| December 13, 1998 |
Vol. I, No. 32
|
In studying the Bible it is important to recognize a common characteristic of Jewish expression: the tendency to use “Not..., but...” reasoning to emphasize or compare alternatives. Where we might simply say one thing is “better” or “more important” than the other, the Jewish speaker or writer might well express that same thought by using “not..., but...” construction. It is significant that the emphasis is to be placed on the “but” part of the sentence. The “but” qualifies the “not.” While the “not” phrase MAY speak of something strictly forbidden, such is not necessarily the case. For instance in 1 John 3:18, “Let us NOT love in word, neither in tongue; BUT in deed and in truth.” The command does not mean that to use kind words and speak of love is wrong. It DOES teach that love is to be measured MORE by our deeds. Paul, John, Peter, and Jesus SPOKE words of love, but the real test of love was in their deeds. Here we see that the “but” phrase qualifies and makes clear the significance of the “not” phrase. Without the qualifying phrase, the first phrase would be incomplete and would contradict such passages as 2 John 1; 3 John 1; 2 Cor. 12:15, etc.
Again, note Rom. 14:17, “For the kingdom of God is NOT food and drink; BUT righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit.” The last phrase qualifies, clarifies, gives proper sense to the first part of the statement. The verse does not teach that there are absolutely no restrictions concerning food or drink. See Acts 15:29; 1 Tim. 3:3. What it DOES TEACH is the importance of righteousness, peace and joy in God’s kingdom. When a person has the proper sense of righteousness, peace and joy, he will seek out and observe whatever God has recalled concerning meat and drink. The part of the verse to be EMPHASIZED is the second phrase.
Another example of this construction is found in 1 Pet. 3:3-4. “Whose adorning let it NOT be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on apparel; BUT let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.” Does this mean that women are not to adorn themselves outwardly, not to put on apparel? No, for that would certainly contradict such verses as 1 Tim. 2:9 where they are instructed to “adorn themselves in modest apparel.” What 1 Pet. 3:3-4 DOES TEACH is the importance of adorning themselves INWARDLY with meek and quiet spirit as opposed to EMPHASIZING the clothing of the outward body.
We have this usage again in 2 Cor. 8:8, “I speak NOT by commandment, BUT by occasion of the forwardness of others, and to prove the sincerity of your love” The phrase “not by commandment” is qualified by the last phrase. It does not teach that they had never been commanded to give, for they had. “As I gave ORDER to the churches in Galatia, even so do ye...” (1 Cor. 16:1-2). They had an apostolic order, command, or appointment to lay by in store on the first day of every week. Paul did not in 2 Cor. 8:8 set aside that order, but he did state that he desired their gift to be (1) by occasion of the forwardness of others, and (2) to prove the sincerity of their love, instead of grudgingly giving because they felt they had no choice. See 2 Cor. 9:7.
The use of this same principle will do much to aid the Bible student in understanding such passages as John 20:17; 1 Cor. 1:17; 1 Cor. 14:34; John 6:27, etc.
--CRJ
When I preach there are some who say
That they could listen to me all day.
Others thing I preach too long.
Some think I go about it all wrong.
Some say my sermon is much too deep.
To some it’s so shallow they go to sleep.
Some say I hold them all spell-bound,
While others squirm and look around.
Some declare me an orator;
Others say I’m a perfect bore.
A few folks think I preach just right.
But some affirm that I’m much too light.
Some folks feel I’ve met success;
Others think my work’s a mess.
Some have said my pay’s too low
When they discovered the pace I go.
Others say it’s above the peak,
“Why, he only works three hours a week.”
From all of this it’s plain to see
That as a preacher, I’m up a tree.
Condemned if I do and condemned if I don’t.
Criticized if I go; criticized if I won’t.
I can’t please men of such discord
So I’ll keep on trying to please the Lord
By “speaking the truth in love.”
--author unknown
In Matt. 7:24-27, Jesus said, “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the wind blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. Now everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand; and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, and it fell. And great was its fall.” In this parable, Jesus is underscoring what He had just said in verses 21-23, that a great testing time is coming, and that the ones who will pass that test are those who have done God’s will. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.”
We note that these words come at the end of Jesus’ famous sermon on the mount. It might behoove us to look back over that sermon briefly.
He opened that sermon in chapter five by promising eternal happiness to those who learn to practice meekness, humility, mercy, righteousness and peacefulness. He warns that such an unusual lifestyle is sure to produce persecution, and thus those who endure persecution for righteousness’ sake will also be blessed.
He compares believers to salt and light, telling them to be a pervading influence on the world around them. He informs us that He had come to fulfill the Old Testament law, which He did by keeping its precepts perfectly and by fulfilling all its prophecies and types which looked forward to the Messiah and His sacrifice.
Then He made a number of contrasts between God’s true will and God’s will as interpreted by the scribes and Pharisees, saying His followers must maintain the higher standard.
Chapter six begins with instructions to His followers to keep God uppermost in their minds as they worship, so that they do not engage in prayer, fasting, and giving for the purpose of impressing other men. He gives them a model or example prayer. He warns against materialism, telling us to be more interested in heavenly treasure than earthly, and not to be overly concerned with things that pertain only to the earth-life.
In chapter seven, He warns against harsh judgments and fault-finding, yet He tells us that we must examine the fruits of others, lest we be led astray, or lest we waste our efforts, casting pearls before swine. Finally, then, He sums up the entire sermon with the words of our text, telling us the importance of doing what He has instructed us to do. Then Matthew records, “And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.”
--CRJ