The Parables of Jesus
Context: First Century Jewish culture
Dr. Cliff Pash, Instructor

Regarding “Tax Collectors and Sinners”

In this study, we will examine the parables of Luke 15, 16 and the first part of 17. The focus of this study will be the forgiveness of those who have sinned against community standards. The contextual timeline is of a time of colonial style rule and the national (Jewish) identity was at stake. The people were dividing along ideological lines and new groups were forming regularly.

Clearly, Jesus was attempting to reestablish a Mosaic standard among a people fast losing their unity. Forgiveness of both the repentant tax collector and the repentant sinner will help accomplish the plans and purposes of God. Wealth is given and should be used for God’s plans and purposes for the whole earth. Forgiveness brings great honor to the master.

God blesses and gives wealth in order to help establish and keep a community that brings honor to his name. The gap between rich and poor must be diminished, through the actions and the attitudes of those who have been given the most. All people are equal before God. In these passages, then, our Lord addresses that the Honor of the Master, the Father of all creation must be put first. Do all to bring honor to the Master.

Remember, the First Century Jew is primarily, a tribal or sectarian individual. The concept of “belonging” to the tribe, sect (e.g. Pharisee, Essene, etc.) or even group (Nation of Israel) is rooted in the everyday psyche of the Jewish people. They are the “chosen” of God, and their express purpose according to their God is to bring honor to His name and to proclaim His name and His ways to all the peoples of the earth. The current “individual” relationship expounded and so focused upon in contemporary theology is certainly real enough to the First Century Jew, but only as it exists and assists the community he or she lives in. This fundamental thought process; community before individuality permeates all aspects of the Jewish life during the time of Jesus. Identification with the group is more important than as an individual.

The tax collector and the sinner had sinned against heaven and the community. They brought dishonor to the name of God and to the Jewish peoples (tribe or clan). Normally, maintaining the standards of community is paramount to the survival of the community. In practice, often the son (literally or metaphorically as the tax collector/sinner) must be disowned and shunned; becoming “dead” to the community in order to maintain the standards, which keep the community together. If the standards are lowered, the community of the people loses their distinctiveness.

Jesus, however, seems to be saying that by the shunning of the tax collector and sinners, the national (Jewish) identity as a people was being endangered. By forcing so many people out of the fullness of community life, their distinctiveness (tribal/sectarian) was becoming counter productive. The character of God could not be seen in a community of people who increasingly were at odds with every “other” group. The community was dividing and was possibly in danger of ceasing to exist. Many people were aware of this crisis, for they asked Jesus …“Who then can be saved?” (Mark 10:26)

Review of the Context in the First Three Parables

For this lesson segment, I want to lay out an outline of where we are and where we are going. The context is this: In Luke 15, the Pharisees are grumbling that Jesus is spending time with and sitting in the presence of tax collectors and sinners. Jesus hears the grumbling and tells three parables to the Pharisees. He then turns, and tells two more parables to His disciples. All of these parables directly apply to the situation at hand, namely that the Pharisees may just be the characters represented in, what to them, is undoubtedly an unflattering characterization. In each parable, there exists the possibility that the Pharisees and/or the tax collectors and sinners are represented by one of the characters. Is it possible for us to see ourselves as characters also?

The Parables of the Lost Sheep, Lost Coin, and Lost Son – a review of Luke 15

The Lost Sheep
…1 “Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. 2And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” 3“So He spoke this parable to them, saying: 4 “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it? 5And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. 6And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’ 7I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.” …(Luke 15: 1-7)

The first parable reference and quote(s), if reflected in a theology similar to the contemporary theology of many churches is this: There are one-hundred sheep, but one has been lost. The inference in Luke is that the shepherd lost the sheep. (In Matthew, the inference is that the sheep went astray). Whenever Jesus said he was the good shepherd, His reference was from Ezekiel 34.

The contextual lesson can be inferred that the lost sheep will be forgiven and sought after by God (the Good Shepherd) no matter what he or she might have done to become lost. The good shepherd seeks out the “one who was lost” by leaving the ninety-nine other sheep “in the wilderness” To the Jew of the First Century, “wilderness” refers to the time of the Exodus – where God’s people wandered until they died, never fulfilling the purposes and plans of God for their lives. The salvation of God’s people was to be reflected in God’s character being formed within them, but that did not occur in the wilderness and it was not occurring in the ninety-nine sheep.

I said that the theological comparison is similar to the contemporary church for the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine to seek the one whom he has lost, but the parable does not say anything about bringing the lost one back to the other ninety-nine sheep! Specifically, the word says the shepherd “put it on his shoulders and goes home.” ibid According to the NIV translation, the remaining ninety-nine had no need of repentance; therefore, there was not much rejoicing in heaven over them. In effect, they had a religion that was to them sufficient, but they had lost something they once had. The ninety-nine sheep were just as lost as the one, but they did not seem to know it. Whenever they cry out for the Good Shepherd, He will hear them and rescue them.

From within the context of this passage, there are two groups of people, Pharisee and Tax Collector/Sinner. If the Tax Collector/Sinner is the lost sheep, then, the 99 must represent the Pharisee/teacher of the Law.

This first parable reflects the relationship between God and individuals. As the lost man seeks God, however poorly or incompletely, God searches for him until He finds him. The Good Shepherd then takes the newly found sheep to His home. This can easily be represented as taking the sheep to His heavenly home. Therefore, this first parable might be about us, heaven, and our relationship with God with no referent interaction between the man and his community or culture. Jesus next affirms the purpose of this individual relationship with God by introducing the importance of being in community to his listeners.

The Lost Coin

…8“Or what woman, having ten silver coins, if she loses one coin, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it? And when she has found it, she calls her friends and neighbors together, saying, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found the piece which I lost! ‘Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents.“…(Luke 15: 8-10)

In this parable (The Lost Coin), the lost item is still in the house; it has not left. In context, we see in the lost coin the loss of great value to the household (community) by the “separated” member that is still within the walls. The lost coin is no longer considered part of the community of the household; therefore, it is lost to that community.

