‘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.

 ‘The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen’ (Galatians 6:18).

It would be fair to say that Paul’s letter to the Galatian Church has a unique opening.  After a traditional greeting Paul explodes with righteous anger!  Gone is his usual remembrance of the Church in his prayers, instead we get one very angry Apostle!  But why this tone?  Paul had written letters to Churches with problems before, but he’d never employed the accusation that they were turning to a different Gospel!  But that is exactly the reason for his anger here, as the very essence of the Gospel was at stake, and that’s so serious Paul wants to shake them out of their complacency!

The problem was the Galatian Church probably thought of itself as deeply spiritual as they’d adopted various Jewish religious practises, having been encouraged to do so by itinerant Jewish preachers.  But Paul wants to convince them they are free from all that!    To put it simply, the old religious practises died with the ‘Old Covenant’ when Jesus died!  They were now living under a new Covenant of grace, but they’d lost what it meant to be free in Christ!  So Paul starts by demonstrating some ‘tough love’ as he wants to avoid them losing everything they’d gained through Jesus’ death and resurrection!

So how does Paul end a letter where he’s spent so much time correcting this seriously, misguided Church.  At first this simple blessing might seem to be a bit of a let-down.  Surely we should be expecting something which displays a bit more grandeur and deep theological content!

Yet essentially, despite the simplicity of the blessing, that’s exactly what we get! The blessing starts with an emphasis on the grace that has been provided through Jesus’ work.  Interestingly enough, Paul had started the letter with a traditional greeting that emphasised grace (1:3).  The subject of grace has been central to Paul’s argument as, with the adoption of these Jewish religious practises, the Galatians had turned to religion of works! Through their own efforts, with the keeping of the Jewish rituals, they were fooling themselves into believing their actions please God!  But grace is always unmerited and the Gospel that had been preached to them emphasise that!  Their best efforts could never cut it and make them right with God.  Having taken a letter to explain this Paul wants to end on that note!  It is not what they had done, in turning to Christ, rather it was the work of Christ’s Spirit within them.

The phrase: ‘with your spirit’ once again emphasises this has nothing to do with religious ritual, but a genuine belief in God’s saving grace, that permeates right through the believer’s heart and mind!  John Calvin notes that Paul’s concern is that these Galatian Christians: ‘may have a proper feeling of it in their minds.’  The reason being: ‘It is only really enjoyed by us when it reaches our spirit.  We ought therefore to ask that God would prepare in our souls habitation for His grace.’[1]

In the end this short blessing sums up much of Paul’s attitude in the letter.  He may have been angry with them turning to religion of works from the glorious Gospel of grace, but these are still Christians!  They may be misguided but they are still: ‘brothers’ in Christ!  As is typical with Paul the emphasis has been on grace, not the Law of Moses!  After all Paul had written to the Ephesian church: ‘For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast’ (Ephesians 2:8-9).  The ending: ‘Amen’ Encourages the Galatian Christians, and us, to affirm our faith in this amazing grace of God!

[1] John Calvin, The Epistles of Paul to the Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians and Colossians, Calvin’s Commentaries (Edinburgh, Oliver and Boyd, 1965) 119.

‘The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all’ (2 Corinthians 13:14).

When I was about 10 years old my mother introduced me to the idea of doing Bible study and prayer with her each day. That was when I became acquainted with this blessing at the end of Paul’s second letter to the Church in Corinth. This is probably one of the best-known blessings in scripture as it’s often used to close Prayer Meetings and times of worship.  In this letter Paul was dealing with a much more penitent Church than the one he’d addressed in his first one.  His rebuke to them and handling of different problems within the Church had produced good results, so there’s a more positive tone to this letter.  So this blessing doesn’t just serve the purpose of rounding off the letter on a nice spiritual note, but rather, reflects the content of the letter, highlighting and reinforcing some of its teaching.

