I BRING A SWORD

There is absolutely no question that preaching the Word faithfully and forcefully will bring about a severing of relationships between those who accept the message, and seek to live by it, and those who do not. The disciples of the Messiah are to put on the full armor of God and then "take up the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" [Ephesians 6:17]. And this sword is sharp. "The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword" [Hebrews 4:12]. The church is armed for the fight; it must indeed "contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints" [Jude 3]. But what is the focus of our warfare? Is it against our fellow believers who differ with us on matters of personal preference, perception and practice? Or is our battle against something else entirely? Perhaps the apostle Paul sheds some light on this just prior to urging us to take up the sword of the Spirit. He wrote, "Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places" [Ephesians 6:12].

In other words, we should be using the sword to cut through the darkness that threatens to overwhelm the people of God, not use it to slice through a disciple who does not happen to "follow along with us."

When Paul said he had "fought the good fight" [2 Timothy 4:7], he was not talking about a family feud. Those disciples with differing opinions and traditions are not the enemy. For us to use the sword of the Spirit to eviscerate a fellow believer is not only a misuse and abuse of this weapon, it is murder in the sight of our God. "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him" [1 John 3:15].

What exactly was our lord's intent when He uttered those memorable words: "Do not think that I came to bring peace on the earth; I did not come to bring peace, but a sword" [Matthew 10:34]? First, we should make it abundantly clear that the "peace" our lord would bring with his teaching was not the kind of peace typically envisioned by the world. Jesus wanted his disciples to understand this fact before they went out proclaiming his message. The effect of their proclamation would not be a radical reformation of human society resulting in a world filled with brotherly love, harmony and unity.

"Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you; not as the world gives, do I give unto you" [John 14:27]. "These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world" [John 16:33]. The peace that our lord promised was an inward peace; a spiritual calmness and courage; a blessed assurance, even in the face of outward trials and afflictions. It was also a peace between God and man, not necessarily between man and man (although this too could, at times, be a positive effect of his teaching).

Jesus needed his disciples to understand the harsh realities of their mission. Their message would not always be well-received. Indeed, at times it would generate some very negative responses against them. Their lives would often be in jeopardy as a result of their commitment to him. The ascended Jesus told Ananias, for example, when he sent him to find Saul of Tarsus, "Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and the sons of Israel; for I will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake" [Acts 9:15-16]. Peace, as the world understood that concept, would not be Paul's lot in life.

Note carefully the list of experiences this man endured for his Lord, as enumerated in 2 Corinthians 11:23-28, and you will see that his life was anything but peaceful (and this list reflected only the midway point of his ministry). Yet, with respect to being at peace with his heavenly Father, and possessing a peace "which surpasses all understanding" [Philippians 4:7], this faithful servant certainly had that in abundance. Yes, Jesus brought peace, but not as the world expected. It was this Jesus sought to impress upon the Twelve in Matthew 10:34. As He commissioned them for the mission ahead [cf. Matthew 10:5-33], all of which serves as the immediate context for his statement in vs. 34, he informed them of the trials and hardships they would face. If they went forth thinking their purpose was to bring an earthly peace, they needed to rid their hearts and minds of this illusion immediately. They would be "sheep in the midst of wolves" [vs. 16], they would be "delivered up" [vs. 19], they would be "hated" [vs. 22] and "persecuted" [vs. 23], yet they were not to be fearful [vs. 28, 31]. The Spirit would fill them with an inner sense of peace!

Although his disciples, through their deep and abiding faith and trust in him, would know a personal, inward peace, our lord also sought, as an integral part of his ultimate purpose, to eradicate the enmity that existed between various groups of men, thus establishing an outward peace as well. Jew and Gentile, rich and poor, master and slave, young and old, male and female, all needed to experience greater harmony. This wouldn't come easily, and it most certainly wouldn't come either quickly or effortlessly. But, it nevertheless was, and is, a peace attainable through acceptance of his message of grace, which, if received with sincerity of heart, would, with time and maturity, lead to acceptance of one another.

"His purpose was to create in Himself one new man out of the two, thus making peace" [Ephesians 2:15, NIV]. In this universal called-out Assembly there "is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in the Messiah Jesus" [Galatians 3:28]. Such glorious peace among men is only attainable when we stay focused on Jesus, rather than focusing on the differences, and even defects, we perceive in one another. "How good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity" [Psalm 133:1], and yet how extremely difficult it is to achieve! Why? Because we are too quick to lose focus; too quick to take our eyes off the goal; too quick to elevate inconsequentials; too quick to devalue the worth of our fellow disciples. WE get in the way, and HIS purpose for ultimate peace suffers!

The world's idea of peace, and the word's idea of peace, are not even remotely the same! Jesus told the Twelve He did not come to bring the former, but rather the latter.

The far more immediate and visible reality of the preaching and teaching of our Lord's message would be "the sword." Although the ultimate purpose of Jesus was to bring men together, the actual effect that would be most evident would be the dividing of men from one another. When Jesus spoke of the "sword" in Matthew 10:34, he spoke figuratively. The meaning of this figure was/is: division. This is seen quite clearly in the parallel passage found in the gospel of Luke the physician. "Do you suppose that I came to grant peace on earth? I tell you, no, but rather division" [Luke 12:51]. And this was to be a division of the most heart-wrenching kind -- it would divide the believer from those within his own household. This would be the ultimate test of discipleship, one about which Jesus frequently spoke. Choosing Jesus often meant (and still does) losing one's family. It was not uncommon for some Jews to even have a funeral for a son or daughter who embraced the Messiah, as they were regarded as "dead to them." Yes, Jesus brought a sword; he divided families. Notice the verses that immediately follow our text -- "For I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law; and a man's enemies will be those of his own household. He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. And he who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me" [Matthew 10:35-38]. True commitment to the Messiah is not easy; it involves sacrifice, and frequently a sword.

Jesus Christ spoke, in our text for this study, of familial fracturing. Yes, there would be the sacrifice of other severed relationships as well. But the hardest enmity for anyone to endure would be that of one's very own beloved family. As Democritus {c. 460-370 B.C.} wisely observed, "The enmity of one's kindred is far more bitter than the enmity of strangers." In our text Jesus quoted Micah 7:6. Being severed from one's family because of one's faith is certainly not unique to Christianity. It is universal. Although such excruciating pain was not the purpose of His coming, it would clearly become one of the effects of that coming. The Twelve needed to know what would follow in the wake of their teaching. So also do we! Indeed, earlier in His commissioning dissertation, Jesus informed them, "Brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents, and cause them to be put to death" [Matt. 10:21]. Yes, when Christ is preached, and when Christ is believed, and when Christ is received, a sword is never far behind. We must be aware of this, as must those we convert to Him, lest we buckle under the weight of affliction.

So, why did Jesus speak in terms of family division here, and not a broader scope of division? Most scholars believe it is because the Lord sought to deal with the separations that would hurt the most, and thus would be the greatest threat to a believer faithfully following Him. One might well be able to endure the ostracism of a co-worker, or a neighbor, or even of a friend. But the ultimate test would be the force of the sword within one's family. Also, it would be within one's own household that the effects of one's newfound belief would be initially evidenced. Thus, the first reaction to one's life-choice would come from this sector. "Those who rally round the Messiah are naturally opposed and hated by those who cleave to the old evil traditions. And the battle begins in the household" [The Pulpit Commentary, vol. 15, p. 435]. Although the dividing asunder of relationships would obviously be felt elsewhere as well, "the battle of principles comes into closest quarters in the house; so a man's bitterest foes are those of his own household" [ibid, p. 436]. If one can endure this opposition for Jesus, one can endure anything.

