The Motley Crew, June 9, 2010

Important Reminder:
There will be no Motley Crew Bible Study next Wednesday, June 16,
due to Vacation Bible School. We will resume on June 23.

3. Then they all worshiped Jesus as the true Son of God. I wonder why the feeding of the 5,000 plus wasn't enough?

4. But Jesus isn't through with the miracles yet – June 6:21 tells us there is still one more in this account.

5. Dr. Lenski pointed out that Matthew and Mark omitting the latter miracle testifies that they were not intent on just recording and magnifying miracles. I would say this was probably at the request of Jesus Himself. Which make me love Jesus so much and look forward to seeing Him face to face so much more when I read John 20:30-31 and John 21:25. Is it possible the Apostles came to expect miracles as a normal part of their day?

6. They were healed – perfectly – just by touching the edge of His cloak. More miracles by Jesus. I wonder if some of these people were just star gazers?

11. Someone once said, “It is easier to change a Biblical doctrine in our churches today than it is to change a long-standing tradition of the church.” What do you think?

12. Food for thought: Dr. Lenski observed that every religious practice – whether a single act or a church policy – is an expression of what we believe God's Word says.

Important Reminder:
There will be no Motley Crew Bible Study next Wednesday, June 16,
due to Vacation Bible School. We will resume on June 23.

31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?"

32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God."

34 When they had crossed over, they landed at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized Jesus, they sent word to all the surrounding country. People brought all their sick to him 36 and begged him to let the sick just touch the edge of his cloak, and all who touched him were healed.

“… Peter wants to express his faith to Jesus, namely that he really relieves Jesus is standing out there on the water. He intends to say that he believes this so completely that Jesus can make him, too, walk out to the place where Jesus is on the water. This was true boldness of faith on Peter's part, that strength of faith which knows and trusts that even natural impossibilities yield before the will, word and power of Jesus.” Lenski, p. 573.

It was interesting that Judas was in the boat, and it is reported that all of the occupants worshiped Jesus as the Son of God. Later, of course, he betrayed the Master. This illustrates the immense power of satan.

There is also the problem of fitting Jesus into my mold, rather than believing in Jesus as He presented Himself to us. This problem of a pre-conceived idea that the Messiah would be a political-military figure, although contrary to Isaiah, made it difficult for many Jews to accept Jesus as the true Messiah. We, too, must guard against fitting Jesus into a mold of our own making.

Growing in faith is a journey, a work in progress. But this is something that Jesus knew and accepted. He worked with his Apostles and disciples, and continues to work with each of us today, as we grow in our faith and fidelity to His Word and Will.

In hindsight, we'd all like to be Peter, but at the time, I'd probably keep rowing.

Dr. Lenski observed that many would adhere to the societal expectation of keeping one's oar in the water, contributing to continuing the work of getting that boat to shore.

The thought is that if it wasn't Jesus, Peter would not have gotten out of the boat!

“… note that Peter asks Jesus to command him to come, for only such a command will enable him to do so. And that command implies, when it is acted on by Peter, full faith that trusts that command.” Lenski, p. 573.

3. Then they all worshiped Jesus as the true Son of God. I wonder why the feeding of the 5,000 plus wasn't enough?

When Jesus had previously calmed a storm, the disciples wondered what sort of man He was (Matt. 8:27, Mark 4:41). Now they confidently confess that He is the Son of God. Lutheran Study Bible, p. 1612.

Not only did they approach him with an outward unforbidden gesture of worship, but they avowed him, for the first time collectively, to be the Son of God. B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary; The TNIV Study Bible, p. 1635.

4. But Jesus isn't through with the miracles yet – John 6:21 tells us there is still one more in this account.

Immediately, the boat and the men arrived at their destination! He did instantly what had taken the disciples all night.

John 6:21 (New International Version)
Then they were willing to take him into the boat, and immediately the boat reached the shore where they were heading.

John 20:30-31 (New International Version)
30 Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. 31 But these are written that you may [a] believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

John 21:25 (New International Version)
Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.

Christ performed miracles as He passed through the various regions; there wasn't any CNN to spread the word ahead of Him (although word-of-mouth seemed to work quite well). Indeed, Jesus frequently asked people not to spread the word about His miracles. He didn't want to become known as a miracle worker or a street magician. His mission was to bring the good news of salvation to all people. The miracles and the stories were performed to get their attention and demonstrate His mastery over nature and life. Then He would sow the seed, Matt. 13:1-9, and move on to the next vineyard.