The letter is a very personal and emotional one.  Paul had been concerned about how they would react to the severity of his first letter.  But their reaction had been very positive (7:5-9).  So in this letter Paul gives them an insight into his Gospel ministry, as well as pointing out the encouragement there can be even in times of suffering!  He emphasises that God’s grace was sufficient, even when he was suffering immense difficulties in his ministry (12:7-10).  A rather humbling picture of Paul emerges as a man not necessarily gifted with eloquence in preaching (indeed the letter seems to suggest otherwise), but one who was concerned for the Corinthian Church as he longs to see them continuing to grow in their faith.  So how does Paul concluded such a letter?

Firstly, he emphasises the grace that’s been given through Jesus Christ.  Grace is the bedrock of Paul’s theology and it is unthinkable he would leave it out here.  The phrase: ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness’ (12:9) was God’s answer to the difficulties Paul had faced in his ministry.  In Paul’s mind this is the overarching theme of his theology, because without it nothing of spiritual benefit can ever happen.  Only by the outside agency of Christ’s grace invading a person’s life could there be any genuine long-lasting spiritual effect.  Paul’s words to the Ephesian Church: ‘For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast’ (Ephesians 2:8-9)  reinforces the concept of undeserved grace and buries the idea that anyone can be saved by their actions!

God’s love has been a major theme of the letter and in chapter 5 Paul highlights it as a major motivation for telling others the good news of the Gospel.  Paul writes: ‘For the love of Christ controls us’ (5:14) in relation to the proclamation of the Gospel.  Just before this blessing he writes: ‘Finally, brothers rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.’ (13:11).  In God we see perfect love, anything else, at best, is a pale imitation.  So, if the Church is to show genuine love and be united in fellowship it must look to God and his example!

Paul’s reference to the Holy Spirit is added because, as John Calvin puts it: ‘it is only under the guidance of the Spirit that we come into possession of Christ and all his benefits.’[1]  The reference probably also alludes to the gifts the Holy Spirit has bestowed upon the believer  and the Church to increase fellowship.  Indeed, the presence of God’s Spirit is a necessity if the Church is to show any spiritual life or display his love for the lost.  Without his presence the Church cannot even attempt to function!

The Trinity is mentioned in a way that reflects the Christian’s experience.  Without God’s grace we could never experience his love and without the presence of his Spirit we cannot please him. Paul is reminding the Corinthian Church their redeemed state does not lie with them, but is the product of God’s grace, his love and the Spirit’s fellowship.  Paul Barnett summarises: ‘The grace of Christ removes aggressiveness, the love of God dispels jealousy, while the fellowship created by the Spirit destroys bitterness. As God answers that prayer, the problems so manifest in Corinth and in every troubled Church will be overcome.’[2]

[1] John Calvin, The Second Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians and the Epistles to Timothy, Titus and Philemon (Grand Rapids, Eerdmans, 1964) 177.
[2] Paul Barnett, The Message of 2 Corinthians, Power in Weakness (Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press, 1988) 188.

‘The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.   My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen.’ (1 Corinthians 16: 23-24).

One of the most difficult things I find in my work of pastoring is the sense of disappointment I can sometimes feel. You’ve been teaching in a Church for a sufficient length of time and yet you still see people making the same mistakes.  I can’t help thinking that Paul must have experienced this with the Church in Corinth.  The letter to the Church deals with many problems.  But these weren’t just problems to do with straightening out the Church when it came to doctrine (although some were), some were major issues to do with immorality within the Church family!

I often feel, when reading through the letter, that Paul feels like tearing his hair out with exasperation at what he’s having to deal with!  After all this wasn’t one of the Churches we encounter in the book of Acts where Paul had to leave town almost as soon as he’d turned up due to Jewish opposition.  No, here he’d had the opportunity to preach for over a year and a half (Acts 18:11 and 18) which must have made the situation doubly disappointing.  So how does Paul close this letter to a Church who, with the amount of teaching they’d had, should have known better?

