Do You Love Me?

John 21:15‭-‬17

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Feed my lambs."  He said to him a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" He said to him, "Yes, Lord; you know that I love you." He said to him, "Tend my sheep."  He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love me?" Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, "Do you love me?" and he said to him, "Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you." Jesus said to him, "Feed my sheep."

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We live in a unique time in Christian history when it comes to Bible translations. At the turn of the 21st century, there are about 900 English translations of Scripture, most of these having emerged in the last 200 years of scholarship and manuscript study. You can access dozens of these for free online or using some form of Bible software. And with all this effort to learn the original Hebrew and Greek languages, it can be tempting to think that only a language scholar can know what the Bible really says.

As someone who has spent some time learning Hebrew, I can tell you that there are indeed some powerful insights that can come through doing word studies and trying to grasp what these words meant in their ancient context. But I can also say with confidence that your English translation will give you 99% of the original meaning and that there are abundant footnotes and commentaries that can supplement the few concepts that are lost in translation.

John 21 is a great example of this dynamic. The conclusion to John's gospel has a clear focus, dramatic imagery, and compelling emotion in the characters and dialogue. Jesus makes another post-resurrection appearance, multiplying a catch of fish and welcoming his friends to a lakeside barbeque. Following the responses of Mary Magdalene and Thomas, we now see the emotional response of Peter, perhaps Jesus' closest and most trusted friend.

Peter is clearly excited to see Jesus again. He jumped out of the boat to get to him! But then Jesus asks him a question that we must all come to terms with:

Do you love me?

Peter answers quickly. Of course I love you, I'm thrilled to see you alive again! Jesus charges him to feed his sheep. But then Jesus asks again.

Do you love me?

Peter answers again, maybe a little hesitant this time. Why is he asking again? Yes, I love you. And Jesus charges him again to shepherd his sheep. But then Jesus asks a third time.

Do you love me?

At this point, John diverts from the pattern and tells us that Peter is grieved. Why is Peter grieved?

This is where some would say that knowing the Greek words for "love" provides a deeper understanding of this passage. Jesus uses "agapao" in his first two questions, and this word is often used for sacrificial love. In contrast, Peter replies with "phileo," which often signifies brotherly love. In the third question, Jesus matches Peter and uses "phileo." And that is when Peter is grieved. But why?

Several interpreters have tried to insist that Peter was grieved by Jesus' change in wording, as if Jesus is confronting Peter's lack of sacrifice. That seems to fit the recent context, where Peter had just denied Jesus rather than face punishment for knowing him. Maybe Jesus is just putting him in his place.

But there is another interpretation that better fits the character of Jesus, and it doesn't require knowing Greek. It just requires counting to three. It is more likely that Peter is grieved, not because the word choice, but because of the three times Jesus says it. He is grieved because this mirrors the three times that Peter denied him. All the shame is hiding just under the surface.

But Jesus' goal is not shame. It is restoration. For each question there is a charge. And that charge is for Peter to rise to a privileged place of leadership in the church that Jesus would soon establish. He needed a leader who could feed and nourish a weak fellowship into a strong Spirit-filled movement which would go on to turn the world upsidedown. And Peter was the man for the job.

So the question remains for us today. Are we ready to move past our grief and shame, even if we've betrayed Jesus time and again? Are we ready to receive the power of the Holy Spirit and proclaim the resurrected Jesus? Are we prepared to bear our cross today?

Do you love me?

Transformed by His Word

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

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What is the central message of the Bible?  How would you summarize the whole thing?  How can you grasp and understand this message more clearly?  Why should you even try?

One way to answer these questions is found in Deuteronomy 6.  Moses has just finished reiterating the Ten Commandments in the preceding chapter, and chapter 6 provides a culminating statement about God's law, summarizing what He has spoken and what He requires of His chosen people:

Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.

For later generations of Jews, this verse became known as the "Shema," the Hebrew word for "Hear." It would also become famous to Christians for its place in the teaching of Jesus.  When Jesus was asked by a lawyer to pick the greatest commandment in all of the Jewish Law, his response was this:

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40)

Not only did Jesus quote the Shema.  He also quoted another passage in the Law referring to love of neighbor as equally important.  And then he went a step further and claimed that all of the Law and Prophets depend upon these two concepts.

1. Love for God
2. Love for Others

In other words, Jesus gave us at least one way to answer the question, "What is the Bible all about?" The answer is: Love God and Love Others.  These two concepts can be used as a lens through which all of Scripture can be understood.

