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Bearing His Reproach (The Continuing Adventures of Jesus #39) (KC)

Joshua Edgren on

INTRODUCTION

As prophesied, when Paul arrived in Jerusalem, false reports were swirling around, and a riot broke out and Paul was nearly killed. No doubt there were critics who thought Paul could have been more careful, clearer in his teaching, but the real reason was the name of Jesus.

Jesus promised that if we followed Him, we would be misunderstood, lied about, and sometimes persecuted and killed. But when it happens, we’re still often caught off guard and surprised. While it is always worth double checking our words and actions, we have to be prepared for unjust treatment, and we have to be prepared to rejoice when it happens.

The Text: “And after those days we took up our carriages, and went up to Jerusalem. There went with us also certain of the disciples of Caesarea…” (Acts 21:15-34)

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

As planned, Paul and his entourage went down to Jerusalem where they were warmly welcomed, and Paul immediately met with James and all the elders in Jerusalem and reported all that the Lord had done (Acts 21:15-19). The elders informed Paul that there were now thousands of believing Jews in Jerusalem, but a false rumor is going around that he forbids Jews from keeping the law and circumcising their children, and large crowds are coming into town (probably for Pentecost) (Acts 21:20-22).

So the elders asked Paul to sponsor the sacrifices of four men who have taken Nazirite vows, and near the end of the seven days of purification, some Jews from Asia stirred up the crowds and accused Paul of teaching against the temple, the law, and bringing Gentiles into the temple (Acts 21:23-29). A mob quickly formed that began beating Paul, intent on killing him, but the captain of the guard rushed in with soldiers and rescued him (by arresting him), amidst a cacophony of confused accusations (Acts 21:30-34).

THE ACCUSATIONS

The accusations the Jews brought are half-truths and lies. It is true that Paul taught that neither circumcision nor uncircumcision ultimately matters, but only obedience to Christ (1 Cor. 7:19, Gal. 6:15). He also taught that the ceremonial law was a “tutor” for Israel until Christ came (Gal. 4:1-10). But he had also had Timothy circumcised (Acts 16:3), taken a Nazirite vow himself (Acts 18:18), and was at least respectful of the Feasts of Unleavened Bread and Pentecost (Acts 20:6, 16).

So what does this mean? Paul was very concerned to not make Jewish ceremonies a prerequisite for fellowship with God or in the church (e.g. Gal. 2:11ff). He’s happy to make concessions on these “customs” so long as they are just pious customs. He is happy to live as a Jew to win Jews to Christ, and he is happy live as a Gentile to win Gentiles to Christ (1 Cor. 9:20-22). And this is why he is happy to sponsor the fulfillment of these Nazirite vows (Acts 21:23-24). But Paul was fierce about the truth of the gospel and simple obedience to God’s moral law (the Ten Commandments) (e.g. 1 Tim. 1:4ff).

MISUNDERSTANDING & PERSECUTION

So we have here Paul doing everything he can to show deference to different people, and having done so, he is lied about, beaten, and nearly killed by religious people. When the Roman captain of the guard shows up, he even assumes that Paul is probably guilty of something and arrests him (Acts 21:33). And just after our text, it comes out that the captain assumed Paul was some notorious Egyptian terrorist (Acts 21:38).

People often assume that if there’s a mob, there must be someone else who did something wrong to cause it. Someone must have said something or done something to enrage them. But sometimes mobs are just collective, irrational rage, as we see here (Acts 21:34). We have to remember that the center of our faith is a perfect man, who always said and did what was perfectly right, and they hated him, lied about him, and eventually murdered him. And Jesus said, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you…” (Jn. 15:18-21). We must be careful not to suffer as evildoers, but we should also expect to suffer simply because we are Christians (2 Tim. 3:12).

APPLICATIONS

This episode demonstrates the potency of lies and slander. We live in a world inundated with lies and slander. But lies and slander are violence against the truth and the true character of those made in God’s image (Lev. 19:16, Prov. 18:8). Of course, people don’t set out to become murderers. They spin or shade the truth because it seems important for their “cause,” because the other side is so bad, etc. But there are no brakes on that car. When you are reckless with the truth, you become a bad guy, even if you try to tell yourself it’s for some good reason.

In Prince Caspian, when one of the dwarves suggests enlisting the help of some evil hags and ogres, Caspian refuses, and Trufflehunter says, “We should not have Aslan for a friend if we brought in that rabble.” To which Trumpkin also added that they wouldn’t have him. You can’t bring in lies and slander, even against God’s enemies without becoming another one of God’s enemies: “Lying lips are abomination to the LORD: but they that deal truly are his delight” (Prov. 12:22).

