The Motley Crew – August 11, 2010

Matthew 17:24-27 & Matthew 18:1-9

The Questions

Read Matthew 17:24-27

1. What is a double drachma?

2. How does Jesus feel about the law?

3. How should we feel about the law?

4. What if the law is corrupt?

5. How would you like to go fishing with Jesus?

6. What about the tax for the rest of the apostles?

7. Is this just a fish story?

Read Matthew 18:1-9

8. Is there anything extraordinary about this particular child?

9. Why are the disciples asking this question anyway?

10. How humble are you?

11. How can a little one believe in Jesus?

12. How come we don't cut off our limbs the way Jesus described?

The Motley Crew – August 11, 2010

Matthew 17:24-27 & Matthew 18:1-9

Some Suggested Answers

We opened with prayer.

Pastor Eddie mentioned an interesting blog that he had read recently concerning liturgical music. It begins:

What constitutes a great worship song? As conservative Lutherans, we often turn to the lyrics. It’s not a bad place to start, but it doesn’t or should not end there. I’ll give you an example. There have been times in worship when we were trying to sing a hymn that was so choppy and musically so foreign, dissonant or outdated that no matter how hard I tried I just couldn’t trudge my way through it – praying didn’t even help. I stopped the struggle mid way through and decided to just read the words to myself as some of those around me kept struggling.

You can read the rest at
http://sjbrown58.wordpress.com/2010/08/10/the-makings-of-a-great-worship-hymn-or-song/

Read Matthew 17:24-27. The Temple Tax

24 After Jesus and his disciples arrived in Capernaum, the collectors of the two-drachma tax came to Peter and asked, "Doesn't your teacher pay the temple tax [b]?"

25 "Yes, he does," he replied.

When Peter came into the house, Jesus was the first to speak. "What do you think, Simon?" he asked. "From whom do the kings of the earth collect duty and taxes—from their own sons or from others?"

26 "From others," Peter answered.

"Then the sons are exempt," Jesus said to him. 27 "But so that we may not offend them, go to the lake and throw out your line. Take the first fish you catch; open its mouth and you will find a four-drachma coin. Take it and give it to them for my tax and yours."

Footnotes:

b. Matthew 17:24 Greek the two drachmas

1. What is a “double drachma”?

The “double drachma” coin [δίδραχμον, didracmon] was used to pay the annual Atonement tax required of all Jewish males age 20 years and older. The tax that was used to support the Temple. See Exodus 30:13; 2 Chronicles 24:9, Nehemiah 10:32. Even though this coin was no longer in circulation in NT times, the name for the coin was still used to refer to the tax. The drachma was the amount of money that was earned for a days' work, and is estimated to be about 40 cents. As such, this tax was was the equivalent of two day's work.

One commentator noted that this is an ecclesiastical tax, not a civil tax. However, as we see in Mark 12:13-17, the result appears to be the same:

Paying Taxes to Caesar

13 Later they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to Jesus to catch him in his words. 14 They came to him and said, "Teacher, we know you are a man of integrity. You aren't swayed by men, because you pay no attention to who they are; but you teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not? 15 Should we pay or shouldn't we?"

But Jesus knew their hypocrisy. "Why are you trying to trap me?" he asked. "Bring me a denarius and let me look at it." 16 They brought the coin, and he asked them, "Whose portrait is this? And whose inscription?"
"Caesar's," they replied.

17 Then Jesus said to them, "Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's."
And they were amazed at him.

2. How does Jesus feel about the law?

Keep it. In fact, keep it perfectly!

Just as the sons of earthly kings were not obliged to pay taxes, so Jesus, as the Son of the heavenly King, was free from the temple tax. [However], Jesus submits to paying the temple tax so as not to cause offense. Lutheran Study Bible, p. 1620.

The Lutheran Study Bible also noted that “Jesus did not want to give others a reason to fault Him for refusing to pay the temple tax.”

3. How should we feel about the law?

The same: keep it.

4. What if the law is corrupt?

Obey God rather than man. See Acts 5:29: “Peter and the other apostles replied: 'We must obey God rather than men!' ”

We should also work to change a corrupt law. Although sometimes we might feel that one person is helpless before a vast government, it is also true that every petition starts with one person, and a single letter to the editor can spark change within a community. We see the influence of single individuals throughout history, people such as Gandhi and Mother Theresa, and, of course, that carpenter from Nazareth.

