Word Study on the Sermon on the Mount: Hunger and Thirst in Matthew 5:6
Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness, for they shall be filled. (Matthew 5:6)
Perhaps the overarching question herein is, “What is righteousness?” For it is something to hunger and thirst after, and something that will fill us and will ensure that we are able to filled when nothing else on this earth will fill us. It is what we desire and what we need. It is both the goal and the gift, the means and the end. We seek righteousness, and we are given righteousness. We are unrighteous, and yet we are made righteous in His name.
So what is it then?
The Greek text uses δικαιοσύνη – dee-kai-o-seen-ay. This word is also often translated in the New Testament as “just.” It is not a legal term, as is supposed by many of those who practice the Western Faith. Righteousness, indeed, is a spiritual term, and is often translated as “justice,” but this justice is not quite the same as the Western juridical concept of the word.
“The word DIKAIWSUNH, ‘justice’,” writes Alexander Kalomiros, “is a translation of the Hebraic word tsedaka. This word means ‘the divine energy which accomplishes man’s salvation.’” To me, this says that when we hunger and thirst after righteousness, we are seeking the things of God, not the concepts of man. Many here on earth picture Christ as some kind of pill that once we swallow, will make us righteous, or justified. But throughout all of Christ’s teachings, He instructed us to follow Him, to live in a “righteous” manner. And in the end, this speaks of one term: love.
The other definitions in this verse make it quite clear that this is about cultivating a desire for the things of God.
thirst = διψάω, to thirst after spiritually
hunger = πεινάω, to hunger after, desire earnestly, long for
be filled = χορτάζω, to satisfy the desire of anyone
Let us now plug in the meanings of these words back into the verse of this study:
Blessed (happy) are those that desire earnestly for and thirst after spiritually for the divine energy that accomplishes man’s salvation, for they shall be given satisfaction.
I am happy and touched by God if I seek after and strive for the grace that sanctifies us by God. Of course it is God who does it, but what Jesus tells us here is that we must seek this too like we seek the morning’s first drink of water and morsel of bread. God’s righteousness in a sense is spiritual manna. It is a satiating substance, found when we look outside of ourselves, out of our camps, for the gift of God. And by His grace, which we obtain through our faith in His Providence, we are filled with this spiritual nutrition.
Literal food and drink are not the rewards for God’s people, but righteousness is. If we seek righteousness, avidly, as in earnestly desiring and thirsting after it, God’s promise is, we shall receive it, and it shall fill us more profoundly than any victual or beverage could. “He speaks of food with which they shall be filled at this present; to wit, that food of which the Lord spake, ‘My food is to do the will of my Father,’ that is, righteousness, and that water of which whoever drinks it shall be in him ‘a well of water springing up to life eternal,’” wrote St. Augustine.
The other side of this issue is that Jesus Christ defined righteousness as a foundation of properly giving to others (being merciful). Jesus, wrote the Blessed Theophylact, was about to speak about almsgiving (Blessed are the merciful), so first He had to define what was righteous. “He first shows that one must pursue righteousness, and not give away alms from what has been acquired by theft and extortion.” He had to set the standard the standard of righteous behavior and extol the virtues of pursuing it. He had to state simply that all things given by God had to be obtained through the striving for righteousness and not through any other means.
One obvious application of this reads thus: Any monies obtained in an unjust manner cannot be re-applied to build the kingdom of God and be considered “righteous.” Otherwise, we are dabbling in worldliness and evil and we will receive condemnation for it. If I deceive someone for his dollar and then put in the church collection, I will have to answer for it. (God only knows, I have been guilty of this often!) Dirty money cannot be rendered clean. Then again, are we not supposed to be friends with the Mammon of Unrighteousness?
Now that I have completely perplexed myself, I will safely close. Good night, sweet friends.
Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. (Matthew 5:5)
The Lord uses much of His seminal sermon to remind us of key elements of scripture that may have passed from the consciousness of this world throughout the ages of God’s people. Today this kind of wisdom sits well-framed on someone’s foyer wall, but tell that to a guzzler of Muscle Milk at the gym and you’re likely to elicit a snort.
This verse, like so many others that Christ uttered over the course of his ministry, alludes to the Psalms.
But the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in an abundance of peace. (Psalm 36, LXX)
This was the language that his audience was familiar with; but he used it to take them into unfamiliar terrain. Or perhaps, our God-Man wanted to revisit what He felt was most important in the body of their verses. After all, meekness as a concept popped up many times throughout the Old Testament but one could hardly convict the Jewish people of that time of extolling meekness.
