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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 act of hypocrisy itself but also that God Himself is aware of the outside and inside and Jesus clearly communicates God’s concern for both elements. This focus on the internal hidden elements of our humanity is familiar - 1 Samuel 16:7 “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

(Luke 11:42)  “Woe to you Pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.
Jesus continues His critique by bringing focus upon the Jewish oral traditions and laws. The Mosaic and Levitical laws were clear and numerous and yet the Pharisees had a desire to create a virtual fence around the written law as to ensure one would not break the law. Instead of the true pursuit of holiness they heaped on 500+ laws that burdened the Jewish people. Clearly, no provision was ever made to give a tenth of a Jew’s garden as offering. For example, in the Old Testament we see in Leviticus 27:32 the provision to give a tenth of every animal and in Numbers 15:4 we see a tenth of an ephah of flour being stated as a grain offering. Jesus is calling out these man-made laws and in effect saying to stop making laws up and neglecting the heart of the law, which is love (Galatians 5:14). He doesn’t say they can’t practice the tenth offering of the garden which lets us understand we can all choose to honour God in additional ways we choose, but this cannot be done without the fundamental foundation that the law is being understood and applied – love.

(Luke 11:43)  “Woe to you Pharisees, because you love the most important seats in the synagogues and greetings in the marketplaces
This statement clearly speaks against the Pharisees’ focus on recognition and appearance. It is akin to verse 39 where Jesus states that the focus should be on the inside and yet the Pharisees are continually focused on the outward perception of man. Not only are they concerned about being seen and recognized but they also inherently feel an undue sense of self-worth/self-righteousness.

(Luke 11:44)  “Woe to you, because you are like unmarked graves, which men walk over without knowing it.“
This harsh rebuke is one that finds its intensity in the phrase “unmarked graves” and the impact that this statement would have had in this social context as its meaning would have been clearly evident. The Pharisees would understand the ceremonial pollution that would occur if someone touched a grave. This passage reminds me of the famous passage in Luke 10:30-37 where we observe a priest passing by on the other side of the road instead of risking to touch a dead or dying man. This priest could have been on his way to worship in Jerusalem and would have become unclean had he touched the man. However, it is more likely that this priest had dispensed of his duties of worship since he was “going down the same road” (Luke 10:31). Given that Jerusalem was on a hill, he likely had just finished his worship service. The hypocrisy rings loud and clear in either case and resonates again within this passage. Not only does Jesus say the Pharisees are spiritually dead, but they are in effect corrupting others and they don’t even realize it. They are polluting and making others unclean unbeknownst to all involved.

(Luke 11:45)  One of the experts in the law answered him, “Teacher, when you say these things, you insult us also.“
Here we see a lawyer/scribe naively beginning to realize Jesus’ far reaching and deeply impactful rebukes. Wait till we see what happens next…

(Luke 11:46)  Jesus replied, “And you experts in the law, woe to you, because you load people down with burdens they can hardly carry, and you yourselves will not lift one finger to help them.
Jesus compounds His anger towards these evildoers when He says “And you…” You can almost hear Jesus saying “You guys… You guys think you are different? Now I’ll get to you…” He calls out their pious rules as burdens and says their continued lack of compassion and love for people is not only wrong but astonishing as they won’t even “lift one finger to help them”.

(Luke 11:47)  “Woe to you, because you build tombs for the prophets, and it was your forefathers who killed them.
Jesus continues His verbal assault by calling out the chronic disease that has befallen the Pharisees – as this began with their forefathers. The present day audience around the dining table seems to only honour prophets who are dead because they do not follow the sage words of the prophets of old in present day nor honour the true Prophet of the current day that has come to them - the Christ Jesus.

(Luke 11:48)  So you testify that you approve of what your forefathers did; they killed the prophets, and you build their tombs.
Jesus continues by expanding on the fact their distasteful acts testify to how their forefathers killed the prophets. A further irony is that they built the prophets’ tombs and outwardly “respected” the prophets, yet never understood their message just like their forefathers (chronic hypocrisy and disobedience).

