God remembers, God blesses and God has a plan!

Today I start a new study in the Old Testament book of Zechariah.  Some refer to Zechariah as the "prophet of Advent." He includes in his prophecy more about the coming Christ than any other minor prophet. He makes frequent mention of both the First and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

Zechariah was born during the 700 years of Israel's captivity in Babylon, about 500 years before the birth of Christ. He was a younger colleague of Haggai.  He was in Babylon, prophesying to his own people, Israel. His main role was to encourage the Israelites to keep building the Temple back in Jerusalem.  He does this by encouraging the people that God has a longterm future plan for His people.   As Zechariah looks into the future the time is telescoped as we see future snapshots of what God is going to do.

The New Testament writers frequently refer to this Old Testament book.  Here's how the book opens in Zechariah 1:1 (NIV),

¹ In the eighth month of the second year of Darius, the word of the Lord came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo:

It is October - November 520 years before Christ's birth. Usually, in the Old Testament, Israel's history was related to their current king.  With no king and to set the context within the historical timeline, Zechariah helps us understand where they are in terms of the reign of Darius.  Darius was a Persian king who reigned from 522-485 B.C.  "Darius continued Cyrus the Great’s policy of restoring the Jewish people to their homeland. In 520 B.C., Darius’ second year as king (Hag. 1:1; Zech. 1:1), the Jews resumed work on the still unfinished Temple in Jerusalem. Darius assisted with the project by ordering it to continue and even sending a generous subsidy to help restore worship in the Temple (Ezra 6:1–12). [1]

That phrase, "the word of the LORD came to the prophet" is a technical phrase meaning that Zechariah received a prophetic word of revelation from God. "This so-called word-event formula occurs approximately thirty times in Jeremiah and fifty times in Ezekiel." [2]  Zechariah's lineage connects him to the priesthood.   

"... Came to the prophet Zechariah son of Berekiah, the son of Iddo." "Zechariah means “Jehovah remembers”; Berechiah means “Jehovah blesses”; and Iddo means “the appointed time”. Together, the three names afford a suggestion concerning the nature of the prophecy—Jehovah remembers and blesses Israel and at the appointed time sends the messages she needs." [3] 

About 50,000 Israelites had landed in Jerusalem and the surrounding area, about this time.  Work had started on rebuilding the Temple and commencing sacrifices.  But the work had halted.  The people were discouraged.  God sent them a "good cop / bad cop."    Malachi's prophecy was convicting and correcting.  Zechariah's approach was to show them God's grand purposes both now and in the future. Zechariah's goal was to paint the glory of God in a manner that would instill, incite and invigorate God's people.

God remembers, God blesses and God has a plan!  

Father we are quick to point fingers at those Israelites who stalled in their work of rebuilding the Temple.  To us it seems that had it all, even a pagan king was on their side.  But I know what it is to coast.   I know what it is to want to 'chuck it' when things get hard.  It's not hard to identify with discouragement and despair.  Sometimes I need a Malachi to come and give me a big massive kick in the derrière. But sometimes I need a Zechariah who will paint a picture in the midst of the slough of something bigger, grander, more glorious.  Thank you for this early reminder that in the middle of all that's difficult; when life halts and hangs up with hopelessness, You come along and remind us that You see, You care, You bless and You have a plan.  It is not just Israel who can hear you say, "“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11, NIV). And the greatest plan to give hope and energy is the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, in whom it is said, “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.” (2 Corinthians 1:20, NIV).  Amen, Lord Jesus, Amen!

 

  

________________________________________________

1. Nelson’s new illustrated Bible dictionary. 1995 (R. F. Youngblood, F. F. Bruce, R. K. Harrison & Thomas Nelson Publishers, Ed.). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson, Inc.

2. Expositor's Bible Commentary, The, Pradis CD-ROM:Zechariah/Exposition of Zechariah/I. The Introduction to the Entire Book (1:14)/A. The Date and the Author's Name (1:1), Book Version: 4.0.2

3. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (1794). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

Sinai, the City and Slavery

Galatians 4:24–27 (NIV),

²⁴ These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. ²⁵ Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. ²⁶ But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. ²⁷ For it is written: “Be glad, barren woman, you who never bore a child; shout for joy and cry aloud, you who were never in labor; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband.”