Meek — back in OT days, was Hebrew ענו (anav — afflicted, lowly: one who would rather bear injuries than return them), and in the days of the Greek NT, the word transliterated as “meek” was similar: πραΰς (pronounced, interestingly: “prays”: gentle, mild meek).
So here is a word that sounds like “praise” or “prays” and means gentle or mild, but connotes a characteristic of a person who knows, humbly enough, that even the most evil actions that befell him on earth were permitted by God. Meekness, then is a strong devotion to God, knowing that the wisdom thereof and submission thereto will empower him on this earth much more strongly over the long term than aggression and pride would.
But it is not just for future blessings only in a spiritual sense. The meek, saith the Lord, shall inherit ( from Greek κληρονομέω, to receive by lot) the earth. That means, that the Lord, by His own wisdom, has predestined those who are meek, by virtue of their meekness, to receive by lot (or by apportioning) the earth.
And which earth? Does it not seem that the un-meek have inherited quite a bit of the planet by now? Could the Lord be simply speaking of a metaphorical earth? No, the Lord means this very earth, writes St. John Chrysostom: “Tell me, what kind of earth? Some say a figurative earth, but it is not this, for nowhere in Scripture do we find any mention of an earth that is merely figurative.”
Chrysostom follows with this concept: Meekness is a prescription for safety and makes good sense. The same Bible tells us to honor our parents “for so shalt live long upon the earth.” There are intensely practical reasons for honoring our parents. (#1: We’ll likely live longer!) He also reminds us that Jesus later in this sermon urged his followers to agree with their adversaries quickly or face steep consequences.
In other words, people who are less contentious, less aggressive, usually do not suffer the consequences of those who are. Someone who lets an aggressive driver cut him off on the highway instead of angrily gesturing at him is likely to reach their destination unharmed. Arguing and name-calling and pushing and shoving might be the ways of the world, but they are also a swift path to destruction.
Of course, there are many exceptions where the meek are persecuted severely, but our faith teaches us that the Lord has rewards for them as well.
Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. (Matthew 5:4)
On one level, this verse says simply that one feels better after a good cry. But its deeper significance may be difficult for many to accept because it is culturally contrary to the way we think: To be truly happy, we must adopt a spirit of grievousness over our lives and the world in which we live.
Blessed, of course, is from the Greek verb μακάριος (makarios — blessed or happy).
But it may be easier to ponder what Jesus Christ meant when he said “blessed” by defining what precisely “mourning” was. Mourn is from the Greek verb — πενθέω (pentheo): to mourn or lament, especially for the dead.
We are blessed (happy) when we mourn our dead, old selves. Blessed Theophylact said, “‘Blessed are they that mourn” for their sins, not for the things of this life. Christ said, ‘They that mourn,” that is, they that are mourning incessantly and not just one time; and not only for our own sins, but for those of our neighbor.”
This seems to be a polar opposite to the concept of maintaining health self-esteem that today’s psychologists, counselors and teachers would profess. In fact, God wants us broken.
A sacrifice unto God is a broken spirit; a heart that is broken and humbled God will not despise. (LXX, Psalm 50)
The context of mourn appears also in James:
Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. (Jms 4:8)
Let us dissect this verse, defining the words:
Be afflicted [ταλαιπωρέω (talaiporeo) -- to toil heavily, endure labor and hardship] and mourn [πενθέω (pentheo) -- to mourn, lament], and weep: Let your laughter be turned to mourning [same root as "mourn" -- lamenting, mourning] and your joy [χαρά (chara) -- joy or gladness] (be turned also) to heaviness [κατήφεια (kateiphea) shame, dejection, gloom].
Putting it in context of James’ epistle: Draw closer to God and submit to Him, flee from the devil, be pure both outwardly and inwardly and cut the hypocritical living (verses 7-9), endure hardship and lament and weep for your true sinful nature from which only God can rescue you. Don’t laugh but tear in your eyes, and instead of glee — show the shamed and downcast look of someone whose only pick-me-up can come from God.
Spiritual mourning is a state akin to mourning for a loved one — where we care for nothing except for our grief at our loss. That leads to the Lord’s promised comfort.
