Bible Studies For Life
Richard Elligson
Richard Elligson earned a PhD in Theology from Mid-America Baptist Theological Seminary. Archives
Session 5
December 29, 2024
LOOKING FORWARD IN WORSHIP
Matthew 2:1-11, 16-18
The shepherds were simple people. Their world consisted of tending sheep in the great outdoors. They lived simply, were dressed simply, were impressed simply. But the angel’s pronouncement was “good news of great joy that will be for all people” (Lk 2:10). In this week’s lesson, we see another class of people—the scholarly—who also came searching for the Lord. But to understand the full impact of Christ’s incarnation, we must also understand that not everyone saw Him as the long-awaited Savior. While the simple and the scholarly rejoiced over Christ, the scheming rejected Him.
The wise sought to worship Him (vv. 1-9). Although Luke was the historian, Matthew included a time marker in his narrative as well. Everyone knew of Herod the Great. So named because of his consolidation of power and massive construction projects (including the temple in Jerusalem), Herod was nevertheless known as a scrupulous and tyrannical king. From the biblical perspective, he wasn’t so great (and neither was his son Antipas, who presided over the crucifixion of Christ some thirty years later!). The time marker (v. 1) places Christ’s birth around 4-6 BC, once the Christian calendar was instituted and adjusted (between 1200 and 1500 AD). The word translated “wise men” is the Greek magi. Although the word was synonymous with magician, the concept connoted wisdom rather than sorcery. These were the intellectuals of the day: philosophers, mathematicians, scientists, and astronomers. First, notice their inquiry: what brought them to Jerusalem was the appearance of a certain star. The so called “Star of Bethlehem” has been the topic of much debate. Some have attempted to explain it as a brighter, more noticeable appearance of an existing star. Others see it as a “new” star that appeared that may still exist. Others suggest it was a miraculous phenomenon for the singular purpose of that day. This latter view is best supported by verse 9. By all indications, the star must have been moving, visible even in the daylight, stopped over the precise location, and then seemingly vanished. Historians tell us that legends of antiquity suggest that the birth of new kings was heralded by such heavenly appearances. Obviously, such a rare spectacle would have caught (and kept) the magi’s attention. Second, notice their intention: “we have come to worship Him” (v. 2). The basic term means “to bend the knee.” In this case, think to revere or pay homage to. This they did, both honoring the newborn king in their posture and in their presents. Gold is well known as the appropriate gift for nobility; frankincense was a fragrant resin burned in worship; and myrrh was a spice used in embalming and burial. Whether intentional or not, the magi’s gifts were as prophetic for the Suffering Servant as they were appropriate for the King of Kings. For reflection: What truths about the wisemen can be drawn from the text? What myths and legends have been added to the story? Does it really matter? Why or why not?
The wicked king sought to kill Him (vv. 7-8; 16-18). It seems ironic that the Son of God was born to die, yet that was God’s divine plan from the beginning (see 1 Cor. 15:3-4 et al). But not just any death would do. And although the Jewish leaders were ultimately responsible for securing His death, King Herod made the initial attempt thirty years before. The first two hints of Herod’s instability are found in verse 3. The news of a new Jewish king “disturbed” him. The word means to agitate, irritate, or stir up. And the verb tense indicates the magi’s announcement was the reason for his unrest. That all Jerusalem was troubled added to the tension. But the city’s disturbance was not because of Jesus. Rather, it was because their unstable king was capable of anything! The third indication of Herod’s instability was his scheming in verses 7-8. His secrecy and lies about his devotion demonstrate just how worried Herod had become. Finally, his rage at the magi for giving him the slip (v. 16) and subsequent order to kill all the male children in the region remove all doubt about what kind of man Herod the Great really was. Herod may have been the first who sought to kill Him, but he wouldn’t be the last (see John 5:18 for instance). For reflection: What do you think was the real reason King Herod wanted Jesus dead? How about the Jewish leaders thirty years later? What parallels do you see?
Session 4
December 22, 2024
LOOKING FORWARD TO LOVE
John 1:14-18; 3:14-18
More than 40 years ago, recording artist Johnny Lee recorded a song that became a pop music classic. It was “Looking for Love (in All the Wrong Places).” While that song may have struck a chord with a generation of young people, the broader concept has applied to humanity as a whole since the creation and fall of mankind. Since then, over and over, God promised a Messiah. Yet when He arrived, the very people He came to save were not really looking for Him. Indeed, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not” (John 1:11). No other Gospel writer emphasized the love of God more than the apostle John, who aptly referred to Himself as the “disciple whom Jesus loved.” In this week’s lesson, John revealed the love of God as revealed by Christ in at least three ways.
