“Let Reuben live, and not die, but let his men be few” Deuteronomy 33:6.

After the opening of the blessing  in verses 2-5 which focused purely on God’s glory as it was manifested at Sinai, Moses now turns his attention to the blessing of each of the tribes.

The order is somewhat different from Jacob’s blessing in Genesis 49 in that although he starts with some of the tribes named after the sons of Leah, Moses then divides the tribes of Benjamin and Joseph, the sons of Rachel, before he returns to the final two.  He then finishes with the tribe’s named after the sons of Bilhah and Zilpah the respective handmaidens of Rachel and Leah as opposed to how Jacob finishes with the tribes of Joseph and Benjamin descended from the sons of Rachel.

The other notable exception here is that the tribe of Simeon is not mentioned.  This would be in accordance with Genesis 49:7 and the fact that it seems to have become part of, or a part within, the tribe of Judah, certainly where territory was concerned as Joshua 19:1-9 shows their territory was within Judah’s territory.

Reuben is the first tribe to be blessed (v6) and the blessing is comparatively short compared to the blessing of the others tribes.  The blessing takes the form of a request to the Lord for the survival of the tribe, yet, at the same time, a request that the tribe would not increase greatly in size.  The background and reason for this is found in Jacob’s words in Genesis 49:4 which indicates the sexual sin of Reuben, in Genesis 35:22, when he slept with his father’s concubine Bilhah.  The seriousness of this sin is indicated with its prohibition in the Law (Deuteronomy 22:30, although this is a man committing the act with his mother) and by the threat of the curse in Deuteronomy 27:20.  What we do know is that the tribe of Reuben was numerous at the time of the first census in Numbers 1 numbering 46500 but by the time of the second census in Numbers 26 they had declined to 43750 a loss of 2770.  The tribe continued to have trouble with decreasing numbers and later in Israel’s history, when the nation was disobedient and came under the covenant curses, the tribe of Reuben suffered from Ammonite aggression against Israel (see 2 Kings 10:33).  Hence the nature of Moses’ prayer for them.

So, what can we learn from Moses’ blessing of the tribe of Reuben?  Many Churches in this day and age are facing decline.  Although it is not always the case, it seems foolhardy to me for Churches not to examine the past and to see if there is any sense of unfaithfulness and sin in the closet which has led to a withdrawal of God’s blessing.  After all, a sin that is recognized is a sin that can be repented of!

“The Lord came from Sinai and dawned from Seir upon us; he shone forth from Mount Paran; he came from the ten thousands of holy ones, with flaming fire at his right hand.  Yes, he loved his people, all his holy ones were in his hand; so they followed in your steps, receiving direction from you, when Moses commanded us a law as a possession for the assembly of Jacob.  Thus the Lord became king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people were gathered, all the tribes of Israel together” (Deuteronomy 33:2-5).

The first part of the blessing in verses 2-5 focuses purely on God’s glory.  In this it has similarities with other pieces of Scripture.[1] But the chief purpose here seems to be to look back at the glory of God as it was manifested at Sinai (interestingly, this is the only place in Deuteronomy where the name Horab is not used in the text).

The text refers to the splendour of the Lord as being like a sunrise (v2) and I cannot help thinking that this is in reference to the way that God revealed himself to His people.  Back in Deuteronomy chapter 4 and 5 although the people do not see God, they are left in no doubt as to His nature.  He is holy, yet, despite this, He has gone out of his way to firstly, redeemed His people and secondly, to speak to them, and by that, make Himself known.  Surely, this is the equivalent of a spiritual sunrise that seeks to destroy the dark night of superstition and idolatry that the Israelites had acquired in Egypt!

Also in this section there is an emphasis on: ‘holy ones’ which are most probably the Angels that were used in the revealing of God’s law (see Galatians 3:19 and Hebrews 2:2).  The focus then changes in that this great God has revealed himself and redeemed his people out of His great love for them.  The people are, I feel, the most likely explanation of the term: ‘his holy ones’ in verse 3, the context having change from the previous use in verse 2 as this is now related to the giving of the Law to them (see also v4)   which is shown in the phase: ‘so they followed in your steps, receiving direction from you, when Moses commanded us a law as a possession for the assembly of Jacob’ rather referring to the holiness and majesty of the Lord.

