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Results from: Answers On or After: Thu 12/31/70 Author: Dave R. Ordered by Date |
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Results | Verse | Author | ID# | |||
1 | What is the Lord teaching in this verse? | Matt 7:6 | Dave R. | 40780 | ||
Interesting that there are few responses to this question, and it's been posted for a year! The teaching that it is useless to preach to people who don't want to hear the gospel, I believe, misses the mark. My sense is, we "preach" the gospel not only with our words, but, perhaps more convincingly, with what we actually do. Often our words include more than what we actually do. Could this verse speak to the haughty and condescending attitude of one who has "superior" knowledge about how to live? Far be it for any Christian to think he has all the answers, right? In my travels in and among the Christian community, I've encountered more than a few who seem to have a corner on Truth, a seeming "in" with the Divine Intent. Ever hear a Christian preach against smoking, or drinking wine, or seeing certain movies? Perhaps we Christians who are superior in the Truth, who preach the gospel of righteousness, who offer sacred Truth to the lowly lost are those to whom Jesus was addressing this statement. Especially in light of the context of "do not judge (condemn)", it follows that one who offers "sacred Truth" to a gentile dog is wasting his time, and the pearls of wisdom being offered may actually be received as they are intended, in the superior and condescending manner in which they are offered, inciting contempt and anger. If anyone has older brothers and sisters, they know exactly what I mean. They have been the dogs (and pigs) many times, having received the sacred pearls of wisdom from their superior elders more times than they wish to remember. What do you think? Dave R. |
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2 | How does 5:13-20 link into what you say | Matthew | Dave R. | 38479 | ||
My sense is that Jesus was addressing the "lost sheep of Israel" to whom He was sent to proclaim the Kingdom of Heaven. I think Jesus is telling them how special and unique they are in this regard. Israel was entrusted with the Law, and now one greater than the Law was among them to point the way to heaven (through Himself). Therefore they were to be the "flavor" of heaven to all around them by being salt and light. I see Jesus imparting His light to them and then requesting that they (Israel) be light to the world. But in order to be salt and light, a solid understanding of how life is in the kingdom of heaven is necessary, so Jesus begins to explain, "...until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen will by any means disappear from the law until everything is accomplished...I have come to fulfill the law and the prophets..." What do you think? |
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3 | Theme and Emphasis of Matt 5-7 | Matthew | Dave R. | 38440 | ||
This is a question we could certainly spend a lot of time on. The blessings (Beatitudes) in chapter 5 alone are enough to keep us deeply engaged for some time. I've heard the teaching that this list is a progressive series of how "good" Christians are to act. I think there is some merit in this teaching, but think also that this is a small piece of a much larger teaching of Jesus. Another small part (but no less important) is the one that says blessed are you, even you poor and tired and spiritually bereft; you sick and hungry and downtrodden; you who search for righteousness somewhere - anywhere, you who need some assurance that there is mercy somewhere. Blessed are you, even you, for the Kingdom of heaven is open. If one looks back over the last few verses of chapter 4, the picture that emerges is one of a poor and motley crowd. Those who gathered to hear Jesus talk on the hill were the sick and infirm, the poor and the weak. They were hungering and thirsting for more than righteousness. Jesus was telling them, yes, the Kingdom of heaven is available to you. Then Jesus proceeds to explain the kind of life available to those who occupy the kingdom of heaven. He talks about true righteousness, and how that manifests itself in those under Kingdom rule. Enough for now. What do you think? God bless you, Dave R. |
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