Do not easily believe rumors or accusations. This requires judiciousness, thoughtfulness, and being quick to listen and slow to tweet. Do not follow the multitude to do evil (Ex. 23:2), including on social media.

At the same time, you ought not fail to join your voice to the truth, even unpopular truths. When the elders in Jerusalem received Paul warmly, they were standing up for the truth of Paul’s good reputation, even though he was being smeared in the news.

Practice this in your families, with your kids. Don’t assume the worst. Protect their reputations. Be loyal to Christ, the truth, and one another.

And when you get it wrong, admit it, confess it, and make it right. But remember that to follow Christ is to take up a cross, a sign of humiliation and suffering.

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The Day of the Lord (Acts of the Apostles #5)

Joshua Edgren on

INTRODUCTION

We saw last week that the gift of tongues was a marvelous blessing for those who had ears to hear. For believers, the point was all about the grace of God, and the wonderful works of God. But we also saw that for unbelievers, the reality of gibberish in the streets of Jerusalem was beyond creepy. If they had known the meaning of Scripture, they would have heard ominous music in the soundtrack. They were on the threshold of their doom.

We have seen how Luke set the stage for recording Peter’s sermon. In English, the sermon takes about two and a half minutes to speak, but it says later (v. 40) that Peter spoke “many other words” in the follow up. Given the nature of the case, it is important to take in all of Peter’s sermon at one go.

THE TEXT

“But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day. But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel; And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh . . . And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come . . . Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:14–36).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

Peter stood up, and with a loud voice got the attention of these men of Judea and residents of Jerusalem (v. 14). He responds to the charge of drunkenness first. That cannot be it because, he argued, it was only around 9 am (v. 15). These events were actually a fulfillment of a prophecy from Joel (v. 16; Joel 2: ), which he then quotes (vv. 17-21). God is going to pour out His Spirit on all flesh—sons, daughters, young men, old men (v. 17), not to mention male and female slaves prophesying (v. 18). That is the first portent. The second portent is the disintegration of heaven, earth, sun and moon, leading up to the day of the Lord (vv. 19-20)—thunder, lightning, and blue ruin. In this context, whoever calls on the name of the Lord will be saved (v. 21).

Who will the Savior be? These men of Israel already knew that Jesus of Nazareth was attested by God by many miracles and signs (v. 22). The death of these Jesus, also not a secret, was not a divine misfire. Christ was crucified by wicked hands, but also in accordance with the settled plan of God (v. 23). God raised Him from the dead because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him (v. 24). This too was prophesied (Ps. 16:8-11). David saw the Lord, who was on his right hand, such that he would not be moved (v. 25). This was the source of David’s gladness and hope (v. 26). His soul would not be left in Sheol/Hades, and the Holy One would not see corruption (v. 27). The way of life is revealed, and it is joy in the presence of God (v. 28). Peter comments on this passage, saying that David could not have been talking about himself, because his grave was still right there in Jerusalem (v. 29). As a prophet, he was actually saying that a descendant of his would be raised from the dead in order to sit on the throne of David (v. 30), and that this had been sealed with an oath from God. The Christ would be killed, but would not decompose, and would rather be raised (v. 31). Jesus was raised, and all these men speaking in tongues were eye-witnesses of it (v. 32). This risen Christ, now ascended to the right hand of the Father, received the Holy Spirit from the Father, and poured Him out (v. 33). Again, this is not David—for how did David speak of his descendant? He called Him “my Lord,” the one seated at the right hand of God (vv. 34-35; Ps. 110:1). And this is why the entire house of Israel needs to be assured of the fact that God has made this very Jesus, the one crucified a couple months before in that city, both Lord and Christ (v. 36).

DECREATION LANGUAGE

One common form of prophetic declaration is something I call “collapsing solar system” language. The sun goes dark, the moon turns blood red, and all the stars fall like ripe figs in a windstorm. This language occurs frequently in the Old Testament, and there are a number of striking places in the New Testament where these places are cited and repeated. Bible scholars call this kind of language decreation language.

Many ordinary Christians, taking the Bible at face value, go out and look at the night sky, and because everything is still up there, they assume that these prophecies are yet to be fulfilled in our future. But this ignores what the language meant in the Old Testament.

