Down an Unfamiliar Road

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER NINE

Part I

NOTE: In this chapter we find on display the whole gamut of human need and the power of God in Christ to supply the answer to those needs in every situation.

          Condition                                            Source                                            Remedy

          Sin                                                        Satan                                  Forgiveness of Christ

          Physical illness                                Nature                                Words of Christ

          Internal bleeding                            Illness                                 Touching Christ

          Being dead                                         Death                                  Touch of Christ

          Blindness                                           Disease                               Command of Christ

          Being possessed                              Demons                              Superiority of Christ

Verse 1: Jesus got into a boat and went back across the lake to His own town.

With His work completed in Gadara, Jesus now sails north some 12 miles across the Sea of Galilee to where He is living. By this time it was understood that Matthew was not referring to Bethlehem or Nazareth, but Capernaum.¹ The key factor is that the writer indicates this was now Jesus’ home town.² Even early church writer Chrysostom says: “By His ‘own city’ here he means Capernaum. For that which gave Him birth was Bethlehem; that which brought Him up, Nazareth; that which had Him continually inhabiting it, Capernaum.”³

There were several factors that went into someone claiming a town or city as the permanent residence in those days. In a discussion by Jewish Rabbis one asked: “How long must a man reside in a city to be considered a resident of the city and thereby be liable to participate in the aforementioned costs? Twelve months. If, however, he buys a house there, he is immediately regarded as a resident of the city”.⁴ Also, a Jewish teacher known as Raba was asked: “How long must [a stranger] stay in a town, that he may be as its citizen? Answered Raba, twelve months”.⁵ So it appears that by this time, Jesus had passed the one year mark in Capernaum.

Verse 2: Some people brought to Him a man who was paralyzed and was lying on a mat. Jesus saw that these people had much faith. So He said to the paralyzed man, “Young man, you will be glad to hear this. Your sins have been forgiven.”

It is remarkable that Jesus greeted the young man the way He did. How did Jesus know this man had committed any sins? Did He know what sins the man was involved in? The answer is found in the teaching of the Jews related to illnesses. We read that the Rabbis taught that many of the consequences of sin is physical punishment in the form of disease. After all, isn’t this what God threatened when He said to Moses, “How much longer is this people going to treat me with contempt? How much longer will they not trust Me, especially considering all the signs I have performed among them? I am going to strike them with sickness, destroy them and make from you a nation greater and stronger than they are!”⁶ Another Rabbi also taught: “There is no death without sin, and there is no suffering without transgression.”⁷ And Jewish commentators tell us that this is based on the words in Ezekiel where it says: “The person who sins is the one that will die — a son is not to bear his father’s guilt with him, nor is the father to bear his son’s guilt with him; but the righteousness of the righteous will be his own, and the wickedness of the wicked will be his own.”⁸

From this we get this picture: this man’s friends knew the man was dying as the result of some sinful behavior that had left him unable to move and having to be carried about. This could have involved alcoholism, venereal disease, or after having had a stroke. But the fact that Jesus calls his condition the result of sin, does not necessarily mean that our Lord agreed that all sickness is a result of sin, but because He knew what error the man had made. However, his friends believed that even though this young man may not have had any faith of his own, they were hoping that their faith in Jesus would be enough to find healing for him.

Early church commentator Peter Chrysologus had this to say on what happened here. He writes: “Note in this regard, my brothers, that God does not inquire into the wants of those who are deliriously ill. He does not wait to see the faith of the uneducated or probe the senseless wishes of the sick. Yet He does not refuse to help the faith of another, so that by grace alone He confers whatever is proper of the divine will. In fact, my brothers, when does a doctor ever inquire into or examine the wishes of those who are ailing, for a patient is prone to be confused in his wishes and demands.”⁹ In other words, when someone is in need of healing and they are mentally unable to petition God in prayer, God will recognize the faith of those who bring their request to Him, just like Jesus responded to the faith of those who brought this paralyzed man to Him.

Verse 3: Some of the teachers of the law heard what Jesus said. They murmured among themselves, “What an insult to God for this man to say such a thing!”

When Jesus voluntarily turned to this man and told him that his sins had been forgiven, you would have thought that the teachers of the law might rejoice with the words of David, “It is a great blessing when people are forgiven for the wrongs they have done, when their sins are erased. It is a great blessing when the Lord says they are not guilty, when they don’t try to hide their sins.”¹⁰ But instead, they became critical. Possibly for two reasons: Bible scholars tell us that such paralysis in ancient days was cause by over drinking which brought on a stroke or palsy. So the scribes may have been upset for that reason. And of course the second reason, was that Jesus was playing God, in their eyes. As far as the man was concerned, certainly Jesus’s words were like what Isaiah heard God say to Israel, “Your sins were like a big cloud, but I wiped them all away. Your sins are gone, like a cloud that disappeared into thin air.”¹¹ It is also remarkable that Jesus uses an indicative verb “have been” which is a statement of fact. Perhaps that also upset the scribes because it took away any need for Temple sacrifices.

But what upset them most was a violation of the law whereby they could accuse Him of misusing the name of the Lord.¹² In other words, it wasn’t Jesus who was forgiving this man, but Jesus used God’s prerogative to do so. What strikes me, however, is how many other cities could have had the honor of being known as Jesus’ “home town?” Was He not born in Bethlehem; raised in Nazareth; ministered throughout Galilee, and ended up in Jerusalem? But He chose Capernaum instead. Perhaps that is because there was no room in Bethlehem; Nazareth simply could not believe in the carpenter’s son being the Messiah so they drove Him out; and Jerusalem would reject Him once too often. How many hearts have also been visited by Christ, but they too have turned Him away. Oh soul! Have you also been equally as uninviting to the Lamb of God? Don’t you know He wants to make your heart His home?

Chrysostom makes this comment on what the scribes where thinking here. He writes: “It belongs only to God to know men’s secrets, hear what saith the prophet, ‘Since you know their hearts (for you alone know the human heart);’¹³ and again, ‘You, the righteous God who probes minds and hearts;’¹⁴ and Jeremiah too says, ‘The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?’¹⁵ and, ‘People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.’¹⁶ And by many things one may see, that to know what is in the mind belongs to God alone. Implying therefore that He [Jesus] is God, equal to Him as His Son; what things they were reasoning in themselves (for through fear of the multitude, they dare not speak their mind), but He unveils and makes manifest their opinion, evincing herein also His great gentleness. And yet if there was any cause for displeasure, it was the sick man who should have been displeased, as being altogether deceived, and should have said ‘One thing I came to have healed, and You add another. Why, how is it manifest that my sins are forgiven?’ But for his part he utters no such word, but gives himself up to the power of the healer; but these critics being curious and envious, plot against the good deeds of others. Wherefore He rebukes them indeed, but with all gentleness. ‘Why, if you did not believe what I said first [about his sins being forgiven], and though it was boasting, at least consider that I am added to it that I can reveal your secret thoughts.”¹⁷

It is also noteworthy to focus on the fact that Jesus did not say: “I forgive you your sins,” but rather, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” This is the same phrase He used for the woman who came and anointed His feet with oil.¹⁸ This may have led the critical onlookers to conclude that since only God the Father can forgive sins, Jesus was assuming power that did not belong to Him. But even on the cross He would cry out, “Father forgive them.” But Jesus did say: “Take up your mat and walk.” He did so with the same authority by which He told the demons to come out. No doubt our Lord saw this as critical in their understanding of Him as well as His own disciples. So our Lord chose this occasion to teach a very valuable lesson.

Verse 4: Jesus knew what they were thinking. So He said, “Why are you thinking such grievous thoughts?”