Dr. Paul E. Kretzmann correctly observed that our lord Jesus the Messiah "foresaw hostile opposition to his message. He knew, also, that the spiritual conflict which would be brought on by carnal enmity would find its expression in actual physical persecution. His disciples should not then imagine, as they were likely to do, that there would now be a reign of earthly quietness and peace, with all the blessings which the word implies. Division, contention, war, sudden, fierce calamities would follow the introduction of the Gospel. There is no more bitter hatred and strife than that due to religious differences. It estranges the very closest of friends, it disrupts families, it causes lasting enmity between members of the same household. To stand firmly on the side of the Messiah Jesus demands the utmost fearlessness" [Popular Commentary of the Bible: The NT, vol. 1, p. 59].

It is significant to note that the purpose of the Messiah's teaching was NOT to divide men from one another, but to unify them. It was, however, often the effect of his teaching that men came to be divided from one another. It is critical to distinguish between purpose and effect, a distinction I fear many are not making today!

We should not be preaching and teaching division, yet, sadly, this is exactly what too many are doing. When sermon after sermon is devoted to tearing down disciples, rather than lifting up the Messiah, we have ceased being "gospel" preachers. Yes, we must preach Truth, and we must do so boldly. When people accept that message of grace, embracing Jesus the Messiah as lord and savior, this will bring a sword into their lives and relationships. It is inevitable. We must prepare them for it. Yes, we must also oppose error, and expose those who maliciously and willfully promote it. We must do this fearlessly. This too will result in a separation between those disciples who are genuine sheep and those who only "wear the wool." When Truth is proclaimed and defended, a sword will follow. This sword must always be the effect of such faithful proclamation, however, and never the purpose of it.

"Truth must be spoken, errors must be exposed, sin must be denounced, and this must be done at any cost; and let the Disciple be prepared for opposition. If all men speak well of him, let him search his conduct to see whether he has been faithful, or whether perchance he may have been speaking smooth things for the sake of ease and comfort" [The Pulpit Commentary, vol. 15, p. 428]. "To preach the gospel of purity and peace will always arouse opposition. Evil has to be put down before peace can prevail. Hence, while the great end  (purpose) that the Messiah proposes is peace, the immediate result (effect) of his coming, and of the preaching of the gospel, is opposition and bloodshed. This was not the savior's object, but the effect" [B. W. Johnson, The People's NT with Explanatory Notes, p. 63]. If we are faithful to our individual callings, we shall experience opposition, which will likely include severing of relationships, perhaps even with those whom we dearly love. Brethren, it hurts.

I know firsthand the pain that David clearly felt when he wrote, "It is not my enemy who reproaches me, for then I could bear it; nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me, for then I could hide myself from him. But it is you, a man my equal, my companion and my familiar friend. We who had sweet fellowship together, walking in the house of God in the throng" [Psalm 55:12-14]. I am a realist. I know and understand the risk I take by boldly proclaiming my convictions. I realize that some, whom I love dearly, may well choose to turn from me ... and perhaps even turn upon me. It is a sword hovering above my head that I must ever be willing to accept ... as must each of you.

Choosing him often means losing them. It is painful, but the cause of the Messiah demands it. Indeed, we are unworthy of Him if we flee from the face of such separation. May we draw strength and courage from the conviction of Paul, who said from a prison cell, "Whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of the Messiah. More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing the Messiah Jesus my lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain the Messiah, and may be found in him" [Philippians 3:7-9]. Brethren, if you follow the savior, a sword will follow you! May he give us the strength to endure it.

Written by Al Maxey and edited by Bruce Lyon

DUTIES OF THE SHEPHERDS OF THE CALLED--OUT ASSEMBLY OF GOD

What does the Lord God expect of a pastor, elder, overseer, both individually and collectively? What do the NT writings convey about their duties? Although, without question, the members will have their own list of expectations for these men, let us be very careful lest we find ourselves binding duties and responsibilities upon these men that God Himself has not! Remember: it is the Holy Spirit who creates pastor, elders, overseers (Acts 20:28), not us, and it is through the inspiration of the same Spirit that their duties and responsibilities are enumerated. Let's briefly, in skeletal form, notice the six works (duties, responsibilities) specified by the Spirit for the shepherds of the flock. These are His  expectations for these men; their reason for being!

Guide the Flock --- These are to be men of knowledge, experience and wisdom to whom the members of the church may appeal for a "Thus says Yehovah" to vital questions and issues relevant to their daily living (Acts 15:2, 6; 16:4). Pastors, elders, overseers are thus to be capable counselors of those given into their care, guiding them in the way they should go. At times, they will need to make judgment calls in some given situation, but they do so with the best interests of those they serve in mind, considering the impact of their judgments upon the flock.

Guard the Flock --- Sheep are particularly susceptible to harm from predators. They need a shepherd to guard them and protect them. "Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God" (Acts 20:28). A good shepherd not only guards himself from the evil predators, but also his flock. The word "overseer," by the way, can also mean "guardian; one who watches over protectively." "They keep watch over your souls, as those who will give an account" (Hebrews 13:17).

Nourish the Flock --- Pastor, elders, overseers must feed the flock, not feed off of the flock. One of the indictments against the wicked shepherds over Israel was -- "the shepherds fed themselves and did not feed My flock" (Ezekiel 34:8). Therefore, God declared, "I shall deliver My flock from their mouth, that they may not be food for them" (vs. 10). "Woe, shepherds of Israel who have been feeding themselves! Should not the shepherds feed the flock?" (vs. 2). The pastors of the called-out Assembly must be spiritual nourishers of the disciples of the Messiah. Thus, they must be skilled scholars and capable teachers of the word (1 Timothy 3:2; 5:17; Hebrews 13:7). These men must "hold fast the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, that he may be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict" (Titus 1:9). One who is not "apt to teach," is NOT fit to serve as a shepherd of the flock. What good is a shepherd who can't feed sheep?!

Equip the Flock --- The Lord has given "teaching pastors" to the church "for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:11-12). Their work is to develop these disciples in their faith and mature them in their relationship with Jesus (vs. 13). Thus, good elders are equippers and enablers of those disciples they seek to motivate to acts of service. They are not micro-managers, but rather entrust to responsible men and women in the church the various ministry tasks. They equip and enable, then stand aside and let the members take responsibility.

Example to the Flock --- The apostle Peter cautioned elders never to "lord it over those allotted to your charge, but prove to be examples to the flock" (1 Peter 5:3). Sheep must be led, not driven. A good shepherd knows this; those who don't will "dominate" the flock "with force and with severity" (Ezekiel 34:4). In contrast, the Lord, the good Shepherd, says, "I will lead them" (Ezekiel 34:15). Pastors lead by the example of their lives; lives lived in harmony with the teachings of God's Word. Jesus said, "Follow Me" ... He didn't drive them from behind with a stick. He led; and He did so by the power of the example of a godly life! "Remember those who led you, who spoke the word of God to you; and considering the result of their conduct, imitate their faith" (Hebrews 13:7).