We believe that Paul wrote these things under the direct inspiration of the Spirit. Because of the infallible leading of the Spirit, Paul had permission to do something we do not, that is, make figurative or allegorical conclusions from real biblical events. See my blog HERE that describes an example of that.  In this case we are told that Hagar and Sarah, previously mentioned, also produce a figurative lesson for us. "Abraham is a figure of God, which hath two sons, that is to say, two sorts of people who are represented by Ishmael and Isaac. These two are born unto him by Agar and Sarah, the which signifieth the two Testaments, the Old and the New." [1]

The giving of the Law and the constituting of a people (Israel) is likened to Hagar's son.  They are people born of the flesh; carnal and not sons of promise. Sinai, constitutionally brought a great people into existence, but a people born not of promise.  Israel as a nation, according to the flesh, are not heirs of God, but servants.   "Ishmael then is not the heir, although he be the natural son of Abraham, but remaineth a bondman. What is here lacking? The promise and the blessing of the Word." [1] (see previous blog HERE for explanation.)

Then Paul continues the allegory and says that as as Hagar represents Sinai, so too does it prefigure the earthly Jerusalem. "That earthly Jerusalem (saith he) which is beneath, having the policy and ordinances of the law, is Agar, and is in bondage with her children; that is to say, she is not delivered from the law, sin and death. But Jerusalem which is above, that is to say, the spiritual Jerusalem, is Sarah." [1]  So what is this heavenly Jerusalem?  "Now this heavenly Jerusalem which is above, is the Church, that is to say, the faithful dispersed throughout the whole world, which have one and the same Gospel, one and the same faith in Christ, the same Holy Ghost, and the same Sacraments." [1]  This is supported by the writer to the Hebrews and the Apostle John:

“But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly, to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.” (Hebrews 12:22–24, NIV) 

“I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.” (Revelation 21:2, NIV)  

"The heavenly Jerusalem is a free mother with free children." [2]  (This is an important segue into Chapter 5).  And then Paul quotes Isaiah 54:1.  There was a sense where the Church was hidden for many years.  The Church, even as Sarah, birthed no children.  Paul called this “the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations, but is now disclosed to the Lord’s people.” (Colossians 1:26, NIV).  But she who was thought to be barren will bear many, many children.  "As Isaiah prophesied (Isa. 54:1), the exile did not spell the end for the people of God. God will again work supernaturally to bring about the (new) birth of children where there are none, even among the Gentiles." [3]

God never intended the nation of Israel, ethnic Israel, Israel born from and under the Law, to bring spiritual fruit.  That which is born of the flesh is flesh (John 3:6).  No there is a spiritual Israel, the true people of God, born of the Spirit who are the spiritual offspring and promise of God.  We as New Covenant people know that this productive people are called the Church.   

Father, how sad it is that millions of people, including Christians are seeking to find hope within the ethnic nation of Israel.  They are looking for Your Presence among the lands of Palestine and in the ancient city of Jerusalem.  Yet Father Your Word is plain and clear that hope is found in the true Church, the Body of Christ; and it is there where You are loved, adored and worshiped that we can know Your Presence. Israel according to the flesh will never bring forth spiritual children; but the Israel of God, the Church is "appointed to bear fruit. Fruit that remains."  For that we sing. For that we rejoice.  At the same time we pray for the many zealous Jews and the many deluded Christians who are looking to Palestine for freedom. What bondage they are in.  Freedom is Your gift to us who look to You within the Spirit-wrought New Covenant. Praise God, Jehovah has sent His Messiah; and His Messiah reigns!  May all see Christ and sing for joy.  Glory to God in the highest. Peace on earth, on men to whom God is well pleased.  Amen.

____________________________________________

1.  Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 4:24-26). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

2. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (2394). Nashville: Thomas Nelson. 

3, Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (2253). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.

1 Clement Chapters I - XV

First Epistle to the Corinthians

Clement of Rome

Chapters I - XV

Clement starts this letter with these words:

The Church of God which sojourns at Rome, to the Church of God sojourning at Corinth, to them that are called and sanctified by the will of God, through our Lord Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, from Almighty God through Jesus Christ, be multiplied.