But this also begs the question, "How can I love God and love others?"  And, I think Deuteronomy 6 provides some answers to this "How" question as well.  The answer is: Mediate on His Word.

This passage connects the command to love the Lord with mediating on His Word.  Moses describes several different ways to focus on God's command, all in an effort for us to integrate it more deeply into our lives:

Read/Hear/Memorize - And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart...
Teach - You shall teach them diligently to your children...
Discuss - and shall talk of them...
Everywhere - when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way...
All the time - and when you lie down, and when you rise...
Continuously - You shall bind them as a sign on your hand...
Visually - and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes...
In writing - You shall write them...
Privately and Publicly - on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

So, Deuteronomy 6 is encouraging us to use a variety of methods to integrate God's Word into our lives.  I think that the variety is meant to open doors of creativity.  There is no one perfect way to read or study the Bible, although there are some methods that a particular person might prefer over other methods.

In other words, there is freedom to be creative in how we approach the Bible, because what matters more than the method is the goal of understanding what is written so that we can be transformed to love God more and love others more.

One way to approach the Bible is to see every encounter as a pathway to being transformed.  If we find that we are reading the Bible regularly, but it is not transforming our lives, then perhaps we need to try another method or approach it another way.  I try to see my interaction with Scripture as following these four general steps:

1. Read/Hear…in order to…
2. Meditate…in order to…
3. Understand…in order to…
4. Transform…in order to be more like Jesus

Romans 12:1-2 reminds us that we must always be seeking transformation in our Christian life.  And, this transformation can be achieved through the "renewing of our minds."  Romans 8:29 tells us that God is at work in our lives, steadily shaping us into the image of His Son.  And Colossians 3:10 tells us to "put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator."

All of these passages are just another way of saying that we need to be transformed to be more like Jesus, who was the perfect image of God, and who perfectly exemplified what it means to Love God and Love Others.  The pathway to this transformation is through reading, hearing, meditating, and understanding God's Word.

Now, when you think about the content of God's Word, you may think of heroes and villains and battles and journeys and relationships and miracles and strange visions and prophecies and songs.  You may wonder how all of that can be summarized in "Love God and Love Others."  But truly, the content of Scripture is all about who God is, who we are, what God has done for us, and what He is now doing in our lives.  And these are exactly the kinds of things, when mediated upon, that will inspire more love for God and more love for others.

When we meditate on what God has done for us, it will inspire our love for Him.
When we reflect and understand what He is saying to us, it will transform us to love others more.

Now, I'll give an example from my own life.  There was a time when I struggled to believe that God was pleased with me.  Even though I new the story of Christ dying for me, even though I had experienced His salvation and His presence in my life, I was afraid that He did not love me sometimes.  On days when I could not "feel" His presence or His love, I wondered if it was still there.  I wondered if I had sinned too many times or failed to live up to what He wanted in my life.  How could I know for certain that He was there and that He loved me?

And this is where I can confidently say that God's Word is effective to transform us.  Because at the time that I was struggling with these doubts, I happened to be meditating on Romans 5, which contains much that will inspire our Love for God and Others.

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8)

The method of reading I was using at the time was to go for a long walk outside and repeat verses several times out loud until they were memorized.

Yes, I was that guy talking to himself in public.

And, while I might have read this many times before, there was something about meditation and memorization that caused me to rewire my thinking.  Where once I feared the uncertainty of God's love, here I found that it was altogether certain and unchangeable.  For the love that God has for me is not based on my condition, nor based upon my performance, nor based upon any feeling that I might have.  It is, and always will be, based upon something God "showed" or "demonstrated" in real space and time and history.  It was an event that can never be undone or taken away.  God's love was not primarily an experience to be had, but an event to be acknowledged and relied upon.

I can honestly say that reflecting upon this truth has changed me life.  The love that I so desperately craved is altogether mine.  I am known, I am understood, I am forgiven, I am accepted.  And it is done.  And this indeed has inspired love for God and love for others, which was the point all along.

On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.

In conclusion, the Bible can been summed up as a call to Love God and Love Others.  The way to do this effectively is to be transformed by reading and meditating on God's Word, which will inspire these outcomes more and more as you do them.  And the method of the reading and meditating may take on a variety of creative forms and activities - whatever helps you to remember, understand, and be transformed.

