himself to be the Christ, a King, and interfered with the Romans, He would be arrested for sedition. The other horn of the dilemma would be for Him to affirm that they ought to pay taxes to Caesar. This would enrage patriotic Jews, who chafed under the Roman yoke, and resented their oppression and taxation of the Jewish people. They expected that Jesus’ popularity would markedly drop among the Jews, and He would no longer be a threat.

Jesus recognized their evil motives. The gospel accounts use different words to describe His experience. Matthew records that He was "discerning (experientially knowing) their evil intent"; Mark says He was "seeing their hypocrisy"; while Luke uses yet a different word, "noticing (or ‘considering’) their craftiness". It is valuable to note that He was made aware on several different levels. It was not omniscience that He exercised, but He was paying attention to clues and revelations in the situation. Remember, He was obligated to be like us in all respects, so that He could represent us (Heb. 2:17). Note that He did not just rely on a feeling, either, but confirmed it by looking more closely. We need to trust those "gut feelings" and the "checks in our spirit" that we sometimes get about people, at least enough to be more wary and ask God for clarity. Jesus could sense or feel their evil intent, and could observe their pretense, and considering their trickery, responded with an alternative they had not anticipated. He asked to see one of the coins used to pay the tax under discussion. When they produced one, He asked, "Whose likeness and inscription is on it?" They said, "Caesar’s." "Therefore," He said, "give the things of Caesar to Caesar, and the things of God to God." By saying this, He gave away nothing, avoided their trap, and made a strong statement about devotion to God. They were speechless, being amazed at His answer.

The NT makes clear in other places, as well, that we ought to pay our taxes. Paul tells us in Romans 13 that we are to be subject to governing authorities, for God has permitted them to come to power, and is able to use them to punish evildoers and reward the righteous. He specifically tells us that since the authorities are in effect servants to God’s overruling will, we ought to pay taxes and revenues. It does not matter if authorities are unjust or imperfect. They certainly were at the time Paul penned these words. What matters is that we live as good citizens, giving no ground for people to accuse us as evildoers. Those who would resist or oppose authorities will experience judgment. The apostle Peter wrote similarly in I Peter 2:11-17. Again, the same themes are revisited. We are to be certain to live honorably, being subject to the governing authorities. God has placed them to punish evildoers and reward those who do good. One of the additional thoughts which Peter mentions is that we are aliens and strangers here. This is not our true home. Nevertheless, our behavior ought to be for the Lord’s sake, not just our own convenience. We have a duty to not bring shame and dishonor to the Lord by living in ways that the world would see as evil. The ramifications of our choices go far beyond the immediate consequences we might face in our own lives. Especially in the early days of the church, the behavior of individual Christians could have widespread consequences on many others in the Christian movement. If Christians were perceived as bad citizens, then the government would oppose the spread of the gospel, and could even initiate a persecution where believers were hunted down and killed. Therefore, Christians were encouraged to be the best citizens they could be. As Peter said, "…by doing good, you put to silence the ignorance of foolish people."

Jesus’ answer remains timeless. There is nothing to say in response to it, except to agree. There can be no mistake that He was supporting paying the tax, but the higher question which takes precedence over that is "What is God’s?" From Jesus’ answer, it was clear that the money, inscribed with an inscription and picture of Caesar, was under the jurisdiction of the government. What is the rightful domain and jurisdiction of God? Everything about our lives belongs to Him. Often we do not want to face our obligation there. In I Cor. 6:20, Paul plainly writes, "You have been bought with a price, therefore glorify God in your body." Just a couple of chapters before, the apostle had written, "What do you have that you did not receive?" (I Cor. 4:7) So, then, all that we are and all that we have belong to Him. He has entrusted us with life and worldly resources so that we could accomplish His work in this world. Many Christians only give lip service to that. They end up living almost exactly like those around them who do not know God’s love. Let me challenge you today to consecrate yourself to God afresh. Dedicate all that you are, and all that He has given you, to Him, to serve His purposes. Then, commit yourself to getting to know Him and His ways, so that you might carry out His will in this world. He has work for you to do. "He died for all, that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf" (II Cor. 5:15)

Challenging the Challengers

Notes for the Ekklesia Meeting
Sundays @ 10:00 a.m. Info: (651) 283-0568 Discipleship Training Ministries, Inc www.dtminc.org Today’s Date: February 12, 2006

Challenging the Challengers
by Dan Trygg

"What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work in the vineyard today.' 29 And he answered, 'I will not,' but afterward he changed his mind and went. 30 And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, 'I go, sir,' but did not go. 31 Which of the two did the will of his father?" Matthew 21:28-31