One person said that she refuses to patronize any business that supports policies and actions with which she disagrees.

5. How would you like to go fishing with Jesus?

Wow! It does show His power over all creation.

Not only will He provide the means to get the fish, but He can also make one piece of bread feed the whole crew, and change the water into the very best wine. John 2:1-11.

10 … "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now."

11 This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.

Pastor Eddie noted that Jesus here told Peter to “cast a hook” but that earlier Peter was described as a fisherman who used a net. Peter was evidently a versatile fellow.

6. What about the tax for the rest of the apostles?

I guess they had to fend for themselves … or perhaps the tax collector was only interested in testing Jesus, rather than the disciples, as we saw in Mark 12:13-17 (Paying Taxes to Caesar).

7. Is this just a fish story?

No way. Even though he was formerly a tax collector, Matthew has no reason to make this up.

Read Matthew 18:1-10. The Greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven

1 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"

2 He called a little child and had him stand among them. 3 And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. 4 Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.

5 "And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. 6 But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.

7 "Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come! 8 If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. 9 And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

One of our members mentioned that she thought that the division of verses wasn't quite right in this case, and that verse 10 should be included with this group of verses, rather than the next group (Parable of the Lost Sheep).

10 "See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”

8. Is there anything extraordinary about this particular child?

No. Jesus seems to be commending the child-like faith of all children. In their faith, children believe fully, honestly, and without guile.

A child's humility is evident especially in dependence on and trust in a superior. Greatness in the kingdom is characterized by humble trust in the Lord. Lutheran Study Bible, p. 1620.

9. Why are the disciples asking this question anyway?

Mark 9:33-37 gives us a fuller background to this incident. In short, they've got an ego problem. Each wanted to be seen as “the greatest.”

Mark 9:33-37. Who is Greatest?

33 They came to Capernaum. When he was in the house, he asked them, "What were you arguing about on the road?" 34 But they kept quiet because on the way they had argued about who was the greatest.

35 Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, "If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all."

36 He took a little child and had him stand among them. Taking him in his arms, he said to them, 37 "Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me."

This points out an important distinction in the difference between being childish (“who was the greatest?”) and child-like (full, undoubting faith).

We see the beautiful picture of Jesus taking a child in His arms, but we also see the ugly side of the disciples arguing about who would be first. This shows the truth of the Bible; an untruthful account would hide this dirty laundry. But we don't have that here. Our Bible shows that the disciples were just humans – not Supermen – and shows their weaknesses as well as their strengths.

Jesus had noticed the wrangling. It will break out again and again (Matthew 20:20-28; Luke 22:24). Plainly the primacy of Peter was not yet admitted by the others. ... But it is a sad discovery to find the disciples chiefly concerned about their own places (offices) in the political kingdom which they were expecting. Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament.

One member pointed out that they really were a “Motley Crew,” too.

10. How humble are you?

A couple of members remembered a country song: “It's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way.” After a brain-wrenching search, someone was able to come up with the name of the artist who made the song famous: Mac Davis. The refrain:

Oh Lord, it's hard to be humble when you're perfect in every way.
     I can't wait to look in the mirror 'cause I get better lookin' each day.
To know me is to love me, I must be a hell of a man.
     Oh Lord it's hard to be humble, but I'm doin' the best that I can.

As the Cowardly Lion in “The Wizard of Oz” said: “Ain't it the truth? Ain't it the truth?”

Jesus demonstrates that humility is the hallmark of greatness in the Kingdom of heaven. Humility means confessing our inability to do anything at all to become worthy before God and earn salvation. Humility depends entirely on God's mercy for forgiveness. It looks to Jesus Christ as the Savior who became one with sinners to redeem them. Lutheran Study Bible, p. 1620.

11. How can a little one believe in Jesus?

Children wholeheartedly believe what they are taught, what they see, and what they hear. We saw this a few Sundays ago during the Children's Ministry in the early Worship Service. When asked what they believe, the little children shouted out “Jesus!”

Verse 10 was mentioned here (“See that you do not look down on one of these little ones. For I tell you that their angels in heaven always see the face of my Father in heaven.”)

In this passage, Jesus is also telling us how important children are, and that they, too, should be in the church, hearing the Word and seeing faith in action in the form of the worship liturgy that their parents and other adults are affirming. This is also affirmation of our baptism, where we are marked as one of God's own children. For the Jews, the circumcision of infant boys was that “marking,” which baptism is for us Christians.