The places are Joel 2:28-32 (cited here); Amos 8:9; Ezek. 32:7; Is. 13:10; Is. 34:4. What do these expressions refer to? Throughout the Old Testament, they always refer to the destruction of a city or nation. “The oracle concerning Babylon which Isaiah the son of Amoz saw” (Isaiah 13:1). And the meaning of such expressions does not change in the New. Remember, the disciples had asked Jesus when the promised destruction of Jerusalem would occur, and part of His reply was to quote Is. 13 and Is. 34. It means the same thing. He was talking about the destruction of Jerusalem, and not the dissolution of the space/time continuum.

Now we saw last week from Is. 28 that the gift of tongues was a portent of destruction for Jerusalem. And Peter’s sermon immediately following makes this explicit. Trouble was certainly brewing. He quotes a passage from Joel, and that passage had two elements. One was the Spirit being poured out voluminously on God’s people, and the other was the great cataclysm. In Peter’s message, these two elements were all of a piece. Pentecost in 30 A.D. and the Destruction in 70 A.D. were all the same event—the great and terrible Day of the Lord.

PREACHING THE RESURRECTION

We do not just preach that Jesus was raised from the dead. We also declare what it means that He was raised from the dead. The risen Christ pours out His Spirit promiscuously—not dispensed with a teaspoon. The risen Christ will visit terrible desolations on the city that murdered Him. The risen Christ offers terms to anyone who willing to call on the name of the Lord. Mercy is extended in the day of wrath. The risen Christ had been identified beforehand by God with miracles, but then betrayed to murderers by the glorious foreordination of God. The risen Christ was raised in accordance with what Scripture had said a millennium before. The risen Christ is on the throne of David, which is the throne of the world. And so it is that the risen Christ cannot be received as anything other than Lord and Christ.

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Discerning the Lord’s Will (The Continuing Adventures of Jesus #38) (KC)

Joshua Edgren on

INTRODUCTION

How do you know what the will of God is for you? We pray that God’s “will” would be done on earth as it is in heaven, but we have many choices to make, some obviously significant and every choice momentous.

Paul said that he was compelled by the Spirit to go to Jerusalem (Acts 19:21, 20:22), and yet, the same Spirit filled disciples urging Paul not to go (Acts 21:4, 11). Does God do this regularly? Does God send mixed signals?

God is not trying to trick anyone, but He does test us. The Holy Spirit drove Jesus into the wilderness to be tempted (Mk. 1:12). This was not so that Jesus would fail, but so He would succeed. Christians must trust and obey God’s clear Word, and then we trust His providence in the gifts, opportunities, and desires He gives us.

The Text: “And it came to pass, that after we were gotten from them, and had launched, we came with a straight course unto Coos, and the day following unto Rhodes, and from thence unto Patara…” (Acts 21:1-14).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

After leaving the Ephesian elders at Miletus, Paul’s entourage sailed along the coast of southwest Asia Minor, until they came to Syria (Acts 21:1-3). While there for seven days, the disciples, by the Holy Spirit, warned Paul not to go to Jerusalem before sending him on his way with prayers (Acts 21:4-6). Sailing south along the coast of Palestine, they came to Caesarea and stayed with Philip, one of the seven, who had four faithful daughters (Acts 21:7-9). While there, the prophet Agabus, foretold that Paul would be arrested in Jerusalem, and everyone tried to dissuade Paul from going (Acts 21:10-12). But while Paul felt the emotional force of their pleas, he was unmoved and ready to die if necessary, and the brothers committed him to the will of the Lord (Acts 21:13-14).

THE WILL OF GOD

How did Paul know what the will of God was? We may not be able to answer exhaustively, but we can have a basic understanding of how God wants us to discern His will. Theologians commonly distinguish between the “decretive will” of God and the “preceptive will” of God. The decretive will is what God has decreed will come to pass before all time (Gen. 1:3, Is. 46:10, Eph. 1:11); His preceptive will is what God has revealed is good and right for His creatures to do (cf. His law, Ex. 20, Dt. 5). So it is God’s preceptive will for all men to repent of their sins and obey God’s law, but regardless of whether they do or not, God works all things together for good for those who love Him (Rom. 8, Gen. 50:20). So while we cannot know God’s ultimate decretive will, His preceptive will (His law and gospel) is the central revelation of His will for us (1 Thess. 4:1-7).