Jesus was saying that the tax collector and sinner, who are often attending the synagogue, are not accepted as equal members, as valuable to the community or possibly not accepted as members at all. The entire community suffers because that “lost coin” member is not contributing. The plans and purposes of God for a community cannot be realized in fullness without each member, Pharisee and tax collector/sinner contributing to the common welfare and encouraging one another.

Note that even after the coin is found, the parable does not speak of the lost coin joining with the other coins. We might suggest that the Lost Coin is found by the woman as in being forgiven by God, but there are still nine coins and one coin. The parable does not speak of the lost coin being forgiven or accepted by the other nine.

Again, we have the Lost Coin representing the Tax Collector/Sinner and the Nine Coins representing the Pharisee/Teacher of the Law.

The Lost Son

…11“Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. 12And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me. ‘So he divided to them his livelihood. 13And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living. 14But when he had spent all, there arose a severe famine in that land, and he began to be in want. 15Then he went and joined himself to a citizen of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16And he would gladly have filled his stomach with the pods that the swine ate, and no one gave him anything.
17”But when he came to himself, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger! 18I will arise and go to my father, and will say to him, “Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you, 19and I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Make me like one of your hired servants. “’
20“And he arose and came to his father. But when he was still a great way off, his father saw him and had compassion, and ran and fell on his neck and kissed him. 21And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight, and am no longer worthy to be called your son. ‘
22“But the father said to his servants, ‘Bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet. 23And bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; 24for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. ‘And they began to be merry.
25“Now his older son was in the field. And as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26So he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and because he has received him safe and sound, your father has killed the fatted calf. ‘
28“But he was angry and would not go in. therefore his father came out and pleaded with him. 29So he answered and said to his father, ‘Lo, these many years I have been serving you; I never transgressed your commandment at any time; and yet you never gave me a young goat that I might make merry with my friends. 30But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him. ‘
31“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found. ‘”… (Luke 15: 11-32)

The third parable (The Lost Son) is a retelling of the same principles, but with another addition to it. This time, the focus is directed to the restoration of the sinner to the whole community. The father must restore his son to both himself and to the community or village in which he lived. At the time of the sin, the son was cut off from the community, but now, with his repentance, he must be restored. The son dishonored his family and by extension the entire community and the authority of its leaders. For most, the son must remain dead or banished in order to preserve community standards. Yet, the Father fully restores the son upon his repentance to the fullness of community, as if he had never sinned.

Among tribal peoples, the land is always considered to be communal land even though individuals own the land. This seems to be true throughout the world. When the father divided his estate between the two sons, the younger son sold his portion and lost or wasted the money among a people that were not of his tribe – in this case among the gentile peoples. This presents two problems to the people of the village.

Ancestral lands cannot be sold! The land may be in your name, but it cannot be sold. People depend upon the land for their livelihood. All land is communal. Consider the following understanding regarding tribal lands.

“This understanding of group ownership leads to a great deal of confusion when the modern world, with its individual ownership of property, encroaches on tribal lands. For example, the Native Americans invited the early colonists to settle on unused lands. The colonists thought they were buying the land with the small gifts they gave, but the Native Americans believed that one cannot sell the land. It belongs to the gods, ancestors, and people forever. Later, when the Native Americans wanted their lands back, the colonists accused them of being ‘Indian givers.’”

If the land was sold to a person of the clan or the village, the action could be accepted, but then the son wasted the money among a people that were not his people. The economic standard of the community was reduced by this action. Money that would benefit the community was taken out of the community and spent in a far off land.

Normally tribal societies have established rituals for an individual who has offended the community, the standards, and the elders. Tribal groups have varied ways of extending a form of forgiveness to those such as the “prodigal son”. However, in this parable of Jesus, the father extends his forgiveness at the moment he knows the son has repented – from the moment the father sees the son with his eyes.

The father does something that would seldom be done in most villages. The father knows that the community will verbally and/or physically abuse the son as he walks through the village. Normally the elders would go outside the village to meet with the son and establish the prescribed method of obtaining forgiveness. Until that happens the son cannot enter the village.

In this parable, however, the father runs through the village, something no father would do in this culture. By running through the village, the father brings shame to himself, but he is actually taking the shame of the son upon himself. The father instantly proclaims his forgiveness to the son and then to the entire village. In order to make sure the forgiveness is complete, the father orders the fatted calf to be slaughtered. The fatted calf would only be slaughtered for a community celebration. This celebration, however, is much different than most. The father is taking the son to the members of the village and restoring the son to the fullness of community life.

“My son who was once dead” means that the son was considered to be as if he were dead by every member of the village. They possibly had a mock “funeral service” for the son so that each member of the village was in agreement that the son was no longer welcome among his people. Therefore, the father must now reverse that earlier action by introducing the son to each member of the village. “My son is now alive once again!” He must be made alive to the entire village – every member who was offended by the sons earlier action must now accept what the father has done.

In spite of the need for a celebration of restoration, the older brother expresses offense and jealousy. His focus is on his self-interest, not on the needs of the one being restored or on the healing of the community. He does not understand the purpose of restoration; he does not understand the heart of the father. In the end, there is possibly no ability of the son to forgive the brother “tax collector and sinner“.

The older son now accuses the father of never allowing him to slaughter a goat in order to celebrate with his friends. His focus is on his friends, not the people of the village. He does not understand what the father is doing through the community celebration. He does not understand the heart of the father or the compassion the father has for the younger son. He does not seem to understand the importance of restoring the younger son to the fullness of community life.

In the end, the reader does not know if the elder son will join the celebration for his brother.

The Parable of the Shrewd Manager and the Forgiveness of the Noble Master:
Part I: Forgiveness of Debts Brings Honor to the Master

Now we come to the Parable of the Shrewd Manager at the beginning of chapter 16. Remember once again the setting. Who is here? Who is listening? We have the tax collectors and sinners who were gathered around Jesus, His disciples are presumably nearby. We have the Pharisees in a separated group over “there” grumbling, nevertheless within earshot. Jesus first turned to the Pharisees and said, “Hey, you guys listen to the stories about the sheep, the coin and the son.” Then he turns to His disciples to tell them about the shrewd manager. Do not forget the Pharisees are still standing there. We know this because he turns back to them again in just a few minutes.

