Down an Unfamiliar Road

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CANCER IN OUR FAMILY – BULLYING

Now that we know about bullying in secular society, what do we know how the Bible views this lack of love attitude? Are we aware that it ferments among believers in their workplace, home, fellowship, and church family? Let’s look at the history of bullying in the Bible. To begin with, listen to what King Solomon said about it. Here are six things God hates, and one more that he loathes with a passion: eyes that are arrogant, a tongue that lies, hands that murder the innocent, a heart that hatches evil plots, feet that race down a wicked track, a mouth that lies under oath, and a troublemaker (bully) in the family.

There were two hating bullies in the Bible, one in the First Covenant and one in the Final Covenant. For instance, Pharaoh is a perfect example of what a bully looks like.  Exodus chapter One shows many things that Pharaoh and his men did to Israel including: dealing shrewdly with them, keeping them slaves, afflicting them with heavy burdens, making them build store cities, made their lives bitter with hard service and calling the midwives to kill all newborn boys (the midwives did not obey Pharaoh). Pharaoh oppressed them because of his power trip.  He wanted to avoid losing his dominant status.  Of course, we know that God did deliver the Israelites from the hands of Pharaoh and set them free.  This is not the case always on earth, but be rest assured as God says, “Vengeance is Mine, and recompense, for the time when their foot shall slip; for the day of their calamity is at hand, and their doom comes swiftly.”[1] In the end God will make all things right.

Then we have Herodias. In Matthew 14:6-12 we read about Herodias, wife of King Herod, and how she used her daughter to accomplish her wicked agenda.  John the Baptist was very well known in the land.  He prepared the way for Jesus to come and baptized many people.  He was a threat to Herodias, in her mind.  So, when King Herod gave an oath to give his daughter anything she wanted, Herodias prompted her to ask for the head of John the Baptist.  This way, in her mind, she would maintain power through her husband as king.  This is bullying to the extreme.

The words below are lyrics from the song “Bully” by the secular band “Three Days Grace.”  This song sends a powerful message about those on the receiving end of bullying.  We were not meant to function this way and it should be no surprise when a victim finally lashes out at the bully.  Bullying is very prevalent in today’s schools and it is out of control. 

“Nobody knows it but today he won’t go unnoticed. 

He can’t forget; can’t forgive for what they said. 

He’s never been so hurt but today the screaming is over.

Blame the family.  Blame the bully.  Blame it on me. 

               Maybe he needed to be wanted. 

Blame the family.  Blame the bully. 

               Maybe he needed to be wanted.”

Does the Bible cover “bullying”?  Well, you won’t find the word “bully” in it, but you will find many stories of people who were bullies and there are lessons to be learned.  Here, the bully is referred to as he/him, but there are just as many girls that bully too.  Let us dive into scripture and see what the Bible says on this matter. The bully is someone who enjoys causing others pain and anguish.  He does not love kindness but rather hostility.  Therefore, he is in sin.  Unless the bully repents of his wrongdoing, he will face a much bigger bully in hell if he dies without accepting Jesus and changing his evil ways. Listen to the words of the prophet Micah:

            “People, the Lord has told you what goodness is.

                              This is what he wants from you:

               Be fair to other people.

                              Love kindness and loyalty, and humbly obey your God.”[2]

See if the following true stories ring a bell with you or someone you know: For Jamie, sometimes she dreaded so much going to school that she vomited and was too sick to go to school.  Sometimes she cried so much that her mother would agree to keep her home for that day and skip school.  This wasn’t some stories she made up to not go to school.  Jamie was in great pain emotionally and was suffering with chronic stomach pain, distorted vision, extreme anxiety and symptoms of depression. All these were due to the fact that she was the victim of bullying.”[3]

Then there’s Brandon, who developed PTSD, (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), and Depression, after being harassed, tormented, isolated, assaulted and brutally beaten at school. One December Saturday, Brandon put a loaded gun to his head, pulled the trigger to end his pain.”[4]

It is just awful to see and hear what bullying does to victims.  These are only two precious kids who have been affected.  Bullying causes severe physical, psychological, and emotional trauma to victims as clearly shown in these two examples.  As parents, we need to stand up for our kids and do whatever we can to stop others from making victims of our children.

Compare and contrasting the heart of the bully versus the heart of the Christian we see:

The Bully’s Heart

The Christian’s Heart

Seeks Power	Seeks Service
Wants Dominance	Wants to obey
Plans wicked schemes	Plans acts of kindness
Acts out in rage	Acts out in love
Enjoys inflicting pain on others	Enjoys helping others
Hates love and justice	Hates injustice
Loves hatred and injustice	Loves justice
Relies on others to back them up	Relies on God to back them up
Is motivated by putting others down	Is motivated by lifting others up

The main thing is that at the heart of the matter bullies only focus on their well-being at the cost of others.  This sounds a lot like Satan.  He focuses only on his own wicked schemes too at the cost of anyone he can.  The Bible shows us what bullying looks like and how we are to conduct ourselves even in the midst of bullying: “But I [Jesus] tell you, love your enemies. Pray for those who treat you badly. If you do this, you will be children who are truly like your Father in heaven. He lets the sun rise for all people, whether they are good or bad. He sends rain to those who do right and to those who do wrong.’”[5] 

We need to stand for what is right by bringing attention to the bullies to the leaders in schools, but even more importantly we need to teach our kids to memorize scripture, pray for their enemies and understand where their self-worth should come from.  Some of you may know from personal experience what it is like to be bullied, and it is no fun.  But your heart and soul belong to God, and this is why you are who you are today.  If our sons and daughters understand that God is with them in the very hard time, [6] it won’t necessarily take the pain of the moment away, but it will encourage them to stay strong and fight the good fight![7]

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[1] Deuteronomy 32:35

[2] Micah 6:8

[3] Article Source: ezinearticles.com/4691738

[4] Article Source: jaredstory.com/brandon.html

[5] Matthew 5:44-45 – Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)

[6] 6 Ways to Praise God During Hard Times

[7] From an article by Derek Hill

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NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R. Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER TWO (Lesson LIII) 06/04/21

^2:18 My dear children, the end is near! You have heard that the enemy of the Anointed One is coming. And now, many enemies of the Anointed One are already here. So, we know that the end must be near.

Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) points out that the Apostle John had another event in mind. That is when Jesus returns to finish the work He started here on earth. It will mean the end of the devil’s attacks against His saints and the beginning of the end of the devil’s reign. The question is, how are we to prepare for this visit at the most unexpected time? John says that we need to keep an eye on the spirit of the antichrist.

The antichrist’s main aim will be to drive a wedge into the family of God to divide them before conquering them. But Jesus made it clear that those who remain faithful will be the ones who triumph.[1] There are many false teachers, says Edwards, that serve as forerunners of the antichrist.[2] The signal of it being the last days will be their captivation of the church to disregard the rising persecution against them by the world. “Love will prevail,” they say. But remember this, God’s love did not prevail until His Son died on the Cross.

French theologian Theodore Beza’s (1519-1605) account of a critical and historical controversy in Calvin’s life left a permanent impression on history. It details Cardinal Jacopo Sadoleto’s (1477-1547) inquisition to put down the reformation. Calvin defended himself and told the interrogators: “I am not convinced that I was rebelling against the Church. I was at war with its leaders. The Son of God and the Apostles forewarned me that people would occupy these positions with whom I could never agree. The Anointed One said through His Word that these people would present themselves as pastors, but were fake sheep and false prophets.” Furthermore, said Calvin, “the Anointed One ordered me to remain alert. So, am I supposed to support them? The Apostles declared that there would be no enemies of the Church more vicious than these insiders who would cover themselves with priest’s robes.”[3] ^[4]

James Macknight (1721-1800) describes the “antichrist” in two ways: First, someone who attempts to put themselves in the place of the Anointed One. That means they are a “false christ.” Second, someone who is in opposition to the Anointed One. It seems clear that the Apostle John is using the words “antichrist” in both senses here in this epistle, the only place in the Final Covenant where the term occurs. But it is not new; Jesus also foretold this “antichrist” would come.[5] But the thing that focuses on their identity is what John says later in verse nineteen: “They went away from us.”^[6] It could mean that they forsook the community, or they abandoned the fundamental doctrines of the faith.

Samuel E. Pierce (1746-1829) gives us a complete description of the word “antichrist” and to whom it applies. He says that the Apostle John reminds the saints of what they heard concerning the antichrist, his coming and that he was almost here. His forerunners having given sufficient evidence of this. And as you have heard that antichrist will come, even now are there many antichrists. Under this heading will be expressed what we should understand about the antichrist. The term “antichrist” includes all the heretics and false teachers. Many may think of him as one individual, yet in and with him are all his lookalikes.^[7]

Richard Rothe (1799-1867) notes that dividing earth’s history into BC and AD did not start with Christians. The Jews already divided the duration of the earth’s existence into two specific periods or eons separated by the Messiah’s coming. They referred to the past as before He came and the future after He comes. When He came, the Jews expected Him to redeem His people and judge the Gentile nations and begin His reign on earth. It is no wonder that this same expectation is part of Christian theology. One significant difference is that the redemption of His people and the world’s judging would have a long interval in between.

