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Nehemiah

Nehemiah 1-5

Fellas, I hate to do this to you but I’m beat and my brain is dead.  We begin Nehemiah today so I’m going to give you an introduction to this book from “The Bible Knowledge Commentary” instead of making my own comments.  I hope you aren’t too disappointed .

Historical Background.

God had promised Israel that if they obeyed Him, He would bless them as a nation. If they did not, then He would judge them and cause them to be taken into captivity (Deut. 28). That promise was repeated to Solomon with a specific application to his own life. If he, as king of Israel, obeyed the Lord he would experience God’s continual blessing. If Solomon did not obey Him, God would take away his power and position as king of Israel (1 Kings 9:1-9).

As happened so frequently among many of Israel’s leaders, a good beginning had an unfortunate ending. Solomon sinned against God, particularly by marrying many foreign wives and worshiping their false gods (1 Kings 11:1-5). So the kingdom was split in 931 b.c. The 10 Northern tribes were initially ruled by Jeroboam, and the Southern tribes (Judah and Benjamin) were ruled at first by Rehoboam.

Both kingdoms, however, continued to be characterized by idolatry and immorality. And as God had forewarned, His hand of judgment fell on all Israel because of their sin. The Northern Kingdom fell first and the people were taken into captivity by the Assyrians in 722 b.c. The Babylonians brought about the fall of the Southern Kingdom in 586 b.c.

The Israelites of the Northern Kingdom were absorbed into Assyria and eventually into other cultures. However, the people of the Southern Kingdom remained intact in Babylon, and after the power of Babylon was broken by the Medes and Persians in 539 b.c., many Jews returned to their homeland.

In 538 b.c. the first group returned to Judah under the leadership of Zerubbabel (Ezra 1:1-2:2). Over a period of years and tremendous opposition from the Samaritans, the returnees eventually succeeded in rebuilding the temple in 515 b.c. (See the chart “The Three Returns from Exile,” in the Introduction to Ezra.)

A number of years later—in 458 b.c.—a second group of Jews returned, led by Ezra (Ezra 7:1-10). Arriving on the scene, they found the Jews in Israel in a state of spiritual and moral degradation. They had intermarried with the unbelieving peoples of the surrounding nations and were participating in their pagan practices. However, through Ezra’s faithful teaching ministry, the majority of these people turned from their sins and once again followed God’s will for their lives.

In 444 b.c., 14 years after Ezra’s return to Jerusalem, Nehemiah also returned and God used him to guide Judah in rebuilding the city’s walls and in reordering the people’s social and economic lives. What he accomplished in a brief period of time was an incredible feat. How he accomplished this goal is one of the major emphases in the book that bears his name.

Name.

On the name of the Book of Nehemiah in relation to the Book of Ezra see “Name” in the Introduction to Ezra.

Author.

Most Bible expositors agree that Nehemiah authored the book that bears his name. Much of the book is a first-person account of the circumstances surrounding his return to Jerusalem (chaps. 1-7; 12:31-13:31).

Nothing is known about Nehemiah’s childhood, youth, or family background, except that his father’s name was Hacaliah (1:1) and he had a brother named Hanani (1:2). Possibly Nehemiah’s great-grandparents were taken into captivity when Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians. Nehemiah was probably born in Persia sometime during or soon after Zerubbabel’s ministry in Jerusalem.

Nehemiah had risen to a position of prominence in his pagan environment. He was serving King Artaxerxes as his personal cupbearer (1:11; cf. 2:1).

This important position in the king’s court gives insight into Nehemiah’s life and character. A mighty monarch such as the king of Persia would select for that position a man who was wise and discreet, and consistently honest and trustworthy. Nehemiah’s position alone reveals much about his intellectual capabilities, his emotional maturity, and his spiritual status.

Nehemiah probably wrote the book that bears his name soon after all its events were completed. This means the book was written about 430 b.c. or shortly thereafter.”

 Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1985). The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Have a blessed day!

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Bill

Dying to self, living to serve!

Oh The Pain

Lamentations 1:1-3:36

The book of Lamentations was written after the book of Jeremiah and the Babylonian exile.  I discovered some interesting things about Lamentations while reading up on this book for comment here.  One of the most interesting things is the comparison between God’s warning in Deuteronomy of what would happen to the people of Israel if they didn’t obey him and Jeremiah’s description of what did happen to them in Lamentations.  I’d like to share with you some of what I read about Lamentations but before I do let’s talk about another analogy.

