Mk 4:9 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Summary Notes

What did Jesus say?

Jesus often told stories to express ideas. He sometimes said, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” when He was making a profound point. I think that it was His way of telling those who heard Him to take the effort to understand what he was saying and let the implications change their thinking.

Why would He say this?

Middle Island Light with Fog Horn — Photo: Dawn Carlson
If your ears hear the fog signal from Middle Island on a foggy day, you had better listen and understand that dangerous rocky shoals are nearby. Middle Island Light Station is located in norther Lake Huron. It was fist lit in 1905. The fog signal building is on the far right of the photograph.
This image and more can be found in the Photo Gallery. Click here see why I like lighthouses.

I also think that Jesus used this phrase to signal to His disciples that they should ask Him what He meant. Jesus’ command did not cause the disciple’s understanding. They understood when they sought out the answer. It was then that Jesus explained it to them.

I could be more curious about what Jesus is saying when I see this command in the Bible. I could also be more curious about what other people are saying to me all the time. Over the years I have learned so much from people, even from those with whom I disagree, by making the effort to shut up and to listen and understand them. I confess that I’m not always good at listening. Listening like this is hard because I have to evaluate my own assumptions and ask questions while listening without prejudice. I might even have to change my mind!

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or scroll down for my full notes…

Command 185: “…let him hear.”

REFERENCE:

Mk 4:9b also Mt 13:9b
See also Mk 4:23 where Jesus made a related but different point.

RECIPIENT:

To a very large crowd and His disciples

CONTEXT:

Mk 4:1-2-9 He began to teach again by the sea. And such a very large crowd gathered to Him that He got into a boat in the sea and sat down; and the whole crowd was by the sea on the land. ²And He was teaching them many things in parables, and was saying to them in His teaching, ³“Behold, the sower went out to sow; ⁴as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil. ⁶And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. ⁷Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. ⁸Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”
⁹And He was saying…

Mt 13 1-8 is a parallel account of this same event.

COMMAND FULL TEXT:

Mk 4:9 “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Mt 13:9 “He who has ears , let him hear.”

RESULT:

Jesus explains the parable:

¹⁰As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. ¹¹And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables, ¹²so that WHILE SEEING, THEY MAY SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE, AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND, OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT RETURN AND BE FORGIVEN.”

¹³And He *said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all the parables? ¹⁴The sower sows the word. ¹⁵These are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them. ¹⁶In a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; ¹⁷and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away. ¹⁸And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, ¹⁹but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. ²⁰And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”

MY COMMENTS AND NOTES:

Profound Points

Jesus often told stories, also called parables, to express ideas. He used this command, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear,” when He was making a particularly profound point. He was telling those who heard Him to take the effort to understand what he was saying and let the implications change their thinking. His explanation of this parable fully revealed His meaning.

In six of the eight instances that Jesus used this phrase, He later explained a parable to His disciples in private. Perhaps Jesus used this phrase to signal to His disciples that they should ask Him what He meant.

What Does it Mean?

Here is the Literal Version of the verse: Mk 4:9 LITV The (one) having ears to hear, let him hear.

I am not a Greek scholar, but if I use the literal translation above and the definitions below then Jesus seems to be saying to me, “If you can hear Me (or, if you can read this), then make the effort to comprehend the implication of what I am saying.” Jesus’ command did not cause the disciple’s understanding, but they were obedient to the command by simply asking Him to explain it to them; and He did.

What Do I Do With This?

Albert Einstein said that he was not any smarter than other men but merely “passionately curious.” I could be more curious about what Jesus is saying when I see this command in the Bible. But I could also be more curious about what other people are saying all the time. Over the years I have learned so much from people, even from those with whom I disagree, by making the effort to shut up and to listen and understand to what they are saying. I do not listen like this all the time and I really should do it more often. I think that the reason I don’t is because listening like this is hard. To do it I have to evaluate my own assumptions and ask questions and listen without prejudice. I might even have to change my mind!

DEFINITIONS: Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

(He who) has: G2192 ἐìχω ekh’-ō — to hold, such as in possession or ability

ear: G3775 οὖς ooce – the physical ear or metaphoric faculty of perceiving with the mind

hear: G191 ἀκουìω ak-oo’-ō – to be endowed with the faculty of hearing, not deaf; to attend, consider or to understand what is or has been said

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments

I see two related applications. First, to be the kind of person God would have me to be I need to understand what He says by asking Him in prayer and studying The Bible diligently. Secondly, to be the kind of open minded person I desire to be, I need to first understand the ideas of other people by asking questions and listening without prejudice. Furthermore, I need to be willing to challenge my own assumptions and even change my mind!

RETURN TO COMMAND

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

184 Listen to This

10 December, 2019

Christopher Carlson

Mark 1 Comment

Mk 4:3a “Listen to this!””

Summary Notes

What did Jesus say?

Jesus told a very large crowd to listen to a story He was about to tell. The story was about a farmer who planted seeds. The seeds fell in different locations and therefore had different results from bad to good.

Why would He say this?

Listen up if you hear a fog horn! — Photo: Dawn Carlson
Listen up if you hear a fog horn from Grays Reef! It is there in Northern Lake Michigan to warn mariners of their proximity to the dangerous rocks nearby. Mariners must listen for fog horns during foggy weather. Their ship and possibly their lives depend upon it.
This image and more can be found in the Photo Gallery. Click here see why I like lighthouses.

He told the crowd to, “Listen” in order to draw their immediate attention to His words and to consider their importance. The story was about different people and how they process and apply what they hear. Specifically, Jesus was talking about His Gospel Message. However, any useful or life changing message has similar results. Some people never really comprehend it; others receive it but only briefly; others receive and apply it but their practice is relatively short lived due to external adversity; then there are those who apply the message and prosper through it and even teach others.