…“Jesus told His disciples: “There was a rich man whose manager was accused of wasting his possessions. So he called him in and asked him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your management, because you cannot be manager any longer.’ “The manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do now? My master is taking away my job. I’m not strong enough to dig, and I’m ashamed to beg— I know what I’ll do so that, when I lose my job here, people will welcome me into their houses.’

“So he called in each one of his master’s debtors. He asked the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’
”‘Eight hundred gallons of olive oil,’ he replied.
“The manager told him, ‘Take your bill, sit down quickly, and make it four hundred.’

“Then he asked the second, ‘And how much do you owe?’

”‘A thousand bushels of wheat,’ he replied.
“He told him, ‘Take your bill and make it eight hundred.’

“The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else’s property, who will give you property of your own?

“No servant can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money.”

The Pharisees, who loved money, heard all this and were sneering at Jesus. He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves in the eyes of men, but God knows your hearts. What is highly valued among men is detestable in God’s sight.”… (Luke 16)

In discussing the parable of the shrewd manager, it is valuable to note a few details before we tackle the substance. As to the quantity of goods owed, it is obvious we are considering big business, perhaps a wholesale business. The products are in such quantities as to even challenge the task of bringing them to market. We are talking about a whole camel caravan laden with olive oil. It is estimated that the amount of olive oil mentioned here would be the total production from 167 typical olive trees.

More likely, however, the products were grown on the master’s land in a sharecropper’s relationship, a people renting the land who owed a share of the crop to the landowner or master. Through the reduction of the debts owed, each family living on the land benefited by giving the master perhaps 30% rather than 50% of the crop. Each family would have more products to consume for themselves, or might have some product that they could sell at a local market.

Often, in America, we have a mental picture of corporate farming, with the hired hands working the soil for the large plantation. That picture is a reality that began with the discovery of the Americas and the introduction of slavery into the Western Hemisphere. The mental picture many Americans might have would not be a proper setting in Middle Eastern culture during the time of Jesus.

The stories that are told in the bible are timeless; therefore, too much information may draw us from the goal of the story, that is, to teach something about the character of God and the way that character should be made manifest in and through our lives. Therefore, we will assume that all the people working the land to produce the olive oil and the wheat will benefit from the forgiveness offered by the Shrewd Manager.

Some have suggested that the shrewd manager doubled the rent on the grove, intending to keep half for himself. Most commentaries find this not probable. To charge a small percentage of extra rent would bring in much money due to the huge quantities spoken of here. To double the wholesale value would bring great protestations from those who tended the grove. In most of the world, one cannot begin to double the wholesale price and expect to sell anything. We must conclude that the shrewd manager was actually forgiving the debts that were owed to his master, the nobleman.

Mammon Reconsidered – Not Money but the Trust in Money

On the subject of mammon, I believe we need to understand the issue to be one of trust. Trusting money is the danger. When is there ever enough? When asked, “How much money is enough?” a wealthy industrialist said “a little more!” How much money do you need to retire in America? A little more! The difficulty comes when trying to trust in God and trust in money at the same time. Jesus says we can trust God or trust money. To put ones trust in money will keep the believer from trusting in God. No man can trust in both.

When the rich master learned of the steward’s actions, it is interesting that he commends the steward for his cleverness. He has just been robbed or cheated out of a substantial portion of his income. Why would he admire or at least commend the dishonest steward? From a corporate point of view, the shareholders of the corporation have been robbed. Yet, the master commends the steward for his actions. Therefore, we must try to understand life in a culture that was very different from out own. We must understand life in a culture where honor must be given and shame avoided. Actions are taken that bring honor. The bringing of shame must be avoided at all costs. In the end, the master will not reverse the actions of the shrewd manager for to do so will bring great shame to his name.

There is an interesting quote from Bailey’s book The Poet and the Peasant that I recommended for reading in this course. Bailey writes:

“The master knows full well that in the local village there has already started a great round of celebration in praise of him, the master, as the most noble and most generous man that ever rented land in their district. He has two alternatives.

“He can go back to the debtors and explain that it was all a mistake, that the steward had been dismissed, and thus his actions were null and void. But if the master does this now, the villagers’ joy will turn to anger, and he will be cursed for his stinginess.

“Secondly, he can keep silent, accept the praise that is even now being showered on him and allow the clever steward to ride high in the wave of popular enthusiasm. This master is a generous man. He did not jail the steward earlier. To be generous is a primary quality of a nobleman in the East. He reflects for a moment, then turns to the steward, and says, “You are a very wise fellow!”

“One of the Old Testament definitions of wisdom is an instinct for self-preservation. In a backhanded way, the actions of the steward are a compliment to the master. The steward knew the master was generous and merciful. He risked everything on this aspect of his master’s nature. He won! Because the master was indeed generous and merciful, he chose to pay the full price for his steward’s salvation.1”

We might ask if the master received so much gratitude, did the shrewd manager ever accomplish his purpose? That is to say, was the manager looking for personal friends or friends for his master? The manager stated his goal: He wanted to be accepted in the community after his termination for he was too proud to beg and to work with his hands. By bringing such honor to the master through his actions, it must be assumed that he achieved his goal. The people received him and the master allowed him to remain in the community.

The pivotal issue regarding the flow of gratitude and the wisdom of the manager seems to be this; that by plainly representing himself as the agent of the master, the master comes across as generous. It is the master who is the good guy. By exalting the honor of the master, he provided something, which could not have been purchased at any price. By being the bearer of apparently good news, he made friends out of his master’s debtors. Perhaps we could propose that the manager could not have remained in the village upon his termination, however, since he brought such honor to the master, he will now be welcome in the village by the residents and allowed to remain in the village by the master. In Africa, honor and shame are very important concepts.

How can we bring Honor to God and never bring Shame to the name of our friends as well as our enemies? The central theme of this parable must be applied to the situation of tax collectors and Pharisees. What was it that Jesus was saying to the disciples? The debts of the olive oil merchant and the grain merchant were owed to the master, the nobleman. The shrewd manager forgave these debts, the debts that were not his to forgive. Remember, we are talking about tax collectors and sinners who have been forgiven by God, yet, the Pharisee and the Teacher of the Law refuses to extend that forgiveness.