Israel turned its back on God.  Eventually that separation from God led to warnings and eventually punishment.  It was only after punishment that Israel “lamented” of her wrong behavior.  That is much like us.  God warns us and warns us but far too often we don’t face our sin and repent of it until we have experienced the consequences of that sin.  It is then, as we come face to face with our sin that we truly feel remorse.  They say that pain is the precursor to change.  In order to be motivated to change, our old behavior must be more painful than the new behavior.  When we experience the consequence of our sin we feel the pain and realize that it is far less painful to obey God than to disobey.  It is in that moment of true regret for what we have done that we can truly repent or change our way of doing things.  Lamenting is the beginning of salvation.  Okay, on to a more educated look at the book of Lamentations.

“Introduction. The Book of Lamentations is a mournful postscript to the Book of Jeremiah. Through the use of five dirges, or funeral laments, the author grieved over the fate of Jerusalem because of her sin. Yet the book contains more than just the backward glances of a vindicated prophet. “It is a mute reminder that sin, in spite of all its allurement and excitement, carries with it heavy weights of sorrow, grief, misery, barrenness, and pain. It is the other side of the ­eat, drink, and be merry‘ coin” (Charles R. Swindoll, The Lamentations of Jeremiah, “Introduction”). Lamentations both mourns the fall of the city and offers reproof, instruction, and hope to its survivors.

Title. The title of Lamentations is taken from the book’s first word, ’ê?âh. This word may be translated “Alas!” or “How” and was a characteristic cry of lament or exclamation (cf. 2 Sam. 1:19; Jer. 9:19). Rabbinic and Talmudic writers referred to the book by this title or by the name qînô? which means “dirges” or “laments.”

The Septuagint translators converted the Rabbinic title qînô? into thr?noi, the Greek word for “dirges.” This title was also adopted by the Latin Vulgate which named the book threni, or “Lamentations.” The translators of the English Bible followed the pattern established by the Septuagint and Vulgate translators and named the book “Lamentations” after a description of its contents. Many also followed the Jewish tradition of ascribing the work to Jeremiah. Thus the title of the book in English is either “The Lamentations of Jeremiah” (kjv, asv, nasb, rsv) or “Lamentations” (jb, niv).

Author and Date. The book does not name its author, but Jewish tradition attributes it to Jeremiah. The Septuagint added the following words as an introduction to the book: “And it came to pass, after Israel was taken captive, and Jerusalem made desolate, that Jeremiah sat weeping, and lamented with this lamentation over Jerusalem, and said… .” The Aramaic Targum of Jonathan, the Babylonian Talmud, the Peshitta, and the Vulgate all made statements that attribute the work to Jeremiah…

Relationship to Deuteronomy 28. A crucial, though often overlooked, characteristic of the Book of Lamentations is its relationship to Deuteronomy 28. As John A. Martin has noted, “The author of the Book of Lamentations was attempting to show the fulfillment of the curses presented in Deuteronomy 28” (“The Contribution of the Book of Lamentations to Salvation History.” Th.M. thesis, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1975, p. 44). The following chart shows many of the parallels between Lamentations and Deuteronomy 28.

All the heartaches and hardships experienced by Jerusalem in the Book of Lamentations had been predicted about 900 years earlier by Moses. God had warned of the fearful consequences of disobedience and, as Jeremiah carefully noted, God faithfully carried out those curses. Yet this characteristic makes the Book of Lamentations a book of hope for Israel. God was faithful in discharging every aspect of the covenant He had made. Israel was punished for disobedience, but she was not consumed because God’s covenant was still in force. The same covenant that promised judgment for disobedience also promised restoration for repentance (cf. Deut. 30:1-10). Thus Jeremiah could offer hope in the midst of despair (Lam. 3:21-32). Jeremiah’s message to the Israelites in captivity was to learn the lessons of Deuteronomy 28 and turn back to their Lord. The prayer of Lamentations 5:21-22 was not a doubting cry from a discouraged remnant. Rather it was the response of faith from those captives who had mastered the lessons of Deuteronomy 28 and the Book of Lamentations. They were calling on God to fulfill the final part of His covenant and to restore them as a nation from captivity.”

Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Do you need to change?  Does it hurt enough yet?

Have a blessed day!

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Bill

Dying to self, living to serve!

The Power Of The One True God

Exodus 7-9

Today we read of the first seven of ten plagues God “poured out” on Egypt.  I was reading a commentary on this and thought I would share that with you rather than my words today.  Below is an excerpt from the The Bible Knowledge Commentary on the subject.