(Luke 11:49)  Because of this, God in his wisdom said, ‘I will send them prophets and apostles, some of whom they will kill and others they will persecute.‘
Jesus calls out God’s sovereign foreknowledge of this exercise when He says “Because of this…” as God continues to send prophets and the response will be the same - persecution and death.

(Luke 11:50)  Therefore this generation will be held responsible for the blood of all the prophets that has been shed since the beginning of the world,
This is where we see Jesus linking the present day spiritual deafness and physical resistance to the message with the same disease of the past.

(Luke 11:51)  from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, I tell you, this generation will be held responsible for it all.
Jesus then makes it even clearer by calling out the period of responsibility as from “the blood of Abel” (the beginning of society and first innocent blood shed) till “the blood of Zechariah” (the end of the Jewish state).

(Luke 11:52)  “Woe to you experts in the law, because you have taken away the key to knowledge. You yourselves have not entered, and you have hindered those who were entering.“
What a statement! The Pharisees had in effect done the opposite of what they were supposed to do. They had taken away the key, Christ Jesus, to the present and future kingdom of Heaven. They were to exegete the Scriptures and prepare the Israelites for the coming Messiah and yet heaped burdens upon them and spiritually killed them without even realizing it.

Copyright 2010. Theology in Sneakers. All Rights Reserved.

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1. Why did Jesus use parables? What are the principles used to interpret parables? Choose a parable and illustrate its meaning.

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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 only a select group may understand its meaning (Mark 4:33-34). Simply put, Jesus spoke in parables to conceal and reveal the Message in accordance with the prophecies and timing set forth in God’s will.

A simple guide to understanding how to interpret parables starts with avoiding three common errors:

1. Striving to find deep spiritual meaning in every little detail of the story
2. Stating there is only one true meaning for each parable
3. Inadvertently or otherwise reading meaning into the text (eisegesis)

Beyond the above yellow flags that have been mentioned one can also employ some other practical literary tools to accurately interpret the parables of Jesus:

1. Most importantly, read what Jesus explains Himself about the parable
2. Understand the central meaning/truth
3. Ensure the context is always used as the backdrop (i.e. historical/cultural setting, textual context)

One last red flag that I must state is that we must avoid any tendency to build doctrine on parables as they were given in a manner to conceal and reveal to varying degrees at varying times. Thus, we must understand them to the best of our ability using the tools above and the power of the Holy Spirit but not venture off the course. Remember, it is Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone) but also Tota Scriptura (All of Scripture) that Calvin laid down as a reformed approach to our faith. We have the Gospel message and we have all we need to keep us busy in the revealed Word, so let’s keep moving onward and not stray from the path!

One example of interpreting a parable would be to look at Luke 15. One may be inclined to read a single parable and interpret it solely based on its merits but when we read the chapter we quickly begin to realize the uniqueness of these parables as all three have a central theme. Thus, this collection of parables must be read as a series. Since we have used point 2 (described above) to establish an understanding of a central theme as being “lost and found”, we can see this theme carried throughout. We also can see that a common reaction to that which is lost and found is discovered as in each instance there is celebration. Utilizing point 1 (described above), we also can see in Luke 15:7 that Jesus Himself provides an explanation for the parables, He then repeats it in Luke 15:10. Lastly, we can look at each parable to understand the nuances of the story as they were heard by the audience. By applying point 3 to the above, it can be understood that the ten silver coins were important to the lady because it may have been part of a garland used as part of the Jewish wedding ceremony. Another understanding would be to realize that the house design for the Jews had a lack of light in the hut and had reeds on the floors. As such, it would have made it difficult to find a lost coin, hence the sweeping to search for the coin. Furthermore, the parable of the lost son adds to the richness of the aforementioned stories as it is pregnant with meaning. For example, there is meaning behind the self-entitlement of a son to the wealth of the father. There is also significance behind the father running to the son because he must have lifted his tunic/robe to run and exposed his legs in a shameful fashion. It is also important to note the father’s response to the son in spite of the disrespect his son showed when he asked for his inheritance early and then left to a gentile nation and forsook God. When we pause and begin understanding these elements of the context it truly does help us fully understand the parables as the audience would have heard them.