When Jesus came into Jerusalem on the day following the cleansing of the temple, He began teaching the people. Soon He was approached by a group of chief priests, scribes and elders (undoubtedly members of the Sanhedrin, the Jewish High Council), who interrupted Him and said, "By what authority do you do these things, and who gave you this authority?" They were, of course, referring to the events of the previous day, where Jesus took charge and drove the moneychangers and those buying and selling sacrificial animals out of the Court of the Gentiles, and turned the courtyard into a healing and teaching meeting. That was outrageous enough, but now, He is again in the temple area, with a crowd of people who have gathered to hear Him teach. He is conducting His ministry right in the temple courts, under their very noses, …and He never even asked for permission! They were the priests and leaders of the people. They had authority over the temple, not Him. Jerusalem was their town. He was an outsider, a carpenter from Galilee, …from Nazareth of all places. He wasn’t even a true rabbi. He had never been to a rabbinical school, or studied under one of the recognized rabbis of the day. Now, He boldly comes in and disrupts their established temple practices, and sets up shop in their temple. Enough was enough! Now He has gone too far! They assembled their most prestigious men and went straightway to confront Him, and put a stop to this outrageous lack of propriety and respect.

Jesus coolly responded, "I will ask you one thing also. If you answer Me, then I will tell you by what authority I do these things. Was the baptism of John from heaven, or from men?"

This rejoinder put them on the spot, and they knew it. He had turned the tables on them, and now they were under scrutiny by the crowds. They knew that the people had believed John to be a prophet from God. They, however, had not been receptive of John’s ministry, since he also had criticized them. They realized the dilemma Jesus had put them in. If they said, "From God," then He could say, "Then why did you not believe him?" If they said, "From men," they feared that the multitude would be outraged and stone them. They cautiously took the "politically correct" course of action, "We do not know." Jesus then responded, "Then I will not tell you by what authority I do these things."

That was not the end of the encounter, however. Jesus did not allow them to just slink away. While He had them at an advantage, He took the opportunity to hold their feet to the fire, a little, and talk about their spiritual condition. "But what do you think?", He said, throwing the ball back to them. He then told the story of a man who had two sons. He asked the first to go up to work in the vineyard. He said that he would, but did not go. The father approached the second son, and asked him if he would go up to work in the vineyard. He flatly refused, but afterward he regretted his disregard for the father’s wishes, and he chose to go up and work. The punch line was, "Which of them did the will of his father?" The answer was obvious, and inescapable. "The latter son", they said. Jesus’ application was a stinging rebuke, "Truly I say to you that the tax collectors and harlots will go before you into the kingdom of God." Why? "Because John came in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe in him, but the tax collectors and harlots did believe. But you, seeing this, did not even feel regret later so as to believe in him." In other words, if they had initially not recognized John, certainly by now they know he was a prophet from God. Instead of feeling regret and acknowledging they were wrong, they continue to be more concerned about "saving face". They continue to be non-committal, …which means that they remain outside of God’s will. Unlike the second son, who repented and did his father’s will, they remain unrepentant, and therefore disobedient.

Jesus immediately went into another parable. He told about a landowner who had planted a vineyard, put a wall around it, dug a winepress, and built a tower in it and then let it out to tenant vine-growers. He went on a journey, but, when it became time, he sent his servants to collect his share of the crop. The tenants sent away, beat, abused and even murdered the owner’s slaves, rather than pay what was owed. Finally the owner sent his son, thinking that they would respect him, but instead the tenants killed him and threw him outside of the vineyard, supposing that they would obtain the property if they killed the heir. Jesus then asked His opponents, "Therefore, what will the owner of the vineyard do when he comes?" They clearly perceived the inescapable conclusion, "He will bring those wretches to a wretched end, and will rent out the vineyard to others, who will pay him the proceeds at the proper times." Jesus then asked them, "Have you never read the Scripture, ‘The stone which the builders rejected, has become the chief corner stone; this came about from the Lord and it is marvelous in our eyes’ ?" (This was a quotation from Psalm 118:22,23.) "Therefore, I say to you that God’s kingdom will be taken away from you, and will be given to a nation producing the fruit of it. And he who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; but on whomever this stone falls, it will scatter him like dust." (This last comment would have brought their minds back to Daniel 2:33,34,44, where Daniel saw in a vision a stone, cut out without hands, which crushed the other pieces of the statue which Nebuchadnezzar saw. It crushed these kingdoms to dust in the vision. In the interpretation, Daniel was told that God would set up a kingdom which would fill the earth, one which was eternal and could not be destroyed.)