The consolation comes by God’s innate design. People feel better after a good cry. But when we actually mourn and weep for own pathetic condition, not solely because of losses to us, then we are gaining in spiritual strength. Comforted stems from Greek παρακαλέω (parakaleo), which carries a variety of shades of meaning — to animate, encourage, comfort, console, to be cheered, comforted. Said Blessed Theophylact, “‘Comforted,’ both in this life, for he who mourns for his sins rejoices spiritually, and even moreso in the next life.”
This message probably grates at many of the happy go-lucky westerners (like myself) who view living a spiritual life through the New Age distortions of secularism and equate spirituality as a “self-help” that promotes self-esteem and enhanced productivity. But what Christ had been saying that was so revolutionary to his audience at the time was this: A man is blessed not when he is graced by wealth, luck, or happiness, but when he is wailing in a fetal position at the loss of a loved one or hitting the sharp shoals clustering on the shores of repentance.
Thomas Fleming of Chronicles Magazine wrote recently that the Beatitudes, with its emphasis on blessings for poor and meek and mournful souls, would have made a “disturbing invasion of values” for the Hellenistic Jews and the Greeks of the region. To them, God’s blessings would have consisted of wealth, power and prestige. What Jesus said was, in fact, opposite to the conventional thinking of his time — God’s blessings were on those who were poor, mournful and insignificant. Indeed, far from being blessed by God, the rich, the successful and the “happy go-lucky” types have already received their reward.
Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:3)
Traditionally, poor in spirit means “humble,” but as St. John Chrysostom explains, poor in spirit signifies “humble” with an added dimension: It refers, really, to those who were humble by choice, not those who became humble because they were forced by circumstances into humble pie.
Are these the ones who heeded Jesus and immediately sold off their riches and gave to the poor?
“What is meant by ‘the poor in spirit?’” St. Chrysostom said in his fifteenth homily. “The humble and contrite in mind. For by ’spirit’ He hath here designated the soul, and the faculty of choice. That is, since many are humble not willingly, but compelled by stress of circumstances; letting these pass (for this were no matter of praise), He blesses them first, who by choice humble and contract themselves.”
I have known people who appeared quite humble — modest, quiet, non-self-assuming… I think the word we’re looking for is non-egotistical. They were not as self-centered as they rest of us are. They seemed to have been born with a natural humility that was built in to their personality. But, St. Chrysostom tells us, Jesus really seeks to bless those who were not only lowly but are “awestruck,” and who “tremble at the commandments of God.” Perhaps, then, acting humble is not enough, but abiding in a deeper sense of humility achieves this concept of being poor in spirit.
Those who receive the direct blessing — the actually poor in spirit — were those who possessed both senses of this term: the modesty and the God fear. St. Chrysostom was reminded of Isaiah’s admonition, To whom will I look, but to him who is meek and quiet, and trembleth at my words? (Isa 66:2, LXX). Thus, poor in spirit means more than humble or modest, but meek, quiet, God-fearing.
He also proposed that Isaiah gave us different types of humility. One of which is humble in his own measure, the next is excessive lowliness. “It is this last lowliness of mind which that blessed prophet commends, picturing to us the temper that is not merely subdued, but utterly broken…”
Of course, the antithesis of poor in spirit is proud, and St. Augustine gives us a view of pride that I think will help us to understand what exactly the Lord meant when he spoke of the Kingdom of Heaven.
St. Augustine wrote: “We read in Scripture concerning the striving after temporal things, ‘All is vanity and presumption of spirit;’ but presumption of spirit means audacity and pride: usually also the proud are said to have great spirits; and rightly, inasmuch as the wind also is called spirit. And hence it is written, ‘Fire, hail, snow, ice, spirit of tempest.’ But, indeed, who does not know that the proud are spoken of as puffed up, as if swelled out with wind? And hence also that expression of the apostle, ‘Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.’ And ‘the poor in spirit’ are rightly understood here, as meaning the humble and God-fearing, i.e. those who have not the spirit which puffeth up. Nor ought blessedness to begin at any other point whatever, if indeed it is to attain unto the highest wisdom; ‘but the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;’ for, on the other hand also, ‘pride’ is entitled ‘the beginning of all sin.’ Let the proud, therefore, seek after and love the kingdoms of the earth; but ‘blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’”
In other words, poor in spirit means pride-poor. If pride denotes a striving for earthly things — money, power, prestige, etc., then poverty of spirit describes a yearning for the things of God that do not involve money, power or prestige. Thus, poor in spirit alludes that a mere human being is deficient in everything that is important to God, and can only receive those God-honored traits by his faith in Almighty God.
