Kieran's Blog
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Church of Christ - Duluth 318 N. 18th Ave. E. Duluth, MN 55812 (218) 728-1087
Evangelist: Kieran Murphy Please feel free to email us with your Bible questions or comments.
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12/21/06
Drawn By the Father - Studies in John 6:1-51, Part 2
The signs Jesus worked were for the purpose of producing faith – of turning unbelievers into believers (cf., John 20:30-31). Though the Jews witnessed many wonderful works, they continued in their unbelief (John 6:36). Yes, they had sought after him but not because of the testimony of the signs, but because “they ate of the loaves and were filled” (vs. 26). The signs (especially the feeding of the 5,000) suggested they could use Jesus to secure their earthly situation. They were materialists – their minds were set on this life and they sought Jesus not as disciples who desire to imitate their teacher in word and deed, but because they saw in him one who could supply their earthly needs.
In an attempt to elevate their sights Jesus spoke to them about bread which endures to eternal life, about bread which gives life to the world. This bread was his to give, but only to those who worked for it – who “believe in Him” (vss. 27, 29). When they finally asked for this bread Jesus told them: (vs. 35) “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” But then he immediately says they could neither eat nor drink because they did not believe (vs. 36)
Jesus then says: (vs. 37a) “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me ….” This will be explained later in the discourse (vss. 44-46). However this much seems clear: Those coming to Jesus have been given to him by the Father. They are given before they come.
Regarding those who come, Jesus says: (vs. 37b) “… I will certainly not cast [them] out.” This will not happen because he came not to do his own will, but the will of the Father (vs. 38). The will of the Father is this: (vs. 39) “… that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.” In verse 40 Jesus reiterates this and he explains what coming to the Son means. “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.” In this context the expression beholds the Son is more than merely looking at him. These people had seen Jesus, but they had not really seen him, they had seen his signs but they had not reflected upon their significance. Leon Morris, quotes R.F. Bailey who argues that the Greek theōrōn (beholds) should be rendered “contemplateth.” He maintains that theōrōn “‘implies not mere vision but grasping the significance of a thing, and so is the precursor of faith.’” (Morris, 369) This, then, is what it means to come to Jesus: to behold him – to grasp the significance of his words and works – and then to believe in Him on account of it. Such people, says the Lord, “will have eternal life, and … I will raise [them] up on the last day.”
12/11/06
Drawn By the Father - Studies in John 6:1-51, Part 1
The feeding of the 5,000 was just one more occasion where God testified to the Jews that Jesus is the one “of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote.” As a result of this testimony the people said: (John 6:14) “This is truly the Prophet which is to come into the world.”
The Jews were already fiercely nationalistic. With the preaching of John and Jesus that “the kingdom of God is at hand” (Matthew 3:2; Mark 1:14-15) these nationalistic aspirations were inflamed. “Doubtless many of the people who saw the miracle felt that here was a divinely accredited leader, who was just the person to lead them against the Romans” (Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John, 346). The people were prepared to “take Him by force to make Him king” (vs. 15). “Like many others since, they wanted to use Him to further their own needs. But to Jesus the prospect of an earthly kingdom was nothing else than a temptation of the devil,” (Morris, 346) which he resisted on this occasion by dismissing the multitude and withdrawing into the mountain until he was alone (John 6:15; cf., Matthew 14:23-24).
But the multitudes would not be put off so easily! On the next day, after discovering he was no longer on their side of the lake they came to Capernaum seeking him (John 6:24). Finding him they asked: (vs. 25) “Rabbi, when did You get here?” Jesus ignores the question and challenges their motives for following him: (vs. 26) “… you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.” Of course these people recognized miracles had taken place, but they had not reflected upon the significance of them.
Miracles were not meant to satisfy the physical needs of the recipients. Of course they did this, but their primary purpose was to testify of Jesus. They were the Father’s testimony that he is that Prophet predicted by Moses. Of this Prophet Moses said: (Deuteronomy 18:15) “you shall listen to him.” Of this Prophet God also said: (vss. 19) “… whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him.” The people were not seeking him because the signs testified that he is this Prophet like Moses who would speak the words of God. They followed him for what they thought he could give them – food, health and even salvation from Rome. These “seekers” were materialists, being interested primarily in the things relating to this earthly life. They must raise their sights. So Jesus tells them: (vs. 27a) “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life which the Son of Man will give you….”
6/19/06
Man - Created in the Image of God
Unlike the plant and animal life, only man was created in the image of God The scripture says: (Genesis 1:27) “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” In Psalm 8 David speaks of man’s elevation over the rest of creation.