This would have been extremely offensive to the chief priests, scribes and elders. Not only was Jesus claiming that they were hypocrites, but also that God was going to take the kingdom away from Israel and give it to a gentile nation. This was like blasphemy to the Jews. Their whole claim to fame was that God had chosen to work through them, the Jewish people. Now Jesus is saying that if they do not pay God the fruit He is looking for, He will take away their privileges and give them to others. [By the way, this is a warning to us, as well. Just because we know and believe correct information about God does not mean that God is pleased with what we have done (or not done) with the insights He has given. He is looking for fruit.] In Isaiah 5, God used a similar word picture for Israel. They were the vineyard, and He had done everything necessary for them to grow well and succeed in producing good fruit. He placed it on a fertile hill, dug it all up, removed the stones, planted it with the choicest vines, built a tower in the middle of it, and hewed out a wine press. He expected them to yield good grapes. They, however, produced bad fruit. As a result, He let them be overrun by their enemies and be destroyed. It had happened to Israel before, and they had been not only destroyed, but led into exile. Jesus is warning them that this, or worse, would happen to them, if they continued to not bear the fruit God required of them. God was more interested in justice and mercy than in religious rituals or sacrifices (Isa. 1:10-15; Hos. 6:6).

He moved to yet another parable. This story was about a king, who prepared a wedding feast (actually, the noun is plural, since the feasting lasted for several days) for his son. When the time came, he sent out his servants to call those who had been invited to the celebration, but they did not wish to come. The king sent out other slaves to invite these guests, telling them to describe the sumptuous feast that was ready and waiting, calling them again to come to the wedding celebration. The guests cared nothing for the king’s celebration, and paid no attention, each one going about his business. Some even mistreated and killed the slaves which the king had sent to them. The king was enraged at this, and sent his armies to destroy those murderers and set their city on fire. This being done, the king regathered his slaves and gave them another assignment. Since the wedding celebration was ready, but the original guests had been unworthy to attend, he sent them out to the highways and streets to invite and gather in as many guests as they could find. The slaves carried out their master’s wishes, and gathered in all they could find, both evil and good, and filled the wedding hall with guests. When the king came in to inspect the guests, however, he found a man not dressed in the wedding clothes he had provided. (It was not uncommon for a host to provide wedding garments to his guests to make them feel refreshed and festive, after traveling on the dusty roads. These garments also served to remove any class distinctions in order to make the poorer guests feel more comfortable communing with the more well-to-do, and vice versa. It also enabled the host to color co-ordinate the entire entourage of the party, one more way to create a festive and celebratory environment.) The king asked him, "Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?" To disregard the host’s wishes in this matter would be a serious breach of protocol, even an insult to the host. The king’s question was designed to see if there was some mistake, to give the man an "out", in case he had somehow wandered into the hall, accidentally missing the area where he could wash and change clothes. The offender was speechless. He had nothing to say, because he had chosen to disregard the king’s wishes, desiring to come in his own clothes, which he must have thought were superior to those the king provided. Probably he wanted to stand out from the rest of the crowd because he thought he was more important and wished to receive extra attention from others. He probably thought that even the king would appreciate his finery, and would be honored to have such an important guest at his son’s wedding. Or, he may have simply not wanted to be bothered with the foolishness of changing clothes, and determined to enter the hall in his own, thinking that no one would notice or care. To his horror, the king himself confronted him, and he had nothing to say, for he had chosen to disregard the wishes of the king, dishonoring and insulting him. The king commanded him to be bound and thrown into the "outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth." Jesus had introduced this story as being similar to the kingdom of God. The punch line was, "For many are invited, but few are chosen."

The application was clear. The king represents God. He has invited many to come to his banquet, but many show they are unworthy by disregarding Him and the messengers (e.g., prophets) He sent. They will be rejected and destroyed. Those who do come to the kingdom-feast, both the "evil and the good", must come covered in the King’s grace, not their own merit. To try to preserve status, or to think of themselves as better than others, will not be acceptable there. Those who are "chosen" are those who accept God’s grace, and are willing to truly live for Him.