Surely these scribes knew what God said to Isaiah: “I, the I AM wipes away all your sins. I do this to please Myself. I choose not remember your sins.”¹⁹ So we can see why it offended them that Jesus would presume He had such a divine privilege. How could He exalt Himself that way when the prophet Micah had said: “There is no God like you. You take away people’s guilt.”²⁰ This ability of Christ to read man’s thoughts should not be interpreted as some display of power to validate His divinity. Coupled with His other acts of power however, it does give it a supreme essence for revealing and recognizing Jesus as the true Son of God. His ability to order that sins be forgiven is truly marvelous; His healing virtue is absolutely magnificent; but to realize that He knows the secrets of our hearts and minds is awesome. To the sinner it is debilitating, but to His children it is a delight. To know that He forgives me is unspeakable joy; to know that He can heal me is undefinable happiness; and to know that He understands just what I need brings unutterable peace.

Once some Rabbis were discussing the characteristics of the Messiah to come and one of them said: “It is written of the Messiah: And the Spirit of the Lord will rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge of the fear of the LORD. And will give him quick discernment with reverence to the LORD.”²¹ In the same place it goes on to say that a man named Bar Koziba²² reigned two and a half years, and then said to the Rabbis, “I am the Messiah.” They answered, “Of Messiah it is written that He discerns and judges: let us see whether Bar Koziba can do the same.” When they saw that he was unable to judge by discernment, they killed him for being a false messiah.

Certainly our Lord’s discernment of what they were thinking should have given these teachers of the law pause to think that maybe this Jesus could in fact be the Messiah. Someone may be able to initiate any of these phenomenon of healing, discerning of thoughts, and announce the forgiveness of sin has been attained one at a time, but it takes the Son of God to do all three at once. This three-fold ministry of Christ has been largely neglected and missing in our churches today.

In any Catholic church you can go to confession and hear a priest or say, “The priest will now absolve you of your sins,” but seldom, if ever, will you hear him say to a paralyzed person, “Take up your bed and walk.” In most Evangelical churches you will rarely hear, “I will now absolve you of your sins,” and most likely will also not hear “Your faith has brought you healing.” And in many Pentecostal churches you may hear a prayer for divine healing, but seldom will you hear a word of discernment or word of knowledge given such as: “The Spirit tells me that you are suffering this because of something wrong you have done.”

It is what I call “The Empty Egg” condition of the church. That’s like breaking open an egg only to find out that it is empty inside. Likewise, we have everything it takes on the outside to look like a church that represents the power, the presence, and the perception of the Lord Jesus Christ, but inside His power, presence and perception is missing. In this instance, Jesus was ready to give an answer for what He had done, but not before teaching His critics a lesson.

Verses 5-6: “The Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins. But how can I prove this to you? Maybe you are thinking it was easy for me to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven.’ There’s no proof that it really happened. But what if I say to this man, ‘Stand up and walk’? Then you will be able to see that I really have this power.” So Jesus said to the paralyzed man, “Stand up. Take your mat and go home.”

Here our Lord was asking a rhetorical question because He was about to prove the point that He was making. If our Lord’s ability to discern was not enough, certainly this display of divine power should have been convincing. If there was any doubt that when Jesus told this man, “Your sins are forgiven,” that He had the authority to do so, He removes all doubt by claiming such power. It is conjectured therefore, that since Jesus told His disciples that all the power given to Him by the Father He was passing on to them, then certainly the authority to forgive sins on behalf of the Father was included.²³

The reason why, is because He ended by saying, “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”²⁴ The Roman Catholic Church, Anglican Church and Lutheran Church have also trained their priests and pastors to exercise this same authority through the sacrament of penance, confession and reconciliation. According to one Catholic writing it says: “He exercised this power in His human capacity as the Messiah or Son of man, telling us, ‘The Son of man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’²⁵ which is why the Gospel writer himself explains that God ‘had given such authority to men.’²⁶”²⁷

In most Protestant churches, the Pastor’s authority to declare that one’s sins have been forgiven, is more of a confirmation when the Biblical requirements of repentance and confession of sins has been done sincerely by the individual seeking forgiveness. And such confirmation is based on the finished work of Christ on Calvary. However, we notice that Jesus had not yet died as the Lamb of God, therefore some believe that our Lord was talking about the sin, or error, that brought on the paralysis in the first place, and that this would be proven by the healing he would receive.

In other words, Jesus was not going to allow this young man’s carelessness to keep Him from receiving healing for his malady. The same goes for the woman mentioned earlier that came and anointed His feet with ointment. She was known to be a woman of ill repute, so Jesus was willing to overlook her moral failure and accept her veneration as the Son of Man. This then would put the forgiveness of the original sin inherited from Adam out of reach for any pastor or priest, since only God can forgive that sin. Although it may not have had that effect on the scribes, it certainly did on this young man, because Matthew has more to tell us.

When I first read this brain teaser, I wasn’t sure there was an answer. But I didn’t believe it would have been asked if it couldn’t be solved. So here it is: “What makes this series of numbers unique – 8,549,176,320?” I guess it’s all in how you look at it. Sometimes answers are not obvious all at once, it may take one or two steps to figure it out.

It’s the same with the age old question of what’s the difference between what the optimist sees and the pessimist sees when they look at a glass that is partially filled with water. The optimist says it’s half full, while the pessimist says it’s half empty. But the real factor is not how they view the amount of water still inside the glass, but how they interpret the empty part.

Some say that this is the result of the optimist thinking positively and the pessimist thinking negatively. That may be true, but it still doesn’t answer the question, “Why?” For me it is the presence or absence of a thing called “faith.” The optimist believes there is more to come, while the pessimist believes there is little left. This can relate to opportunities, ideas, solutions, etc. Such faith gives hope, and hope inspires motivation.

When looking at a half-filled glass, both the optimist and the pessimist see that the unfilled portion can either be a reason to go on, or a reason to get out. That’s because the empty portion is really a vacuum to be filled with what is needed to make sense out of the situation. So often that’s how people look at life. For some, they get to a point where they say: “There’s nothing else I can do.” Or they can look as what they’ve already done and say: “Let me try something different.”

So faith then can be seen as unused potential. The dictionary describes potential as having or showing the capacity to become or develop into something in the future; the latent excellence or ability that is there for the taking. In other words, the pessimist looks at the situation and is mesmerized by the status quo, while the optimist looks at the situation and dreams of what’s possible.

As such, there is either the reactive potential for failure or the proactive potential for success. But one thing remains true. You will never know which it will be until you try. The optimist exclaims: “Let’s do it! I believe it can happen!” The pessimist murmurs: “Don’t even bother, I already know the answer.” Now the real question: Which one are you? It may take one or two steps before you find out.

Oh yes, the reason the number in the brain teaser is so unique is because it contains all ten numbers between 0 – 9, and in spelling those numbers the first letter of each word are in alphabetical order. – Dr. Robert R. Seyda

Many times I have heard pastors, friends, even family members respond to someone who was going through a hard time of disappointment, loss, grief or failure by saying, “You know, the Bible says God will not give you more than you can bear.” This is without doubt a paraphrase of what the apostle Paul told the believers in Corinth, which reads: “God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.”¹

But there are some serious questions about using this scripture as a way of saying that when we go through difficult times, God won’t allow it to go beyond our ability to handle it by giving us relief and a way to get out from under the burden that is weighing us down. To think this way will lead to our becoming more or less dependent on God’s good grace to make sure we never cross the line in our Christian walk so that it may cause us some serious trouble, even a devastating loss or embarrassment.

What was Paul talking about? We join the context for this particular verse back in Chapter 9:24. Paul is talking about running the believer’s race in order to gain the crown that comes with finishing it faithfully. He warns about getting off track and going our own way (9:26). He then begins Chapter 10 by pointing back to the children of Israel, who although they were all part of God’s miraculous deliverance from Egypt, many were left as skeletons in the wilderness because they did not keep their eyes on the One who delivered them, but instead set up a golden calf to worship.

So in 10:6 Paul says: “Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did.” In other words, let us learn by example. Don’t take God’s deliverance from evil and mishandle it so that it leads back into evil because you become discouraged or upset at the way things are going. Look at what the children of Israel did: “The people sat down to eat and drink and got up to indulge in revelry” (10:7).

Then Paul warns: “These things happened to them as examples and were written down as warnings for us, on whom the fullness of time has come” (10:11). To put this another way, Paul is saying that what happened to the Israelites as a result of their turning back to idolatry while in the wilderness was recorded so that we who now follow Christ through the wilderness, which is this world, do not commit the same error.