And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying… (Matthew 5:1-2)
The Word soars high and fresh with meaning, allusions, application, and contention from the outset of our Lord’s most renowned message, the Sermon on the Mount. We are moved with his compassion from his beholding of the throng below him at the foot of the mountain, and we are also aware of the urgent need for discipleship, at his bidding for an audience to hear his message of obedience and love to the world for the ages.
A few different schools of thought have emerged in the two millennia since Christ first uttered his Sermon. One contention occurs at the outset, with the question of who were his disciples for this message? Were they separate from the multitudes, or part of?
These “multitudes” came from Greek: ὄχλος, or ochlos, meaning: a crowd that had flocked together at the same place at the same time. (The word “rabble” could even be substituted for it.) Our text tells us that these people had followed him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, and from the other side of the Jordan (Matthew 4:25). Once Jesus observed the massing crowds of miracle seekers, he removed to the mountain to give his lesson. Then he was “seated,” the seating of an instructor was mandatory in those days and the sermon began. My question is thus: how many disciples were there?
Some preachers have even referred to the audience of the Sermon on the Mount as separate from the crowd that flocked below. They contend that Jesus’ greatest sermon was reserved for his select students, and that the multitudes were seen by him from his vantage point, the only real listeners to him were his apostles and other select disciples.
But the word disciples (Greek: μαθητής (mathetes) for learner or pupil) does not necessarily refer to a select group, but from those who simply became students. The Church Fathers side with this view, that Jesus was speaking to at least part of this multitude, in that some of those who had followed him from other locales transformed from miracle seekers into students.
Writes St. John Chrysostom (St. John of the Golden Tongue): “But when He had gone up into the mount, and ‘was set down, His disciples came unto Him.’ Seest thou their growth in virtue? and how in a moment they became better men? Since the multitude were but gazers on the miracles, but these from that hour desired also to hear some great and high thing. And indeed this it was set Him on His teaching, and made Him begin this discourse.”
Still, a huge difference between those who stayed off the mountain and those who ascended with him yawns. The Blessed Theophylact wrote, “The multitude comes for the miracles, but the disciples come for the teachings.” And these teachings are not easy ones. They teach us to be humble, and meek, mournful about our sinfulness, wary of our thought-life and circumspect about our motives, moves, and murmurings. Thus, in a way, it is much easier just to behold his miracles. Accept the grace of God insofar as it makes us feel better but when it begins to demand something of us in our conduct or conversation, then we stay off the mountain.
This ferreting between multitude and disciples has another application in the Church. There is a difference between those who come for the entire Liturgy — the teaching and the miracle of the Eucharist at the end, and those who just want communion and come 30 minutes from the end, get their body and blood and leave. Jesus, I would say, wants us to behold both the miracle of the Communion of God and man, and the moral application thereof.
So, whatever it is that needs saving in your life — whether your body, your mind, your soul, or a loved one, remember that Jesus is the only one who can do it. And we must attend in faith to that miracle and then attend to his teachings so we may continue to bask in his bright and eternal salvation.
But of that day and that hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels which are in heaven, neither the Son, but the Father. (Mk 13:32)
First let me say what this piece is not. It is not one of many meditations written by modern-day “prophets” suggesting possible dates and times for his return. I think there is enough ammo out there against that sort of thing. But this missive is a little different: it is more about God’s motive for telling the apostles that the return date was thus unknown by him. Also, I seek not to write an opinion piece, but merely a survey of some of the views out there on this.
Several of the Church Fathers felt that Jesus actually did know the hour of his return. After all, he is God, consubstantial with the Father, the Word made flesh, etc. The Church Fathers argued extensively, and quite elegantly then, that it was simply not possible for him not have known the hour of his return. He said what he said because, they contend, he needed to deflect the apostles from begging of him his return trip information.
The Blessed Theophylact likened it to a father trying to hide something in his hand and his child crying incessantly to see it. The father, finally, puts the object away and opens his hands instead showing nothing there, and thus satisfying the child. This is an endearing explanation. But my question is this: would Jesus have told a little white lie?
