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Matthew, chapter 10, comments: choosing the 12 and their mission
Matthew 10:1 ¶ And when he had called unto him his twelve disciples, he gave them power against unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease. 2 Now the names of the twelve apostles are these; The first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip, and Bartholomew; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; James the son of Alphaeus, and Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed him.
Notice in Matthew that the twelve disciples, the Apostles as we call them, are not mentioned as all having been called until we get to this point, after the popularly called Sermon on the Mount, while what many evangelicals call Luke’s account a version of that event as it already has the twelve Apostles chosen. See Luke 6:13-16. This is one argument for them being two different events based on the Apostles being chosen or not, the immediate audience, the exact location, and the focus of the word choices. Otherwise, Matthew and Luke are simply variations with differing details of the same sermon. If it is the same sermon then Luke should define what Matthew means and vice versa. If not, then Matthew’s record of the sermon is spiritual and Luke’s is socio-political.
Simon Peter is listed first. Roman Catholic tradition has him founding the church at Rome but there is more Biblical evidence that Paul would have founded that church as per the ending of Acts. Peter, from the Biblical narrative, went eastward to Babylon from whence the Babylonian Talmud would come, from a place that contained a great many Jewish refugees.
1Peter 5:13 The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.
Historical church tradition can be very helpful but when it goes against the Biblical narrative we must choose the Bible. Why is Babylon thought to be used for Rome in Revelation? Because, as we know that Rome is not now likely to be the seat of the Antichrist, the Beast of Revelation, we can see by the description that that Babylon is a reference to the Babylonian tradition of paganism and rebellion against God. It is the expression of the Tower of Babel, which some governmental organizations have used as a symbol. Could Rome be Babylon at the end times? Certainly, but so could Jerusalem as I have explained in my comments on Revelation.[1] Take the Bible literally unless you cannot is the best way to think.
You will find, however, that most people will point out that several early church fathers have Peter at Rome and being crucified upside down. The first legitimate early church leader who mentions Peter at Rome is Clement of Rome in AD96. From him you can trace the future references to Peter at Rome.
Peter is a commercial fisherman.
Matthew 4:18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
Of course, being a coarse and common person he was subject to hot temper and fits of cursing when frustrated.
Matthew 26:73 And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.74 Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man. And immediately the cock crew.
John 18:10 Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
He practiced the common customs of his working class background surrounded by men of his ilk.
John 21:7 Therefore that
disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon
Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he
was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.
So, don’t make the modern evangelical mistake of making Peter out to be a refined, Victorian with impeccable manners and a soft disposition. It belittles the raw power of the man whom Jesus chose to do his part in spreading the good news of Christ. Perhaps this is the toxic masculinity that Marxists lament in our current society in America but it served a purpose once Peter was able to digest in his mind what the Resurrection of Christ meant. He is a different person in Acts than he was in the gospels as we have all seen, now unafraid to preach Christ, and confident in his own resurrection. Remember him all through the book of Acts.
Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, is also a commercial fisherman. There is not a lot about him in the Bible but Greek Orthodox tradition says that the Apostolic successor to Andrew is the Patriarch of Constantinople. Some commentators of old say that he preached around the Black Sea and in what is Southern Russia today. Supposedly he was crucified in Greece. Legend has it, mostly from the Middle Ages, that he was crucified on an X shaped cross, called in folklore the Saint Andrew’s Cross. Beware of Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox legends for which you can find no other historical evidence and is not backed up in the Bible, being a primary source of wisdom from the Holy Spirit of God, if you are a believer.
James is the Greek derivation of the Hebrew name Jacob. James, the son of Zebedee, is considered to be the patron saint of Spain among other things and is considered to be the first Apostle to be martyred.
Acts 12:1 ¶ Now about that time Herod the king stretched forth his hands to vex certain of the church. 2 And he killed James the brother of John with the sword.
John, the brother of James, is called John the beloved because of these verses;
John 13:23 Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.
John 19:26 When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son.
John 20:2 Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.
John 21:7 Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea…20 Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee?
Clearly, there was a special relationship between Jesus and John, who is thought to be the youngest of the Apostles, a relationship that is hard for us to understand today because of social issues we confront. Let’s remember David and Jonathan.
2Samuel 1:26 I am distressed for thee, my brother Jonathan: very pleasant hast thou been unto me: thy love to me was wonderful, passing the love of women.