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or scroll down for my full notes…

COMMAND 184: “Listen…”

Mk 4:3

RECIPIENT:

A very large crowd.

CONTEXT: A continuation of the Sermon on the Mount

Mk 4:1-2 He began to teach again by the sea. And such a very large crowd gathered to Him that He got into a boat in the sea and sat down; and the whole crowd was by the sea on the land. ²And He was teaching them many things in parables, and was saying to them in His teaching…

Mt 13 1-23 is a parallel account of this same event but does not contain this command.

See also in separate context: Mt_21:33; Mk_7:14; Also see the account with the audible voice of God (The Father) Mk_9:7; Lk_9:35

COMMAND FULL TEXT:

Mk 4:3a “Listen to this!”
Note that the words, “to this” are not in the Greek but were supplied by the translators. In their opinion the supplied words are implied by the text and help to render a more accurate English meaning.

RESULT:

The story Jesus told:
Mk 4 3b-20 “Behold, the sower went out to sow; ⁴as he was sowing, some seed fell beside the road, and the birds came and ate it up. ⁵Other seed fell on the rocky ground where it did not have much soil; and immediately it sprang up because it had no depth of soil. ⁶And after the sun had risen, it was scorched; and because it had no root, it withered away. ⁷Other seed fell among the thorns, and the thorns came up and choked it, and it yielded no crop. ⁸Other seeds fell into the good soil, and as they grew up and increased, they yielded a crop and produced thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”

9And He was saying, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

The story explained

10As soon as He was alone, His followers, along with the twelve, began asking Him about the parables. ¹¹And He was saying to them, “To you has been given the mystery of the kingdom of God, but those who are outside get everything in parables, ¹²so that WHILE SEEING, THEY MAY SEE AND NOT PERCEIVE, AND WHILE HEARING, THEY MAY HEAR AND NOT UNDERSTAND, OTHERWISE THEY MIGHT RETURN AND BE FORGIVEN.”

13And He *said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? How will you understand all the parables? ¹⁴The sower sows the word. ¹⁵These are the ones who are beside the road where the word is sown; and when they hear, immediately Satan comes and takes away the word which has been sown in them. ¹⁶In a similar way these are the ones on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, who, when they hear the word, immediately receive it with joy; ¹⁷and they have no firm root in themselves, but are only temporary; then, when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately they fall away. ¹⁸And others are the ones on whom seed was sown among the thorns; these are the ones who have heard the word, ¹⁹but the worries of the world, and the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things enter in and choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. ²⁰And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.”

MY COMMENTS AND NOTES:

When Jesus tells me to listen, He is announcing that He is about to say something important and that I need to pay close attention. Jesus knows the weakness of the human mind and that we are often preoccupied or easily distracted. Unless our attention is first fixed upon a single topic we will likely miss the communication of part or all of the content. This is the reason people say, ‘What?” so often. After being spoken to, we hear the sounds but without our attention being fixed on the words we don’t understand the first part of what was said. Without the first part we often miss the context of the rest of the sentence and do not understand the full meaning of what is being communicated. So, we say, “What?”

The Word and To Bear Fruit

I think that the “word” that Jesus spoke about in His explanation of the parable is specifically the Christian Gospel Message. The Gospel is a life transforming message that is both temporal and spiritual. It is about God’s love, sacrifice and the immediate saving of the individual’s soul and ultimately eternal life. This very message is easily dismissed, thrown away or forgotten. But there are some who retain and apply the Gospel message to their lives and even spread it to others. I think that to “bear fruit” in this context refers to the personal growth of the individuals who do accept and apply the Gospel message to their own life and also influence others who come to accept the Gospel message through them.

Beyond the Spiritual

I think Jesus’ explanation also applies to other temporal life changing messages. Messages of personal responsibility, hard work, consistent good character and many others are in the same ways easily dismissed, thrown away or forgotten. We all have to be reminded again and again about what is right and how to act righteously and how to succeed in life. Many people will not accept sound advice. But some people will apply the good advice they receive and the lessons they learn and will even teach others how to succeed in life.

DEFINITIONS: Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

listen: G191 ἀκούω akouō — a primary verb; to hear (in various senses such as to consider what is or has been said or to comprehend or understand the sense of what is said)

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments

In today’s Western culture there is so much information and so much distraction with technology, and we are inundated with so many marketing messages that we may not notice or recognize the most important messages being communicated to us. When I need to verbally communicate something of particular importance I must ensure I have the full attention of the recipient. Saying their name or just saying, “Listen up!” can help greatly.

Christian Application Beyond the Purely Practical

First and foremost I am to personally listen so as to obey what God says. Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 8 when He was tempted. Deuteronomy 8 states that man lives by every word of the Lord and not only by physical bread. It goes on to say that to obtain true success, “… you shall keep the commandments of the LORD your God, to walk in His ways and to fear Him.” Jesus’ parable and His explanation suggests that personal obedience to God is made complete when I teach others to do the same.

RETURN TO COMMAND

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

34 ½ Observe How the Lilies Grow

6 November, 2019

Christopher Carlson

Mt 6:28 “Observe how the lilies …grow;”

Summary Notes

What did Jesus say?

When Jesus came down from the mountain, He told His followers to take time to observe the natural beauty of wild flowers so as not to be overly concerned about clothing.

Why would He say this?

White Shoal and Ship — Photo by Dawn Carlson
Paint is the “clothing” of a lighthouse. The White Shoal lighthouse has a distinctive color scheme in order to identify it among others nearby during the daytime. There are dangerous shoals in northern Lake Michigan. Therefore a mariner must know exactly where he or she is in order to safely navigate these waters. A fresh coat of paint on the lighthouse would be essential from time to time. It would be like putting on clean clothing!
Click here see why I like lighthouses.
This image and more can be found in the Photo Gallery.