In fact, there are many other takes on this account from the Holy Fathers too. The “philological argument,” by St. Basil the Great, holds that a slight mis-transliteration bars us from understanding what Jesus Christ really meant. A more accurate translation from the original Greek would have stated, But of that day or hour no one knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, if not (ei me) the Father.” Here he was actually saying that because he was the Son of God, not simply a son of God (like, someone in God’s good graces), but the Son who is consubstantial with the Father, prophesied by Scripture. Indeed, Jesus was saying, according to this view, that he did know the hour because he and the Father are one. (”Oh, and by the way, I’m still not telling.”)
Another concept, put forth by St. Augustine, maintains that “to know” in this use connotes “to reveal.” In other words, he had knowledge of it on one level as one aspect of the godhead, but was simply not revealing the time yet. There is something appealing in that explanation, because it tells us that there are several more degrees of God’s “knowing.” God already knows everything, but the way and timeline and manner in which He reveals things to us is beyond human comprehension.
Another interesting explanation of this maintains that Jesus, who had not yet ascended to the Father and into timeless eternity, could not have discerned, from that present perspective, the when of the impending end-time. Francis Gumerlock wrote in Trinity Journal: “The main strength of Athanasius’s anthropological interpretation is that it harmonizes with Luke’s Gospel, which assigns to Christ a growth in wisdom. Since the Gospel writer claims that the Christ-child “grew in wisdom and stature” (Luke 2:52), it is inferred that Christ was ignorant of certain things.”
In the final analysys, it should not matter if Jesus did know or did not know, or knew but not in a way that could have revealed anything to us. The point is that we are not supposed to know the hour of his return. We are charged to Watch and pray. I don’t understand why so many theologians both now and throughout the ages have taken stabs at this sacred subject. Moreover, that “unknowingness” makes our Christian walks all the more exciting.
Our relationship with Jesus Christ is a two-way street, hinging on his discipleship of us through the Spirit, and our continued discipleship with him through the word of God.
We pick up in John 2:13-25, after Cana. The remainder of John 2 post-Cana seems like a disjointed collection of different accounts of Jesus moving southward with his disciples to Jerusalem. But there is a uniting concept there, and in the Gospel of John, which does not always follow chronological order, sequence is key. If John puts something in a particular order, they may be linked not by time, but by theme. The theme, friends, is discipleship.
After resting after the Cana (water to wine ) wedding at Capernaum, Jesus and his disciples went to Jerusalem, where Jesus cleared the temple of the livestock hawkers and the money-changers. He went on his rampage, and then his disciples recalled the scriptures that had forecast his zeal (John 2:17). Then, he was questioned apparently by some in the religious establishment, and he answered, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. (John 2:19). After the Resurrection, his disciples recalled what he had said “and they believed the scripture” that had forecast it (John 2:22). Finally, Jesus attended Passover, and performed miracles there, seen by many. But Jesus did not commit himself unto them, because knew all men. (John 2:24). Commit here is from the Greek word for “have faith” – pisteuo. Why did Jesus not commit himself to those people? Jesus did not have faith in those people in Jerusalem because their faith was superficial – they only saw his works, they did not know his words, and how his works fulfilled the Word of God. He needed to see them paging through scripture in search of the deeper, prophetic ramifications of his deeds.
This latter part of John 2, holds for us a classification for people who claim Christ into three groups:
1) Disciples: Believe not only in Christ or his miracles, but are students of the Word. They are Bible readers and studiers, like those at Berea. They pore over what they see in the scriptures to see if it was so. (Acts 17:11)
2) Temporary believers. These are the souls he won by performing miracles. They liked what they saw and signed on, but did not continue in his word. Jesus obviously did not continue on with them either.
3) Profiteers. These are people who profit from the selling of the word, and these are cast out of the Temple by Jesus. These are people more akin to Judas, who might walk among believers, but their hearts are only interested in material gain that they associate with their ill-founded belief in God.
The Gospel of John points to the need for us to be saved, but then gives us a choice about discipleship. I believe the two are connected. If we choose not to become disciples of Christ, then Christ himself will not commit himself to us.
If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, you shall ask what you will, and it shall be done unto you. Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. (John 15:7)
How do we abide in Christ? Love each other. But this also calls for the converse of that: the words of Jesus abiding, or living, in us. And to do that he must be willing to abide in us. That means that one of the key components of discipleship is staying in the Word. Is not the Gospel of John centered on the fact that Jesus Christ is the living logos, of God, made flesh? Not just a son of God, as someone holy, but the Son of God, the only begotten. Abiding in his Word was why Jesus chose to keep close to his disciples while he would not entrust himself to those believers who were just interested in the fanfare of miracles and free food.