In short, this series of parables is all about the lost and found and how we should respond when someone is called into the kingdom of God (i.e. saved). Even the angels celebrate when a sinner comes to God. We also can clearly see that we cannot and should not interpret the parable of the lost son, as it often is, as a back-sliding Christian. That is not the intent of the story but rather, it is to call out one who was never a believer into the family of God. We also clearly see that the father in that story cannot be God (as once again often misunderstood) for numerous reasons, the clearest of which is Luke 15:21 where the son states that he has sinned against heaven (the Jewish indirect reference to God without saying His name) and “you” (the father in the story) – so they both cannot be God. When we understand these details and the richness of the stories via the context and combine it with an understanding of the central theme/truth then we can gain clear insight into the meaning of this parable and many other parables.

Copyright 2010. Theology in Sneakers. All Rights Reserved.

Related posts:

1. Why was Jesus critical of the Pharisees?
2. How to Interpret the Bible for All It’s Worth.

Post Features:

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Key verse(s)/quote(s):

“What was truth to Abraham is truth to us; what was truth to Paul is truth to us; what was truth to the martyrs is truth to us; what is truth to us will be truth to all generations of the world in all lands, and will be truth for ever. This fact, too, is a just foundation for universal praise…” - Albert Barnes

“The truth of the matter is that all truth is absolute—there are no relative truths. If something really is true, then it really is true everywhere and for everyone.” - Norman Geisler

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” - John 14:6

Key takeaway(s):

1. The nature of truth is absolute.
2. The nature of truth requires a decision.
3. We must apply the truth by: Living it, Defending it Without Fear, and Proclaiming it.

Overview:

Among the plethora of topics discussed on this site, Truth remains at the core of all that TiS stands for. The declaration of an absolute, unchanging, infinite and incarnate Truth is what TiS’ sole mission is founded upon (click here for details). Without an accurate and objective understanding of Truth as a philosophical concept, it is impossible to realize the need to seek Truth and understand that it demands exclusivity. For instance, if one were to simply adopt a traditional post-modern view of truth as being relative, one could rest on their laurels as there would be no need to seek truth, let alone come to the realization that there may only be a single option as the declared truth.

Personally, the call to communicate the nature of truth as absolute while rejecting the intellectually complacent and emotionally-driven sentiment of relativism is a passion of mine. My passion is not driven by a desire to be seen as intellectually superior or emotionally controlled. Instead, it is because without this understanding we cannot correctly perceive our reality - the truth that is God and the exclusive claims of Christianity in the person of Jesus Christ. An attack on absolute truth is a subtle pre-emptive attack on God’s Truth as He is the source of the ultimate Truth. We cannot surrender the shoreline and allow the encroachment of the enemy’s philosophy. As the great theologian John Calvin exclaimed, “A dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God’s truth is attacked and yet would remain silent.”

We must have a proper view of truth or else we are left with a faulty foundation with which we build our beliefs and values upon. This, in turn, propels us on a path of actions that are contrary to God’s will. After all, it is clear that our beliefs dictate our values and those values are inevitably set in a world view that predisposes us towards certain actions. As Christians, we must be ready to defend truth without fear otherwise all concepts of reality are fair game and one can do as they wish without restraint.

I have written on the topic of why theology matters (click here to read) and in the same way, we must understand the end choice is that we must have an accurate view of truth to understand God precisely and thus declare His glory and will to the world.

Suggested Reading(s): B = Basic, M = Moderate, A = Academic

• Geisler, Norman L. Systematic Theology, Volume One: Introduction, Bible. Minneapolis, MN: Bethany House Publishers, 2002. p 120. (A)

TiS Media:

• Presentation with Audio/Video

• Presentation Slides

Copyright 2010. Theology in Sneakers. All Rights Reserved.