DISCERNING THE WILL OF GOD

So, when you’re trying to determine God’s will, begin by asking: is it lawful/moral? If not, it is not the will of God. It is not the will of God for you to marry an unbeliever, to disobey your parents, or cheat or steal. These moral obligations also include providing for your family, your parents, and having a church community. You would need a clear indication from God that a higher duty is requiring you to set aside one of those duties (e.g. a boss or parent or pastor asking you to sin).

If it is lawful, then the next questions would be: What are your abilities, opportunities, and desires? You may have the ability and desire, but no opportunity. You may have the opportunity, but no ability or desire. As it is sometimes said, “the need is not necessarily the call.” Many orphans need to be adopted, many unreached peoples need to be evangelized, but the need is not necessarily the call. But if you have an opportunity and the ability, sometimes the will of God comes down to what you really want to do. On the other hand, as Jonah learned the hard way, sometimes the need amounts to a command and it doesn’t matter what you want to do (e.g. the Good Samaritan). Also, remember that wisdom is found in the multitude of counselors, and at the same time, you can’t just go along with the multitude (Ex. 23:2).

FACE TOWARD JERUSALEM

Later, Paul will explain that he came to Jerusalem to bring alms and offerings (Acts 24:17). While there may have been other factors at work, it appears that Paul was very concerned to bring his entourage from the new churches in Greece with their offerings to Jerusalem. He knew the risks involved full well, but he believed that this was what was most needful, perhaps particularly for the unity of the Jewish and Gentile churches.

It also continues the pattern of the apostles imitating Jesus, “And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he stedfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem” (Lk. 9:51). And just as Peter wanted to insist that Jesus not go (Mk. 8:31ff), Paul faced similar resistance, testing his resolve. And so we can expect similar testing, and while it can occasionally be wise to double check our decisions, our general instinct ought to be “not to doubt in the dark what we knew in the light.” If we are walking in the Light, confessing our sins and forgiving one another, while God does test us, He does not trick us.

APPLICATIONS

Safety is Not the Highest Good: Our God plays with death and dragons. Wisdom is not reckless, but it is ambitious and courageous. By faith some overcame armies; and by faith some were stoned and sawn in two (Heb. 11). And all of them obtained a good report. Winning and victory are found in obedience to the Lord, not necessarily surviving.

Parents, beware of making safety the highest good. Obedience is the highest good, and obedience often requires selfless courage, danger, and even harm. Paul was prepared to go to prison and die if necessary for the name of Jesus. Wives, beware tempting husbands or children to be unfaithful by your fear of harm. Better the obedience of Christ (dying at 33), than a long life of grieving His Spirit.

Stick to Your Near and Clear Duties: “Seek first the Kingdom of God, and His righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you” (Mt. 6:33). “Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart” (Ps. 37:4). And this includes keeping your word/vows/covenants (Ps. 15:4). This is how God ordinarily shows us His will.

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A Tale of Two Cities (CCT)

Joshua Edgren on

INTRODUCTION

When King Nebuchadnezzar II conquered the kingdom of Judah, the Bible makes it very clear that the exile is a judgment upon Israel. This punishment from God was meted out due to the consistent practice of idolatry in the land. The Jews were given over, “You want to worship idols? Then I will send you to the capital city of idolatry.” As you know, the etymology of the name Babylon is linked to the site of humanity’s first attempt to defy God. The tower of Babel was the first monument of human pride. And thus Babylon, which symbolically represents opposition to God and His people, is aptly named. And while the physical nation of Babylon ceased to exist under Cyrus the Great in the 6th century B.C., the spirit of Babylon persists to this day. And its name is Legion: sexual perversion, materialism, celebrity worship, technological obsession, self-worship, political ideologies, entertainment, and escapism are just a few of its forms. If this is the case, that all of these things are active in the world, what does Isaiah mean when he says, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the carved images of her gods he has shattered to the ground.”? While true that the Babylonian statues of Marduk and Ishtar were trampled under the sandals of the Persians, what does it matter if these idols simply resurrect in different form? Where is the true and final victory? The apostle John echoes Isaiah, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality. Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! She has become a dwelling place for demons, a haunt for every unclean spirit, a haunt for every unclean bird, a haunt for every unclean and detestable beast.” If it’s fallen, why do we see thousands of muslims in Copenhagen, hijacking the public square to bow before a false god? Perhaps we are missing something.