If somebody wrongs community (or you), has he sinned against you or against God? Remember that in the parable of the lost son, when the son returns, the son says, “I have sinned against heaven and against you.” (Luke 15:21) Sin is acknowledged first against God, then against his father. All sin is against God. The debt of sin is owed to God.

The shrewd manager forgave the debts that were owed to the master. How much more then should we forgive the debts that are owed to our master, our Heavenly Father! The shrewd manager forgave the economic debts of his master’s debtors and was commended and rewarded for it. How much more, then, must we forgive the debts others owe against our master?

We are not talking here about forgiving personal debts although they could be considered a part of this discussion. No, the principle Jesus is teaching here is forgiveness and restoration for those who have sinned against society or at least against another person or persons. There is no information that would indicate the tax collector and the sinner had sinned personally against the Pharisee or the teachers of the law. Society must be able to forgive those who have dishonored the community standards if they repent.
Has not Jesus commanded His disciples to forgive sins? In the book of John we read:

…“Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”… (John 20:21-23)

Have you ever prayed for a person, noticing when their heart is obviously open to God, just looked at them right in the eyes, and said, “In the name of Jesus, Your sins are forgiven?” You become the Father’s great gift-giver in the same way that the manager became the master’s great gift-giver. And the Father will honor your agency for the same reason also: because of the honor which flows to His name through your actions.

In the same way as the shrewd manager brought honor to the master, we bring honor to our God. Through the forgiveness of debt, great honor is given to the one to whom the debt is owed. Those forgiven will speak of our God in the same way as Bailey has the olive merchant and the grain merchant speaking of the fabulously gracious master/landowner.

Jesus plainly tells us through this parable the way in which will always gain a welcome into heaven – in the same way as the manager received a welcome into the homes of the master’s debtors. You will notice also that even the master thought the manager to have acted wisely, though he was robbed of some rightful profit. Through our constantly bringing glory to our master, we will always find a welcome sign in the Kingdom of God.

The Parable of the Shrewd Manager and the Forgiveness of the Noble Master:
Part II: The People of the World vs. The People of Light

…“The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.”…ibid

We can see that the purposes of this parable also have application with the use of money. Of course, it was the Tax Collector who joined with the colonial government (Rome) to govern the oppressed people (Jews). It was also the same Tax Collector who often stole from the Jewish people by using his position. We can read about Zacchaeus in Luke 19 and we will address His salvation later in this lesson. The point here is that money becomes a great driving force and motivation in who we are and what we do.

Previously, in America, a man for the first time in history could become fabulously wealthy without war and without noble birth. If the man could produce enough cotton, he could become as wealthy as the noblemen in Europe were. The cotton produced in the United States was revolutionizing the way all of Europe dressed. No such cotton could be grown anywhere else in the world at that time. The fibers were much longer than any other cotton and could be made into clothing that was much more comfortable to wear than wool or satin.

In order to grow more cotton, there must be a source of labor available. None was available in the U.S. The European immigrants were finding their own ways of discovering wealth and the American natives were being defeated through war. The American Indians did not make good employees, therefore an alternative source of inexpensive labor needed to be found. The enslavement of the African peoples solved the labor problem, for, in them, was found a people who would work hard. Hence, the justification was made for slavery. The bible was interpreted in such a way that allowed for the forced enslavement of an entire people group.

My point in bringing this up here is that money and wealth becomes the prime motivator in why many of us do things. Therefore, Jesus makes a comparison between the people of the world and the people of the light.

The Three P’s (Pride, Prosperity & Protection)

The people of the light have no problem with biblical concepts as long as they help to accomplish their individual goals. Remember the 3-P’s: Pride, Prosperity, and Protection. People will do anything to obtain these things and to prevent them from being taken away. The 3-P’s are the most important motivation you find you will ever have. Most will do anything to achieve them. Colonial Americans enslaved the African peoples for these purposes and conveniently rewrote the “meaning” of Scripture to justify their actions.

Jesus says people who think this way are shrewder in dealing with people than are the Sons of Light. What was he saying? Who will forgive in order to be invited to the right party and be seen by them? Who will forgive in order to gain an opening to bid on a huge governmental contract? Who will forgive to gain access to politicians? Who will forgive in order to keep a very important employee? We forgive athletes of their “sins” because they are good for our school name or morale. Much money can be raised using the name of successful student athletes. The world is better at forgiving debts for their own purposes than are the people of light.

The world forgives if there is any benefit for them in forgiving those who have done evil; the problem is when there is no easily identifiable benefit. Therefore, if I gave you a million dollars upon the day when your enemy received salvation and began speaking in tongues, most of you would change the way you approach your enemies. Your enemy would become your best friend, for it would only be in his spiritual salvation that your economic salvation would come.

The Essenes: People of Light

Jesus used a term: …“The people of the light”…ibid

Possibly this cultural reference could have great meaning to us in our day. The Essene Sect are often called the Qumran Community (writers of the Dead Sea Scrolls) or “the people of light“. They believed they were the only true Jews left on the planet. They withdrew from what they perceived as the evil (colonized) culture and formed their own communities. They believed they were the only ones who sacrificed and ministered to God in accordance with Torah. They were the remnants of the Zadokite priesthood.

This is a very important accusation that Jesus was leveling at them. He could level this same charge at many churches and ministries in our day. The issue at hand is the acquisition of wealth, followed by the purpose and uses of money. By studying the Essene sect and the way they used money, great discomfort could be expected in our churches and ministries today. Jesus was saying the people of this world know how to build their personal kingdoms, but, when it comes to the people of God, they do not seem to be so wise. They use wealth to build their own ministries and their own churches, but, too often, they do not use the wealth to build the Kingdom of God.

When one became a member of the Essene cult, they turned over all of their wealth to the leadership of the sect. The monies were used for all of the needs and programs of the group. The monies became group monies and were controlled completely by the Teacher of Righteousness.

