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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 theirs 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.
Please Read
the Following Disclaimer
I'm writing the Reading Notes to and
for those who are following a One Year Bible and are 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, that is, 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 and important discipleship manual we have and it is the 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, or whom we are to be following. 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, as disciples, 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, making disciples in the harvest.
If you would like a more descriptive
commentary that is still readable and concise, I'd recommend the Bible Knowledge Commentary (BKC).
I read the BKC in doing background for the Reading Notes and refer to it quite
often. I also make reference to maps or charts in the BKC, though I will only
note where those resources can be found. Often you can do a search for these
and find them in Google books. Buying both volumes of the Bible Knowledge
Commentary would be a good idea.
I am not endorsing any particular
One Year Bible translation; in fact, I read something you probably don't, Die
Revidierte Lutherbibel, 1984. Unless noted, all Scripture quotes are from the
ESV Bible.
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. Often there is a breadth of opinion on certain events, both
historical and prophetic. Many of my views come from my church background,
theological training and my personal study.
I'm
doing this with discipleship in mind, meaning, I'm writing out thoughts that
will keep discipleship and our growth as disciples applied to what we are
reading. Remember, the real focus of the Reading Notes is to be a
supplement, a disciple’s commentary, giving motivation and insight so that we
will keep following our Lord in the harvest, reaching the lost and making
disciples, who make disciples. Being in
the Word every day, sitting at Jesus’ feet, learning directly from Him, is the
essential essence of being and making disciples.
May the Lord bless you as you follow Him in the
harvest, reaching the lost and making disciples, who make disciples. Dan
If you would like documents
containing an entire month of the Reading Notes, go to https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
If you would like a full
presentation of discipleship read Simply
Disciples*Making Disciples.
Or if you are struggling with
insomnia and would like a long boring dissertation on disciple making, these
can both be found on https://sites.google.com/site/dlkachikis/reading-notes.
Reading Notes ©, Dan Kachikis
2011, 2012, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018
The One Year Bible © by
Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton Illinois 60189
The Holy Bible, English
Standard Version® (ESV®) Copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers.
All charts/graphics/outlines
from the Bible Knowledge Commentary are used with the permission of David C.
Cook.
© 1983, 2001 John F Walvoord and Roy B Zuck.
The Bible Knowledge Commentary is published by David C Cook.
All rights reserved. Publisher permission
required to reproduce.
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