God's wrath in Romans

Romans 2:4-6 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who will render to each person according to his deeds".

Introduction:

Over the past couple of days we have been exploring what the scripture teaches on the wrath of God.  We first of looked at defining what is meant by Divine wrath through various word studies and key themes of scripture. Then in yesterday's post we surveyed the three ways scripture illustrates God's wrath by noting how it as a communicable attribute has God functioning as the Judge against sinners, a Father entering into discipline with his children or a spouse who jealousy guards his relationship with His wife. In today's post we want to consider the way in which God's wrath is developed in the book of Romans.  As we have also pressed throughout these past couple of posts, the grace of God is impossible to grasp or appreciate apart from God's wrath.  Today we will list all of the verses in Romans that deal with God's wrath or judgment and then offer a few comments at the end to explain how His wrath must be included in explaining the Gospel.

All the verses in Romans that mention God's wrath and judgment

1. Romans 1:18 "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness"

2. Romans 2:5 "But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God."

3. Romans 2:8 "But to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation."

4. Romans 2:16 "on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus."

5. Romans 3:5-6 "But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.) 6 May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?"

6. Romans 3:25-26 "whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith.This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; 26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

7. Romans 4:15 "for the Law brings about wrath, but where there is no law, there also is no violation."

8. Romans 5:9 "Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him."

9. Romans 9:22 "What if God, although willing to demonstrate His wrath and to make His power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction?"

10. Romans 12:19 "Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord."

11. Romans 13:4 "for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid; for it does not bear the sword for nothing; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil."

12. Romans 13:5 "Therefore it is necessary to be in subjection, not only because of wrath, but also for conscience’ sake."

Four observations about God's w.r.a.t.h in Romans, with one final question

As you survey the above verses in Romans, it is without controversy that without the wrath of God, the grace of the Gospel cannot be fully appreciate nor understood.  Why? Because the power of the Gospel tells us of the wrath of God which we all deserve, the grace which God chooses to give and the satisfaction that Jesus Christ made for you that must be received by faith. In the form of the acrostic w.r.a.t.h we close today's post with the following four observation and one question from the book of Romans:

Warnings of Divine anger against sin are revealed now in creation. Romans 1:18

Reservoir of God's anger against sin is filling up due to persistent unbelief. Romans 2:5,8,16; 4:15; 9:22; 12:19

Anger of God against sin will be poured out in final judgment. Romans 2:27; 3:4-6

Total exemption from God's ongoing anger against sin can be avoided through faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 3:25-26; 5:9-10 

Have you trust in Christ's saving work from God's wrath? 

As Romans 3:23-24,26 states: 23 "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus". And then Romans 3:26 "for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus."

How God's Wrath is illustrated in the Bible

Genesis 3:17 "Then to Adam He said, “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, ‘You shall not eat from it'". 

Genesis 3:21  "The Lord God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife, and clothed them."

Genesis 3:24 "So He drove the man out; and at the east of the garden of Eden He stationed the cherubim and the flaming sword which turned every direction to guard the way to the tree of life."

Introduction and Review
Yesterday we began by noting A.W Tozer's definition of wrath: "wrath is God's relentless affirmation of His dominion" and "God's wrath is His utter intolerance of whatever degrades and destroys".  Also too we discovered that Paul's emphasis upon the wrath of God in Romans demonstrates that the Gospel cannot be properly understood nor communicated without it.  We then launched into exploration of the key Hebrew/Aramaic and Greek words used by the Biblical authors in defining God's wrath.  We concluded among other things yesterday that God's wrath is His settled opposition to creaturely sin and any attacks upon His holy character. 

In today's post we want to gain a little more concrete understanding of the concept of God's wrath by seeing how it is illustrated in the Bible.  The most common way the Bible describes God's wrath is in how wrath in general is a quality also expressed by human beings.  Within the realm of various human relationships we see wrath expressed and thus demonstrates how vital such a quality and expression is to God Himself. Before we consider the various illustrations of God's wrath, we first need to build our understanding of God's wrath on the distinctions often made in the realm of His attributes.

God's incommunicable and communicable attributes
Theologian Michael Horton discusses the attributes or characteristics of God by the two fold method of classification called "incommunicable attributes" and "communicable attributes". Horton writes: "God's attributes have often been distinguished as incommunicable and communicable, so called to distinguish those attributes that belong to God alone and those that may be predicated of God and humans."1
When one hears that term "communicable", the normal context is in the realm of the study of diseases where we describe such viruses as the "cold virus" as communicable, meaning it's qualities and pathology can be shared by multiple persons through contact, sneezing or coughing on one another.  

Examples of God's incommunicable attributes would be His omniscience, omnipresence, omnipotence, self-sufficiency (aseity) and simplicity (God's attributes are equal to His being). No creature, whether they be angel, man or animal has such qualities - such qualities are incommunicable. 