Confronting Fruitlessness

Discipleship Training Ministries, Inc.
Notes for the Ekklesia Meeting
Sundays @ 10:00 a.m. Info: (651) 283-0568 www.dtminc.org Today’s Date: February 5, 2006

Confronting Fruitlessness
by Dan Trygg

"On the following day, when they came from Bethany, he was hungry. 13 And seeing in the distance a fig tree in leaf, he went to see if he could find anything on it. When he came to it, he found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs. 14 And he said to it, ‘May no one ever eat fruit from you again.’ And his disciples heard it." Mark 11:12-14

The account of the cursing of the fig tree occurs only in Matthew and Mark. It appears in Matthew as if it was an instantaneous event which happened on the day after the cleansing of the temple. From Mark’s account, however, we learn that Jesus cursed the tree on the morning of the day He cleansed the temple, and the effect of that curse was not discovered until the next day. Matthew abridged the account, combining the two experiences into one synopsis. In actuality, the two separate incidents sandwich in Jesus’ cleansing of the temple. The lesson drawn from the incident has to do with asking in faith, but I believe the account has a broader significance beyond this immediate lesson.

The background for this episode was that Jesus and the disciples had spent the night in or near Bethany, about two miles from Jerusalem. Apparently, He did not have breakfast, for He was hungry. Seeing a single fig tree in leaf at a distance (Matt. 21:19), He went out of His way to see if there was any fruit on it. The whole incident seems kind of strange, especially when Mark tells us that it was not the season for figs. Normally, early figs do not ripen until the latter part of May or June, and the main crop is not harvested until the fall. So, the timing of this was way early, since the Passover was in April. "What was Jesus thinking?" you might ask. Well, there is another side to this story. Everyone in that part of the world would also know that the early figs emerge in the early spring, before the leaves, and then develop when the leaves come out. If there were leaves on the tree, there should have been figs. Armed with this knowledge, seeing the fig tree in leaf, Jesus proceeded to see if "consequently" (Mk. 11:13) He would find any figs on it. Finding none, He responded, saying, "May no one ever eat fruit from you again." His disciples heard this comment.

Then He entered the city and went into the temple. He cleansed the temple, casting out those buying and selling in the Court of the Gentiles, turning over the tables of the money changers and the seats of those selling doves. He was not permitting anyone to carry anything through the temple courts. He began to teach, quoting from Isaiah 56:7, "My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations" but accusing them of making it like a "den of robbers", a quote from Jeremiah 7:11. Their unfaithful forefathers had trusted in the misguided belief that God would spare them from judgment, simply because they had the temple of the Lord in their midst. They were keeping an outward show of religious service, but they were oppressing the powerless, practicing injustice, shedding the blood of the innocent, and serving false gods. Through Jeremiah, God made clear that He desires obedience. Religious rituals, the equivalent of "playing church" in our day, will not blind His eyes to their hypocrisy and sin. He pointed to the destruction that happened to Shiloh, where the tabernacle of the Lord had been some 500 years earlier, during the time of Samuel and Eli (I Sam. 1-4). Did the presence of God’s ark spare those who spurned God, and did wickedly, in that generation? No. Neither would God spare the generation of Jeremiah’s time, nor that of Jesus’ time, …nor will He spare us, if we do not truly walk in His ways. Singing praise songs, going to religious meetings, while living in contradiction to God’s ways, is viewed by the Lord as a mockery and a burdensome aggravation to Him (Isa. 1:10-15).

Unlike the first time Jesus cleansed the temple, three years earlier (Jn. 2:13-22), on this occasion the focus of His concern seems to be different. The motivation for His actions there was the zealous passion He had for His Father’s house. He saw the practice of buying and selling sacrificial animals in the temple courts as an offense to the holiness of that place. Here, at the second cleansing, there is an added concern. By turning the Court of the Gentiles into a marketplace, where the moneychangers and sellers of sacrificial animals were actively pursuing their activities, and where people were passing through carrying their packages and purchases on their daily business, the Court of the Gentiles had come to be all but obliterated by the noise and traffic. Most of the Jews had no concern about this, having disdain, not love, for the people of other nations. This was not God’s heart, however. The temple was meant to be a place of prayer for all peoples. This was recognized from the very beginning. Even in Solomon’s dedication prayer for the first temple, he specifically asked that if foreigners should come from far away to pray toward this place, that God would hear their prayer and answer them, so that "all the peoples of the earth may know Your name, to reverence You" (I Kg. 8:41-44). Even though Herod had recognized this enough to build a large courtyard for God-seeking foreigners to gather in the temple of Jesus’ day, this space was "appropriated" for "temple business", leaving no place for non-Jews to pray and worship. Jesus put a halt to this, stopping the merchandising and not allowing people to carry things through this area (Mk. 11:16), in effect sanctifying afresh the courtyard that was supposed to be dedicated to the Gentiles. What messages do we send to outsiders and newcomers? Do we make room for them, and draw them near, or are we arrogant and make them feel like they are not welcome? Do we squeeze them out by our "business for God"?