In Jesus’ day clothing was much more difficult to make. It would have been costly in time or money. A poor person might literally worry about what he or she would wear or could wear. Today, clothing is so abundant even the poorest people on earth can generally find something to wear. In our modern Western Society we worry more about whether our wardrobe is in fashion or not. I think our struggle is light in comparison to Jesus’s day but we can still get caught up worrying about clothing.

Click here for a personal application and your comments link …or scroll down for my full notes…

COMMAND 34 ½: “Observe how the lilies …grow;”

Mt 6:28

RECIPIENT: To the disciples in the hearing of the crowds on the mountain

Mt 5:1-2 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. ²He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,

CONTEXT: A continuation of the Sermon on the Mount

Mt 6:26-28a “Look at the birds of the air, that they do not sow, nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not worth much more than they? ²⁷And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life? ²⁸And why are you worried about clothing? “

Lk 12:25-26 “And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life’s span? ²⁶If then you cannot do even a very little thing, why do you worry about other matters?”

COMMAND FULL TEXT AND IMMEDIATE RESULT:

Mt 6:28b ”Observe how the lilies of the field grow; they do not toil nor do they spin, ²⁹yet I say to you that not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. ³⁰But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith!”

Lk 12:27a”Consider the lilies, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin; but I tell you, not even Solomon in all his glory clothed himself like one of these. ²⁸But if God so clothes the grass in the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, how much more will He clothe you? You men of little faith!”

RESULT:

No stated result except after the next chapter when Jesus came down from the mountain.

Mt 7:28-29; 8:1 When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; ²⁹for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
¹When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him.

MY COMMENTS AND NOTES:

Jesus’ command to not worry about what to wear is in the context of the surrounding verses to not worry at all but instead to have faith that God will provide the basic necessities of life and more. I think that He provides these things primarily through personal initiative and industry to people who possess the ability and opportunity to work. To others He provides in other ways.

Clothing and The Effect of Sin

Clothing was invented by Adam and Eve after they sinned and became aware of their nakedness.

Before they disobeyed God’s clear command: Ge 2:25 And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.
After they disobeyed God’s clear command: Ge 3:7 And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

God Himself made clothing for Adam and Eve out out of skins after this. Bible scholars consider this act to be the first blood sacrifice of an animal to cover the sin of mankind. They also consider the fact that God provided the sacrifice as being significant because it set the pattern for Jesus becoming the ultimate and final sacrifice for sin.

Ge 3:21 The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them.

Practical Considerations of Clothing

Of course clothing has many practical purposes too. The Earth’s climate is vastly different now than in Adam and Eve’s days and clothing is essential to protect our bodies from heat, cold and wind. Also our daily activities demand protective clothing. For instance, shoes protect our feet from injury while we walk. Motorcycle leather and a helmet help protect the rider from injury in the event of a mishap.

In Jesus’s day clothing was much more difficult to make. A poor person might literally worry about what he or she would wear or could wear. Today, clothing is so abundant even the poorest people on earth can generally find something to wear.
In our modern Western Society we worry more about whether our wardrobe is in fashion or not. I think our struggle is light in comparison to Jesus’s day but we can still get caught up worrying about clothing; I only have to look at how much I spend on clothing to judge whether or not I think too much about my wardrobe.

I am not to worry about clothing, but I cannot simply ignore the subject. I’m not sure how to balance the fact that I am going to be judged by my coworkers and social circle by what I wear; so I don’t want to wear dirty or ragged or even mismatched clothing. In my professional setting, I also do not want to draw undue attention to myself because of my clothing. Therefore, it cannot be outlandish with flash or flair or dirty or smelly. My clothing could be more expensive but I simply cannot afford truly fine designer threads, shoes and accessories.

DEFINITIONS: Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

word: G2919 κρίνω kree’-nō — Properly to distinguish, that is, decide (mentally or judicially); by implication to try, condemn, punish

word: G2983 λαμβάνω lam-ban’-ō — A primary verb: to take

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and share it in the comments

I cannot ignore the fact that people will judge me with a first impression based partly on how I dress. However, my life’s concerns are much too important to spend my energy worrying about what people think regarding what I wear. Clothing is a practicality for me. I will wear protective clothing as needed for my activities as I can afford them. For my profession I’ll wear appropriate clothing and keep it neat and clean so as not to distract others by it. My personal wardrobe will be modest but I’ll keep it clean and up to date as items wear out. Hopefully, my character and quality of work will overcome any perceived lack of style due to my wardrobe.

RETURN TO COMMAND

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

Pray Like This

15 October, 2019

Christopher Carlson

Matthew Sermon on the Mount 2 Comments

Mt 6:9b-13 “Pray… in this way:

Summary Notes

What did Jesus say?

Jesus told His followers how to pray: `Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’”

Why would He say this?

St Clair Flats Range Lights 1859 — Photo by Dawn Carlson
From 1859 to 1934 ship captains would “follow” the St Clair Flats Front and Rear Range Lights through the narrow channel as they navigated near the mouth of the St. Clair River. They did this by positioning their vessel to align the lights one over the other when seen from a distance. In essence the lights told them to, “Sail this way” for safe passage. Jesus told his disciples to, ‘Pray this way” for an effective prayer. He then gave them a prayer as a model to fashion their own prayers.
Click here see why I like lighthouses.

I think that this prayer was a simply meant to teach me the basic outline of an effective prayer. As an outline I also think that I am free to add all the detail I would like to fully express myself in prayer.

Jesus was speaking to followers of the God of the Bible. Yet, I think that His prayer has application for conscientious people of any faith. In the “My Comments and Notes” section I’ve outlined why I think that Jesus’ prayer has interfaith application.