Nevertheless, both Jews and Christians are awaiting the Messiah. For the Jews, it will be for the first time, and for Christians, the second time.  I heard a humorous story about a Messianic Rabbi who said the Messiah, Jesus, had come and a Jewish Rabbi who could not agree the Messiah had come but was yet to come. After years of friendly debate, one day, the Messianic Rabbi said to his Jewish friend, “When your Messiah comes, ask him if this is his first time or second time?” The Apostle may not have had this in mind when he spoke of it being the last hour, but the Apostle Peter reckoned it this way: “One day with the Lord is as a thousand years on earth.”[8]

But there is another factor, says Rothe. The last hour will involve the spirit of the antichrist. John said that the idea of being an anti-Christian was already in the world in his day. Another warning received is that this anti-Christian attitude would begin inside the congregation. Surprisingly, it would come from those claiming to be part of the body of the Anointed One.[9] Opposing the Anointed One is not enough; they also are against His kingdom.[10]

The Jews always taught: at the Messiah’s coming, the world would be in a mess. There would be moral corruption and hatred, even within families. Likewise, Jesus warned of the same thing at the time of His return.^[11] And the Apostle Paul elaborated on it further.^[12] Therefore, we can see the need for brotherly and sisterly love to be strong because Jesus also warned believers about those turbulent times and said that the love of many would grow cold.[13] Still, those who endure to the end will be saved for eternity when He returns.^[14]

Frederic Maurice (1805-1872) assures us that God controls His world. He formed it and marked it satisfactory. God’s agape-love, of which the Apostle John speaks, includes every feral, fish, fowl, and flower. But it is primarily directed towards that creature who has willfully strayed and brought disorder to God’s world – humanity. If we don’t understand this, says Maurice, we will not grasp John’s entire message. And how did this disorder occur? It came when humans began to form and sculpt objects for worship and made them into gods. 

Says Maurice, humans did this to see their reflection in the world they wanted and became so enamored that they clung to their idols. It thrives on the belief that the earth is the center of the universe and humanity is the center of the world. Not only that, but this multiplied into each person having their little world. These became miserable centers and began to clash with other small worlds around them. Some even claimed that their worlds were more prominent and essential than others. Pretty soon, they became so dissatisfied that they desired to escape their world. This selfish love is the counterfeit of the self-sacrificing love of the Anointed One. All these disorders, says the Apostle John, spring from not having the agape-love we all should have – the children, young adults, and elders. The heavenly Father’s love must prevail over all this, or it will not only drive His love out of our tiny individual world, but the world at large.^[15]

In Heinrich Meyer’s (1800-1873) commentary on this verse, we find this remark: “Those who truly belong to the Church, namely the Body of the Anointed One, never leaves it; they who do leave prove they did not belong in the first place.” Now, Meyer was not talking about one church but God’s universal Church. In expressing such confidence, says Meyer, John felt he was preserving the love of the Lord and the faithfulness of those He saved.

However, how do we reconcile this with what the writer of Hebrews said, asks Meyer? “For it is impossible to bring back to repentance those who were once enlightened – those who have experienced the good things of heaven and shared in the Holy Spirit.”[16] It looks like the writer of Hebrews is talking about believers who were once part of the Body of the Anointed One. Meyers feels that John would not argue this point and accept the fact that this could happen. However, John would insist that no matter how long it took them to fall away, they never wholeheartedly entered into the fellowship of the Lord despite the fact His love touched them. The critical factor is this; they never wholly severed their ties to the world.^[17]

In Johann Huther’s (1807- 1880) commentary, we read that the one circumstance that the Apostle John urges believers to abide in the Anointed One shows that he would not deny the possibility of their falling away. He agrees with Meyer that those who never completely broke with the world.^[18] Huther then goes on to say that once John mentions the substance of this divine commandment to love, he then describes the necessity to put it into practice. It, says Huther, is the mark whereby Christians know that God is within them.^[19]

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[1] Ibid. 24:13

[2] Edwards, Jonathan, The Works of, Vol. 6, Notes on the Bible, pp. 1058, 1173, 1179

[3] See Matthew 7:15; Acts of the Apostles 20:29; 2 Pet. 2:1; 1 John 2:18

[4] Calvin and Sadoleto, The Vindication of the Reformation (1539), History of the Christian Church by Philip Schaff, Vol. 8, The Swiss Reformation, p. 345

[5] Matthew 24:11

[6] Macknight, James: First Epistle of John, op. cit., pp. 52-53

[7] Pierce, S. E., An Exposition of the Firsts Epistle General of John, op. cit., Vol. 1, p. 206

[8] 2 Peter 3:8

[9] Matthew 17:15

[10] Rothe, Richard: The Expository Times, op. cit., August 1892, p. 505

[11] Ibid. 24:36-44

[12] 2 Timothy 3:1-17

[13] Matthew 24:12

[14] Matthew 24:4-14

[15] Maurice, F. D., The Epistles of St. John, op. cit., pp. 121-122

[16] Hebrews 6:4

[17] Meyer, Heinrich: Critical Commentary, op. cit., pp. 532-533

[18] Johann Huther: Handbook on Epistles of John, op. cit., pp. 356-357

[19] Ibid. p. 419

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NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R. Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER TWO (Lesson LII) 06/03/21

^2:18 My dear children, the end is near! You have heard that the enemy of the Anointed One is coming. And now, many enemies of the Anointed One are already here. So, we know that the end must be near.

It’s what motivated Paul to send a message to young Timothy, saying, “The Holy Spirit clearly expressed to us in plain words that in the last days some people will turn away from the true faith, and start paying attention to what is said about spirits and follow the teaching about demons. Those teachings come through people who lie to trick believers. The problem is that these people preach as truth what they know is a lie. It is like their conscience has seared with a hot iron. They will forbid marriage and require abstinence from foods which God created to be eaten with thanksgiving by those who have come to trust and to know the truth.”^[1] And the Apostle Peter warned of the same thing, noting that these people’s whole purpose and goal is to destroy the faith of everyone who looks up to the Anointed One as their Lord and Savior, especially His second coming.^[2]

COMMENTARY

Irenaeus (130-202 AD) tells us that the Gospel knew no other son of man but Jesus, who was Mary’s child, who suffered and died; He was not occupied by some divine Anointed One who flew away while He was on the cross. The Messiah who was born, that we know as Jesus the Anointed One, the Son of God, suffered and rose again. The Apostle John, the beloved disciple of the Lord, verifies this, saying: “But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God and that by believing in Him, you will have life by the power of his name.”^[3] John foresaw these blasphemous systems which tried to divide the Lord, saying, He was two people in one, formed of different substances. For this reason, John has also testified to us here in his Epistle.^{[4] [5]}

Roman Catholic theologian and historian Jerome (342-420) asked why the Lamb of God was offered up in the evening and not during the day? The reason is plain enough, for our Lord and Savior suffered His passion at the close of the ages, which is why John called it here in verse eighteen, the “last hour.”^[6] Evidently, Jerome is referring to late afternoon. It is clear from the Gospels that Jesus died during the day. Not only was the sun suddenly hidden to cause darkness to come over Jerusalem, but according to the Jewish tradition, the body of any person executed must be taken down and put in a tomb before sunset, which was traditionally around 6:00 PM.

In one of his homilies, Augustine (354-430) uses verses eighteen through twenty-seven to indicate that John is addressing children that they may make haste to grow because “it is the last hour.” Age or stature of the body is not at one’s own will. No person can decide when to be respected any more than when to be born. But when an individual is born with a desire to be respected, the growth will depend on their determination. Likewise, no one is “born of water and the Spirit,”[7] except they are willing. Subsequently, if they desire to increase, they will grow. If they have no desire, they will decrease. What is it to develop further? To go onward by proficiency. What is it to reduce? To go backward into deficiency. Who knew everything the moment they were born? They learned as infants. They experienced what it is to go from their mother’s breasts to a bottle.

Now our Christian mother is the Church, says Augustine, and her breasts are the two covenants of the Divine Scripture. They are to be nourished by the milk of spiritual truths in time for their eternal salvation; that they may begin to eat solid meat.[8] If we use the Bible to interpret itself, the words “meat” and “strong meat” refer to more profound, more complex Christian teachings, while the word “milk” refers to the basics of Christian teaching. The milk is for new Christians, while the meat is for mature believers.

Theodoret of Cyrus (393-458 AD) shares a dialogue between the Orthodox view of the Anointed One coming in the flesh in his work called “Eranistes.” The orthodox view was that the Anointed One was sent from God to be born of a woman who was then a God-Man. The opposite view was that the Anointed One was a man chosen to morph into the form of the Messiah, who was man being used by God.

Theodoret argues that the Messiah did not come to take on the image of a human, but human nature. The terms “form of a servant” and “form of God” are understood to mean its nature. The entire time the Son of God was here on earth, He lived, ate, slept, and worked as a human. It was only in His miracles that He showed the nature of God. It was all done so that Jesus qualified to be the sacrifice needed to pay the ransom for sin for the whole human race, something a god could not do. Not only that, but it was one of John’s main points here when he said, every spirit that confesses that Jesus the Anointed One has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus the Anointed One had come in the flesh is not of God. It is the spirit of the antichrist.^[9]

Gregory the Great (540-604) mentions that the Apostle John, here in verse eighteen, spoke about it being in the last hour, just as the Truth Himself predicted – Gregory does not tell us if what he is about to describe was current in his day or if he saw it prophetically. He says pandemics and wars raged throughout the world; nation rose against nation shaking the earth, dissolving the gaping planet of its inhabitants. All that was foretold is coming to pass. The king of pride is near, and (awful to be said) there is an army of priests preparing to greet for him since those appointed to be humble leaders have enlisted themselves under the domination of pride’s king. However, in this matter, he did not speak out in protest. Those who oppose the vice of pride are called into battle with opposing power.