Ten judgments were poured out on the Egyptians. These judgments, commonly called plagues, may be grouped in three units of three plagues each, with a 10th culminating in judgment. The 1st, 4th, and 7th judgments, at the beginning of each cycle of three, are introduced by the words, “in the morning” (7:15; 8:20; 9:13). The 1st three (blood, frogs, and gnats) were loathsome; the 2nd three were bothersome (flies) or painful (death of livestock and boils on people and animals); and the 3rd three were “natural” plagues (hail, locusts, darkness). The 3rd plague ends with the defeat of the magicians (8:19), the 6th with their inability to stand before Moses (9:11), and the 9th with the separation of Moses and Pharaoh (10:28).

In plagues 1-3 Aaron used his staff (7:19; 8:5-6, 16-17) and in plagues 7-9 Moses used his staff (9:22-23; 10:12-13, 21-22; though 10:21-22 mentions only Moses’ hand, the staff may have been included).No staff was used by either man in plagues 4-6.

The 10 plagues may have occurred over a period of about nine months. The 1st occurred when the Nile rises (July-August). The 7th (9:31) was in January, when barley ripens and flax blossoms. The prevailing east winds in March or April in the 8th plague (10:13) would have brought in locusts. And the 10th plague (chaps. 11-12) occurred in April, the Passover month. By the plagues God was judging the gods of Egypt (of which there were many) and showing Himself superior to them (12:12; 18:11; Num. 33:4). See the chart “The Plagues and the Gods and Goddesses of Egypt.”

Also the plagues may have been designed to oppose and show up the impotency of the Pharaoh. Pharaoh’s people considered him the god Horus, son of Hathor. Hathor’s father was the god Amon-Re. The plagues also showed the Pharaoh and the Egyptians that He is the Lord (Yahweh; Ex. 7:5, 17; 8:10, 22; 9:14, 16) and showed Israel the same truth (10:2).

Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Why did God through the process of the 10 plagues?  Why not just wipe the Egyptians out and send His people forth?  God answers this question for us.

Genesis 9:15-16

“For by now I could have put out my hand and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth. But for this purpose I have raised you up, to show you my power, so that my name may be proclaimed in all the earth.”

God does things so He will be glorified, not for His sake but for the sake of all those who don’t know Him.

Have a blessed day!

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Bill

Dying to self, living to serve!

Praying man or a UT fan? Maybe both?

Let Us Pray

Luke 1

I don’t cry much.  I guess most of us guys don’t.  I have to tell you a terrible secret.  There is one thing that gets me to bawling on a regular basis.  Jesus makes me cry.  When I think of Him coming to earth to save me from my sins I start to lose it.  When I think about Him as a baby, as a child, as a young man, as an adult engaged in His ministry, as the sacrificial lamb up on that cross, the water works just start to give way.  I read today’s passages and my eyes watered up.  It was only with some deep breaths and a change of focus that I avoided a complete breakdown.

You didn’t know I was such a wimp did you?

Today we begin Luke and though it is one of the three “synoptic” Gospels, it is unique in many ways.  There are two points I want to stress and then I’ll let one of the commentaries give you an overview of the book.  First, Luke is the only author of a book of the Bible, Old and New Testament, that is not a Jew.  What a great way to illustrate that Jesus came to redeem not just the Jews but all who would put their faith in Him.  Second, Luke stresses the importance of prayer.

As Luke relates the life and ministry of Christ you will notice how often Jesus prays.  This is important.  While I believe being in the Word of God every day is extremely important, it is only part of a right relationship with God.  An equally important part is prayer.  I’m afraid this is yet another area of my walk as a disciple of Christ that needs improvement.  God is my creator, and the good news is, He isn’t finished with me yet.  Anyway, keep your eye open in this book for how Jesus prays, when Jesus prays, and how often Jesus prays.  He is our example; let us learn our lessons well!

Below is an overview of the book of Luke from The Teacher’s Commentary.

LUKE’S GOSPEL

Overview

The Gospel of Luke is the longest book in the New Testament. It was written by Luke the physician, a companion of Paul on several missionary journeys (cf. Acts 16:10–17; 20:5–21:18; 27:1–28:16). Luke is the only author of a New or Old Testament book who was probably a Gentile rather than a Jew.