When Jesus tells us that their guardian angels are always before the Father, He is emphasizing the Father's concern for “even the least of these.”

Guardian angels are not exclusively for children, but are for God's People in general (Ps 34:7; Ps 91:11; Heb 1:14). Concordia Self-Study Bible, p. 1475.

For he will command his angels concerning you
to guard you in all your ways;
Psalm 91:11

The age of choice, about 13 years, is not the beginning of the ability to have faith. We see profound faith in the very young. We adults, by the way, tend to think about it too much, which the devil uses against. us. Better to remember our limitations (“then shall I know”), be appropriately humble knowing that I don't know all the right answers and that I cannot “earn” my salvation, and to trust wholly in God.

Observe that Jesus uses two different words here when referring to the children. At first, he was using the word paidiðon (paidion), which is defined as a young child, a little boy, or a little girl. Later, in verse 7, He was using the word mikro/v (mikros), the age between a new-born and a toddler.

12. How come we don't cut off our limbs the way Jesus described?

We know He was not talking literally, but figuratively. What He is emphasizing is that we must take sin seriously, and do whatever we must to to get rid of sin in our lives. Scripture interprets Scripture, and we see in Acts that no one cut off any body parts after Easter & Pentecost.

Pastor Eddie emphasized that believing the Bible is inerrant does not mean we interpret the Bible literally in all its verses. There are some who believe that one necessarily implies the other, which is not the case.

Our Lord previously spoke about shunning sin in another context.

Matthew 5:27-30.

"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell."

About this section, the Lutheran Study Bible noted that this was hyperbole, although such punishment was known. “Jesus used strong and exaggerated language to emphasize the seriousness of sexual sins. Such Sins (and other abuses) wreak havoc with personal relationships.” (pp. 1587-88)

Likewise, concerning Matt. 18:8-9, the Lutheran Study Bible noted that “He used such strong and hyperbolic language to emphasize the seriousness of sin.” (p. 1621).

It was also noted that we must avoid every situation that could cause sin in our lives. Playing around with sin is playing around with fire – hell's fire, that is. We must take sin seriously, seek forgiveness, and know that Jesus is the Way. Luther also warned against dallying with sin, saying that we should never be so proud to assume that once invited that the devil can be immediately expelled by such as are we. “No man should be alone when he opposes satan.”

We closed with prayer.

“For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.”
Psalm 149:4

“My Reference Point”

My reference point is that God has forgiven me, and now wants to transform my life that I might be useful to him in making known his forgiveness, acceptance, and grace. For this I am a warrior and by Him I am strong. These are the things that really matter. This is the business before us. These things actually are worth fighting for. The true test before us is this: whether we are useful to God in His ongoing mission to the world, not simply as we conceive or prefer it, but as He has established in the incarnation, humiliation, and exaltation of Himself.

Letter by Pastor John Karle from "This Ministry That We Share," August, 2010.

Additional Notes:

In verse 3, the NIV has Jesus stating: “And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” That this change is imperative is reflected in the Greek, which is “Amen I say to you!” That “Amen” is among the strongest affirmations that Our Lord uses in the Gospels. Interestingly, we see this word used (or inferred) four times in Chapter 18 of Matthew's Gospel (verses 3, 13, 18 and 19). Looks like these admonitions are going to be on the “final test.”

In verse 7, Our Lord says “Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things must come, but woe to the man through whom they come!” The phrase “cause people to sin” is, in the Greek, based on the word “stumble” ( skandala, skandala ). That word, or its derivatives, occurs with some frequency in the Bible. Both the causes of sin and those who create those causes of sin (stumbling), will be destroyed, and the perpetrators will be consigned to hell. We have seen Jesus warn about this before.

Matthew 13:36-42. The Parable of the Weeds Explained

36 Then he left the crowd and went into the house. His disciples came to him and said, "Explain to us the parable of the weeds in the field."

37 He answered, "The one who sowed the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.

40 "As the weeds are pulled up and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send out his angels, and they will weed out of his kingdom everything that causes sin and all who do evil. 42 They will throw them into the fiery furnace, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. [emphasis added]

Parallel Versions

Note: There were no parallel versions of Matthew 17:24-27 in the other Gospels.