There is difficulty in translating the next part of the passage and defining its meaning.  Who does the: King in verse 5 refer to?  Is it the Lord, or is it Moses as it is not clear in the KJ or NIV?  There are arguments both ways.  J. G. McConville translates it as: ‘the Lord’[2] his argument being that this illustrates the Lord’s Kingship on earth echoing His Kingship in heaven.[3]  I once commented to a notable lecturer of Hebrew and Greek at the college I study at, that I have no wish to mangle another language as I had quite enough trouble with my own being dyslexic!  So I am in no position to tell which is the right translation here, but have to rely on the skill of others.  John Currid points out some have seen a reference to the coming of Jesus of whom Moses is a shadow or a ‘type’ in the work that he undertakes for the people as intercessor.  However, it probably refers to the Lord as John Currid notes: ‘as King and Warrior, he has acted on behalf of His people.’[4]  In the end I would settle for the explanation that it refers to the Lord as I feel Christopher Wright clarifies this when he notes ‘the establishment of the monarchy lies outside the scope of the poem.’[5]  So, I believe the ESV gets this translation right, hence the use of it here.

Lastly, Israel is here referred to as ‘Jeshurum’ which is translated as the ‘upright one’.  This is the Lord’s nickname for Israel and presumably shows His affection for them.  Moses uses it here in the context of the poem as it portrays Israel serving faithfully under God’s rule at this point.

[1] Notably, Psalm 68:17, Zechariah 14:5, Acts 7:55-56 and Galatians 3:19.
[2] J. G. McConville, Deuteronomy, Apollos Old Testament Commentary (Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press, 2002) 462.
[3] McConville, Deuteronomy, 469.
[4] John D Currid, Deuteronomy, an EP Study Commentary (Evangelical Press, Darlington, 2006) 520.
[5] Christopher Wright, Deuteronomy, New International Biblical Commentary (Massachusetts, Hendrickson Publishers, Inc, 1996), 314.

Introduction

‘This is the blessing with which Moses the man of God blessed the people of Israel before his death’ (Deuteronomy 33:1)

This month we start a new series in Deuteronomy chapter 33.   We’ll be looking at the last words of Moses to the Israelites and what they teach us as Churches and Christians today.

When I left the Church where I had my first Pastorate I finished my last leaflet to the community with a goodbye.  I wrote what would be considered the usual thing you say.  I said it has been a privilege to serve them as a community and I would miss meeting and talking to them, particularly on the street where I used to do open-air work with the poster board and free literature.  But I then ended with the thing I wanted to say most of all.  ‘Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near’ (Isaiah 55:6).  Last words are important, and I did not want to waste mine to people I was unlikely to see again.  In Deuteronomy chapter 33 we find Moses in a similar situation.  These are the last recorded words of Moses in Scripture.  So he chooses them carefully so he can encourage the people for the work ahead of them as they go into the Promised Land, but also with warnings concerning their future in the land.  That being the case, these are very important words!

Moses addresses the Israelites in two capacities.  Firstly, he addresses them as the Lord’s Prophet.  Verse 1 refers to Moses as: ‘the man of God’ for this very reason.  Moses had literally been the voice of God to the people, in that he had conveyed the Lord’s Word to them and acted as an intercessor for them all the days of their wilderness wanderings (see 5:23-27). But he conveys his last words to them by looking back and summarising the Lord’s attitude in the past, particularly when they were at Mount Sinai, before looking forward to when they settle the land.

Secondly, he addresses them in his pastoral role.  Just as a good Pastor would make the effort to get to know his congregations strengths and weaknesses, so he might pastor them effectively, Moses shows he has a good knowledge of the people he has led as he highlights their particular strengths and weaknesses.  This has similarities to the way Jacob addresses his sons in Genesis 49 just before his death.  So, in this sense; Moses is also addressing them in a fatherly role.  Meredith Kline comments that: ‘in the ancient Near East a dying father’s final blessings spoken to his sons were an irrevocable legal testament, acceptable as decisive evidence in court disputes.’[1]  So this stresses the importance with which the Israelites would have regarded these last words of Moses.

It’s worth noting that all commentators stress that there are difficulties with this chapter due to translation issues and the poetic nature of the text.  But we will try and unravel these as we work through it over the next few months.

[1] Meredith G. Kline, Treaty of the Great King, The Covenant Structure of Deuteronomy: Studies and Commentary (Eugene WIPF and Stock Publishers, 1963) 44.

‘To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen’ (Revelation 1:5b-6).