Christ revealed God’s glory (1:14-15). Whereas the other Gospel writers began their stories at specific events in time, John began his in eternity: “In the beginning was the Word.” His use of “word” (logos) is significant. Words communicate. Words explain. Words reveal. Hence, John’s meaning is fairly clear. The Lord Jesus was God’s explanation to mankind. In Christ, God revealed Himself. It’s notable that God’s revelation was given to us in two ways: the Bible is His written word; the Lord Jesus is His manifest word. While His written word and His manifest word are not identical, they are nevertheless inseparable. In these verses, the emphasis is on Christ revealing God’s glory. Notice the method of His revelation: in Christ, God became flesh, and He dwelt among us (v. 14). For this reason, He could be observed. Then notice the message of His revelation: In Christ, God revealed His glory. The description of His glory is significant. It is a unique glory identified as belonging to God Himself (v. 14) and full of those things that clearly identify deity: grace and truth. For reflection: Why do you think John added verse 15? What do you think this extra “identifier” indicates?
Christ revealed God’s grace (1:16-18). “Grace for grace” in verse 16 is a little awkward. But given the flow of thought, the simplest meaning is that of the fulness previously mentioned. The nature of grace is that it is always free and always abundant; and we who understand the depths of our own depravity understand the abundance of His grace (see Rom. 5:20). Indeed, His unmerited favor flows, and flows, and the flows some more! John then gives two examples of God’s grace as revealed by Christ. First, and most obvious, is the priority of grace over the law. The Old Testament law—as pure and righteous as it was—could never save. Moses gave the law to show God’s character; Jesus gave the gospel to show God’s grace. Second, God displayed His grace by revealing Himself. The doctrine of the trinity is difficult to grasp intellectually. There is one true God existing in three distinct persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. All three are co-equal, co-eternal, and co-essent. And while no man has seen God face-to-face (see Ex. 33:20), we do see God when we see Christ. In an act of grace, God revealed Himself as Immanuel, “God with us.” For reflection: Read Romans 7:14-25. How does Paul’s struggle inform our discussion? Do you see yourself sometimes wrestling with the same thoughts?
Christ revealed God’s love (3:14-18). In His nighttime discourse with Nicodemus, Jesus expressed all the essential elements of the gospel. The Man of salvation is Christ. Like the bronze serpent, He Himself would be lifted up on the cross. The means of salvation is faith. In the story of Moses and the fiery serpents (found in Numbers 21), those fatally bitten only needed to “look” at the bronze serpent to be healed. There was nothing magical or mystical about the bronze serpent! Rather, it was the act of looking that saved. The source of salvation is God Himself. He was the one who “gave His only Son” (v. 16). The motive of salvation is love, for “God so loved.” The condition for salvation is belief. The intended audience for salvation is “whosoever believes.” And the result of salvation is more than eternal life…it is salvation from the condemnation that awaits those who don’t accept Him (v. 18). What we could not do for ourselves, God did. And He did so out of love. For reflection: How is God’s grace extended to the lost? Does the freedom to reject Christ in some way indicate God’s grace? What do you think?
Session 3
December 15, 2024
LOOKING FORWARD TO JOY
Luke 2:4-14
Christmas has long been a day of global peace. Through the ages, nations in conflict have come to a stop; warring armies have called truces; friends on the outs have “buried the hatchet;” and families in turmoil have “let bygones be bygones.” And the peace of Christmas…though at times somewhat tentative…brings a quiet joy that only Christmas can bring. Luke’s narrative is rich in both tradition and in meaning. Four key themes are presented.
Preparation (vv. 4-5). Like many conservatives of my generation, I was enamored by Josh McDowell’s classic defense of the Christian faith, Evidence that Demands a Verdict. I attended a conference once, where he emphasized the fact that Jesus fulfilled a whole list of Old Testament prophecies that were clearly beyond anyone’s human control. The circumstances of His birth, for instance. Here is a good example of that, as pointed out by Luke, the historian. The ancestral lineage of the Messiah was clearly predicted in prophecy. He would come from the tribe of Judah (Gen. 49:10), and from the family of David (2 Sam. 7:12-13); He would be born of a virgin (Is. 7:14). Even the city of His birth was specifically named 700 years before His birth! (Mic. 5:2). Although the details roll off of Luke’s pen rapidly, the importance of those details is paramount. The Old Testament prophecies were being fulfilled. Finally, the “fullness of time had come,” and “God sent forth His Son” (Gal. 4:4). For reflection: Do you think it was necessary for Christ to fulfill every messianic prophecy? Do you think any other religion can claim the same record for its founder or prophet?
Presentation (vv. 6-7). By no intention of Mary or Joseph (or even Ceasar Augustus), the prophecies were fulfilled. While in Bethlehem, Mary went into labor and Jesus was born. For such a momentous occasion, the details of Christ’s birth are surprisingly sparse—as were His surroundings! Torn rags were His birth wrap, and a hay trough was His bed. The legends and tales surrounding “the inn”—and supposed innkeeper—are simply that: legends and tales. Luke includes the detail to indicate first, that the city was crowded, and second, that no special accommodations were made to receive the Son of God. For reflection: What significance do you see in Christ’s humble birth? How do you think a “royal reception” might have affected the gospel message?