The early church fathers noted the emphases common to both Paul and Luke. Each emphasized the universality of salvation. Even Luke’s parables focused on the response of individuals to God’s grace, while Matthew’s parables concerned the kingdom. Luke, like Paul, spoke often of faith, of repentance, of mercy, and of forgiveness. Thus Irenaeus held that Luke, Paul’s companion, “put down in a book the Gospel preached by him,” and Origen called Luke “the Gospel commended by Paul.” If Mark was the “interpreter” of Peter, Tertullian wrote, Luke was the “illuminator” of the Apostle Paul.

For instance, “grace” is found some 146 times in the New Testament. Of these, all but 21 are in the writings of Paul and Luke. And 190 of the 243 occurrences of “faith” are found in the writings of these two.

It’s not surprising, then, that this Gospel, like Paul’s ministry, is a Gospel directed to the Gentiles, and particularly for the better educated Hellenists. In some of the most beautiful literary Greek found in any ancient writing, Luke tells the story of Jesus, a true human being who is the Son of God.

Commentary

Tradition tells us that Luke was a physician, who practiced in Antioch. The first Gentile church was established there, and Luke may have been a member during the time Barnabas and Saul (as he was called then) were part of the leadership team. It is clear from the use of “we” in Acts (after 16:10) that Luke often traveled with the missionaries and was a witness of what he wrote.

Perhaps the most fascinating feature of Luke is the beauty of its language. Paul wrote elegant Greek, and displayed a rich vocabulary. About 250 Greek words that Luke used are found only in this Gospel in the whole New Testament. And there are another 61 words used only in the Book of Acts, also written by Luke.

In addition, much of the material in Luke’s Gospel is found only here, with no parallel in Matthew, Mark, or John. To see its extent, it’s helpful to use a highlighter and mark the following passages, identified by W. Graham Scroggie:

Luke 1:1–3:2

Luke 3:10–15, 23–28

Luke 4:1a, 13b, 14a, 15–30

Luke 5:1–11, 17, 29–39

Luke 6:11a, 12b, 17a, 24–26, 33–34, 37b, 38a

Luke 7:3–5, 7a, 10–17, 20–21, 29–30, 36–50

Luke 8:1–3, 12b

Luke 9:9b, 18a, 28b, 29a, 31–33, 43, 44a, 51–56, 61–62

Luke 10:1, 8b, 17–20, 25–26, 28–42

Luke 11:5–8, 12, 27–28, 37–38, 40–41, 44–46a, 53–54

Luke 12:1–2, 13–21, 29b, 32–33a, 35–38, 41, 47–50, 52, 54, 57

Luke 13:1–17, 22–23, 25–27, 31–33

Luke 14:1–25, 28–33

Luke 15:3, 6–32

Luke 16:1–12, 14–15, 19–31

Luke 17:3–5, 7–19, 20–22, 28–30, 32, 37a

Luke 18:1–14, 31b, 34, 43b

Luke 19:1–28, 37, 39–44

Luke 20:16b, 20b, 26a, 35a, 36b, 38b, 39

Luke 21:12a, 18–19, 21b, 22–23b, 24–25b, 26a, 28, 34–38

Luke 22:3a, 15–16, 19b-20, 27–32, 35–38, 40, 43–45a, 48b, 49, 51, 53b, 61a, 65–68

Luke 23:2, 4–15, 22b, 23, 27–31, 34a, 39–43, 45a, 46, 48, 51a, 53b, 56

Luke 24:4a, 7, 8a, 11–53

We sense the special contribution that Luke makes to our knowledge of Jesus and His teaching when we realize that in these passages above are 15 parables found only in Luke. Only here do we read about the Good Samaritan (10:30–37), the Rich Fool (12:13–21), the Lost Coin (15:8–10), the Prodigal Son (vv. 11–32), the Rich Man and Lazarus (16:19–31), and many others.

What else is special in Luke’s Gospel? Over half the verses in this Gospel contain words of Jesus. Forgiveness and individual response to the Saviour are emphasized in this Gospel written for Gentiles. Luke’s concern was not the future of Israel, but personal salvation.

In a most significant sense Luke is the Gospel of the Good News for each individual human being born into our world.

Richards, L., & Richards, L. O. (1987). The teacher’s commentary. Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books.