On the other hand God's other attributes - such as His love, justice, wrath, jealousy, mercy, grace, holiness and other moral perfections are seen by way of analogy in the fabric of humanity - in a limited way in unbelievers and in a fuller way in Christians. Theologian W.G.T Shedd comments: "The communicable attributes are those which are possessed in a finite degree, more or less, by men and angels. Such are wisdom, benevolence, holiness, justice, compassion, truth. It is with reference to these that man is said to be created in the image of God, Gen. 1:27; and to be made partaker, by regeneration, of a divine nature, 2 Peter 1:4; and is commanded to imitate God: "Be ye holy for I am holy," 1 Pet. 1:16." 2 

Among those communicable attributes is the quality of wrath.  Within the realm of human relationships: namely judges and criminals; parents and children and marital relationships is wrath commonly seen and is used by the Bible to explain God's just dealings with human beings.

How God's wrath is illustrated in the Bible
1. A Judge and criminals
In the opening pages of sacred scripture we see God dealing with Adam and his wife, and really the whole creation as a Judge would with those who committed treason.  God had given Adam a handful of laws in the original Covenant of works arrangement in Genesis 1-2 (eat freely from every tree, be fruitful, take dominion over the animals and don't eat from the tree of knowledge). When Adam and his wife disregarded those original laws, they became law-breakers and fugitives in hiding, as indicated by their hiding from God when He came down in Genesis 3:8. God's pronouncement of the curse on them, their posterity and creation was His wrath being expressed as the righteous judge. God had told Adam originally in Genesis 2:17 that if he ate from the tree of knowledge, he would surely die (or literally dying die in the Hebrew). Romans 1:18 reminds the reader that God's wrath is being revealed from heaven against man's unrighteousness and lawlessness.  Furthermore, because of the one man's transgression, sin and death came upon all and included decay in the created realm. (Romans 5:12; 8:21-25) 

As the Biblical revelation proceeds forward, Abraham boldly remarks in Genesis 18:25 that God is the righteous Judge of all the earth Whom would never judge the righteous with the wicked. In Jeremiah 11:20 and 1 Peter 2:23 we see remarks made about God's justice in wrath as being a source of comfort to believers who rely upon the Lord for their salvation and deliverance. Jesus Himself uses the imagery of a judge in his famous short parable of the unjust judge in Luke 18:1-5. If God were not the righteous judge of all the wrath, He could not be God at all, being that He exercises his Sovereign rule on the basis of righteousness and truth, with lovingkindness and truth going before Him. (Psalm 89:14)  

Certainly Jesus' final sermon in Matthew 24-25 and John the Revelator's statements in Revelation 20 of the final judgment all point to this imagery of God in His wrath functioning as The Just Judge and the objects of His wrath being impenitent criminals. Such a revelation of truth is vital if any appreciation of God's grace and mercy is to be seriously grasped.

2. God's wrath illustrated as a Parent dealing with a child
God's wrath is not only illustrated by Him being the judge and sinful man being the treasonous criminal, but also through the relationship a parent has with a child.  In the same chapter of Genesis 3 we see God's wrath in dealing with Adam and Eve as that of a Parent to a child. Scripture reminds us that Adam in his redemptive relationship to God was consider a "son of God". (Luke 3:38) 

The banishment of our original parents from the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3:24 was an act of wrath for sure, in that God had posted a holy angel with a flaming sword at the entryway. Yet when you think about it, God is removing his redeemed children (Adam and Eve) from possibly inflicting further harm on themselves. We know that Adam and Eve ended up believers by virtue of God's Covenant of grace made with Eve, and her reception of it in Genesis 3:15, Adam's confession of that reality of that covenant in Genesis 3:20 and God's provision of atonement for them both in Genesis 3:21. God's wrath was satisfied by the shedding of innocent blood, the objective foundation of His Covenant of grace that was fulfilled ultimately in Jesus' work on the cross. (1 Timothy 4:10; 1 John 2:2) 

Consider what would had occurred if the original couple had gained access to the tree of life - they would had remained in an everlasting state of decay. God's Fatherly, Sovereign grace was protecting them and preserving them in their faith. 

A good parent will, if need be, exercise intervention and aggression in order to remove out of their child's life what they know to be harmful. Likewise a good parent knows how to bar their child from engagement with further harmful influences, friends or relationships if need be. Such actions can be viewed by the child as harsh, cruel and even detrimental. Yet a good parent knows what is best for the child far above the child's limited life experience and novel wisdom.  

Sin is not only a moral rebellion against God but in the life of a child of God functions as a rot, a decay that is opposite of the new nature created in Christ. In the Christian's life, God's judgment is termed "discipline". Consider Hebrews 12:6 "For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines,And He scourges every son whom He receives.”  Throughout the Old Testament, God's wrathful dealings with the nation of Israel was like that of a parent dealing with the children whom He redeemed. (compare Deuteronomy 32:18; Hosea 11:1)
Likewise when the New Testament describes God's dealings with believers, over 100 times we see reference made to God being our Father. Such a relationship occurs as God saw fit to choose in eternity, then call in time, then convict sinners by His Spirit who upon their faith, become adopted sons and daughters through faith in Jesus Christ. (John 1:12-13, 6:44; Romans 8:14-16; Galatians 4:5-6)

Sadly fallen man does not see God in His love reaching out to redeem him, but rather in his fallen condition he sees God in the general revelation of his conscience and the creation as someone to hate and avoid, rather than to love and embrace. The wrath of God on sinful humanity is extended justly and rests already upon all sinners due to the fact they are born in sin and by nature reject general revelation as well as God's special revelation in Jesus Christ. (John 3:36; Ephesians 2:1-4)  Unless by grace through faith Christ is trusted upon as the sinner's only satisfaction for sin, God will ever be perceived as Judge, not Father.  As the Judge who is Father, God in His wrath also does what any good parent sometimes has to do - namely let their child experience the consequences of their choices and actions. No one who ends up in hell is crying out to God in repentance and admittance of wrong doing, (Luke 16) but prefers to remain at odds with God and cling to their own standards and opinions.