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or Scroll down for my full notes…

Command 28 “Pray, …in this way:”

Mt 6:9a; see also in separate context Lk 11:2-4

RECIPIENT: To the disciples in the hearing of the crowds on the mountain

Mt 5:1-2 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. ²He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying…

CONTEXT: A continuation of the Sermon on the Mount

Mt 6:6-7 “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
⁷“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. ⁸So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”

COMMAND FULL TEXT:

Mt 6:9b-13 “Pray, then, in this way: `Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. ¹⁰Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. ¹¹Give us this day our daily bread. ¹²And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ¹³And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil.’”

RESULT:

Mt 6:14-15: “For if you forgive others for their transgressions, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. ¹⁵But if you do not forgive others, then your Father will not forgive your transgressions.”

Also, after Jesus concluded the sermon in the next chapter:

DEFINITIONS: Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

(word:: Strong’s # Greek word pronunciation — definition)

pray: 4336 προσευìχομαι pros-yoo’-khom-ahee — to talk to, to supplicate or worship God

in this way: 3779 οὕτω hoo’-tō — referring to what precedes or follows

MY COMMENTS AND NOTES:

Jesus was speaking to believers in the God of the Bible and this model prayer was meant to be applied in that context. I think that Jesus’ prayer can also be adapted as a template for meditation.

Christian:

I think of this as a model prayer that Jesus spoke to teach me the basic outline of an effective prayer. The prayer can be used as is or I can embellish it by filling in the outline with copious details.

This is a model prayer that:

1. Acknowledges God as personal and in command of the universe.
2. Reverences Him.
3. Agrees with His purposes over me personally and universally
4. Acknowledges that good things come from God and asks Him for my basic daily needs.
5. Assumes that God will forgive my debts (moral failings, sins) if I ask Him and maintain a humble heart to forgive people when they fail me.
6. Asks God to lead me to resist temptations and my inherent tendency toward moral failure.
7. Asks God to deliver me from adversities

Interfaith and Secular:

I also think that Jesus’ prayer can be used as an outline for effective meditation.

This is a template for meditation that:

1. Acknowledge there is purpose in the universe larger than myself.
2. Respect that purpose.
3. Agree that all individuals are subject to the same basic physical and spiritual realities and therefore we are all alike and have equal worth and dignity.
4. Acknowledges that the universe is not against me but that I am meant for good things and any other reality is abnormal.
5. Assumes I can have peace in spite of my moral failings if, with a humble heart, I ask for forgiveness and if I forgive people when they fail me.
6. Acknowledge my tendency toward moral failure and reaffirm the commitment to personal and public moral excellence.
7. Understand that I have problems but I also have faith that there is a path to resolution and I resolve to find that path.

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and share it in the comments

I will consider and implement the interfaith applications of Jesus’ prayer and use it as the template for for my own prayers.

RETURN TO COMMAND

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Do Not Use Meaningless Repetition Like Them

26 September, 2019

Christopher Carlson

Matthew Sermon on the Mount No Comments

Mt 6:7-8 “…when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.” ⁸So do not be like them…”

Summary Notes

What did Jesus say?

Jesus said to use my mind to think when I pray.

Why would He say this?

Lake St. Claire Light and Freighter — Photo by Dawn Carlson
Lake St. Clair is very shallow and large ships will run aground should they stray off the deep channel. The Lake St. Clair Light Station marks the channel for these larger ships.
At night the light, like any lighthouse communicates its position and identity with its color and flash pattern. The light need not stay on during the day. It would be silly and wasteful because the light station’s position and identity are obvious in the light of day. Meaningless repetition in prayer with God or in speech with people is similarly silly and a waste of time and effort; and it’s annoying to people who have to listen. Click here see why I like lighthouses.

Jesus was talking specifically about a method of prayer that involved repeating a word or phrase over and over and over again. The Gentiles’ method of prayer involved repeating a word or phrase over and over and over again. The Judeo-Christian belief is God already knows what I need more than I do and therefore such repetition is not necessary. My simple prayer is a demonstration to God that I believe in Him and that He hears me..

Mindful repetition has value

I have found that a good way to drive conscience ideas into my mind is to memorize. When I memorize anything it involves a lot of repetition; but it is not mindless. Mere repetition does not work well for me to memorize or meditate on something I want to learn. A method that works well for me is to write what I’m memorizing and even draw pictures of the ideas and then speak it out load. This method works well for memorization of school or professional topics as well as personal subjects such as Bible verses and even chapters.

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or Scroll down for my full notes…

Command 26 “…do not use meaningless repetition…”

Command 27 “…do not be like them…”

Mt 5:40 also Lk 6:29

RECIPIENT: To the disciples in the hearing of the crowds on the mountain

Mt 5:1-2 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. ²He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,

CONTEXT: A continuation of the Sermon on the Mount

Mt 6:1-6 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.”
²“So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ³But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
⁵“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ⁶But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

COMMAND FULL TEXT AND IMMEDIATE RESULT:

“And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.” ⁸So do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.”

RESULT after Jesus concluded that sermon and came down from the mountain:

MY COMMENTS AND NOTES:

Why did Jesus mention the Gentiles here and who are they and what is their significance to this command?

Jesus was speaking to a crowd that consisted primarily of Jewish people. The Greek word ἔθνος eth’-nos, is translated into English as, “gentile” means a multitude of the human family and by implication non-Jewish.
The Bible states that the Jewish nation was chosen by God to be the nation whereby if they would obey His commands then He would demonstrate His goodness so that the greater world of people would see and be drawn to obedience to God. In this way He could bless them too.
Unfortunately the Jewish nation failed to obey God’s commands and incurred His wrath instead. But, the Jewish people of Jesus’ day held dearly to the bigoted belief that they were better than the rest of the people in the world. Therefore, Jesus’ use of the term ἔθνος in this command as a negative example was an acknowledgement of the crowd’s beliefs and not an endorsement of them.

Repeating over and over and over again

Jesus told his followers not to use the methods of prayer that the Gentiles used when praying to their gods. The Gentiles’ method of prayer involved repeating a word or phrase over and over and over again. The Judeo-Christian belief is that God already knows what I need more than I do. My non-repetitious prayer is a demonstration to God that I believe in Him and that He hears me.