We are uncomfortable in modern time with men who are not homosexuals showing affection and love for each other apart from combat, a case for which we make an exception. But let me remind you that in times past manly men, virile, masculine men did not have our fear of showing devotion to close friends or to young adult men they were mentoring. It can be quite disconcerting for us to read a letter from one of our heroes past. I was shocked when I read a letter that George Washington wrote to a friend and how it expressed a heartfelt love we would never dare utter for a person of the same sex today. This was particularly confusing as I knew of his devotion and affection to his wife and there was never any suggestion in his life of inappropriate feelings toward a man. So, let’s put these verses in proper perspective and not color them with our own preconceptions.
Jesus took special care for John, the youngest and most vulnerable of the Apostles. John is also known as the author of a gospel, three letters and the book of Revelation. Tradition has it that in spite of attempts to kill him he lived to be an old age. Tradition also says he taught Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna, who taught Irenaeus. He is also thought to have taught Ignatius of Antioch
This Apostle Philip should not be confused with the other Christian, Philip
Acts 6:2 Then the twelve called the multitude of the disciples unto them, and said, It is not reason that we should leave the word of God, and serve tables. 3 Wherefore, brethren, look ye out among you seven men of honest report, full of the Holy Ghost and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business. 4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word. 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: 6 Whom they set before the apostles: and when they had prayed, they laid their hands on them
The Apostle Philip is the one to whom Christ revealed that He was indeed God the Father in the flesh.
John 14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. 9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
There is more than one tradition about Philip’s end with one having him crucified upside down and preaching from his cross and another has him beheaded. We simply don’t know anything at this moment that is not presented in the Bible.
Bartholomew’s name is perplexing as it is not mentioned very often in the Bible. However, it was accepted by many that this is the Anglicized version of Bartholmi, or the son of Tholmi, and that this is the same Apostle as Nathanael. In this, Strong’s dictionary, agrees. Most people have more than one name, for instance, Simon Peter. We know Simon and Peter are the same person based on the contexts in which those names are found.
John 1:45 Philip findeth Nathanael, and saith unto him, We have found him, of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.
Jesus revealed Bartholomew/Nathanael’s character and Nathanael acknowledged who Jesus was.
John 1:46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see. 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! 48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. 49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
Extrabiblical tradition says he went to India, founded Christianity in Armenia, and was finally martyred in what is called Azerbaijan today.
Thomas was also called “doubting Thomas” in popular culture because of his requiring proof that Christ was risen.
John 20: 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.26 ¶ And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. 27 Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 28 And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. 29 Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed
Thomas is not only a doubter and needs convincing. He is pessimistic, not believing there would be a good outcome if the company returned to Judea where the Jews had wanted to stone Jesus
John 11:14 Then said Jesus
unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead. 15
And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may
believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.
16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellowdisciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.
Notice that Thomas is also called Didymus. Thomas is from the Aramaic word for twin and Didymus the Greek. Didymus was not an uncommon name in the Greek world. There was a Stoic philosopher named Arias Didymus, a scholar and grammarian named Didymus Chalcenterus, Didymus the Blind, Didymus the Musician, etc. Maybe, though, Thomas just was a twin.
Tradition has it that he traveled to India and, in fact, he is the patron saint of many Indian Christians. Supposedly, he was killed by a spear.
Matthew the publican, or tax collector, is writing this gospel. We saw his calling back in chapter 9.
Mathew 9:9 And as Jesus passed forth from thence, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he saith unto him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him.
According to many commentators he was also known as Levi.
Mark 2:14 And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the receipt of custom, and said unto him, Follow me. And he arose and followed him.
Luke 5:27 And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me.
If that is so, we may surmise that there were more than two pairs of brothers among the Apostles, Simon Peter and Andrew being one pair and James and John, sons of Zebedee, the others mentioned earlier, along with Matthew and James, the son of Alphaeus, as Matthew is also said to be in Mark 2:14. However, as Matthew is not mentioned as James, the son of Alphaeus’, brother it is more likely that their fathers simply had the same name. It would not be uncommon for a company of men or women to have parents with the same name. Catholic tradition says they were not brothers while the Eastern Orthodox, which split from the Catholics in 1054 claims they were.