(vss 3-9) When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; what is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, and You crown him with glory and majesty! You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, whatever passes through the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!“What is man? God was so mindful of him as to exalt him to a position next to himself, giving him dominion over all things of earth. No man therefore should abuse himself, as if he were a being of no importance, nor should he trespass on the person or rights of his fellow man. Human life is sacred.” (R.L. Whiteside, Bible Studies, Genesis-Deuteronomy, 15)
Man was and continues to enter the world in the image of God (cf. James 3:9). But what does this mean? Since we have a physical body does God also have one – a body made of flesh and bones? Admittedly, the words image and likeness are often used with reference to external similarities. However, it is evident from what the Jesus has said about God and about spirit, that He is neither flesh nor bones. For “God is spirit” (John 4:24) and “a spirit does not have flesh and bones” (Luke 24:39). Therefore, when the Bible says: “God created man in his own image” it cannot mean that man is made in the physical image of God for God has no such image. And so we are still made to wonder: What is the image of God?6/16/06
The Beginning of Marriage
Genesis one and two also speak about the beginning of marriage. On the 6th day, after the creation of man, God said: (vs. 18) "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him." Adam did not find this help from what had already been created – a dog or a cat or a bird or even some kind of an ape or monkey. As precious as certain animals may be to us, none of them can be called a helper suitable for man. Once Adam had an opportunity to learn this, God created the woman.
(Genesis 2:21-25) So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.
The woman and the woman alone can be called “a helper suitable” for man. Only she can be his helper in every aspect of his life. She would reign at his side, not serve at his feet. As a unit they were told to subdue the earth "and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth."
Furthermore, as husband and wife they were authorized to bring forth children. (Genesis 1:28) God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth….” Though a man and a woman don’t have to be married to have children, they have no right from God to have children together unless they are married. Outside of the marriage all sex is sin! When two unmarried individuals have sex it is fornication. When a person who is married has sex with someone other than his/her marriage partner, it is adultery. But whether it be adultery or fornication this is what God says about it: (Hebrews 13:4) "Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge."6/15/06
In the beginning...
The word genesis means “origin” or “coming into being.” Thus one would expect the book of Genesis to be about origins and it is. In the first three chapters, for example, there is the record of the beginning of the heavens and the earth, vegetable and animal life, the human race, marriage, sin and the first promise of the One who would rescue men from the consequences of their sin. Genesis was written by Moses and is the only authoritative history of that period.
Genesis addresses the beginning of all material things that make up what we call the heavens and the earth: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The heavens and the earth have not always existed – they are not eternal; they had a beginning and the beginning was God - “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” In one brief sentence, with no effort toward embellishment, the greatest material accomplishment known to men is told. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”5/12/06
Belief is Essential, But Is Not Enough
After feeding the five thousand with the five barely loaves and two fish John writes…
(John 6:14-15) Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone.
This miracle – along with all the others – clearly demonstrated that Jesus was the Messiah, the Prophet that Moses had spoken of in Deut. 18. Who else could He be? But it is not enough to be convinced that Jesus is “truly the Prophet” spoken of in the book of Moses. For concerning this prophet God said…
(Deut 18:18-19) … I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him.
This Prophet would speak the word of God and God expected that word to be listened to – obeyed. Peter confirms this Acts 3 when he said to the Jews…
(vss. 22-23) Moses said, “THE LORD GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN; TO HIM YOU SHALL GIVE HEED to everything He says to you. And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.”
It has never been enough to believe that Jesus is the Prophet like Moses, the King spoken of in prophecy (cf., John 2:23-25; 12:42). The believer must be prepared to accept whatever teaching He might present; even if it contradicts his preconceived notions or long held beliefs.
5/8/06
Sound Doctrine
Last week I received an email from an individual who watches one of our weekly programs on PACT. In the email he expressed his frustration of not being able to find a church in the greater Duluth area that teaches correct doctrine; he also made some comments about the new birth. But for the moment, here are my remarks about “correct doctrine.”
You said that you are “having trouble finding a church that teaches correct doctrine. Not legalism but doctrine.” I understand what you are saying. Sadly, many are persuaded that it is legalistic to insist upon pure doctrine. Yet, when one examines the scriptures it is clear that in the first century churches loyal to God were also loyal to “the apostles’ doctrine (teaching)” (Acts 2:42). It is their doctrine/teaching that we must be interested in; one cannot be loyal to Christ without being loyal to them – to their teaching. Jesus taught this in John 15:20 when He told the apostles: (John 15:20) "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” In his first epistle John declared that our fellowship with God is determined by whether or not we remain in fellowship with him and his inspired companions. Having warned his readers about false prophets and encouraged them to test the spirits to see whether or not they are from God, John gives three tests; all of which are essential.