Everything that we do needs to accomplish one fundamental mission: the saving of souls!

“The ship in which the disciples were, was an emblem of the church of Christ, and of its state and condition in this world: this world is like a sea, for its largeness, and the abundance of nations and people in it, compared to many waters, Revelation 17:15, and for the tumultuousness of its inhabitants....” John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible.

Many of us have seen miracles in our lives, and know the power of the Word of God and the salvation brought by Christ. Yet, amid the storms of life that we find ourselves in, from time to time we have moments of shaky faith, worrying about things that we shouldn't. Peter gives us an important lesson here that, when necessary, we shouldn't hesitate to step out of the boat and call out to Christ, “Save me!”

6. They were healed – perfectly – just by touching the edge of His cloak. More miracles by Jesus. I wonder if some of these people were just star gazers?

Maybe so, but Jesus obviously consented to this procedure & most of all, He honored their faith! That is what Jesus is looking for & wanting to see! It is the case here, as we saw in Matthew 9:20-22, that "your faith has healed you."

We often see that train wrecks draw a crowd. And how often have the police had to limit traffic into areas damaged by tornadoes because the sight-seers impede the movement of rescue and restoration services.

For some of these people, for whom current medicine can provide no cure, the thought is “let's take a chance, and go see this guy whom everyone says is a healer and the messiah.” And Jesus is willing to accept us even at the last possible minute, as we see in both with the Good Thief and the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Luke 23:40-43 and Matt 20:1-16).

The first Apostles and Disciples were willing to give up their lives, because they knew that the Jesus was the Messiah. No one is willing to give their lives up for a fraud. Luther, too, spoke boldly in the face of certain danger, but did so because he knew the truth of the Gospel, that forgiveness is God's free gift to us in Christ Jesus.

They brought those that were diseased. His fame was so well known in that region that his coming at once caused a commotion. In a country where there are no skilled physicians and little known of sanitary laws, there is great need of a Healer. Geikie, who traveled through this same region with a medical friend, says that crowds would gather with their sick as soon as they knew there was a physician. Hence the importance of medical missions. B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary.

This is the second occurrence of healing by touching the tassel on Jesus' cloak. The first is in Matthew 9:20-22, the woman suffering hemorrhage for twelve years. Dr. Lenski's note concerning the outer robe and tassels:

“Like all true Jews, Jesus wore the shimla, a square cloth that was used as an outer robe and had tassels (tsitsith, κράσπεδον - kraspedon) at the four corners according to the requirement laid down in Deut. 22:12. The tassels were attached to blue cords. The Pharisees loved to make the tassels large and prominent in order to display their compliance with the law. Two of the corners of the shimla were thrown back over the shoulders so that two of the tassels hung down the back. One of these the woman managed to touch.” Lenski, p. 373.

Deut. 22:12: "You shall make yourself tassels on the four corners of the garment with which you cover yourself.”

Numbers 15:38: "Speak to the people of Israel, and tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a cord of blue on the tassel of each corner.”

Matthew 23:5: [The scribes and the Pharisees] “ … do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long ...”

1 Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2 "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!"

3 Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4 For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' [a] and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' [b] 5 But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' 6 he is not to 'honor his father [c]' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7 You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:
8 " 'These people honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
9 They worship me in vain;
their teachings are but rules taught by men.' [d]"

Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you.

If anyone curses his father or mother, he must be put to death. He has cursed his father or his mother, and his blood will be on his own head.

The Lord says:
"These people come near to me with their mouth
and honor me with their lips,
but their hearts are far from me.
Their worship of me
is made up only of rules taught by men."

They were talking about the “halacha,” the extra 613 laws derived from the words of Moses and handed down by the rabbis.

Also spelled "halakhah," this term is usually translated as "Jewish Law," although a more literal translation is "the path that one walks." The word is derived from the Hebrew root, Hei-Lamed-Kaf, meaning to go, to walk or to travel.

After the Babylonian exile, the Jewish rabbis began to make meticulous rules and regulations governing the daily life of the people. These were interpretations and applications of the Law of Moses, handed down from generation to generation. In Jesus' day, this “tradition of the elders” was in oral form. It was not until about A.D. 200 that it was put into writing in the Mishnah. The Archeological Study Bible (2005), p. 1586.