Now comes the real intent of Paul’s teaching on this subject. He cautions everyone not to become too overconfident in their own ability to remain faithful to God’s calling and deliverance (10:12). Why? Because there will be the same forces at work in our lives as there were among the Israelites that drew them away from trusting in the One True God. So Paul caps this off by saying, we are all susceptible to temptation and the danger of falling. But here’s the good news, when such temptations come, God will be faithful to His promise and will not allow such temptations to be greater than what we are able to resist or overcome with His help (10:13).

So Paul is talking about temptations, not the hardships of everyday life. Yet, here is some good news! It is exactly those hardships, difficulties, problems and forces over which we have no control that often lead to the temptation to give up, to quit, to turn away from God and go our own way. It’s at the moment of temptation, when God will step in and show us what we need to do in order to conquer that temptation. So often we get our eyes on the temptation that is spawned by our difficulties that we allow it to become such a threat, we start looking for a hole to crawl into and pity ourselves, instead of looking for the door God will open to help us get out to victory. – Dr. Robert R. Seyda

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

Dr. Robert R. Seyda

UPDATE!

We’ve just finished the very informative Chapter 8 in the Gospel of Matthew and will be starting on Chapter 9 on Monday, January 18th.

In Chapter 8 we saw how Jesus dealt with those who were dying of leprosy. People that society had abandoned and were declared untouchable.  But with the touch of the Master’s hand they were made whole.  And then our Lord encounters a non-Jewish Roman soldier who was part of the occupying force in Capernaum who needed healing for his dying servant.  Jesus offered to go to his house, but the man did not feel he deserved such an honor.  However, as a Roman officer in charge of his soldiers, He recognized Jesus as a man of authority in charge of healing powers, so he told Him, just say the word and it will happen.  Jesus was so impressed that the Centurion’s servant was healed immediately.

Then we saw where one Jewish Scribe who was so impressed with Jesus’ ministry that he wanted to become His disciple, but when Jesus told him that he would have to leave everything and follow Him wherever He went with no remuneration or special privileges, the man decided not to go.  And one man who was already a follower, wanted to put some personal business ahead of the ministry of evangelizing people so they could know that the Messiah had come, but Jesus told him to make up his mind whose interests came first, his or the Lord’s.

Then came the boat ride across the Sea of Galilee from Tiberius to the area of Gadara.  In the picture below you can see at the top of the lake the northern shore of the sea where Tiberius is located and the shoreline of Gadara at the bottom shoreline, just at the foot of the hills of Gadara.  And it was on this journey that they were engulfed by a terrible storm that threatened to capsize their boat, but to their amazement this special Man from God calmed the storm with one command.

After they landed, this is where Jesus encountered two demon possessed men who lived among the tombs dug into the sides of the hill.  But the demons asked that they not be left homeless, but enter a herd of swine nearby, Jesus consented.  But as soon as they entered the pigs, the herd ran down the hillside into the water and drowned.  The people’s response was unbelievable. Instead of asking Jesus to stay they told Him to go away.  They were more upset by what happened to their swine than what happened to these demon possessed men.

So we’ll see you on Monday with Chapter 9 where Jesus calls another disciple named Matthew, and those who follow Him get to see His miracle power as he raises a dead girl, heals an incurably ill woman, and brings sight to the blind.

There were so many people sick and without any spiritual guidance, that it broke our Lord’s heart.  So He told those following Him to pray that His heavenly Father would send more workers into the harvest fields.  And to all you who are studying the greatest story ever told, you are those workers that Jesus asked for.  But the question is, are you willing to go all the way?

See you Monday!  And may God bless you for your hunger of His word so that you can get to know and understand Him better.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER EIGHT

Part V

Verse 30: Near that place there was a large herd of pigs feeding.

This was Gentile territory, so it was not unusual to see a breeder of hogs in that area. We know that Jews were forbidden to eat pork.¹ Nevertheless, Jews were not prohibited from having Gentiles raise hogs for sale, in particular to the Romans. However, Rabbis made it quite clear that such pigs could not be raised just anywhere in Israel.²

As a matter of fact, there is an interesting story that goes like this: “When the Kings of the house of Hasmonean fought one another, Hyrcanus was outside and Aristobulus within the city walls. Each day those that were inside used to let down to the other party money in a basket, and haul up in return animals for the Daily Offerings. An old man there, who was learned in Greek maxims, spoke with them using a Greek maxim saying: ‘As long as they continue the Temple services they will never be delivered into your hands’. The next day when they let down money in a basket to haul up a pig. When it reached halfway up the wall, it stuck its claws into the wall, and the land of Israel was shaken over a distance of fourteen hundred miles by fourteen hundred miles.³ At that time they declared, ‘Cursed be the man who rears pigs and cursed be the man who teaches his son Greek maxims!’”⁴ But other reasons may have been because of the smell and its resulting uncleanliness.⁵

Verses 31-34: The demons begged Jesus, “If you make us leave these men, please send us into that herd of pigs.” Jesus said to them, “Go!” So the demons left the men and went into the pigs. Then the whole herd of pigs ran down the hillside into the lake, and all were drowned. The men who had the work of caring for the pigs ran away. They went into town and told the people everything that happened, especially about the men who had the demons. Then the whole town went out to see Jesus. When the people spotted Him, they begged Him to leave their area.

There seems to be a lack of correlation in the minds of the herdsmen as to the connection of these two incidents. The people however, put two and two together to form their opinion. They knew that before Christ came the swine and demoniac’s coexisted in peace. Now, the peaceful swine had gone berserk and the berserk demoniac’s had become peaceful. Yet, in their evaluation, the lives of the pigs who were lost meant more than the lives of the men who were saved. After all, these swine could be sold for good money to the Romans and other Gentiles.

But what could they get out of these men who now were sane and given the opportunity to live descent lives? So instead of giving glory to God that the Messiah had visited their area, they wanted Him gone because it cost them money. Does that sound familiar to what we might hear today if a great spiritual awakening came to your town, turning many who are in control of Satan into witnesses of the power of Jesus, the Son of God?

So to the Gentiles, pigs were a valuable commodity. Bit for Jesus, He was casting one unclean entity into another. But they no doubt also feared that Jesus might decided to use His authority for other reasons. Just like when Samuel went to Bethlehem to find a new king, “Samuel did what the Lord told him to do and went to Bethlehem. The elders of Bethlehem shook with fear. They met Samuel and asked, ‘Do you come in peace?‘”⁶ And when Elijah returned to the woman who cooked him a meal after learning that her son had become sick, the trembling woman said to Elijah, “You are a man of God. Can you help me? Or did you come here only to remind me of my sins and to make my son die?”⁷ But Job recognized the mentality of evil and how it can affect humankind, “They say to God, ‘Leave us alone! We don’t care what You want us to do!’”⁸ And Job’s friend Eliphaz agreed, “They told God, ‘Leave us alone!’ and said, ‘God All-Powerful cannot do anything to us!’”⁹

Early church theologian Jerome sees this request by the people for Jesus to leave their area as not coming out of pride but out of humility. In so doing, they judged themselves unworthy of the Lord’s presence, just as Peter after the catch of fish fell before the Savior’s knees and said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.”¹⁰ But a contemporary of Jerome’s, Chromatius, believes that the town from which the people came out to meet the Lord, asked Him to leave their district, because they did not want to recognize Him as the Lord and Savior of the human race, even after witnessing His divine power. He says: “Such people are also found among us. Out of faithlessness they compel the Lord and Savior of the world to depart from the district of their hearts, for according to Scripture, ‘the Holy Spirit will not enter a perverse soul or dwell in a body enslaved to sin.’¹¹”¹²

Another question that is often asked, is over what precipice did these herd of pigs run, and into what lake did they plunge to their deaths. We are told by Bible archaeologists that after the Lord Jesus and His disciples landed in the harbor and got out of the boat and were met by a demon possessed man (men) who lived in tombs. There were tombs in the area as attested to by three sarcophagi that were found in the area. The demons requested to be thrown into the herd of swine which were a good way off, on or near the mountain(s) of the Golan Heights.