5/5/06
The Father's Testimony With Regard To Jesus - The Miracles
In John 6:2 we are told that "a large crowd followed Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing on those who were sick." These “signs” were “the works” which the Lord had spoken of in the last chapter – the works that testified about Him, “that they Father” had sent Him (5:36). Nicodemus and his associates understood the significance of these works. For when he came to Jesus he said: (3:2) “… ‘Rabbi, we know that you have come from God sent as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.” The man who was born blind but was given sight by the Lord also understood the significance of His works. In response to the Jews who said, even in the face of great miracles, that they did not know where Jesus was from, this man said: (9:30-34) “Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
5/4/06
What Does It Take To Be A REAL Christian?
Many in our society consider themselves Christians often for very different reasons. If you were to conduct a mini-opinion poll among 10 neighbors asking: “What does it take to be a real Christian?” you might get 10 different answers.
What is the biblical definition of a Christian? According to Acts 11:26 a Christian is a disciple of Christ. For “the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” In the New Testament, no other group of people is ever referred to as Christians. But what exactly is a “disciple” and at what point does one become a disciple of Christ?
04/06/06
The Peril of Pornography
Job said: I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin? (Job 31:1) At some point in his life this man of God determined not to participate in sexual immorality by keeping his heart pure. He had made vow – a solemn vow - with his eyes not to allow them to be the conduit to his mind of impure images that lead to unholy desires. (Albert Barnes, Notes on the Bible) It was not enough for him to be chaste in his deeds, but he wanted to keep his mind pure too. We would do well to walk in his steps in this matter!
04/07/06
The works of the flesh are evident....
As I sit in Bixby's preparing for my gospel meeting in Pine City, MN (April 16-21) I have been reminded once again of the terrible consequences that will befall the children of God when they continue to have "the mind set on the flesh." Paul wrote...
(Rom 8:6-8) … mind set on the flesh is death … because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
The mind set on the flesh is a mind that is determined to indulge the flesh – to keep it happy by giving it what it wants. Such a mind cannot please God and is certain death! We must overcome our flesh!
04/08/06
Spring Cleaning & Miscellaneous Thoughts
Today Patti and I did some "spring cleaning" in the part of the yard that we can view from our kitchen window, which happens to be on the north side of our cabin. We took most of the branches that we trimmed from tamarack trees to the burning pile, about 100 yards behind our cabin; most of the rotten timbers that were once part of an old shed in that part of the yard were also hauled there. The rest will be sawn and saved for kindling for next winter. For as I learned this winter - you can never have too much kindling. We also did some raking; but we will need to do this again once the ground thaws and the rest of the snow melts. All in all it was a pleasant morning: out in the fresh air, working side by side with the companion that I took in my youth. Certainly the wise man spoke truth when he said: (Proverbs 18:22) "He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD."
04/11/06
A word study: immorality, impurity and sensuality.
Immorality is a poor translation of the Greek word PORNEIA. Granted immorality may be PORNEIA, but in today’s English immorality may also be killing baby seals and driving an SUV. The better word to translate PORNEIA is fornication, for it leaves us in no doubt as to the kind of immorality that keeps one out of the kingdom of God – sexual intercourse with one whom you are not lawfully married to (cf., Arndt and Gingrich, 699-700; Thayer, 531-532).
The Greek word AKATHARSIA translated impurity (uncleanness, NKJV) was used in several different ways by the Greeks and in the sacred writings: 1) of physical and material dirt, 2) of physical, ritual and ceremonial impurity. When a person became unclean either in the physical, ritual or ceremonial sense, he could not approach God. He could not enter the temple, or share in its worship and 3) of moral impurity which is inconsistent with personal purity. The Lutheran commentator RCH Lenski says that in Galatians 5 AKATHARSIA is: “… broader [than fornication, KM] and includes not only the other sexual aberrations but all that leads to them – the whole mass of this filth.” (Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, 285) The Presbyterian commentator William Hendriksen says AKATHARSIA is a comprehensive word that “includes not only uncleanness in deeds, but also in words, thoughts, and desires of the heart.” (Galatians, 219) In his Greek-English Lexicon Thayer says AKATHARSIA is: “… unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, outrageousness, shamelessness …; wanton (acts or) manners, as filthy words, indecent bodily movements, unchaste handling of males and females, etc.” According to this, mutual masturbation (including oral sex) as well as certain kinds of dancing would fall under the category of AKATHARSIA; and so would filthy words and filthy thoughts.