Persistent prayer is deliberate

Persistent prayer is deliberate and not mindless. Jesus said not to use mindless repetition in prayer. He also said elsewhere to pray persistently. He even told a story about persistent prayer.

Lk 18:1-7 Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart, ²Saying, “In a certain city there was a judge who did not fear God and did not respect man. ³There was a widow in that city, and she kept coming to him, saying, ‘Give me legal protection from my opponent.’ ⁴For a while he was unwilling; but afterward he said to himself, ‘Even though I do not fear God nor respect man, ⁵yet because this widow bothers me, I will give her legal protection, otherwise by continually coming she will wear me out.’ ⁶And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge said; ⁷Now, will not God bring about justice for His elect who cry to Him day and night, and will He delay long over them?

A good way to drive conscience ideas into my subconscious mind is to memorize. When I memorize anything it involves a lot of repetition; but it is not mindless. Memorizing a great quote or a relevant Bible verse is a form of meditation. I’ve found, for me, that mere repetition does not work well to memorize or meditate on something I want to learn. However, writing what I’m memorizing and drawing pictures of the ideas and then speaking it out load are very effective.

DEFINITIONS: Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

(word: Strong’s # greek word pronunciation — definition)

meaningless repetition: 945 βαττολογεìω bat-tol-og-eh’-ō — to talk much with little purpose

gentiles: 1482 ἐθνικοìς eth-nee-kos’ — the nations

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments

I should creatively involve my mind and not use mere repetition for more effective meditation or prayer. I must use words that are meaningful. Any repetition I use must be deliberate for a purpose beyond filling the time or to just to be heard.

RETURN TO COMMAND

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

Pray in Secret

18 September, 2019

Christopher Carlson

Matthew Sermon on the Mount No Comments

Mt 6:6 “…when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray …in secret…”

Summary Notes

What did Jesus say?

Instead of showing off with grand public prayers that demonstrate to everyone my attitude of self righteous superiority, Jesus is saying to be discrete and even secretive with my prayers .

Why would He say this?

Photo: Dawn Carlson
The Big Sable Lighthouse is one of the tallest in Michigan. The lightkeeper’s primary responsibility was to keep the light lit during the darkness. He or she had to keep the lamp fueled, trim the wicks, clean the windows, wind or tend the mechanisms throughout the night and during the day. Lightkeepers were seldom public figures; they didn’t have the time.
Like silent prayer or meditation good things happened because their belief was followed up with action. They quietly went about their duties because they believed in their mission. As a result, over 190 years, thousands and thousands of lives were saved, thousands of ships and hundreds of thousands (perhaps millions) of cargoes arrived at their planned destinations. This image and more can be found in the Photo Gallery. Click here see why I like lighthouses

Jesus just got through explaining why and how to be discrete when I do good things and when I give to people. He then tells me how to avoid being seen as a hypocrite when I pray.

Jesus did not prohibit public prayer with this command. He and the apostles practiced public prayer on occasion. He merely pointed out that God is not impressed with people who pray (or speak) in public for the purpose of self aggrandizement.

Benefit beyond the spiritual

It’s my opinion that fervent prayer in secret serves to drive conscience ideas into the subconscious. When I truly believe in an idea, my subconscious mind begins to work by ordering my conscience thoughts and actions. By this mechanism I begin to notice opportunities that I would have otherwise missed and to act in ways that seem to attract the good things I seek.

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or Scroll down for my full notes…

COMMAND 25: “…go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret…”

Mt 6:6

RECIPIENT: To the disciples in the hearing of the crowds on the mountain

Mt 5:1-2 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. ²He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying…

CONTEXT: A continuation of the Sermon on the Mount

Mt 6:1-5 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.”
²“So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ³But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”
⁵“When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.”

COMMAND FULL TEXT AND IMMEDIATE RESULT:

Mt 6:6 “But you, when you pray, go into your inner room, close your door and pray to your Father who is in secret and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

RESULT:

No stated result except for one chapter later when Jesus came down from the mountain

MY COMMENTS AND NOTES:

Jesus did not prohibit public prayer with this command. He and the apostles practiced public prayer on occasion. With this command, Jesus pointed out that God does not reward people who pray (or speak) in public for the purpose of self aggrandizement; that kind of speech has its own reward in public opinion. Jesus said that God hears people who pray with humility and who honor Him.

Most prayer is in secret. But there are times when it is appropriate for people to pray together. On occasion Jesus and His followers prayed out loud and in groups with the clear purpose and result to honor God.

What example of prayer did Jesus and the apostles give?

Jesus prayed publicly

Jn 11:41-42 So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, “Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. ⁴²I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.”

Jesus prayed privately

Mt 14:23 After He had sent the crowds away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray; and when it was evening, He was there alone;

Mt 26:36 Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray”;

Mk 1:35 In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left {the house,} and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.

The apostles prayed publicly

Ac 4:24ff And when they heard {this,} they lifted their voices to God with one accord and said, “O Lord, it is You who MADE THE HEAVEN AND THE EARTH AND THE SEA, AND ALL THAT IS IN THEM,…

Ac 6:5-6 …And they chose out Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, ⁶each of whom they made stand before the apostles. And having prayed, they placed their hands on them.

Ac 20:36 When he had said these things, he knelt down and prayed with them all.

The apostles prayed privately

Ac 9:40 But Peter sent them all out and knelt down and prayed, and turning to the body, he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter, she sat up.

Ac 10:9 On the next day, as they were on their way and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray.