The Little Child

Note: This section stands in marked contradiction of the claims that Peter was the “rock upon which the church would be build,” Matthew 16:18 (“And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.”). From this and other portions of the New Testament, it is clear that the Apostles themselves did not consider Peter the “rock.” We will see this dispute among the Apostles in other sections of the Gospels, including Matthew 20:21 and Luke 22:24. In Luke's account, the argument about who is the greatest occurred immediately after the giving of the bread and wine in the Last Supper!

Luke 22:14-27. The Last Supper.

14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God."

17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, "Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."

19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me."

20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him." 23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.

24 Also a dispute arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 Jesus said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? [emphasis added]

Matthew 20:28. “... the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Offenses

Isaiah 66:24 (New International Version)

"And they will go out and look upon the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; their worm will not die, nor will their fire be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind."

For Additional Study

Online Resources

Book of Concord in PDF Format, The Lutheran Church — Missouri Synod <http://www.lcms.org/graphics/assets/media/LCMS/TrigBOC.pdf> (2MB file)

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).

A number of important Lutheran texts can be found in the Belief and Practice section of the website of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod: http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=112

John S. C. Abbott and Jacob Abbott, Illustrated New Testament
http://www.studylight.org/com/ain/

Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament
http://www.studylight.org/com/bnn/

Harold F. Buls
http://www.pericope.org/buls-notes/index.html and
http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/wittenberg/wittenberg-bul.html
Adapted from Exegetical Notes, Series A, Festival Season Sundays, Gospel Texts, by Harold H. Buls, Concordia Theological Seminary Press: Ft Wayne IN, 1980

The Adam Clarke Commentary
http://www.studylight.org/com/acc/

Burton Coffman, Commentary on the Whole Bible
http://www.studylight.org/com/bcc/

John Darby, Synopsis of the Bible
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/darby/matthew1.htm

The Greek Interlinear Bible,
http://www.scripture4all.org/OnlineInterlinear/Greek_Index.htm
Based on NA26/27. A word-by-word translation of the Greek New Testament.

David Guzik, Commentaries on the Bible
http://www.studylight.org/com/guz/

The Geneva Study Bible
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/geneva/matthew1.htm

John Gill, Exposition of the Bible
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/gill/matthew1.htm

Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (Complete)
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/mh/matthew1.htm

Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/mhc/matthew1.htm

Jamieson, Faussett and Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/jfb/matthew1.htm

B.W. Johnson, People's New Testament
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/johnson/matthew1.htm

John Lightfoot, Bible Commentary
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/light/matthew1.htm

Martin Luther, Commentary on Galatians
http://www.studylight.org/com/mlg/

J. W. McGarvey, Original Commentary on Acts
http://www.studylight.org/com/oca/

J. W. McGarvey and Philip Y. Pendleton, The Fourfold Gospel (also known as "Harmony Of the Four Gospels")
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/four/matthew1.htm

Alexander Maclaren's commentaries on the books of the Bible (various titles)
http://www.gutenberg.org/browse/authors/m#a2330

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.

A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures of the New Testament
http://www.studylight.org/com/rwp/

C. I. Scofield, The Scofield Reference Notes (1917 Edition)
http://www.studylight.org/com/srn/

Charles H. Spurgeon, The Treasury of David
http://www.studylight.org/com/tod/

R.A. Torrey, The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
http://www.studylight.org/com/tsk/

W.E. Vine, Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words
http://www.antioch.com.sg/bible/vines/

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible
http://www.ewordtoday.com/comments/matthew/wesley/matthew1.htm

Other Additional Resources:
http://www.hymnsandcarolsofchristmas.com/SPLC/Motley%20Crew%20Research%20Resources.html

Other Resources

Barker, Kenneth L., ed., TNIV Study Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2006)

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)

The Lutheran Study Bible (St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 2009).

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

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

Nicoll, W. Robertson, 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).

NIV Archeological Study Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005)

Alexander Maclaren, Expositions of Holy Scripture (Text from Project Gutenberg)

Robertson, A.T., Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville: Holman Reference, 2000). This “Concise Edition” is derived from the six-volume work by Robertson published in 1933. Robertson was also the author of 45 books, including numerous commentaries, a Harmony of the Gospels, etc. Also available online

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). This is the second edition of the excellent work by Fritz Rienecker, A Linguistic Key to the Greek New Testament, translated and edited by Cleon L. Rogers, Jr.

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

Vine, W.E., Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words: A Comprehensive Dictionary of the Original Greek Words with their Precise Meanings for English Readers (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers, no date). Originally published circa 1940.