I am struck by how Pauline his introduction is.  For example in Paul's letter to the same church, he writes in 1 Corinthians 1:1–3 (ESV)

¹ Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, ² To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: ³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Another observation I have is that 1 Clement also mimics the Letter to the Hebrews in writing style.  It is too obvious as Clement continues to exhort the church through the "Let us" formula that the writer to the Hebrews also employs. "Clement is more like Hebrews than any other New Testament book. This is true, both with regard to his frequency of usage (next to the Psalms, he uses Hebrews by citation and allusion more frequently than any other book of Scripture, Old or New Testament),and with regard to the nature of the two works."[1]

As with Paul it seems that Clement is responding to questions or concerns from the Corinthian congregation. (in turning our attention to the points respecting which you consulted us."[2]   As noted before in this Blog, there seems to be a condition whereby some people are acting subversive to the leadership of the congregation.   Again in a similar way that Paul addressed churches, Clement commences his letter with words of commendation but comes to the point:

"So the worthless rose up against the honoured, those of no reputation against such as were renowned, the foolish against the wise, the young against those advanced in years."[3]

Clement's approach to this sedition is to point out to the church the tragedy of envy and what it does to relationships.  From Cain and Abel, even through to his contemporary era, he dramatically illustrates the devastation that arises from envy and jealousy.   Following true Apostolic fashion he calls for repentance.  Again referring back to the Scriptures, Clement points out the blessings that came to the saints of the past that sought to obey Christ in these areas of relationships.

Clement calls for the church to walk in humility. " By this precept and by these rules let us establish ourselves, that we walk with all humility in obedience to His holy words."[4]  This humility is evidenced by obedience to God rather than the unrepentant and the disloyal.   It is evidence also, according to Clement, by those who genuinely "cultivate peace" in contrast to those who pretend.  In the chapters that follow, Clement will start with look at our greatest example of humility, obedience and peace: the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Use of Scripture[5].

In Clement's words of affirmation to the Corinthians he writes this: "[You were] Content with the provision which God had made for you, and carefully attending to His words, ye were inwardly filled with His doctrine, and His sufferings were before your eyes."[6]  [Emphasis is mine.]  Likewise when he exhorts the church to humility he writes, "Let us act according to that which is written (for the Holy Spirit saith . . .).[7]  Here he quotes Jeremiah and Paul:

·         Jeremiah 9:23–24 (ESV)  ²³ Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, ²⁴ but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

·         1 Corinthians 1:31 (ESV)  ³¹ so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

·         2 Corinthians 10:17 (ESV)  ¹⁷ “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

"No other Apostolic Father cites or alludes to Scripture as frequently as 1 Clement does, nor does he follow the pattern of New Testament usage as Clement does. Also, no author in the New Testament cites the Old Testament as extensively (as far as the amount of material from any one passage is concerned), nor as frequently, as Clement does. Romans cites the Old Testament only 65 times, compared to 105 times for Clement."[8]

It is obvious, to this point, that Clement believes that the Scriptures are inspired of God, authoritative and relevant.  His massive use of referring to Scripture implies that he probably did not assume that he was writing inspired text so he uses Scripture to shore up (if you will) or bolster his arguments.  The text that Clement follows appears to be the Septuagint.  From time to time Drs Roberts and Donaldson annotate Clement's quotation as from the Septuagint but not consistent with the Hebrew text.

"He had no doubt learned the use of the Septuagint, in which his knowledge of the Greek tongue soon rendered him an adept. His copy of that version, however, does not always agree with the Received Text, as the reader will perceive"[9]  (A. Cleveland Coxe, D.D.).

One other hermeneutical note has to do with an insertion of a unique use of allegory.  In Chapter XII, Clement brings in the testimony of Rahab.   Recalling the story of Rahab from Joshua 2, Clement implies that the red sign the woman used to identify her house to the attacking Israelites, thus bringing her safety was a pre-cursor or sign of the redeeming blood of Christ. He writes:

"And thus they made it manifest that redemption should flow through the blood of the Lord to all them that believe and hope in God."[10]  

As correct it is that the shedding of Christ's blood brought redemption to all who believed, it appears fanciful hermeneutics to draw such a thought from the red ribbon of Rahab.  This may present a hint of an allegorical interpretation that proves to be a concern.

Another observation about Clement's work within these first chapters is his use apocryphal  literature.  In Chapter VII we read, "Let us turn to every age that has passed, and learn that, from generation to generation, the Lord has granted a place of repentance to all such as would be converted unto Him."[11] It could be noted that the phrase "a place of repentance" may originate in the apocryphal book of the Wisdom of Solomon ("But executing thy judgments upon them by little and little, thou gavest them place of repentance, not being ignorant that they were a naughty generation, and that their malice was bred in them, and that their cogitation would never be changed.)^[12]   There is no evidence at this point whether Clement viewed these books as inspired, but his use of them at least attests to some value.