Related posts:

1. Theodicy or Fallacy? Suffering in a world of a loving God.

Dear Brothers & Sisters,

I am writing to you in celebration of Theology in Sneakers’ (TiS) one year anniversary! I would like to thank you for all your prayers and continued support offered since the launch of TiS.

In the past year, TiS has received over 12,000 visits from across the globe representing over 100 countries. Thank you to all of you for sharing this ministry with your friends and families and contributing to this humbling blessing. Additionally, I would like to affectionately thank the 50+ loyal readers that have subscribed to automatically receive new TiS posts through Twitter and e-mail.

TiS continues to strive to provide answers founded in accurate biblical interpretation, thorough research, and logic-based thought. It has expanded from 15 posts at launch to over 50 posts covering a wide range of topics, from evil and suffering in the world to effective witnessing. It has truly been a blessing to have God use TiS in order to defend, proclaim, and expand His Kingdom.

In the last 12 months, it has been exciting to launch several new features, including:

• Audio Narration – Listen to posts while reading along or multitasking
• Post Feature Icons – Single-click navigation on each post to available presentation slides, handouts, videos and audio recordings
• Online Radio Show (Ginsengradio.com) – Sit back and tune in to the “Theology in Sneakers” show as we discuss theological matters, current affairs, objections to Christianity, and more
• Video Gallery – Easy-to-use thumbnail index view of all video content available
• Intelligent Content Pushing – Related content is highlighted in sidebar based on current article being read
• Theological Word of the Day – Receive a daily dose of theological terms to enrich your study of the Bible
• Dynamic Widget – Quickly and easily share TiS by installing a widget on your web site that automatically updates for every newly added post or video
• Enhanced Search Functionality – More accurately search and quickly access desired content

Once again, I would like to sincerely thank you for your support through the comments and questions posted on TiS. Furthermore, I am humbled that some of you have invited me to speak at your churches and I am truly grateful that God has been blessing me with this ministry. I praise the Lord for having the opportunity to use TiS to proclaim His Name and defend “The Way”.

Sola Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone!)

- Sumair

How can you support Theology in Sneakers?
1. Pray - Please pray as I strive to grow in two areas of resolute passion - to love God’s Word and to love His people!
2. Sign up - If you haven’t already subscribed to TiS, please feel free to click here to receive new content updates.
3. Share - You can still send the following link to friends or family to introduce the site: http://www.theologyinsneakers.com/launchecard/index.html. You now also can install the widget on your website by visiting the “subscribe” section.
4. Engage - I am blessed to be used by God for His work and grateful for being able to partner with churches and school fellowships to advance His kingdom. Please feel free to contact me (or share my availability with planners and pastors) should there be any future needs for preaching, teaching, or fellowship sharing for any group. To quickly access samples of my sermons and workshops, simply click “sermon” or “workshop” in the “most blogged about” section at the bottom of the TiS web site).

Copyright 2010. Theology in Sneakers. All Rights Reserved.

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Key verse(s)/quote(s):

“The greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn’t exist.” - Usual Suspects (1995 move release)

“But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”  - 1 Peter 2:9

“But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander.” - 1 Peter 3:15-16

Key takeaway(s):

1. The church is in the business of disciple making.
2. Never let the primary cause of Christ become the secondary purpose of His church or His people.
3. Goal is not to bring people to “church” but rather to Christ.

Overview:

If one was to witness a crime, such as stealing, and yet did not come forward to provide their eye witness account in a court of law - what would we think of them? If we knew of someone who observed a heinous act such as rape and when asked to speak against the culprit in judicial proceedings they shirked their duties as a citizen in fear of retribution - what would we think of them? Even worse, what if the lack of testimony allowed the criminal to perpetrate the crime again and perhaps even against a loved one of yours - what would you think and feel about the cowardly and irresponsible actions of the one who put themselves above the greater good? Perhaps a more apt scenario is that of a burgeoning plague that is multiplying in effect as it traverses the land killing thousands of men, women, and children and only a select few have been gifted with knowledge of the cure. What if these elect, if you will afford them this title, did not share this antidote with others due to fear, apathy, or lack of urgency - how would you feel about this woefully irresponsible inaction with the stakes being life and death?