Serve the Flock --- A shepherd is a servant of the flock, not the lord of it. All of the above areas of responsibility can fall nicely under the umbrella of this single term. Shepherds serve. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, said, "I am among you as the one who serves" (Luke 22:27). "The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve" (Matthew 20:28). The members are not at the disposal of the elders ... indeed, just the reverse: the elders are at the disposal of the members! Many elders seem to have forgotten this (if they ever knew it). Elders are not gods, they are guides; they are not saviors, they are servants; they are not lords, they are leaders; they are not executives, they are examples. Until elders get out of the board room and into the pasture where the sheep are, there will continue to be a deadly disconnect between shepherds and sheep, and the latter will continue to wander away and become lost with no shepherd to seek for them, and they will continue to become sickly and die with no shepherd to bind their wounds or heal their diseases. You can't serve a flock from behind the closed doors of a board room; you must be among them! As one astute author once declared, "A shepherd must smell of sheep!"

Conclusion

Ezekiel 34 ought to be required, and regular, reading for every elder in the church! It is a powerful indictment against false shepherds, giving extensive insight into the many ways these self-serving little lords abuse the flock of God. The chapter also reveals the attitudes and actions of godly shepherds, as perceived in the Great Shepherd Himself. We can learn much from these negative and positive assessments. The Lord God said, "I will feed My flock and I will lead them to rest. I will seek the lost, bring back the scattered, bind up the broken, and strengthen the sick" (vs. 15-16). "I will care for My sheep and will deliver them from all the places to which they were scattered" (vs. 12). "I will eliminate harmful beasts from the land, so that they may live securely in the wilderness and sleep in the woods" (vs. 25). "And they will no longer be a prey to the nations, and the beasts of the earth will not devour them; but they will live securely, and no one will make them afraid" (vs. 28).

What a wonderful Shepherd we have in the Lord Jesus the Messiah!! Those men who serve as shepherds over the flock of God today must model themselves after him, and then, "when the Chief Shepherd appears, they will receive the unfading crown of glory" (1 Peter 5:4). Those who lead the flock of our God "will give an account" (Hebrews. 13:17), thus they should take seriously their calling. Those who lead well will receive eternal glory; those who do not lead well will face the wrath of God. "Thus says Yehovah God, 'Behold, I am against the shepherds'" (Ezekiel 34:10). What a frightful prospect!

False shepherds "dominate" the flock "with force and with severity" (Ezekiel 34:4). However, God will one day step in and "break the bars of their yoke and deliver them from the hand of those who enslaved them" (Ezekiel 34:27). Those leaders who enslave the sheep of their folds, who lord it over them with force and severity, will give an account to their Chief Shepherd. That will not be a pleasant day for many in the church today, I fear. It is my fervent prayer that those who serve as shepherds of the flock, as elders of the church, as overseers of the household of God, will seriously consider the solemn aspects of their work of service, and conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the example of our Good Shepherd Jesus Christ. This will not only result in eternal blessings for them, but the called-out Assembly of our lord Jesus the Messiah will be blessed and built up by their godly leadership.

Lord God, bless Your flock with spiritual shepherds!!

Written by Al Maxey and edited by Bruce Lyon

SIX THINGS THAT YEHOVAH HATES

"There are six things which Yehovah hates, yes, seven which are an abominatioed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers" (Proverbs 6:16-19). 

Haughty Eyes

The first item on the list is "haughty eyes" (New American Standard Bible, New International Version). This phrase is also translated: "a proud eye" (New English Bible) .... "those who are too proud" (Contemporary English Version) .... "arrogant eyes" (Holman Christian Standard Bible) .... "eyes that show a man is proud" (Easy-to-Read Version) .... and a number of other very similar phrasings. The wording in the Hebrew "refers to a proud look suggesting arrogant ambition" (Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 935). "It is not merely the look which is meant here in this passage, but the temper of mind which the look expresses" (The Pulpit Commentary, vol. 9, p. 131). "The sensuous expression contains and implies in every case the inner mood" (ibid, p. 146). One commentator suggested it speaks of "pompous defiance." "The lamp that guides the wicked -- haughty eyes and an arrogant heart -- is sin!" (Proverbs 21:4). "Human pride will be humbled" (Isaiah 2:11). A perfect case in point was how the Lord God dealt with "the king of Assyria and the pomp of his haughtiness" (Isaiah 10:12). The destruction to come upon him, and upon his evil forces, would be fearful to behold. He and they would be utterly consumed, "both soul and body" (vs. 18), by the consuming fire of a righteous God.

The word "haughty" is defined in Webster's New World Dictionary as "having or showing great pride in oneself and contempt for others." It is an "arrogant disdain" for those about you. When brethren look down on brethren, there is a haughty spirit at work in these disdainful brethren, and the end result is always strife and schism. Paul instructed those in Rome who had differing convictions not to display haughtiness in their interpersonal relationships -- "Let not him who eats regard with contempt him who does not eat, and let not him who does not eat judge him who eats, for God has accepted him. Who are you to judge the servant of another?" (Romans 14:3-4). The Greek word Paul uses here is exoutheneo, which means "to make light of, set at naught, treat with contempt and scorn; regard as paltry or of little account" (The Analytical Greek Lexicon). The Greek word employed in Proverbs 6:17 (in the Septuagint) is hubristes, which signifies "an overbearing, wantonly violent person" (ibid). This is the source of our English word "hubris" = "arrogance caused by excessive pride."

"Pride and arrogance and the evil way, and the perverted mouth, I hate" (Proverbs 8:13). Pride is put first in our text "because it is at the bottom of all disobedience and rebellion against God's laws" (The Pulpit Commentary, vol. 9, p. 131). The Lord has never looked favorably upon the haughty! They are an abomination to Him. One of the primary reasons for this is because of what pride generates -- "By pride comes nothing but strife" (Proverbs 13:10). When men are haughty, they will inevitably regard those around them with contempt, and when others are regarded with contempt, there is strife! And the Lord hates "the one who spreads strife among brothers" (Proverbs 6:19). Thus, "pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18). The Principle of Reciprocity will be experienced by those who, with haughty eyes, look with disfavor upon others -- "In pride the wicked hotly pursue the afflicted; let them be caught in the plots which they have devised" (Psalm 10:2). Amen!

A Lying Tongue

The second item on the list of those things despised by deity is "a lying tongue" (NASB, NIV, NKJV, Holman CSB). Other renderings are: "Those who tell lies" (CEV) .... "A false tongue" (NEB) .... "tongues that tell lies" (E-T-RV). The phrase in the Hebrew literally reads, "a tongue of deception." In the Septuagint the descriptive term employed is adikos, which means "unjust, vicious, unrighteous, iniquitous; deceitful, fallacious" (The Analytical Greek Lexicon).

Inherent within the word is the concept of one who desires, through such vicious fallaciousness, to do personal injury to another. Thus, it is not just telling lies to cover one's own iniquity, but the telling of lies to bring harm to another.

• A perfect example of this is found in Psalm 109:2-4 --- "For they have opened the wicked and deceitful mouth against me; they have spoken against me with a lying tongue. They have also surrounded me with words of hatred, and fought against me without cause. In return for my love they act as my accusers." These painful words of David describe the injury felt by one who has been betrayed by one to whom he sought only to show love. It is a psalm applied by the disciple of Jesus, to Judas in Acts 1:20.

This lying tongue is "the organ of speech being named here for the false person" (Dr. Paul Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible, vol. 2, p. 222). Thus, as already noted earlier, each organ specified in this list of "hated" items points back to the person himself, of whom these organs are merely tools for evil. "In a concise form the expression, 'a lying tongue,' represents what has been already said in vs. 12-13 of 'the wicked man' who 'walks with a false mouth' and whose conduct is made up of deceit. Lying is the willful perversion of truth, not only by speech, but by any means whatever whereby a false impression is conveyed to the mind. ... It excites the Divine displeasure" (The Pulpit Commentary, vol. 9, p. 131).

