Solid Ground

It is tragic when I read the words of friends and family who take verses and rip them out of context to suit their ends.  This is the reason that I am in seminary: to add the weight of respect of letters among men to the explanation of the Word so that some men might actually hear.  Today’s passage is from John 14, the first part.

            “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. And you know the way to where I am going.” Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

            Philip said to him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.

            “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.” (John 14:1-14 ESV)

I saw today, tragically, from some whom I love, the typical “name it, claim it” abuse of verses 12-14.  Let us look at this 14^th chapter of John with some perspective and see if we can shed some light on the various parts.

First, and most importantly, Jesus is talking to his disciples, men who are following him and yet do not understand at this point of the story why it is that Jesus has come, nor what he is doing.  Jesus has just told Peter that Peter will deny Jesus.  We have the benefit of hindsight, but we should not lose touch with the context.  This chapter is so incredibly dense, that I will have to keep focus on the verse in question, but always in the context of this first statement: Jesus is talking to his remaining eleven disciples.

Starting with the first verse, we run into our first question on translation.  Is the phrase Believe in God or You believe in God?  So, if Jesus has just informed Peter and the other apostles of Peter’s denial, then when he says to Believe in God, there is a context of denial.  This is an imperative, yes; but it is in the context of speaking to a group who clearly do believe in God.  So why should Jesus use this imperative? 

This chapter is one of the sentinel Trinitarian passages in the Bible.  In this first section, Jesus lays out His own unity with and yet separate person from God.  In the second section, Jesus will lay out His unity with and yet separate person from the Holy Spirit.  But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.  Let’s continue.

Jesus sets up Thomas by saying “…And you know the way to where I am going.” Realize that Jesus has just described metaphorically heaven and yet Thomas, who is just not seeing the point of all of this says.  “We don’t know where you are going.  How can we know the way?”

This is vitally important point.  Even one of the eleven remaining disciples did not know the way, did not know the goal, did not know the purpose of Jesus and His coming into the world, and the manner of His leaving the world.  Is it any wonder that we today have such a perverted view of Jesus and His life and ministry?  What were the Jews expecting?  What did they get instead?  This dichotomy of expectation and realization is part of the backdrop of Christianity both then and now.  What do we expect and what has actually been realized?

We all know the famous quote of John 14:6.  If you don’t, I’m sorry, but we’ll have to come back to that another day.  Let us look for now at John 14:7: “If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.” This is a remarkable statement.  He is accusing His disciples of not knowing Him!  Look at His audience here: the eleven remaining disciples!  If you had known me….  Why does he say this?  Remember what we keep saying, context, context, context.  This is about Jesus making the claim, over and over again, until He gets it through their thick skulls, that He is from God, He is of God, He is God.

Now comes the big set up for our quoted passage for today.  Philip requests that Jesus “show us the Father, and it is enough.” Now, look how this follows on the heels of what Jesus has just said!  You have to love the humanity of the Apostles.  They have the Real Deal, Jesus Himself, in flesh and blood, standing (or sitting) with them, and they still have ears filled with wax, minds full of worldly clutter, totally incapable of hearing the message right in front of them.  It is truly remarkable.  Types and shadows, my friends, types and shadows.  To the ears of the nonbeliever, all this is foolishness.  But to the ears of the believer, these are the Words of Salvation.  Look at these words Jesus spoke to the scribes and Pharisees back in John 8:

"But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me. Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.” (John 8:45-47 ESV)

Is Jesus comparing His own eleven to the scribes and Pharisees?  In a very real sense, yes, He is.  We are all condemned to death under Adam.  It is not until Jesus arises from the dead, overcoming death and sin, that any one of them gets it!  If the Apostles don’t get it despite seeing with their eyes and hearing with their ears, how are we to do so?  That is the role of the Holy Spirit, and we are coming to that shortly.

So, what is Jesus’ response to Philip? First, His response is almost incredulous. “How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?” Really, Philip?  Aren’t you listening?  “Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me?” Really Philip?  Now, one more time in small words, Philip, and the rest of you, so that you will all understand me plainly. “The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does His works.  Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.”

One aside, the word works in this contexts means not just signs and wonders, miracles and healing, and all of the great stuff Jesus does, but much more importantly, all of the teaching that He has done, all of the re-examination of scripture that He has done (and notably will do shortly after His resurrection.) The words that I say to you....  The point of this statement is not the works, the point is to believe that Jesus is in the Father and the Father is in Jesus.

