FEBRUARY 17
Leviticus 4-5
These chapters
are a good exercise in Bible study. Look for words or phrases that repeat.
These will go through both chapters. Also, look for or if… Notice also the order of those who had to seek forgiveness.
It began with the leaders. If the leaders were sensitive and responsive to God,
the people would follow their example. A disciple is not greater than his
teacher.
Leviticus 4
The offerings
described here have to do with sin that is unintentional. Another way to think
of this is that it was a sin that was not punishable by death or expulsion from
the community of faith.
Vs. 1-12 This offering
was for the sin of the high priest. Notice that the animal has to be a bull,
that the blood has to be presented in the Holy Place, and that the entire
animal had to be burned. Nothing was to be eaten.
Vs. 13-21 This offering
was for the sin of the nation, but not specifically for the Day of Atonement.
This entire procedure was identical to that of the offering for the high
priest.
Vs. 22-26 This offering
was for a leader of the people. Notice that the animal was a male goat, the
blood was sprinkled on the altar for burnt offering in the courtyard. When it
says that the fat was burned on the altar, it means that the meat went to the
priests. Notice that this "fat" isn't what you or I normally eat.
Vs. 27-35 This offering
was for the common people, and it could be a goat or a lamb; but this time the
animal was a female.
Leviticus 5
What stands out
to me here is that sin not only cost people something (animals weren't cheap),
but they had to put something to death. Practically speaking, today if this
same practice were true, it might make people think twice about repeating bad
habits and doing stupid stuff. The price of covering sin should remind us as
disciples that sin isn't something we should get "used to."
Vs. 1-6 Now we
have specific examples of the kinds of sins the common people might commit, for
which they would need a sin offering to seek forgiveness. I don't think this
list is exhaustive, but it gives guiding examples.
One thing that
hits me was that this person realized their guilt. Realizing their guilt would
be the ministry of the Spirit, but to really "realize" it would cost
them something. The examples given here also suggest some instances of
cleansing the conscience and some of cleansing the body.
V. 3 Mary, the
mother of Jesus, had to offer a sacrifice for purification or cleansing after
Jesus' birth. Obviously, Mary hadn’t sinned.
Vs. 7-10 This
offering is what Joseph and Mary gave. It showed they were poor, but not
completely destitute. Again this was an offering for purification and not for
sin.
Vs. 11-13 This
offering is what you gave if you were very, very poor.
Vs. 14-19 This
guilt offering seems to be a special variation of the offerings for sin and
guilt. It appears that this had to do with a sin against God, which held back a
portion of tithe or something due to the priests. The animal had to be a ram,
and there had to be restitution of what was not given or what was lost. Then,
on top of the restitution, you had to give another fifth (v. 16).
As I read this
it seems to me that it would be burned into the minds of these people that when
they sinned, even if it was unintentional, a life would be lost. And not only
would an animal die, the person had to put his hand on its head and kill it
himself. That’s pretty heavy. I wonder, as disciples, if we truly appreciate
the deep repercussions of sin. I know it’s true of me that at times I take both
sin and the Lord’s death for granted. In Leviticus, God is making the people,
and nation, appreciate the meaning of sin. He will also make them value their
responsibility toward each other to be holy before the Lord.
Mark 2:13-3:6
Mark 2:13-28
Vs. 13-14 Levi
(Matthew), the rich tax collector and socially rejected man, felt comfortable
to accept Jesus’ offer, because Jesus dared to face off against the religious
right on the issue of “shunning” sinners. You cannot attract the lost with the
message of the love of Christ, by not loving the lost. Distance of values does
not mean you have to be distant from the person. You don’t find a greater
separation of values than between holy God and sinful man, but still, the Word
became flesh and dwelt among us, full of grace and truth.
When I read
this I always get the idea that Jesus had noticed Matthew paying attention to
His teaching. By this time, Jesus had done many miracles in Capernaum. In fact,
Matthew might have been there when the paralytic was healed. On this day as
Jesus walked past the tax office, the Spirit nudged Him to invite Levi to
follow Him.
Vs. 15-17 Apparently Matthew invited his friends to
mingle with Jesus. Tax collectors were looked on as vile traitors, and sinners
were "common" people who didn't know the law. But this crowd that does not know the law is accursed. (John 7:49) It is interesting here that it was the
religious people that Jesus had the problem with. He was there to be a
physician to the lost and sinners.
Vs. 18-22 We
saw this in Matthew's Gospel. Not all of John’s disciples followed Jesus. These
men were mourning that John had been imprisoned, and the Pharisees probably
influenced them to be bitter toward Jesus. Ironically, Jesus reserves His first
use of parables for these disciples, and His answer to them is very
compassionate. If you look at the end of John 3, you will see John the Baptist
use the illustration of a bridegroom with his own disciples. Apparently Jesus
heard about that, and used the same illustration here to smooth their feelings.