3. God's wrath illustrated in terms of a betrayed spouse
Out of all the ways in which God's wrath is illustrated in scripture, perhaps none is more dramatic that the imagery God uses of a betrayed spouse.  Numerous scriptures in the Old and New Testaments both use this imagery to drive home the teaching of the necessity of God's wrath in the understanding of the Biblical revelation of Himself. (Isaiah 50:1; Jeremiah 3:1-5; Ezekiel 16; Hosea 2-4; 2 Corinthians 11:1-4)  

When God's wrathful dealings is expressed towards His people who have chosen sin for a season, the Bible uses the term "jealous".  Jealousy is a communicable attribute of God that we see expressed in situations where a spoused has been betrayed and hurt by an unfaithful spouse. (Numbers 5:14; Proverbs 6:34; Song of Songs 8:6; 2 Corinthians 11:2) Jealousy is love in its most fervent form, demanding total loyalty and refusing to share the covenant love of the marital bonds with another would-be contender.  Theologian J.I Packer notes concerning such marital jealousy: "it treats his resolve to guard his marriage against attack, and to take action against anyone who violates it, as natural, normal, and right, and a proof that he values the marriage as he should. Now, scripture consistently view God's jealousy as being of this latter kind: that is, and an aspect of His covenant  love for His own people."3 When we speak of God's Covenant loyalty to His people in terms of jealousy, He may at times do whatever it takes to "get our attention" and remove out of our lives whatever distractions, sins and even people are persistently getting between He and us. This is why in the New Testament, such scriptures as 2 Corinthians 11:1-4 and James 4:3-4 describe believers who fraternize with the world as committing spiritual adultery, and thus may result in seasons of unanswered prayer, grieving of the Spirit (Ephesians 4:30) or if not repented of, physical death so as to save the Christian from eternal loss. (Proverbs 29:1; 1 Corinthians 11:30-32).

Conclusions
We discovered that as a communicable attribute, wrath as it functions among people demonstrates the appropriateness of God Himself being the God of wrath.  Without wrath, God could not be the God of Holiness and love who loves righteousness and hates sin.  We also explored how the Bible illustrates God's wrath as expressed in three types of relationships: Judge to the guilty, Parent to child and A Betrayed spouse to an unfaithful spouse.  We further saw that wrath, in lines with those three types of relationships, is expressed by God as judgment or retribution towards unbelievers, as discipline or attempts at restoration towards Christians.  For those unbelievers who persist in unbelief and rebellion, God's wrath revealed in creation and the conscience will be forever manifested to them in eternity in hell. Then finally, and perhaps most importantly, without an understanding of God's wrath in the Bible, we cannot appreciate the significance of God's mercy and grace in the Gospel, which is why Paul in Romans devotes the large portion of Romans 1-3 on the subject of wrath.  

Endnotes:
1. Michael Horton. The Christian Faith - A Systematic Theology for Pilgrims on the Way. Zondervan. 2011. Page 225.

2. W.G.T Shedd. Dogmatic Theology - Volume 1. Zondervan. 1969 reprint of 1888 edition. Page 337.

3. J.I. Packer. Knowing God. IVP. 1973. Page 154

Defining The wrath of God

Romans 1:18-19  "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them."

Introduction - the Gospel cannot be understood nor appreciated without noting the wrath of God:

Perhaps one of the most misunderstood and least mentioned doctrines in both the Christian world and world at large is the subject of God's wrath. Virtually nothing is taught nor preached on it in today's pulpits. Just about everyone speaks about the love of God, however to even broach the subject of God's wrath spawns wrath of a different sort - the wrath of those offended by such a notion.  In Paul's most thorough treatment of the Gospel, the Book of Romans, the subject of God's wrath is among the first mentioned subjects.  After introducing his letter and stating the chief intent of the epistle in Romans 1:16-17 (the power of the Gospel), the reader expects Paul to then launch into an immediate unfolding of why the Gospel is so powerful.  

Yet before arriving at the cardinal doctrines that under gird the Gospel (justification in ch 4, reconciliation in ch 5, sanctification in chs 6-7, election and assurance of salvation in chs 8-9 and the destiny of the Jewish nation and the remaining nations in God's plan in chs 10-11), we arrive at this first mile-marker of God's wrath. Why does Paul do this? The answer is found in the fact that the Holy Spirit through Paul is echoing a Biblical pattern of presenting the Gospel by first considering the wrath of God.

A good definition of God's wrath
So the question is: what is God's wrath? A.W Tozer perhaps offers one of the best definitions of wrath by first of all stating what it is for: "wrath is God's relentless affirmation of His dominion". Tozer then describes wrath by what it is against: "God's wrath is His utter intolerance of whatever degrades and destroys". Definitions such as these are useful in correcting what is often a very negative or hostile view of wrath - namely that God is throwing some type of cosmic temper-tantrum, or that God is on some type of out of control rampage against an innocent, unsuspecting people. The words that God used in the Bible to describe His wrath against sin confirm what Godly men like Tozer have communicated about this vital subject. 