As far as we know, they did not use these monies for anything but for the purposes of the Essene programs and purposes. They did not feed the (outcast) poor; they did not seem to be clothing the naked or finding shelter for the homeless (outside their community). They did not honor their father and mother as Isaiah 58 says to do. They were known as doers of good, but the monies they collected were for their group.

No member of the sect was allowed to conduct any business with the “unrighteous sons” – that is all the other Jewish people who were not Essenes. Their monies, then, were for their own use and were not given with a generosity that the Mosaic Law would have “commanded”.

Jesus used this term (people of light) to point out to the Pharisees that they were not generous with the monies God entrusted to them, nor did they have the heart of God towards those who were less fortunate than they were. Of course, the Pharisees thought they could not be generous to “those” people, for they (non-Pharisee) were obviously sinners, therefore, people whom God hated.

According to Jesus, the People of Light did not use money for God’s purposes, nor for His Kingdom purposes. God gave the money, yet, the money was used for their own “selfish” purposes. It was not being used for the purposes for which they were entrusted with the monies. Remember, we are talking about money used “for the ministry”.

The question we must ask is this: Does God care about the growth of a particular church or a particular ministry? Possibly He does not. What God cares about is the building of people. People must be released from their prisons, their past must be healed, the conscience of the believer must be cleanses so that the person may worship God in the ways commanded. People who are healed are to embrace the Kingdom of God, the rule and reign of the King. They become those who bring life to others. If one is building people, God will bring the buildings and the resources to do this. A big church with half-dead people in it will not change the world, nor will it bring the salvation of God to the nations.

The True Riches

So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth (for Kingdom purposes?), who will trust you with true riches (of Heaven?) (Chapter verse: )

From within a Kingdom viewpoint, the people of God use their worldly wealth for Kingdom purposes. There is no “I” in the world of the Kingdom of God. There is only “we“. The question is, “In what way can we advance the Kingdom of God“? Naaman captured a slave girl from her home when his armies were raiding Israel. When Naaman developed leprosy and was faced with living in a leper colony, the slave girl did not think in terms of revenge or of escape from her pain and suffering. What the slave girl thought about was the Kingdom of God! She said, “There is a God in Israel and if my master will go to see the prophet, he shall be healed!”

If one uses worldly wealth to build a personal kingdom, God will not trust you with the true riches of heaven. If building a big church or a big ministry is the number one priority, why should God trust you with true riches? The True Riches of Heaven will only be used for the Kingdom of God, not for the purposes of man!

Perhaps the True Riches of Heaven should be considered the Presence, the Glory, the Power, and the Authority of God. These “riches” are administered by God’s servant through prophetic words, healing, deliverance and whatever way God might bring His life to those in need.

The point here is that all the Gold and Glory of Heaven are available to the servant of God to bring the Life of Heaven to people who are in need. The Servant can use the true riches, but can never allow the Glory to come to him. The Glory must always be returned to the Father, from whom it has come.

Can man be trusted with the True Riches? Normally, not so. Man takes them for his own purposes to build his own kingdom. For the one who can be trusted, however, the Kingdom of God is established in the hearts and the souls of many people through such a servant. When we are trusted with the True Riches of Heaven, the power of God to bring salvation of body, soul (mind, will, emotion) and Spirit will be evident. Within this context, whatever you ask shall be given to you to accomplish the task He has set before you. For God to do otherwise would bring shame to His name.

When the Spirit brooded over the waters, His voice spoke, “Let there be Light!”, and there was light. Jesus proclaimed that all authority and power in heaven and on the earth has been given to Him, therefore take that authority and power and make disciples of all nations. My understanding of these passages continues to be expanded, for my mind cannot comprehend the entirety of these statements. Moses was told to exercise his authority and raise his staff over the Red Sea. God said that He would show His glory (to the world) by what He did with the Egyptians. Therefore, the power to delver the Hebrews was given to Moses. If Moses did not raise his staff, the Red Sea would not have parted.

The True Riches of Heaven... If the Islamic god brings desert (the god of the desert?), then, God will show forth His glory by sending rain to those lands, if His servant makes such decree or request. All Power and all Authority is given to His servant in order to declare the Glory of the Living God. What might the True Riches mean to the servants and soldiers of the Creator?

The Kingdom of God is about building up faith in people and calling forth the treasure that God has put within them. God does not seem very concerned about our contemporary “ministries” or even our “churches“. Our true purpose is to bring the “grace of God in its various forms” to the people He guides us to, for then, we are bringing the life of Heaven to the earth. Therefore, if that is our purpose, God will then bring us the buildings and other “things” needed to establish a church or ministry for His Kingdom. If our emphasis is no longer about people, but becomes the buildings and the ministries, God will withdraw the true “riches of heaven” for they will be used to build our own kingdom.

Rich Man & Lazarus Revisited
Community and the Book of Ruth – Laying a Foundation

Jesus clearly had in view with these parables that our relationships within a “community” are very important. Our definition of community and our understanding of community may vary, but the basic “relationship” of community is essential nonetheless. One biblical illustration of community is worth reminding you about again. That is the example in the book of Ruth about Boaz and the contrast between himself and Elimilech. Elimilech was of the family of Boaz. Elimilech was obviously also wealthy, because when Naomi returned she was able to reclaim the lands of their family.

…“Then Boaz announced to the elders and all the people, “Today you are witnesses that I have bought from Naomi all the property of Elimilech, Kilion and Mahlon. I have also acquired Ruth the Moabitess, Mahlon’s widow, as my wife, in order to maintain the name of the dead with his property, so that his name will not disappear from among his family or from the town records. Today you are witnesses!” …
(Ruth 4:9-10)

Elimilech had left the community during a time of crisis (the famine). According to rabbinic tradition, he did so to protect his wealth from the poor. He diminished the community by his removal of the resources from his community. The community crisis was made worse by the wealthier members departing from the land. The rabbis also suggest strongly that this is why he died in Moab. It is clear that when Naomi returned with Ruth, she returned in shame.