For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Hebrews 4:12)

The Definite Article

John 1:1-3, 14

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made....And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

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If Luke's gospel is primarily concerned with how to know the truth (epistemology), then it is equally fair to say that John's account of the life of Christ is all about the question of what or who is ultimate in the universe - what is above and behind the physical reality we see around us (metaphysics). I can say this with confidence because of the two purposes statements that bookend his account.

In the beginning...

The opening statement of John should give you pause and draw immediate associations with Genesis 1. This is not unintentional. John is bringing up ultimate questions about the nature of existence, of reality, of who or what is the first cause of all that we experience in the world. And the answer is something he refers to as the "Logos" or "Word."

What is the Logos? Aside from how the word was used by other Greek philosophers of the time, there are several clues in this text as to what John means.

1. The Logos is eternal.
2. The Logos is with God.
3. The Logos is God.
4. The Logos became man.
5. The Logos is the Son of God.
6. The Logos is God.

One thing I can agree with Jehovah's Witnesses about is that the rest of the Bible hinges on how you translate John 1:1. Is there a definite article in the passage, making it clear that Jesus was not merely a god, but was in fact THE God of the universe? Unfortunately, JW's ignore the manuscript evidence and deny that Jesus was uniquely God. The reality is that John used the definite article to clearly identify Jesus as the eternal, pre-existent, sovereign God and Maker of the universe.

Why does this grammatical debate matter? Because words matter. You cannot have meaning without them. And everything about John 1 is pointing to Jesus' unique deity, which makes the incarnation all the more unexpected and amazing. This eternal Logos became flesh and made his dwelling among us. But we don't have to rely on this passage alone. John's other bookend seals the deal.

...Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God...

Near the end of his account, John gives a direct answer as to the purpose of his book, and it is clearly meant to answer the question of ultimate reality. Who is God? What is His nature? Who is man? What is man's nature?

Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (20:30-31)

If a book of the Bible gives you a clear thesis statement, or two bookend statements like this, it is your joy and responsibility to see every passage of the book through that lens. In other words, every chapter of John exists to answer these metaphysical questions about God and man. Every verse will point us to who Jesus truly is (the divine savior of man) and who we are in relation to him (made personally and uniquely in His image).

It is my hope to respond to each chapter of John's gospel account in this way. I pray that I see His power and person more clearly, and that by doing so I may believe with more certainty and "have life in his name."

Won't You Be My Neighbor?

Luke 10:30-37

Jesus replied, "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who stripped him and beat him and departed, leaving him half dead.  Now by chance a priest was going down that road, and when he saw him he passed by on the other side.  So likewise a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.  But a Samaritan, as he journeyed, came to where he was, and when he saw him, he had compassion.  He went to him and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he set him on his own animal and brought him to an inn and took care of him.  And the next day he took out two denarii and gave them to the innkeeper, saying, 'Take care of him, and whatever more you spend, I will repay you when I come back.'  Which of these three, do you think, proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among the robbers?"  He said, "The one who showed him mercy." And Jesus said to him, "You go, and do likewise."

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Interpreting parables is a notoriously difficult task. This parable in particular has been the victim of various allegorical interpretations over the course of church history which seek to find one-to-one correspondence for each and every character in the story. Such a method of interpretation requires far too much conjecture to be considered even close to the author's intent. Alternatively, there are four main principles for interpreting parables that should be employed, which I am here borrowing from Robert Stein's An Introduction to the Parables.

1. Seek the one main point of the parable.  Stein observes quite rightly that Jesus tended to reveal the main points of his parables in the opening and concluding remarks that frame the story. In this case, the story is framed by two questions (1) who is my neighbor? and (2) which of the three proved to be a neighbor to the man who fell among robbers? So, it is fair to say that the main point of the parable is related to the nature of neighborly love.

2. Seek to understand the historical context in which the parable was uttered. Since Jesus' parables are filled with gritty tangible imagery that is rooted in first century Palestinian culture, it is imperative that we try to gain some insight into what these images might have meant to their original audience. In this parable, the Samaritan was not the benevolent person we think of today, but rather a fiercely hated religious minority. As evidenced in Jesus' encounter with the woman at the well in John 4, Jews normally had no dealings with Samaritans. By seeing this context, we can grasp the shocking aspect of this parable, which makes us question our fundamental assumptions about what God requires of us in relation to our neighbor.