There are two possibilities as to where this event took place. The first possibility is just behind what used to be known as Kibbutz Haon. This area is located at the foot of the Golan Heights about a twenty-minute drive from Tiberias. There is a ridge there that comes down from the Golan Heights that would allow the swine to run down from the top of the heights. The second possibility, suggested by Michael Avi-Yonah, is in on the grounds of Kibbutz Ma’agan. This location is the only one in the southern part of the lake with a cliff that drops off into the lake. However, it should be pointed out that text does not demand a cliff. Most English translations have down the hill or hillside.

Today, this area can be seen by going to an area in NW Jordan known as Umm Qais. It is situation about 110 km north of Amman. We are told that in ancient times Gadara was strategically situated here and laced by a number of key trading routes connecting Syria and Palestine. It was blessed with fertile soil and abundant rainwater. This town also flourished intellectually in the reign of Augustus and became distinguished for its cosmopolitan atmosphere, university’s scholars, attracting writers, artists, philosophers and poets, the likes of satirist Menippos (2nd half of the 3rd century BC), the epigrammist Meleagros, and the rhetorician Theodoros (14-37 AD). Gadara was also the resort of choice for Romans vacationing in the nearby Himmet Gader Springs.

Archaeological surveys indicate that Gadara was occupied as early as the 7th century BC. The Greek historian, Polybius, described the region as being under Ptolemaic control at the time. The Seleucid ruler Antiochus III conquered it in 218 BC, naming the city Antiochia and Seleucia. In 63 BC, Pompey liberated Gadara and joined it to the Roman league of ten cities, the Decapolis.

Then we are told that The city reached its peak of prosperity in the 2nd century AD. New colonnaded streets, temples, theaters and baths sprouted. Meleagros (circa 110-140 BC) the husband of Cleopatra, compared Gadara with Athens, which testifies to the city’s status as a creative center of Hellenism in the ancient Near East.¹³ We also see that after the Temple was destroyed in Jerusalem in 70 AD this place where Jesus delivered to men became thriving community. One of the most magnificent of the Decapolis cities, Hippos, sitting high on a hill, could be clearly seen across the Sea of Galilee by the fishermen of Capernaum and other villages around the sea. Ironically, this area would become a vital center for the early church.

What a lesson for today! Often, when some unusual event occurs that brings about a drastic change, even to the point of loss or misery, we tend to look at what is wasted rather than looking for what was gained. Also, when God acts to carry out His will in our lives, if it costs us some earthly possession or material goods, we often see this as an unnecessary loss; why couldn’t He have done that without our losing so much? But God knows just how much we can handle; how much we can carry.

And when our hearts and minds are stuffed full of earthly things, the only way He can create room for those things He wants to give us is by removing some of those items we really don’t need in carrying out His will and purpose for our lives. And as sure as this may sound overstated or ridiculous, some of those things that possess us are demons of the sort that make our lives miserable and unusable for the ministry He has in store for us. And by the fact that on this occasion these demons were cast out of these men and went into the swine, shows what our Lord thought of those men He set free, and what His attitude was toward the demons He got rid of.

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER EIGHT

Part IV (con’t)

Verse 28: Jesus arrived at the other side of the lake in the country of the Gadarene people. There, two men who were demon possessed came toward him. They lived in the burial caves and were so dangerous that no one could use the road that went by those caves.

Now here is a question, could it be that since the devil is called the prince of the power of the air, he may have conjured up this storm to prevent Jesus from getting there and his demons being cast out? If so, it was a miserable failure. It also seems that somehow the demons inside these men knew Jesus was coming their way.

We are introduced to this area known as Girgasite (“Girgashi”, in Hebrew).¹ According to various scholars, this was because the area consisted of large deposits of clay soil which is called by that name. It retains this name in various other scriptures.² So by the time Jesus visited, it had become known as Gadara. The main town was some six miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee, so the people who came out to complain about the pigs being stampeded into the water, must have been from a hamlet nearby. As a matter of fact, Jewish historian Josephus tells us: “So when Justus had, by his persuasions, prevailed with the citizens of Tiberias to take up arms, in fact, had forced a great many to do so against their will, he went out, and set the villages that belonged to Gadara and Hippos on fire; which villages were situated on the borders of Tiberias, and of the region of Scythopolis.”³

One early church father says: “Girgasa, from whence were the Girgasenes, is an ancient city near the lake; now called Tiberias; surrounding which is a precipice adjacent to the lake, from where it is shown, that the swine were cast down by the devils. Girgesa is interpreted,, ‘the habitation of those that cast out’; being called so perhaps prophetically, for what the inhabitants of those places did to the Savior, pleading with Him to depart out of their coasts.’”⁴ Also, Rabbi Abraham Zacuto visited this area between 1452 – 1515 AD, and tells us that the land of Girgashi was now called “Gurgan.”⁵

Thus the location seems quite documented. Jewish historian Josephus tells us that Gadara was the metropolis of Peraea, or the region beyond Jordan; and he also observes that it was sixty furlongs, or about eight miles from Tiberias. It is therefore rightly placed opposite Tiberias, at the southeast end of the lake. Jewish historian Pliny says it was then called Hippodion, and was one of the cities of Decapolis, and had the river Hieromax flowing nearby. It was under Gentile jurisdiction when perhaps it was destroyed by the Jews; but was rebuilt by Pompey and joined to the province of Syria. Caesar Augustus afterwards gave it to king Herod, on whose death it was again annexed to Syria. It is now called Om Keis; its ruins are in a very mutilated state, and when visited by John Lewis Burckhardt it had not a single inhabitant. However, the remains of the sepulchral caverns in which the demoniacs dwelled are still to be seen.

Again, because these demon possessed men could not live in the city, they met Jesus out in the open, much like lepers did. What a wonderful testimony to the fact that we need not always invite sinners to church to meet Jesus, He will meet them where they are. These men had found a place to stay among the tombs in the hillsides outside of town. Jews did not allow cemeteries within the city’s walls. The Rabbis clearly taught: “…they must be carried out for burial.”⁶ And these tombs that were dug out of the hillside were not always small. As a matter of fact, according to Jewish verbal tradition there is a whole section given to this:

“If one sells a plot of ground to another as a family grave and, likewise, if one signs a contract with another to construct a family grave, family graves were constructed in a rectangular form of a central cave, out from which burial chambers are dug into the surrounding walls of the cave, each must have an area six feet wide and nine feet long. Eight burial chambers are to open out into the central cave; three each from the two longer walls on the sides, and two from the shorter wall facing the entrance. The burial chambers must be six feet in length, and twenty-one inches in height, and eighteen inches wide. A space of two feet, 3 inches are between each chamber on the side walls and 3 feet the chambers of the wall facing the entrance. Rabbi Shimon says: The central space of the cave must contain an area of nine feet by twelve feet, and thirteen chambers are to open out into it: four on one side, four on the other; three in the front wall facing the entrance, one on the corner diagonally, across to the right of the entrance and one on the left. Outside the entrance to the cave, is to be made a courtyard of nine feet by nine feet, which is the space the bier and those who bury it occupy. Two chambers are also to open out into the courtyard: one, on the left and one on the right of the entrance. Rabbi Shimon says: Four; one for each of its four sides. Rabban Shimon ben Gamliel says: It all depends on the quality of the rock. If the rock is hard, more burial chambers may be cut, since less space is required for the intervening walls. If, on the other hand, the ground is soft, more space would be required for the thickness of the walls, and, consequently, the number of chambers would have to be reduced.”⁷

So as we can see, these demon possessed men were able to use the empty tombs and no doubt those that had been pillaged as their place to live. And according to Jewish tradition, these men were not alone out there. In fact, in one Jewish document, it says: “that for twelve months after the soul is separated from the body it still hovers around.”⁸ This induced some to go to the tomb in hopes of speaking to the spirit of their departed loved one. As a matter of fact, we read this story: “It is related that a certain pious man gave a denar to a poor man on the eve of New Year in a year of drought, and his wife scolded him, and he went and passed the night in the cemetery, and he heard two spirits conversing with one another.”⁹ The story goes on quite a ways with continued visits to the tombs and spirits. So you can imagine how surprised these demon possessed men were when suddenly this group of live individuals show up in a boat, to be joined by a crowd from the nearby city. But their surprise didn’t last long.