…“Don’t call me Naomi,” she told them. “Call me Mara, because the Almighty has made my life very bitter. I went away full, but the LORD has brought me back empty. Why call me Naomi? The LORD has afflicted me; the Almighty has brought misfortune upon me.” … (Ruth 1:20-21)

When Boaz, the noble kinsman-redeemer welcomed Ruth to glean in his fields, he was expressing his relationship of “community” to the poor. He knew her by name and treated her with respect. He knew the men who might desire her for the wrong reasons. He seems to know each of the stories of those given permission to glean from his fields. The gleaners, though poor, were afforded dignity by working for the things that were given for them. This is not like the handout systems that we commonly see today. The difference is the sense of community. The rich took notice of the poor and made a connection with them for the benefit of those who had little.

For What Purpose Does God Give Wealth?
The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus

The opposite picture is seen in the parable of the rich man and Lazarus in chapter 16 of Luke. The rich man did not see Lazarus as a human being with dignity. To the rich man in the parable, Lazarus was nothing more than an object of convenience. Lazarus lay at his gate and longed to eat only what fell from the rich man’s table. The rich man seems to have not held Lazarus in very high esteem. See what the rich man is saying in Luke 16:24 even from the pit of torment after his death:

…“Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire. ”… Luke 16:24

Even at this point, the rich man just does not get it. There is still no equality of persons represented by his attitude. Since Lazarus has been his servant all these years, he ought to go and tend to his needs now, too. He seems to be upset that Abraham will not send Lazarus for water upon his request or command.

…“Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my father’s house, for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.” … (Luke 16:27-28)

Jesus is telling the Pharisees this is the relationship and attitude they express with the tax collectors and sinners He is in “community” with. The Pharisees attitudes are not in accordance with the Law of Moses. In fact, Jesus may be saying it is “You Pharisees are the ones breaking the Law; you are failing in community relationships. You are as bad as the rich man who, even in death, still sees Lazarus as a lesser person.”

In the same way that Naomi and Ruth were restored to their community, why is it that the tax collector and sinner cannot be? How can a tribe of people survive if every time one member brings dishonor or shame through their actions, they are removed from the community? When they repent, cannot God restore them individually and collectively? As Christians, we know they can be restored to God individually. Nevertheless, as in these stories, the Church has done no better at restoring the repentant sinner to community than the people of the times of Jesus.

Notice that this section flows from the last section, but is introduced as representative of the Law. Jesus is going to speak to the Pharisee and the Tax Collector regarding the Mosaic Law. He is going to speak to the subject of how we, as God’s Chosen People, treat each other, especially those whom we believe God is judging or whom we believe to have not maintained the standards that we believe are demanded. This is about loving all of God’s creation.

Jesus then tells a story to further demonstrate His point. He tells of a rich man (funny, the rich always have names, but not this one) and a beggar named Lazarus (funny again, this homeless beggar has a name). As we have noted above, the rich man did not have God’s attitude toward the homeless beggar. The rich man had forsaken the very core or centre of the Mosaic Law. The gap between rich and poor was very huge. The attitudes of the rich man toward the lesser members of society were not scripturally based.

Jesus is saying to the Pharisees that they have the attitude of the rich man toward the least members of His society. Possibly, the Pharisees are so sure of the least members “sin” and the Pharisees superiority that they cannot begin to see themselves as equals before God or with anyone else. They surely cannot see these least members (tax collector/sinner) as God’s special creation, nor can they see these members as being important to community.

Remember the way Jesus employs the Lost Coin parable, for in the end, the tax collector and the sinner could never be an equal; not in the synagogue nor in the village or anywhere. The Pharisees thought that God was only interested in the “holy” members of the society. Those lost must remain lost, even if they are in the house – as in God’s house. They could never be fully restored to the Community of Faith.

Prevailing Theory of Who is Blessed and Who is Not

The prevailing theory here in Judea (and in much of Africa today) and during this time (First Century) of the bible was that God blesses those who are good and curses those who are bad. Therefore, a rich person was considered to be blessed by God and a sick person was cursed by God, probably for his sins or the sins of his fathers.

We see this principle often in Africa. When a church begins to demonstrate the Power of the Holy Spirit, an Islamic Mosque suddenly is built right next to the church. Why do you think it is done this way? That is easy. Wealth equals blessed in the eyes of the poor people. We see it also in Luke 13 in the first two stories. It was thought that the people must have died in the way they did because of their sin.

The Pharisees were “good” people. They worked hard, they were known as being well off. They were not receiving monies from the temple tax – the temple tax money went to the Sadducees. Therefore, the Pharisees came by their wealth probably very honestly. We might entertain an idea that has no evidence to support it, however. Was the Pharisee always asking for money in order to do the “work of God” much like television preachers are always asking for money?

The Pharisees conclusion: “We are blessed of God and therefore we are doing things RIGHT. “ They were much like a Holiness movement. They would demonstrate Holiness whenever they were in public. Jesus speaks the truth when He says they are just as corrupt as the tax collector and the sinner on the inside, but show and speak of Holiness outwardly only.

Before we condemn the Pharisee, we must understand that they were the reformers, they were the good guys. They were bringing about a revival of the things of God to a culture that was in danger of being assimilated into Roman Society. They were the Holiness people.

For example: The Pharisee taught that women should dress in a conservative manner, as unto the Lord. Therefore, when a woman dressed in a revealing manner, the Pharisees would make a big show of their “Holiness” in order to embarrass her into dressing differently. They might put their hands over their eyes and express shock at the woman’s dress, or perhaps, quickly turn away, saying something like “My eyes cannot look upon this woman, for my eyes are holy”! The Pharisees would joke about themselves extensively. This particular Pharisee might be called the “bloody nose” Pharisee because in his feigned outrage he might hit a wall as he turned away from the woman and get a bloody nose.

While the humor is evident, the women has now been exposed and must determine how she will dress the next time she departs from her house. Jesus might be telling the Pharisee that they loved to look upon the scantily dressed women, but for the sake of their reputation, would embarrass her and call her out as a sinner who has sinned against God. They were only acting out their Holiness (hypocrite)

The Kingdom of God – We Force our Way Into It
Luke 16:16-18

Jesus now speaks a truth that is seldom understood in our day:

… “the good news of the Kingdom of God is being preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it. It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the least stroke of a pen to drop out of the Law. “… (Luke 16:16, 17 excerpts)

(For example), …“Anyone who divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery, and the man who marries divorced woman commits adultery.”…(Luke 16:18 )

The Kingdom of God is not just something you or I receive. Our tradition(s) say to receive Jesus as your Lord and Savior and, I believe, that is correct. We receive the right to become Sons of the Most High God. We become Sons.