"A lying tongue hates those it crushes" (Proverbs 26:28). In return, our God hates a lying tongue. The Principle of Reciprocity. You get just what you give. Lying tongues have but one fate awaiting them -- these tongues shall be terminated. "Truthful lips will be established forever, but a lying tongue is only for a moment" (Proverbs 12:19). "He who tells lies will perish" (Proverbs 19:9). Ananias and Sapphira are a perfect example of what happens to such would-be deceivers of men and God (Acts 5:1-11). "You love every harmful word, O you deceitful tongue! Surely God will bring you down to everlasting ruin; He will snatch you up and tear you from your tent; He will uproot you from the land of the living" (Psalm 52:4-5). "O lying tongue, what shall be your fate? You shall be pierced with sharp arrows and burned with glowing coals" (Psalm 120:3-4). "But for the cowardly and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and immoral persons and sorcerers and idolaters and all liars, their part will be in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death" (Revelation 21:8).

Hands That Shed Innocent Blood

The third "hated thing" from this passage in Proverbs is -- "hands that shed innocent blood" (NASB, NIV, NEB, Holman CSB, KJV) .... "those who ... murder" (CEV) .... "hands that kill innocent people" (E-T-RV). The focus is on one's hands, the active agents of one's inner will. In this case, the will that is carried out is murder. One of the Ten Commandments is: "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13). Yehovah told Noah, after He had brought them safely through the flood, "Whoever sheds man's blood, by man his blood shall be shed, for in the image of God He made man" (Genesis 9:6). Yes, there are times when killing of the wicked is required, but to shed innocent blood is not permitted. There are grave consequences associated with such! "That the shedding of innocent blood cries for vengeance, and pulls down God's heavy judgments on the murderer, appears in the case of Cain and Abel" (The Pulpit Commentary, vol. 9, p. 131).

We are told that King Manasseh, who reigned fifty-five years over Judah (taking the throne at the age of twelve), did much evil in the sight of Yehovah God. An aspect of that long list of evil deeds is presented to us in 2 Kings 21:16 -- "Manasseh shed very much innocent blood until he had filled Jerusalem from one end to another." He also "made his son pass through the fire, practiced witchcraft and used divination, and dealt with mediums and spiritists" (vs. 6), and "seduced them to do evil more than the nations whom Yehovah destroyed before the sons of Israel" (vs. 9). His deeds (vs. 11) were "abominations" in the sight of God, as he himself was (Proverbs 6:16). There is a chilling observation found in 2 Kings 24:4 about the consequence of the sins of Manasseh which ought to serve as a warning to us --- it speaks of "the innocent blood which he shed, for he filled Jerusalem with innocent blood; and Yehovah would not forgive." What a sobering thought!

• Before we become too self-congratulatory for not having murdered anyone, let's remember the words of Jesus in His Sermon on the Mount -- "You have heard that it was said to our ancestors, 'Do not murder,' and whoever murders will be subject to judgment. But I tell you, everyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment" (Matthew 5:21-22).

• God hates those who shed innocent blood! Are you "drawing blood" in your anger against a brother? Beware!! "For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy" (James 2:13).The shedding of innocent blood must cease, whether that blood letting be literal or figurative.

A Heart That Devises Wicked Plans

Next we come to the heart, the seat of the passions that too often motivate us away from God and toward the performance of the evil devised therein. Our God hates, and regards as an abomination, "a heart that devises wicked plans" (NASB) .... "a heart that forges thoughts of mischief" (NEB) .... "a heart that devises wicked imaginations" (KJV) .... "a heart that devises wicked schemes" (NIV) .... "hearts that plan bad things to do" (E-T-RV). Some translations speak of "plotting" evil schemes and "creating" wicked plans. It is a person who consciously considers how to do that which is hurtful to others. It is malicious, vicious, vindictive scheming. God hates such people!! They are an abomination in His sight!!

"The heart represents the will most often. Here it plots evil" (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 935). Proverbs 6:14 describes the "worthless person" and the "wicked man" as he "who with perversity in his heart devises evil continually, and who spreads strife." Yehovah promises in the very next verse that "his calamity will come suddenly!" Reciprocity -- those who perversely scheme against others in their hearts will reap a harvest of woe!! "These are they who use their inventive faculties, not for the good of their race, nor for the maintenance of their families, but for the base and shameful purpose of bringing some of their fellows into distress, if not into ruin; they contrive their overthrow only to enjoy their discomfiture" (The Pulpit Commentary, vol. 9, p. 152).

"There are evil thoughts in all men's hearts; but the devising, fabricating of them, and thus making the heart into a devil's workshop, is the mark of utter depravity and wickedness, and is abhorrent to God" (ibid, p. 131). "For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. These are the things which defile the man" (Matthew 15:19-20; see also: Mark 7:20-23). Isaiah 59:1-8 is very instructive here. Iniquity has "made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden His face from you" (vs. 2). Isaiah then goes into quite a list of godless characteristics that constitute the makeup of those "hated by God." Many of them are the same as in our text in Proverbs, and there are more besides. These are people "who do not know the way of peace" (vs. 8), and peace is the last thing they will find when they appear before God in judgment!

Feet That Run Rapidly To Evil

Item number five on God's "most hated" list is "feet that run rapidly to evil" (NASB) .... "feet that run to do evil things" (E-T-RV) .... "those who are quick to do wrong" (CEV) .... "feet eager to run to evil" (Holman CSB). "This captures the enthusiastic and complete involvement in activities that bring pain to all concerned" (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 935).

The Masoretic Text (MT) literally has the expression: feet that "make haste to run," ... "the idea being to make haste to begin to run, i.e., eager to seize the opportunity" (ibid, p. 936). These are evil people who can't wait to get involved in all manner of evil. They hasten to it. They seize every opportunity to do harm to another. This running to evil is nothing more than "carrying out with alacrity and without delay what has already been devised in the heart" (The Pulpit Commentary, vol. 9, p. 131).

These are godless wretches who are "couriers of ill news, eager retailers of slander, and all who cannot bear to be forestalled in the hurtful word, who are ambitious of the first deadly blow" (ibid, p. 147). They are the ones who would have gleefully thrown the first stone in John 8, and the ones who most certainly ran to do so in Acts 7. "These are they who take a savage delight in being the instruments of punishment -- who gloat over their work of severity or blood" (ibid, p. 152). When the Lord comes in judgment, they shall reap what they sow. Notice the words of the angel to John, "They poured out the blood of saints and prophets, and Thou hast given them blood to drink. They deserve it!!" (Revelation 16:6). The Principle of Reciprocity! "Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!" (Revelation 22:20).

A False Witness Who Utters Lies

With the sixth item, the inspired writer turns from the bodily parts to the person himself. What is hated by God? What is an abomination in His sight? It is not a "what," it is a "who!" It is "a false witness who utters lies" (NASB) .... "a lying witness who gives false testimony" (Holman CSB) .... "a false witness telling a pack of lies" (NEB). "The sixth abomination returns to the theme of deception. Here the focus is on perjury, a direct violation of the Decalogue" (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 935). "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor" (Exodus 20:16). In the original language, this sixth item speaks of those who "breathe out" (Hebrew: puakh) falsehoods against another. The idea of "breathing out" conveys that it comes from within -- i.e., it is their nature. They are "all who trade in falsehood, and breathe it as their atmosphere" (The Pulpit Commentary, vol. 9, p. 147).