The following outline is from The Bible Knowledge Commentary:

OUTLINE

I.             The Prologue and Purpose of the Gospel (1:1-4)

II.           The Births and Maturations of John and Jesus (1:5-2:52)

A.           The announcements of the births (1:5-56)

B.           The births and boyhoods of John and Jesus (1:57-2:52)

III.          The Preparation for Jesus’ Ministry (3:1-4:13)

A.           The ministry of John the Baptist (3:1-20)

B.           The baptism of Jesus (3:21-22)

C.           The genealogy of Jesus (3:23-38)

D.           The temptation of Jesus (4:1-13)

IV.          The Ministry of Jesus in Galilee (4:14-9:50)

A.           The initiation of Jesus’ ministry (4:14-30)

B.           The authentication of Jesus’ authority (4:31-6:16)

C.           Jesus’ sermon on the level place (6:17-49)

D.           Jesus’ ministry in Capernaum and surrounding cities (chaps. 7-8)

E.            Jesus’ teaching of His disciples (9:1-50)

V.           The Journey of Jesus toward Jerusalem (9:51-19:27)

A.           The rejection of Jesus by most on His journey toward Jerusalem (9:51-11:54)

B.           Jesus’ teaching of His followers in view of the rejection (12:1-19:27)

VI.          The Ministry of Jesus in Jerusalem (19:28-21:38)

A.           Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem as Messiah (19:28-44)

B.           Jesus in the temple (19:45-21:38)

VII.         The Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus (chaps. 22-24)

A.           The death and burial of Jesus (chaps. 22-23)

B.           The resurrection and appearances of Jesus (chap. 24)

Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Have a prayerful day brothers!

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Bill

Dying to self, living to serve!

He Restores My Soul

Mark 15-16

Well guys, we finish Mark today.  The last few verses of Mark, 16:9-20, are perhaps the most debated set of scripture in all of the New Testament.  This is because two early manuscripts do not contain these verses and because these verses seem to be an abrupt change of focus in a different voice.  I looked through a couple of commentaries on these verses and the bulk of today’s post will be a quote from one of them concerning the debate.  Before I get into that, however, I would like to call your attention to the final words of Christ.

Mark 15:34

“And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

Many feel that at the moment of Christ’s death He was separated from God.  Remember that He was our scapegoat.  All the sins of humanity were placed on Him so that we could be forgiven of those sins through His sacrifice.  Every sin requires blood for forgiveness.  That is why Jesus had to die if we were to be forgiven.  Instead of having to drag bulls and lambs and what not to their bloody deaths, Jesus became that “once, for all” sacrifice.  Sin and God are incompatible.  That is why our sin separates us from God.  If all of our sin was placed on Him then He was separated from God at that moment.

Now this is a difficult thing to understand.  How can God be separated from Himself?  Well, God is always doing things we don’t understand.  How can God exist in human form on earth, while still reigning in heaven?  How can God be Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all at the same time?  This only scratches the surface of all the unfathomable things of God.  What these verses tell us though is that Jesus Christ did actually die for our sins.  He was separated from God at the moment He took on our sin.

Did God abandon His Son?  No, God did not abandon His Son.  His son was separated from Him by sin.  When things are going badly for us, we often feel abandon by God, but the reality is that our sin separates us from God.  That separation means we are indeed alone.  What a lonely, desperate place to be; outside the presence of our loving Father.   Besides expressing the separation from God Jesus experienced due to our sin, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” points us back to Old Testament prophecy that told us this moment would come.

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” is the first line of Psalm 22.  The people of Jesus’ day knew Old Testament scripture extremely well.  They had much of it memorized.  Often one would refer others to an entire passage of scripture by simply quoting the first line of the passage.  In this case Jesus was saying that what was prophesied concerning the Messiah had come to pass.  Psalm 22 was a prophecy of the death the Messiah would experience at the hands of sinful man.  After reading these passages on the death of Jesus, I recommend you read the 22^nd Psalm.  I am always blown away when I do this.

The last verse of that Psalm states “He has done it.”  Mark 16:37 tells us that Jesus “uttered a loud cry and breathed His last”.  John 19:28 suggests that cry might have been “It is finished”!  At that moment He had indeed done it; it was finished.  Jesus fulfilled prophecy and saved all of humanity.  Return to a spiritual Eden was made possible by His sacrifice.  With His death right relationship with God was made available to all who would accept it; our souls were restored.  I find it extremely poignant that Psalm 22 which tells of the death of Christ, is followed by a much more famous Psalm:

Psalm 23:1-6

¹ The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

² He makes me lie down in green pastures.

He leads me beside still waters.

³ He restores my soul.

He leads me in paths of righteousness

for his name’s sake.

⁴ Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,

I will fear no evil,

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff,

they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord

forever.

