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Word of the Cross Bible Study
July 06, 2011
Read Luke 13: 22-30 ESV - "22 He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23And someone said to him, "Lord, will those who are saved be few?" And he said to them, 24 "Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, open to us,' then he will answer you, 'I do not know where you come from.' 26Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.' 27But he will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!' 28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. 29And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. 30And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."
(Commentary) It was the prevalent opinion among the Jews that few would enter heaven. As but two of all the hosts that came out of Egypt entered into the land of Canaan, so some of them maintained that a proportionally small number would enter into heaven. On this subject the man wished the opinion of Jesus. It was a question of idle curiosity.
Strive - αγωνιζεσθε Word: agwnizomai Pronounce: ag-o-nid'-zom-ahee, means to agonize - exert every power of body and soul. Originally it was meant to describe how to contend for a prize in the Grecian games. They were long trained for the conflict, and the honor of victory was one of the highest honors among the people.
Types of Striving:
1) The ongoing and endless searching of Scriptures
2) Consistent attendance under the teaching of Word
3) Praying earnestly for spiritual light, knowledge, and grace
4) Contending against that which opposes the salvation of the soul
5) To bear all reproaches and persecution for the faith
6) Press through all difficulties as not to give up
(Commentary) “Striving” must never supersede authentic relationship, as is often the case which results in a conformist legalism. As if we must perform these things to be proven as devout in our walk. Instead, we first find our identity in Christ, grow in love through Him, and as a result the "Strivings" naturally overflow from being Spiritually filled and lead. The absence of these strivings provide personal insight regarding our current position in Him.
"Will seek to enter in" - Many in various ways manifest some desire to be saved. Most common is a Better Life, Insecure with lot of Life or Fire Escape. They seek eternal life through Christ, but do not agonize for it, and hence, they are shut out. Because they did not make following Christ the primary concern of their life, they cannot "then" enter in.
Read Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."
(Continue with Luke 13:25) For by "the master of the house" is meant, the bridegroom of the church, the head of the body, the King of saints, who is Son over his own house.
"Has shut the door," the preaching of the word or dispensation of the church, being at an end, and all the guests come in, who were effectually called. This closing is either natural death or the end of the church age.
Read Matthew 7:22-23 "On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
(Commentary) I have seen you in my house, preaching in my name, and at service among those of the faith. You learned of the power and even worked in it but you never personally received my person, blood, righteousness, and sacrifice. You never had a relationship with me. You trust in works you have done or in your religious associations but I never knew you; wherefore, I will neither hear, nor see you. Their religion expended itself in professions and outward observance without a changed heart.
Read Matthew 22:11-14 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen."
(Commentary) The passage implies that the man was conscious of the omission when he entered, and was intentionally guilty of the neglect. He had all the outward evidence of a Christian, moral, among the chosen, like Judas Iscariot, unsuspected by others to be deceived. The fact that he had not a wedding garment was proof that he had no right to be there. All invited might be very different before, good and bad, but they must be clothed alike when the guests of the Lord. Clothed in the righteousness of Christ, with a new heart, not trusting in self. Many are called to the wedding-feast, that is, to salvation, but few have the wedding-garment, the righteousness of Christ, the sanctification of the Spirit. Christ declares to the angels at the end of the age, separate the wheat from the chaff; remove the false from the proven.
Read Matthew 3:12 "His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
Read Matthew 13:24-30 "He put another parable before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' So the servants said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he said, 'No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"
Read 2 Corinthians 13:5 "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!"
(Commentary) The particular reason why Paul calls on them to examine themselves was that there was occasion to fear that many of them had been deceived. So important are the interests at stake, and so liable are the best to deceive themselves that all Christians should be often encouraged to examine the foundation of their hope of eternal salvation. Whether we are in the faith - Whether you are true Christians. Whether you have any true faith in the gospel. Faith in Jesus Christ, and in the promises of God through him, is one of the distinguishing characteristics of a true Christian; and to ascertain whether we have any true faith, therefore, is to ascertain whether we are sincere Christians. Faith in that which is unseen, as if in fact it is of more truth than that which IS seen. An affirmation that the counsel of God is true through Scripture and what doesn't exactly make sense to our mind is indeed confirmed by the indwelling Spirit.
Compiled from various commentaries and personal reflections from studies.