This short blessing demonstrates two things. Firstly, whatever the difficulties within the Church and its failings morally and doctrinally, Paul realises, and reminds them, that it is only by grace that anyone is saved.  When Paul introduces himself at the start of this letter as an Apostle, he is literally pulling rank, as there was confusion in the Church over what constituted real authority. The Corinthians were so obsessed with eloquence (which was demonstrated by many of the professional speakers in the city) that they were easily led astray.  So Paul adopts an authoritarian tone with them so they might realise his God-given authority and the importance of what he’s writing.  Yet, he realises that unless the Lord intervenes with his grace, anything he wrote to them would have very little effect, if any! As David Prior notes: ‘God’s grace is coveted for all the Corinthians, even or especially those who have caused him (Paul) the greatest problems and put up the fiercest opposition.’[1]  So, this was the Lord’s work and he would bring it to completion. Secondly this blessing demonstrates Paul’s Pastor’s heart.  Paul may have been exasperated with some in the Church due to their factions, pride and, in the worst cases immorality, but if he had been tough with them, it was because he loved them!

But where did that love spring from. The answer is it sprang from the work of the Lord Jesus Christ which demonstrated the love of God for a lost mankind!  Paul was so overwhelmed by God’s love for him, despite his best efforts to reject it, that he felt compelled with the love he felt for the lost to testify to God’s love by becoming an ambassador for the Gospel.  It is a theme that is picked up in a later letter to the Corinthian Church.  ‘For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised’ (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).

In the end the Apostle Paul only has two aims in this letter. To restore those in the Church who had fallen into sin and to remind them that it is God’s grace that’s saved them! In the end, Paul’s love for the Church shines through. As Charles Hodge notes: ‘Paul in conclusion assures them all, all the believers in Corinth, even those whom he had been called upon to reprove, of his sincere love.’[2]

[1] David Pryor, The Message of 1 Corinthians, Life in the Local Church, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, Inter-varsity press, 1985) 285.

[2] Charles Hodge, 1 Corinthians, The Geneva Series of Commentaries (London, The Banner of Truth Trust, 1958) 373.

‘Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory for evermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.’  (Romans 16:25-27).

When it comes to the book of Romans I’ve never taken the plunge and preached right through it.  Let’s face it Paul’s ‘magnum opus’ is quite a challenge, as it’s a supreme theological argument inspired by the Holy Spirit and set out with flawless logic.  The letter’s argument reminds me of a lecturer who has anticipated every possible point he could be heckled and has preempted each one!  Paul highlights the plight of sinful man, and yet, the transcendent power and sovereignty of God’s solution to mankind’s fallen state.  It is, as Stuart Olyott entitled his commentary, ‘The Gospel as is it really is.’  Even if the last chapters deal with pastoral issues to do with behaviour and the local Church rather than hardcore theology, it’s still a roller-coaster ride which is not for the theologically faint hearted!

Paul has argued that only by God’s action can man’s fallen nature be redeemed!  So here we have a blessing in reverse as it were.  Paul encourages the recipients of the letter to join with him in praising God, who has provided salvation through Jesus’ death, so that sin might be forgiven and people can be reconciled to him.  Stuart Olyott writes that these verses: ‘underline various truths and, like the close of a great symphony, leave a majestic chord sounding in the ears.’[1]

Paul starts by illustrating that God is the Christian’s spiritual strength and source of that strength is the Gospel that Paul has preached (v25).  The phrase: ‘my Gospel’ is not a big headed claim that Paul has some unique take on the message of Christ.  Indeed, as the verse makes clear: ‘the preaching of Jesus Christ’ is the very essence of the Gospel.  Rather it is that it is his personal property that God has entrusted him with.  All indications are that Paul had received his teaching about the Gospel from others in the same way as any believer.  So this refers to his unique calling by the Lord and mission he had given him.  As Tom Holland points out: ‘he echoes his calling to apply the good news to the Gentiles.’[2]

The word: ‘mystery’ is not use in the sense we use it today, rather it: ‘refers to something that has been hidden but has now been made known.’[3]  Indeed the second part of verse 25 and verse 26 refers to the Gospel being something firstly only in the mind of God, in that it: ‘was kept secret for long ages’ (v25).  But then being slowly revealed through the prophets until it is fully realised in the life and work of Jesus Christ.  One theme that is apparent in the letter is that the Gospel is for all nations, a theme that had been slowly emerging through the Old Testament.  This was commanded by God and had been fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ!  By his work and only by his work could people be brought to ‘the obedience of faith’ (v26).

