Tag: Christ

The Way of Life

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Proverbs 15:24 The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath. 

‘The way of life is above to the wise.’ Four contrasted ways: The way of the wise – the way of fools. The way of life – the way of death. The way above – the way beneath. The way to heaven – the way to hell.

The way of the wise leads to life and ascends to heaven, where Christ is. Christ Himself is the Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6), and Scripture reveals Him as the sevenfold Way: The only way to God (Matt. 7:14; John 10:1, 7, 9; 14:6). The way of escape from temptation and sin (1Cor. 10:13). The way into the Most Holy Place, granting access to God (Heb. 9:8-15; 10:19-23). The new and living way, opened through His sacrifice (Heb. 10:20; 5:9). The way of truth, which is given to us by Christ through the gospel and His life (2Pet. 2:2). The right way, contrasted with false paths (2Pet. 2:15). The way of righteousness (2Pet. 2:21; 1Cor. 1:30). In Him, the journey of the wise finds its ultimate destination and purpose.

Whosoever WILL can be saved if he chooses the way of life (John 3:16; 1Tim. 2:4; 2Pet. 3:9; Rev. 22:17). The way of life IS the way to eternal life (John 6:63, 68).

The Better – Part 2

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Hebrews 7:7-10 And without all contradiction, the less is blessed of the better…

We need to understand the union of the two natures of Jesus Christ. He constantly spoke of Himself as a single person and not as two persons in one. There is no interchange of speech between the two natures as between two persons. The attributes and powers of both natures are ascribed to one person so that they are operated as part of a single individual. There is no double personality, but one single unit of characteristics of both the human and the divine. Just as any father and mother impart certain traits to the offspring, making a single person with characteristics of both parents, so the human and the divine were united in the one person of Jesus Christ – with one body, soul, and spirit and with one consciousness and one will.

The Fatherhood of God and the motherhood of Mary produced a single personality. After all, it must be remembered that God made man with the same body parts as He has in His Spirit-body, only our bodies are earthly and human and His is spiritual and divine. He made man with the same kind of soul with feelings, emotions, passions, desires, and appetites, capable of the same soul-acts as He was; only our soul is finite and His is infinite. He made man with a spirit with all the attributes and powers that He has, capable of the same acts; only our spirits are finite and His is infinite. In other words, man is endowed with the same traits, characteristics, attributes, powers, feelings, and passions as God, only on a finite scale.

With this in mind, one can see that the soul and spirit faculties that were born in Jesus Christ by a divine Father and a human mother were the same as in any other being like God; so when Christ acted and used any one attribute or power as a man it was like the exercise of God in the same aspects, only His faculties were perfectly untainted with the Fall and its effects. When Christ acted, He was like man before the Fall and not like sinful man since the Fall. Every fallen man when he is recreated in Christ and made a new creature is capable of proper exercise of his faculties in holy and lawful uses.

The Better – Part 1

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Hebrews 7:7-10 And without all contradiction, the less is blessed of the better. And here men that die received tithes; but there he received them, of whom it is witnessed that he lived. And as I may so say, Levi also, who received tithes, paid tithes in Abraham. For he was yet in the loins of his father, when Melchisedec met him. 

‘The better’ – Christ is better than Abraham: Christ is a member of the Godhead that made the covenant with Abraham and gave him promises (6:13-15; 1Jn. 5:7). Christ is the hope of Abraham (6:16-20; Col. 1:27). Christ is eternal (1:8; 6:20; John 8:58; Rev. 1:8-11). Christ is the Saviour and Blesser of Abraham (6:20; 7:7; Gal. 3:13-18, 26-29). Christ is Abraham’s eternal High Priest of which Melchizedek was only a type (6:20; 7:3, 7-10, 14-21). Abraham paid tithes to Christ’s eternal priesthood (7:2, 4-10). Christ is only begotten Son of Abraham’s God (7:3; John 1:14, 18; 3:16)

‘And here men that die receive tithes; but there he received them.’ If men who die receive tithes, how much more should they who live receive them? That is, if temporary priests have received them, how much more should the eternal priests [future calling for Christians – see Revelations 1:6 – no priests were assigned for the New Testament period before the rapture except Jesus Christ] receive them?

