Topical Studies
What the Bible says about
Price of Redemption
(From Forerunner Commentary)
|
We would normally read and expound these scriptures in the context of Passover. We normally think of Passover in terms of being reconciled to God. However, Passover and the Day of Atonement are inextricably bound in that both of them involve reconciliation. Atonement, though, supplies answers and solutions to problems not resolved by Passover. The Passover is personal in nature, providing reconciliation of the individual to God and the beginning of unity with man in the church with Christ. It is through Passover that we learn the price of redemption and reconciliation—xno less than that of the Creator, Jesus Christ. Atonement, however, is universal in nature and provides reconciliation of the world to God—all of mankind at one with God and each other through Christ. Passover shows Satan defeated, but still free to work out his nefarious schemes to produce confusion and division, as well as rebellion against God. Atonement, on the other hand, shows Satan defeated and punished by banishment—no longer free to do anything but to bewail his lot. The emphasis in I Peter 1:17-21 is on the cost of reconciliation, which is vital to God's purpose because a major portion of our desire to obey God comes from our sense of obligation to God and Christ in appreciation for how much was paid for us to be free. We will never feel this until we begin to understand that this was done for us as individuals. If only one person had ever sinned in all of God's creation, it still would have taken the life of the Creator to get him free from the wages of his sin. He did it for us! It is easy for us to escape responsibility for His death when we conclude, "Well, He did it for all of mankind." Indeed, He did, but he did it for us as individuals too. This is the path that a person has to take in his thinking to recognize the cost that was made for us and to come to a sense of obligation. We ought to respond if only out of thanks for what He did. We owe our lives to Him. People have been willing to give virtually everything to someone who saved their lives from drowning, snatched them out of the way of a speeding automobile, or saved them from some other kind of painful death. At Passover, we rehearse that, understanding that Jesus Christ saved us individually.
|
|
Psalm 78:41-42
During the Passover season, our minds are more forcibly focused on the importance of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ to our salvation. This time of the year, if properly used, purges the fog of forgetfulness that accumulates throughout the year. Ancient Israel had a major problem with forgetfulness despite the fact that, by giving them manna, God proved every day that He was with them and supplying their needs. As Psalm 78:41-42 relates, "Yes, again and again they tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel. They did not remember His power: The day when He redeemed them from the enemy." Note the illustration that God uses in verse 42 to draw attention to what they forgot: the day He redeemed them from the enemy. That specific day was Passover, when God slew the firstborn of Egypt as the price of redemption that purchased Israel's freedom from slavery. They forgot the event as well as the purchase price of their liberty. Their liberty was only a physical/political one that also purchased the freedom to worship the God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, and Aaron. However, the real issue we must perceive is that the reality of the event and the price that was paid apparently meant little or nothing to them—or they would have remembered! How about us? Are we any better than the Israelites? Do we hold the sacrifice of Christ freshly in mind throughout the entire year to remind ourselves to honor it each day? One way to do this is to grasp the seriousness of sin and not to fail to ask God's forgiveness every day—not only for what we do that is sinful, but also for what we are—and to seek His help in changing us so that we can be what He wants us to be. Regardless of what the world may say, there is no such thing as a "little" sin! That is how serious sin is. A "little" sin kills just a dead as a "big" sin! God's Word does not say a little sin roughs up a person a bit, but a big sin kills deader than a doornail. Consider our Savior's example: Would God have permitted Jesus to be our Savior if He had committed only a little sin here and there as long as He committed no big ones? Jesus' example, the one we are to follow, is that He lived perfectly. If it was that important to Him, should we not strive to do the same? To respect and honor Christ and what He achieved, should we not avoid carelessly assuming that any old behavior will just have to do? This is exactly what Israel failed to do. It is our responsibility to glorify God. As obedient children, we bring Him honor; as disobedient children, we bring shame on Him and blaspheme His name. Israel was quite good at this latter behavior because they did not highly esteem or value God, despite all that He did for them daily. We witness His value to us by our conduct. We protect what we hold precious. It is Christ's sacrifice that forgives our sins, opens the way into God's presence, and paves the way for us to have a relationship with the Father and Son. How good are we at honoring and protecting the value of what that sacrifice purchased? In reference to the value of Christ's sacrifice, Peter states that gold and silver are perishable (I Peter 1:18). In contrast, he calls Christ's blood "precious" (verse 19). Despite the value and durability of gold and silver to a human, they cannot even begin to pay the redemption price from sin's consequences. Only the sacrificed blood of the perfect Creator God's life can do so. Faith in that blood's value can have everlasting, imperishable consequences. Our daily struggle to come out of sin will keep not only its value in mind—by reminding us of why we are doing as we do—but will also bring honor to the name of God by giving a good witness to the world. Now is as good a time as any to get started on a program of overcoming sin. Does God have any good reason to respond to a prayer asking Him not to lead us into temptation, when we never do anything to avoid temptation? Proverbs 22:3 says, "A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, but the simple pass on and are punished." As soon as Joseph clearly perceived Potiphar's wife's evil intentions, did he not flee so fast as to leave behind his cloak? He did not even want to be "with her." This is a good reason why so many worldly entertainments should be avoided, even though it may be difficult to prove scripturally that they are of themselves sinful. They eventually lead a person into a sensual frame of mind. They war against a life of faith in Christ because they promote unhealthy spiritual thinking by promoting sinful cravings. They feed the lust of the flesh and of the eyes by giving a false color to the value of certain carnal desires. Avoiding sin is why idleness should be avoided. An old saying runs, "An idle mind is the Devil's workshop." It is not that doing nothing is so wicked of itself; it is the opportunity it affords to evil and empty thoughts. It leaves the door wide open for Satan to throw in the seeds of bad behavior. Interestingly, David appears to have been just walking about on the roof of his home with nothing to do, and it led to his adultery with Bathsheba. When we strive to avoid sin, we keep in mind the perfect, sinless example of our Lord Jesus Christ. If we truly desire to be in His image, it cannot but help us to emulate His sinless behavior as closely as possible. He is always the example we hold before us. When doing this, as we make our pilgrimage to the Kingdom of God, we will never be guilty of forgetting our redemption because we are walking right behind Him watching everything that He does.