Key words that are associated with "wrath" in the Bible
Whenever one looks through a concordance of virtually any English translation, the word "wrath" shows up in almost 200 passages of scripture. When considered with other related subjects such as God's Jealousy, Holiness, Justice, Retribution and yes - even God's Love, the Bible makes it crystal clear that God is a God of wrath.  
The most important Old Testament words translated "wrath"
Nearly six different Hebrew roots and three major Greek roots are used to translate the word "wrath" in the Bible's original languages. For brevity's sake we will only cover two of the main words for wrath in each of the Testaments, with some observations at the end.  In both the Hebrew and Aramaic of the Old Testament we find two of the most common words for wrath that each aid the reader in understanding the concept of wrath. 

The first main word (qa-tef) refers to the provoking of a person to anger. In human beings such wrath occurs when a person is compelled to respond in an angry manner against a perceived wrong or possible damage to one's reputation. (Esther 1:18) 

For God, this word is used to describe how the sins of His people are the object of His displeasure. In Numbers 16:46 this word is used to describe the provoking of God to wrath by Israel following their rebellion against Moses and Aaron at the entryway to the Tent of Meeting.  Whenever we see this word (qat-ef), it always is in reference to a provoked wrath or an anger that arises only after an outright act of disobedience or blatant disregard for God's Holy character.

The second Hebrew word (cha-ma) is used the most times (122) to describe wrath in the Hebrew Bible.1  Whenever the word (cha-ma) appears, the type of wrath being expressed refers to an anger that arises at the end of a process of long standing sin. This word is used to describe the type of wrath God displayed when a nation or people reaches the final stages of sin and rebellion and is used most often in prophetic texts to describe God's wrath against sinful man at the end of history in final judgment. (compare Deuteronomy 29:28; Micah 5:15) 

Top New Testament words translated "wrath"
In regards to the New Testament words translated for wrath, two of the most common used Greek words describe the similar type of meanings that we find in the Old Testament. The most frequently used Greek word (or-gei) refers to an anger that is a fixed, controlled and passionate feeling against sin.  Found some 36 times in the New Testament, (orgei) decribes for example the wrath God is revealing against all of sinful man right now in the general revelation of creation. (Romans 1:18-20)  On eleven other occasions the Apostle Paul uses this word (or-gei) and the Apostle John in Revelation uses this same word five times to describe God's persistent, fixed and regulated anger against sin.  Somewhat like the Hebrew word (qa-tef), the Greek word (or-gei) is God's wrath provoked by mankind's repeated suppression of His truth and persistent disregard for His Holiness in favor of their sin.  

The second Greek word translated wrath in the New Testament is the word (thu-mos) which is very similar to the Hebrew word (cha-ma)in regards to referring to an anger that is heated and passionate for what is right, Holy, pure and hateful of what is sinful.  When God displays (thumos), it refers to an anger that has risen gradually overtime and settles into a fixed pattern against sin. Both of these words are expressed most frequently in the books of Romans and Revelation. In Romans we find the word (thumos) mentioned once in Romans 2:8 conjuction with the other word (orgei) to describe the destiny of unbelievers. In Revelation we find this word (thumos) used 10 times in Revelation 14-19, indicating wrath at the end of the matured form of mankind's and Satan's rebellion.

What we learn from the above word studies on the word "wrath" in the Bible
1. The wrath of God in the Bible is revealed when sin is done by people who refuse to repent within a given time frame.  God's wrath never arises out of a vacuum but derives from concern over His absolute Holy character and the wrong done against it.

2. The people to whom God directs His wrath are not innocent, but knowingly, willingly and with a high-hand persist in ignoring His repeated warnings to forsake their sin. 

3. Wrath is a necessary component in communicating the Gospel and warning sinners of His wrath that will be executed in the judgment He will bring upon this world at Christ's second coming.

4. God's wrath is not an out-of-control anger or a sinful anger like it often can be in human beings.  Wrath in God describes what He hates - namely sin and unrighteousness.  

5. If God were not the God of wrath, He could not be the God of love. Why? Because if God loved everything, He could not be the God of love, since the love of God cannot love righteousness and unrighteousness, what is holy and profane or love what is opposite of His character and yet be zealous for His name at the same time.  Bible Scholar Wayne Grudem affirms this point: Yet it is helpful for us to ask what God would be like if He were a God that did not hate sin. He would be a God who either delighted in sin or at least was not troubled by it. Such a God would not be worthy of our worship, for sin is hateful and is worthy of being hated. Later Grudem adds: "...and we rightly imitate this attribute of God when we feel hatred against great evil, injustice and sin."2

Closing thoughts about the wrath of God
The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia describes the wrath of God in the Bible: "The divine wrath is to be regarded as the natural expression of the divine nature, which is absolute holiness, manifesting itself against the willful, high-handed, deliberate, inexcusable sin and iniquity of mankind. God's wrath is always regarded in the Scripture as the just, proper, and natural expression of His holiness and righteousness which must always, under all circumstances, and at all costs be maintained. It is therefore a righteous indignation and compatible with the holy and righteous nature of God."3

Endnotes:
1. http://biblehub.com/hebrew/2534.htm
2. Wayne Grudem. Systematic Theology. Zondervan. 1994. page 206 
3. http://biblehub.com/topical/w/wrath.htm

Grand Introductions to Jesus Christ from the 4 Gospels

Matthew 1:1 "The record of the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah, the son of David, the son of Abraham."