The last verse of the letter (v27) calls for God to be glorified by his people.  The title: ‘the only wise God’ refers to a major theme in the letter as it testifies that God has shown his wisdom by the justification of his people (chapters 1-4), in the sanctification of his people (chapters 5-8), and even in human history (chapters 9-11).  The doxology ends with an: ‘Amen’ as every genuine Christian should be able to agree with and give praise to God for the glorious message contained in this letter!

[1] Stuart Olyott, The Gospel as it Really is, Paul’s Epistle to the Romans Simply Explained (Welwyn, Evangelical Press, 1979) 163.

[2] Tom Holland, Hope for the Nations, Paul’s letter to the the Romans.  A Corporate Theological Reading (London, Apiary Publishing Ltd) 374.

[3] James Montgomery Boice, Romans, Volume 4, The New Humanity, Romans 12 -16 (Grand Rapids, Baker Books, 2001) 1962.

‘The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.’    (Numbers 6:24-26).

My earliest memory of the above verses is the use of them at the end of School Assemblies.  Two things struck me about them.  The first was what a beautiful picture they create of God.  The second was they were by far the most coherent words uttered during the Assembly.  The Church of England School which I attended was rather liberal in its theology; hence anything that was said, other than scripture, during the assembly was generally unhelpful!

But what is it about these verses that bring people comfort in difficult times as they did for my mother when she was suffering from mental illness?

The blessing comes after the description of the Nazirite Vow (Numbers 6:1-21).  At first it might seem that the vow and this blessing have little in common.  But Gordon Keddie suggests that the placing of them together here is no accident.  In his words: ‘Holiness and blessing are inseparable.  Indeed the blessing of God precedes our desire to do his will, undergirds our present obedience and reinforces us for future discipleship.’[1]  The verses preceding the actual blessing show the Lord instructs Moses that the blessing is to be given by: ‘Aaron and his sons’ (v22-23).  Hence, in later times, the blessing was given by priests who were descended from Aaron.  Some have even surmised that it is possible that this is the blessing that Jesus gave his disciples before his ascension (Luke 24: 50-51).

The blessing itself is a three line poem.  It’s possible that with the deduction of the three occurrences of the word: ‘LORD’, the 12 words that are left represent the 12 tribes of Israel.[2]  There are basically three blessings that are bestowed upon the people.  The first blessing is that the Lord would keep his people under his protection.  The second with its phrase: ‘make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you’ indicates the Lord’s benevolence towards his people.  The last shows that he is attentive to their needs and offers them his peace.  The threefold nature of the blessing is not incidental as three’s in Jewish thinking spoke of the fullness and completeness, illustrating that the only genuine blessing comes from the Lord.

There’s something else that can also be denoted from the threefold nature of this blessing.  But as those saints of yesteryear Henry and Scott point out, what was a mystery to the Jews, the New Testament has explained.  We are to: expect ‘blessing from the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of the Father and the communion of the Holy Ghost.’[3]

The phrase: ‘So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them’ in verse 27 indicates the Lord’s ownership of his people, or as we would say in this day and age ‘Christians’.  As Gordon Keddie puts it: ‘How shall we wear his name upon our daily lives?  We have turned full circle: from consecration to blessing, to consecration again, we are called to walk with our Lord, in dependence upon his grace.’[4]   These verses, with their description of God’s character and his intentions towards his people, act as a major encouragement to live lives that reflect this!

[1]Gordon J. Keddie, According to Promise, The Message of the Book of Numbers (Darlington, Evangelical Press, 1992) 48.
[2] Gordon J. Wenham, Numbers, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Leicester Inter Varsity Press, 1981) 90.
[3] Henry and Scott, A Commentary on the Holy Bible, Genesis to Deuteronomy (London, The Religious Tract Society 1833) 275.
[4] Keddie, Numbers, 49.

This month we’re starting a new series on blessings in the Bible.

‘Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant,  equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen’ (Hebrews 13:20-21).

At first sight these verses appeared to be the kind of blessing that’s familiar if we’ve read the various letters to the churches.  But these blessings are not just a nice way to end a letter; they often illustrate things that have been raised in the letter.  So this doesn’t just give us an upbeat ending but it continues to teach and illustrate themes that are important in the letter!