‘Of whom it is witnessed that he lived.’ As there is no record of his death or the end of his priesthood, Melchizedek is an illustration of the perpetuity of life, a type of Christ who is eternal (1:8; Isa. 9:6; Mic. 5:2; Rev. 1:8-11).

‘Levi also, who received tithes, paid tithes in Abraham.’ Those who receive tithes also pay them on their own income. In this, Abraham was the representative tithe payer for all his seed to come (7:9-10).

‘In the loins of his father.’ In the loins of his ancestral father.

To be continued…

Without Sin

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Hebrews 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. 

‘Touched’ [Greek: sumpatheo] sympathize (4:15; 10:34).

‘Infirmities’ – Feebleness of mind and body, malady, frailty, disease, sickness, weakness. All this Christ bore on the cross, fulfilling Isaiah 53:1-12. Every infirmity is not a disease or sickness but all these are infirmities (Luke 5:15; 7:21; 8:2; 13:11-12; John 5:5). Priests had infirmities (5:2; 7:28), but not diseases or physical imperfections, for they had to be perfect physically (Lev. 21:17-24). All saints have infirmities or weaknesses of various kinds (Rom. 8:26), but not necessarily sickness and disease (Rom. 14:1-2; 15:1). Paul had infirmities or weaknesses in the body because of the sufferings of 2Corinthians 11:24-30; 12:5-10; Galatians 4:13, but there is no indication that he had sicknesses and diseases that Christ died to take from him. His thorn was “a messenger (angel) of satan” who caused these beatings, stonings, etc. (2Cor. 12:7). Any weakness in body, soul, spirit, faith, ability, etc. is an infirmity. The same Greek word astheneia and is translated weakness (1Cor. 2:3; 15:43; 2Cor. 12:9; 13:4; Heb. 11:34) and infirmity (Rom. 6:19; 8:26; 2Cor. 11:30; Heb. 4:15; 5:2; 7:28).

‘Was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.’ He was tempted in all things like human beings, without consenting to sin.

I will Put My Trust in Him

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Hebrews 2:13-15 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God had given me. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. 

‘I will put my trust in him.’ This is the 9th Old Testament prophecy in Hebrews (2:13; 2Sam. 22:3) and is fulfilled. From 2Samuel 22 and Psalms 18, we have twelve things that God is to His people: Rock (2Sam. 22:2, 3, 29, 31, 32, 33, 40; Ps. 18:2). Fortress. Deliverer. God of my Rock. Shield. The horn of my salvation. High tower. Refuge. Saviour. Lamp. Buckler. Strength.

‘Behold I and the children which God had given me.’ This is the 10th Old Testament prophecy in Hebrews (2:13; Isa. 8:18) that is fulfilled.

‘Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.’ Seeing that those whom He represents are flesh and blood, it was necessary for Him also to become flesh and blood that He might be capable of dying in their place, by this act of destroying satan and annulling his power of death over mankind.

‘And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.’ This refers to the deliverance of all righteous souls from the captivity of satan and their prison in the lower parts of the earth. Christ descended first into hell (Ps. 16:10; Acts 2:27), in the lower parts of the earth (Eph. 4:8-10; Matt. 12:40), then captured the righteous souls from satan, leading them captive to heaven when He ascended on high as referred to in Ephesians 4:8-10. This fulfilled Psalm 68:18. Before this, all righteous souls went into hades or sheol, along with the souls of the wicked, but in another compartment with a great gulf between them (Luke 16:19-31). Now, the souls of the righteous no longer go into the heart of the earth to be held captive against their will. They go immediately to paradise at physical death to await the resurrection of their bodies (2Cor. 5:8; Php. 1:21-24). The wicked continue to go to the torment compartment of Hades or Sheol and will continue to do so until the end of the Millennium. Then death and Hades will deliver up the wicked souls who will be united with their bodies in the resurrection to be judged and sent to eternal hell (Rev. 20:11-15).