Grand introductions to Jesus Christ from the four Gospels

Today's post is all about the introductory sections or prologues of the Four Gospels of the New Testament. We are entitling this post "Grand Introductions to Jesus Christ from the Four Gospels" because quite frankly, no other perfect and greater introductions exist in all of literature that can suitably introduce God in human flesh - Jesus Christ. Theologian A.W Pink, in meditating upon Hebrews 10:19-20, compares the four Gospels to the four pillars of the tabernacle that suspended the veil between the holy place and most holy place. He writes: "Just as these 'four pillars' served to display the beautiful veil, so in the four Gospels we have made manifest the perfections of the only-begotten of the Father tabernacling among men."1 

As we outline each of the prologue sections to the Four Gospels, we will survey them according to the ordering of events in which they introduce the Savior. In the introductory sections of the four Gospels we are given three of the following grand introductions:

1. Majestic Deity of Jesus Christ in John
2. Miraculous birth of Jesus Christ in Matthew & Luke
3. Ministry of Jesus Christ in Mark

Introduction #1 The Majestic Deity of Jesus Christ in John 1:1-18
Before Genesis 1:1, there was the Son in eternity with the Father (and the Spirit) in John 1:1-3. The Apostle John was the last to write a Divinely inspired Gospel, and yet it is he who gives us the fullest introduction to the Son in His Majestic Deity. If we were to outline the prologue of John 1:1-18, we could say that Jesus Christ is introduced here as:

a. Almighty Creator. 1:1-3
b. Absolute revelation of God. 1:4-13
c. Appeared in human flesh. 1:14-18

Regarding John's grand introduction: Jesus Christ is the Almighty Creator, the Absolute revelation of God Who appeared in human flesh.
Introduction #2 Miraculous birth of Jesus Christ in Matthew 1:1-24 and Luke 1-2
Matthew and Luke's Gospels together give us the second grand introduction to Jesus Christ in terms of His miraculous birth. Matthew begins with a genealogy, a bloodline in 1:1-17, followed by an angelic announcement to Joseph concerning the Christ child's virgin conception, name and mission in 1:18-25. Matthew 2 picks up Jesus' life two years later, whereby the wisemen come to worship him. Matthew's account aims to introduce Jesus Christ as the legal king of Israel.

Luke's Gospel, like Matthew, introduces the reader to Jesus as the virgin born Son of God. However rather than starting with a genealogy, the accounts of Jesus' early life ends with a genealogy in Luke 3:23-38. The purpose of the genealogy is to chronicle Jesus' biological right to not only the throne of Israel by David, but ultimately as the heir of this world as the New Adam. God chose to have Luke begin with testimonies and fulfillment of prophecy as leading the way to Bethlehem's cradle in Luke 1:1-2:52, followed by a reminder to readers of Jesus' true identity by way of John the Baptist's ministry and Jesus' baptism in Luke 3:1-22. Luke 1:26-38 functions as the epicenter of the infancy narratives of Jesus' life.

Together Matthew and Luke give us the second grand introduction to Jesus Christ by way of bloodlines, testimonies, prophetic fulfillment and God's Sovereign purposes in bringing about of the Son's humanity in His miraculous birth. John's prologue of course reminds us that before becoming the babe in the manger, the Person of the Son has for all eternity been Majestic Deity with the Father and Spirit.
Introduction #3 Ministry of Jesus in Mark 
Mark's prologue is found in Mark 1:1-13. Unlike John, which begins with Jesus Christ's Majestic Deity in Eternity, and in contrast to Matthew and Luke that details His miraculous birth in His assumption of full humanity, Mark introduces us to Jesus as a 30 year old man. If we were to outline Mark's prologue, we could note the following grand introduction of Jesus:

a. Preaching of John the Baptist prepares the way to meet Jesus. Mark 1:1-8

b. Public life of Jesus Christ begins. Mk 1:9-11

c. Personal temptation of Jesus demonstrates ability to be the ransom for sin. Mk 1:12-13.

Interestingly enough, the events recorded in John 1:19-3:36 fit in between Mark 1:13 and Mark 1:14, which is one reason why John's Gospel is sometimes called the Divinely inspired "supplement" to Matthew, Mark and Luke. Likewise, the first three Gospels are called the "Synoptic Gospels" because they "see together" the life of Jesus as He ministered in and around Galilee, while John covers His ministry more to the South in and around Judea and Perea.

