1 Peter 2:23 - Who... did not revile in return"

“Who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.”  1 Peter 2:23

The central and most striking – no pun intended – concept in this verse is the nonretaliatory nature of Jesus Christ and our instruction to be like Him.  He was reviled but did not “back revile” as the Greek vocabulary reads.  This is so not like me!   When someone hits me with words, reviles me, my instinctive, practiced, and usually very effective response is to hit them back with more hurtful words.  How contrary to Christ that makes me!

Colossians 2:4 speaks to this same issue with these words, “being reviled we bless….”  That is being like Christ.  If something must be said, and we almost always feel we must speak an answer, then let our reply be a blessing.  The culture will not do this, ever; so returning a blessing when reviled will surely mark the believer as a follower of Jesus Christ.  It is this separation that will mark the church as different from the world, and such marks are vital to the cause of Christ.

Are You Family?

Luke 8:19-21
¹⁹ Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd.
 ²⁰ And he was told, “Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see you.” ²¹ But he answered them, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

On the surface from our smug and secure 21^st Century view this response from Jesus seems a bit odd – even a bit unfeeling.  Jesus’ mother and brothers came to Him were unable to get through the crowd.  When Jesus was told that His family was waiting to see Him, He replied, “My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.”

I must first remind myself of the context in which this incident is placed.  Jesus has told the parable of the soils and followed that with another parable to emphasize and illustrate how important it is to be diligent with the specific and personal revelation that Jesus has given to each of us.  Jesus is showing that familial relationships do not transcend directly from nature into spiritual relationships, and that true spiritual relationships with Jesus Christ are based on obedience to His word.

This note from Dr. John MacArthur’s Study Bible with regard to this passage explains what I mean.

“… true Christian discipleship… involves a spiritual relationship that transcends the physical family and is open to all who are empowered by the Spirit of God to come to Christ in repentance and faith and enabled to live a life of obedience to God’s Word.”

Obedience to God’s Word is the mark of our relationship with Jesus Christ, not the cause.  If I am obedient to His Word, it is not to become what I am not but because of what I am.  Being deliberately Christian is not an effort to become Christian but a desire to live up to what I am and profess to be.

Coram deo

Final note - I added a picture of my dad and me from May 2010.  Acorns don't fall far from the tree.

What Are You Not Seeing?

Luke 8:16-18
¹⁶ “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. ¹⁷ For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. ¹⁸ Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”

When I read these three verses this morning, they were a complete puzzle to me.  I have read them before, of course, but I do not remember ever taking the time to consider their meaning in anything more than a superficial way.  I was planning to skip over them again, but something – (the Spirit of Christ?) – drew me back, and I started digging. 

Basically, Jesus followed up his explanation of the parable of the soils with another parable about putting a lamp on a lampstand instead of under a bed.  That seems rather obvious, but Jesus used that parable to illustrate that His purpose was to illuminate his teaching and to reveal hidden things, but the extension of the parable to giving to the ones who have much and taking from those who have little was contradictory to my way of thinking.   Realizing that, I did some more research and read a couple of commentaries.  Some only confused me more, but one by Bob Definbaugh opened it up for me, and the light came on – no pun intended.

I should have looked at the context first.  These three verses conclude the explanation of the parable of the soils and make two broad statements of principle with regard to parables in general and this parable in particular.

1.       The light will not be hidden, but it will be placed on a lampstand.  Jesus meant for His teachings to be illuminating for “those who enter” – for those who come into the radiance of the light of the Truth.  In my own words, Jesus is saying that the parables cast light on His teaching, and they illuminate truth for those who come seeking Jesus.

2.       Those who have light and come seeking more light will be given a greater and deeper knowledge and understanding of Jesus’ teachings.  On the other hand, those who do not have light or are casual in their interest of Jesus’ word will lose what light they think they have.  With regard to the parable of the soils, those who hear the word with a hard, shallow, or materialistic mind will lost the Word that they hear and the Word will not bear fruit in their hearts and lives.  They will lose what little they have.  By contrast, those whose minds receive the Word which bears fruit will receive more seed of the Word to bear even more fruit.

What more can I say than Jesus said, “Therefore take heed how you hear” (v. 18)?  It is obvious to me that to be a deliberate Christian, I must be consumed by a desire for the light of the Word.  May I never come to think I have enough!

Coram deo