Verse 29: They came toward Jesus and shouted, “What do you want with us, Son of God? Did You come here to punish us before the appointed time?”

We see that both Mark and Luke record that there was one demon possessed man who met Jesus here.¹⁰ Some skeptics are quick to point to this as a biblical error or contradiction. However, scholars note that this can easily be explained in that there were in fact two who showed up, but Mark and Luke focused on the one who spoke, no doubt because he was the one most fierce and aggressive. Thus the name of the demon was “legion”¹¹ is even more plausible with two people as opposed to one, and there may have been other men in this same group possessed by this herd of demons.

When Jesus encountered these demon possessed men, He did not need to introduce Himself. It was not an oddity that our Lord should encounter such people living in a graveyard. The Jewish rabbis taught that this was where they hung out. They said: “Who is deemed an imbecile? He that goes out alone at night and he that spends the night in a cemetery, and he that tears his garments. It was taught: Rabbi Huna said: He must do all three things. However, Rabbi Johanan said: Even if he only does only one of them. On what grounds? If he does them in an insane manner, even one is enough proof. If he does not do them in an insane manner, even all the others prove nothing? — Actually, it is a case where he does them in an insane manner. But if he spent the night in a cemetery, I might say: He did it in order that the spirit of impurity might rest upon him. If he went out alone at night, I might say: He was seized by lycanthropy (ability to morph from human to animal). If he tore his garment, I might say: He was lost in thought”.¹²

They also taught: “One…that consults with the dead: this means one who starves himself and spends the night in a cemetery, so that an unclean spirit of a demon may rest upon him to enable him to foretell the future.”¹³ So we can see that the actions of these men that confronted Jesus, and were described as being demon possessed, were thoroughly discussed by Rabbis on that day.

Early church writer Cyril of Alexandria notes that long before this encounter, Jesus “was shutting up the fiercest demons in blocked roads. He was undoing the devil’s tyranny. They knew from the Scriptures that Christ was going to come and would judge them. Treating the incarnation if it had happened at the wrong time, they suggested that He had come in an untimely manner. This misrepresentation is not surprising. In their deceptiveness, they did not hesitate to say such a thing. Yet, although they know the vengeance is to fall upon them, they still ask haughtily, ‘What have You to do with us?’ They know that the final Judge in fact has a score to settle with them.”¹⁴

No doubt this is why neither Jesus nor His disciples were shocked or amazed to find such demon possessed individuals there. In fact, now we know why Jesus wanted to go to this side of the Sea of Galilee. There is no evidence that these men ever attended one of Jesus’ lectures. Since they were kept out of town and could not communicate with people, how did they know they were meeting the Son of God?

The literal translation of their question in Greek reads: “What to us and to You, Son of God? Are You come here before the time to torment us?” The oldest Hebrew version of Matthew reads: “What is between You and us, Jesus Son of God? Have you come before the time to grieve us and to destroy us?”¹⁵ This could be understood several ways. In modern vernacular we might say, “What are you doing in our territory Son of God?” It might also be interpreted to imply that they were disclaiming any design to interfere with the work of Christ. Therefore, He should not meddle with them. It also appears they feared His great power over them.

In any case, in the Aramaic language this is also a phrase which often occurs in the Old Testament, signifying: “an abrupt refusal of some request, or a wish not to be troubled with the company or importunity of others.” Jehu said to the messenger who was sent by Joram to meet him, “What have you to do with peace?” Even David was quoted as saying: “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah?”¹⁶ So there remains no doubt that these demons were scared. But the one question of how they knew it was Him, can only be traced back to some prior meeting. That would take us further back to when the disobedient angels were thrown out of heaven along with their leader, Lucifer. This would then confirm the point John was making when he wrote: “He with God in the beginning.”¹⁷

Chrysostom believes that the demon’s charge: “Did you come here to torment us before the set time?” as another way of accepting the fact that they knew they were going to be punished, but they wanted a reprieve so that they would not need to suffer what was coming on them before the time that God had established. But Chrysostom suggests that because these demons had so tortured these men, forcing them to live out among the dead in these tombs, that Jesus decided it was time to give them their due. Could it be that by this plea the demons were indicating that although they were ultimately headed for the pit of fire and brimstone in the end, the next worst thing that could happen to them now was to be homeless here on earth where they could not carry out some sort of revenge as spite for their coming punishment, by tormenting God’s highest creation who would inherit the place in heaven they lost due to their disobedience along with Satan?

These are all speculative thoughts and ideas. But the fact remains that being with God from the beginning, the Son of God had power over these demons when they were thrown out of heaven; He had power over them as the Son of Man by casting them out of possessed human beings; and He will have power over them in the end when they are cast into the pit for everlasting confinement. So not only can we confront them today by reminding them of their past, but also their future, and we do so in the same name they feared during this occasion, the name of Jesus, the Son of God, the Messiah and soon coming King. Therefore I am thoroughly convinced that no born again believer with Jesus living in their hearts, and the Holy Spirit abiding in them as His temple, can ever be defeated and taken over by the demons of Satan. In fact, when Spirit filled men and women encounter such demons, they too may ask: “What have we to do with you?”

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER EIGHT

Part IV

Verses 23-25: Jesus then got into a boat, and His followers got in with Him. Sometime after the boat left the shore, suddenly a furious squall developed over the lake. The waves lashed over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The followers ran to Him and woke Him up. “Lord, save us!” they cried, “we are going to drown!”

According to those familiar with this area of Galilee, such storms are frequent during certain times of the year. Dr. Donald B. DeYoung of the Creation Research Society tells us these storms result from differences in temperatures between the seacoast and the mountains beyond. The Sea of Galilee lies 680 feet below sea level. It is bounded by hills, especially on the east side where the peaks reach 2000 feet high. These heights are a source of cool, dry air. The Sea of Galilee is small, and these winds at times descend directly to the center of the lake with violent results. When the contrasting air masses meet, a storm can quickly arise and without warning. Small boats caught out on the sea are in immediate danger. The Sea of Galilee is relatively shallow, just 200 feet at its greatest depth. A shallow lake is “whipped up” by wind more rapidly than deep water, where energy is more readily absorbed.

Chrysostom sees a lesson being taught here by Jesus to His disciples. He writes: “Jesus sends the multitudes away, but He took the disciples with Him: for the others mention this too. And He took them with Him, not for nothing, nor to face a hazard, but in order to make them spectators of the miracle that was to take place. For like a most excellent trainer, He was anointing them with a view for two objectives; to remain undismayed in dangers and modest in honors. Thus, that they might not be high-minded, because after having sent away the rest, He retained them, He permits them to be tossed with the tempest; at once bringing calm, and disciplining them to bear trials nobly. For great indeed were the former miracles too, but this contained also in it a unique kind of discipline of exceptional importance, and was a sign akin to that of old (When Moses parted the Red Sea). For this cause He takes the disciples only with Himself. For as, when there was a display of miracles, He permits the people also to be present; so when trial and terrors were rising up against Him, then He takes with Him none but the champions of the whole world, whom He was to discipline.”¹

This observation by Chrysostom gives us a reason to examine all the miracles Jesus did in public, and those He did only in the presence of His disciples. What was Jesus trying to teach the people who saw Him heal the sick, and what lessons did He want His disciples to learn when they saw Him manipulate the power of nature? It also highlights the fact that Jesus did not perform wonders just for the sake of displaying His power. He had a reason for each miracle. Our task is to read about those events and see what it may teach us about Him as a person, as the Messiah, and as the Son of God.