Just put yourself in John’s shoes.  You’ve been faithfully ministering the Gospel for many years, but now you find yourself imprisoned on a small desolate island for that very reason!  It’s Sunday, and you’re on your own, engaged in worship. In your heart you’re concerned that what’s happened to you could easily happen to the Churches where you’ve ministered!  What was going to happen to the Church?  That was the question that was probably going through John’s mind at this time as the many of the Churches John had ministered in were facing major persecution.  It is to these Churches that this blessing is given.

So why this blessing in the rather unusual place at the beginning of the letter rather than at the end?  Perhaps the thing to note is this blessing starts to establish a theme for the book, one that is crystallised in the words of the glorified Christ.  “Fear not, I am the first and the last, and the living one. I died, and behold I am alive for evermore, and I have the keys of Death and Hades” (Revelation 1:17b-18).  Both the blessing and these words focus us on the main theme of the book as they place Christ at the centre of history. Not just that, he transcends history itself and provides redemption for his people!  So, let’s look at the blessing itself, as well the verses around it, and see what we can learn.

The introduction to the book reminds us that Revelation is about what is being revealed (v3).  The book is to be an encouragement to the Church as it will bring blessing to those who heed its words.  John addresses the letter to seven Churches in, what today is, Asia Minor (v4).  The number seven represents completeness in Jewish thinking, so these Churches represent the universal Church.  The introductory greetings of verses 4-5a emphasises the doctrine of the Trinity with it’s mention of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.[1]   But it also acts as an introduction to the centrality of Christ death with the phrase: ‘the first born from the dead’ (v5a) this being emphasised again in the second half of verse 5 with a reference to the: ‘blood’ of Jesus being absolutely essential in the process of forgiveness.

The blessing it’s self is set out in a way that shows the process by which the offer of Salvation is made.  Firstly, God loved us (John 3:16), that was his motivation in sending Jesus. Secondly, Jesus has: ‘freed us from our sins by his blood.’  His death was absolutely essential as in Jesus we see the fulfilment of all the sacrifices demanded by the Law as he is ultimate sacrifice (Matthew 5:17-18).  This was essential as: ‘without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins’ (Hebrews 9:22b).  Lastly, it is by this that God has redeemed his people: ‘and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father’ (v6).  The purpose of this is to bring glory to him.  Verse 7, with its reference to Daniel 7:13, serves to emphasise that Christ is now in a position of glory, a glory which the blessing has made clear he shares with the Church and was achieved through his work on the cross!

Yet these are much more than fine sounding words.  John has two purposes.  He wants to assure the Christians that he’s writing to, some of whom will soon face persecution, that Christ is sovereign over all powers and authorities that might threaten the Church. That’s a picture that the book portrays very clearly.  Persecution and suffering may come, but Christ rules!  The second thing John wants to convey is the Christian’s role in the present time, and that’s why he uses the word: ‘priests’ when referring to the Christians he’s writing to.

John is writing to ordinary Christians yet, like an Old Testament priest, they have a job that involves intercession.  Not by offering animal sacrifices, that has been superseded by Jesus’ sacrifice once for all (1 Peter 3:18).  Rather, the priestly role of the Christian is found in prayer and witness.  Leon Morris notes: ‘the essential thing about a priest is that he mediates.  He speaks to God on behalf of men and to men on behalf of God.  Believers are assigned this responsible task by their God.  They are to pray to God for the world. And they are to witness to the world of what God has done.’[2]  John wanted believers to know that they share in the work of Christ and, whatever suffering they faced in the meantime, they could be assured that in the future he would share his glory with them!

[1] The phrase: ‘the seven spirits’ (v-4) might baffle us.  John knows there is only one Spirit (John 16:13), so it’s possible that the number seven represents the completeness of God’s Spirit, and also the seven aspects of God’s Spirit which are referred to in Isaiah 11:2.
[2] Leon Morris, Revelation, An Introduction and Commentary (Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press, 1969) 49.

‘Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and for ever. Amen’ (Jude 24-25).

During the Second World War there was a concern that enemy agents could be circulating in Britain.  This notion was played to great comic effect in the TV comedy ‘Dad’s Army’ with various humorous discussions about how they might identify Nazi agents who were dressed as Nuns!  As ludicrous as it sounds, I was assured there was some truth in that notion by my Mother who lived live through the Second World War.  Nuns are well covered up; therefore it was thought to be a good disguise for an enemy agent to adopt!  Feasible or not, the situation with the Churches that Jude[1] was writing to was not dissimilar as he was highlighting that there were false teachers circulating among them unnoticed!