Many traditions are not bad in themselves. Certain religious traditions can add richness and meaning to life. But we must not assume that because our traditions have been practiced for years they should be elevated to a sacred standing. ... Traditions should help us understand God's laws better, not become laws themselves. Life Application Study Bible (1997), p. 1565; Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament..

Many of those 613 Jewish Laws are things that most of us do every day as a part of our commitment to God. Five of those Laws relating to the Torah include:

Another of those Laws is “To honor father and mother (Ex. 20:12).” Taking that one, plus the last one on the Torah list, and we can see that the Pharisees that taught others to avoid their obligations to their parents by use of the Corban were themselves violating two of the Jewish Laws that they were so rigorously defending (but only when it suited them). The full list is available at the “Judaism 101” web site, http://www.jewfaq.org/613.htm. They also have a good page on prayer, http://www.jewfaq.org/prayer.htm. Both are pretty interesting reading.

Most of all they were trying to “get” Jesus – but the hand washing was because of the fear that their hands may have touched a Gentile, or a Jew that did not observe the Halacha. In such a case, they would become ceremonially unclean.

Hand washing before meals is not a requirement of the Old Testament. It is, we know, a good thing for sanitary reasons, but the rabbis made it a mark of righteousness. ... The rabbis held it to be a mortal sin. Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament.

First, because they were talking about the “halacha,” the extra 613 laws derived from the words of Moses and handed down by the rabbis. And secondly, as Professor Lenski points out, because they were teaching others to do the same!

Putting the laws of men above the laws of God is never permissible, and teaching others to do the same makes this even worse.

These men had made a long journey from Jerusalem just to question Jesus about a rabbinical tradition. What they should have been doing was staying in Jerusalem, and truly serving God.

They were far from the true God in their thoughts who imagined that He could be pleased with gifts made at the expense of filial piety. Christ's God abhorred such homage, still more the hypocritical pretense of it. Nicoll, The Greek Expositor's Bible, p. 214.

John 4:24 (New International Version)
“God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.”

One mentioned certain prayers that in some denominations are recited without any thought whatsoever. Another mentioned that while this is true, it is also true that memorized prayers can be prayed from the heart.

The essential of true worship is that the heart be wholly given to God. Even the forms commanded by God are worthless unless they are obeyed from the heart. B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary.

The prophet Isaiah also criticized hypocrites (Isaiah 29:13), and Jesus applied Isaiah's words to these religious leaders. The Pharisees know a lot about God, but they didn't know God. When we claim to honor God while our hearts are far from him, our worship means nothing. It is not enough to study about religion or even to study the Bible; it is not enough to act religious. Our actions and our attitudes must be sincere. If they are not, Isaiah's words also describe us. Life Application Study Bible, (1997), p. 1565.

11. Someone once said, “It is easier to change a Biblical doctrine in our churches today than it is to change a long-standing tradition of the church.” What do you think?

Jesus is dealing with questions of Law when He criticizes placing man-made traditions above God's commandments. God's Law and Gospel dare never be subordinated to human teachings and rules. Jesus came to fulfill every aspect of the Law, that He might be our Perfect Savior. The Lutheran Study Bible (2009), p. 1613.

12. Food for thought: Dr. Lenski observed that every religious practice – whether a single act or a church policy – is an expression of what we believe God's Word says.

However, we must stay grounded in the Word, lest we lose our way and surrender our strength.

We face the same danger as did the Jews of the 1^st Century. It is imperative that our belief is not a delusion, but truly grounded in the Word of God. Over the centuries, many have performed acts that they believed were an expression of God's Word, but on closer examination, was clearly in violation of the teachings of Jesus in the Gospel.

We closed with prayer. Remember: no Motley Crew next week. See you again on the 23^rd.

Jesus Walks on the Water

Matthew 15

Mark 7

Clean and Unclean

1Then some Pharisees and teachers of the law came to Jesus from Jerusalem and asked, 2"Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don't wash their hands before they eat!"

3Jesus replied, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? 4For God said, 'Honor your father and mother' [a] and 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' [b] 5But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God,' 6he is not to 'honor his father [c]' with it. Thus you nullify the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you:

8" 'These people honor me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from me.