We know Scripture tells us that Jesus wept, but here it informs us that Jesus slept. Not because He was ignorant of the climate or well-known tendencies for such storms, but because He was physically exhausted and also not afraid of the conditions, even if they worsened. This story of Christ falling asleep has caused some in the Jewish community in the past to question how this could be. In the previously mentioned Jewish polemic literature we read where the writer asks: “How is it possible for the son to be like the Father and the Holy Spirit when he ate and slept and grew tired and was afraid? He grew tired, as it is written in their Bible, ‘And he came to Jacob’s well and was tired, and he asked the Samaritan woman for water.² He was afraid, as it is written, ‘My Lord, my Lord, why have you forsaken me’?³ He slept, as it is written in a passage which I have already discussed, ‘The wind came across the sea, yet Jesus was asleep. His disciples came and woke him up’.⁴ If you argue that the three are considered one because of the Holy Spirit that was in the flesh, then the same should be said of every prophet who had the Holy Spirit.”⁵ While this controversial approach to what happened here with Jesus falling asleep may seem open for questioning, the writer did not address our Lord’s ultimate calming of the winds and the waves. Like many skeptics today, they have no answer for that, and often dismiss it since it requires faith.

I like what a very famous preacher named Peter Chrysologus (AD 406-450), goes on to say about what happened here. He says: “The sea offered its heaving back for Christ to walk upon. Now it leveled its crests to a plain, checked its swelling and bound up its billows. It provided rock-like firmness, so He could walk across the waterway. Why did the seas heave so, and toss and pitch, even as if threatening its Creator? And why did Christ Himself, who knows all the future, seem so unaware of the present that He gave no thought to the onrushing storm, the moment of its height and the time of its peril? While all the rest were awake, He alone was fast asleep even with utter doom threatening both Himself and His dear ones. Why? It is not a calm sky, beloved, but the storm which tests a pilot’s skill. When the breeze is mild even the poorest sailor can manage the ship. But in the crosswinds of a tempest, we want the best pilot with all His skill.”⁶ What a beautiful, poetic way to describe the fact that the storm did not catch our Savior unawares, it simply served as a way for Him to teach the disciples that even in the time of storm He will be our pilot, and help us make it safely to the other shore.

In another sermon, Chrysologus makes this same point: “Christ gets into the vessel of His church, always ready to calm the waves of the world. He leads those who believe in Him through safe sailing to the heavenly homeland and makes those whom He made to share in His humanity citizens of His land. Christ does not need the vessel, therefore, but the vessel needs Christ. Without the heavenly helmsman the vessel of the church is unable to sail over the sea of the world and, against critical odds, arrive at the heavenly harbor.”⁷ I don’t know about you, but I would love to have been there to hear this gifted messenger preach these sermons.

Verses 26-27: Jesus answered, “Why are you afraid? Don’t you have enough faith?” Then He stood up and gave a command to the wind and the water. The wind stopped, and the lake became very calm. The men were amazed. They said, “What kind of man is this? Even the wind and the water obey Him!”

Now Matthew gets back to his story of Jesus wanting to take this same powerful ministry to other areas. Looking at the geography it would require a boat to reach their destination. I could easily be convinced that Jesus knew about the storm and wanted to go by boat on purpose. However, such storms were not unusual, so maybe there was another force behind this storm. We know that something similar happened to Jonah along the shore of the Mediterranean Sea: “The Lord brought a great storm on the sea. The wind made the sea very rough. The storm was very strong, and the boat was ready to break apart.”¹ But rather than being caught by surprise, Jesus was in control from the beginning.

For Chrysostom, Jesus is here instructing the disciples concerning how human fear emerges out of weakness of mind, not out of the actual approach of threatening trials. He writes: “Their awakening Him was a sign of their lack of a right understanding of who He was. They knew His power to rebuke when He was awake, but His power to rebuke when asleep they had not yet grasped. Even after so many other miracles their impressions of Him were still confused. This is why He remarked that they were still without understanding.”⁹ Even today we might ask, no matter how many times God answers prayer and performs miracles, why do His people have to collect themselves and with great effort call up enough faith to believe He can do it again?

But His disciples were still not that advanced in their faith. Finding Jesus asleep was much like what the Old Testament Korah family described: “Lord, wake up! Why are You sleeping? Get up! Don’t ignore us forever!”¹⁰ When the disciples went to wake our Lord, they could have used the words of Isaiah, “Wake up! Wake up! Arm of the Lord, clothe Yourself with strength. Show Your power the way You did long ago, as You have from ancient times.”¹¹ As odd as it may sound, the captain of the ship found Jonah asleep as well.¹² Jesus was quick to admonish His followers for having so little faith. Just as God had a message for Israel,¹³ Jesus had a message for His disciples. It’s one thing to tell people not to be afraid, but it’s another to show them why they shouldn’t be afraid. All of us have done this at one time or another with our children.

Cyril of Alexandria makes a valid point here to the credit of the disciples. He says that by their exclamation “Save us!” it showed some faith. Had they cried out “We are going to die!” it would have shown a real lack of faith for those who were in deep distress. So by calling out to be saved they put their hope in Christ who was sailing with them. Cyril says: “They were not totally faithless but were at the point ‘of little faith,’ since in their danger they did not take courage from the fact of Christ’s being with them.”¹⁴ So Jesus was not accusing His frightened disciples of having no faith, only that their faith was not enough to help them make it through the storm, so they needed a miracle to get them safely to shore. We can learn from this, that when we are caught in a sudden storm of persecution or adverse circumstances that may keep us from doing His will, just remember, He’s always with us. Day and night He is in us and around us through the Holy Spirit.

But what Jesus did next was spectacular. It left His disciples astounded by His control and power over nature. It was reminiscent of what God did to remind Job of His divine power, “Who closed the flood gates as the sea gushed from the womb? Who covered it with clouds and wrapped it in darkness? I set the limits for the sea and put it behind locked gates. I said to the sea, ‘You can come this far, but no farther. This is where your proud waves will stop.’”¹⁵ This also led David to exclaim, “You can calm the roughest seas.”¹⁶ Ethan the Ezrahite agreed, “You rule the stormy sea. You can calm its angry waves.”¹⁷ And one Psalmist said with confidence, “The crashing waves of the sea are loud and powerful, but the Lord above is even more powerful.”¹⁸ The Psalmist put it clearly, “He stopped the storm and calmed the waves.”¹⁹

But for His disciples none of this came to mind at that moment. Even the prophet Isaiah had to remind the Israelites about the command God gave Moses over the Red Sea, “He was by Moses’ side and led him with His wonderful hand. He divided the water, so that the people could walk through the sea. He made His name famous by doing those great things.”²⁰ But they were about to experience a wonder such as they had never seen, and it was done by the same power of the same God.

Christ’s rebuke of the disciples here is very interesting and a bit more severe than it appears. He has two descriptions for these men who followed Him; one was a poke at their fear, and the other a jab at their faith. In the first instance He calls them cowards. The American Standard Version is kind by using the phrase “fearful.” The Amplified Bible renders it as “timid and afraid.” The Greek word used here is employed has the root meaning of “dread”: and by implication – faithlessness. It is used elsewhere in the New Testament to describe those who through cowardice give way under persecutions and apostatize.²¹

Chrysostom adds the note that the disciples already knew Jesus was a man. They could see Him sleeping in the back of the boat. But their perplexity was over “What manner of man is this?” There was enough man in Him to make Him sleepy, but now it seems He had enough God in Him to calm the winds and the waves. This might be something we can all ponder as it relates to our own composition as believers. When the world looks at us, do they see enough human traits in us to know that we are fellow human beings here on earth, but do they ever see enough spiritual traits in us to believe that we are also part of God’s divine world, His kingdom of heaven? Have we ever prayed and they saw something happened that could not be explained in human terms? It doesn’t have to be a spectacular miracle or healing, even though those do count very highly, but it can be our attitude and behavior during times of trial and tribulation.

These disciples were experienced men of the sea. Why should a natural weather occurrence, even though it was more tempestuous than usual, scare them and make them look like cowards? Had they come to rely on the power of the Master too much to stand their own ground when tested? Were they becoming conditioned to remain physically aloof from the problems facing them? Is it possible that by now they thought of themselves as VIP’s who should be spared such emergencies? We can only surmise, but Jesus clearly points them out as having become timid with fear.