It is written, says Gregory, God resists the proud but gives grace unto the humble.[10] Also, whoever exalts their spirit is unclean before God.[11] For this says it all, the only begotten Son of God took upon Himself the form of our weakness[12] so that the invisible might become visible and even despised.[13] That allowed Him to endure mocking and humiliation, accusations and scorn; the torments of suffering;[14] that God in His humility might teach people not to be proud. How great, then, is the virtue of humility for the sake of showing how He alone, He who is majestic beyond compare, reduced Himself to die as a sinner on our behalf! Since the devil’s pride was the origin of our punishment, the humility of God became our redemption.^[15]

Bede the Venerable (672-735 AD) points out that as Jesus indicated in the parable of the vineyard. The laborers who were in the vineyard from the first hour cultivated the Lord’s vine, which means that by teaching and living righteous lives, they served the will of their Creator. The laborers who entered at the third hour are those who came in after the time of Noah. The sixth hour was the time of Abraham. The ninth hour was the time at which the law was given. The eleventh hour is the time from the incarnation of our Lord until the end of time, which is described by divine revelation as follows: “During the eleventh hour, the Savior will return in the flesh, and the plague of the antichrist, who will attack the messengers of salvation, will follow.”^[16]

Someone once asked Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) whether the time of the future judgment is still unknown? One source says that the time of the future judgment is not hidden. For just as the holy fathers looked forward to the first coming, so do we look forward to the second. But the sacred fathers knew the time of the first coming, as proved by the number of weeks mentioned by Daniel.[17] That is why the Jews are admonished for not knowing the time of the Anointed One’s coming.[18] Therefore, it would seem that we should be entrusted with the time of the second coming when God will come to judgment.

But Aquinas begs to differ. On the contrary, he says, it is written, “Of that day or hour no man knows, neither the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.”[19] The Son, however, is said not to know in so far as He does not impart the knowledge to us. Further, it is written: “You know for sure that the day the Lord comes back to earth will be as a robber coming at night. God is the cause of things by His knowledge.”[20] John communicates both these things to His children. He both endows some with the power to make things happen and others the ability to be the cause for action. But in both cases, He reserves something to Himself, for He operates within a sphere where humans are incapable of knowing what He is planning even if He told them.^[21]

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[1] 1 Timothy 4:1-3; See 2 Timothy 3:1-6; 4:3-4

[2] 2 John 1:7

[3] John 20:31

[4] 1 John 2:18-23

[5] Irenaeus Against Heresies, Bk. III, Ch. XVI, p. 441

[6] Jerome, Bray, G. (Ed.)., op cit., 1-3 John, p. 187

[7] John 3:5

[8] Augustine: Ten Homilies on First Epistle of John, Homily 3, pp. 945-946

[9] Theodoret of Cyrus, The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, 2^nd Series, Vol. 3, op. cit., Dialogue 1, The Immutable, p. 337

[10] James 4:6

[11] Proverbs 16:5

[12] See Philippians 2:7

[13] See Colossians 1:15

[14] See Hebrews 12:2

[15] Register of the Epistles of Gregory the Great. The Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Second Series, Vol. 12, Bk. 5, Epistle 18 to John, Bishop of Constantinople, pp. 817-818

[16] Bede the Venerable: Bray, G. (Ed.), op. cit., 1-3 John, p. 187

[17] Daniel 9:24ff

[18] Luke 12:56

[19] Mark 13:32

[20] 1 Thessalonians 5:2

[21] Thomas Aquinas: Summa Theologica, Vol. 6, p. 905-906

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NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R. Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER TWO (Lesson LI) 06/02/21

^2:17 If God’s love is made perfect in us, we can be without fear on God’s judgment day. We will be without fear because, in this world, we act like Jesus.

William Barclay (1907-1945) tells us that it was characteristic of ancient thought to observe the world in terms of two conflicting principles. We see this very vividly in Zoroastrianism, [1] the religion of the Persians that is entered on the scrolls of history starting in the 5^th century BC, even though many scholars believe it started long before then. It is the religion the Jews made contact with and which left an imprint on their thinking.

Zoroastrianism saw the world as the battleground between the opposing forces of Enlightenment (Light) and Ignorance (Darkness). The god of enlightenment was Ahura-Mazda, [2] the god of ignorance was Angra-Mainyu, [3] and the great decision in life was which side to serve. Every person had to decide to ally themselves either with the light or the darkness. It was a conception with which the Jews were well acquainted.^[4] No doubt, the Apostle John was aware of this religion too, but while he walked with Jesus, the Master gave him and the other disciples the truth when He said, “I am the Light of the world.”^[5]

F. F. Bruce (1910-1990) notes that the word “world” (Greek kosmos) has a wide range of meanings in the Johannine writings. The context determines, from one place to another, how it is to be understood. On the one hand, God made the world through the agency of His “Word.[6] It was the object of God’s love;[7] the subject of God’s saving purpose.[8] The Anointed One is the Light of the world;[9] the Savior of the world, [10] the sacrifice for the whole world, [11] “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.”[12]

On the other hand, says Bruce, the world at present lies in the grip of “the evil one.”[13] It is, therefore, orientated against God. Accordingly, when He who is the Word and the Light came into the world, the world failed to recognize Him, [14] and similarly, it does not recognize His followers.[15] Indeed, it hates them, [16] just as it hated Him.^[17] So, what changed? After Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, God made numerous attempts through Noah, Abraham, Moses, and others to get the “world” to reconcile with Him. But it failed. So, He sent His Son as the last emissary from heaven to earth. Those who refuse this offer of grace are lost forever.[18]

Bruce Vawter (1921-1986) offers this warning about other spirits claiming to have a secretive relationship with God: it is only through the Son that the Father has ultimately revealed Himself.^[19] The safeguard of the true Christian who would avoid the dire consequences of this false teaching is to hold firmly to the instruction received through the apostolic preaching, what you heard from the beginning. By remaining steadfast in fundamental faith, one may be sure of receiving “the promise of eternal life.”^[20]

John Stott (1921-2011) makes an interesting comment by pointing out that in the Final Covenant, the Greek noun kosmos denotes the whole material order, the universe, the planet earth, and the totality of its human inhabitants. But in John’s Gospel and Epistles, it continually refers to fallen humanity, hostile to God. Yet, this sinful “world,” ruled by Satan, is nevertheless the object of God’s love and saving grace. Not that He condones its materialism and sin, but His compassion embraces the poor creatures the devil made captive.^[21]

D. Edmond Hiebert (1928-1995) makes an excellent point on what the Apostle John says here in the second half of verse seventeen. The conjunction “But” (KJV) points to a contrasting reality: “anyone who does what pleases God will live forever.”[22] This assurance is for those determined to be obedient to God’s will rather than pursuing the fleeting lusts of the world.[23]

J. L. Houlden (1929-1977) remarks, “The ‘mystical’ supernatural gift of God’s love certainly needed to be received to keep from loving the world. The test of God’s love in our hearts was more than spiritual ‘feeling;’ it was doing God’s will. It was keeping His commandments, particularly the command to love our brothers and sisters in the Lord.^[24] I have always maintained that “love” is an act of the will. Saying you possessed love is not enough; you must put it into action. Just singing, “I love you, Lord,” won’t convince Him or anyone. As Jesus said so succinctly, “a person cannot show love any greater than to give their lives for a friend.”[25] That’s why God loved the world so much that He had His Son give His life for us.[26]

James Montgomery Boice (1938-2000) offers a concise conclusion to this portion of John’s letter. If we are to love the Lord our God with all that is within us, we must turn away from everything that would keep us from such love and service. When Jesus called His disciples, He challenged them with the words “Follow Me!” It meant they had to leave their fishing nets or money tables or whatever else had been occupying their attention and leave it all behind. Similarly, when the Spirit calls us to embrace the truth of the Gospel, we must lay aside all we’ve learned about God, the Church, grace, and salvation and examine them through the teachings of Jesus and the inspired words of the Apostles’ writings.^[27] When we see those things taught to us measuring up to what we are learning as born-again believers, we can keep them because we understand them better. But those things that conflict or disagree with God’s Word must be thrown away. They couldn’t get us to heaven before, and they won’t be able to do it now.

2:18a Dear children, the end is getting nearer. You have heard that the enemy of the Anointed One is coming. The truth is, many such antichrists have already appeared. That’s how we know that the hour of His coming is also near.

EXPOSITION

Now John warns that an evil counterforce to the Anointed One – the antichrist, will spread its influence worldwide. No doubt that’s why the Apostle Paul warned Timothy that in the last days, there would be trying and terrible times.^[28] That’s why God spoke to us through His Son, who owns all things because He was involved in making them.^[29] So, nothing that He owns can be taken from Him, especially His children bought with the price of His blood. That’s because God’s power protects us through our faith until the day of final salvation in the end times.^[30] But we must be on guard because the people of this world will laugh at us. After all, we are so careful to maintain a holy life while they freely go about enjoying all the pleasures that meet their desires.^[31]

John also wants to make sure that no one is surprised or caught unawares when the antichrist starts exerting his power. He heard Jesus say that many will come claiming that they did many miracles in His name.^[32] The Apostle Paul even warned the Ephesians about such false prophets who claim to be part of the true church.^[33] And to the Thessalonians who were so worried that some of them might die before Jesus returned and miss out on the resurrection and rapture, that they should not let anyone fool them. They were to be exceptionally watchful for the Man of Evil, who will operate by the power of Satan to do many miracles, signs, and wonders. It will be God’s way of testing those who are truly in union with Him and help them survive to the end.^[34]

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[1] Zoroastrianism is arguably the world’s oldest one-God religion. It centers on the words of the prophet Zarathustra, and focuses worship upon Ahura Mazda, the Lord of Wisdom. It also acknowledges two competing principles representing good and evil: Spenta Mainyu (“Bounteous Spirit”) and Angra Mainyu (“Destructive Spirit”). Humans are intimately involved in this struggle, holding off chaos and destruction through active “Good thoughts,” “Good Words,” and “Good Deeds.”