With this mindset we must understand the charge we have to be soldiers for Christ (2 Timothy 2:4, Ephesians 6:10-18), to be ambassadors of His kingdom (2 Corinthians 5:20), and ministers of reconciliation to the world (2 Corinthians 5:18). For just a moment, let us put aside this undeniable mandate for Christians as a task laid out by God. As Christians who know and have tasted the amazing grace that God has bestowed us with, how can we not feel compelled to share this with others? Beyond the dutiful nature of the task, shouldn’t we naturally and obsessively feel an inner zeal resulting in an outward expression of passionate loving desperation to share who the one true triune God is and what He has done and continues to do?

At this stage, I must apologize for the onslaught of questions but these continue to come across my mind as I am often perplexed by the lack of Christian witnessing. It is immensely illogical, tremendously insensitive, and most disconcerting as this may be the most accurate gauge of one’s spiritual health – perhaps if one lacks witness they lack faith and a real relationship with our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. After all, should we so easily let Satan cloud the reality of the world and numb our souls, turn deaf our ears and blind our eyes to hear the silent cries of the world and observe the urgent needs of those around us?

I remain indebted to the Lord for His provision of saints in my life that, through a sincere life witness, opened my eyes to what may lay behind their unique disposition. Something was different with these three people I met in high school and it was them that God used to grab my attention and soften my heart to this character named Jesus Christ. I encourage you all, as Christians, to never forget the subtle yet powerful way God can use the unspoken witness you express 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.

Beyond this silent witness, I have come to know many brothers and sisters who have embraced the Great Commission (Matthew 28:16-20) in an equally important and more obvious yet challenging way - spoken witnessing. They engage in the great task of disciple making and are inspired by the apostles’ methods of gospel proclamation. This type of direct witnessing is fraught with potential concerns in relation to political correctness, emotional sensitivity and fear of rejection or the faith challenging questions that are sure to come. Yet this direct presentation of the gospel remains mandatory as part of the Christian witness. One cannot and must not resort to being a silent witness and forsake the soul-saving Gospel that can only be dispensed and defended by the power of the Word.

We must always remind ourselves that we cannot divorce the 2 types of witnessing from each other. Each method is distinct and yet is also required in determining the effectiveness of our testimony. Using mathematical terms, they both serve as variables in the witnessing task that is founded upon a multiplication equation (unspoken witness x spoken witness = effectiveness of witnessing). This is an elementary concept only presented in such a way that we continually remember what our effectiveness hinges upon. For example, if one were to live a life fully congruent and reflective of the Christian worldview (unspoken witness = 10 out of 10) and yet they never presented the Gospel verbally to those around them and did not clearly explain the sin and Saviour paradigm (spoken witness = 0 out of 10); we end up with a zero effectiveness (10x0=0) of witnessing because God wasn’t proclaimed. Conversely, one can talk all they want about God and if they live a corrupt immoral life it can completely negate the perceived legitimacy of the Gospel.

In closing and as a reminder, although we must understand the responsibility of witnessing rests with us, we must not esteem ourselves highly as God remains sovereign over both the ends and means of salvation. And He can call whomever He wishes however He wishes using whomever or whatever He wishes to accomplish all His purposes - as the Father draws His elect to His Son (John 6:44, Ephesians 1:5).

Suggested Reading(s): B = Basic, M = Moderate, A = Academic

• Torrey, R. A. How to Work for Christ a Compendium of Effective Methods. Chicago; New York: Fleming H. Revell, 1901. (M)
• Day, Colin A. Collins Thesaurus of the Bible, 2009. (M)

TiS Media:

• Presentation with Audio/Video

• Presentation Slides

Copyright 2010. Theology in Sneakers. All Rights Reserved.