BABYLON – THE WOMAN WHO RIDES THE BEAST

John is carried away in the spirit to the eremon or the wilderness, sometimes translated desert. This is an allusion to Isaiah 21. Listen to the first verse, “The oracle concerning the wilderness of the sea. As whirlwinds in the Negeb sweep on, it comes from the wilderness, from a terrible land.” And from verse 9 of the same chapter, “Fallen, fallen is Babylon; and all the carved images of her gods he has shattered to the ground.” The presence of the phrase “fallen, fallen is Babylon” in both Isaiah and Revelation, alongside the fact that Isaiah 21 depicts a vision of judgment against Babylon, demonstrates that John’s usage is more than mere coincidence. The apostle is intimately familiar with the prophets and he’s quite comfortable borrowing their language. For example, Isaiah 21:1 uniquely combines the apparently disparate images of desert and sea and associates them with Babylon to communicate that the area is destitute. And likewise when we get to Revelation 17 and latter-day Babylon, this woman in the wilderness is found to be “sitting on many waters” to communicate barrenness.

NEW JERUSALEM – THE WIFE OF THE LAMB

The first and most obvious difference is the incongruity of juxtaposing a prostitute with a bride adorned for her husband. One is chaste and demure, saving herself for her husband. The other is indecent and shameless. In the vision, the location for Babylon was the wilderness. Conversely, the bride’s location is a high mountain. Listen to this from Ezekiel 40 and 43. Once again, John is drawing from the Old Testament prophets, “The hand of the Lord was upon me and brought me…and set me on a very high mountain, and upon it there was, as it were, the edifice of a city before me.” In this section of scripture, Ezekiel 40-48, describes the blissful image of a future temple located on a very high mountain. And in no uncertain terms, we as readers are expected to follow John’s reference to Ezekiel’s temple and connect it to the New Jerusalem. We also have many other prophetic references that the coming Jerusalem is to be situated atop a high mountain. Isaiah 2, Isaiah 4, Isaiah 25, Micah 4, Psalm 48, and others. Next, her appearance is described as follows, “…coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God, its radiance like a most rare jewel, like a jasper, clear as crystal.” The clarity of the jasper, the radiance and quality of the light refraction, the degree of its luminosity all point to the concept of purity and the light of truth. Jesus says, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” The church shines brightly as a beacon of hope to the world and she proudly proclaims, “The law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.”

POTIPHAR’S WIFE

Let’s take note of a couple of things. First notice the intersection of duty and temptation. The Lord was with Joseph as he provided stewardship for Potiphar’s house. To avoid the temptation of this woman, he had the following options: leave Potiphar in the lurch and abandon his master. He could give in to temptation and betray Potiphar’s trust. He could tell Potiphar the truth, “Your wife is propositioning me.” How do you think that would’ve gone? Or he could fulfill his duty and endure the slings and arrows of seduction while on the job.

RUTH

In contrast to Potiphar’s wife who pesters and pesters and eventually grabs Joseph in desperation, she gently uncovers the feet of Boaz and lies there, waiting to be discovered. She then exercises more patience as she’s forced to wait. Boaz is not first in line. She waits on the Lord and the Lord blesses her. Ruth is a perfect example of the wife of the lamb.

 

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The Replacement of Judas (Acts of the Apostles #3)

Joshua Edgren on

INTRODUCTION

The main action in the second half of this first chapter has to do with the replacement of Judas Iscariot. But along the way, we learn quite a few things about the early days of the apostolic company.

THE TEXT

“Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is from Jerusalem a sabbath day’s journey. And when they were come in, they went up into an upper room, where abode both Peter, and James, and John, and Andrew, Philip, and Thomas, Bartholomew, and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon Zelotes, and Judas the brother of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren . . . And they gave forth their lots; and the lot fell upon Matthias; and he was numbered with the eleven apostles” (Acts 1:12–26).

SUMMARY OF THE TEXT

 After seeing Jesus ascend, the disciples came back to Jerusalem from Olivet (v. 12). This was a sabbath day’s journey, or about 2/3 of a mile. They came to an upper room, where all the remaining disciples were staying (v. 13). They devoted themselves there to prayer, together with the women, the Lord’s mother and brothers (v. 14). At some point, Peter stood up and addressed them, with the assembled numbering around 120 (v. 15). He said that the treachery of Judas, who guided them to Jesus, was a fulfillment of prophecy (v. 16). Judas was one of them, and was a minister with the rest (v. 17). The 30 pieces of silver had been used to purchase a field, the same field where Judas burst apart (v. 18). This become common knowledge, which resulted in that field being name Aceldama, field of blood (v. 19). The previously mentioned prophecy is then cited, from two places (v. 20). The first is from Ps. 69:25 and the second from Ps. 109:8. The task before the disciples that day was select a replacement for Judas, someone who had been with them from the baptism of John on, up to the ascension (vv. 21-22) They picked out two men who met those qualifications, Joseph and Matthias (v. 23). They then prayed to the one who knows all hearts, asking Him to demonstrate which one He chose (v. 24). This would be a man to join them in ministry, filling the office that Judas fell from by transgression, in order to go to his own place (v. 25). They then cast lots, Matthias was selected, and he was installed with the eleven (v. 26).