[2] The literal meaning of the word Ahura “lord,” and that of Mazda is “wisdom.”

[3] The literal meaning of the word Angra “evil,” and that of Mainyu is “spirit.”

[4] Barclay, William: The Letters of John and Jude, Revised Edition, Daily Study Bible, op. cit., p. 62

[5] John 8:12

[6] Ibid 1:10

[7] Ibid. 3:16

[8] Ibid. 3:17

[9] Ibid. 1:9; 8:12; 9:5

[10] Ibid. 4:42; 1 John 4:14

[11] 1 John 2:2

[12] John 1:29

[13] 1 John 5:19

[14] John 1:10

[15] Ibid. 3:1

[16] John 15:18ff; 17:14; 1 John 3:13

[17] Ibid 7:7; 15:18, 23-25

[18] Bruce, F. F., The Epistles of John, op. cit., (Kindle Locations 1061-1069)

[19] Cf. John 1:18; 5:23; 10:30; 14:6-9; 15:23-25

[20] Vawter, Bruce, First Epistle of John, Jerome Biblical Commentary, op. cit., p. 408

[21] Stott, John. The Letters of John (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries), op. cit. pp. 105-106

[22] 1 John 2:17

[23] Hiebert, D. Edmond, 1 John, op. cit., p. 435

[24] Houlden, J. L., A Commentary on the Johannine Epistles, Harper’s New Testament commentaries, 1974, p. 75

[25] John 15:13

[26] 1 Timothy 2:5-6

[27] Boice, James Montgomery, The Epistles of John, op. cit., p. 65

[28] 2 Timothy 3:1

[29] Hebrews 1:2

[30] 1 Peter 1:5, 20

[31] 2 Peter 3:3; cf. Jude 1:18

[32] Matthew 24:5, 11, 24

[33] Acts of the Apostles 20:29-30

[34] 2 Thessalonians 2:3-12

• 

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R. Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER TWO (Lesson L) 06/01/21

^2:17 If God’s love is made perfect in us, we can be without fear on God’s judgment day. We will be without fear because, in this world, we act like Jesus.

William B. Pope (1822-1903) points out that the world is a system of desires contrary to God’s will, governed primarily by lust and greed, is even now almost obsolete. Think of it as a decaying piece of wood, food left out on the counter or a corpse. At first, it was alive and vibrant, able to resist and recover. But over time, due to age, wear, and abuse, it begins to decay. Eventually, it becomes unusable and beyond recovery. Its only value is to throw it into the fire to be free of any infection. Even though we live in a complex world, it is one riddled with sin’s mold. However, this rotting disease will not contaminate those who do God’s will. Did not our Lord Jesus say, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but what I’m telling you will never decay?”[1] It is a promise guaranteed to those who remain faithful to the end to experience resurrection and eternal life.^{[2] [3]}

Robert Cameron (1839-1904) says that having considered our relation to God in light and our obligation to Him in a three-fold union of knowledge, life, and light, John proceeds to speak of our attitude toward the world. Incidentally, he mentioned that light and love were but two forms of one essence. Just as heat, light, and motion are three forms of one force in the natural world, life, light, and love are different forms of one energy source in the spiritual world.

Therefore, to be in the light says Cameron, involves love for the newly redeemed believer, walking within its glow. Immediately, in John’s mind, he sees the danger of having love go out to objects, not harmonizing with the “Father of Light.” Hence, in tenderness, he calls the family of faith to gather around him, so he can warn them against loving the world in any of its outward forms or any of its inward passion.^[4]

Ernst Dryander (1843-1922) gives us an alarming look into conditions in the world during his era. He tells us that it had become a world of pride, make-believe, vanity, ambition, show, and spectacle, in various forms and appearances on the streets! And this behavior of worldly people is the most dangerous because it has mixed characteristics. It is not wholly corrupt; otherwise, people would find it disgusting. Were it to be outright vulgar; wouldn’t it be revolting to most people? But it mixes the bad with the good.

By that, Dryander means it focuses on ideals and morals. For instance, they say it is quite proper to steal from a rich person because they have more than they need. When, in fact, they are concealing their lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and pride of life. They know how to clothe what is unethical with what is apparently for a good cause. For instance, someone who starts a charity to support a good cause when all along it is only to line their pockets with the proceeds. How often have you heard someone excuse an unnatural act because they have the freedom to enjoy their lifestyle?^[5] Does this give us any reason to believe that we live in a better world than Dryander? I think not. Is it permissible for us to love the world more today than they did back then? Absolutely not!

F. B. Meyer (1843-1923), in writing about what the Apostle John means by “the world,” explains that “world” stands for the entire system of human interests surrounding us. It does not refer to what God made by His creative command and molding hands, but to the fireworks, fashions, and fads that interest people. It is used here in the sense in which the devil took Jesus into an exceeding high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and the glory of them, and said, “This is mine, and I will give it to You.”^[6] Had our Lord given in to such temptation, He never would have made it to the cross. The same is true today; if we give in to the world’s lure and false promises, we too will never make it to the cross.

Robert Law (1860-1919) says that the term “world” is used in its broadest sense to support John’s use of the word, but we must look deeply into this term to determine how John came up with his definition. And it seems to me scarcely imaginable, says Law, that the Apostle intended his readers to understand the “world” as some “limited object apart from God” to demand such a concise and practical command as “Do not love the world!” To do so would border on saying, “Hate the world.”

Dr. Law tells us that John Calvin (1509-1564) said, “The world, that is, godlessness itself, through which a person misuses God’s creation.” Martin Luther explains, “It is not an object, an actual tangible thing – it is made from these three cases of abuse of God’s glorious gift of free will to man – the lust of the flesh,” etc. Some say, says Law, we find that our kind of world reflects our image. But the Greek noun Kosmos can scarcely be used to signify such a philosophical idea as representing how the material and spiritual world correspond to a person’s mind. In other words, what is a person supposed to understand when they are called “worldly?”

Law contends, the only meaning we can give to the Apostle’s words is: “We must not love the world’s standards because our sinful tendencies can become subjective and have the effect of exciting the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.” Does not the Apostle Paul say that all things are pure to the person with a pure heart?[7] So the responsibility does not fall on the world but the power of a Christian’s redemption.^[8] We were redeemed to be free from the world’s influence, not let us stay free through the same power that liberated us.

Arno C. Gäbelien (1861-1945) talks about what the Apostle John meant when he spoke about not loving the “world.” This world-system in every aspect, whether we call it the social world, the political world, the commercial world, the scientific world, or the religious world. These worlds are not the Father’s work. All of their glory does not go to the Father. The love of the world is, therefore, inconsistent with the love of the Father. That’s because the controlling principles in most of them are lust and greed.

Remember, our Lord speaks concerning this relationship between the believer and the world. He said, “My followers do not belong to the world just as I do not belong to the world.”[9] Grace allowed us to escape this old world with its corruption and placed us in another world where Jesus is the center of attraction.

That new sphere is “our space,” says Gäbelien. The only way to escape this world with its enticing influences is by morally and spiritually separating from it. And that separation becomes real when we get to know Him and find our joy and satisfaction in the Anointed One. If the Apostle John needed to send out this appeal for his day, how much more is it needed today? Today, as never before, the god of this age blinds their eyes that do not believe. Mainly when this world system, in its godless and seductive character, develops a power and attraction unknown before, and when on all sides, professing Christians are “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.”[10] ^[11]

Rudolf Bultmann (1884-1976) sees verses fifteen through seventeen as a parenthetical section since verse fourteen connects easily to verse eighteen. He believes some early church manuscript copier did this. Bultmann bases this on the possibility that the copyist took the message of verses twelve through fourteen as a warning against worldly involvement. It is not the “world” God created but the “world” that humankind fashioned.^[12] In this “world,” humanity is separated from God but not necessarily in active opposition to Him and believers.^[13] The things of this world are transitory, while in God’s world, they are permanent. The Apostle John explains this in verses sixteen and seventeen.^[14] I am surprised that Bultmann adopted this point of view of the “world.” In his Gospel, John records all that Jesus taught about the “world.”^[15] So, it is unnecessary to see editing performed by some copier or scribe to make it more relevant to their day.

Priestly L. Greville (1891-1976) points out that we can interpret the word “world” as the secular society of humanism instead of the sacred community of the Church. As believers, we must recognize the customs and manners, standards, and spirits that are contrary to the divine purpose of the kingdom of God. Those in the world are only interested in what pleases themselves, not what pleases God. That’s why John says there can be no compromise and no accommodation of these immoral activities in the family of God. That would make it impossible to love God while loving the world. As Jesus said, no one can serve two masters.^[16] If you love one, you must reject the other. John then goes on, says Greville, to outline what the world offers and how we can see these things are not inspired, nor do they please, our heavenly Father.^[17]

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[1] Matthew 24:35

[2] Ibid. 24:13

[3] Pope, William B: Commentary on the New Testament, op. cit., pp. 301-302

[4] Cameron, Robert: The First Epistle of John, op. cit., p. 72

[5] Dryander, E., A Commentary on the First Epistle of St. John in the Form of Addresses, op. cit., pp. 60-61

[6] Meyer, F. B. Our Daily Homily, op. cit., p. 232

[7] Titus 1:15

[8] Law, R. (1909)., The Tests of Life: A STudy of the First Epistle of St. John, op. cit., p. 147

[9] John 17:16

[10] 2 Timothy 3:4

[11] Gäbelein, Arno C. The Annotated Bible, op. cit., loc. cit.