Indeed, the theme of Jude’s letter is that his readers should: ‘contend for the faith’ (v3) as: ‘certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ’ (v4).  The danger was very real.  Jude was writing about: ‘people who may write Christian books, speak at Christian conferences and sound very convincing and liberating.’[2]  He was launching an attack on those who were seen as popular and influential Christian leaders and denouncing them as pagans!

The essence of what Jude then writes, by giving examples from Jewish history, is that these people often passed themselves off as believers.  But he points out that they are highly dangerous due to their teaching and that they will eventually be judged by God!  The notion that such people were circulating in the Churches must have been deeply disturbing for Jude’s readers and would have cause a real sense of alarm!  I suspect those reading his letter would have had two reactions.  Firstly, they were worried they could be taken in by this false teaching.  Secondly, it was hard enough being a Christian with the opposition that came from outside the Church, but how were they going to contend with attacks from within?  When it comes to ending his letter, Jude tackles both these attitudes.

Verse 24 starts by picking up the theme from the start of the letter.   They are: ‘kept for Jesus Christ’ (v1).  Therefore, there’s no way they can fall away.  But it also deals with those who were disheartened by possible attacks from inside the Church.  Jude’s point in writing the letter is so that they will not stumble.  So, if they take on board what the letter has been saying, they will be protected from any heretical teaching from within or without the Church.  In this way this blessing reinforces the fact that they are the Lord’s, and nothing can snatch them from him.  And that is what they have to remember. This is God’s work as they have been saved by grace (Ephesians 2:8).  So, it is he who will present them: ‘blameless before the presence of his glory’.  The verse ends on an appropriate note as this is such a wonderful truth it will be a source of great joy to them.

The emphasis on this being God’s work continues in verse 25.  How is this made possible?  quite simply: ‘through Jesus Christ our Lord’.  Michael Green notes that this phrase: ‘may refer either to the fact that it is through Christ that God saves man, or the fact that glory can only properly be given to God through Jesus.’[3]  Either way, he’s the means by which God has carried out his work and he’s the way by which we glorify God!  The way that Jesus is introduced with the word: ‘the only God, our Saviour’ again illustrates this is a work that has nothing to do with a person’s good works or religious devotion, rather, It’s thoroughly dependent on the Lord’s initiative.

Jude ends the letter with a threefold reference to the extent of this praise.  John Benton mentions that: ‘This is probably another way of subtly underlining the uniqueness and pre-eminence of the Lord Jesus Christ. The false teachers denied him as only Sovereign and Lord. But Jude turns our attention to the praise of God and astutely raises the question of how God was praised before ages.  Jude tells us that he was, within the unity of the Trinity, given “glory, majesty, and power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages.”’[4]  The key thing is that Jude wants his readers to realise the total sovereignty of God, and for that alone, this extraordinary God is worthy of praise well beyond human imagination and ability!  It is he who enables us to worship him, and Jude invites his readers, and us, to acknowledge this by joining him in the: ‘Amen.’  That’s something, every Christian will be only too willing to do!

[1] There are six people referred to as Jude in the New Testament. However, the most likely contender for the author of this letter is the Lord’s brother as here he refers to himself as the brother of James who we know to be the Lord’s brother. He clearly has a sense of humility, as rather than using this in an authoritative sense, he refers to himself as: ‘a servant of Jesus Christ’ (v1).
[2] Dick Lucas and Christopher Green, The Message of 2 Peter and Jude, the Promise of His Coming (Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press, 1995) 179.
[3] Michael Green, 2 Peter and Jude, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press, 1968) 192.
[4] John Benton, Slandering the Angels, The Message of Jude (Darlington, Evangelical Press, 1999) 176.

‘But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen’ (2 Peter 3:18).

The blessings, that New Testament writers tend to end their letters with, encourage us to recap what the context of the letter has been. This is because these blessings often highlight the issues and the concerns of the Christians and Churches that are being written to. The same applies when we come to the end of Peter’s second letter.

The overwhelming concern of the letter, which takes up all of the second chapter, is that of false teachers who have started to infiltrate the Churches.  This explains why Peter is so concerned about the maturity of the Christians that he’s writing to. In chapter 1 his emphasis is on them growing in faith, supplementing their faith: ‘with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection and brotherly affection with love’ (1:5-7). If they fail to do this, they will fail to fortify their faith and be susceptible to this false teaching!  Peter then includes his own personal witness of Christ’s glory when he witnessed Jesus’ transfiguration (1:16-18). Then he assures them of the Holy Spirit’s active participation in the writing of scripture (1:19-21). The reason? Such encouragement will fortify their faith against such false teaching.