The phrase: ‘the God of peace’ (v20) illustrates not just the nature of God, but shows that those who serve him can also experience peace, even in times of persecution and difficulty, something the recipients of the letter were facing.  Their salvation isn’t only in the future; it’s also in the present as verse 21 makes clear that God will equip them at this time for their service for him.

However in verse 20 the writer continues by illustrating an action of God, and also a title that would have meant a great deal to these Jewish Christians.  Firstly, God had: ‘brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus’.   It was by Christ’s death that the ‘New Covenant’ has been brought into effect.  Here the author uses the word: ‘eternal’ to distinguish this from all the covenants before it, because this one that lasts and therefore guarantees the believer complete security!  The letter has emphasised Christ’s sacrifice and priesthood as that’s an important concept to help those hearing and reading it to understand his work.

Now the resurrection is mentioned for the first time in the letter!  It hasn’t been the writer’s intention to ignore it; rather he’s been focusing on how Christ has attained his priesthood and how he now acts as an intercessor for his people.  Garth Lee Cockrell has an interesting take on this: ‘This final description of God as the God “who brought up” Jesus “from the dead” substantiates the fact that this emphasis on the exaltation was not meant to exclude but rather to include the resurrection of Christ.’[1]  The writer has emphasised in 2:14-15 that Christ has defeated the devil, and therefore the power of death, and so has consequently delivered his people.  They now live in the light of this, which the writer sums up by their pilgrimage to the eternal city (11:10 and 16).  In the end the resurrection has been implied (11:19, 35 and verse 14 in this chapter) but now the writer emphasises where the hope for this is found!

The resurrection is undoubtedly central to Christianity.  But rather interestingly, it’s the title of the raised Lord Jesus as: ‘the great shepherd of the sheep’ would have been rich in scriptural imagery for these Jewish Christians.  In John 10:1-16 Jesus uses it as a description of himself and his work, and perhaps the hearers and readers of this letter were aware of this due to the oral tradition among the Jews of the time.  But they certainly would have thought of Psalm 23 where the Lord is referred to as a shepherd.  Similar imagery is used in Isaiah 40:11 in that: ‘He will tend his flock like a shepherd; he will gather the lambs in his arms; he will carry them in his bosom and gently lead those that are with young.’  This pictures the Lord providing peace during a time of turmoil (which the nation of Israel was undergoing at this time).  Rather interestingly in Ezekiel 34:23 after contrasting the appalling care of Israel’s leaders with the Lord’s gracious and caring shepherd we read that the Lord will: ‘set up over them one shepherd, my servant David and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd.’  Later in 37:24 the idea of David being a shepherd to the Lord’s people is repeated.  In John 10: 11 it’s David’s greater son who says: ‘I am the good Shepherd.  The good Shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.’  Later in verses 17-18 Jesus claims the authority to take up his life again as: ‘This charge I have received from my Father’ (v18).  The imagery is rich here, peace can only be found in Christ’s death and resurrection.  He is the ‘Good Shepherd’ who cares so deeply for his flock and shows it by the blood of his sacrifice which introduces the ‘New Covenant’ and a new age where no further sacrifices are needed!

Although Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection are proof of a ‘New Covenant’, the emphasis at this point, is more on how it enables Christians to live for Christ.  What these verses make clear is that it’s the blood of the ‘New Covenant’ that equips us for this.  If we are living in a way that pleases God by doing his will, then it is only by his work!  Paul, when writing to the Ephesian church reminds them: ‘by grace you have been saved through faith.  And this is not your own doing; it is a gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast’ (Ephesians 2:8-9).  Even the faith to believe has been given to us, by a generous and loving God!  So it is only by the ‘New Covenant’, brought about by Christ’s work, that we can live lives which are pleasing in the Lord’s sight!  This is emphasised even more in the Greek as the word for: ‘equip’ (katartisai): ‘literally means “put in the proper condition” or “make complete.”’  It: ‘can also mean “restore”, “repair”, or “mend”.[2]  The point is when we seek forgiveness God takes sin damage people and repairs their damage lives, he fixes it so we can then be equipped.  This is immense encouragement.  It’s possible the writer, realises some he’s writing to may be wondering how they could have ever considered returning to their former religion (the reason the letter was probably written in the first place).  Maybe they were thinking: “this has damaged my witness, how can I ever hold my head up again as a Christian and witness for Christ?”  But the writer only has good news as he’s saying: “but you can because the Lord is a spiritual physician who will repair your damaged spiritual state!”  Very often the sins that haunt us are the times when we’ve failed by backsliding or failing in our witness.  Obviously this is not a small thing as they damage our relationship with Christ!  But the wonderful thing is even this damage can be repaired and healed by the physician of our souls!