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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 we can observe the humility of the Christian faith founded upon the “despised and rejected” condition that the God of all would come down as the incarnate fleshly Jesus Christ. In the midst of this dreary narrative describing the taking up of “our infirmities” and carrying of “our sorrows” we still see hope. It speaks of not only the condition and the hope but also the method of propitiation (turning away of God’s wrath by offering). The beauty of this theological understanding requires that we acknowledge that one must pay the price for a crime/sin based on who/what one commits the crime against. In our case we are sinning against God and therefore an infinite penalty is required and yet because we are human a human must pay that price. Additionally, an infinite sin therefore requires a punishment for an infinite duration. This allows us to realize how the sin bearer had to be fully human to bear our nature but also fully God.

We also have here the specific mention of the piercing of Christ. The Hebrew word for “pierced” being châlal [pronounced khaw-lal’]. This is especially powerful as it leads us to understanding the method of salvation beginning with the crucifixion, even before this form of execution was invented! How amazing is that? It is like saying someone will be shot 400+ years prior to the gun being invented. Furthermore, this passage can be linked to Zechariah 12:10 where we see God stating that He was pierced.

Isaiah 61:1-2 – This final passage is critical as Jesus himself exposits this passage in Luke 14:17-21. As Isaiah was able to present a freedom opportunity to the Jews in Babylon, Christ points to this scripture in fulfillment of Himself as He proclaims freedom to the lost. In this passage we can see Jesus clearly stating His qualification (as the Spirit was on Him) and His role as healer, deliverer, and comforter.

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People often ask me why I care so much about theology. People often slouch back when one expounds on the finer theological details that function as the threads forming the tapestry that is the Gospel. People often sigh when one expresses a heart-felt desire to be a careful handler (exegete) of God’s Word. People often look at theology as a mind draining life sucking emotionally insensitive spiritually detached academic exercise. The objections to theology can be obvious in the acidity of the critiques such as “You are wasting time on the details when they don’t matter so much” or masked in sweetness evidenced in the claims echoed in phrases such as “I rather focus on the love of God”. To each of these groups of people I must humbly and yet confidently submit that theology must be important by definition - after all ‘theology’ is the composite of 2 Greek words meaning the “study of God”. How can one say that studying God is devoid of life when it is the study of the one who is the Source of all life? As St. Jerome so eloquently and simply once said, “Ignorance of the Scriptures is ignorance of Christ.”

I understand the hesitation by some to dive into God’s Word but the fact that we are instructed to live based on the Word of God and that it is God’s revealed truth seems counter intuitive to the apparent desire of those seeking to be closer to God. I also understand the reality of the concerted effort required to maintain focus and discipline in the study of God through His Word. However, I find it a much easier path than toiling in pursuit of His invisible will (although this is also part of Christian living) or deluding oneself as a “spiritual purist” by not referring to mere books.

Personally, the more I reflect on certain passages, themes, and doctrines once taken at face value I begin to realize that my knowledge is limited. However, I must pull myself back as I find myself at the edge of the disparaging depths of realized ignorance and I must take slow steps into the proverbial ocean of wisdom that the great theologians prior to my time have entered. I am grateful to God for the lives of the great Christian thinkers ahead of us and even more indebted to the Holy Spirit as He guides me in the study of a wonderfully amazing God.

I ask for you all to pray for my diligence in study and invite you all to join me as impassioned followers of Christ who strive to learn all they can about God and allow the Word to shine a path to walk with Him. Perhaps the quickest way to enter the will of God, the love of God, walk with God and envelope ourselves in all that pertains to God is through the study of the Word as guided by the Holy Spirit Himself. Perhaps the quickest litmus test for our spiritual lives is assessing how often we find ourselves in the Word and pondering the greater thoughts that concern God. For isn’t man’s greatest goal in life to glorify God? And do we honestly believe we can do this and are doing this without devoting time to learning more about Him?