John W. Ritenbaugh
In Honor of Jesus Christ
|
|
Matthew 13:45-46
Just as the Parable of the Mustard Seed (Matthew 13:31-32) concerns a single plant, so the Parable of the Pearl of Great Price focuses on a single, precious gem. The Mustard Seed shows growth relative to a humble beginning. The Pearl of Great Price illustrates this also, as a pearl's value largely depends on how big it grows (in relative terms) over the years as layer upon layer of nacre accretes over a minuscule irritant. What people seek even more than size are a pearl's quality and perfection: A smaller, flawless pearl is worth more than a larger, marred, misshapen one. The New King James Version's “beautiful” in Matthew 13:45 is translated as “goodly” in the King James Version. The Greek word, kalos, carries a sense of beauty, but it refers to moral goodness and virtue, not simply aesthetics. It is the same word underlying “good works,” “good fruit,” “good seed” and “good ground” (as in the Parable of the Wheat and the Tares), “fitting,” “better,” “good shepherd,” as well as “honest.” The pearl was beautiful because of its exquisite qualities, not merely because it caught the eye. The contrast between these two parables lies in the result. The latter end of the mustard plant is an abode for birds, just as the nation at the time of Jesus was rife with unclean spirits. In contrast, the pearl is a symbol of purity. It caught the attention of a merchant, who specialized in seeking “goodly” pearls. For the merchant to conclude his search with this singular, superlative pearl proves its great worth in this expert's eyes. Whereas the Parable of the Mustard Seed ends with spiritual uncleanness, the Pearl of Great Price concludes with satisfaction over superb quality and worth. The merchant spends everything he had; he could buy no other, nor did he desire to. As with many of the previous parables, the most common interpretation of this parable lacks scriptural support. The popular reading asserts that the pearl variously represents salvation, the Kingdom, or Jesus Christ Himself. In this view, the merchant represents the individual Christian, willing to give up everything to purchase these things of inestimable worth. While true and admirable sentiments exist in this view—a follower of Christ certainly must count the cost of discipleship and be willing to sacrifice all—the fact remains that human beings have no currency with which to purchase salvation, the Kingdom, or the Savior. They can accept or reject these gifts, but they can never procure them by wealth, works, or good intentions. The merchant does not represent ordinary men. In the paired Parable of the Mustard Seed, the man represents Jesus Christ, symbolically sowing a tiny seed in the world, initiating a physical nation/kingdom. Likewise, the merchant in this parable represents Jesus Christ, who first surrendered His divine position to become human and then sacrificed His sinless, physical life. His sacrifice paid the redemption price for those with the faith of Abraham—the faith that is a gift of God and is demonstrated by works of obedience (Genesis 26:5; James 2:17-22; John 14:21; I John 5:2-3). God's promises to Abraham are fulfilled in both the physical nation of Israel and spiritual Israel, the church, and this pairing of parables captures this overlap. One—the Mustard Seed—shows the biological family growing large, while the other—the Pearl—reveals the spiritual Family supremely valued. Abraham's faith facilitated the fulfillment of God's promise of an heir and thus the first increase of the Kingdom (see Genesis 17:5-7). However, the apostle Paul explains that physical heritage, while important in some aspects (Romans 3:1-2), matters far less than receiving from God the same faith Abraham had (Galatians 3:7-9). Those with this faith are “bought at a price” (I Corinthians 6:20; 7:23); they are of “the church of God which He purchased with His own blood” (Acts 20:28). Peter writes that God redeemed us “with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (I Peter 1:19). Truly, Christ sold all He had to purchase this pearl He found so valuable.
David C. Grabbe
God's Kingdom in the Parables (Part Four): The Pearl, the Dragnet, and the Householder
|
|
 |
The Berean: Daily Verse and Comment
Sign up for the Berean: Daily Verse and Comment, and have Biblical truth delivered to your inbox. This daily newsletter provides a starting point for personal study, and gives valuable insight into the verses that make up the Word of God. See what over 155,000 subscribers are already receiving each day.
Email Address:
|
We respect your privacy. Your email address will not be sold, distributed, rented, or in any way given out to a third party. We have nothing to sell. You may easily unsubscribe at any time. |
|
|