Lying has already been addressed, in a general sense, in our text (vs. 17), but this is lying in a far more specific sense. It is perjury; lying under oath; bearing testimony against another that is false. "One of the most solemn and responsible positions a man can occupy is the witness-box; he stands there, invoking the dread Name of Yehovah Himself to cause justice to be done. If then he purjeres himself, and 'speaks lies' when actually under oath, he defies his Maker, perverts justice, wrongs the innocent or releases the guilty, is disloyal to his country, outrages his own conscience. Well may he be among those whom God especially condemns" (ibid, p. 152). Such men are clearly seen rallying themselves against Stephen, the first martyr in the church (Acts 6:9-14), and against our lord Jesus the Messiah himself (Matthew 26:59f; Mark 14:55f). These false witnesses brought about the death of the innocent. God hates the false witness, as well He should!! "Truly speaking, he that lies as a false witness must be hateful to God" (ibid, p. 132).

One Who Spreads Strife Among Brothers

In the seventh Beatitude we read, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" (Matthew 5:9). In the seventh "hated thing" of Proverbs 6 we find a different kind of person. These people know not peace; indeed, they seek to destroy peace. They are those who "spread strife among brothers" (NASB) .... "who stir up trouble among brothers" (Holman CSB) .... "those who stir up trouble in a family" (CEV) .... "one who stirs up quarrels between brothers" (NEB) .... "a man who stirs up dissension among brothers" (NIV). "These are contentious, quarreling people who have a short fuse" (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 5, p. 936).

This final statement in our Proverbs passage is "emphatically stigmatizing the conduct of that man as diabolical who destroys the harmony and unity of those who ought to live together in brotherly affection" (The Pulpit Commentary, vol. 9, p. 132). Such persons "partake of the leavened bread of malice" (ibid, p. 147).

The apostle Paul warns against "strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men" (1 Timothy 6:4-5). He characterizes such persons who engage in these godless acts as "depraved in mind and deprived of Truth." A great many of the "works of the flesh" have to do with such godless attitudes and actions. "Enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions" (Galatians 5:20) are just some of these satanic works of flesh, the practice of which will cost one their eternal salvation. "I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (Galatians 5:21). Proverbs 15:18 tells us that "a hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but the slow to anger pacifies contention." Proverbs 29:22 tells us "an angry man stirs up strife." In Proverbs 16:28 we see "a perverse man spreads strife." "An arrogant man stirs up strife" (Proverbs 28:25). "Hatred stirs up strife" (Proverbs 10:12). I think it is obvious from these passages that where strife exists, one will also find present a godless person stirring up that strife. God hates the one who does this!!

"Better is a dry morsel with quietness, than a house full of feasting with strife" (Proverbs 17:1). There is nothing good and pleasant about brethren who are at odds with one another. Our Father's desire for His children is for them to be a family unified in the Spirit, at peace with one another, and in love with each other. Where love prevails, oneness is promoted. "Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity!" (Psalm 133:1). It is within this sacred environment that we find our greatest promise -- "For there Yehovah commanded the blessing -- life forever" (Psalm 133:3). Those hot-tempered, angry, perverse, arrogant, hateful men and women who stir up strife between brothers, are not only hated by Yehovah, but they will never see life eternal. They are an abomination to Him, and they will be forever banned from His holy presence. In so doing, His people will finally enjoy peace during that great eternal day in the new heavens and earth where only righteousness dwells. These evildoers will be dried up chaff, reduced to nothing but ashes by the consuming fire of Yehovah's wrath. "'And you will tread down the wicked, for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day which I am preparing,' says Yehovah of hosts" (Malachi 4:3). Lord, hasten that day!!

CONCLUSION

Brethren, the world is filled with evil people who hate God and all His ways. This is no shocking revelation. We have always known that the forces of darkness exist all about us; we see their evidence daily in countless ways. We are also aware that this evil inhabits and influences people, and that, at times, these evil ones slip in among us and begin to work their malicious intent upon the family of God. We are aware of their arrogance, their deceit, their eagerness to inflict harm, their slander, and their perverse plotting. We know that where such people infest the church, strife and schism are generated. It sickens and distresses us to witness such evil in our ranks, and we long for the peace, unity and harmony of brothers that is promised by and in our lord Jesus the Messiah.

We find ourselves sometimes hating those who destroy the sanctity of our peaceful unity, and yet we tend to feel that such feelings are somehow

wrong. After all, we are to hate the sin, but love the sinner. Or, so we have always been taught. I believe that although we should indeed seek the ultimate redemption of all men, even those who array themselves against us as enemies, nevertheless there are some sinners who are so diametrically opposed to all that our God is, that we are not wrong in loathing these sinners as well as their sin. This passage in the book of Proverbs clearly informs us that there are some people God HATES .... and, I believe, justifiably so!

Brethren, let us love what God loves, and hate what God hates! And let us realize that sometimes the "what" is a "who." On the night of his betrayal, our lord prayed that magnificent prayer in which he asked the Father to make us ONE people; a unified family. Our precious lord went to that cruel cross to break down barriers and bring peace (Ephesians 2:13ff). He shed his blood, enduring incomprehensible agony, to bring diverse brethren together in a loving relationship with our Father in heaven.

There is no greater abomination on the face of this earth than those who profess themselves to be his followers, and yet who arrogantly, maliciously and deceitfully work to separate from the fellowship of one another this family of believers our lord died to establish. These are genuinely hated by our God.

Frankly, I do not find it inappropriate to share that righteous loathing for those devoted to harming our God and Father and His One Family!

Written by Al Maxey and edited by Bruce Lyon

HOW LOVE BEHAVES

How Love Behaves
Attributes of Agape in 1 Cor. 13
"God is love" (1 John 4:8,16). "Love is from God" (1 John 4:7). "His love is perfected in us" (1 John 4:12). "Perfect love casts out fear" (1 John 4:18). "The one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him ... He has given us of His Spirit" (1 John 4:16,13). "The fruit of the Spirit is love..." (Galatians 5:22). "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (John 13:34-35). "And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also" (1 John 4:21). "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death" (1 John 3:14).

"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets" (Matthew 22:37-40). "Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, 'You shall not commit adultery, you shall not murder, you shall not steal, you shall not covet,' and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the Law" (Romans 13:8-10).

These passages should make it abundantly clear that love is essential. Essential not only to happiness, harmony, unity, and productiveness, but essential to salvation itself. "He who does not love abides in death!" (1 John 3:14). John further states that the one who does not love his brother does not know God, does not possess the Spirit of God, and is a murderer and a liar! "Everyone who hates his brother is a murderer; and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him" (1 John 3:15). "Hatred stirs up dissension (strife), but love covers over all wrongs" (Proverbs 10:12). "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity" (times of stress, troubles)" (Proverbs 17:17).

The Lord knew only too well that "an offended brother is more unyielding than a fortified city" (Proverbs 18:19). Thus, we clearly see the need for love of one another! But how does this love behave; how does it act; in what manner does it manifest itself in our daily attitudes and actions? This vital question is answered all through the inspired Scriptures, but perhaps nowhere as impressively and eloquently as in 1 Corinthians 13: The Love Chapter. Notice sixteen ways in which the apostle Paul describes love behaving in the lives of godly men, women and young people.