Proclamation (vv. 8-12). The angelic proclamation to the lowly shepherds is significant. My friend from Bethlehem confirmed that the shepherds of the region still stay out in the hillsides with their flocks (albeit never in December!). He also confirmed what we have all been taught: that shepherding is a humble and dirty job. Yet, many of the biblical heroes of old started out in the fields and pastures. How fitting that the host of heaven would announce the gospel to the lowliest of men! In the verses that follow, the shepherds hurried into the city to see for themselves what the angels had announced (vv. 15-16). Then they themselves became the first evangelists, as they “reported the message” of what they had heard and seen (v. 17). For reflection: What prominent men of the Bible started out as shepherds? In what ways do you think that lowly lifestyle might have prepared them for future ministry?
Promise (vv. 13-14). The choir of heaven welcomed His birth with praise and adoration, but also with a promise: this child would bring peace. As simple as it is, the construction of the phrase is awkward; it conveys the idea that peace would be granted to those disposed toward peace. This was further insinuated by old Simeon on the temple steps some days later: “Indeed, this child is destined to cause the fall and rise of many in Israel” (v. 34) and confirmed by Jesus Himself in Matthew 10:34-36. Yet peace is only found in Him. As Presbyterian theologian Albert Barnes (c. 1830) put it: “The Saviour was predicted as the Prince of Peace (Is. 9:6). The world is at war with God; sinners are at enmity against their Maker and against each other. There is no peace to the wicked. But Jesus came to make peace; and this He did.” For reflection: Read what Jesus said in Matthew 10:34-36. Does His statement contradict His title as the Prince of Peace? Why?
Session 2
December 8, 2024
LOOKING FORWARD TO PEACE
Isaiah 8:20 through 9:7
In 1650, poet and theologian Thomas Fuller coined the popular phrase, “It is always darkest just before the dawn.” I’m not sure whether that’s true meteorologically or not, but anyone who has ever shivered through a cold, dark night would certainly agree that nothing is more welcome than the dawn’s sun peeking over the eastern horizon.
Isaiah the prophet spoke of the darkness of Judah’s sin, and the subsequent darker darkness of the coming captivity that resulted. But even in the midst of God’s judgement, was the promise of a new day dawning. In this week’s lesson, three key words come to mind.
Darkness (8:20-21). If there was no darkness, we wouldn’t understand light. The darkness of Israel’s sin is highlighted in the previous verses of chapter 8. The “they” of verse 20 refers to the false prophets and soothsayers mentioned in verse 19. Rather than listening for the spirts of the dead, should they not listen to the word of God? The warning that follows is dire. Those who pursue darkness will certainly find it! Notice the starkness of the terms the prophet used: those who reject God would be dejected, hungry, famished, enraged. They would “curse their king and their God” (v. 21). Their lostness would be utter; characterized by distress, darkness, and the gloom of affliction (v. 22). The result? They would run headlong from their present darkness into even thicker darkness. And for them, there would be no dawn (v. 20). For reflection: Do you think this description applies only to the false prophets or does it extend to all who deny God. Why?
Dawning (9:1-5). The promise of 9:1 is directly attached to the calamity of 8:22. The word “gloom” likely refers to both the physical hardships they and their land would endure as well as the cloud of despair that would engulf them. Yet even before it all began, there was a light at the end of their tunnel. The poetic description of the region is meant to encompass the entire area. Galilee, specifically, is significant in that that region received the first assaults of the coming captivity (and six centuries later, the first proclamation of the gospel!). In the Scriptures, light is used in a variety of ways. At times it refers to spiritual knowledge; at others, to joy; at others, to deliverance. But in every case, light is used in a positive, encouraging way. Again, it is virtually always set in a way that contrasts with “darkness” either directly (as in 1 John 1:8) or indirectly (as in Is. 2:5). There is a literary shift here as well. The language is both poetic and prophetic, and the verb tenses indicate a certainty in its fulfillment. The remaining verses in this section describe the blessings of light (as opposed to remaining in the darkness). Notice that this coming (and certain) light drives out darkness (v. 2); it is the harbinger of great joy (v. 3); it expresses deliverance over oppression and victory over the enemy (v. 4); and it signals the end of battle and the beginning of a reign of peace (v. 5). For reflection: Besides the obvious replacement of darkness with light, why do you think the prophet used the metaphor of “dawning?” What other connotations of the word might be included here?
Deliverance (9:6-7). Here, the prophet combines the promise of temporal, physical deliverance with eternal, spiritual deliverance. And that deliverance would come in the form of a person. No other prophet so revealed the coming of, and characteristics of, the Messiah. Notice His nativity (v. 6): A child would be born (see also Is. 7:14ff); and the child (His Son) would be God’s gift to humanity. Notice His nobility (v. 6): He would shoulder the rule of a nation. Simply put, He would uphold the rule of mankind. Notice His names (v. 6): they describe His deity. The characteristics wrapped up in those names could not be ascribed to mere men! Notice His nation (v. 7): it would be vast; it would prosper; it would be founded on God’s promises and grounded on the throne (and lineage) of King David; it would be eternal in both its reign and its influence; and it would be ruled over with justice and righteousness. For reflection: The end of verse 7 says, “The zeal of the Lord of Hosts will accomplish this.” Why do you think this section ends with this statement? What is Isaiah saying here?