9They worship me in vain;

their teachings are but rules taught by men.' [d]"

Footnotes:

a. Verse 4 Exodus 20:12; Deut. 5:16

b. Verse 4 Exodus 21:17; Lev. 20:9

c. Verse 6 Some manuscripts father or his mother

d. Verse 9 Isaiah 29:13

Clean and Unclean

1The Pharisees and some of the teachers of the law who had come from Jerusalem gathered around Jesus and 2saw some of his disciples eating food with hands that were "unclean," that is, unwashed. 3(The Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they give their hands a ceremonial washing, holding to the tradition of the elders. 4When they come from the marketplace they do not eat unless they wash. And they observe many other traditions, such as the washing of cups, pitchers and kettles.[a])

5So the Pharisees and teachers of the law asked Jesus, "Why don't your disciples live according to the tradition of the elders instead of eating their food with 'unclean' hands?"

6He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written:

" 'These people honor me with their lips,

but their hearts are far from me.

7They worship me in vain;

their teachings are but rules taught by men.' [b] 8You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men."

9And he said to them: "You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe [c] your own traditions! 10For Moses said, 'Honor your father and your mother,' [d] and, 'Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death.' [e] 11But you say that if a man says to his father or mother: 'Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is Corban' (that is, a gift devoted to God), 12then you no longer let him do anything for his father or mother. 13Thus you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that."

Footnotes:

a. Mark 7:4 Some early manuscripts pitchers, kettles and dining couches

b. Mark 7:7 Isaiah 29:13

c. Mark 7:9 Some manuscripts set up

d. Mark 7:10 Exodus 20:12; Deut. 5:16

e. Mark 7:10 Exodus 21:17; Lev. 20:9

For Additional Study

These texts are in the public domain and may be copied and distributed freely. The source of these translations is Triglot Concordia: The Symbolical Books of the Evangelical Lutheran Church (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921).

The NET Bible. <http://bible.org/netbible/> A completely new translation of the Bible with 60,932 translators’ notes. It was completed by more than 25 scholars – experts in the original biblical languages – who worked directly from the best currently available Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek texts. Excellent notes, citing both the Greek and Hebrew, as needed. Greek and Hebrew fonts available without cost.

W. Robertson Nicoll, The Greek Expositor's Testament. Vol. 1. Five Volumes. (New York: George H. Doran Co., ca. 1910). Excellent notes on the Greek text and summaries of commentators. Available at Google Books (www.books.google.com) and the Internet Archive (www.archive.org; easier to find here than at Google Books).

Concordia: The Lutheran Confessions. Readers Edition. (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2006)

Davies, Benjamin, ed., Baker's Pocket Harmony of the Gospels (Baker Book House, 1975). Formerly printed as Harmony of the Four Gospels.

Goodrick, Edward W. and John R. Kohlenberger III, eds., The Strongest NIV Exhaustive Concordance (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1999). This is the second edition, originally published as the Zondervan NIV Exhaustive Concordance. It was originally published as The NIV Exhaustive Concordance. It should be distinguished from The NIV Complete Concordance by the same authors.

Green, Jay P., ed., The Interlinear Greek-English New Testament. Vol. IV. Second Edition. (Hendrickson Publishers, 1985)

Halley, Henry H., Halley's Bible Handbook. New Revised Edition (24^th Edition). (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1965)

Hickie, W.J., Greek-English Lexicon to the New Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1977). This is a reprint of an older edition, originally published by Macmillan, August. 1893. A contemporary review described this as "A handy little volume, compiled on sound principles from trustworthy authorities." The 1911 edition is available online and for download at http://openlibrary.org/b/OL17866849M/Greek-English_lexicon_to_the_New_Testament

Hoerber, Robert G., ed., Concordia Self-Study Bible. NIV (Great Rapids, Zondervan: 1973, 1984).

Lenski, R.C.H., The Interpretation of St. Matthew's Gospel (Minneapolis: Augsburg Publishing House, 1943, reprinted 1964)

Nave, Orville J., ed., Nave's Topical Bible (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1979)

New Bible Dictionary. Second Edition. (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1962)

Rogers, Cleon L. Jr., and Cleon L. Rogers III, eds., The New Linguistic and Exegetical Key to the Greek New Testament (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House, 1998)

Strong, James, ed., The New Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible. (Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990)