[12] See 4:17; John 12:31; 16:11; 18:36; 1 Corinthians 3:19; 5:10; 7:31; Ephesians 2:2

[13] Cf. 3:13; John 7:7; 15:18ff; 17:14

[14] Bultmann, Rudolf: The Johannine Epistles, op. cit., pp. 32-33

[15] John 2:15-18; 3:16-17

[16] Matthew 6:24

[17] Greville, Priestly L., The Johannine Epistles, op cit., pp. 58-61

• 

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R. Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER TWO (Lesson XLIX) 05/31/21

^2:17 If God’s love is made perfect in us, we can be without fear on the day when God judges His people. We will be without fear because, in this world, we act like Jesus.

It also became Paul’s prayer for the Colossians and the blessing of one of their members accompanying Paul on his missionary travels.^[1] The Thessalonians learned this principle of unconditional commitment and devotion to God and His will. They gave Him thanks for everything He did to bring them into union with the Anointed One.^[2]

So, the message is clear, hold on to what God gave you so that you can receive what He promised.^[3] The Apostle Peter emphasized the same idea of commitment and told his readers to strengthen themselves so that they will live their lives here on earth doing what God wants, not the sinful things that people of the world want to do.^[4] Because, behind it, all is the fact that worldly promises and guarantees will expire on that day, but the promises and assurances made by God will never be outdated. In fact, the Psalmist said they would be like Mount Zion that will stand until the Messiah returns to set up His kingdom.^[5] And King Solomon put it another way: “When the storm passes, the sinful person will be no more, but the person who is right with God will stand firm forever.”^[6]

Perhaps John’s mind reflected on what he heard the Savior say at the Temple on the last day of the great Feast of Tabernacles in Jerusalem, “Anyone who drinks the water I give will never be thirsty again. The water I give people will be like a spring flowing inside them. It will bring them eternal life.”^[7] But it wasn’t only water that He offered; He also said that He was not like their ancestors’ bread. They ate manna from heaven, but they still died. He was the bread of life that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever.^[8] And the Apostle Peter adds that this message of the Lord will last for eternity.^[9]

COMMENTARY

Bishop Cyprian (200-258 AD) notes that the saying of Jesus, “It is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit,”[10] was literally accepted and instituted. Isn’t it marvelous that it inspired believing men and women to become admired martyrs? And ought not the same texts to be more faithfully accepted in explaining the inspiration of the Holy Scriptures? Language could hardly be more forceful: “It is not you that speak.”^[11] We must parse the term “speak” as used here. It does not mean that the preacher or teacher is not speaking, but that the Holy Spirit authors the message they deliver.

Œcumenius (700-800 AD) likens people who skip over John’s warning about the things of this world will soon be gone. Still, those things that fall in line with God’s will are bound for eternity to those who, as in Jesus’ did parables, Augustine uses in his sermon on 1 John 12-17, where the term “abides forever,” appears eight times. He says that God will abide with you if you have overcome the wicked one; three times, he says that God will stay forever with those who do His will and because you are strong, and the word of God abides in you. God will endure forever since He exists eternally. Let no one fool you with those things that bring death because the world cannot provide eternal life. Only He who lives forever can live forever. His accompanying us all begins when we choose to love the Lord instead of loving the world.^[12]

John Owen (1616-1683) lists two things needed to complete this self-resignation of the soul. (1) Loving the Anointed One for His excellency, grace, and sufficiency, far above all other favorites one may have, preferring Him in the judgment and mind above them all. In Solomon’s Song, we read, “Why is your love better than all others, O woman of rare beauty? What makes your love so special?”[13] The speaker is pressing this woman to explain why she preferred one lover above all others. She said he was the best of ten thousand.[14] So, says Owen, (2) when it comes to having any love for this world, can it pass the test of being any more attractive and desirable than the Son of God? All others fail in comparison to the majestic Anointed One, says Owen.^[15]

In this verse, Samuel E. Pierce (1746-1829) says, the Apostle John reveals the world’s unholy trinity in its unity: which draws believers out of the Anointed One’s embrace to follow them. Pierce writes: the world, the flesh, and the devil, are the three great and powerful prison guards of all those imprisoned in sin’s dungeon. They are their complete and mighty conquerors, an unholy threesome. Therefore, those still under their power must be the most wretched in the world. So, when the Apostle John speaks of “all that is in the world,” he means the pleasures and lifestyle sinners live to please this unholy trio. It is also a way to sum up what the world would offer in place of God’s love.^[16]

Thomas Scott (1747-1821) says that when it is genuine “faith that works by love,” even “little children” and “weak believers” may be assured, that “their sins are forgiven them” for the Anointed One’s sake: and though there are different degrees of growth, strength, knowledge, and grace, among the sons and daughters of the Lord Almighty and some, have obtained more victories over the wicked one, or arc more fit for active service, or to give wise counsel than others are: yet they are all dear to their heavenly Father. They all have some “knowledge of Him,” and “love for Him;” and, through “His Word abiding in them,” they will lead the young ones in their family to the same victories and train them up to a measure of the same vigor, and maturity, which others have already attained.^[17]

Charles Simeon (1759-1836) states that we can look at what John says here as a reference to churches. Their age and stature in exemplifying Christian living identify them as children, young adults, and fathers. So, it doesn’t count how long they’ve been around or their position in the congregation. Here’s what John wants them to hear: No matter if a church is just beginning, is established, or historical, they should receive John’s message as personally addressed to them. Apply it to their age and situation. But this is just the beginning; John has more to say.^[18]

Heinrich Meyer (1800-1882) says that the Apostle John adds a new element to what he has said. John’s warning in verse fifteen is strengthened by what he stated in the previous verses. Some commentators see in what Paul told the Corinthians as validation that those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them. For this world, as we know it, will soon pass away.[19] Not only that, but present changes will alter the future. So, building on what is popular now may not survive for long. Remember, things in this world are on their way to disappearing because they weren’t meant to last forever.[20]

William Graham (1810-1883) says the Apostle John lists the principles and practices of this world in which we should have no interest. He points out that true believers have their hearts set on another and more noble object. The precious blood of Jesus did not redeem our souls that we might find satisfaction in such fleeting fads. Can you find your pleasure where He found only pain and the bitter cross? We must declare our unity with the children of God and have no more fellowship with the world that persecuted and crucified our Lord. We may have higher hopes and nobler aims that will be tried through persecution and suppression by dictators and in the seductive flatteries of worldly exhibitions, but our language is still the same.^[21] Graham adds the lyrics from a song sung in the Church during that time, it goes:

“We’re not of the world that fades away,

We’re not of the night, but children of day:

The chains that once bound us by Jesus are riven,

We’re strangers on earth, and our home is in heaven.”

But I love the fifth stanza that reads:

“And soon shall we enter our own promised land,

Before His bright throne in glory shall stand;

Our song then forever and ever shall be,

All glory and blessing, Lord Jesus, to Thee!”[22]

One anonymous writer penned these words: We can’t afford to play with fire nor tempt a serpent’s bite; We can’t afford to think that sin brings any true delight. That’s why the Apostle John tells them they live under the illusion that by giving the world all they’ve got; they’ll get a reward one day. If the world has nothing to give you for your journey to everlasting life in the first place, how will they be able to give you anything when you finish in last place?

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[1] Ibid. 4:12

[2] 1 Thessalonians 4:1-3; 5:18

[3] Hebrews 10:36

[4] 1 Peter 4:2

[5] Psalm 125:1-2

[6] Proverbs 10:25

[7] John 4:14

[8] Ibid. 6:58

[9] 1 Peter 1:25

[10] Matthew 10:20; Mark 13:11

[11] Ante-Nicene Fathers, Vol, 5., Elucidations, Cyprian: pp. 862-863

[12] Augustine: Ten Homilies on the First Epistle of John, Homily 2, pp. 932-954

[13] Song of Solomon, 5:9

[14] Ibid. 5:10

[15] Owen, John: Of Communion with God, Vol 3, Ch. 3, p. 76-77

[16] Pierce, S. E., An Exposition of the First Epistle General of John, op. cit., Vol. 1, p. 198

[17] Scott, Thomas: First Epistle of John, op. cit., p. 486

[18] Simeon, Charles First Epistle of John, op. cit., p. 398

[19] 1 Corinthians 7:31

[20] Meyer, Heinrich: Critical Commentary, op. cit., loc. cit.

[21] Graham, W. (1857), The Spirit of Love, op. cit., pp. 132-133

[22] We’re Not of the World, written by James George Deck (1802-1884)

• 

CANCER IN OUR SOCIETY – BULLYING

Workplace bullying demeans the target and costs firms billions of dollars annually in lost wages, productivity, and medical costs. One reaction to the effects of the bullying behavior is that targets leave their job – taking critical knowledge and experience with them, causing incalculable costs to the firm

Many reasons abound as to why workplace bullying behavior occurs; first, the need to distinguish between a bully and an aggressive leader. Research and leadership scholars acknowledge that certain workplace cultures breed hostility depending on top leaders’ central role; thus, supervisory incompetence can trigger workplace aggression. One researcher states the hypothesis that “there will be more friendliness among individuals in a cooperative situation than in a competitive situation.” There is a fragile line between a bully and an aggressive leader. The way to distinguish is by asking, “What does this interaction have to do with the work at hand?” Bullies target people; aggressive leaders target the work.