The Nature of Genuine Love

1 -- It is the great motivator (vs. 1-3). Nothing we do, no matter how noble and good, is of any personal profit if it is not done in love! It may well be that the spiritual fruit Jesus is speaking of in Matthew 7:15-23 is love (or the lack thereof).

2 -- It is patient (vs. 4) --- This is the Greek word makrothumeo which means "to be even-tempered; long-suffering; to exercise patience toward; to bear long with." The apostle Paul writes, "And we urge you, brethren ... be patient with all men ... seeking after that which is good for one another" (1 Thessalonians 5:14-15). This word is also listed as one of the evidences of a Spirit-filled servant of God (2 Corinthians 6:6); as a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22); as an evidence of walking worthily (Ephesians 4:2); as an evidence of having been chosen by God (Colossians 3:12); and as a condition for inheriting the promises of God (Hebrews 6:12).

3 -- It is kind (vs. 4) --- Chresteuomai is the Greek word Paul uses here. It means "to be kind; goodness and graciousness of heart; a gentle spirit." One commentator translates this phrase: "Love is mellow." It is listed as one of the evidences of a Spirit-filled servant of God (2 Corinthians 6:6); as a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22); and as an evidence of having been chosen by God (Colossians 3:12). "Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you" (Ephesians 4:32). See also Luke 6:27-38 (especially vs. 35).

4 -- It is not jealous (vs. 4) --- This is the Greek word zeloo. It means "to be jealous, envious, spiteful." It comes from a root word which signifies "to boil over." "You are envious and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel" (James 4:2). "Let us behave properly ... not in strife and jealousy" (Romans 13:13). It is a work of the flesh, not a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:20; 1 Corinthians 3:3). It is earthly and demonic and leads to chaos (James 3:14-16).

5 -- It does not brag (vs. 4) --- Paul here uses the Greek word perpereuomai, which means "to be a braggart; to boast; to elevate one's self or one's own accomplishments." One Greek Lexicon refers to such a one as a self-serving "windbag!" Love does not act in such a way as to call attention to itself or its deeds; love acts for love's sake, not for personal glory or reward! See: Matthew 6:1-4.

6 -- It is not arrogant (vs. 4) --- This is the Greek word phusioo, which means "to be inflated; puffed up." It is used in the New Covenant writings to refer to those puffed up with pride. One is not to "think more highly of himself than he ought to think" (Romans 12:3). Such puffing up is caused by a mind set on the flesh, rather than on Christ (Colossians 2:18). Remember: Puffing himself up is what a bullfrog does just before he croaks!! An inflated ego can be disastrous, not only to yourself, but also to others. "Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up" (1 Corinthians 8:1).

7 -- It does not act unbecomingly (vs. 5) --- Aschemoneo is the Greek word employed here. It means "to behave in an unbecoming manner; unseemly behavior; to behave disgracefully, dishonorably." It is living or behaving in such a way as to bring shame upon Christ, His church, or yourself. For such ones "the black darkness has been reserved forever" (Jude 13).

8 -- It does not seek its own (vs. 5) --- The NIV renders this phrase: "It is not self-seeking." Love does not pursue its own self interests, it is more concerned with the needs of others. "Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to his edification" (Romans 15:2).

9 -- It is not easily provoked (vs. 5) --- This is the Greek word paroxuno, which means "to stir up, irritate, rouse to anger; to incite one to fits of anger and sharp contention." "Enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions" are all works of the flesh (Galatians 5:20), and "those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God" (vs. 21). "A quick-tempered man does foolish things" (Proverbs 14:29). "A hot-tempered man stirs up strife, but the slow to anger pacifies contention" (Proverbs 15:18). "A man's wisdom makes him slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense" (Proverbs 19:11). "Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn his ways and get yourself ensnared" (Proverbs 22:24-25). "A fool always loses his temper, but a wise man holds it back" (Proverbs 29:11). "An angry man stirs up strife, and a hot-tempered man commits many sins" (Proverbs 29:22).

10 -- It keeps no record of wrongs (vs. 5) --- Paul used the Greek word logizomai here, which means "to count, calculate; to enumerate or set down as a matter of record; to list; to keep an accounting of." This could refer to either (1) wrongs one has suffered; as the NASB translates it; or (2) wrongs that another has committed. Genuine love does not keep a list of wrongs suffered or of the weaknesses, shortcomings, and failings of others. "A worthless man digs up evil" (Proverbs 16:27), but "he who covers over an offense promotes love" (Proverbs 17:9).

11 -- It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rather rejoices with the truth (vs. 6) --- Condemnation lies in store for those who refuse to live according to Truth, and who take some perverse delight in acts of unrighteousness (2 Thessalonians 2:12). "Love does not seek to make itself distinctive by tracking down and pointing out what is wrong; it gladly sinks its own identity to rejoice with others at what is right" (C.K. Barrett, A Commentary on the First Epistle to the Corinthians, p. 304).

12 -- It bears all things (vs. 7) --- This is the Greek word stego, which means "to cover; to contain within (the noun form of this verb is "roof"); to protect, or preserve by covering; to keep off, or bear up against, something which threatens" (W.E.Vine, An Expository Dictionary of NT Words). The NIV translates this: "It always protects." "There is no limit to love's forbearance" (NAB, St. Joseph edition). "Love covers the faults of others rather than delighting in them" (The Expositor's Bible Commentary, vol. 10, p. 268). The Living Bible renders this phrase: "If you love someone you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost." Love stands by the weak, and protects them, and strengthens them in spite of their weaknesses, and seeks to build them up (Romans 15:1-2). As one commentator put it, "Love provides a place for others to fail and try again." A man who loves his wife does not broadcast her flaws and failings to the world, nor does he constantly remind her of them, rather he contains them within his love, and directs his heart toward her positive qualities. This is how the children of God should behave toward one another! "Men, you are brethren, why do you injure one another?!" (Acts 7:26).

13 -- It believes all things (vs. 7) --- Paul uses the Greek word pisteuo here, which means "to believe; to have faith or confidence in; to trust" (W.E. Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words). When it appears in the form of an adjective, it is often translated "trustworthy." The NIV translates this phrase: "Always trusts." "There is no limit to love's trust" (NAB, St. Joseph edition). "Love refuses to yield to suspicions of doubt. The flesh is ready to believe all things about a brother and a fellow man in an evil sense. Love does the opposite, it is confident to the last" (R.C.H. Lenski, The Interpretation of St. Paul's First & Second Epistles to the Corinthians, p. 560). Martin Luther says that love will prompt one to do the following for a brother: "Excuse him, speak well of him, and put the best construction on everything." "It is ever ready to believe the best of every person, and will credit no evil of any but on the most positive evidence; it gladly receives whatever may tend to the advantage of any person whose character may have suffered from the verbal abuse of another" (Adam Clarke's Commentary, vol. 6, p. 270).

14 -- It hopes all things (vs. 7) --- This is the Greek word elpizo, which means "to hope; favorable and confident expectation; it is not infrequently translated by the verb 'to trust'" (W.E. Vine's Expository Dictionary of NT Words). "To repose hope and confidence in; to trust" (The Analytical Greek Lexicon). Love leads us to the point where we cast off pessimism and confidently expect only the best from one another; love trusts the other person to do his best and to do what is right. When we are devoted to one another in love, this "hope" leads us into rejoicing (Romans 12:12). We "abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13). This "hope" in one another must be "firmly grounded" (2 Corinthians 1:7).