Having cleared the courtyard, the blind and lame came to Him there, and He healed them (Matt. 21:14), which became an exciting sign to everyone, Jew and Gentile. His bold and authoritative action, accompanied by these miracles, inspired the children to begin taking up the cry of the previous day, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" At this, the scribes and chief priests were indignant, but when they tried to get Jesus to stop them, He rejected their admonition. He even quoted from Psalm 8:2, challenging them, "Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babes You have prepared praise for Yourself?’" The remainder of the verse, which He did not quote, says, "…in answer to Your adversaries, to make the enemy and vengeful to cease." In other words, the praise of the children would put the mouths of His enemies to silence. Note, that the verse is a reference to what God is doing for Himself (Psa. 8:1), an indirect claim to Deity by the Lord Jesus, and certainly a further aggravation and challenge to His adversaries. Mark records that from this time the chief priests and the scribes "began seeking how to destroy Him" (Mk. 11:18). Jesus, however, left the city and lodged in Bethany.
When the Lord and the disciples were coming into town in the morning, they passed by the fig tree, and noticed that it had withered, from the roots. Remembering, Peter said to Jesus, "Rabbi, behold, the fig tree You cursed has withered!" Because this event was so remarkable to Peter and the disciples, Jesus used it as a lesson regarding faith. Most versions translate the next brief sentence as "Have faith in God." That is not exactly what the Greek says here. A more accurate rendering would be, "Have faith of God." The question that the interpreter must ask is whether Jesus means "have faith that pertains to God" or "have faith which is from God, i.e., God’s faith". The word "have" also is capable of a broader understanding. It can mean "grasp, seize or lay hold of" or "hold on to, possess, or keep". So, is Jesus saying, "grasp faith or trust which comes from God", or is He saying, "hold on to the faith you have in God"? Either alternative is a viable option. We know that "faith" is listed as one of the spiritual gifts in I Corinthians 12:9.

This understanding of receiving an "injection of faith" or some kind of "impartation of faith" seems to be illustrated in Acts 3, when the apostles healed the lame beggar. As Peter attempts to explain what happened, he says, "and upon the faith of His name this one whom you behold and know, …the name of Him strengthened, and the faith the through-Him-[faith], gave to him this wholeness before you." It sounds very much like Peter is saying that God provides a faith to do the miraculous, which we then need to act upon in order to see the miraculous working of God. This notion would be supported by what Jesus taught regarding how He did His miracles. He said that He did nothing from Himself, but He did what He saw the Father doing (Jn. 5:19). It also fits with Luke 5:17, where we are told that "the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing". If you put these pieces together, the issue regarding a miraculous working of God involves more our catching hold of and applying the power that He makes available at a given time, than it is about convincing ourselves strongly enough what God can do, so that somehow He is compelled to do it, …or the idea that we have the power in us and can unleash it at will, if we are strongly convinced enough. This does not mean that we must just "happen upon" times and places where God would desire to expend His power. We are intercessors, priests and partners with God, and He desires to work with us. It does mean, however, that we are dependent upon His working, which we can ask for. When it is present, we must then take hold of it and express it as the Holy Spirit would prompt us to do, in order for it to be activated and the power of the Spirit to flow. This is not meant to be taken as a hard and fast formula, but rather for us to begin to think in different ways about such scenarios.
Interestingly, Matthew’s account says, "have faith… and do not hesitate/doubt/evaluate", while Mark has "and does not doubt/hesitate/evaluate in his heart". Apparently we either need to be entirely convinced, or at least we must be very decisive. In any case, we need to remain steadfast in order to see God work. We cannot be halting, hesitating or wishy-washy. We must take firm action. Note, too, that this is not just a "head game". This is not just "mind over matter" within our heads. We must express outwardly our inner leading. We must take definitive action.

Although neither Mark nor Matthew record an explanation of the cursing of the fig tree, the meaning seems quite clear, especially in the context. Like Israel, the fig tree appeared to be mature enough to have fruit, to have even surpassed the other trees in this regard. On closer inspection, however, it was found only to be an empty show. It appeared as though it should have fruit, but it had no more fruit than the other trees around it, which were still barren of leaves. Israel, so proud of its religious history and identity, was no better than the Gentiles, as far as bearing the genuine fruit of righteousness. Though proud of its outward show, it was cursed for its fruitlessness, and would soon shrivel and all but disappear. How about us? What will Jesus find when He comes to look for fruit in our lives?