Captain of their Salvation

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Hebrews 2:10-13 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctified and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. 

‘Became him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory.’ It was suitable to divine wisdom and justice and the program of grace to offer Jesus as a sacrifice to bring many sons to glory.

‘Captain of their salvation.’ The Originator of Salvation. Without suffering He could not have died; without dying He could not have made atonement for sin; and without completing His redemptive work He could not have been perfected.

‘Perfect’ [Greek: teleioo] make a full end; complete. The idea is that Christ could not have been made complete or bring to a complete end the work He was supposed to do without His sufferings.

‘For both he that sanctified and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren.’ Christ is the great Sanctifier, who sets apart and consecrates men to the service of God. They who are sanctified or thus consecrated and set apart to the service of God, are all one, in the same family, and called brethren. The brethren are those who represent the body of Christ which is male and therefore called brethren. During Old Testament times the nation Israel was referred to as God’s wife and the representative of God during those dispensations.

‘I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.’ This is the 8th Old Testament prophecy in Hebrews (2:12; Ps. 22:22) and is fulfilled in Christ declaring the Father to His followers – the Christians, also called His brethren. The Old Testament use of congregation is the correct translation instead of using the word “church” which derives from the translations period where King James’ translators changed the word to fit the Roman Catholic Church.

Died and Rose Again

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1Thessalonians 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 

‘Died and rose again.’ The death of Jesus Christ is the assurance of salvation for all who will believe (Matt. 26:28; Rom. 5:6-11; 1Pet. 2:24). The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the assurance of resurrection for all men (5:10; John 14:19; Rom. 5:10; 6:5-8; 1Cor. 15:4-23; 2Tim. 2:11).

‘Sleep in Jesus’ – Body-sleep, is not soul-sleep: Sleep means the death of the body (4:14-16; 5:10; Deut. 31:16; 2Sam. 7:12; 1Kin. 1:21; Job 7:21; Ps. 13:3; Dan. 12:2; Mark 5:39; Luke 8:52; John 11:11-14; Acts 13:36; 1Cor. 11:30; 15:51; Jas. 2:26). These are all the passages where the word “sleep” is found in connection with the death. The word “slept” is used in Matthew 27:52 and 1Corinthians 15:20 of death, and the phrase “slept with his fathers” is used 36 times of death in the Old Testament. Not one time is it stated that the soul sleeps. The soul is immortal (1Pet. 3:4). The term “sleep in Jesus” simply refers to those who were in Christ at their death (4:14, 16).

‘Bring with him.’ Christians at death go immediately to paradise to await the resurrection of their sleeping bodies (2Cor. 5:8; Php. 1:21-24; Heb. 12:22-23; Rev. 6:9-11). When Christ leaves heaven to come down in the air of the earth (4:17), the saints who are in paradise will come back with Him and be reunited with their bodies which will be resurrected in a moment (1Cor. 15:51-58).

The First Man

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1Corinthians 15:45-49 And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. Howbeit that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 

‘The first man Adam was made a living soul’ – quoted from Genesis 2:7.

‘The last Adam was made a quickening spirit.’ Seven contrasts between Adam and Christ: First Adam – last Adam (15:45); living soul – quickening spirit (15:45); natural – spiritual (15:46); earthly – heavenly (15:47); of the earth – of heaven (15:47); only man – both man and God (15:47); first man – second man (15:47).

‘As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy: and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.’ The earthly body will be like the earthly; the resurrected body will be like other heavenly bodies (15:48-49). ‘Image’ [Greek: eikon] likeness, profile; statue, or physical resemblance (15:49; 11:7; Matt. 22:20; Acts 19:35; Rom. 1:23; 8:29; 11:4; 2Cor. 4:4; Col. 1:15; Heb. 10:1; Rev. 13:14-15; 14:9-11; 15:2; 16:2; 19:20; 20:4). This further proves that spiritual and heavenly bodies are real and tangible. If the moral and spiritual image and likeness only are referred to, then interpreting all the preceding passages and those that follow with this idea alone would be very difficult (Gen. 5:3; 9:6; Ex. 20:4; Lev. 26:1; Ps. 73:20; 106:19; Isa. 40:19-20; 44:9-17; 45:20; Jer.10:14; 51:17). Doing away with outward forms of idols and people in these passages and claim that they have only a moral and spiritual image are not logical. With idols, only an outward image could be understood. With people, outward image is also the main idea. So, when the same word is used of heavenly beings it proves that they also have outward form and physical image.