Your soul can be restored because He has done it; it is finished!

Below is commentary on the last few verses of Mark from “The Bible Knowledge Commentary” and begins at the period following Mark 16:8:

“Several interpreters believe that Mark concluded his Gospel at this point. The abrupt ending is consistent with Mark’s style and punctuates his development of the themes of fear and astonishment throughout his Gospel. The reader is left to ponder with awe the meaning of the empty tomb as interpreted by the angel’s revelatory message (cf. the following comments on 16:9-20).

X.            Disputed Epilogue (16:9-20).

The last 12 verses of Mark (16:9-20) known as “the longer ending of Mark” constitute one of the most difficult and most disputed textual problems in the New Testament. Were these verses included or omitted in Mark’s original text? Most modern English translations call attention to the problem in some way such as adding an explanatory footnote at verse 9 (nasb), setting this section apart from verse 8 with an explanatory note (niv), or printing the whole section in the margin (rsv).

The external evidence includes the following: (1) The two earliest (fourth century) uncial manuscripts (Sinaiticus and Vaticanus) omit the verses though their respective scribes left some blank space after verse 8, suggesting that they knew of a longer ending but did not have it in the manuscript they were copying. (2) Most all other manuscripts (fifth century on) as well as early versions support the inclusion of verses 9-20. (3) Several later manuscripts (seventh century on) and versions supply a “shorter ending” after verse 8 which is clearly not genuine but all these manuscripts (except one) continue on with verses 9-20. (4) Early patristic writers—such as Justin Martyr (Apology 1. 45, ca. a.d. 148), Tatian (Diatessaron, ca. a.d. 170), and Irenaeus who quoted verse 19 (Against Heresies 3. 10. 6)—support the inclusion of these verses. However, Eusebius (Questions to Marinus 1, ca. a.d. 325) and Jerome (Epistle 120. 3; ad Hedibiam, ca. a.d. 407) said verses 9-20 were missing from Greek manuscripts known to them. (5) An Armenian manuscript of the 10th century attributed verses 9-20 to “the presbyter Ariston,” probably Aristion, a contemporary of Papias (a.d. 60-130) who was purportedly a disciple of the Apostle John. (6) If Mark ended abruptly at verse 8, then it is easy to see why some early copyist(s) wanted to provide a “suitable” ending for the Gospel from other authoritative sources. However, if verses 9-20 were part of the original, it is difficult to see why the early copyists would have omitted it.

Internal evidence includes this data: (1) The transition from verse 8 to verse 9 involves an abrupt change of subject from “women” to the presumed subject “Jesus” since His name is not stated in verse 9 of the Greek text. (2) Mary Magdalene is introduced with a descriptive clause in verse 9 as though she had not been mentioned already in 15:40, 47 and 16:1. (3) About 1/3 of the significant Greek words in verses 9-20 are “non-Marcan,” that is, they do not appear elsewhere in Mark or they are used differently from Mark’s usage prior to verse 9. (4) The Greek literary style lacks the vivid, lifelike detail so characteristic of Mark’s historical narrative. (5) Mark would have been expected to include a Resurrection appearance to the disciples in Galilee (14:28; 16:7), but the appearances in verses 9-20 are in or near Jerusalem. (6) Matthew and Luke parallel Mark until verse 8 and then diverge noticeably, suggesting that Mark began its literary existence without verses 9-20.

Equally astute and conscientious interpreters differ widely in their evaluations of this data and reach opposing conclusions. Those who include these verses in light of the preponderance of early and widespread external support must still account satisfactorily for the internal evidence which appears to distinguish these verses from the rest of the Gospel. And those who omit these verses must still account for their early and widespread attestation externally and give a suitable reason for Mark’s seemingly abrupt conclusion at verse 8. Four possible solutions for this have been suggested: (1) Mark finished his Gospel but the original ending was lost or destroyed in some way now unknown before it was copied. (2) Mark finished his Gospel but the original ending was deliberately suppressed or removed for some reason now unknown. (3) Mark was unable to finish his Gospel for some reason now unknown—possibly sudden death. (4) Mark purposely intended to end his Gospel at verse 8.

Of these options, numbers 1 and 2 are unlikely even though the view that the original ending was accidentally lost is widely accepted. If Mark’s Gospel was a scroll manuscript rather than a codex (leaf form of book) the ending would normally be on the inside of the scroll and less likely to be damaged or lost than the beginning of the scroll. If the incompleteness of Mark is assumed, number 3 is the most probable option but due to its very nature it cannot be confirmed. In light of Mark’s use of the theme “fear” in relation to Jesus’ followers (cf. v. 8), many modern interpreters incline toward option 4.