Secondly, Jesus accuses them of having too little faith. Not their faith in the sturdiness of the boat; not their faith that the storm would soon blow over; not their faith that they would be miraculously saved; but their faith in feeling safe because of Christ being with them. He was, after all, on board with them. His remaining calm during the storm should have inspired their faith that all was well. But instead, they interpreted His relaxed attitude as being unconcerned. How often today are we likewise guilty of being timid in our faith and thereby making what faith we do have of little use?

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

by Dr. Robert R. Seyda

GOSPEL OF MATTHEW

CHAPTER EIGHT

Part III (con’t)

So our Lord’s response to the scribe’s wish to be His follower had other implications as well. With all the attention and masses who came to see Jesus, it might appear that His religious center there in Capernaum might grow into a large and popular operation. As such, anyone working with Him would be accorded all the rewards and amenities that went with such an organization. So Jesus wanted to let him know, this would be a long, hard, arduous journey with few stops for rest and recreation. Since we have no record that this scribe signed on, it might be that he saw no benefit in becoming part of an itinerant prophet’s ministry that would spend most of their time walking through the countryside, with little or no compensation.

Clement of Alexandria had an interesting take on this in his encounter with the philosophers of his day. He quotes the words of one Athenian lawmaker who said: “You look at the language and the words of the man who makes comments. But you don’t look on any work that has been done; so each one of you is walking in the footsteps of a fox, And all you have are empty minds.” In other words, the disciples of the Greek philosophers were mindless robots, they did not think for themselves. They merely regurgitated what their teacher said.

But Jesus had no intention of being such a fox and leaving behind followers who did not understand His message. They not only heard what Jesus said, but also saw the works that He did and taught them to do the same. So Clement compares this to our Lord’s statement: “I think that this has the same meaning as what our Lord said. For on the believer alone, those who live apart from the world rests the head of the universe, the kind and gentle Word, who challenges the wise in their own craftiness. For the Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they see in vain; the Scripture calling those the wise who are skilled in words and arts, sophists.”¹

This saying of Jesus certainly confused one Jewish writer of a polemic critique who remarked by saying: “Jesus complained about His plight and said, ‘Wolves have holes and birds of the air have nests, but I, the Son of Man, have no place to lay My head’; that’s because He was so poor.”² This criticism certainly fits the error of taking something out of context.

But let us look at another aspect of this statement. Jesus’ use of the term, “Son of Man”:

Here in verse 20 we find the first use of the term, “Son of man.” The key to understanding this phrase is to learn what is meant by the word: “man.” In this case, the Greek word used is anthrōpos, which means: “human being”. As rendered in Numbers 23:19, the Hebrew “ben adam” literally means, “son of Adam.” In writing on how it is used in the New Testament, Jewish scholars say, “In the Gospels the title occurs eighty-one times. Most of the recent writers have come to the conclusion that Jesus, speaking Aramaic, could never have designated Himself as the ‘son of man’ in a Messianic, mystic sense, because the Aramaic term never implied this meaning. Instead, Greek translators coined the phrase, which then led, under the influence interpreting Daniel 7:13 and the John’s Gospel, to establishing this title for Him, which is now basic to the Christology of the Church.” We see this used in Jewish writings where Rabbi Alexandri quoted Rabbi Joshua’s comments on two verses of scripture: “Behold, one like the son of man came with the clouds of heaven;³ “Behold your king comes to you… lowly, and riding upon a donkey!⁴ showing that he could not reconcile the two.⁵ To this construction reference is Rabbi Abbahu’s controversial saying: “If a man tells you, ‘I am God,’ he is lying. If he says, ‘I am the son of man,’ in the end he will regret it.”⁶ Indeed, examination of many of the passages shows that in the mouth of Jesus the term ‘son of man’ was equivalent to the personal pronoun ‘I’. Jesus was truly the Son of God and made no excuse in calling Himself such. But He was also man, and this was His way of noting that as a human being, He understood life as a human being. That’s why when this phrase is used in reference to his ascension or return, it shows that even after the resurrection, He did not shed His human image, but retained it as the symbol of victory over sin and the conquering of death. Is there any wonder then that Jesus received such a blast of condemnation from Jewish leaders by using this term.

Verse 21: Another disciple said to Him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.”

Remember, Jesus was wanting to cross over to the other side of the lake, but here comes another man who was already a follower of Jesus who desired to have a leave of absence just to attend the funeral of his father, Jesus rebukes him also. Jesus was not against people wanting to be His followers, nor was He against people showing respect to the parents when they die. Rather, He is emphasizing a salient point of discipleship; a point that should be well considered before the decision is made to follow Christ. It should be known ahead of time that following Christ will often bring hardships, trials and tribulations. Likewise, once one becomes a disciple of our Lord, one must never consider doing His will as something to put on hold while attending to earthly matters. Discipleship is a critical decision, one designed to last for the rest of one’s life.

Having had the privilege of being sent out as a missionary to both Europe and Asia, I too had to consider whether to leave my mother, brothers and sisters, and other family members, and go far away where it would not be possible to see them for years and years. My human nature wanted to stay so I could have fellowship with those I grew up with and loved, but my spiritual nature told me I have a spiritual family in these other lands, and I needed to go and help lead them to greater understanding of His Word. I was not dismissing my family in the United States, I loved them even more and enjoyed their fellowship each time I was allowed to come back for a visit. But by going, my Christian family grew and I ended up with many more mothers, brothers and sisters than I would have had, should I have stayed home.

But our Lord’s words did not come as quaint or out of line to His Jewish listeners. These sentiments were already recorded concerning Levi’s children: “They were more loyal to you, Lord, than to their own families. They ignored their fathers and mothers. They did not recognize their brothers. They did not pay attention to their children. But they obeyed your commands. They kept your agreement.”⁷ Since these two responses involved two specific individuals, then whatever point Jesus made was meant for them, at that moment and time in their relationship with Him.

In the case of the second man who was already a follower, the problem seemed to be that when Jesus announced that they were moving out of Capernaum to the open shore on the eastern side of the Sea of Galilee, it came at an inopportune time for this disciple. Apparently his father was dying, otherwise he would have already gone home to take care of the funeral. That’s because according to Jewish tradition burying one’s deceased family members was called: “the practice of loving deeds.”⁸ As one Rabbi stated: “The Holy One, blessed be He, buries the dead.”⁹ So this follower knew that if he left with Jesus to go over to the other side of the lake, he might not have time to go home to bury his father once he learned that he had died.

As a matter of fact, other Rabbis say: “One whose close relative has died, is obligated to mourn him before he is buried, but is exempt, according to the Torah, from the reciting the Shema and from prayers while he is occupied with the obligation of burial.”¹⁰ So if this disciple was not obligated to say the Shema – “Hear, Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord is One,” and the required daily prayers, then how much more should he be excused from going on such short notice with His Lord. So it appears that this disciple was actually asking for leave so he could go home and comfort his father who was gravely ill.