15 -- It endures all things (vs. 7) --- Paul uses the Greek word hupomeno, which means "patient endurance; to bear up under some load; to persevere courageously." "To remain instead of fleeing; to stand one's ground, hold out, endure in trouble, affliction and persecution" (Arndt & Gingrich, A Greek-English Lexicon of the NT and Other Early Christian Literature, p. 845). "And you will be hated by all on account of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved" (Matthew 10:22). "Most people's love will grow cold, but the one who endures to the end, he shall be saved" (Matthew 24:12-13). Those who are devoted to one another in brotherly love, persevere in the face of tribulation (Romans 12:12). "Bear fruit with patient endurance" (Luke 8:15). "You will be hated ... but by your endurance you will gain your souls" (Luke 21:17,19). "Let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus ... For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you may not grow weary and lose heart" (Hebrews 12:1-3). (See also: Romans 5:3-5; James 1:2-4; 5:11; 2 Peter 1:5-11). "The man 'endures' who, under a great siege of trials, bears up and does not lose heart and courage" (R.C. Trench). "Love bears up under all persecutions and mal-treatment from open enemies and professed friends; bearing these adversities with an even mind, and trusting in God" (Adam Clarke's Commentary, vol. 6, p. 270).

16 -- It never fails (vs. 8) --- This is the Greek word pipto, which means "to fall; to fail; to fall into ruins; to become null and void; to collapse into extinction." When our faith and our relationships are built on the solid foundation of love, they will never collapse! (See Matthew 7:24-27). "A house divided against itself falls" (Luke 11:17). "Love is the perfect bond of unity" (Colossians 3:14); where love is, there can never be failure ... but where love is not, there can never be success!

Conclusion

Love is the greatest force in the universe (1 Corinthians 13:13). Indeed, "God IS love!!" (1 John 4:8,16). To be "born of God" and to "know God," we must love one another, for "love is from God" (1 John 4:7). Before God will abide in us, we must abide in love (1 John 4:16). To profess love for God, without showing love for one another, marks us as a liar (1 John 4:20).

Love is critical; our salvation depends on it! Without love, we will never see God. Thus, Paul commands, "Pursue love" (1 Corinthians 14:1). This is the Greek word dioko, which means "to pursue after with a persecuting fervor or zeal; to rapidly and eagerly follow after."

Love is the fulfillment of all the Law. If there is any commandment, it is summed up by love for one another and love for God. It is by love that the world will know that we are truly the disciples of the Messiah. "The one who says he is in the light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him" (1 John 2:9-10). "Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth" (1 John 3:18).

Written by Al Maxey and edited by Bruce Lyon

LESSONS OF THE PASSOVER BREAD

On the night before his death, Jesus shared unleavened bread with his disciples, telling them to repeat this every year in remembrance. What did this bread symbolize? What lessons are Christians to learn from it?

We should marvel at the significance of what Jesus taught his followers and how meaningful each of the elements and symbols are for our lives today. In a way, Jesus entire ministry for mankind is condensed into what happened on that evening! Let’s take a closer look.

The Gospel writer Luke shares this account of what happened that evening: “When the hour had come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. Then he said to them, ‘With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’“ Then he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, ‘Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’ And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me’” (Luke 22:14-19).

The apostle Paul later explains what he had been

personally taught by the lord Jesus: “For I received from the lord that which I also delivered to you: that the lord Jesus on the same night in which he was betrayed took bread; and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same manner he also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the lord’s death till he comes’” (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).

Key symbols of Christianity

The very heart and core of Christianity is wrapped

up in the symbols of the bread and the wine that Jesus shared at the Passover the night before his death. The lord Jesus established a practice for Christians to follow and carefully examine today.

The Passover evening began with Jesus washing each of the disciple’s feet, as recorded in John 13:1-17. This showed his humility and service to humanity and the need for him to cleanse us while also setting an example for us to follow. He followed up with the symbols of the bread and wine. Drinking the Passover wine represented remembering Jesus shed his blood for all mankind, as payment for our sins that we may be forgiven as part of the New Covenant he offered.

The prophet Isaiah eloquently described this meaning:  “Surely he has borne our grief and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and Yehovah has laid on Him the iniquity of us all” (Isaiah 53:4-6).

When we take part in the Passover service today we

reenact the solemnity, the intimacy of our relationship with Yehovah our God through the lord Jesus, with one another and with ourselves. We leave the past behind as we reach out towards becoming immortal men and women in the Kingdom of God. As Christians, we are admonished to examine ourselves prior to the service: “Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the Bread and drink of the Cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the lord’s body” (1 Corinthians 11:27-30).

So, what is it about the lord’s body that we are to discern or understand? This brings us to a closer look at the symbol of the bread representing the body of the Messiah Jesus.

The living bread that makes eternal life possible

Before the Passover and addressing a large crowd near Capernaum, Jesus boldly proclaimed: “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever” (John 6:51). We want to live forever, but most are not sure this will happen or how it’s possible. This uncertainty worsens the grief and heartache for many when a loved one or someone close dies. People try to stretch out physical existence and grasp for the elusive essence called life but only find themselves staring at a mirage in a desert of desperation and wishful dreaming. What is it about the bread of which Jesus spoke that we should focus on? And what can we learn that will grant certainty in answer to the question of man’s mortality and immortality?

Humanity seeks assurance to a question that Job asked thousands of years ago: “If a man die, shall he live again?” (Job 14:14). Job answered his question in the same verse: “All the days of my appointed time will I wait, till my change come” (King James Version). He was looking to a time beyond this life when a change would bring eternal life. Again, a careful reading of John 6:51 is where the lord Jesus reveals an important secret of living forever. The secret is in the meaning of bread. The biblical observance of Passover is followed immediately by the seven-day Feast of Unleavened Bread. This feast, including the two Holy Days [Sabaths] that bookend it, is about bread!

What is the point of this emphasis? Is there something more about eating the bread and God’s command to eat unleavened bread during this feast (see Leviticus 23:6) that we might be missing? Certainly God’s placement of the Feast of Unleavened Bread right on the heels of the Passover must have special significance.

Jesus God's anointed one is the source of life

John 4:39-40: Search the scriptures; for in them you think you have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And you will not come to me, that you might have life [eternal].

When you come to understand all that the bread represents, you will understand the deepest, loving intentions of Yehovah toward humankind. It is here that we experience Yehovah’s graciousness towards us. It is coupled with our responsibility as His children who will then embark on an eternal fulfilling relationship.

So let us examine some of the lessons of bread as it equates to life; for eternity and for the here and now.

Jesus God's anointed one is the source of eternal life, as we read in John 6:51: "I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." So as he said, if you want eternal life you must “feed” on him. Furthermore, he stated in the Sermon on the Mount that there is only one path to eternity: “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it” (Matthew 7:13-14). We must pay careful attention as to what that pathway is!

Bread represents sustenance of life - nurture and feeding. Even today, a “breadwinner” in a family is whoever earns a living and provides for the family. Bread is also referred to as the “staff of life.” One of the petitions in the lord Jesus model prayer is to regularly ask, “Give us this day our daily bread” “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” (Matthew 6:11). He meant food and nourishment in general, along with all it represents for us.