We are given the right to become His sons in the same way that children become sons in a village culture. A young man is not automatically a son. In some tribal traditions, an uncircumcised boy is never considered a man. He becomes a Son as he learns of the ways of the tribe; and the character of the ancestors is developed within him. Then he is circumcised. Only then is he be considered a “son“.

A son must always honor His father and never bring dishonor to the name of his family, his village, his clan or his tribe. A son is a reflection of his father. When a son brings dishonor to the name of his father, he risks being excommunicated from his village and from his people. Such a son may never be welcomed among his people for the remainder of his life. Remember the prodigal son.

In the same way, then, we become Sons of the Most High God. We become Children of God upon our initial salvation, when we receive Jesus as our Lord and Savior. Our God, however, desires that we become something more, a Son who demonstrates the character and the plans and the purposes of the Father. That, my friends, is not something that is received.

One must contend for that kind of outcome. We must force our way into the Kingdom, not through force of arms, but fighting through our desperately wicked hearts, our self-centered attitudes, and our lack of compassion for those different from us. We must forgive those who repent and not only forgive but also fight in order that they are restored to fullness in the community life. After all, if God has forgiven you, what right do you have to hold such things against the “sinners and the tax collectors“ in your midst?

Jesus always spoke of the Kingdom of God in the present tense. The Kingdom of God is in the here and now as well as in the future. When one is operating in the Kingdom, the life of heaven is coming to the earth, bringing something of the life of heaven to the people who are embracing the rule and reign of God.

To find that place of Kingdom Authority, Power, Presence and Glory is not something that can had in a passive way. Every thought must be held captive, every fear must be overcome, every selfish motive and selfish desire must be submitted over and over again on the altar before God. This becomes a constant process.

The most effective ministry that can occur is when God is bringing His life through those of us who are called servants and soldiers. When sin still arises in the life of the minister, the minister decides who and when God’s life will be given. Often, the life of heaven is given to establish the reputation of the ministry and life is not extended except for some reward, often monetary, but also to establish reputation etc.

To find the purity God requires demands a “forcing their way into it”. To continue to love God as we did at the first requires a constant setting aside of the judgments that we make each and every day of our lives.

Zacchaeus, the Tax Collector – an example of repentance and forgiveness:
Luke 19: 1-10

…5“When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, ‘Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.’ 6So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly“... 8“But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, ‘Look. Lord! Her and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and IF I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.’ 9“Jesus said to him, ‘Today, salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”…(Luke 19:5, 6, 8-10 excerpts)

Note: Much more is happening here than a man “receiving Jesus”. Half of the wealth that was “earned” as a tax collector for the Roman Government was going to be used for God’s purposes. The monies that were received through corruption would be paid back four times. This speaks of purpose and destiny. Zacchaeus is putting his faith in God and not in money. As of this date, he is allowed to keep his money where earlier, the rich young ruler had to give away all of his wealth to follow Jesus.

In order for God to change our character to be consistent with His image, you and I must force our way into the Kingdom of God. It is not going to just happen!! Dying is often very painful and we are told to die to ourselves. Repentance involves more than a mental assent. There must be a fruit of repentance.

Zacchaeus was a son of Abraham, one who was born of the promises of God and of the covenants of God, yet became lost. Through Jesus, he found God once again. What God has done, no man should reject.

The Pharisees Are in Danger of Causing the Tax Collector/Sinner to Sin in the Future
Luke Chapter 17:1-4

Jesus said to his disciples: “Things that cause people to sin are bound to come, but woe to that person through whom they come. It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin. So watch yourselves. If you brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day, and seven times comes back to you and says, ‘I repent’, forgive him.”
(Chapter verse: )

The placement of this portion of the greater overall teaching Jesus was giving must be considered before we attempt to find the best interpretation. Jesus was teaching the Pharisee’s and the teachers of the Law; He sums up all of His preceding parables when He turns to the disciples once again in this passage. Therefore, what Jesus was speaking is directly related to the parable about the Rich Man and Lazarus. A “best” conclusion or interpretation may be this:

The Pharisees were breaking the very heart of the Mosaic Law by treating the Tax Collector and Sinner in the same way as the Rich Man treated Lazarus. By doing so, Jesus instructed them that they have trampled on the Law. Secondly, when God’s servants treat people as the rich man treated Lazarus, they forfeit or refuse to accept the forgiveness that God has extended to the sinner, with that judgment becoming, in some way, the cause of their own future sin.

Consider this, the Pharisee was not accepting the forgiveness that God had extended to the Tax Collector/Sinner; Jesus speech in this passage becomes very direct, and when it is applied to the Pharisees or to the leaders today, should cause all of us to repent. If the leaders of the church, the shepherds, cannot accept the forgiveness God has given to others, regardless of their occupation or social status, then the sinner cannot be welcomed into the Assembly of God’s people. If the sinner cannot be received by the people of God, then, where can he or she go?

Through the failure to accept that which God has given (forgiveness for the sinner), Jesus was saying that the Pharisee/Teacher of the Law becomes responsible for the future sin(s) of the repentant sinner. The responsibility for their future sin will be laid directly at the door of the Pharisee and/or Teacher. In our current day, the responsibility for the sins of “unacceptable” sinners would be upon the leaders of our local churches or ministries. The leaders and teachers of the church must be able to accept that which God has done. If not, they are causing the repentant sinner to sin once again. It would be better for them to have a millstone put around their neck and be thrown into the sea!

You Do Not Need More Faith! You Need to Be Obedient!
Luke 17:3-10
The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”
He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea.’ And it will obey you.