As Mark relates this event, he is showing Jesus' authority over the teaching of
John.
Vs. 23-28 To
put this in perspective, insert John 5 right before this event. This is why the
Pharisees were now following Him so closely. In John 5 Jesus was in Jerusalem
for the second Passover of His ministry. There, He healed a man on the Sabbath,
and in the conflict that followed, Jesus called Himself, both the Son of God
and the Son of Man. The way He used these titles is really interesting. It made
the Pharisees hate Him because it was so clear.
Here Jesus
states very clearly that as the Son of
Man, He is Lord of the Sabbath and more important than the temple.
Matthew/Mark/Luke have this event and the one that follows, together, meaning
that’s exactly how it happened chronologically. Since all three Gospels include
this event, it means it was a very significant event.
Mark 3:1-6
Matthew
mentions that it was "their" synagogue, suggesting that it was the
home base of the Pharisees with whom Jesus was just in conflict. Some believe
this man was put there on purpose as a trap for Jesus. Doctor Luke mentions
that it was the man’s “right” hand. The Pharisees' reaction is intense and
insane. They never would have joined together with the Herodians. Sin is like that.
As disciples,
if we are doing our job, walking closely with Christ in the harvest, this kind
of opposition will be ours, and not just from the “unbelieving” community.
Following Christ and making disciples in the harvest has to be our true reward
and passion.
When you read
what Jesus says in John 5, He says He couldn't help but heal on the Sabbath
because He could see what the Father was doing and what the Father wanted Him
to do. The Son always did what the Father did, even on the Sabbath. Even if the
Pharisees couldn't see it, Jesus lived to imitate His Father. It didn't matter
what the crowd thought. Jesus acted in obedience for an audience of One.
Psalm 36
There are two
things I’ve never seen here before.
Vs. 1-4 First,
the description of the man in these verses is dark. What defense do you have if
this sort of secret, black-ops deceitfulness is aimed at you?
Vs. 5-12
Second, notice the repetition of your
steadfast love. This is our true hope and refuge. Only God can know all of
the things aimed at us as we serve Him in this dark time of harvest. But
knowing He knows is not the only comfort and strength we have. We have
something better. Our hope and joy and strength is in the steadfast love of the
Lord. That’s got to be enough. Lord, teach me this.
Proverbs 10:1-2
One of the
things that always interests me is the connection between verses, if there is
one. Doesn’t the connection between verses in Proverbs seem completely random
sometimes? So, is v. 2 the reason for the responses in v. 1? If so, that would
kind of be like saying…
A wise son, whose righteousness delivers
him from death, makes his father
glad;
But a foolish son, who gains things by
pursuit of ungodliness, finds no lasting value in his life and brings sorrow to his mother.
Just a suggestion.
If you’re reading along
and don’t have a One Year Bible, click on this link http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/every-day-in-the-word/. If that doesn't work, go to http://www.esvbible.org/devotions/ and click on “Every Day in the Word.”
I'm writing these comments
to and for those who are following a One Year Bible and interested in growing
deeper as a disciple, following Jesus in the harvest. My hope is to see the
growth of a discipleship culture in the church. Groups of 3-4 disciples,
meeting weekly, encouraging each other to follow Christ and work to reach out
and make disciples who make disciples. The Bible itself is the most universal
manual we have and key to our growth and service in Christ. Nothing keeps us
more focused on why we are here or what we are to be doing. My comments are
only meant to provide some explanation of the events or to show the flow of
God's plan of redemption. My comments are in no way exhaustive, but are
designed to keep us focused on Christ and our role in His harvest. My hope is that
the people in these groups will grow in Christ and be willing, after a year, to
find 3 others to meet with and encourage in their growth as disciples,
disciples making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a
complete description of this model of being and making disciples you can find
it in my book: Simply Disciples*Making Disciples.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B011WJIDQA?*Version*=1&*entries*=0
If you would like a more
descriptive commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the
Bible Knowledge Commentary. It's keyed to the NIV, so the result is the
commentators are constantly telling you what the Greek or Hebrew is. That never
hurts.
I am not endorsing any
particular One Year Bible; in fact, I read something you don't, die revidierte
Lutherbibel 1984.
Anyone reading along with
us is welcome to do so and is encouraged to take their own notes and make their
own observations. If the comments made do not agree with your particular
tradition or understanding, that's OK. Nothing I've written is meant to
criticize any point of view, but only to express the truth of what God has
written to us, as I understand it. Send comments or feedback to dgkachikis@gmail.com.
If you would like
documents containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes. You can download these to use on your computer or to
print.
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