In chapter 3 Peter assures those he’s writing to of the certainty of the second coming and how they should live in the light of that (vs11-13).  But in verses 14-17 we see Peter’s greatest concern. Peter realises that those who are genuinely the Lord’s cannot fail in their faith. But the danger is they can become distracted by what these false teachers are teaching. Peter wants to make sure that these Churches and Christians grow in their faith so that the false doctrine that is starting to infiltrate the Churches would not stunt their growth!

All this is referenced with the word: ‘But’ at the start of verse 18. Peter exhibits confidence that these Christians want to grow and therefore will heed his warnings and take on board the teaching of his letter.  The use of the word: ‘grace’ is not surprising as it is the basis of a Christian’s salvation (Ephesians 2:8). Yet there’s another element to grace, and that is the grace, which is so generously supplied by the Lord, that keeps the Christian going precisely because it is supplied by the Lord! If we depended on our own works we would seriously struggle every time persecution or difficulty rears its head.  Hence, if they look to the Lord, the bountiful supplier of this grace, they will not be affected, or laid low by false teaching, however eloquently it is expressed! This coupled with the: ‘knowledge’ of the Lord, that Peter has so urge them to acquire, will give them the kind of grounding their faith needs. Peter realises: ‘A growing Christian wants to know more of the Lord and desires to put him first in his life’.[1]  We should also note that Peter teaches this knowledge is based in the saving power of Jesus Christ, hence his use of the word: ‘Saviour’!  So, with this in mind Peter wants them to keep the cross central in their faith, undoubtedly because these false teachers pedalled doctrines that pushed this central work Christ to one side! Warren Wiersbe notes the danger of this as: ‘It is one thing to know the Bible, and quite another thing to know the Son of God the central theme of the Bible.’[2]

The blessing concludes with the exultation to glorify God. This is expected in the light of the glorious nature of our salvation.  But here it’s coupled with the strange phrase: ‘both now and to the day of eternity’. The most likely explanation is that this is probably a reference to verse 8 of the chapter, where Peter invokes Psalm 90:4: ‘with the Lord one day is as thousand years and a thousand years as one day.’ If so, it testifies to the Lord’s transcendence and sovereignty, but also their inheritance to be with him forever. All that is then left is for Peter is to urge us to join him in agreement with a resounding: ‘Amen.’

[1] Michael Bentley, Living for Christ in a Pagan World, 1 and 2 Peter Simply Explained (Darlington, Evangelical Press, 1990) 248.
[2] Warren Wiersbe Be Alert, 2 Peter, 2 and 3 John, and Jude (Colorado Springs, Chariot Victor Publishing, 1984) 99.

‘And after you have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you.  To him be the dominion for ever and ever. Amen’ (1 Peter 5:10-11).

The letter of 1 Peter may have been written from Rome around about AD 60-68.  It was written to Christians who are scattered through six Roman provinces in the area known today as Asia Minor.  In this letter the Apostle Peter has three main themes which are covered by Peter’s overall exultation to these Christians to follow Christ’s example which is highlighted particularly in 2:4-10.

The themes are as follows. Firstly, living in exile.  This is a theme that runs throughout the letter, but is particularly highlighted right at the end in 5:13.  ‘Babylon’ is often used in scripture as a symbol of exile and the oppression of God’s people.  Its use here may also indicate that Rome is the place from which Peter is writing while spending some time with the Church there.  The second theme is suffering as believers.  There’s no indication that there was any systematic persecution against these Christians, of the kind that was from time to time instigated by the Romans state.  But, undoubtedly these Christians were faced with suspicion as the only ‘Christ’ they recognised was Jesus Christ and not the Emperor, who was often referred to as ‘Christus’ which means Christ.  Hence they were suspected of being a seditious element and therefore enemies of the state!  This led to harassment, insults, beatings and social ostracism.  The last theme is Christian behaviour, especially in the light of the day to day persecution that these Christians were suffering.  Here, Peter holds up the example of Christ (2:19-25).  This example has all the markings of a first-hand account, Peter having observed, at a distance, Jesus’ extraordinary example of patient suffering during his trial.