Picturing these grand introductions in their portrayal of Jesus Christ

A simple chart should serve to picture for the reader what exactly the four Gospels are aiming to do in their grand introductions of Jesus' life:

John's Gospel

Majestic Deity-----Matthew/Luke-------------------Mark

in Eternity             Miraculous birth                   30 years

                             in history of Jesus                later we

                             touching His human             see Jesus

                             nature                                  begin His ministry

What we glean from these grand introductions to Jesus Christ
Today we aimed to briefly understand the grand introductions to Jesus Christ in the prologues of the four Gospels. From those prologues we grasped three grand introductions:

1. Majestic Deity of Jesus Christ in John

2. Miraculous birth of Jesus Christ in Matthew & Luke

3. Ministry of Jesus Christ in Mark

So why look at all four Gospels in one post to understand the Person of Jesus Christ? The great Baptist Preacher John A. Broadus had this to say about knowing Jesus through a harmonization of the four Gospels: "striving to come ever nearer to Him as our Teacher, Exemplar, Redeemer and Lord."2 Would that be our goal, dear reader.

Endnotes:
1. A.W Pink. Why Four Gospels. Introductory Section. Logos Software Products. 

2. Robert L. Thomas and Stanley N. Gundry. The NIV Harmony of the Gospels. Zondervan. 1988. Page 14. Reproduced Preface to the 1893 edition of John A. Broadus' Harmony of the Gospels. 

Christ came to re-create true manhood

Colossians 3:9-10 "Do not lie to one another, since you laid aside the old self with its evil practices, 10 and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him".

Introduction:
Jesus Christ came not only to provide redemption and forgiveness of sins to all who believe but also to provide the restoration of what was lost in Adam. Recently the phrase I have heard being tossed around by men's ministry leaders is the idea that we are the by-products of "broken male culture". Today's study will seek to equip Christian men on the foundation and focal-areas for the re-created manhood that is only found in Jesus Christ. The principles laid out below can be applied to men specifically or anyone in general.
Foundations for Christ's re-creation of true manhood
As men of God, we're not called to be "recreational" in our manhood, but re-creations who have a totally transformed manhood. Colossians 3:1-17 describes the foundation of re-created humanity (and for that matter manhood). We can understand this foundation by noting what I term "three certificates" issued by Christ to the Christian.

Re-created manhood's power to prioritize things around God .  Colossians 3:1-2, 10-12
As a man born-again by the Spirit of God through faith in Jesus Christ, I am issued a birth certificate. (John 3:3-6; 1 Peter 1:23) Becoming a Christian is not merely turning over a new leaf, but becoming a whole new tree altogether. (Psalm 1) Thus as a re-created man, this first foundation tells me I have new priorities (3:1-2) and the power of a newly-formed nature in union with Christ to live out His priorities (3:10-12). 

2. Re-created manhood can put the past behind. Colossians 3:3-9
Colossians 3:3 states - "For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God." At the cross of salvation the sinner by God's graceful gifting through faith believes and dies to who they were in Adam. (Ephesians 2:8-9) Old convictions (described in Colossians 3:5) and old habits issuing forth from those convictions (Colossians 3:6-9) are written on my spiritual death certificate by the Heavenly Coroner, the Holy Spirit, at my salvation. As a man of God in Christ I have the power to put the past behind.  This is to be a daily resolve and not just merely a once and a while "re-commitment".  The cross that saved me is now the cross that is going to be changing me in my mind, emotions and will. Everyday I must in my mind, emotions and will go to the cross by way of taking in the scriptures and breathing out prayers to God.  Christianity is not a recreational activity, but a re-creational reality.  Old convictions and habits may attempt to rear their ugly head, and will at times.  However when a man has the newly created nature deep inside the core of their being, that means that by dying to self, the power to change convictions and habits is well within reach.  

3. Re-created manhood is united to the One who enables persistent change. 3:10-17
Do you remember what it was like when you went from the single life to married life? What changed? Your union with your spouse undoubtedly affected everything about you: finances, relationships, eating, sleeping, thinking - everything! As Christians we are united to Christ at salvation. (1 Corinthians 12:12-13). Though that union is instant, the remainder of the Christian life is figuring out what happened!  

The foundation to Christ's re-creation of a man's manhood involves the certificate of a new-birth (power for living) as well as a death certificate (putting the past behind). However unless we as men are united to Christ at salvation, and understand in a growing way who we are in union with Him, we will never be convinced that change has happened, is occurring or must take place. Colossians 3:10 states - "and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him". What does this all mean? Through our union with Christ (like in a marriage), everything is made new: from attitudes (Colossians 3:12), to actions (3:13-15) to how I regard the scriptures (3:16-17). 

As we saw already, the birth-certificate granted at salvation means new priorities and power for living. Furthermore, the death certificate means I can forsake the "old me" and live out who I really am in Christ as a re-created man. Those three certificates in Colossians 3:1-17 describe the foundation for re-created manhood in Christ. But now lets look briefly at the four focal-areas for re-created Godly manhood.

Focal areas of re-created manhood in Christ. Colossians 3:18-25
As we noted at the beginning of this lesson, alarms are sounding all around us about the "broken-male culture". The only solution is by recognizing the foundation of re-created manhood that comes by grace through faith in union with Christ. Practically speaking what focal areas does such an identity have the power to affect? Consider briefly the following focal areas mapped out in Colossians 3:18-25
1. Marriages.  Colossians 3:18-19

2. Family. Colossians 3:20-21

3. Workplace. Colossians 3:22-24

4. Accountability. Colossians 3:25

Just as Colossians 3 begins with urging us as men of God to prioritize and draw from the power available to us as re-created men in Christ, those priorities are spelled out above. Notice how for re-created manhood, others are first and the self is last. In the cultural understanding of manhood, self is first with others maybe or maybe not getting what is needed. In Christ the whole-man is rebuilt from the ground up. There is nothing recreational about the Christian life. Christ is not interested in renovating some rooms in the house of your life, but rather rebuilding you as a man of God. Imagine how a manhood re-created in Christ can affect our marriages, families and workplaces. Men of God, this is who we are called to be. Jesus Christ came to re-create true manhood. Our identity and our destiny as men can only be found in Him. Our marriages, families and workplaces will only be affected when we as men of God come to terms with who we are and whose we are.  