A final conclusion to the problem probably cannot be reached on the basis of presently known data. A view which seems to account for the relevant evidence and to raise the least number of objections is that (a) Mark purposely ended his Gospel with verse 8 and (b) verses 9-20, though written or compiled by an anonymous Christian writer, are historically authentic and are part of the New Testament canon (cf. similarly the last chapter of Deut.). In this view, very early in the transmission of Mark’s Gospel (perhaps shortly after a.d. 100) verses 9-20 were added to verse 8 without any attempt to match Mark’s vocabulary and style. Possibly these verses were brief extracts from the post-Resurrection accounts found in the other three Gospels and were known through oral tradition to have the approval of the Apostle John who lived till near the end of the first century. Thus the material was included early enough in the transmission process to gain recognition and acceptance by the church as part of canonical Scripture. These verses are consistent with the rest of Scripture. The development of the theme of belief and unbelief unifies the passage.”

Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

Have a restored soul kind of day!

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Bill

Dying to self, living to serve!

Hope For America

Song of Solomon 5 – Isaiah 1

Well, we have gone through the Song of Solomon in two days and I have got to tell you that to make sense of this book I think we would need two months!  I’ve been reading the commentaries and even if we just look at this book as a story about Godly marital love there is still a lot of explaining to do.  I cannot do this book justice in this format.  So, of necessity, not wishing to slight the Song of Solomon in the least, but unable to do it justice, I will move on to Isaiah.

Isaiah is the first of 17 prophetic books, not because it was written first but because it is the most comprehensive in content.  Isaiah lived around 700 B.C. and prophesied to the Southern Kingdom of Judah.  The Northern Kingdom had fallen to the Assyrian Empire in 722 B.C. and things weren’t looking to good for Judah as well.  Juda was in political and spiritual decline and it was in this atmosphere that Isaiah rose to urge God’s people to return to Him, trust in Him, and obey Him.  He urged them to look to God for salvation.

Below are a few comments and an outline from:

Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

“Some have suggested that the book has two themes, one for chapters 1-39 and another for chapters 40-66. Judgment seems to be the emphasis in the first part, and salvation and comfort are prominent in the second. Since Isaiah followed the theology of Deuteronomy (punishment must come for failure to live according to the Mosaic Covenant before a time of blessing can come), the two parts of Isaiah can be reconciled. Chapters 1-39 point out the nation’s problem of sin which must be rectified before a proper relationship with the covenant God can be restored. Judgment, emphasized in chapters 1-39, is the purifying force that leads to the forgiveness and pardoning of sins emphasized in chapters 40-66 (cf. 27:9). Ultimately redemption for Israel must come from the “ideal Servant,” the Messiah, who will accomplish what the servant-nation cannot do. This accounts for the so-called “Servant Songs” in the second major division of Isaiah (42:1-9; 49:1-13; 50:4-11; 52:13-53:12).

But chapters 40-66 emphasize more than redemption from sin. Those chapters go beyond that to speak of a change in the cosmos, of the Lord’s restoration of His created order. In chapters 1-39 judgment on sin is stressed; in chapters 40-66 atonement for that sin and the resulting change in people and the world system are discussed. Judgment, then, must come before blessing can follow.”