In studies of organizational risk, researchers found evidence that organizational dynamics, rather than individual or interpersonal processes, underlie the occurrences of workplace bullying. One suggested improvement is providing more training for leadership and management staff to help combat workplace bullying. At the same time, while there is no shortage of leadership curricula, courses, and workshops, rampant workplace bullying continues to hurt organizations worldwide furthermore, with bullies rarely receiving any punishment from leadership if the occurrence of workplace bullying is even acknowledged. Unfortunately, most research models designed to identify good leaders determine how their traits affect an organization’s profit or ranking. The leaders’ success is not measured by how their behavior affects workplace conditions due to the lack of consequences when they misbehave. It allows workplace bullying to infiltrate the firm.

In addition, researchers have also found that firms led by authoritarian leaders, particularly those with productivity demands, are susceptible to having a misuse of legitimate leadership authority or controlling behavior towards others. When such leadership behavior prevails, the stated core values of the firm are at odds with what employees find are the manifested core values, thus giving a pervading sense of permission by leadership for employees to act abusively.

When leaders display workplace bullying, it shows signs of job insecurity, high job strain, stress due to high demands, and low control overwork. Some researchers believe that individual competition among coworkers, with pressure to move up the corporate ladder or be shown the door, is the genesis of workplace bullying. Others found that Capitalism and Darwinism contribute to fight-for-the-fittest and only-the-strong-survive mindsets. Such attitudes contribute to the lower-class workers giving up power to the domineering workers – many with poor management skills – who earn undue rewards for being the most aggressive and achieving lofty goals. They continue their assault as they move up the corporate ladder.

One researcher studied the skills considered critical for a successful leader: truthfulness, authenticity, and modesty. Yet despite numerous books, workshops, and required coursework that business leaders are exposed to over their careers, workplaces worldwide are filled with disengaged, disaffected, and dissatisfied employees.” It indicated that leadership is not revealed in action because most leadership training focuses on being a good leader for the firm’s good, not on the leader’s interests. Therefore, the leader’s perceived failure occurs when things go wrong for the firm, not when the situation turns sour for the employees. Sometimes leaders are torn between their interests, such as performance, job security, salary, promotion, moving to another firm, and juggling those interests against the firm’s differing group needs and the group’s good, for example, higher returns, more significant profits.

Leaders must often sacrifice one need for the other, as very few leaders succeed at both. Based on his concept, individuals who are subordinate to such leaders may end up neglected: “There is far from a complete correspondence between what is good for a company ··. And what is for the company’s leader,” said one researcher. Presumably, leaders are interested primarily in the organization’s well-being; however, many are interested only in their well-being, a potential characteristic not usually considered in leadership studies. Often bullying is used to advance a manager’s agenda – rendering the target subservient, humiliating a person in front of the team – rather than getting work done. Bullying prevents work from getting done because it interferes. Bullying undermines the agency’s leadership mission and erodes corporation profits.[1]

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[1] The Relationship Between Transgression-Related Internal Motivations, Workplace Bullying, and the Bullied Target’s Turnover Intention by Dr. Suzanne R. Seyda-Bowen, published by ProQuest LLC, Ann Arbor, 2019, pp. 4-6

• 

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R. Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER TWO (Lesson XLVIII) 05/28/21

^2:16 This is all there is in the world: wanting to please our sinful passions, wanting the evil things we see, and being too proud of what we have. But none of these comes from the Father. They come from the world.

D. Edmond Hiebert (1928-1995) explains that the words “We know love by this” can be more literally rendered as, “In this, we have come to know love.” It points to “direct attention” as the needed test for the manifestation of genuine love. Also, “By this” or “In this” looks back to the Anointed One’s crucifixion. The perfect tense, “we know,” indicates knowledge gained through recognizing the significance of that historical event. Through contemplation of the Anointed One’s cross, a person comes to understand the meaning of love. In the Anointed One’s self-sacrifice, believers possess the supreme manifestation of “God’s love,” the kind of love of which John was speaking.^[1] In other words, understanding love takes focus, knowledge, being open-minded, and having a model to follow. God’s Son and God’s Word give the believer all of this.

Greek philosopher Thucydides (431 BC) made an insightful statement we can apply here to know why we as Christians should avoid engaging in the world’s ungodly activities. Thucydides writes: “For these reasons, the Peloponnesians fear our unsuspected offense more than they would ever have done a more traditional preparation. Besides, many inferior weapons have overcome superior weapons because of the lack of skill or sometimes courage. We have none of these defects.”[2] In line with this thinking, Judith Lieu says that it was commonplace in Philosophy that desire constantly threatens to overturn the rational mind and needs to be controlled with regular practice.^[3] In other words, never accept an invitation to join activities with those who live by worldly standards, used for evil and good without giving it a lot of thought.

In speaking about boasting, Douglas Moo (1950) says that one of the most common and perhaps basic of all sins is “illegitimate pride” – what Paul calls “boasting.” The tendency of finite, weak, and sinful human beings to overthink their significance is widespread, and to get rid of it is a challenge. John calls it “boasting of what [a person] has and does.” We can effortlessly bring such boasting into our supposed relationship with God. In addition to being sinful, it carries two great dangers. (1) It stifles our worship. As long as we think, however subconsciously, that we have contributed something to our salvation, we will not put God on as high a plane as we should. We will loom too large, and He will seem too small— and (2) we will not worship with the absolute sense of humility, dependence, and thanksgiving that always marks the best worship.^[4]

Daniel L. Akin (1957) tells us that worldliness or “being of the world” is often misunderstood. It involves cultural issues that are of particular concern to us. The Apostle John is not telling us to reject all aspects of culture, much of which reflects the glory, goodness, and gifts of God. He tells us that we are not to love and idolize thoughts, values, and behaviors contrary to God’s Word (verse 14) and His will (verse 17). Things that appeal to our sinful flesh (for example, drug abuse, drunkenness, gluttony, the abundance of possessions, sexual perversions, etc.) are fleeting and passing are not the things for which we live our lives.^[5]

Bruce G. Schuchard (1958) looks at the last three nouns in this list of sinful tendencies here in verse sixteen. Instead of “pride” of life, he terms it “pretense” of life, one of the immoral activities of the heart and mind. The word “pretense” denotes pridefulness or arrogance within a person’s heart. But many who have this egotistical attitude do not believe it is pride and arrogance that drive it. That’s why such miserably misguided pretenders offer a boastful display of presumptuous ability and/or accomplishment. They often look at some heroic deed or talented physical power seen in others and claim, “I could do that!” or “I’ve done stuff like that!” without being specific to time and place. Even more, what they have been able to accomplish, they exaggerate into something far more significant and more extravagant than it is.^[6] Here in America, we usually label this as “another fish story.” In other words, when describing the size of the fish they caught, fishermen showed its length with their hands. Instead of specifying an eight-inch fish, they widen their arms to indicate a sixteen-inch fish.

David Jackman (1973) says the Apostle John builds on the three stages by which Eve yielded to the sin of disobeying God. She desired to partake of the forbidden fruit. It looked so good to her; the first woman found it hard to resist. And she wanted to tell the devil that she could make her own decisions and did not need God telling her what to do. So here, John introduces it as Lust and Pride, involving the appetite, eyes, and ego. You ask anyone on a strict diet if it’s hard for them to walk past a bakery shop window, and they’ll admit it is. Or, ask someone who loves automobiles if when they see a luxury car speed by, they look at it with a desire to have one of their own, and they will not doubt say “Yes.” Then, when they see a person getting an award for an outstanding accomplishment or an Olympic gold medal, they feel envious because it could have been theirs if only other things had not gotten in the way.

The same is often true with Christians as they view the world and its freedom, pleasures, and indulgences. How nice it would be if they could just dabble in it now and then. They feel it would be better not to go overboard or become addicted; they just want to get a taste now and then. These worldly people seem to have all the money, get all the attention, never seem to be punished for their luxurious lifestyle, and don’t try to hide it. It also appears they can do anything, eat anything, enjoy anything, and have anything their heart desires, and God pays no attention. Oh, say some believers, if I just wasn’t such a conservative and fundamental Christian, I could have a much richer and enjoyable life.

Meanwhile, they claim to live by a strict holy, sanctified standard. These notable Christians mostly associate and fellowship with other Christians, except when invited to be part of society’s in-crowd. Jackman says this is the bait the devil puts out to get them into his trap. All they need to do is stop and remind themselves of the destiny of these socialites with Christian sentiments. That should settle the question of to do or not to do what is tempting them.^[7] I wonder if Jackman was referring to people in the category of today’s Christian TV stars or megachurch pastors who fly first class and never go anywhere without bodyguards. We will let him answer that. In the past, some have fallen, and many believers felt the pain it caused.

2:17a Yet, this world and all it offers, and the things people have been craving for so long, is fading away. Only those who do God’s will live forever.