Bishop Cyril of Alexandria had this to say about believers who find themselves conflicted with family issues and ministry obligations. He writes: “Whoever wishes to serve God must not let any ties of kinship become an excuse, on grounds of preoccupation, for not following Christ. Christ Himself, for the benefit of those who were with Him, even slighted His own mother and brothers, saying, ‘Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?’ and ‘Such a one is my mother.’ ¹¹”¹²

However, in today’s culture, any minister or believer who refuses to go home for a family member’s funeral, especially a parent, would be looked upon with disgust rather than admiration for their dedication to the ministry. On the other hand, when we send men and women overseas into combat situations, we understand why they can’t leave the front lines and come home for a burial that they deeply regret having to miss. That’s why we must interpret exactly what Jesus was saying to this disciple. Being away is no excuse. But being on a mission that would fail or be impaired is one left is another matter. It is understood, that by serving one’s country one is serving their family. Our Lord’s answer to this follower is quite clear:

Verse 22 Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”

For most readers, the part of Jesus statement that catches the eye is the part where the “dead” bury the dead. It is obvious that these people being called “dead” was not to be taken literally. We all know that it would be physically impossible for one person who expired to bury another person already deceased. So we must look for the usage of the word “dead” in the metaphysical or symbolic sense. There is ample evidence in the writings of Jewish rabbis that reads: “These are the wicked who in their lifetime are called dead, as it says. And you, O wicked one, the prince of Israel, you are dead.¹³”¹⁴

Here is what early church father Origen has to say on the subject. He writes: “Let the dead bury their dead implies spiritually: Waste no more time on dead things. You are to ‘put to death therefore what is earthly in you: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire and covetousness, which is idolatry.’¹⁵ These things therefore are dead. Cast them away from you. Cut them off as you would cut off gangrenous flesh to prevent the contamination of the whole body, so that you may not hear it said, ‘Leave the dead to bury their dead.’ But to some it seems abnormal and contradictory that the Savior does not allow the disciple to bury his father. It seems inhumane. But Jesus does not in fact forbid people from burying the dead, but rather He puts before this the preaching of the kingdom of heaven, which makes people alive.¹⁶ As for burying the body, there were many people who could have done this.”¹⁷

In other words, Origen sees our Lord’s answer to this disciple’s request to first go home to comfort his dying father as a spiritual metaphor for the things of this world. However, it may be that Jesus already knew that this disciple’s father had died, and therefore there was no further need for him to go back since the family there would do the burial. Rather, he should go forward and follow Him where he could better serve his Master. In any case, it was an isolated remark to one follower that was not meant for all believers to duplicate or use as an excuse. In fact, Jesus never used it again.

Yet there is another aspect to consider here. It basically is the idea that when one leaves on a journey from which they will be unable to return on short notice, to considered going back to bury them as a dead issue. We see this expressed in the writings of the venerable Jewish Rabbi Rashi who commented that Terah, the father of Abraham is listed as dying at the age of 245 years old.¹⁸ Says Rashi: “This happened after Abram left Haran and arrived in the land of Canaan, and was there for over sixty years, for it is written: ‘And Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran,’¹⁹ and Terah was seventy years old when Abram was born,²⁰ making Terah one hundred and forty-five years old when Abram left Haran. Accordingly, many of Terah’s years were still left. Why then did Scripture relate Terah’s death before Abram’s departure? So that the matter should not be publicized to all, whereby they would say: ‘Abram did not fulfill the commandment of honoring his father, for he left him in his old age and went away.’ Therefore, Scripture calls him dead, for the wicked, even in their lifetime, are called dead, whereas the righteous, even in their death, are called living, as it is said: ‘And Benayahu the son of Jehoiada, the son of a living man.’²¹”²²

Also when discussing the flood of Noah, the sages say that: “…only the righteous possess the life-force known as the ‘soul’”.²³ They go on to explain that only the wicked died in the flood waters because all the righteous either died before the deluge came or were the ones on the ark who were saved. Since the wicked did not possess a ‘living soul’ when they perished, they were already spiritually dead. Therefore, it goes without saying that although they may be physically alive, the unrighteous were considered spiritually dead. So it may be that the family of this disciple were not believers, so let them follow the rules of the Jewish law so they would be in compliance with their customs. Even today we speak of believers being spiritually alive while sinners are spiritually dead in trespasses and sin.²⁴

So we see that this distinction was clearly part of Jewish thinking. For instance, one sage said in describing the Sabbath: “The very day is meant primarily for the benefit of the souls…especially for righteous people who are described as ‘alive’.”²⁵ So to put it another way, Jesus was saying that since neither this disciple’s father or family were His followers; and that to follow Jesus to the other side meant putting the issue of going back to rest; then let those left behind take care of each other’s physical needs while he comes with Jesus to take care of those in spiritual need. This was a hard lesson for this follower to learn, and it is no easier for those who follow Him today.

Sometimes we are not fooled by hidden clues but by obvious factors. For instance: What is unusual about the following words: revive, banana, grammar, voodoo, assess, potato, dresser, uneven? Start keeping time and see how long it takes you to figure it out.

We are often confronted with things in life that are supposed to have an obvious answer. But when we stand in need of knowing what to do next, the answer does not come as easily as we think it should. It’s a matter of looking at all the options. I have a rule when it comes to finding solutions. I never call what I’m facing, “a problem.” The dictionary defines “problem” as: “something that is difficult to deal with: something that is a source of trouble, worry, etc.” Webster also says that a problem is a feeling we get when we do not like or want to do something.

I’ve always insisted on calling them “challenges.” A challenge is a question or demand that arouses and stimulates thinking because we are convinced that it can be solved or accomplished. That’s because it becomes a quest for truth and finding proof. One dictionary defines it this way: “Something that by its nature or character serves as a call to battle, contest, special effort.”

People who always deal with such situations as problems can quickly become discouraged, despondent, demoralized or disheartened and want to give up. People who see them as challenges feel the call to exercise their skill, strength and intelligence. Challenges are a stimulant, not a sedative like problems. – Dr. Robert R. Seyda

By the way, the answer to the brain teaser we started with about why those words are unusual, for each word, take the first letter and place it at the end. It spells the same word backwards.

Since I was very young I heard over and over the saying: “The Bible says that money is the root of all evil.” What confused me was that everyone I knew, even my dad, talked about and spent a lot of their time discussing money. Since my father was a preacher, it was about tithes, offerings, and mission money.

Then as I grew older I learned that there was a scripture that actually read: “The love of money is the root of all evil.”¹ But it wasn’t until I could do research on the scriptures that I discovered even that was not the most accurate translation. That the word in the original language is best described in English as “avarice.” The dictionary defines “avarice” as: “an insatiable greed for riches; inordinate, miserly desire to gain and hoard wealth.”

To put it in our modern vernacular, it is another way of saying: “Not satisfied with what you already have, but always wanting more than you need.” If you can’t find a copy of 4^th Maccabees, a book that was in the canon of the Old Testament of the Georgian Bible, and included in the 1688 Orthodox and the 18th Century Greek Catholic Romanian Bibles, and read Chapter One, it is an enlightening chapter on how we should handle our emotions. If you can’t find a copy, Google it on the internet.

There are many expressions of this greed for things one does not need that people often use to justify it. For instance, have you ever heard someone say: “If I were rich, I’d give away more of my money.” Don’t count on that happening. Statistics show that’s not the case. But it is amazing what some people would do for money, if they were offered enough.

I heard a story years ago about a rich gentleman who was dining with a beautiful, well-known actress from a very noble family. He asked her, “Would you sleep with me one time for $10,000,000? She at first was shocked at the question, but after a moment or two said, “I guess I would.” Then he asked her if she would do it for $5,000,000? She seemed annoyed at first, but then after some time relented and said, “Yes, but only one time.” Once again he asked her if she would do it for $1,000,000? At this she became very angry, and blurted out, “What do you think I am!” The man replied, “I know what you are, I’m just trying to set the right price.”

It’s another way of saying the most people can be bought if the price is right. But what about being bought if you are a Christian. What would it take for other people to get you to try something that goes against your faith just once? What could the devil offer you that would persuade you to denounce your faith? Or what would you be willing to do in order to get something you’ve always wanted but could never afford, that would compromise your faith in God and His Word?

I’m sure that question was often one that the apostle Paul was asked. But he was not hesitant in giving his answer with sincerity and conviction. Here’s what he said: “I am sure that nothing can separate us from God’s love—not death, life, angels, or ruling spirits. I am sure that nothing now, nothing in the future, no powers, nothing above us or nothing below us—nothing in the whole created world—will ever be able to separate us from the love God has shown us in Christ Jesus our Lord.”²

The key to this statement is not that God is willing or desires to take away His love. John 3:16 proves that nothing can keep God from loving us. But it is what will we allow to come into our lives that will keep us from loving God the way we should. It may be big or it may be small, but for each one of us it is a matter of the price we set. And that price is most often influenced by our greed and desire for those things we really don’t need. – Dr. Robert R. Seyda