3. Seek to understand how the Evangelist interpreted the parable. This is somewhat easier to discern when there are multiple versions of a parable recorded in the synoptic Gospels. In this case, we can still put this parable in the context of the Evangelist's broader themes. Stein points out that this parable fits at least two of Luke's overall themes: (1) the love of God toward the outcasts of society, and (2) the call for the generous use of our possessions. The good Samaritan is exemplary in showing love for his religious and ethnic enemy and for showing great generosity without any expectation of reciprocity. These themes are fundamental to the uniquely unconditional grace of God displayed in the life and death of Jesus.

4. Seek what God is saying to us today through the parable. The immediate application for us today must be to include even our enemies in the definition of "neighbor" and act lovingly at every opportunity. Who is the Samaritan for us today and how specifically can we love like he did? I will conclude the way Stein does in his chapter on the matter:

"For whom should we especially prove to be a neighbor? Is it our cranky next-door neighbor? Is it the starving child in a far off land whose name we do not know? Is it the person next door who just lost a job? Or is it...? Until the parable speaks to us on this level, we shall never know what it is teaching."

Shadows of the Messiah

Psalm 20:1-3

May the Lord answer you in the day of trouble!
May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!
May he send you help from the sanctuary
and give you support from Zion!
May he remember all your offerings
and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices!

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Psalm 20 is an example of a royal hymn, one of several in which the psalmist invokes the special blessing of God upon the ruler of Israel. These royal hymns are often prophetic shadows of the coming messiah, and since the New Testament writers read them this way, it is more than fair for us to do the same. Though this passage is brief, we can apply both a historical and typological interpretation in order to gain some pearls of insight here.

Historically speaking, we are listening to the voice of a young David praying for king Saul, who happens to hate David and who attempted to kill him in fits of jealous rage on several occasions. The heart of David was to honor God, who had been faithful to miraculously slay Goliath and other enemies, thus proving He was immanently more trustworthy than chariots and horses. Likewise, David honored his king as one having God's special blessing, and thus refers to him as God's "anointed." This kind of honor is often described in the biblical narrative, where David passes up several opportunities to kill Saul and take his kingdom by force, preferring instead to trust God and carry out his duty under an unjust king.

The typological interpretation could actually go two ways: both Saul and David can be in view here as types of the messiah. I include Saul because David calls him anointed, which is what "messiah" means. In this sense, we can imagine this prayer as a prayer for the messiah to reign in power, to be blessed in all of his plans and desires, and be rescued from all his enemies. (We can apply this prayer by likewise blessing King Jesus and seeking favor for his kingdom purposes on this earth.)

A second type is David himself, whose example of humble prayer and devotion to a wicked and ungrateful king so clearly reflects Christ's teaching and example of loving his enemies, even to the point of personal humiliation. Seeing my sinful self in the place of Saul, I am astonished that my Savior prays for my ungrateful heart to be fulfilled and that he even prays for my offerings to be acceptable to God - a shadow of the intercession that Christ now makes as our advocate before the Father. Even in these brief words of this ancient royal prayer, the gospel message is clear and profound.

Lord, thank you for the undeserved honor of receiving your prayers, your favor, your intercession, and your eternal blessings. All glory to you, the anointed king and humble servant - the lion and the lamb. Amen.

Lo, His Doom is Sure

Mark 3:23-27

How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house.

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As I stared at this chapter for a few moments, it dawned on me how often Jesus' teaching provides the central theme in a passage. Our eyes are drawn to the red letters, not because they are somehow more inspired than the narrative verses, but because Jesus is the main character. Like any well-written piece of literature, the main character often carries the message of the book, and this is no exception. It is only fitting that the all-knowing Son of God, who was living directly in the middle of this chapter's action, would provide a concise and penetrating commentary on what is going on around him.

So, what is going on around him? People are being healed of incurable diseases. Evil spirits are quite clearly and vocally being driven away from the oppressed. Some people respond to these miracles by crowding around Jesus, almost crushing him (3:9). Others, including his own family, think that he is out of his mind (3:21). The religious leaders especially make their opinion loud and clear: "He is possessed by Beelzebul" (3:22). He is accused openly of relying on Satan to do his work (notice how they were looking for a reason to accuse him all along - 3:2).

So, how does God in the flesh, the Creator of the Universe, respond to these venomous hearts of stone?

He gives them logic.

We know that Jesus was a little angry and grieved by their hard hearts (3:5), but he responds with self-control, using a rhetorical question that is meant to discredit them to the core. "How can Satan cast out Satan?" Of course, you fools! Don't you see that your doubts and skepticism and accusations and oppositions comes not from a righteous interest in the glory of God, but rather from an arrogant self-righteousness that cares only for its own reputation. It boils down to petty jealousy, a verdict that the Gospel writers often make note of.