EXPOSITION

John had every reason to say that the fads of this world get old after a while because people quickly lose interest. But the Psalmist said, God’s goodness is higher than the tallest mountain and deeper than the lowest part of the ocean.^[8] In fact, one Psalmist wrote that when it comes to what joy and satisfaction the world offers, it’s like waking up from a dream only to find out it was all a fantasy.^[9] And while we show no interest in God, only the things of this world, God does not back our choices, and our lives end with nothing more than a whimper.[10] And when it’s all over, they will be discarded as though God gave the earth a change of clothing.^[11] The prophet Isaiah likened people to grass growing in the field. Any glory they enjoy is like a wildflower. When a wind from the Lord blows on them, the grass dies, and the flower falls. Yes, all people are like grass. Grass dies, and flowers fall, but the Word of our God lasts forever.^[12]

Didn’t the Apostle Paul tell the Corinthians that those who use the things of the world should not become attached to them because this world as we know it will soon be gone?^[13] And the Apostle James puts it in a different context by saying that well-off believers should be glad when things happen that humble them. They will disappear as quickly as wildflowers in a field. As the sun rises and gets hotter, its heat dries up the plants, and the flowers fall off. The flowers that were once so beautiful are now all shriveled up. In the same manner, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements.^[14] It, says James, should tell us that we don’t know what will happen tomorrow. So, wake up and ask yourself, what is life after all? It is like morning fog. It’s here a little while, and then it’s gone.^[15] And the Apostle Peter must have read what John wrote because he quotes it in his first letter.^[16] On the other hand, says John, those who put their faith and trust in God will face no such up and down future. It echoes what the Psalmist said about learning to follow God’s ways, resulting in His Spirit leading them forward on level ground.^[17] Not only that, but John heard the Master say that anyone who desires to know what God wants for their life will learn that His teaching is from God and not something He thought up by Himself.^[18] The Apostle Paul framed it well in his letter to the Romans.[19]

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[1] Hiebert, D. Edmond: 1 John, Bibliotheca Sacra, op. cit., p. 306

[2] Thucydides, The History of the Peloponnesian War, Bk. 4, Ch. 13

[3] Lieu, Judith, I, II, III John, op. cit., p. 94

[4] Moo, Douglas J., Romans (The NIV Application Commentary Book 6), p. 142

[5] Akin, Dr. Daniel L., Exalting Jesus in 1,2,3 John, op. cit., Kindle Locations 772-776

[6] Schuchard, Bruce G. 1-3 John, op. cit., pp. 227-228

[7] Jackman, David, The Message of John’s Letters, op. cit., pp. 62-65

[8] Psalm 36:6

[9] Ibid. 73:20

[10] Ibid. 90:9

[11] Ibid. 102:26

[12] Isaiah 40:6-8

[13] 1 Corinthians 7:31

[14] James 1:10-11

[15] Ibid. 4:14

[16] 1 Peter 1:24

[17] Psalm 143:10

[18] John 7:17

[19] Romans 12:2

• 

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R. Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER TWO (Lesson XLVII) 05/27/21

^2:16 This is all there is in the world: wanting to please our sinful selves, wanting the evil things we see, and being too proud of what we have. But none of these comes from the Father. They come from the world.

James Arminius (1560-1609) discusses the reconciliation of the differences of religious opinion that causes contention among Christians. It starts with the sources of such disagreements. It begins with Satan, who promotes disputes over doctrines among believers. Then it is compounded by believers continuing such unsubstantiated teachings. Unfortunately, minds unguarded by the Holy Spirit leave the door open to the devil to exploit the weakness of faith and commitment to the truth. It allows Satan to promote the love of glory, riches, and pleasures such as the world offers. As the Apostle John says in verse sixteen, these appeal to the sinful tendencies of the flesh, greediness of the eyes, and unbridled pride. It is this human egotism that hates divine truth the most.^[1]

John Flavel says that if those who claim union with the Anointed One have crucified their sinful tendencies to prove their entitlement, they should do all they can to keep their sinful tendencies on the cross. It is the way a devout believer goes forward. Since this is the main accomplishment of spiritual living and greeted with joy in heaven, says Flavel, we should be motivated to keep this going because our safety in the hour of temptation depends on how successful we are by refusing to get involved. Keep this in mind; Satan will do anything he can to wrestle away your crown of eternal life.^[2]

Charles Finney notes that the Bible informs us that God did not aim at producing sin-inducing factors in creation. In other words, He did not purposely bring sin into existence, designed to promote His kingdom. Meaning, He hid sinful tendencies in our fleshly composition[3] so that His kingdom is the only one where we can find safety from His punishment when we do sin. In other words, sin is not the object of an intended purpose carried out by God.^[4]

John Bunyan (1628-1688) recounts how pilgrim Faith came to the foot of Difficulty Hill in Pilgrim’s Progress. There he met with an older man, who asked him who he was and where he was going. Pilgrim Christian told the aged man that he was on his way to the Celestial City. Then said the old man, “You look like an honest fellow; would you be willing to work for me for the wages I would pay?” Then Pilgrim Christian asked him his name and where he lived. He said his name was First Adam and that he lived in the town of Deceit.[5]

Then, continues Bunyan, Pilgrim asks him, what was the work he wanted him to do, and what were the wages? He told Christian that his work was many delights and his wages were that he would be his heir. Then Christian asked how this senior citizen managed his estate and what other servants did he have. So, he told Christian that he provided all his guests with all the delicacies in the world. His servants were his children. He said that he only had three daughters: The Lust of the Flesh, The Lust of the Eyes, and The Pride of Life, and that I could marry them all. Then Christian asked how long this gentleman wanted him for him? He told Christian, as long as you live.^[6] Paul had it right; the wages of sin are death.

William Law (1686-1761) notes that God will have no place at His hospitality table for the rich and wealthy to come and feast with Him in the supper of the Lamb.^[7] Jesus said, “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet, don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. They will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the disabled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.”[8] God will not waste any money on gold-plated roofs or expensive furniture: He will not provide costly amusement and entertainment. The Apostle Paul tells us that this is what the world offers, tempting us to do things their way. It is not the way our Father in heaven does things.[9]

Law goes on to say, granted, the land where he lives professes to be a Christian nation. But will anyone claim that this Christian society is of the Spirit of the Anointed One? Are their attitudes the same as Jesus’? Are their passions of sensuality, self-love, pride, covetousness, ambition, and vain-glory less contrary to the spirit of the Gospel now that they have Christians living among them? Or will you say that the way they used to think, act, and feel is long gone?[10] It’s the age-old question, has the Church has gone out into the world or has the world come into the Church?

Jonathan Edwards points out that whatever god they choose, it will set their minds on what that god says. For example, the gods, which unregenerate people worship, instead of the God that made them, are themselves of the world. They have withdrawn their esteem and honor from God and proudly exalt themselves. As Satan was not willing to subject himself to God in heaven and rebelled to establish his reign as king of the earth, [11] so the ungodly with egotistical thoughts set themselves upon God’s throne. They give their hearts to the world, riches, pleasures, worldly honors: they have the possession of what belongs to God. The Apostle John sums this up as a form of idol worship in showing their love of the world. And the Apostle James observes that a person will automatically be an enemy of the true God if they become best friends with the world.^[12]

William Alexander (1824-1911) observes that our Lord’s three temptations in the wilderness answer to this division. First, the “lust of the flesh” is the rebellion of the lower appetites against higher principles. It leads to the corruption of character in producing the “pride of life,” which forbids total surrender to God’s will.[13] People with this attitude are not only enemies of the Church but more dangerous than the evil one – Satan, who rules the world.[14]

Let’s look at it this way: When Jesus came in the flesh, it was so that He could call His followers “out of the world.” Jesus said since He picked us to live on God’s terms and no longer under the world’s conditions, the world is going to hate us.^[15] So, since a Christian is no longer part of the world that hates them, why should they go on loving the world?

William Sinclair (1850-1917) gives us a clear understanding of what the Apostle John calls the “pride of life.” He points out that John and the Apostle James alone uses the Greek noun alazoneia.[16] The phrase means a “boastful, flamboyant attitude regarding the good things of this life allotted by God for His service.” It does not mean living up to a supposed social position instead of as the responsible steward of God’s undeserved blessings. As far as John is concerned, nothing can replace living and using our talents and abilities to the honor and glory of God.^[17]

Alonzo R. Cocke (1858-1901) defines the three essential elements in this ethical view of the world: First, particular appetites serve a sinful purpose, even if they appear in innocent forms when overdone. Secondly, whatever becomes attractive as an object of sensual pleasure through the eye. Thirdly, all the pomp, vanity, pretension, splendor, and worldly practices and possessions show. These cause the heart to swell with pride and vainglory. The Father’s Spirit never inspires these; they are all the world’s spirit.^[18]

Rudolf Schnackenburg (1914-2002) notes that the three evil desires of the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life filling the world are not the only ones to fear. These represent the three fountains, out of which flow a significant number of desires opposed to God by their very nature.[19] So, they are not a catalog of vices; they expose the evil disease that infects humans, all of which came from Adam and Eve’s disobedience to God’s Word.