So, in this way, we can conclude that his works on earth were of far less important than his words on earth. The works of Christ are recorded in the gospels, some of them, in fact just a very small smattering of them, John noted, were included, and they were included in John precisely to make us believers (John 20:30-31). But the words of Christ, of God, breathed through scripture, must be our compass and map for the rest of our Christian walks. Fulfilling the Word, and being ready for its complete fulfillment in his return, is the “works” that God wants us to do for the rest of our lives here on earth. Let us not misunderstand the task of discipleship.
Let not thine heart envy sinners: But be thou in the fear of the Lord all the day long. (Proverbs 23:17).
As a believer in Christ, I am fully recognizing my own innate and constant proclivity to miss the mark set by God. What this proverb connotes, however, is that we are not coveting in our innermost self (the heart) what active sin yields. I should not jealously grouse over the habits of a rich man who has everything but God. I should not enviously covet a young man’s 1 am female bar prize.
Sin has become an unwelcome guest in most conversations today. The reason is, people don’t want anyone, including God Almighty, to come along and put the kabosh on their fun. I was one of you once. But then I realized the huge cost of sin, and I no longer envy sinners. I don’t want the money, the physical sensations, the “free spirit.” I see where it leads. I have lived that life and it reeks of death. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. (Romans 6:23)
Now let’s break this down in an official dissection, using definitions plucked from Davidson’s Analytical Hebrew and Chaldee Lexicon, and a smattering of Genesius:
Let not thy heart [Hebrew: leb -- heart, middle, midst] envy [qana -- to be jealous, to envy] sinners [chatta -- one who misses the mark]: But be thou in the fear [yirah -- to fear, terror, reverence, awe] of the Lord [Yehovah -- the Existing One] all the day [yowm -- day, daily].
Now we’ll plug in the definitions and get this nifty paraphrase:
Let not thy midst be jealous of those who miss the mark: But reverentially be terrified of the Existing One daily.
Often, to get a good understanding of the material, it helps to take a look at the bottom of the sentence first. We have the Existing One… The ancient Hebrew concept of Jehovah-God. The One Who Exists! Unlike the many gods that romp and ravel all through the minds of billions of the planets nonbelievers, gods that excuse sin and in many cases work it into their daily worship routines. Not this God. This is the real God.
If we believe in this God, we must show the right kind of reverential terror. And we have do this daily. And thus, we build up the practice of realizing that people who are living the life of sin are truly missing the mark of God, and that indeed, we are missing nothing. Let us not sit on the sidelines of sin wishing we were in that game, but let us instead run the race that God has set before us… OK — I’m looking ahead into the next Testament…
Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us… (Hebrews 12:1) See, there are witnesses all around us too, and they might not all be in the natural world. Many are cheering us on, to not give in, to not detract from God’s pure glory by delving into the hypocritical morass of stinking sin.
We can say, therefore, that, as God’s children, we are not on the sidelines watching other sinners, but we are actively in the game of righteousness, striving with God to complete His work on earth. Oh, this is not a game, because it has the most serious of consequences, but it is a contest, against Satan and his stores of evil temptations and we are in it to win it, according to God’s perfect prophetic Word.
We believe in God, thus we must honor His standards — living righteously and being true to His Word. We must abide accordingly, proceeding carefully, following the Biblical prescriptions. And when we do fall (which is often!), we know that there are prescriptions for that too (I John 1:9, for example). But let us not gawk enviously of those people who do not even flinch as they commit sin. Let us not imitate the ways of unbelievers.
Remember this too: Many of the staunchest critics of faith are people who are sinking the fastest in the quicksand of iniquity. Offer them a hand out of that mire, even if they spit on it. So Christian, stay on the path. Don’t detour over to the bleachers in the Stadium of Sinfulness; don’t gawk at hell-o-vision, visiting the wrong sites on the World Wide Wicked Web he weaved. Stay out of the cesspool of the “adult” world; forego alcohol, and drugs, bad language, evil desires. Don’t dress alluringly like the heathens do, but be bold and intractably bound the will of God, seeking His pure and holy directions. And I hope I’ll see you along the Way, either in this world or the next.
This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. (Gal 5:16)
This, says the Bible, [περιπατέω -- walk; maintain a certain walk of life and conduct} in the [πνεῦμα -- spiritual frame of mind], and ye shall not [τελέω -- carry out] the {ἐπιθυμία — irregular or violent desire, cupidity] of the [σάρξ -- carnality].