Various traditions have Matthew being crucified in Alexandria, Egypt or martyred in Ethiopia.
James, the son of Alphaeus, is also identified as being James the less in Mark.
Mark 15:40 There were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome;
He is also identified by some as being an actual sibling of Jesus as per this verse keeping him separate from James, the brother of John.
Galatians 1:19 But other of the apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.
It is likely that this half-brother of Jesus wrote the letter of James sometime after Jesus revealed Himself to him post-resurrection.
1Corinthians 15:6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. 7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
Lebbaeus, whose surname was Thaddaeus, is according to Gill named after the town of Lebba, on the sea coast of Galilee. The surname Thaddeus is derived from the root of Jude or Judah according to Gill and some say he is Jude who writes the letter. I’m not going to go into all of the possibilities and opinions.
He is a patron saint, along with Bartholomew, of the Armenian church and there is a Saint Thaddeus Monastery in Northern Iran and a Saint Thaddeus Church in Armenia.
Simon the Canaanite is mentioned in another verse;
Mark 3:18 And Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Canaanite,
…but also as Simon the Zealot.
Luke 6:15 Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes,
Acts 1:13 And when they
were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and
James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew,
James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James.
So, with the name of Zelotes this indicates he may have been one of that party of Zealots who were basically terrorists in First Century Judea. Some say, though, that this only refers to his zeal for Christ.
Traditions on his demise vary with him being sawn in half in Persia or crucified in Roman Britain. We won’t know until we reach Heaven what really happened to him.
Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Christ, has a name that means ‘man of Kerioth’. Kerioth is a town in the territory of Moab.
Jeremiah 48:24 And upon Kerioth, and upon Bozrah, and upon all the cities of the land of Moab, far or near.
He is referred to as the son of perdition.
John 17:12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
And so is the Antichrist at the end of history.
2Thessalonians 2:3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
Does this mean, as one commentator said, that the Antichrist will be from the area of ancient Moab and be a Jew?
Matthew Henry’s comments on Judas are quite interesting and I want
to quote them here from his readily available commentary online;
Judas Iscariot is always
named last, and with that black brand upon his name, who also betrayed
him; which intimates that from the first, Christ knew what a wretch he
was, that he had a devil, and would prove a traitor; yet Christ took him among
the apostles, that it might not be a surprise and discouragement to his church,
if, at any time, the vilest scandals should break out in the best societies.
Such spots there have been in our feasts of charity; tares among the wheat,
wolves among the sheep; but there is a day of discovery and separation coming,
where hypocrites shall be unmasked and discarded. Neither the apostleship, nor
the rest of the apostles, were ever the worse for Judas's being one of the
twelve, while his wickedness was concealed and did not break out.[2]
Matthew 10:5 ¶ These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: 6 But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. 7 And as ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. 8 Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out devils: freely ye have received, freely give. 9 Provide neither gold, nor silver, nor brass in your purses, 10 Nor scrip for your journey, neither two coats, neither shoes, nor yet staves: for the workman is worthy of his meat. 11 And into whatsoever city or town ye shall enter, enquire who in it is worthy; and there abide till ye go thence. 12 And when ye come into an house, salute it. 13 And if the house be worthy, let your peace come upon it: but if it be not worthy, let your peace return to you. 14 And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust of your feet. 15 Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city.
The Apostle’s ministry will be first to the people of Israel. They get the first opportunity to receive the kingdom of Heaven and God. This calling was peculiar to them in this time as they revealed the doctrine of God’s kingdom within the hearts of men and women to Israel. They were to start with a person of good reputation in a town and give them a chance to receive the gospel that Jesus had taught them. This person with a good reputation would be a great beginning to spread the good news. John Gill insists that this doesn’t mean a particularly religious person but a lover of hospitality, liberal minded, the kind of person who would welcome weary strangers and take care of them. The Apostles had great power to do things that Jesus had been doing and were told not to even provide for their basic needs. All would be taken care of.
If they were rejected the people of that town in that time would suffer more on the day of judgment than Sodom and Gomorrah because they were given the truth and refused to hear it. This seems to suggest that it is worse for a person if they hear the truth and reject it than if they never heard it at all but are still lost and that there are degrees of punishment in eternity.