OUTLINE

I.        The Retribution of God (chaps. 1-39)

A.       The Lord’s indictment of the nation (chaps. 1-6)

1.       The heading for the book (1:1)

2.       The Lord’s lawsuit against the nation (1:2-31)

3.       An affirmation of restoration (2:1-5)

4.       The present condition and future consequences (2:6-4:1)

5.       The holy survivors (4:2-6)

6.       The worthless vineyard (5:1-7)

7.       An indictment on sin (5:8-30)

8.       Isaiah’s commission (chap. 6)

B.       Prophecies of deliverance (chaps. 7-12)

1.       The birth of Immanuel (chap. 7)

2.       The coming Deliverer (8:1-9:7)

3.       Exile for the Northern Kingdom (9:8-10:4)

4.       Assyria’s fall and the great  kingdom’s rise (10:5-12:6)

C.       Judgment on the nations (chaps. 13-23)

1.       Babylon (13:1-14:27)

2.       Philistia (14:28-32)

3.       Moab (chaps. 15-16)

4.       Damascus (17:1-11)

5.       The land of whirring wings (17:12-18:7)

6.       Egypt (chaps. 19-20)

7.       The desert (21:1-10)

8.       Edom (21:11-12)

9.       Arabia (21:13-17)

10.     Jerusalem (chap. 22)

11.     Tyre (chap. 23)

D.       Punishment and kingdom blessing (chaps. 24-27)

1.       A time of judgment (chap. 24)

2.       A time of blessing in the kingdom (chaps. 25-27)

E.       The woes (chaps. 28-33)

1.       Woe to Ephraim and Judah (chap. 28)

2.       Woe to Jerusalem (chap. 29)

3.       Woe to the obstinate children (chap. 30)

4.       Woe to the Egyptian alliance (chaps. 31-32)

5.       Woe to the destroyers (chap. 33)

F.       Vengeance and blessing (chaps. 34-35)

1.       The Lord’s day of vengeance (chap. 34)

2.       The Lord’s day of blessing (chap. 35)

G.       Historical interlude: Judah to be in captivity (chaps. 36-39)

1.       God’s superiority to Assyria (chaps. 36-37)

2.       Judah’s captivity in Babylon (chaps. 38-39)

II.       The Restoration by God (chaps. 40-66)

A.       Deliverance of God’s People (chaps. 40-48)

1.       The majesty of God (chap. 40)

2.       A challenge to the nations (chap. 41)

3.       The individual Servant contrasted with the servant nation (chap. 42)

4.       A promise to regather the unworthy servant (43:1-44:5)

5.       The Lord’s uniqueness as the only God (44:6-45:25)

6.       The Lord’s superiority over Babylon (chaps. 46-47)

7.       An exhortation for Israel (chap. 48)

B.       Restoration by the Suffering Servant (chaps. 49-57)

1.       The Servant to be rejected (chaps. 49-50)

2.       The remnant to be exalted (51:1-52:12)

3.       The Servant to be exalted (52:13-53:12)

4.       Salvation to come from the Servant (chaps. 54-57)

C.       Restoration realized and completed (chaps. 58-66)

1.       The restoration to come by God’s initiative (chaps. 58-60)

2.       The coming of the Messiah and the coming of the Father (61:1-63:6)

3.       The nation’s prayer and the Lord’s response (63:7-65:25)

4.       The Lord’s fulfillment of His promises (chap. 66)”

As I read this first chapter of Isaiah I felt I was reading the entire case stating our need for a savior.  I also found myself thinking of our nation.   Billy Graham once said “If God doesn’t punish America He will owe Sodom and Gomorrah an apology.”

Isaiah 1:21-236

“How the faithful city
has become a whore,
she who was full of justice!
Righteousness lodged in her,
but now murderers.
Your silver has become dross,
your best wine mixed with water.
Your princes are rebels
and companions of thieves.
Everyone loves a bribe
and runs after gifts.
They do not bring justice to the fatherless,
and the widow’s cause does not come to them.”

I’m afraid I see my country that way; once faithful, now full of greed.  Our “princes”, or politicians, are rebels and companions of thieves.  God speaks of judgment for sinful ways.  He also speaks of the fact that He will wash our sins away if we are willing and obedient.

Isaiah 1:18-19

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord:
though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red like crimson,
they shall become like wool.
If you are willing and obedient,
you shall eat the good of the land;”

This is the hope we have in Jesus Christ.  I believe this hope is available for our nation as well.  A nation is made up of people.  The deplorable moral state of our nation exists because of the lostness of our countrymen.  How do you change a nation?  You change it one heart at a time.  I found this verse particularly apropos.

Isaiah 1:9

“If the Lord of hosts
had not left us a few survivors,
we should have been like Sodom,
and become like Gomorrah.”

The Lord of hosts has left America a few survivors; a remnant, you and me.  America does not have to be like Sodom and Gomorrah.  If a few good men will stand in the gap, if they will share their faith with the lost, if they will be faithful and obedient to the will of God, then this nation will be changed.  What an awesome responsibility God has given us.  By sharing our faith we can be part of God’s saving grace.  We can be part of changing hearts and changing this nation.  The solution to the problems of this nation will not be found in political parties and programs but in Jesus Christ.

I’m looking forward to reading through this book as it has a lot to tell us about the Messiah and His saving grace!

May you have a day that offers you the chance to share Jesus with others!

Your brother and servant in Christ,

Bill

Dying to self, living to serve!