Multiplying bread to feed thousands

Again in John 6:51, Jesus taught a profound lesson about bread and life. Thousands came to hear him (verse 10; Matthew 14:21). The time was just before the Passover (verse 4). Jesus started a discussion about bread and eating at this large outdoor gathering of people who came together to hear him speak. After he finished his teaching, and aware of people wanting to eat, Jesus asked Philip about what they could do to feed the large crowd. Philip responded by saying that they had too little money to buy enough food. Then the disciple Andrew interjected that there was a boy with five barley loaves and two small fish. But this obviously was not a solution for a gathering of that size. Jesus knew this and, as he already intended to, turned this event into a lesson. He instructed that the people sit orderly in the grass. He then gave thanks and instructed that the disciples distribute the boy’s fish and bread to the crowd. Miraculously, there was plenty - even plenty of leftovers!

A more important lesson about the Bread of Life

The weightier lesson of this experience came the next day when the people followed Jesus by boats to see him again. This time He spoke to their self-seeking motive, which was to get another free meal. He said: “Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek me, not because you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life” (verses 26-27).

Jesus further commented about the value of bread when the people brought up the manna that God provided for the Israelites during their wandering in the wilderness (see Exodus 16). “Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.’ Then they said to Him, ‘lord, give us this bread always.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst’” (John 6:31-35).

The point of Jesus’ teaching should be clear to us as well. He compares the sustenance of physical food, which gives us limited physical life, to the far greater sustenance from himself, our life-giver, to grant us eternal life! Do we feed only on physical food, or do we seek what will give us life eternal? In his discourse, Jesus clearly made his point about the

superiority of immortal life and the unprofitability of mere physical existence: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world” (verses 47-51).

Abiding in Christ

This brings us to another very important aspect of the

Passover Bread. Jesus continued his pointed teaching about what kind of relationship matters with him and leads to eternal rewards. Notice what he further said in the same context: “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him” (verses 54-56).

We now move to an active full-time relationship with him that results in a changed mindset and results in bearing fruit. Jesus described the kind of relationship me desires to share with us in his final teaching that last night with mis disciples after their Passover together, telling them: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit so you will be my disciples” (John 15:1-8).

The Passover bread represents this conscious, close relationship between the lord Jesus and us. Note how Paul expressed it in this passage in Galatians 2:20: “I am crucified with the lord Jesus: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Jesus God's anointed one lives in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me” (KJV).

Writing to the church at Rome (and to us today), Paul gives this exhortation: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God” (Romans 12:1-2).

Ask God to transform your life as a new creation in His beloved son Jesus! Ask Him to make you fruitful by developing a different, unselfish mindset. Ask God to help you say the right things, think the right things and do the right things, to let His will be your will all the time. Be intent on wrapping your life around the lord Jesus: “If then you were raised with God's anointed one, seek those things which are above, where the lord Jesus one is sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with the lord Jesus in God” (Colossian 3:1-3).

Bread and suffering

Suffering is not easy. It’s difficult to face and endure pain and hurt. The symbolism of breaking the bread at the Passover represented the lord Jesus sufferings. He suffered humiliation, mocking, beating, torture and an excruciating execution; which were represented by the breaking of bread at the Passover with his disciples. “Take, eat; this is my body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of me,” He told them (1 Corinthians 11:24). We are admonished to take this into account whenever we suffer. As 1 Peter 4 states: “Therefore, since God's anointed one suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind” (verse 1).

And we read later in the same chapter: “Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of God's anointed one’s sufferings, that when his glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy” (verses 12-13).

Jesus said to the multitudes following him, “Whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:27).

Following him involves sacrifice and sometimes enduring great trial. But the Bible also says: “The temptations in your life are no different from what others experience. And God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure” (1 Corinthians 10:13, New Living Translation).

We may be disheartened in the face of all the tests, trials and suffering we may have to endure, but consider the troubled lives of those who are not Christians. Yes, maybe we may have much to endure as a Christian, but it’s harder in the long run to endure not being a Christian! God's anointed one said that “he who endures to the end shall be saved” (Matthew 24:13). Endurance is not gliding through constant enjoyment but means making it through difficult times. And that is what God requires of us.

To become a disciple of the lord Jesus we must be prepared for the suffering that will come with that, including some suffering common to man. We live in a world of horrendous injustice, evil and pain, under the influence of the god of this world, Satan. People around us are suffering from health problems, betrayals, addictions and relationship issues with children, parents and partners. And many of these things don’t resolve themselves very easily. How can a Christian deal with that? We have to learn to “suffer with the lord Jesus” - to learn from the suffering aspect of being a Christian.

The bread: the lord Jesus suffering for us

The answer to why we experience suffering lies in the suffering of the lord Jesus pictured by the broken bread. He gave himself to us seeking closeness, presence, togetherness and a relationship. And to accomplish that, he came to be tested and tried as we are. In his last instructions to his disciples on that final Passover night with them, the lord Jesus encouraged them with these words: “These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Through God’s compassion toward us through His anointed one, we are to have compassion toward others: “Blessed be the God and Father of our lord Jesus. The Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as the sufferings of the lord Jesus abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through the lord Jesus” (2 Corinthians 1:3-5).

The lesson of unity

Paul in describing the Passover service made a thought provoking comment about another meaning of the bread: “The Cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of the lord Jesus? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of the lord Jesus? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread” (1 Corinthians 10:16-17, English Standard Version).

In taking of the same bread, says Paul, the members of the called-out Assembly are one through that bread. We become part of him and, through him, of each other.

Jesus’ final prayer before being arrested concerned his disciples then as well as his followers throughout all time. He prayed for their unity: “Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given me, that they may be one as we are” (John 17:11) He specifically prayed that his followers of all ages would be one, unified as he and His Father are one: “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in me, and I in You; that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that You sent me” (John 17:20-21).

Christendom to day is not united, but it was the lord Jesus recorded prayer and his desire that his disciples be unted. So we must ask ourselves: How we can bring about unity and peace? Certainly we know that upon the lord Jesus return, mankind will be united, and there will be a different mindset and spirit. However, the question remains: What is our role in being peacemakers and bringing about unity today?

The Days of Unleavened Bread

As mentioned earlier, the Days of Unleavened Bread follow the Passover. It is indeed interesting that there is such an emphasis on bread over the course of these days. In 1 Corinthians 5:7-8, Paul was writing during the Days of Unleavened Bread. Notice what he stated about the meaning of leaven and being spiritually unleavened: “Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed the lord Jesus, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.”

Leavening, an agent such as yeast that causes bread dough to rise in baking, is a representation of being puffed up and proud. But being spiritually unleavened means we are seeking sincerity and truth. This is yet another significant meaning of the unleavened bread eaten at Passover.

Finale: The bread

The story of the lord Jesus purpose is found in the symbols of the bread and wine he instituted at that final Passover with his disciples. His death for us is depicted by the wine. His life is pictured by the bread, for he calls himself “the Bread of Life.” Jesus, and he desires us to follow him, be his disciples. There is no other way. He is the Bread of Life, and his desire is that we partake of him; so that he becomes part of us and we of him.

Our duty once we understand this is to abide in him, to live our lives with him indwelling in us. We are to imitate him, to be like Him in every way. Also, as we live out our reality in the world today we are to understand and appreciate the lord Jesus suffering for our benefit. He offered up his life so that we can have life everlasting. He has compassion on us, and in the same way we should have compassion on other. We have encouragement in a world that without the  message Jesus brought about the kingdom of God and the things about himself, is without hope! Aa hope that we live through the revelation of God’s Word that we are blessed to have received. May we have our part in the unity of the Bread of God's anointed one, and may God open our eyes to this great revelation and pathway to eternity!

Written by Victor Kubik and edited by Bruce Lyon