Although the letter ends with a short traditional blessing, just before this, and various greetings, Peter includes a blessing with the aim of encouraging these suffering Christians by getting them to focus on the hope they have in Christ in the future.  Yet Peter’s prelude to this blessing concerns itself with the here and now.  In the light of these sufferings, Peter calls on these Christians to humble themselves: ‘under the mighty hand of God so that at the time he may exhort you’ (5:6).  The following verses urge them to leave any anxiety’s they have with the Lord and to be: ‘sober minded’ (v8) while urging them to resist temptation and other attacks of the devil.  After all, their experience is not so different from many other of their fellow Christians at that time in the Roman world.

The word: ‘And’ (v10) at the start of the blessing links it directly to these former verses.  Peter wants to assure them that this suffering is temporary.  It is the Lord who sets the agenda and controls their destiny, not the Roman Empire or those who were making life so hard for them.  The phrase the: ‘God of grace’ illustrates the undeserved nature of a Christian’s status.  They bring nothing to their salvation, the faith involved in coming to Christ is a free and undeserved gift and they contribute nothing to it (Ephesians 2:8-9).  This is emphasised again with the phrase: ‘Christ will himself will himself restore, confirm strengthen and establish you.’  They are being given strength in the meantime, through God’s grace, to endure all the difficulties of living as exiles in the world.  It’s not their home as that is the: ‘eternal glory in Christ.’  So, Peter wants them to be heavenly minded, as that is their future, but he also wants them to realise that Christ can provide everything they need in their living for him from day to day, even in the hostile environment of the Roman Empire!  Now that is grace indeed as it sustains them in their present trials in living for Christ!

But in the closing doxology of verse 11 Peter also gets these Christians to focus on the Lord’s sovereignty. It is he who rules over the world not the powers and authorities of the Roman Empire.  So, for Christians, he sets the agenda, even in a world where so much evil is present. What an encouragement that is for Christians in any day and age!  In many ways Peter seems to be echoing Paul’s words from 2 Corinthians 4:17-18: ‘For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.’

‘And my God will supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen.’ (Philippians 4:19-20).

Whenever I read the book of Philippians I’m always left with the sense that this was a Church that Paul deeply loved. That doesn’t mean it was a perfect Church, but that there was much to commend it and Paul seems to have confidence that the difficulties that were being addressed in the letter could be resolved.

A quick overview of the letter makes it apparent that Paul wants the Church to share the joy he has. This is not a joy based on how Paul feels. That would be somewhat difficult as he is languishing in prison at the time he writes the letter. Rather it is a joy rooted in the confidence that the Christian can have in the Gospel.  Paul may be in prison, but the Lord in his providence has used even this so the Gospel might be proclaimed to a greater extent. Hesitant Christians have become bold in their witness (1:14). Some enemies of Paul have even preached the Gospel to try and stir up trouble for him (1:15). But Paul couldn’t careless, the main thing is the Gospel is being preached and Paul rejoices recognising the Lord’s hand at work!

There were two major problems in the Philippian Church.  There were a couple of women who seemed to have fallen out with each other and Paul pleads with them to reconcile in what they have in common, which is Christ (4:2-4).  The other issue seems to have been to do with the pride of certain individuals that was damaging the fellowship of the Church. Here Paul memorably urges them to look at the example of Christ who gave up everything to take the role of a servant (the actual word in Greek means ‘bond slave’) and therefore was subject to his Father’s will so he might take our sin and deal with it once for all on the cross (2:1-12).  Finally, Paul urges them to keep going in the Christian race, warns them about false teachers and urges them once again to rejoice in the Lord (4:4) reminding them that he can supply everything they need.  So how does he finish this letter to a Church, that although not perfect, had so much going for it.

Paul’s concern is to match the blessing to the Church and the subject matter of the letter. The phrase: ‘My God’ (v19) reflects the personal nature that the Christian can have with the Lord. Just think of the difference Paul experienced coming from a religion, where a priest acted as an intercessor by offering sacrifices, to the personal knowledge of God he now has. before this, he considered his knowledge to be what define him in terms of his religious and spiritual make up. But now he puts no value on that whatsoever, because he has this wonderful relationship with the Lord (3:4-11) No wonder there’s such an emphasis on joy in this letter. The nature of Paul relationship with the Lord was now so different, he could now experience real joy!