Even as I write this, I think about the times when I have let accusatory thoughts boil and churn in my mind concerning some brother or sister in Christ. Verse 3 penetrates me so deeply when I read it because I know my own tendencies to look for reasons to accuse. It's ironic really, because as the religious leaders accused Jesus of working by Satan's power, it was really them all along who were tearing down themselves and others by the power of the evil one. When we dwell on the mistakes and failings of those around us, we are not only being unforgiving and wasting a lot of time, but we are doing the devil's work. How can we, who claim to cast all our hope on the humble Son of God, turn from his throne of grace and seek to blame and condemn our fellow believers? Perhaps a quiet hour meditating on the mercies of God (Rom. 8) or thinking through the folly of judgmentalism (Rom. 14) would be a good place to start.

Or, maybe we can start in Mark 3, by meditating on the Man who poured out his life in healing the weakest of the weak so that our Enemy would be forever bound and his unholy house forever destroyed. May we turn to our Savior, who not only holds the staff of comfort, but the rod of protection, to keep us from the evil one. And we know too, that "lo, his doom is sure," as Luther so powerfully sang:

And though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us,
We will not fear, for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us:
The Prince of Darkness grim, we tremble not for him;
His rage we can endure, for lo, his doom is sure,*
One little word shall fell him.

That word above all earthly powers, no thanks to them, abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours through Him Who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still,
His kingdom is forever.

*see Rev. 12:12 and 20:7ff.

Realism and Hope

Matthew 24:8

All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.

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If you've ever been involved in the birth of a child, then this short sentence may shed a lot of light on this passage for you. Jesus responded to the disciples interest in the building of the Temple by telling them that it will all be destroyed. In turn, the disciples wanted to know when this would take place (Note: see how the disciples ask the wrong question, much like believers today who get obsessed over the symbols and chronology of the end times). Jesus does eventually answer that question (24:44), though not in the way they had hoped for. He will be coming back at an hour that they will not expect.

And that is a no-brainer if you remember the birthing analogy. The evolution of childbirth by on-demand cesarean section is a very recent development in the history of labor and delivery. The rest of us are fully aware that babies come into the world at an hour that no one will expect.

Here's a second parallel between the end times and the birth of a child: it has always been excruciatingly painful, yet filled with hope. The pain is a result of the Fall (Gen. 3) and will continue to accompany childbearing until all things are made new (Rev. 21). The hope is a result of the image of God in us that has not been completely destroyed by the Fall, and which is progressively renewed and reformed by the Spirit of God in the lives of those who believe in Christ. The hope is real, just as much as the pain.

This is difficult for us today in the "Christian" West. We read about pastors being unfaithful to their wives and to their congregations almost every week. We hear about abortion doctors being shot to death in the pews and we wonder what impact the gospel of peace is really making on individuals and on the broader culture. These questions, when left unanswered, can easily turn into an undercurrent of pessimism and cynicism.

But, we must remember that Jesus saw all this coming. He told us there would be wars, famines, earthquakes, tribulations, martyrs, betrayals, false prophets, and overall lawlessness, even among the supposed members of the church. The news headlines should shock us and grieve us, but we must always remember that justice will eventually be done, that these atrocities were foretold, and that somehow they are part of the birth pains which will eventually give us a new heavens and a new earth. Let us read this concluding statement and remember to mix our saddened realism with genuine hope. The kingdom will prevail, and His true children will endure to the end.

And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come. (Mt 24:12-14)

Interpretative Light

Matthew 4:5-7

Then the devil took him to the holy city and set him on the pinnacle of the temple and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written, 'He will command his angels concerning you,' and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'" Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

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Jesus did not have a problem with Scripture passages that were in contradiction. Or, are they really in contradiction? I mean, God said the angels would take care of His chosen one, right? But, God also said not to put Him to the test. Does one type of Scripture overrule another? How do you know when you've found one of these overruling passages? No, overruling is not the issue; Light is the issue.

The Bible is a book with meaning, like many others, and that meaning has always been meant to be accessible to the average reader. If that is true, then what do we make of this biblical "contradiction" between Jesus and Satan? I said Light is the issue, rather than overruling. It is true that there are different levels of brightness with Light, and that a strong Light might "overrule" a weaker Light. The difference is that the weaker Light is not, therefore, diminished or done away with; it is enhanced and aided by the stronger Light. Matthew 4:5-7 can be aided by at least three "stronger" Lights.