A BRIEF HARMONY

The gospels tell us that Judas threw the money down in the Temple before leaving to hang himself (Matt. 27:5), but this passage tells us that Judas bought a field with the money (Acts 1:18). The harmonization is that the Temple authorities bought the field with Judas’s money, and in Judas’s name. And the gospels tell us that Judas hanged himself (Matt. 27:5), and here it says he fell headlong and burst open (Acts 1:18). Which is it? Both. He hanged himself, but no one came and got him, and after some time the rope broke and he fell headlong and came apart.

THE USE OF LOTS

The Lord’s intention in selecting twelve apostles was not accidental. He was deliberately establishing the foundations of a new Israel, and Israel was composed of twelve tribes. The New Jerusalem is the Christian church, and it has twelve gates that are named for the twelve tribes of Israel (Rev. 21:12). The foundation stones of this same church are the apostles (Eph. 2:20). Not only so, but the territory of Canaan was divided up between the tribes by lot. “By lot was their inheritance, as the Lord commanded by the hand of Moses, for the nine tribes, and for the half tribe” (Joshua 14:2).

And when Peter is exhorting elders not to be imperious, he tells them not to be lords over God’s heritage. The word for heritage is kleros—allotment. And in 2 Cor. 10:16, Paul is being very careful not to intrude into another man’s area of ministry, or territory. Paul also comments that he had a special commission to Gentiles just as Peter had to the Jews (Gal. 2:8). It appears that apostles could cross these boundaries, but they did so with care . . . because good fences make good neighbors.

In short, we shouldn’t conclude that casting lots is a great way to make decisions so much as to conclude that the early disciples were clearly echoing the ancient Israelite conquest of Canaan. They were dividing up the world, preparing for their invasion of it . . . once the Spirit was given.

CENTURIES BEFORE JUDAS WAS BORN

Jesus knew that one of the twelve was going to betray Him, and He knew who it was going to be very early in His ministry. “Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him” (John 6:64). John says this knowledge was “from the beginning,” which may account for why the Lord prayed all night before He announced His selection (Luke 6:12-13). At the Last Supper, the Lord washed the feet of Judas, and then later we are told that Jesus identified Judas by giving him a piece of bread after dipping it (John 13:26). Centuries before, David had prophesied that one who had shared bread with the Christ would be the one who betrayed him (Ps. 41:9), and Jesus pointed to this prophecy that evening (John 13:18). And the fact that Judas would create a vacancy by his betrayal was written long before he was born.

Psalm 69 is a clear Messianic psalm, and is quoted in the New Testament in five different places. “Those who hate me without a cause” (v. 4) is quoted in John 15:25 and applied to those who had seen the Lord’s miracles and hated Him anyway. “Zeal of thine house hath eaten me up” is quoted in John 2:17 in the description of the Lord’s first cleansing of the Temple. The second part of that same verse—“the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me” is quoted in Rom. 15:3, where Paul applies it to Christ who lived out an example for us to follow. “Let their table becomes a snare before them . . .” (vv. 22-23) is quoted in Rom. 11:9 and applied by Paul to reprobate Israel. And then the verse that Peter quotes in our passage comes next—“let their habitation be desolate,” talking about the void that Judas left.

The next psalm quoted is one of the fiercest imprecatory psalms in the Bible (Ps. 109), and Peter quotes it without embarrassment. “Let another take his office.” The Greek in Acts 1 is episkopas—his bishopric. Prior to this, Judas had cast out demons, and had healed the sick. His treachery did not unwind those blessings, and did not cause the office itself to disappear.

Nothing is clearer than that God has the ability to wield sinful and wicked actions in a way that results in His own greater glory. “Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain” (Acts 2:23). “For of a truth against thy holy child Jesus, whom thou hast anointed, both Herod, and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles, and the people of Israel, were gathered together, for to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done” (Acts 4:27–28).

There is no way for the Christ to be appointed to die for you without having other elements of the story appointed also.

 

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