And now, finally, we are ready for our verses for the day, John 14:12-14.  

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it." (John 14:12-14 ESV)

Look, you lot, you are the believers.  It’s all going to be on your back, because I have to leave very soon.  You will have to do works, greater works than what I have done.  Now, here, it is very important to look at that word works again in this context.  Clearly, Jesus doesn’t mean that they will have to duplicate what He Himself is about to in terms of the resurrection.  That much I think we can state as a given.  So, there are limits to the scope of these works.  What is the point of the works?  To demonstrate that the Father is in Jesus and Jesus is in the Father.  Does that mean signs and wonders and miracles?  Sure, we know that it does.  What is the purpose of these signs and wonders and miracles and are they all of what the apostles need to be doing?  Works, importantly, specifically and most prominently means to teach, to spread the Word.  How do we know this?  That’s what Jesus will follow through with in the next section.  If the apostles have to do great works, they are going to need a Helper.  And Jesus will define the Work of the Helper.

But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. (John 14:26 ESV)

Ah, so remembering and repeating the Words of Jesus is a big time Work.  Whatever you, the eleven remaining apostles, ask in My name, this is will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  Please, please, please, read that highlighted portion again and again.  I know that you will want to highlight the next line, because that is what our fallen minds seek.  We want to name it and claim it.  But it is not about us, it never has been. It’s all about Jesus, and the Father, and the Holy Spirit.

That’s enough for today.  Go to church, one in which the Word of God is preached from the Bible, in an expository manner, explaining the Word in light of the unfolding mystery of redemptive history, in light of the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ our only mediator and advocate.

– Troll –

Paul, tell me your story…part 2

It is not often that I’ll write something and then find the need to expound on my rather lengthy prose so shortly thereafter.  This is such a moment.  Only a week ago, I asked not to be burdened with your story, but rather that we should all defer to The Story as revealed in the Bible.  Once again, the example of Paul has been raised up as a defense of using our testimonies rather than scripture and Christian evidences for Evangelism and Apologetics.  I shall try again with Paul to demonstrate that Paul does nothing of the sort.  The confusion lies in the distinction of Paul’s unique position in redemptive history as the Apostle to the Gentiles from our own lives.

Paul wrote twelve letters that are included in the Canon.  If Paul wrote Hebrews, then this only helps my argument, but let’s say that he didn’t for my purpose here.  In nine of the epistles, Paul begins by claiming that he is an Apostle of Christ Jesus; in one other, he refers to himself as an apostle in the body of the letter.  Therefore, the cornerstone of this debate is the defining of the word Apostle.  

According to the Bible, an Apostle is one in authority.  Matthew 10 is the great passage where Jesus commissions the first twelve apostles for ministry within the Royal family, the Jews.  He also differentiates between apostles and disciples in Matthew 10:24-25.  In Mark 3:14-15, Jesus says that apostles preach and have the authority to cast out demons.  Luke 9 gives us a similar commission of the apostles.  This remains the mission statement of the Apostles until after the resurrection when Christ assigns a new mission for the twelve.  Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:15-18, and Luke 24:48 proclaim the new plan also known as the Great Commission: you are witnesses, so spread the Gospel.

It is clear that after the Resurrection and Pentecost, the mission of the apostles has changed.  Acts 4:33 talks about the apostles giving their testimony of the resurrection.  Once Peter begins to spread the Gospel to the Gentiles, the direction of the whole mission of the apostles and the church shifts again.  Paul’s reinterpretation of Old Testament scripture and prophets is presented to the Counsel of Jerusalem, in light of the work of the Holy Spirit through both Peter and Paul.  The Jerusalem Counsel confirms the work of Peter and Paul among the Gentiles.

How does Paul lay claim to the title of Apostle?  The key lines are Acts 4:33 and Acts 9:15-16.  The apostles witness to the resurrection.  In order to give testimony to an event, a person must be an eyewitness in order to have credibility.  It is this area that Paul’s testimony is germane.  Because Paul is the only person after Pentecost who actually gives eyewitness testimony to the resurrection, his testimony is vitally important.  Paul is a hostile witness.  As a member of the Pharisees, and particularly to the more militant branch, Paul’s credentials as being hostile to Christians is well earned.  He has motive and opportunity to continue on the course he had been living.  He had no worldly incentive to change his path.  This is the instrument that Christ selects to be His final witness to His resurrection until the Last Day.  Paul’s suffering is foretold .  It is part and parcel to his testimony.  The calling of Paul is wrapped up into two parts: Paul did witness the Resurrected Jesus, and Paul will be taught the meaning of suffering.  But the key item is his eyewitness account.