He Was Seen

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1Corinthians 15:4c-8  And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. 

‘Seen’ – Over 514 witnesses saw Christ after the resurrection, we have 12 appearances of Christ: firstly to Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9; John 20:15-16); to the women at the tomb (Matt. 28:9); to two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-31); to Peter (15:5; Luke 24:34); to ten of the apostles (John 20:19); to eleven of the apostles (John 20:26); to seven of the apostles (John 21:1-22; this was after the second Sunday); to eleven of the apostles on a certain mountain in Galilee (Matt. 28:16); to all twelve apostles, which including Matthias (15:5; Acts 1:26); to five hundred brethren (15:6); to James, the Lord’s brother (15:7; Gal. 1:19); to all the apostles again (15:7; Mark 16:19-20; Luke 24:50-53; Acts 1:3-12, 26).

‘Cephas’ this was Peter (Luke 24:34; Mark 16:14).

‘The twelve’ – the term is used here officially, including Matthias (Acts 1:26) and excluding Paul (15:7-8).

‘He was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.’ This could be the same as in Matthew 28:16.

‘He was seen of James; then of all the apostles.’ This is James, the half-brother of Jesus (Gal. 1:19).

‘And last of all he was seen of me also’ – This is proof that Paul did not class himself as one of the 12 apostles (15:5-8). They were chosen because they had been eyewitnesses from the beginning.

‘One born out of due time’ [Greek: ektroma] a child untimely born; an abortion. Paul referred to being born out of the season when the 12 apostles were chosen (Isa. 66:6-7; Rom. 11:25-29; Zech. 12:10-13:1).

The Head of Every Man

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1Corinthians 11:1-4 Be you followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things, and keep the ordinances, as I delivered them to you. But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God. Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonours his head. 

‘Followers’ [Greek: mimetes] imitators. Follow or imitate me as I imitate Christ (4:16; 11:1; Eph. 5:1; 1Thess. 1:6; 2:14; Heb. 6:12; 1Pet. 3:13).

‘Praise’ [Greek: epaineo] commend (Luke 16:8); laud (Rom. 15:11), and praise (1Cor. 11:2, 17, 22).

‘Keep’ [Greek: katecho] hold fast (1Thess. 5:21; Heb. 3:6, 14; 10:23).

‘Ordinances’ [Greek: paradosis] a handing down; doctrines; traditions (Matt. 15:2-6; Mark 7:3-13; Gal. 1:14; Col. 2:8; 2Thess. 2:15; 3:6). What ordinances he refers to are not listed, but they no doubt include the whole body of truth of the gospel and not only the Lord’s Supper and water baptism.

‘The head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.’ Three headships in 1Corinthians11:3: God is head of Christ. Christ is head of man. Man is head of woman – the husband is the head of his wife.

‘The head of Christ is God’ – God and Christ are two separate and distinct persons (1Tim. 2:5).

‘Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonours his head.’ Every man praying or prophesying with a cap or turban on his head dishonours his head, Christ (11:3). This was in direct contrast to the canons of the Jews which did not permit a man to pray or prophesy unless veiled. Their idea was that man is unworthy to have an open face before God.

‘Dishonours’ [Greek: kataischuno] shame (Luke 13:17; Rom. 5:5; 9:33; 10:11; 1Cor. 11:22; 2Cor. 7:14; 9:4; 1Pet. 3:16); confound (1Cor. 1:27; 1Pet. 2:6); and dishonour (11:4-5). Christianity is an open-faced religion and nothing is to be done in secret or under cover.