First, the immediate context of 4:5-7 sheds light on what the temptation of Jesus was all about. Jesus was tempted to break his fast, to throw himself to his death, and to worship Satan. Sounds like a biblical "no-brainer" - DON'T DO THAT! But, as many have pointed out, these temptations, like our own daily struggles, are reflections of what hounds our souls most. Jesus dealt with feelings of despair, perhaps, that threatened to undo his ministry from the start. As in all three temptations, the weapon to fight these thoughts was Scripture itself. The Bible cuts through the thoughts and intentions of the heart (Heb. 4:12) and zeroes in on the root sources of our struggles; in this case, despairing was akin to testing God, and Jesus would have none of it.

Second, as mentioned in a previous post, the Light of the whole Bible must be combined with the particular passage in question. Fortunately, many difficult passages contain their own specific allusions to others passages, and this is no exception. You want more Light on what it means for Jesus to struggle with putting God to the test? Well, check out the passage that He quotes, Deuteronomy 6:16. The Light from there will only strengthen the visibility of this passage.

And third, Matthew 4 actually gives us a little hint to what is the greatest Light of all: Jesus himself. In Matthew 4:16 we read,

The people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light,
and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death,
on them a light has dawned.

The allusion is to Jesus and his kingdom ministry, as described in the verse immediately following. Jesus steps into a dark world (in the shadow of the curse of sin and death) and he makes quite a scene, calling people to follow him, teaching in public, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom, "and healing every disease and every affliction among the people" (4:23). How is Jesus the Light that aids us in reading Scripture? He, in His very person, provides the picture of what every passage of Scripture is pointing to: the good news of God in the flesh, sent to bear the sin of the world, draw sinners to himself, and restore all creation as the only good and wise King of Kings.

Jesus' Hymnbook

Psalm 2:11-12

Serve the LORD with fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
Kiss the Son,
lest he be angry, and you perish in the way,
for his wrath is quickly kindled.
Blessed are all who take refuge in him.

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The psalms are notoriously difficult to interpret. As a young believer, I turned to the psalms of the Old Testament for daily encouragement in my faith. I found solace especially in the transparent quality of the psalmist's doubts and fears, born from struggles with everything from envy (see Ps. 73) to adultery (see Ps. 51) to persecution (see Ps. 63 among others).

The problem is, poetry is cryptic. It is meant to be. My poetry professor in college taught us a pithy little statement I will never forget: "Art is a lie that tells the truth." Sounds very postmodern, right? Well, you get the point. Artistic expression never gives you all the cards; the artist leaves much to the imagination, forcing the viewer or listener to contribute their own attention and mental energy to the artistic experience. In the case of the psalms, this shared experience came through corporate singing, both then (3,000 years ago) and now (in the singing of the Psalter or other Psalm-based songs). *Note: Just because poetry is cryptic doesn't mean it has NO rules for interpreting. Any cursory reading of the Psalms will give you an idea of the patterns, the parallelisms, and the poetic structures throughout that make interpretation very possible. The following is a brief example of how to interpret a psalm.

Rule number one in interpreting the Psalms is to look to the New Testament. Psalm 2, verses 1, 2, and 7, are all quoted in the New Testament (in Acts 4 and Hebrews 1). A good study Bible will give cross-reference notes for these kinds of quotations. While not every psalm is a direct allusion to Messiah, today's chapter is clearly one of them. While verse 12 is not quoted in the New Testament in this way, it is fair to the context of the psalm to include it as part of the allusion to Christ.

Allowing for a Christological reading, verses 11 and 12 are a strong exhortation to us that our affectionate reverence to the Son of God is not optional; it is absolutely necessary. "Rejoice with trembling" conjures ironic images, but the point is made: The LORD is both terrible and beautiful, like the fiercest thunderstorm or the erupting of a volcano. As the Beaver in Narnia described Aslan, “Safe?” said Mr. Beaver. “Don’t you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.” This combination of emotions is fitting for the Man we meet in the Gospel accounts of Jesus. One who spoke with authority, who controlled nature and demons with a word, and who wept for his friend and bled drops of blood in the agony of the garden. The Psalms are devotional material of the highest caliber, because they add these soaring melodies of emotion to the concrete truths of Christ's kingdom as described in the Gospels.