The town that received them would receive their blessing and it is implied that they would bear fruit in such a place, open to the gospel. John the Baptist has preached the imminent entry into their world of the Messiah and now the Messiah has sent out His Apostles to proclaim the kingdom. No one has any excuse.
Matthew 10:16 ¶ Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves. 17 But beware of men: for they will deliver you up to the councils, and they will scourge you in their synagogues; 18 And ye shall be brought before governors and kings for my sake, for a testimony against them and the Gentiles. 19 But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what ye shall speak: for it shall be given you in that same hour what ye shall speak. 20 For it is not ye that speak, but the Spirit of your Father which speaketh in you. 21 And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. 22 And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved. 23 But when they persecute you in this city, flee ye into another: for verily I say unto you, Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come. 24 The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord. 25 It is enough for the disciple that he be as his master, and the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household? 26 Fear them not therefore: for there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known. 27 What I tell you in darkness, that speak ye in light: and what ye hear in the ear, that preach ye upon the housetops. 28 And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. 30 But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31 Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows. 32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. 34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household. 37 He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me. 39 He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it. 40 He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 41 He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet’s reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man’s reward. 42 And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.
Jesus uses three types of animals here, focusing on the commonly held mythologies of their characters. The Apostles are going out physically helpless in a world that has many in it who would do them harm, as sheep among wolves.
John 16:2 They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
But they and we, by extension, are to be wise as the proverbial serpent, thought to be clever, plotting, and careful but harmless as doves. We should not be naïve or unaware of the devices of the enemy and so easily taken advantage of but at the same time we should pose no physical threat to others.
They are not to be overawed by rulers and kings but God will give them the words to say when the time comes for them to give a defense of the gospel. See how later Paul himself will be commissioned to preach to kings which he does in the latter part of Acts.
Acts 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:
Verse 21 shows that this preaching among the Jews caused division and many families would turn in on themselves giving up their own loved ones to the authorities for upsetting the established order. But Jesus tells the Apostles to stay steady in their mission until it is finished and they shall be protected. His Crucifixion and Resurrection will take place before every city in Israel being visited.
Jesus refers to how some have likened Him to the Devil as we would see in Mark 3:22 and later here in Matthew, chapter 12. He states that if He has been likened to the Devil how much more so will His servants receive that condemnation. But don’t worry, guys, be faithful and say what I have told you to say. You are in the Father’s hands. Even the most insignificant creature is in God’s hands and Jesus says that these Apostles are worth more than many of them. Even the very hairs of their head are numbered. Their time on earth is set by God, not by those who hate them.
These passages bring up some very important doctrinal points for us to consider. Fear God not man.
Isaiah 8:12 Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. 13 Sanctify the LORD of hosts himself; and let him be your fear, and let him be your dread.
There are many verses that refer to the importance of fearing God.
Job 28:28 And unto man he said, Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding.
Psalm 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding have all they that do his commandments: his praise endureth for ever.
Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
Proverbs 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding.
Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honour is humility.
Isaiah 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;
Isaiah 33:6 And wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times, and strength of salvation: the fear of the LORD is his treasure.
It is not just dread but also an overwhelming awe and reverence.
Psalm 33:8 Let all the
earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him.
Hebrews 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:
And even the death of the most seemingly insignificant creature is in God’s control.
29 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father.
Our days on earth are determined by God.
Job 7:1 Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?
From verses 32 to 39 we see the social disruption and conflict the Apostles faced. They are called to confess Christ before men and women and to face family and society’s rejection for their faith. Their own family was not to be above Christ in their hearts. Theirs was an uphill battle and a very dangerous mission in that world. The world in which they live will hate them because that world, as ours, hates Christ. They must be ready to expect the worst but have faith in God’s protection and blessing on their ministry.
Whosoever receives these Apostles receives the one who sent them.
Even the smallest act of kindness that is done to one of them will be as if it
was done to Christ Himself.
[1]
Ernest L. Martin, “The Seven Hills of Jerusalem,” on Associates for Scriptural
Knowledge, http://askelm.com/prophecy/p000201.htm.
(updated February 1, 2000).
[2] Matthew Henry, Matthew
Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible, Matthew 10:4, https://www.biblestudytools.com/commentaries/matthew-henry-complete/matthew/10.html. (accessed
12.27.22).