Let us, then, flesh this out a bit more. (Pun intended.)
“Walk” is in the imperative case, meaning, “do this.” It’s an order. [Conduct yourselves] (surrounded by the limits of) the (Holy) Spirit, and [you all] shall not [carry out behavior] (signifying that you are driven by the) [impure desire] of [carnality].
He says in another place:
The Bible says that we must maintain a certain spiritually minded walk or gait or behavior so that we shall not act out with carnal, worldly, earthly, and unspiritual lusts all of the time. Paul is telling us here, as a practitioner of walking in the Spirit, that if we put our mind the right things in life, we shall not fall prey to the base desires of the destructive Satanic impulse.
There are some within the divisions of religion who profess the fruits of the Spirit/works of the flesh to be proofs/evidences of regeneration or unregeneration. There is some wisdom to this, although Paul indicates that we must consciously choose to partake of the Spirit fruits or opt to walk in the flesh. This is an active proposition. Look at our opening verse: If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Gal 5:25)
He is saying, the Holy Spirit has been here. God as such has visited you. He has indwelled you. But we can still grieve the Holy Spirit with unholy behavior.
Now let’s look at the components of that. These are known as The Works of the Flesh.
Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:19-20)
Many of these definitions are using several sources, including koine Greek (the original language of the New Testament) and some are quite contestable, or just approximations for what I believe Paul to be saying.
adultery — laying with someone else’s wife
fornication — laying with an unmarried woman; casual or unmarried sex
uncleanness — defilement by sin
lasciviousness — licentiousness, indulgence in “irregular” animal desires
idolatry — worshipping false gods or idols
witchcraft — sorcery, magic
hatred — enmity, discord
variance — dissension
emulations — rivalry with a desire of depressing another
wrath — violent anger
strife — feuding, disobedience, etc…
seditions — “a standing apart,” divisions, dissensions
heresies — forming sects, factions, making up a new religion and claiming it is “from God”
envyings — envy, jealousy, spite
murders — slayings, killings
drunkenness — debauchery in drink
revellings — partying
A nasty bunch, aren’t they?
Notice that there is quite a bit of overlap in these definitions. That’s so we don’t get “wiggle room.” We humans are always finding exceptions and loopholes and ways to get out of giving real obedience to God. But look closely at this list. Several of these things apply to each and every one of us.
The passage ends in this way: …and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God. (Gal 5:21b) “And such like” means, “et cetera.” “And on and on.” Anything along these lines. Again, it’s the wiggle room. Thousands of variations on these themes exist and are not specifically enumerated anywhere in the Bible.
Someone might say, “I was just smoking pot. The Bible doesn’t say that anything is wrong specifically with pot.” But it prohibits the same behavior that would lead to one using that drug. This particular proscription would fall under several categories — drunkenness, reveling, and witchcraft. And such like that. There are a ton of flesh works not specifically listed here. Such as, homosexuality, masturbation, murmuring, backstabbing, gossiping, etc… But all of those behaviors are implied. In fact, I would go this far and say that the Works of the Flesh really comprise all bad behavior that are completely and absolutely outlawed by God’s perfect law.
Paul is also saying that walking, or conducting oneself “in the flesh” (or non-spiritually) is obvious (manifest). If we are spiritual persons, saved by the blood of Jesus, then if we slip and actually do these things, we will be convicted internally. We will know we’re wrong. But let me say this — there are terrible consequences for sin, especially for a backsliding Christian.
The wages of sin is death… (Rom 6:23a)
Many of us know this line from winning souls. But it also means that sinful behavior leads to a premature death. The consequences of sin is death. Sure, we might have the gift of eternal life in Jesus Christ. But if we backslide into a sin it might actually kill us. If I decide to have an affair with a married woman, her husband might track me down and spray me with bullets. If I decide to go out drinking one night with the guys, I might drive into a tree later on. I can attest as one that has lived his life in complete sin and then gotten saved: The Christian life is a much a safer life!
God does intend for His people to be fruitful. And the first fruits for God is our behavior — good behavior that shows everyone that we are on the winning team.