My Opinion

I think that this command to pray in secret is related to the popular idea of “Attraction”. My take on the idea of “Attraction” is that meditation and prayer serve to drive conscience ideas into the subconscious. When I truly believe in an idea, my subconscious mind begins to work ordering my conscience thoughts and actions. By this mechanism I begin to act in ways that attract like minded individuals and I notice opportunities that would have otherwise been missed. Of course it’s important that I choose those individuals and opportunities well!

DEFINITIONS: Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

go: 1525 εἰσεìρχομαι ice-er’-khom-ahee — to go in

inner room: 5009 ταμεῖον tam-i’-on — a storage chamber, storeroom

secret: 2927 κρυπτοìς kroop-tos’ — concealed or private

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments

Private meditation or prayer is an invaluable tool. It strengthens my thinking and assists my subconscious mind to order my actions according to belief. Associating with carefully chosen like-minded people is an excellent method to multiply the results.

RETURN TO COMMAND

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

Don’t Be a Hypocrite

11 September, 2019

Christopher Carlson

Matthew Sermon on the Mount No Comments

Mt 6:5 “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray …so that they may be seen by men.”

Summary Notes

What did Jesus say?

Jesus said to not be like a hypocrite. That is someone who pretends, like an actor in a play, to be more than they really are.

Why would He say this?

If I use religious cover such as a prayer to display my arrogance, then the prayer sounds like hypocrisy to others. I think we all have a keen sense to

Photo: Dawn Carlson
It’s easy to look down on people from my own perspective and see their flaws. I must remember to be patient with others because it is all too easy for them to look down from their perspective on my flaws.
The New Presque Isle Lighthouse on the coast of Lake Huron has been guiding mariners since 1871. The words of Jesus have been guiding people since the 0030’s!
This image and more can be found in the Photo Gallery. Click here see why I like lighthouses.

recognize hypocrisy when we see it in others. However, it is much more difficult to see it in ourselves.

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or Scroll down for my full notes…

COMMAND 24: “…you are not to be like the hypocrites…”

Mt 6:5

RECIPIENT: To the disciples in the hearing of the crowds on the mountain

Mt 5:1-2 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. ²He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying…

CONTEXT: A continuation of the Sermon on the Mount

Mt 6:1-4 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. ²So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men. Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full. ³But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, ⁴so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”

COMMAND FULL TEXT AND IMMEDIATE RESULT:

Mt 6:5 “When you pray, you are not to be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners so that they may be seen by men. “Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.”

RESULT:

COMMENT:

Jesus told a story to illustrate this very point. The story is found in the Bible’s book of Luke.

Lk 18:9-14 Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else: ¹⁰“Two men went to the Temple to pray. One was a Pharisee, and the other was a despised tax collector. ¹¹The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed this prayer: ‘I thank you, God, that I am not a sinner like everyone else. For I don’t cheat, I don’t sin, and I don’t commit adultery. I’m certainly not like that tax collector! ¹²I fast twice a week, and I give you a tenth of my income.’

¹³“But the tax collector stood at a distance and dared not even lift his eyes to heaven as he prayed. Instead, he beat his chest in sorrow, saying, ‘O God, be merciful to me, for I am a sinner.’ ¹⁴I tell you, this sinner, not the Pharisee, returned home justified before God. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

I think we all have a keen sense to recognize hypocrisy when we see it in others. It is much more difficult to see it in ourselves. I also think that it is hard to understand my own motives. For some reason I feel the need to make myself more important in the mind of others and perhaps this leads to critical words. Pure unselfish motives are difficult to maintain and may be impossible in most circumstances; but I think it’s important to recognize this fact before I say something stupid and hypocritical.

If I build myself up and belittle others with my public words, most people will perceive the words as coming from someone who is arrogant or hypocritical. I have heard it said that the reason people would perceive hypocrisy in me is often because the very attitudes and actions I might point out as character flaws in other people are also present in myself but manifested differently. If I use religious cover such as a prayer to display my arrogance then then it’s no wonder that the prayer sounds like hypocrisy.

DEFINITIONS: Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text.

pray: 4336 προσευìχομαι pros-yoo’-khom-ahee — to pray

hypocrites: 5273 ὑποκριτηìς hoop-ok-ree-tace’ — one who answers, an actor, a hypocrite

love: 5368 φιλεìω fil-eh’- ō — to love (brotherly love)

stand: 2476 ἱìστημι his’-tay-mee — to make to stand, to stand

seen: 5316 φαιìνω fah’ee-nō — to bring to light, cause to appear

men: 444 ἀìνθρωπος anth’-rō-pos — a human being

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: This is my application; I encourage you to make your own

I must demonstrate the attitude of humility whenever I speak publicly. The purpose of public speaking is not to call attention to myself for personal glory. Instead, the purpose is to bring benefit to the listeners. The value of the benefit I produce will win the appropriate praise.

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

Return to Command 24

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

When You Give Don’t Do This

2 September, 2019

Christopher Carlson

Matthew Sermon on the Mount No Comments

Mt 6:2-3 “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do… so that they may be honored by men. But when you give… do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing…

Summary Notes

What did Jesus say?

“Don’t blow your own horn” is an old saying used to admonish people who like to brag about their own awesomeness. Jesus is telling me how to conduct myself when I “practice righteousness” in the form of giving.

Why would He say this?

Au Sable Light Station w/Jim Rohn Quote — Photo: Dawn Carlson – The fog signal building at Au Sable Light Station on Lake Superior is the far building on the right. The fog signal was an incredibly loud steam powered horn. It was placed in operation in 1897 to warn mariners of their proximity to shore and the dangerous rocks nearby. Mariners came to expect and rely on it during foggy weather. That is what the fog signal is for. It would have been inappropriate and annoying to everyone if the signal was to sound on a clear day. In a similar way my experiences and know how can be helpful and encouraging to someone who wants to know. However, it would be inappropriate and annoying to everyone if I were to brag about how awesome I think that I am.
Jim Rohn’s was a well known “Success” mentor, author and speaker. His quote about giving shows that he believed that giving was an essential part of being a successful person. I think that Jesus implies the same idea, because He did not say to His followers, “If” you give; He said “when” you give. This image and more can be found in the Photo Gallery. Click here see why I like lighthouses.