There’s some debate as whether the last part of the verse is referring to: ‘the God of peace’ or to: ‘Jesus Christ’.  Some argue that the mention of Jesus at this point in the passage is only in relation to him being the one mediates the ‘New Covenant’.  However, a straight reading of the passage seems to suggest because of this work God has glorified Christ and shares his glory (see Philippians 2:9-11).  I think this is the most likely explanation.  It certainly fits with the pattern of the book which starts with the writer stating that God had revealed himself through the work of Christ as his final word (1:1-4).  Hence, with this blessing the letter is brought to a climax and fitting conclusion!

[1]Garth Lee Cockerill, The Epistle to the Hebrews, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Michigan, Eerdmans publishing company, 2012) 715.
[2] Raymond Brown, The Message of Hebrews, Christ Above All, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press, 1982) 268-9.

Bless the Lord

If, as has been surmised, the ‘Songs of Ascents’ were a collection of psalms that were edited together to give us a sense of pilgrimage, and if they were sung on the way up to Jerusalem, then this psalm has a logical place as the pinnacle of the pilgrim’s experience.  The psalms themselves have taken us through a whole range of emotions.  Early on there were psalms about being isolated from God’s people, the journey itself and then the arrival at the tabernacle in Jerusalem.  The psalms highlighted the highs and lows of a believer’s life.  But as we come to the end of these 15 psalms the focus is on fellowship.  So what we have here is probably a psalm that was sung at the end of the festival after the blessing of the High Priest and the people prepared to go home.

Some years ago I went on walking holiday near Ben Nevis in the Scottish Highlands.  I hadn’t been walking for some years and my body had changed so much that I was badly dehydrated for most of the holiday.  That, coupled with thick snow, on some of the ridges made it a very tiring holiday.  But each time I hauled myself up another mountain the view at the top made it worthwhile!  And that, I believe is the point of this psalm.  The journey up to Jerusalem could have been very difficult and tiring, not a relaxing proposition.  But once the pilgrims got to Jerusalem and worshipped they could look back and say it was all worthwhile!

The first thing we notice in verse 1 is everyone is called on to worship: ‘Come, bless the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, who stand by night in the house of the Lord!’  Its not just the pilgrims, but the priests and others serving in the temple.  The other thing to note is this was happening all the time!  1 Chronicles chapter 9 lists those who served in the temple and it’s clear the worship went on 24/7!  This makes sense as in Psalm 121:4 we read: ‘Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.’  So there’s a simple truth to be derived, our worship is to be 24/7!  So we’re not more of a Christian when we’re in church than on Monday when we’re at work, our whole life is worship!

The phrase: ‘Lift up your hands to the holy place and bless the Lord!’ (v2) obviously applies to the priests.  In the former area I worked there was a minister who when approached on street would often say: “I’m not working at the moment.”  That raised the eyebrows of those of us who consider our calling a vocation, but it also illustrates how easy it is for to become jaded and lack the dedication to worship.  There’s an interesting New Testament illustration of this when Paul writes to Timothy. ‘I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarrelling’ (1 Timothy 2:8).  It’s clear that Paul shares the sentiments of this particular psalm!

Lastly, this was a chance to receive blessing.  ‘May the Lord bless you from Zion, he who made heaven and earth!’ (v3).  We forget; the Lord wants to bless his people!  But this also reminds us of the kind a God we worship as he is sovereign over everything in this world and universe!  So, as the High Priest gave the final blessing, it would have reinstated in the minds of the people as the reason for their pilgrimage.  They worshipped the great God: ‘who made heaven and earth!’ and yet had time for his people and wanted to bless them!