P11/11 Discovering the Identity of Jesus - Conclusions and Personal Appeal

Matthew 16:15 "He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Note to the reader:   We have covered much ground in this study, and I hope you have been blessed as a result.  For today's post we will combine lessons three and four, being that they both work together to draw to a conclusion all that has been covered. Please understand that this study has served to introduce the reader to the validity, historicity and rich theology of the four Gospels and how the Holy Spirit inspired them to enable the reader to discover the identity of Jesus Christ. As we saw in yesterday's study on the 8 reasons for the historical reliability of the Gospel records, the Christian faith rests on solid historical and doctrinal footings.

In today's post we will conclude this entire blog series that is dedicated to explaining the identity of Jesus Christ in light of the historical and doctrinal reality of His crucifixion and resurrection. 

Lesson Three: Drawing conclusions that identify the person and work of Jesus Christ

What we have just conducted is a historical, cultural and theological sketch of Jesus Christ. From all of the above considerations we can draw the following conclusions:
1. Jesus Christ fits the profile of the hundreds of prophecies and detailed plans that God ordained in the Old Testament concerning salvation and it’s agent.

2. The Gospels draw together these complex patterns and give us four individual portraits (King, Servant, Son of Man and Son of God) and five pictures common to them all (reconciler, mediator, sacrifice for sin, deliver and Yahweh (the source of Life)

3. Through His actions and statements, Jesus’ claims to being equal with God (Mark 2:7; John 8:58) fits within the context of the framework of the Old Testament (Psalm 110; Proverbs 30:4)

4. External secular sources paint a more generalized picture that, at least historically, generally matches with what the Gospels reveal about Jesus.

5. The crucifixion of Jesus Christ is not only verified by historical references outside the gospels, but fits well within the Old Testament’s teaching on the death of God’s agent of salvation (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53 and Zechariah 12).

6. The Gospels turn out to be reliable historical sources for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Additionally, the fact of their being four gospels only strengthens the ring of authenticity of the life and identity of Jesus Christ.

Questions:

1. What have you personally learned about Jesus and the Gospel accounts of the crucifixion? 

2. By having this evidence and profile of Jesus before you, how would this change your opinion of Christianity or becoming a follower of Jesus?                

Lesson Four: The difference between Knowing about Jesus and Knowing Jesus

One final Personal appeal before we close out this post...

In Matthew 27:22 Pilate asks this question : “What do I do about Jesus, who is also referred to as Christ?”[1]  It is clear that Pilate, having been face to face with the very one we have been studying in this course, had a knowledge of Jesus.  He was aware that Jesus claimed Himself as King of the Jews (Matthew 27:11); that He was called the Christ (verse 22) and that He could find no fault in Jesus (Verse 23). 

Pilate knew things about Jesus, but from what we see in Matthew and the other three gospels, Pilate did not really know Jesus.  What’s the difference?  In the Bible knowing someone or something entails the idea of relationship.  Furthermore, no one can truly say they no someone until they have achieved a close acquaintance with them. 

I would like to now ask you about the material we have just covered today.  You most likely have learned some facts regarding the person of Jesus from our study of first century culture, literature and the Gospel narratives.  What now?  What will you do with that knowledge?  Historians tell us that one of the key purposes of historical investigation is for the conclusions of history to shape how we understand the present.  

Understanding things about Jesus is one thing, but according to the Bible, we must confess with our mouth that Jesus is Master over everything and the source of life, and believe with everything within us that God raised Him from the dead, then will we be delivered from the threat of God’s wrath.[2]

If anything, what we know of the Jesus of history and the Jesus that you and I can know both personally and relationally is that they are one and the same.  The very Jesus that we have learned about in this study is the same one who I talk to and receive comfort from every day, for He is the same yesterday, Today and forever.[3]  

Pilate’s life remained empty.  Although he had met Jesus Christ face to face, he left that meeting empty.  He knew of Jesus but never knew Him.   Do not be like Pilate.  You can know Jesus Christ in a personal way.  For no one else in all of creation has the ability or nature to offer salvation to people in this world except Jesus Christ.[4] 

Talk to the Lord and admit to him that you are a sinner, as the Bible states. (Romans 3:23) Secondly tell Him that you believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for your sins according to the scriptures, was buried and three days later raised from the dead according to the scriptures. (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) Thirdly tell the Lord that you completely trust in Jesus as your Savior, Lord and Treasure and ask His Holy Spirit to enable you to live for Him by grace through faith. (Ephesians 2:8-9)  

My prayer is that through this study, you have discovered how awesome Jesus is and how the Four Gospels accurately portray His life, death and resurrection. To God be the glory!