Thursday, January 12, 2023
Judges, chapter 17, comments: Micah and the Levite
Judges 17:1 ¶ And there was a man of mount Ephraim, whose name was Micah. 2 And he said unto his mother, The eleven hundred shekels of silver that were taken from thee, about which thou cursedst, and spakest of also in mine ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it. And his mother said, Blessed be thou of the LORD, my son. 3 And when he had restored the eleven hundred shekels of silver to his mother, his mother said, I had wholly dedicated the silver unto the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image: now therefore I will restore it unto thee. 4 Yet he restored the money unto his mother; and his mother took two hundred shekels of silver, and gave them to the founder, who made thereof a graven image and a molten image: and they were in the house of Micah. 5 And the man Micah had an house of gods, and made an ephod, and teraphim, and consecrated one of his sons, who became his priest. 6 In those days there was no king in Israel, but every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
Micah, whose character or lack thereof is established here
confesses to stealing from his own mother who blesses him and then takes part
of the money and has a heathen image created. Micah is literally said to have an
house of gods and yet still consecrates one of his sons to be a priest of
God, capital G. You can see here how the worship of God has been contaminated
by the worship of many gods in Israel. Religion has deteriorated to simply
being a paganized Hebrew worship. Strong’s defines a teraphim as a household
idol.
Doesn’t this remind you of the United States today where so many
things are mingled in, so many pagan things, with the worship of God. How is
this possible? Well think about our cultural view of simply feeling like you
have the right to do what is right in your own eyes. We have become our own
gods in America today and are clearly under judgment.
John Gill believed that this and the following passages were
flashbacks to show how and when the tribes began to descend and occurred before
the previous passages in time. Note the 1100 shekels of silver here and that
this is the same amount offered to Delilah and Gill believed that number was
significant as symbolic. Gill believes this explains why the Israelites had
descended so low in their religion that Samson could consider what he was doing
as good.
Judges 17:7 ¶ And there was
a young man out of Bethlehemjudah of the family of Judah, who was a
Levite, and he sojourned there. 8 And
the man departed out of the city from Bethlehemjudah to sojourn where he could
find a place: and he came to mount Ephraim to the house of Micah, as he
journeyed. 9 And Micah said unto him,
Whence comest thou? And he said unto him, I am a Levite of
Bethlehemjudah, and I go to sojourn where I may find a place. 10 And Micah said unto him, Dwell with me, and
be unto me a father and a priest, and I will give thee ten shekels of
silver by the year, and a suit of apparel, and thy victuals. So the Levite went
in. 11 And the Levite was content to
dwell with the man; and the young man was unto him as one of his sons. 12 And Micah consecrated the Levite; and the
young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah. 13 Then said Micah, Now know I that the LORD
will do me good, seeing I have a Levite to my priest.
John Gill claims that there are two Bethlehems, one being in
Zebulun’s territory as per Joshua 19:10-15, and this one being in Judah’s
territory and here designated as such.
This Levite is looking for a place to establish himself and make some money and he has found it. Micah is
clearly a man of property.
We see here how the Israelites mixed the religion of the heathen
with the worship of the true God as Americans do even today and still expect
God to bless them. Notice how religiously the priest would be considered a
father, like a Catholic priest, a mentor and spiritual leader dispensing ritual
that was supposed to be pleasing to God.
Psalm 24 comments
Psalm 24:1 ¶ «A Psalm of David.» The earth is the LORD’S, and the fulness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein. 2 For he hath founded it upon the seas, and established it upon the floods.
David’s acknowledgement that the earth and its inhabitants are the
sole possession and property of the Lord God is a very important and
fundamental doctrine of the Bible. In verse 2 he also states an important
scientific fact that can be gleaned from the clear statements of Genesis as
well as the limited understanding of modern science.
Genesis 1:9 ¶ And God said, Let the waters under the heaven be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so. 10 And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good.
Genesis 7:11 In the six
hundredth year of Noah’s life, in the second month, the seventeenth day of the
month, the same day were all the fountains of the great deep broken up, and the
windows of heaven were opened.
Psalm
95:5 The sea is his, and he made it: and
his hands formed the dry land.
Theoretical
scientists presume as much or more water under the earth’s crust as above it,
in the oceans.[1]
Skeptics used to ask where did this water from underneath come from and where
did it go after the Flood. Those whose faith was solid did not worry about this
question as they should not worry so much about any question regarding the
Bible’s accuracy. If science is diligent it may catch up to the Bible in each
point of question.