As three genitive cases, says Schnackenburg, they speak of our bodily passions and the greed of our eyes. The Greek noun epithymia (“lust” KJV) meaning (“to desire what is forbidden,”) used in verses sixteen and seventeen, and the Greek alazoneia (“pride” KJV) meaning (“hollow bragging, empty assurances, or blank presumptions”) used in verse sixteen. Both refer to earthly things to bring power and satisfaction. Schnackenburg offers that these in their basic form are unharmful as forms of motivation. They only become evil and objectionable when they excite ungodly impulses that go against God’s Word.[20]

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[1] Orations of James Arminius: Oration 5, Delivered on Wednesday, February 8, 1606, when Arminius resigned the Annual office of Rector of the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, p. 141

[2] Flavel, John: The Method of Grace, op. cit., Ch. 28, p. 397

[3] See Romans 7:7

[4] Finney, Charles: Systematic Theology, Lecture 46, p. 646-647

[5] Ephesians 4:22

[6] Bunyan, John: Pilgrim’s Progress, Vol 9, p. 112

[7] Revelation 19:6-9

[8] Luke 14:12-14

[9] Law, William: A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, Ch. 2, pp. 21-22

[10] William Law, A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, p. 210

[11] Cf. Isaiah 14:12-15; Luke 10:18; 2 Peter 2:4; Revelation 12:9

[12] Edwards, Jonathan, The Works of, Vol. 4, Miscellaneous Discourses, pp. 1015-1016

[13] Alexander, William: Expositor’s Bible, op. cit., pp. 141-142

[14] Ibid, p. 149

[15] John 15:18-19

[16] James 4:16

[17] Sinclair, William, First Epistle of John, op. cit., p. 480

[18] Cocke, A. R. (1895), Studies in the Epistles of John, op. cit., pp. 51–52

[19] Cf. Galatians 5:19-21

[20] Schnackenburg, Rudolf, The Johannine Epistles, op. cit., p. 120

• 

NEW TESTAMENT CONTEXTUAL COMMENTARY

By Dr. Robert R. Seyda

FIRST EPISTLE OF JOHN

CHAPTER TWO (Lesson XLVI) 05/26/21

^2:16 This is all there is in the world: wanting to please our sinful selves, wanting the wicked things we see, and being too proud of what we have. But none of these comes from the Father. They come from the world.

In the Latin language, a bragging individual is called an “alazonia,” which translates into Greek as “boastful.” Greek Philosopher Theophrastus (circa 371-287 BC), in his treatise called “Characters,” describes such a person as an Alazon, “the boastful one.” He introduces this individual by saying that boastfulness would seem to be, pretending you have things you do not truly possess. We can see that Theophrastus’ character is similar to the one the Apostle John presents here as having the “pride of life.” Keep in mind that Theophrastus is describing things as they were 350 years before the birth of Jesus. But the attitude he describes continues until now. Here is his illustration:

The Boastful Man will stand in the bazaar talking to foreigners about the outstanding sums he has in shipping. He will then discourse of the vastness of his money-lending business and the extent of his monetary gains and losses; while thus telling this long tale, he will send off his servant to the bank, where he keeps — one drachma.[1] He also loves to impose on his walking companion a story of how he served with Alexander the Great. He goes on and on about the times he was with him and the number of gemmed cups he brought home, contending, too, that the Asian artists are superior to those of Europe; all this when he has never been outside of Greece.   Then he will say that a letter has come from General Antipater – this is the third – demanding that he meet him in Macedonia. In addition, although he received a license to export timber free of taxes, he has declined it so that no person, whatever may be able to criticize him further for being more friendly with Macedonia. He will state, too, that during the famine, his charitable giving came to more than five talents in presents to the distressed citizens: (“he never could say, No”). And though the persons sitting near him are strangers, he requests one of them to set up the sales counters; while estimating the number needed to sell six hundred drachmas or a mina[2] worth of merchandise. He estimates that each of these will bring in as many as ten talents.[3]   He will say this was what he contributed in the way of charities. Then he adds that he does not count any of the luxury taxes paid or civic duties performed. Also, he will go up to the sellers of the best horses and pretend that he desires to buy, or, visiting the upholstery mart, he will ask to see draperies to the value of two talents and quarrel with his slave for not having come out with gold. When he is living in a rented house, he will say (to anyone who does not know better) that it is the family mansion; but intends to sell it, as he finds it too small for his entertainment.[4]

The Apostle Paul recalls the rebellion by the Israelites in the Sinai wilderness. God supplied them with a guiding cloud by day and a column of fire at night for the rest of their journey. And this occurred as a warning to generations to come so that they would not want ungodly things like those rebels did.^[5] Paul referred to this as sinful tendencies warring against our spiritual aspirations. The two are against each other, so we cannot do everything we please. When the Spirit leads us, we do not live for God because of the Law but out of Love. We do these things because we gave up our old selfish feelings and the previous sinful things we used to do.^[6]

It was important enough for Paul to remind the Ephesians that once, all of us lived to please our old selves. We gave in to what our bodies and minds wanted. We were sinful from birth, like all other people, and would suffer from the anger of God.^[7] That makes it even more astounding that God was still willing to forgive us. With this in mind, Paul gave Titus a narrative for his preaching that no one should rebel against God nor do the evil things the world wants to do. Instead, that grace teaches us to live in the present age intelligently and correctly and in a manner that shows we are entirely devoted to God.^[8]

The Apostle Peter was also on board with this same principle of a proactive preventive method to continually live as God’s obedient children, so we don’t slip back into our old ways of living to satisfy our desires. The only excuse we have is that we didn’t know any better back then. When that happens, then a child of God becomes like a foreigner and stranger, even in this world. Therefore, we must keep our lives free from the sinful desires of the flesh. These things fight to get hold of our souls. But Peter didn’t leave it there; he went on to say, we won’t spend the rest of our lives chasing our lustful desires but will be anxious to do the will of God. There was plenty of time in the past to enjoy the evil that the godless lust after.^[9]

The Apostle Jude knew of this, and he noted that when believers get into trouble by going back to their old sinful way of living, they complain and blame others as an excuse for doing the wicked things they desired to do. The truth is, they bragged about themselves and flattered others to get what they wanted. That’s why he warns his readers to remember what the Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, and the Apostles said would happen. They told everyone, “In the last days, there will be people who laugh at God and do what they want to do – things that satisfy their ungodly desires.”^[10]

So, where and how did all of this begin? It all started in the Garden of Eden when the tree of the knowledge of good and evil caught Eve’s eye and enchanted her.[11] Perhaps that’s why Job asked God to give him the desire to follow His rules, not the desire to get rich. Don’t let him look at worthless things. Help him live God’s way.^[12] King Solomon goes so far as to say that those who love money will never have enough money to make them happy. It is the same for those who love to hoard things as though wealth will buy happiness. It all adds up to nothing. The more wealthier people amass, the more so-called friends they will have to help them spend it. So, what do people gain? They gain nothing except to brag about their luxurious lifestyle.^[13] It is no wonder the Apostle Paul used Job’s words when he called the lust of money the root of all evil.^[14]

But this is only one part of the formula for a depraved life. There is also a factor called the pride of life. In today’s language, it might qualify as egotistical thinking. As a matter of fact, the Psalmist says that people wear their egos like a necklace to go with their robes of pretend morality.^[15] It was something that Daniel noticed in Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon.^[16] The Apostle James says that this kind of attitude does not come from God but from the world. That means it is not divine but demonic.^[17]

COMMENTARY

No doubt, this is why Hilary of Arles (403-449 AD) said that the lust of the flesh is what pertains to our immoral physical appetites. In contrast, the lust of the eye proceeds from sinful thoughts. The pride of life is what relates to the vices of the soul. It involves excessive self-love, which does not come from the Father but the devil.^[18]

Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) responds to the question whether or not sins differ specifically concerning causes? As some may say, it would seem that sins differ explicitly relating to their objectives. However, everything takes its identity from its source. Therefore, we classify sins according to their origin.

On the contrary, Aquinas says all sins would be alike since they are due to one cause if this were the case. For it is written, “Pride is the beginning of all sin,”[19] and, “The obsession over money is the root of all evils.”[20] Now it is evident that there are various species of sins. Therefore, sins do not differ according to their different causes.^[21] As Jesus said, “A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart.”[22]

In another place, Aquinas quotes Augustine of Hippo’s (354-430) comment on a passage of the Psalms, found in the Catholic Douay Version, “Things set on fire and dug down [stoked] will perish at the rebuke of Your countenance [face].” Aquinas interprets this as saying, “every sin is due either to fear-inducing false humility, or, to love igniting us to unnecessary enthusiasm.” He ties this to what the Apostle John says here about all the pride of life. In the end, it all adds up to this: You may be a proud bragger down here, but up there in God’s presence, you will become a cowardly beggar.^[23]

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[1] One drachma was worth less than one half of a penny by today’s dollar.

[2] One mina was the amount (or weight) in silver or gold, about 565 grams of silver equal to $18.45 in Israeli shekels.

[3] One talent was the amount (or weight) in silver or gold, about 72 lbs., worth $60,000 today.

[4] The Characters of Theophrastus, The Loeb Classical Library, Trans. J. M. Edmonds, William Heinemann Ltd., London, 1929, pp. 54-55

[5] 1 Corinthians 10:1-6

[6] Galatians 5:17-18, 24

[7] Ephesians 2:3

[8] Titus 2:12; 3:3

[9] 1 Peter 1:14; 2:11; 4:2,3; See 2 Peter 2:10, 18

[10] Jude 1:16-18

[11] Genesis 3:6

[12] Psalm 119:36-37

[13] Ecclesiastes 5:10-11

[14] 1 Timothy 6:10

[15] Psalm 73:6

[16] Daniel 4:30

[17] James 3:15

[18] Hilary of Arles: Bray, G. (Ed.), op. cit., 1-3 John, p. 184

[19] Ecclesiasticus 10:15

[20] 1 Timothy 6:10

[21] Thomas Aquinas: Summa Theologica, Vol 2, pp. 786-787

[22] Matthew 12:35

[23] Thomas Aquinas: Summa Theologica, Vol. 6, pp. 134-135