Acts of mercy or alms done for public show invite public esteem to myself and this esteem becomes the sole reward. Keep in mind that showing acts of mercy or giving alms publicly are not evil things to do. However, Jesus is saying that the more I impress people with my gifts to charity the less God is impressed with the gifts. My giving for the purpose of personal glory is certainly not the wisest investment!

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or Scroll down for my full notes…

COMMAND 22: “So when you give… do not sound a trumpet …”
COMMAND 23: “But when you give…, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,”

Mt 6:2-3

CONTEXT: A continuation of the Sermon on the Mount

Mt 6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven.”

RECIPIENT: To the disciples in the hearing of the crowds on the mountain

Mt 5:1-2 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. ²He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying…

COMMAND FULL TEXT:

Mt 6:2 “So when you give to the poor, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be honored by men.”

Mt 6:3 “But when you give to the poor, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing …”

RESULT:

For sounding a trumpet: Mt 6:2b “Truly I say to you, they have their reward in full.”

For your right hand keeping a secret from your left hand: Mt 6:4 “…so that your giving will be in secret; and your Father who sees {what is done} in secret will reward you.”

Also a result after Jesus finished talking: Mt 7:28-29; 8:1 When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; ²⁹for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes.
¹When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him.

COMMENT: Jesus spoke similar word when He was invited to eat with a Jewish leader;

Lk 14:12-14 And He also went on to say to the one who had invited Him, “When you give a luncheon or a dinner, do not invite your friends or your brothers or your relatives or rich neighbors, otherwise they may also invite you in return and {that} will be your repayment. ¹³“But when you give a reception, invite {the} poor, {the} crippled, {the} lame, {the} blind, ¹⁴and you will be blessed, since they do not have {the means} to repay you; for you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

Don’t blow your own horn!

I think that the command to not sound a trumpet when giving to charity is the source of the idiom “to blow your own horn.” Acts of mercy or alms done for public show bring glory or esteem to oneself as the sole reward for doing them. Showing acts of mercy or giving alms publicly are not evil things to do. However, Jesus is saying that the credit for the deed is not deposited into my “heavenly account.” The implication is that there is such an account! Another way that I can summarize is to say that the more I impress people with my gifts to charity the less God is impressed with the gifts. My giving for the purpose of personal glory is certainly not the wisest investment!

A reason for public giving

I think that there is a place for public show of charity for the purpose of encouraging others to give. I do not think Jesus prohibits such giving. In my opinion however, this kind of giving should be the exception rather than the norm.

Obviously, I cannot keep a secret from my own body.

Therefore, the text has deeper meaning. If I take active steps to keep my gifts secret then only God and I will know about it. The recipient who benefits has no one to thank but God. Also, he or she will not be able to pressure me to give them more. If I give In this way, I will demonstrate personal faith in God since He is the only one who can reward me.

DEFINITIONS: Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text.

give: G1654 ἐλεημοσύνη el-eh-ay-mos-oo’-nay — mercy, pity, specifically alms

sound a trumpet: G4537 σαλπίζω sal-pid’-zō — to make known by trumpeting

hypocrites: G5273 ὑποκριτής hoop-ok-ree-tace’ — one who answers – as an actor on a stage

honored: G1392 δοξάζω dox-ad’-zō — to render or esteem glorious

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments

Do not to make a tacky public show of giving gifts to individuals or contributions to charitable organizations. In most cases I should take deliberate steps to keep my contributions anonymous and hidden from even those who are close to me. I can have faith that people will be helped. There will be peace knowing that no one will come to me asking for more. I can have faith that God will be pleased.

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

RETURN TO COMMAND

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Beware of Righteousness for Show

26 August, 2019

Christopher Carlson

Matthew Sermon on the Mount No Comments

Mt 6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men.”

Summary Notes

What did Jesus say?

Jesus said to be careful about how I go about doing good. He will say more about this in the next command but in this command Jesus implies that God notices when I do good things for the right reasons.

Why would He say this?

Photo: Dawn Carlson – I’m using this lighthouse picture again because the Lighthouse at Eagle Harbor had a Lifesaving Station. When a ship became stranded it was up to the men of the United States Life Saving Service to rescue them. This they did many times. They did not go out to show-off. They went out because it was their job to risk their own lives to save others regardless of the victims’ social status, wealth or goodness. This image and more can be found in the Photo Gallery. Click here see why I like lighthouses.

This command is about how to demonstrate love, that is practicing good deeds for people with acts of service or charity. It is also about who gets the credit.

At first this command appears to contradict Jesus’ earlier command to, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” The first instruction is for me to do good so that others get the credit and the second is to be careful not to show-off how good I am. I can do a good deed to receive the praise of people or I can do it in a way so as to minimize the praise given to me and to allow them to give praise to God or perhaps to an organization.

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or Scroll down for my full notes…

COMMAND 21: “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men…”

Mt 6:1 also Lk 6:29

RECIPIENT: To the disciples in the hearing of the crowds on the mountain,

Mt 5:1-2 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. ²He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying…

CONTEXT: A continuation of the Sermon on the Mount:

Mt 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶“For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷“If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸“Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

COMMAND FULL TEXT AND IMMEDIATE RESULT:

Mt 6:1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven. ”

RESULT:

No stated result except for two chapters later when Jesus came down from the mountain

COMMENTS:

At first this command appears to contradict Matthew 5:16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” The current command is actually a complimentary instruction and I think it balances Matthew 5:16. It is about doing righteous (good) works in order to show-off how good I am. I can do a good deed to receive the praise of people or I can do it in a way so that people give their praise to God. I think that my human nature is prone to brag about how good I am! The intended result of who gets the credit makes all the difference.