Conclusion

So Clement employs a massive amount of Scripture; he clearly follows a style of approach that is apostolic in nature; he makes use of material outside of Scripture including the Apocrypha; and he imports an allegorical interpretative method that is suspect, in my opinion.

 

---

[1] http://www.westernseminary.edu/papers/Faculty/DeYoung/1CLEMENT99paper.pdf

[2] Schaff, Philip (2009-06-08). Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1 - Enhanced Version (Early Church Fathers) (Kindle Locations 234-235). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.

[3] Ibid, (Kindle Locations 289-290).

[4] Ibid, (Kindle Locations 515-516).

[5] By "Scripture" I mean the Protestant Canon of Scripture.

[6] Schaff, Philip (2009-06-08). Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1 - Enhanced Version (Early Church Fathers) (Kindle Locations 255-257). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.

[7] Ibid, (Kindle Locations 509-512).

[8] http://www.westernseminary.edu/papers/Faculty/DeYoung/1CLEMENT99paper.pdf

[9] Schaff, Philip (2009-06-08). Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1 - Enhanced Version (Early Church Fathers) (Kindle Locations 102-112). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.

[10] Ibid, (Kindle Locations 498-499).

[11] Ibid, (Kindle Locations 392-393).

^[12] The Apocrypha: King James Version. 1995 (Wis 12:10). Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Let's Get Rid of These Leaders!

What do you do when you want to overthrow your church leaders without due cause?   Well what you DON'T do is read 1 Clement.  He will not sympathize with your ambitions.

Who is Clement?  He was probably a Gentile and lived between A.D. 30-100.  Most believe that this is the Clement referred to in Philippians 4:3 (evidently written from Rome); and a co-worker with the Apostle Paul. This belief is founded on the writings of Eusebius (see below). The internal evidence also tends to support this opinion.

Others thought that he may have been an ex-slave of the family of Titus Flavius Clemens, cousin of the Emperor Domitian. One tradition claims that he was the second bishop of Rome, immediately after the apostle Peter; another tradition indicates that two bishops served between Peter and Clement.

It seems likely that Clement was a pastor in the church at Rome.  His letter to Corinth entitled 1 Clement assumes a similar responsbility to answering an important question for the Corinthian Church regarding unity and sedition. This letter probably was written about A.D. 95.   Because this is probably the earliest extrabiblical writings it stands in a place of great prominence.  His letter also is an important testimony to the canon of the New Testament, alluding to 1 Corinthians, Matthew, Mark, Luke, Acts, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, 1 Timothy, Titus, Hebrews, and 1 Peter. [1]   These New Testament allusions are employed as authoritative sources which strengthen Clement’s arguments to the Corinthian church. The letter was lengthy and includes several references to the Old Testament.  Clement repeatedly refers to the Old Testament as Scripture.

Clement’s admonition to “Take up the epistle of the blessed Paul the Apostle” (xlvii. 1)  implies his intimate knowledge of Paul's letter and implies that these documents were available to the Corinthian church. 
 

"This Epistle was held in very great esteem by the early Church. The account given of it by Eusebius (Hist. Eccl., iii. 16) is as follows: “There is one acknowledged Epistle of this Clement (whom he has just identified with the friend of St. Paul), great and admirable, which he wrote in the name of the Church of Rome to the Church at Corinth, sedition having then arisen in the latter Church. We are aware that this Epistle has been publicly read in very many churches both in old times, and also in our own day.” The Epistle before us thus appears to have been read in numerous churches, as being almost on a level with the canonical writings. And its place in the Alexandrian ms., immediately after the inspired books, is in harmony with the position thus assigned it in the primitive Church." [2]


The purpose of the letter seems to be some dispute (sedition) in Corinth, which had led to the removal from office of several elders. Certain younger leaders had not given proper respect to the bishops and deacons and have set up new leaders in their place. Since there was no moral offense, Clement deemed their removal as unjustifiable.







____________________________________
1. Vos, H. F., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. (1996). Exploring church history. Nelson's Christian Cornerstone Series. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

2. Dr. A. Cleveland Coxe, in Schaff, Philip (2009-06-08). Ante-Nicene Fathers Volume 1 - Enhanced Version (Early Church Fathers) (Kindle Locations 157-162). Christian Classics Ethereal Library. Kindle Edition.