Why was Jesus critical of the Pharisees?
Question:
Why was Jesus critical of the Pharisees? Provide some examples.
Answer:
Jesus’ relentless and oft times harsh (yet fair and truthful) critique of the Pharisees is most concisely understood by reading Luke 11:37-54. This is a dinner invitation “gone bad” for the Pharisee who invited Jesus to partake in a meal together. Prompted by the catalytic act “that Jesus did not first wash before the meal” (Luke 11:38), Jesus begins His rebuking of the Pharisees in a six-point thesis. Interestingly, we also see how Jesus doesn’t tailor His speech in private as He proclaims this same fundamental message in a public setting in Matthew 23. But perhaps we can begin by looking at the preamble and the “six woes” to understand from Jesus Himself why He was so critical of this group of seemingly pious people.
(Luke 11:39-41) Then the Lord said to him, “Now then, you Pharisees clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But give what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you.
This is the most common condemnation that Jesus lays upon the Pharisees – hypocrisy. This hypocrisy is rooted in a more nuanced issue as the Pharisees were more concerned with outward appearances. Jesus calls it “foolish” not simply because of the…
Why did Jesus use parables? What are the principles used to interpret parables? Choose a parable and illustrate its meaning.
Question:
Why did Jesus use parables? What are the principles used to interpret parables? Choose a parable and illustrate its meaning.
Answer:
Jesus’ use of parables (or allegorical stories) was an effective way for him to share deep truths in 2 seemingly contradictory ways. Firstly, so that His teachings could be easily understood and remembered. I have found in my profession in Marketing that the most effective presentations are always ones that have a “story” to tell. It can be explicit as one shares an anecdote or it can be in how a presentation/pitch is created to illustrate a business case or value proposition. A good “story” is crafted most effectively when one understands the audience’s mindset, vernacular, and tendencies and then uses this combined knowledge to present a simple and relevant picture to the audience. Jesus does this when He uses parables that took into account His audiences mindset (Jewish), vernacular (Hebrew, Aramaic, agricultural societies often), and tendencies (knowledge of the Scriptures and political sensitivities). Secondly, Jesus used the parable format to sometimes conceal the message (based on His choice timing) due to the hardness of people’s hearts (Matthew 13:10-17), and their potential quick reaction to His message.
When Jesus told His parables, He sometimes made them clear to everyone (Matthew 13:34-35), but at other times, He left a veil of understanding only to be revealed later (Mark 4:10-12). Or Jesus would even tell the parables in such a way that…
What is the significance of the following prophecies - Isaiah 9:6, 53:3-7, 61:1-2?
Question:
What is the significance of the following prophecies - Isaiah 9:6, 53:3-7, 61:1-2?
Answer:
What wonderful passages to look to in the Old Testament (OT) as they perfectly exemplify the expression that the New Testament (NT) is the OT revealed and the OT is the NT concealed. These passages each speak to the coming glory of the King Messiah and the wonderful revelation of His full and complete humanity and divinity, the torture and meek condition He would assume, and the powerful redemptive message that He would bring forth.
Isaiah 9:6 – This passage speaks specifically to Christ being fully God and fully Man at the same time – this remains a fundamental theological stance that must be adhered to as many have attacked or modified what is perceived to be a conflicting statement. One seems to think one must be Aristotelian (disjunctive choice) in their thought process and state that it is either A or B. However, in this case we must understand the conjunctive choice (Jewish philosophical understanding) that is present and that it can be A and B. The reason we can understand this as we exegete the passage is the reference to “a child is born” and yet we see the terms used to describe that child. Unquestionably, the first 3 terms (Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, and Everlasting Father) have never been applied to humans and are a clear indication of Christ’s deity.
Isaiah 53:3-7 – In this passage…
What was the role of the prophets in Old Testament history?
Question:
What was the role of the prophets in Old Testament history?
Answer:
To understand the role of the prophets in the Old Testament (OT) one must begin with the origin of the word “prophet”. This word stems from the Greek “propheme” which literally means “to speak”. Often one thinks of a prophet in terms of predictions of the future and this is not always the case of the prophets. God called the OT prophets to speak of Him and heed warnings upon His people if they strayed. In effect they served as His messengers. In the earlier times, often prophets were “ordained” by “the spirit of the Lord” as they spoke on God’s behalf (e.g., 1 Samuel 10:10; 1 Kings 22:24). In later times, the language used to describe the anointing of the prophets became phrased as “the word of the Lord came to” the person (e.g., Jeremiah 1:2, 4; Ezekiel 1:3). Regardless of the terminology, the prophet was one who spoke in the name of God. Interestingly, the professions of these prophets varied from sheepherder, priest, agriculturalist, to scribe and as such wasn’t a distinguishing trait. In terms of message delivery, many of the early prophets spoke only to individuals, especially kings or other officials, while other, later prophets heralded their message to large crowds or an entire city.
Simply put, the prophets acted as God’s guiding and rebuking voice to His peoples. In the
What message from God did Hosea deliver to the people of his day?
Question:
What message from God did Hosea deliver to the people of his day?
Answer:
Hosea remains a prophet often overlooked in much of Bible study compared to the Major Prophets (Isaiah, Jeremiah, etc.) and yet, Hosea has a most unique story. To understand God’s message delivered through His prophet Hosea, one is required to begin with the shocking command God gave him - marry an “adulterous wife”. The Hebrew word used zânûn [pronounced zaw-noon] is unquestionably a harsh word that clearly communicates intentional infidelity and perhaps even a continual wilful adulterous individual. What a challenge Hosea was called upon to marry such a woman! With such a definitive and harsh God-given command, we must ask ourselves what the meaning is behind such a command. The prophet type that God set forth here is a clear illustration of Israel’s treatment of God and His continual rebuking and calling back which originates from the Love of God (Hosea 6:1-3, Hosea 3:1). In effect, Hosea became a living illustration of the relationship between God and Israel – one that was adulterous and sinful resulting in Hosea’s prophesying of judgment and restoration to God.
Simply put, God called out Israel (Hosea 4:1) for their lack of faithfulness (Hosea 5:7, 6:4, 11:12), love (Hosea 12:6), and knowledge of God (Hosea 4:6). The manifestations of these 3 criticisms came in the form of idolatry (baal worship – Hosea 9:10), lack of dependence on God (Hosea 3:4-5), lack of acknowledging God (Hosea 4:6) and more.
In the end, the hope that we…