Scientists now
believe that there is enough water under the ground to cover the continents in
600 feet of water if it were above the ground, according to a November 17, 2015
news article on The Christian Science Monitor website.[2] A
March 12, 2014 article on the Scientific American website also confirmed that
scientists believe there is as much water in the earth’s mantle in a particular
zone as there is in the earth’s oceans.[3]
Psalm 24:3 ¶ Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? 4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully. 5 He shall receive the blessing from the LORD, and righteousness from the God of his salvation. 6 This is the generation of them that seek him, that seek thy face, O Jacob. Selah.
David’s context for this passage suggests his longing to build God’s temple on Mount Moriah, where Abraham was willing to offer up Isaac, the hill of the LORD.
Psalm 68:15 ¶ The hill of God is as the hill of Bashan; an high hill as the hill of Bashan. 16 Why leap ye, ye high hills? this is the hill which God desireth to dwell in; yea, the LORD will dwell in it for ever.
Who then, under the dispensation of the Old Testament, of the Law given to Moses, is worthy to enter into the Lord’s house? That question David answers.
Prophetically, this shows those who are purified not by their own works but by Christ’s righteousness. Justified by Christ the Christian has been made clean and pure as God sees them through the lens of His own perfection and holiness.
Again, I can’t help but be turned back to Psalm 22, referenced by Christ from the Cross.
Psalm 22:30 A seed shall serve him; it shall be accounted to the Lord for a generation. 31 They shall come, and shall declare his righteousness unto a people that shall be born, that he hath done this.
Personally, we have a call to how we are to act as Christians. We will never be worthy apart from Christ to stand in God’s dwelling place. But we should aspire to live as God would have us live.
Titus 2:11 ¶ For the grace
of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; 13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; 14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
We are given guidance as to what a person of God looks like, how they act. There are many clear admonitions in the Psalms and the rest of the Bible as to what God commends as living as He wants us to live. It is a challenge for many of us.
Psalm 24:7 ¶ Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, the LORD mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. Selah.
David makes an interesting declaration in verse 7. John Gill notes that early Jewish interpreters said David was referring to the gates and the doors of the temple that Solomon would build and in which God would dwell with His people. David had wanted to build the temple but was denied that honor. See 1Chronicles, chapters 17 and 22.
God would dwell with His people, the Israelites.
1Chronicles 13:6 And David went up, and all Israel, to Baalah, that is, to Kirjathjearim, which belonged to Judah, to bring up thence the ark of God the LORD, that dwelleth between the cherubims, whose name is called on it.
It is important to note that this is a strong indicator of the intention to build a temple for God
Prophetically, the Holy Spirit uses figures of speech to personify concepts for us elsewhere such as in the writings of Paul.
Romans 8:39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
The idea is used in Job as well.
Job 28:12 But where shall
wisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?
13 Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living. 14 ¶ The depth saith, It is not in me: and the sea saith, It is not with me.
God’s glory would fill the temple Solomon built.
2Chronicles 7:1 ¶ Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the house. 2 And the priests could not enter into the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD’S house.
But this is a strong reference to Christ in His Millennial reign. Christ is the entry door to salvation and life eternal. Notice how he likens Himself to the door of a sheepfold for His followers, His sheep.
John 10:7 Then said Jesus unto them again, Verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
This figure of speech is confirmed by several commentators I’ve read.
For us personally, this should be a reminder of what is to come,
the entry of the triumphant king of the universe into the world to take control
of the earth. We might possibly pray this to look ahead to eternity when we
abide with our Creator for ever.
[1] Mark Prigg, “Revealed:The vast reservoir hidden beneath
the Earth's crust that holds as much water as ALL of the oceans,”
DailyMail.com, March 12, 2014.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2579584/The-vast-reservoir-hidden-Earths-crust-holds-water-ALL-oceans.html#ixzz47Uti24Se
[2]
Lucy Schouten, “Scientists Tally Earth’s Hidden Mega-stashes of Groundwater,” The Christian Science Monitor, November
17, 2015 (accessed July, 28, 2016).
[3]
Becky Oskin, “Rare Diamond Confirms that Earth’s Mantle Holds an Ocean’s Worth
of Water,” Scientific American, March
12, 2014 (accessed July 28, 2016).