Endnotes

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[1] Translation rendered from the Greek Text of Nestle Aland 26^th edition.

[2] Romans 10:9-10  Translation from the Greek text of Nestle Aland 26^th edition

[3] Hebrews 13:5

[4] Acts 4:12 Translation from Nestle Aland 26^th edition

P10/11 Discovering the Identity of Jesus - 8 reasons why the Gospel records are historically reliable

Matthew 16:15 "He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

Note to the reader: These next several posts are designed to present a cultural, historical and theological study of Jesus Christ and the facts behind the crucifixion.  In yesterday's post we considered how Jesus' crucifixion fits within the Old Testament Prophecies. Today we will consider 8 reasons for the historical reliability of the Gospel records. 

Note to reader: For those readers who want access to ancient historical documents that corroborate the Four Gospel accounts, please see my post at: http://biblicalexegete.wordpress.com/2013/12/14/ancient-sources-demonstrating-that-the-christ-of-faith-is-the-historical-jesus/

8 reasons why the Gospel records and crucifixion narratives are historically reliable

1. The Gospel records have statements about Jesus’ life and crucifixion that reflect both the thought worlds of Old Testament Jewish though of the time and First Century Christianity.[1]

2. With all four being written from an eye-witness point of view (Matthew, Mark (dictating from Peter; Luke dictating from Paul and the Apostle John), the various distinctions and ordering of events reflect with what is currently known about typically multiple witness testimonies in court cases today.

3. The dating of the Gospels within 30-50 of the crucifixion leaves a reasonable enough amount of time for an eyewitness to recount everything in detail (especially eye-witnesses who followed Jesus’ teaching like Matthew, Mark with Peter, Luke with Paul and John). Documents written earlier than the gospels (1 Corinthians 15 in 53 A.D and Philippians 2 preserving a hymn going back to 35 A.D) corroborate what is written in the Gospels[2]

4. Key events in secular history such as Herod’s murder of firstborn infants; The census by Quirinius of Palestine and the whole world; Pilate’s rule over Judea and the eclipse of the sun during the crucifixion acts as fix markers in rooting the historicity of the gospels[3]

5. From the writings of Josephus (Jewish Historian of Rome; Tactius (Roman Historian); The philosopher Marus; Thallus and Philo, we find out that Jesus was a wise man, who taught throughout the region of Judea, performing miracles, crucified during the reign of Pontius Pilate and raised from the dead according to the Apostle Paul.[4]

6. Consider the events and people surrounding the crucifixion that would had made it impossible to substitute another body in place of Jesus on the cross:

a). Thursday night 10 p.m – 500 soldiers come to arrest Jesus and escort Him to his trial

b). He is condemned by the Jewish high court through the night and escorted by the same band of soldiers to Pilate’s hall early Friday morning

c). Before going to Pilate He is flogged and badly beaten under the supervision of about 100 soldiers

d). They escort him to Pilate between 7 a.m-8 a.m before thousands of people, again under heavy guard

e). From there to the place of crucifixion Jesus (along with two other thieves crucified on his left and right) where escorted to the place of crucifixion.  Jesus and each of the thieves would had had a special company of six soldiers plus a centurion guard placed in charge of the crucifixion, so as to ensure that no friends of the crucified criminal could rescue them.

f). Six hours later Jesus dies AT 3 P.M.  Joseph of Arimethea takes his body down from the cross, all the while being escorted by two Roman guards to the tomb. The tomb is sealed and guarded by Roman Soldiers.  Three days later the resurrection of Jesus Christ from dead occurred. No other satisfactory explanation of the events of the empty tomb has been able to stand up under scrutiny except the Biblical one: that Jesus Christ physically and bodily raised from the dead.  Whenever we consider such factors as the change in the disciples from fearful to fervently dying for their faith; the fact that the disciples had no occasion to go steal the body; that crucifixion would had rendered Jesus unable to "sneak out of the tomb"; the response of Jesus' enemies and other details points to one conclusion: that Jesus Christ was crucified, buried and raised according to the scriptures! (1 Corinthians 15:1-4)

7). We have over 5600 Greek Manuscripts that among themselves show the records of Jesus life to be preserved

8). External evidence shows the following profile of Jesus: He was a miracle worker, who died by crucifixion, was raised to life and was worshipped as God.  This thumbnail sketch of Jesus in the annals of history parallels with what we see of Him in the Gospel accounts, hence equating Him with the Gospel’s portrait of Jesus that Christians worship today.

THUS THE GOSPEL DOCUMENTS CAN BE SAID BOTH HISTORICALLY AND SCIENTIFICALLY TO BE ACCURATE ACCOUNTS OF JESUS LIFE
Questions:

1. What does it do for you to know that people who would had been unsympathetic towards Christianity or the Gospels account for the events of the crucifixion and the facts of the Gospels?

2. If Jesus really did die on the cross (as we have just seen, this event did happen) then what or how does this change your view of God and salvation?

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[1] N.T Wright. Jesus and the Victory of God

[2] This point is brought out in Lee Stroebel’s “The Case for Christ” during his interview with renouned scholar Edwin Yamahuchi

[3] N.T Wright. Jesus and the Victory of God

[4] Lee Stroebel’s “The Case for Christ”