Secondly, God is sufficient in every respect. One of the worries that Paul faced When he was in prison was what was going to happen where the work of the Gospel was concerned. But the Gospel continued to be preached as others had stepped forward to take Paul’s place in the work of evangelism.  What could have been a major negative where Gospel work was concerned, the Lord had turned into a major positive!  How was that possible?  quite simply because of: ‘his (God’s) riches in glory in Christ Jesus.’  I suspect that others, more learned in theology, could go into great detail about this part of the verse. There’s nothing wrong with that, but it seems to me that there’s a simple explanation for what Paul is saying here. If the work of Christ takes sinners, who are totally unacceptable to a holy God, and can make them acceptable so they can be both reconciled and accepted into God’s family, what’s the big deal when it comes to supplying his Church with what they need? Paul had certainly experienced this in his highs and lows of his ministry, and he wants the Philippian Church to experience it as well.  As Alec Motyer points out: ‘For Paul, the person who possesses Christ possesses all.’[1]

But we should do well to notice that Paul’s emphasis is on: ‘need’ where he and the Church are concerned. This is not a remit for the ‘Wealth, Health and Prosperity Gospel pedlars to claim that we have a blank cheque for anything we want which will aid our wellbeing. Rather this is God supplying his Church in his work, for the reason we see in the next verse.

Verse 20 simply states what should be obvious if we’ve read the letter. A God like this is thoroughly deserving of our praise and worship.  Once again there’s an emphasis on personal relationship here as Paul uses the phrase: ‘God the Father’ (v20).  This personal relationship doesn’t lead to an overfamiliarity, but rather in the light of all God has done, it leads Paul to emphasise that this is a God who should be continually praised for who he is and what he does. Quite simply Paul has presented a letter that paints the big picture of God’s love and care for his Church. Paul inserts an: ‘Amen’ because he: ‘has no doubts that God deserves all that is his due and that he will receive it’[2] but also to encourage the Church at Philippi to assess everything he has written in the letter and come to this understanding of the God they serve!

[1] Alec Motyer, The Message of Philippians, Jesus our Joy (Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press, 1984) 221.
[2] Hywel R. Jones, For the Sake of the Gospel, Philippines simply Explained (Darlington, Evangelical Press, 2010) 161.

‘Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.  Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible’ (Ephesians 6:23-24).

When Quentin Tarantino was trying to get his career going as a writer and film director, he supplemented his earnings with acting jobs. One day a casting call came from a TV programme for someone to play an Elvis impersonator. Everyone else who audition for the part turned up dressed as Elvis from the Las Vegas part of his career with the flashy rhinestone jackets with large lapels and flared trousers. However, Quentin Tarantino decided to audition as Elvis from his hillbilly truck driving days at the start of his career when he wore jeans and a checked shirt. I can’t remember whether he got the job, but I bet he stood out!

In his letter to the Ephesian Church Paul has made this very point. Christians are called by God (1:11), they’re equipped by God (3:8), and they are therefore different!  They stand out as ‘children of light’ (4:17-24)!  In those days, this difference would have been very notable due to their allegiance to Christ, and not, as the Roman empire demanded, the Emperor with his title ‘Christos’ (Christ).  Because of this they needed to be: ‘strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might’ (6:10).  So Paul gives them the illustration of the Roman soldier.  He uses the armour to represent everything the Lord had given them so that they might stand firm and be equipped in his service in the face of the sternest temptation and opposition (6:11-17).  This is reflected in the way the letter ends.

The start of this blessing is very similar to the greeting that opens a letter (1:2).  This is hardly surprising as Paul would have closed the letter with the same concerns he started with and the same agenda which was to encourage and build up the Church.  Yet the phrase: ‘Peace be to the brothers and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ’ (v23) suggest that Paul is encouraging them to stand firm by being unified by the doctrines that he has outlined in the letter. These can only be realised if their faith is grounded in the faith and, therefore, hope they have in: ‘God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.’  William Hendriksen draws our attention to the fact peace and love cannot be separated as: ‘It is impossible to separate these two. Love, too, although here again empathetically that among brothers, cannot be separated from the love toward God in Christ; both of these resulting from the love of God in Christ for those who are his own.  Faith means trusting in God Triune who has revealed himself to the Church in Jesus Christ.’[1]

Grace, which has been a major subject of the letter, in that we are not chosen for who we are, but only through God’s grace (2:8-9), is, not surprisingly the subject of verse 24. Yet it’s coupled with the phrase: ‘with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.’ This obviously raises the question what exactly does Paul mean by: ‘love incorruptible’? The answer is twofold.