Tuesday, January 10, 2023
Monday, January 9, 2023
Sunday, January 8, 2023
Saturday, January 7, 2023
Friday, January 6, 2023
Thursday, January 5, 2023
Judges, chapter 16, comments: Samson's final act
Judges 16:1 ¶ Then went Samson to Gaza, and saw there an harlot, and went in unto her. 2 And it was told the Gazites, saying, Samson is come hither. And they compassed him in, and laid wait for him all night in the gate of the city, and were quiet all the night, saying, In the morning, when it is day, we shall kill him. 3 And Samson lay till midnight, and arose at midnight, and took the doors of the gate of the city, and the two posts, and went away with them, bar and all, and put them upon his shoulders, and carried them up to the top of an hill that is before Hebron.
Our hero goes from bad to worse. He now chooses to consort with a
prostitute in Gaza. This prompts an ambush by the men of Gaza. But Samson
displays a show of force that should amaze and cause fear in them all. Notice
he performed this incredible feat probably still under the power of God.
Judges 16:4 ¶ And it came
to pass afterward, that he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was
Delilah. 5 And the lords of the
Philistines came up unto her, and said unto her, Entice him, and see wherein
his great strength lieth, and by what means we may prevail against him, that we
may bind him to afflict him: and we will give thee every one of us eleven hundred
pieces of silver. 6 And Delilah said to
Samson, Tell me, I pray thee, wherein thy great strength lieth, and wherewith
thou mightest be bound to afflict thee. 7
And Samson said unto her, If they bind me with seven green withs that
were never dried, then shall I be weak, and be as another man. 8 Then the lords of the Philistines brought up
to her seven green withs which had not been dried, and she bound him with them.
9 Now there were men lying in wait,
abiding with her in the chamber. And she said unto him, The Philistines be upon
thee, Samson. And he brake the withs, as a thread of tow is broken when it
toucheth the fire. So his strength was not known. 10 And Delilah said unto Samson, Behold, thou
hast mocked me, and told me lies: now tell me, I pray thee, wherewith thou
mightest be bound. 11 And he said unto
her, If they bind me fast with new ropes that never were occupied, then shall I
be weak, and be as another man. 12 Delilah
therefore took new ropes, and bound him therewith, and said unto him, The
Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And there were liers in wait abiding in the
chamber. And he brake them from off his arms like a thread. 13 And Delilah said unto Samson, Hitherto thou
hast mocked me, and told me lies: tell me wherewith thou mightest be bound. And
he said unto her, If thou weavest the seven locks of my head with the web.
14 And she fastened it with the pin, and
said unto him, The Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awaked out of his
sleep, and went away with the pin of the beam, and with the web. 15 And she said unto him, How canst thou say, I
love thee, when thine heart is not with me? thou hast mocked me these three
times, and hast not told me wherein thy great strength lieth. 16 And it came to pass, when she pressed him
daily with her words, and urged him, so that his soul was vexed unto death;
17 That he told her all his heart, and
said unto her, There hath not come a razor upon mine head; for I have been a
Nazarite unto God from my mother’s womb: if I be shaven, then my strength will
go from me, and I shall become weak, and be like any other man.
Here comes the famous Delilah, as popular as Jezebel for being a
bad example of womanhood. John Gill and Matthew Henry are uncertain as to
whether or not Delilah, whose name means according to Strong’s feeble, is
a Philistine or an Israelite. I think by the context she is a Philistine. It
seems pretty obvious to me. Her name is associated with the havoc she wreaks on
Samson by making this carnal judge weak.
The Philistine authorities bribe Delilah but Samson messes with
her head taunting his enemies to try to subdue him in doing so. His arrogance
will be his undoing. Here we can see a type of Satan’s own folly as he who
knows the Bible and prophecy better than you or I continues in his pride toward
his own destruction. The text says clearly that Samson loved Delilah and when
you add his lust to his pride you have a dangerous mixture. Like many prideful
men he gives the one who would betray him the knowledge they need to do the
deed.
Certainly, God has the power to provide Samson with the strength
he needed even in the circumstance to come but this is an opportunity for the
greatest of his efforts against the Philistines to come to play.