Can we then draw a parallel between Paul’s defense of his apostleship in several of his epistles and the idea of our own testimony?  The answer to this question is obvious to me.  Can anyone of us actually give an eyewitness account to the resurrected Christ?  Until such a time, our own testimony is unnecessary and irrelevant.  We are not Apostles.  Christ is sitting at the Right Hand of God until He comes again in Glory to judge the living and the dead.  When he comes back, that’s called the Last Day, the end of this era.  It is a great and terrible day.  Until that time, we do not witness to his resurrection except from scripture that gives the accounts of the actual witnesses, the Apostles.  Our testimony is the scripture.

And so, once again, spare me your story, and I’ll spare you mine.  Instead, let’s get busy with telling the Greatest Story ever told, the Gospel.  The Word and the Spirit through the Word are where all of the power resides in this world.

--Ogre--

Paul, Tell me your Story.

One of my beloved and respected teachers made a comment about Paul that struck me as being at odds with my ideas about evangelism.  If you know Ogre, you know that I never take anything from any teacher as Gospel unless it dovetails with my understanding of Scripture.  This is not mean as disrespect or arrogance, although both may be perceived, but rather as an inquisitive student who pushes the envelope of any and all he encounters.  That’s why I’m the Ogre.

Paul is known as the Apostle to the Gentiles.  What is also true is that he spent the majority of his ministry visiting and writing churches that were predominantly made up of Jewish converts.  It was well known that Paul was not of the original twelve.  The use of the label “Apostle” on Paul was not received with the same sort of validation of authenticity as it was when referencing Peter or John.  Therefore, Paul often began his Epistles with a defense of his calling as an Apostle.

It has been said that this was an example of Paul telling his story to spread the Gospel.  This is the statement that I will be arguing against.  Starting with Romans, the first Pauline Epistle, Paul discusses his credentials as an Apostle for about one paragraph, then he dives into doctrine.  Paul, in his discussions of doctrine, ALWAYS grounds his arguments in scripture.  The Old Testament is cited by Paul either by direct quote or paraphrase over 70 times in the book of Romans.  Once Paul has finished defending his credentials, which he unfortunately has to do, Paul’s arguments are ALWAYS grounded in scripture, NOT in his experience.  This is an important distinction.

Jesus quoted scripture.  Jesus acted in accordance with what the Old Testament prophets, His prophets, stated would be the actions of the messiah.  Jesus grounded His earthly ministry in Scripture.  Paul always does the same.  He always grounds his arguments in Scripture.

Paul’s letters are a part of scripture.  All of the epistles are Apostolic utterances that have been included in the Canon.  Therefore, Paul's defense of his Apostleship is germane today for his validation as an author of scripture.  Once he has established his Apostolic credentials, his arguments for the Gospel are always about Jesus and His fulfillment of scripture.  He does NOT use his experience as an argument for the Gospel.

What example, then, can we take from the Bible in general, and Paul in particular, for our own evangelistic style?  Peter in his Pentecost sermon in Acts 2 reasons and argues from Scripture.  He doesn’t tell his story.  Granted, many listening know who he is, but his arguments are from Scripture.  Paul argues for the Gospel from Scripture and gives the Christian Evidences, the most important of which is the resurrection.  As a witness to the resurrected Christ, this one portion of Paul’s testimony is relevant.  All of the Apostles have the same portion of their testimony, and it is relevant.  We have these accounts recorded for us in the Bible.  They are the testimonies that are relevant. 

My testimony, as exciting and earth moving as it is to me, is not relevant.  My faith never has converted anyone, nor will it.  My testimony is about as useful as a soaking wet bath towel.  It is the Holy Spirit that converts the elect.  The Holy Spirit works to confirm the Gospel.  Why waste time and space with discussions of my own fascinating and non-reproducible story of conversion when the real Christian evidences are at my disposal.  They are timeless, topical, useful, effective, Scriptural, well documented and appropriate.  Plus, the Holy Spirit doesn’t lift up me or my experience.  The Holy Spirit lifts up the Gospel.

So, please.  Spare me your testimony and I’ll spare you mine.  Evangelism means to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not the story of Ogre, not even the story of Paul.

--Ogre--