The pilgrimages’ to the various festivals showed love and obedience towards God, but the ultimate example of love is found in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus which is the ultimate source of blessing.  Paul draws our attention to Christ’s obedience in his letter to the church at Philippi.  ‘Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.’ (Philippians 2:5-8).  Christ’s obedience brings us blessing indeed!

Would you like to listen to a sermon on the passage? Bless the Lord!

When Brothers Dwell in Unity

When I worked in a music shop one of my jobs was to make sure all the guitars were in tune.  I did this by tuning each one to a well tuned piano.  However, there’s another way I could have done it and that would have been to tune one guitar to the piano and then to tune each guitar to the guitar I had just tuned.  But the problem would have been the last guitar tuned would be in tune with itself, but not necessary with the first guitar that was tuned!  Unity requires consistency.  If the songs of ascents represent the various aspects of the pilgrimage up to Jerusalem, this one represents the necessary of unity!  The pilgrimages would have been made up of extended families as in Luke’s Gospel where Joseph and Mary take Jesus to Jerusalem for the Passover and are unaware that he’s stayed behind, thinking that he was among their friends and relatives (Luke 2:41-52).  So the stress levels could have been quite high!  But it’s necessary to arrive for worship in the right frame of mind!

The first thing to note is unity is a good thing.  Now we might think that’s obvious, but Cain fell out with Abel over worship (Genesis 4:1-16) and Abraham and Lot separated due to disagreements between their herdsmen (Genesis 13:2-13).  The point is unity doesn’t come naturally and the first verse of the psalm emphasises this.  ‘Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell together in unity!’  The use of the word: ‘Behold’ emphasises that unity is an unusual thing!

David, the writer, now wants to illustrate the nature of this unity.  In Exodus 29:7 and 30:22-33 we are given an account of the ordination of Aaron as high priest.  Oil was poured on his forehead, but the psalm makes it clear he was drenched in stuff.  In other words the blessings and benefits that unity brings spreads among the Lord’s people as they are not limited.  Our worship is not limited to a Sunday!  The Sunday service is worship, but so is the ‘Church Members Meeting’.  Yet people often treat them as two totally different things in the way they conduct themselves.  I have a feeling church meetings would be very different if we regarded them as worship!  David then gives another example of the way this blessing of unity is not limited with the example of Mount Hermon.  Hermon was a large mountain whereas, the mountains surrounding Jerusalem were not.  Yet David uses the picture of the dew falling on them both and not being limited to one or the other.  There is something very refreshing about dew soaked mornings and  David is conveying unity among God’s people is refreshing.

Lastly, David points out the way true unity is found.  The examples throughout the psalm speak of unity as coming from above and when we come to the second part of verse 3 we see that real unity comes from the Lord.  The Hebrew word for the Lord here is ‘Yahweh’ illustrating unity is found in God’s covenant nature, in other words within his Law.  Tracy and I have a friend who’s been very involved in the General Synod of the Church of England and the Archbishop of Canterbury’s Council.  But a while ago she resigned.  The reason for this, as far as we can make out, is that whenever a subject was being discussed and she wanted to apply scripture, people were saying something like: “that’s all very well, but we want to listen to people’s experience”.  Getting back to my guitar illustration, the leadership of the Church of England seem more concerned about being in tune with a particular group of people, rather than scripture!  But real unity can only be found in God’s Word!  But what is rather interesting is that the Lord has: ‘commanded the blessing, life for evermore’ (v3).  It’s not just the Lord gives it; he commands unity and the blessing that goes with it from and for his people.

In the end real unity is found in God’s Word.  The churches in Galatia had embraced Jewish teaching and probably had a superiority complex because of that.  But the Apostle Paul pulls the rug from under them.  ‘There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise’ (Galatians 3:28-29).   Unity and reconciliation are only found in the ‘Word’ and that’s the Lord Jesus Christ who is the centre of all Scripture!

Would you like to listen to a sermon on the passage? When Brothers Dwell in Unity.