Perhaps the development of a heart and mind for theological understanding can also serve as a litmus test for the health of the churches we attend? And perhaps we can make a conscious effort to pause and assess if we are pursuing an accurate and complete theology via our Sunday Schools, sermons, and fellowships. If we as individuals fail this test or our churches fail, I would encourage you to ask God to fan the flame in your heart for His Word and guide your mind to help your brothers and sisters in your church. Theology must be the language of the Christian heart, mind, soul, spirit, and life.

Below is a brief video that effectively communicates the importance of theology and expresses shared sentiments on why theology is so important.

In an effort to bring theological matters to a broader demographic, I have recently partnered up with two dear brothers (Bronf and Jermaine) on a project that has resulted in an online radio station - Ginseng Radio (ginsengradio.com). I have been blessed with the opportunity to not only serve with these dear brothers, as a member of the Ginseng Radio planning committee, but also partner with another dear brother in Christ (Justin) who is my co-host on our newly launched Christian apologetics radio show titled after this site - Theology in Sneakers.

Thank you Bronf and Jermaine for giving me the opportunity to join your team - I am blessed by God to serve with you and cherish your sincere and selfless hearts. Thank you Justin for sharing your passion for evangelism and love for youth by partnering to deliver real answers to relevant questions for this generation of youth.

About Ginseng Radio.
Ginseng Radio (GR) is an internet-radio station that features content focused on East Asian entertainment and culture. GR also features Christian programming that is geared towards presenting the Gospel and feeding the Body of the Christ. GR’s target audience is ‘consumers of East Asian entertainment and culture’, as well as young Christians (ages 16-30). GR is designed to encourage listeners to tune into Christian programming and to ultimately introduce the Gospel. GR is an official ministry of Youth Unlimited (Toronto Youth for Christ).

If you would like to support Ginseng Radio financially, please feel free to click here (tax receipt will be provided). Please note I do not receive any financial compensation for my involvement in Ginseng Radio and merely post this link as I know the expenses associated with this ministry and pray that if God touches your heart to contribute you may do so as He guides you.

If you would like to support Ginseng Radio prayerfully, please do intercede for the entire team that is working to deliver quality content and an accurate uncompromised Gospel to youth who consume East Asian culture.

This is me sharing about what is running through my mind…

TiS Media:

• Ginseng Promotional Video

Copyright 2010. Theology in Sneakers. All Rights Reserved.

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Key verse(s)/quote(s):

“Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or he can, but does not want to. If he wants to, but cannot, he is impotent. If he can, but does not want to, he is wicked. If God can abolish evil, and God really wants to do it, why is there evil in the world?” - Epicurus, as quoted in “2000 Years of Disbelief”

“Then the LORD answered Job out of the storm. He said: “Who is this that darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? Brace yourself like a man; I will question you, and you shall answer me. “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation? Tell me, if you understand.” - Job 38:1-4

“Then Job answered the LORD : “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you? I put my hand over my mouth. I spoke once, but I have no answer— twice, but I will say no more.” - Job 40:3-5

Key takeaway(s):

1. Humanity continually wishes to usurp God’s role as sole judge.
2. God’s sovereignty demonstrated by His role as Creator is a continual reminder that the created (humans) cannot have the same wisdom as the Creator.
   
3. Suffering can be used by God even if we can’t understand its purpose. His ways are higher than ours. (Isaiah 55:9)
   
4. Worrying or complaining or questioning God = epic logic fail = epic faith fail

Overview:

As the scale of calamity increases for any disastrous event, humanity seems to have a reflex to thrust a finger heavenward in a fit of “righteous anger”. Every time I hear of some form of suffering in this world it seems a humanist or atheist will quickly ask the question “how could a good God allow such an event to happen?” Even if the event is clearly the fault of man such as an act of murder, God is somehow in the cross hairs. Beyond these types of “man-made atrocities”, there are those events where the focus on God becomes seemingly more reasonable, such as when some form of natural disaster hits or when one is born with some form of disability. Calls for justice on behalf of the innocent who die or the helpless who are handicapped seem to resonate even louder with those who question God’s role in this world. Perhaps at one time or another you may have pondered these thoughts yourself?