July 06, 2011
Read Luke 13: 22-30 ESV - "22 He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. 23And someone said to him, "Lord, will those who are saved be few?" And he said to them, 24 "Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, 'Lord, open to us,' then he will answer you, 'I do not know where you come from.' 26Then you will begin to say, 'We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.' 27But he will say, 'I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!' 28 In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God but you yourselves cast out. 29And people will come from east and west, and from north and south, and recline at table in the kingdom of God. 30And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last."
(Commentary) It was the prevalent opinion among the Jews that few would enter heaven. As but two of all the hosts that came out of Egypt entered into the land of Canaan, so some of them maintained that a proportionally small number would enter into heaven. On this subject the man wished the opinion of Jesus. It was a question of idle curiosity.
Strive - αγωνιζεσθε Word: agwnizomai Pronounce: ag-o-nid'-zom-ahee, means to agonize - exert every power of body and soul. Originally it was meant to describe how to contend for a prize in the Grecian games. They were long trained for the conflict, and the honor of victory was one of the highest honors among the people.
Types of Striving:
1) The ongoing and endless searching of Scriptures
2) Consistent attendance under the teaching of Word
3) Praying earnestly for spiritual light, knowledge, and grace
4) Contending against that which opposes the salvation of the soul
5) To bear all reproaches and persecution for the faith
6) Press through all difficulties as not to give up
(Commentary) “Striving” must never supersede authentic relationship, as is often the case which results in a conformist legalism. As if we must perform these things to be proven as devout in our walk. Instead, we first find our identity in Christ, grow in love through Him, and as a result the "Strivings" naturally overflow from being Spiritually filled and lead. The absence of these strivings provide personal insight regarding our current position in Him.
"Will seek to enter in" - Many in various ways manifest some desire to be saved. Most common is a Better Life, Insecure with lot of Life or Fire Escape. They seek eternal life through Christ, but do not agonize for it, and hence, they are shut out. Because they did not make following Christ the primary concern of their life, they cannot "then" enter in.
Read Matthew 7:13-14 "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few."
(Continue with Luke 13:25) For by "the master of the house" is meant, the bridegroom of the church, the head of the body, the King of saints, who is Son over his own house.
"Has shut the door," the preaching of the word or dispensation of the church, being at an end, and all the guests come in, who were effectually called. This closing is either natural death or the end of the church age.
Read Matthew 7:22-23 "On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’"
(Commentary) I have seen you in my house, preaching in my name, and at service among those of the faith. You learned of the power and even worked in it but you never personally received my person, blood, righteousness, and sacrifice. You never had a relationship with me. You trust in works you have done or in your religious associations but I never knew you; wherefore, I will neither hear, nor see you. Their religion expended itself in professions and outward observance without a changed heart.
Read Matthew 22:11-14 “But when the king came in to look at the guests, he saw there a man who had no wedding garment. And he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless. Then the king said to the attendants, ‘Bind him hand and foot and cast him into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ For many are called, but few are chosen."
(Commentary) The passage implies that the man was conscious of the omission when he entered, and was intentionally guilty of the neglect. He had all the outward evidence of a Christian, moral, among the chosen, like Judas Iscariot, unsuspected by others to be deceived. The fact that he had not a wedding garment was proof that he had no right to be there. All invited might be very different before, good and bad, but they must be clothed alike when the guests of the Lord. Clothed in the righteousness of Christ, with a new heart, not trusting in self. Many are called to the wedding-feast, that is, to salvation, but few have the wedding-garment, the righteousness of Christ, the sanctification of the Spirit. Christ declares to the angels at the end of the age, separate the wheat from the chaff; remove the false from the proven.
Read Matthew 3:12 "His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
Read Matthew 13:24-30 "He put another parable before them, saying, "The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, 'Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?' He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' So the servants said to him, 'Then do you want us to go and gather them?' But he said, 'No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.'"
Read 2 Corinthians 13:5 "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!"
(Commentary) The particular reason why Paul calls on them to examine themselves was that there was occasion to fear that many of them had been deceived. So important are the interests at stake, and so liable are the best to deceive themselves that all Christians should be often encouraged to examine the foundation of their hope of eternal salvation. Whether we are in the faith - Whether you are true Christians. Whether you have any true faith in the gospel. Faith in Jesus Christ, and in the promises of God through him, is one of the distinguishing characteristics of a true Christian; and to ascertain whether we have any true faith, therefore, is to ascertain whether we are sincere Christians. Faith in that which is unseen, as if in fact it is of more truth than that which IS seen. An affirmation that the counsel of God is true through Scripture and what doesn't exactly make sense to our mind is indeed confirmed by the indwelling Spirit.
Compiled from various commentaries and personal reflections from studies.
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