Judges 16:18 ¶ And when
Delilah saw that he had told her all his heart, she sent and called for the
lords of the Philistines, saying, Come up this once, for he hath shewed me all
his heart. Then the lords of the Philistines came up unto her, and brought
money in their hand. 19 And she made him
sleep upon her knees; and she called for a man, and she caused him to shave off
the seven locks of his head; and she began to afflict him, and his strength
went from him. 20 And she said, The
Philistines be upon thee, Samson. And he awoke out of his sleep, and said, I
will go out as at other times before, and shake myself. And he wist not that
the LORD was departed from him. 21 But
the Philistines took him, and put out his eyes, and brought him down to Gaza,
and bound him with fetters of brass; and he did grind in the prison house.
This sad consequence of Samson’s spiritual blindness, his physical
blindness, results in his humiliation and capture. This is a mighty fall of a
mighty man.
Proverbs 16:18 Pride goeth
before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.
Judges 16:22 ¶ Howbeit the
hair of his head began to grow again after he was shaven. 23 Then the lords of the Philistines gathered
them together for to offer a great sacrifice unto Dagon their god, and to
rejoice: for they said, Our god hath delivered Samson our enemy into our hand.
24 And when the people saw him, they
praised their god: for they said, Our god hath delivered into our hands our
enemy, and the destroyer of our country, which slew many of us. 25 And it came to pass, when their hearts were
merry, that they said, Call for Samson, that he may make us sport. And they
called for Samson out of the prison house; and he made them sport: and they set
him between the pillars. 26 And Samson
said unto the lad that held him by the hand, Suffer me that I may feel the
pillars whereupon the house standeth, that I may lean upon them. 27 Now the house was full of men and women; and
all the lords of the Philistines were there; and there were upon the roof about
three thousand men and women, that beheld while Samson made sport. 28 And Samson called unto the LORD, and said, O
Lord GOD, remember me, I pray thee, and strengthen me, I pray thee, only this
once, O God, that I may be at once avenged of the Philistines for my two eyes.
29 And Samson took hold of the two
middle pillars upon which the house stood, and on which it was borne up, of the
one with his right hand, and of the other with his left. 30 And Samson said, Let me die with the
Philistines. And he bowed himself with all his might; and the house fell upon
the lords, and upon all the people that were therein. So the dead which he slew
at his death were more than they which he slew in his life. 31 Then his brethren and all the house of his
father came down, and took him, and brought him up, and buried him between
Zorah and Eshtaol in the buryingplace of Manoah his father. And he judged
Israel twenty years.
Samson is held prisoner for enough time for his hair to grow back.
No doubt he has suffered at the cruel hands of the Philistines. They want to
make a show of him at the great feast of their god, Dagon. Dagon was part man,
part fish, a god of fertility. Dagon will play a part upcoming in 1Samuel,
chapter 5, in the Philistines’ humiliation.
This is a very large temple apparently with an open courtyard so
that their prisoner could be seen from the roof. He was forced to make them
sport, whatever the meaning of that phrase is. Whether it be just humiliation
or something more vile understanding the behavior of the ancient world we don’t
know.
In Genesis,
chapter 26, Abimelech looks out a window and sees Isaac sporting with his wife. This, we assume, is some kind of sexual
play that would not be expected between a brother and a sister. Sporting can mean play or a jest or even
mocking but common sense tells us that this play would have to be in such a
manner as to reveal Isaac and Rebekah’s relationship. See here how sport and sporting are used elsewhere.
It can be to take delight
in;
2Peter
2:13 And shall receive the reward of
unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots
they are and blemishes, sporting
themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you;
Proverbs
10:23 It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath
wisdom.
Or clearly just to mock
and make fun of;
Proverbs
26:19 So is the man that deceiveth his
neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport?
Isaiah
57:4 Against whom do ye sport yourselves? against whom make ye a wide mouth, and draw
out the tongue? are ye not children of transgression, a seed of falsehood,
In some of the more disgusting cultures within cultures in our
present world sexual humiliation is a main reason for male rape. I wouldn’t
dismiss this idea too readily knowing what we have seen about the ancient
world’s religion with male and female temple prostitutes and the sexual content
of ancient religion.
Samson’s final act of self-sacrifice killed more Philistines than
he had killed in his entire life to this point and assured him a place in
popular culture.