Here are other Bible verses that are relevant to the subject of “practicing your righteousness.”

Lk 6:38 “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure — pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.”

Ep 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

1 Tm 6:18 {Instruct them} to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share,

The morning after Jesus had performed a great miracle by feeding a crowd of thousands with only five barley loaves and two fish some of the crowd went looking for Him in order to receive another free meal.

Jn 6:24-26 So when the crowd saw that Jesus was not there, nor His disciples, they themselves got into the small boats, and came to Capernaum seeking Jesus. ²⁵When they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him, “Rabbi, when did You get here?” ²⁶Jesus answered them and said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.”

DEFINITIONS: Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible text

beware: G4337 προσέχω pros-ekh’-ō — to pay attention, be cautious

righteousness: G1654 ἐλεημοσύνη el-eh-ay-mos-oo’-nay — mercy, pity, specifically alms

before: G1715 ἔμπροσθεν em’-pros-then — before, in front of in place or time

men: G444 ἄνθρωπος anth’-ro-pos — people

noticed: G2300 θεάομαι theh-ah’-om-ahee — to behold, look upon

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments

When I demonstrate acts of kindness or mercy and when I give to charity or to an individual do not, in general, make a public show of it in order to receive public praise. Help in a way that is beneficial to the recipient, does not result in dependency and any praise given by the recipients is given to God or perhaps to an organization.

See also Matthew 6:2, 3 next week

RETURN TO COMMAND

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB

Please share a comment, question or perhaps another application for this command of Jesus.

Be Perfect

22 August, 2019

Christopher Carlson

Matthew Sermon on the Mount No Comments

Mt 5:48 “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Summary Notes

Say What?!

Jesus just said to His followers that they love and pray for their enemies; and then He told them to be perfect like God. But wait, isn’t this impossible?! “Perfect,” means to be complete, to be mature.

Why would He say this?

Stannard Rock Lighthouse with Quote — Photo by Dawn Carlson – Stannard Rock Lighthouse is located on a shallow reef 25 miles from the nearest land. It is so remote that it took 5 years to build it. Once built the light was called by its keepers as, “the loneliest spot in the United States.” The light was needed for safety. Shipping on Lake Superior was already heavy in 1882 when the light was first lit. This light was a “perfect” solution because it solved a problem for everyone. Mariners, ship owners, business owners, whether good or bad, benefited by not having lives, ships and cargo lost to the lake due to hitting the hidden reef. Mother Teresa’s quote is so fitting because she speaks about always thinking of the needs of others rather than just myself. This image and more can be found in the Photo Gallery. Click here see why I like lighthouses.

I don’t think that this command is about me never making mistakes; it is about love. Jesus commands me to demonstrate agape love to the people around me, even to those I don’t like or are mean to me. Perfect agape love is manifest in meeting the basic needs of people such as food, water, shelter, clothing, security, education and perhaps several others. Jesus is telling me to “Grow up!” when it comes to love.

Click here for my personal application and your comments link …or Scroll down for my full notes…

COMMAND 20: “… you are to be perfect… ”

REFERENCE: Mt 5:48

RECIPIENT: To the disciples in the hearing of the crowds on the mountain,

Mt 5:1-2 When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. ²He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying…

CONTEXT: A continuation of the Sermon on the Mount

Mt 5:43-48 “You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶“For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? ⁴⁸Therefore…”

COMMAND FULL TEXT:

Mt 5:48 “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

RESULT:

No stated result except for two chapters later when Jesus came down from the mountain

DEFINITIONS: Key Greek Words – Removes ambiguity of the Bible’s English translation

(word: Strong’s # Greek pronunciation — definition)

perfect: G5046 τέλειος tel’-i-os — complete in various applications of labor, growth, mental and moral character, etc.

COMMENTS: In context of “…love your enemies.”

These verses are part of the same paragraph as Command 19 (“…love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you…”) and therefore are in the same context.

Who were the tax collectors whom Jesus mentioned?

Tax collectors were detestable to the Jews during the Roman occupation. The reason was because tax collectors were fellow Jewish people who contracted with the Roman authorities to collect the Roman tribute and were therefore considered traitors by their countrymen. Furthermore, with Roman authority tax collectors were free to keep any additional revenue over and above the taxes due to the Roman government and many tax collectors abused their authority and got rich from extortion.

Who were the Gentiles whom Jesus mentioned?

Jews of Jesus’ day considered themselves a special family of people that God Himself had chosen to give His laws. Gentiles were anyone who was not of full Jewish descent and culturally regarded to some degree as inferior because they were not a part of God’s “chosen people.”

Practical Agape Love

Jesus commands me to demonstrate agape love to the people around me, even to my enemies. Agape love is manifest in meeting the basic needs of people such as food, water, shelter, clothing, security, education and perhaps several others. Contributing, volunteering and working for a charitable organization are excellent ways to demonstrate agape love to people.

I’ve often interpreted Jesus’ command to supply the needs of those around me only in the context of contributing to charity. However, there are many other ways to provide the necessities of life to the people around us. For instance, employment is the major avenue most of us are supplied with these needs. Therefore, businesses which provide employment and services that facilitate employment or contribute to these basic needs fulfill, at least partially, Jesus’ command to love.

MY PERSONAL APPLICATION: I encourage you to make your own application and please share it in the comments

The most basic needs of people everywhere are the same. My attitudes and actions must not deny my neighbor or even my enemy access to the resources to meet those needs. Regarding basic needs my attitude and actions are to be equally inclusive. One way I can do this is to reevaluate my personal and political philosophies and actions to ensure I am supporting and more importantly, demonstrating love to all in an appropriate way. Wow!! This is an easy thing to say but I’m a work in progress when it comes to doing!

RETURN TO COMMAND

Scripture quotations taken from the NASB