The Fruits of the Spirit
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. (Gal 5:22-23)
First, some definitions:
fruit — reward
spirit — this God-given gift of the Spirit, after being saved by faith in Christ
love — agape love, generous and unselfish affection for others
joy — rejoicing, gladness
longsuffering — patient endurance of evil
gentleness — kindness, benignity (being harmless)
goodness — beneficence (active goodness, charitableness)
faith — faithfulness, fidelity
meekness — humility, resignation, submission to the divine will
temperance — self-control
Let’s plug in the definitions and see what this sentence really says:
Now the rewards of the Holy Spirit, which we received after we put our faith in Jesus Christ, are these: generous and unconditional real affection for others, a rejoicing, the patient endurance of evil, kindness, charitableness, faithfulness, humility as a subject of God, and self-control…
Now look at the last clause:
…against such there is no law. (v.23b)
In other words, how can these attributes be made illegal? These are naturally good characteristics. There is nothing evil in them. They cannot be regulated against. Just as the works of the flesh are obviously wrong, the fruits of the Spirit are obviously right! And we know that.
As we move from the point of rebirth to the point of transformation, we will begin to take on these characteristics and we will begin to more easily practice them as the evidence of our salvation. I sense we will also become much more useful to the people to whom we minister.
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him. (I John 2:15)
Let’s break this down, word by word and get some marrow of intention from it: Love [Greek agapao – esteem, hold in high regard, be contented with a thing]not (negates the former word – don’t love) the world [Gk kosmos, the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments riches, advantages, pleasures, etc, which although hollow and frail and fleeting, stir desire, seduce from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ; that which is external to the Christian body], neither the things that are in the world. If (indicates conditionality – in other words, a man may choose the positive and choose not to love the world too!) any man (any person) love (subjunctive, indicates possibility, meaning, even saved Christians can choose to love the world), the love (agape – love, good will, benevolence) of the Father (Father God) is not in (inside) him (the lover of the world).
The next verse tells us why we need to stay away from the things of the world:
For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but of the world. (I John 2:16)
For (because) all (everything) that is in the world (the carnal world), the lust (Greek epiyumia: strong desire, selfish love) of the flesh (carnal, animal nature; mere human nature, the earthly nature of man apart from divine influence, and therefore prone to sin and opposed to God), and the lust of the eyes (desires for things, the eyes of the mind, the faculty of knowing), and the pride [alazoneia: ostentation, presumptuous speech] of life [biou (from bios): that by which life is sustained, resources, wealth, goods], is not of (pertaining to) the Father, (God) but of the world.
Let’s now combine those sentences using these dissection/definitions:
Don’t hold this world of unspiritual suffering and carnal cravings nor the things/ concepts/ philosophies of that world in high regard. If anyone so esteems this “world,” the agape-love of God is not residing within him. The reason is, everything in this worldly milieu – including the intense desires and cravings of our animal natures, and those intense desires for things outside of us, and the arrogant ostentation that comes along with vapid materialism, is not part of the kingdom of God, but is of the dominion of this world.
(Friends, many a Spirit-driven Christian has fallen into the trap of worldliness, whether it be because of money, power, women, or other things. I have fallen prey to it. I am not holier than you. I am probably one of the worst at this game. But remember, it can’t be done in the flesh. I can’t strive not to be worldly. I have to pray for God to accomplish it, using me to display his greatness by this act.)
John gives us a great reason to choose the things of God as opposed to the things of the world.
And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever.
A few more definitions:
passeth away = Greek parago “is passing (itself) away” (this is the Greek middle voice, which kind of works like a reflexive)
doeth = Greek poieo — to do, fulfill, execute (gives a legal sense, like “he did his due diligence”)
will = Greek thelema, will, what one determined shall be done
Inserting our definitions, we get this reading of this verse:
The world is passing away, and the cravings with it, but he that executes that which God has determined already what should be done remains forever.
The will of God was embodied in Jesus Christ. John 6:38,40, states just how Christ and the will of God are connected: For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me….And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
The will of God, then, begins with faith in Jesus Christ!
Faith is not just about believing, but acting on that belief. “…Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” (James 1:22) So, we are acting on faith in the Word. Just as Abraham took Isaac up Mount Moriah for apparent sacrifice, at God’s bidding, so must obey the bidding of the Lord. By faith, so Moses took Israel on a long and dangerous trip. So much faith, but we have an advantage: Christ. The same Christ who strengthened our forbears through the ages of Christian persecution, who suffered hideous deaths at the hands of the unbelievers so they may obtain the incorruptible crown in heaven. This is the antithesis of worldliness, and it gives us our roadmap home.