Beyond these “distanced sufferings”, it seems that when one is befallen with personal struggles, it is often easy to question God and as a result strain our faith - if we had any to begin with. Recently, I have been through a series of challenges and although I would like to clearly state that my personal stresses pale in comparison to the true sufferings of others in history it hasn’t been easy at times for me. I have not questioned God at all but it has been emotionally tiring and I have asked God to explain the purpose of the events if He wills that I know. Although at times our suffering may be a result of sin in our lives, it also can simply be a test (for ourselves) or the result of a host of other reasons that explains why we experience what we do. God has been so gracious to me and shown me a need to focus on my health, slow down and focus on where and how He wills I spend my time. However, I am also certain His plans are not this simple as an infinite God would work on an infinitely higher plane of understanding and weave a much more highly interwoven story. A story more complex than what I am even able to comprehend a fraction of - after all for Him past, present, and future are all seen within a single glance. I would not wish to insult God by saying that I understand all that happens to me (let alone events that happen in the world) in its entirety but I do know that His grace is sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9) and that He is all powerful and all good - and that is enough for me.

It is deeply saddening that we so often throw blame God’s way when so many of the world’s atrocities are the result of our sinful nature and yet we don’t take responsibility. Man is credited with the results of mankind’s great acts of unity in the wake of events such as 9-11 and yet we blame God when it comes to the act of terrorism itself - also an act of man (no matter how much Islamic fundamentalists would like to say they serve God’s will). The one thing that remains clear is that man is capable of many good things but also many horrible things and in contrast God is sovereign over all things and the author of all good and perfect things (James 1:17) - notice this passage is used in closing as James discusses trials that will befall Christians.

As you encounter suffering and your natural reaction may be to question God, may you challenge yourself to grow in your faith as you learn to live in compliance with a worldview that consists of a sovereign God. Here is to hoping that the Godly will love God for who He is alone and not simply for His “benefits”. If you engage in dialogue with a non-Christian the next time a natural disaster or act of suffering hits, may you leverage that opportunity to share the wonderful trust and peace we have knowing that we have a sovereign God and that He alone holds the right to be sole Judge as Creator of all.

“And he said, ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.’” - Job 1:21

Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God Alone!)

TiS Media:

• Presentation with Audio/Video

• Presentation Slides

Copyright 2010. Theology in Sneakers. All Rights Reserved.

Related posts:

1. Is there any proof of God’s existence? If God does exist, why is there so much evil and suffering in the world?

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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 OT, it is all about the land and the people. When the people obeyed and were diligent in their acknowledgment of God they were blessed and would be brought into the land. When they were rebellious in sin and complacent they were taken out of the land. Throughout these experiences of Israel as a nation, the OT prophets continually warned of the future in conjunction with declaring what needed to be done in the present day to stay under God’s blessings.

Copyright 2010. Theology in Sneakers. All Rights Reserved.

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1. Is the “Old Testament God” mean and distant? Shouldn’t God fear us?

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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 have is God’s secure love for His people. We can hear the words of God spoken through Hosea clearly as we read: ‘“In that day,” declares the LORD, “you will call me ‘my husband’; you will no longer call me ‘my master.’’ (Hosea 2:16). What a wonderful statement! He calls His church ‘wife’ and asks us to call Him ‘husband’ (from the Hebrew “ishi”). This speaks of that amazing intimacy He offers and says to no longer call Him “master” (from the Hebrew “baalli”, the root being the call out to the idol baal). It reminds me of the passage from John 15:15, “I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.”

Copyright 2010. Theology in Sneakers. All Rights Reserved.

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