Firstly, human love is corrupt because of our sinful nature, but God’s love isn’t.  As the Christian is to take on the mind and attitudes of God, the old self is slowly being put to death and our mind and attitudes are being transformed.  Yet there’s a second explanation, which is coupled to the first.  Harry Uprichard points out that as the use of it in Paul’s other letters is in the context of the resurrection: ‘It suggests both immortality and incorruption.  It connotes eternity and purity.’[2]  There’s a question over whether this phrase applies to the believer or to Christ, but in the end I don’t think it makes much difference.  In eternity the believers love for Christ will be made perfect, whereas the believer will be subject to Christ’s perfect love. There, the fellowship of the Church here on earth, will be replaced by an eternal unbroken fellowship between God and his people!  A blessing indeed!

[1] William Hendriksen, Ephesians, (London, The Banner of Truth Trust,1967) 284-5.
[2] Harry Uprichard, A Study Commentary on Ephesians, (Darlington, Evangelical Press, 2004) 389.

‘Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever. Amen’ (Ephesians 3:20-21).

About 11 years ago my wife Tracy and I were on holiday in Turkey. One excursion we took really stood out.  That day we were looking at various Roman ruins, but the highlight was when the coach took a turning down a dusty trail and literally stopped in the middle of nowhere!  The reason we had come to this inconspicuous place on the map was because it had one of the finest examples of a Roman aqueduct to be seen practically anywhere in Turkey!  I remember looking at the 60-foot plus high structure and thinking wow!  Later that day we visited a Roman Theatre.  From outside it looked interesting, but once again, when we were inside the vastness of the structure literally took my breath away.  It was the second ‘wow’ moment of the day!  When we come to chapter 3 of Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, Paul is experiencing something similar, but infinitely more glorious!  Charles Hodge explains it in this way: ‘Paul’s prayer had apparently reached a height beyond which neither faith, nor hope, nor even imagination could go, and yet he is not satisfied. An immensity still lay beyond. God was able to do not only what he had asked, but infinitely more than he knew how either to ask or think.’[1]  This is definitely to Paul a succession of ‘wow’ moments!

The word: ‘mystery’ that is used at various points in chapter 3 is not used in the sense we use it today.  Rather, it means something that’s been revealed.  Here Paul uses it in relation to the Gospel that’s been revealed to him.  He’s amazed at Gods love and generosity in that this wonderful message has been revealed first to him, and then through him to the Gentiles (non-Jews).  They are: ‘partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the Gospel’ (3:8).  The gist of what Paul is writing is as follows.  What was once hidden has now been revealed!  And this he refers to as the: ‘unsearchable riches of Christ’ (3:8)! This is double ‘wow’ moment as far, as Paul’s concerned, which brings him to his knees in praise and gratitude (3:14)!   Paul’s prayer is a simple but glorious one that is summed up in verses 17-19: ‘so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love,  may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.’

The emphasis has been on God’s immense riches.  So, when it comes to this blessing Paul encourages the Ephesian Church to think big!  After all, God is the most generous of givers (v20).  The Greek word for: ‘power’ in verse 20 is where we get the word dynamite from.[2]  This gives us a picture of  God’s unlimited power!

The fact that God can do so much more than we can ask or imagine, the fact that we have the Holy Spirit within us is amazing and something, we as Christians, should marvel at and give praise for.  But what then should be the Christians reaction to this wonderful resource?

Sadly, for Christians this is an area where confusion often reigns.  I see many Christians of different persuasions living impoverished spiritual lives.  Those of the ‘Reformed’ persuasion can often limit the work of the Spirit by their lack of expectations.  Charismatics, who often claim spiritual superiority in this area, often mistake self-gratification for the work of the Spirit!   Neither of these attitudes will do as neither are faithful to what Paul teaches here!  This is about glorifying God and not the Church!  If God’s mercy and grace, due to his infinite riches, blesses Churches by them being full of converted, vibrant and Spirit filled Christians, then the glory is to go to him as it is through Christ’s work that this has been made possible (v21).  Stuart Olyott puts it this way: ‘what is the first and highest task of the church? It is not primarily to be a fellowship or to evangelise, though these responsibilities are truly important. It is to prostrate oneself before its God and to glorify him.’[3]  We have been given infinite riches through the work of Christ, so whatever our circumstances as Churches, let’s praise the Lord for them!

Would you like to listen to a sermon on this passage? Do you Understand the Unsearchable Riches of Christ?

[1] Charles Hodge, The Epistle to the Ephesians (London, Banner of Truth Trust,1964) 192.
[2] Warren Wiesbe, Be Rich, An Expository Study of the Epistle to the Ephesians (Weeton, Victor books 1983) 72.
[3] Stuart Olyott, Alive in Christ, Ephesians Simply Explained (Darlington, Evangelical Press, 1994) 94.