“Suppose one of you had a servant plowing or looking after the sheep. Would he say to the servant when he comes in from the field, ‘Come along now and sit down to eat’? Would he not rather say, ‘Prepare my supper, get your self ready and wait on me while I eat and drink; after that you may eat and drink’? Would he thank the servant because he did what he was told to do? So you also, when you have done everything you were told to do, should say, ‘We are unworthy servants; we have only done our duty.’”

Jesus continues to teach the apostles and now comes to the conclusion. In the end, we must obey. In the end, we are servants. It is not our choice to obey God, we have formed a covenant and must do what the covenant commands. As people called the Royal Priesthood and those who administer the grace of God in its various forms, we are not people who can choose who we might forgive and who we might declare God’s judgment towards.

I believe Jesus is saying this: You disciples have more faith than you need for this task of forgiveness. If you had far less faith, you could still tell a mulberry bush to uproot itself. Then He tells a story of an obedient servant. The problem is a lack of obedience. “When you have done everything you were told to do, you should be saying ‘we are just ordinary slaves, we have only done out duty.’”

Summary and Conclusions

Jesus, through this extended passage, is teaching the ways of God to the disciples. He uses the present situation of tax collectors/sinners and Pharisees/teachers of the Law to speak of the character and nature of God that is to be formed within us. This includes reestablishing Community standards such as was part of the Mosaic Law.

Jesus teaches the disciples that if God will forgive the tax collector/sinner, so must they. By doing so, they bring great honor to their God, their master in the same way as the Shrewd Manager did. But more than that, the disciples should have learned that God forgives individually, but God’s people reflect His glory corporately, in community, through the church. Therefore, community forgiveness establishes God’s reputation on the earth among the people who are not of God.

All men are created equal, all men are equal before God. There is no rich and poor, important and unimportant, sinners and holy ones. The disciples should have learned through this lesson that rich people are not automatically going to heaven, even though they believe they are blessed of God because they have wealth. Poor people are not necessarily going to hell.

More than this, however, if the gap between rich and poor becomes too great, the pressure will tear and divide the community. Every time the community divides or declares one to be dead or banishes one member from the corporate community, the name of God is potentially profaned in the eyes of the people whom they live among. When a sinner repents, the issue will always remain this: Can they be restored to community or will they remain ostracized. The prodigal son was restored to community.

Finally, the disciples should have learned that money is a tool. Wealth is given by God and is to be used first to maintain community and secondly, to advance the Kingdom of God. The money is only used by the richer members of society. Through their usage of money, society and community will be either brought together or separated. God gives wealth for his own purposes, and it is His wealth, therefore, it should be used for His purposes. He trusts certain individuals with wealth, but the wealth is to be used for God’s purposes only.

We must consider the potential charges that are being leveled at the Pharisee and the teachers of the Law. I do not believe Jesus is charging them with the following offenses, but is telling them to check their heart and see if these charges are representative of their lives.

First, are the critical ones (Pharisee) the 99 sheep who no longer need repentance? Are they the 9 coins who refuse to “find” the lost one in the house? Are they the elder brother who only has concern for his friends and not the people of the entire village. Could it be said of them that they have the same attitudes towards the least members of society as the Rich Man did towards Lazarus? Finally, do the Pharisees use the wealth God has given for their own purposes, or for God’s purposes.

What then might be said about each one of us?

The following are additional points to ponder regarding the plans and purposes of God. I believe these to be foundational to a fuller understanding of the above lesson.

God has always sought after man when man seeks after God. Man is the one who separates himself from God through sin. God’s purposes are clearly outlined in Old Testament thought, and summarized very nicely by Solomon at his prayer of dedication of the temple, that every tribe and tongue would come to know Him and Him alone as God. (1 Kgs 8:60)

In the end, will we obey? As we shall see at the end, the disciples understood the message. They questioned: “How many times must we forgive (the tax collector/sinner)? ” Jesus ends by telling them they must be like the Faithful Steward, they must just obey. Only then, will the purposes and plans of God be fulfilled.

More Context to Consider

“For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him.” (I Chronicles 16:9)

We began this semester with the Prayer of the Disciples in Luke 11:1-13. We spoke of our need for more of Holy Spirit if we are going to bring honor to the name of God. How much more will we need the Holy Spirit if, through us, the nations of the earth will be blessed? We are all too aware of our shortcomings, but we often fail to understand this; one of the two centerfold reasons for God’s interaction with humanity. “How much more will your Father in Heaven give the Holy Spirit?” (Luke 11:13)

Cain was a child of promise but his offering was rejected. We like to say it is because he did not bring a blood offering. Is it not also possible his offering was rejected because he was disposed to have a bad attitude toward his brother? If he had mastered the sin (changed his attitude towards his brother), then his offering would have been accepted. Instead, Cain chose to kill his brother. This Tanakh story would fit well with Jesus’ teaching on this very subject:

“If you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24.)

The Blessings of God Given for the Peoples of the Earth – Abraham
Gen 12:3-4

In application, it comes down to the reason why God brings His salvation to all peoples, regardless of their community or condition. The purpose of the church is summarized so simply as follows:

…“May God be gracious to us and bless us and make His face shine upon us, that Your ways may be known on earth, Your salvation among all nations.”… (Psalms 67:1-2)

We hear prayers such as this: “May God be gracious to us.” How often does today’s Christian recognize that the purpose of all prayer for personal grace is that the ways of God may be known by all the peoples of the earth? The question must be asked:

“Do I seek Gods blessing for the glory of His reputation or for my own satisfaction?”

Further, if people reject God because of our actions, will God still be gracious to us? How many times have you heard someone say something negative about God or His church because of dealings with people who call themselves Christians? Does the word “hypocrite” sound familiar? Something about our relationship with God is supposed to bring about a change in the earth! Those not of God are watching to see if there is anything different about us.

Abraham was told that God would bless him in order that he would become a blessing to all the earth. If Abraham does in fact become a blessing, then, those who bless him will be blessed and those who curse him will be cursed. The purpose for God’s pouring out His grace upon Abraham is very simple.

…“Through you the nations of the earth will be blessed.” …(Genesis 12:3)

Question: Could Abraham have chosen to not be a blessing? Could Abraham have been a stingy or unforgiving person if he had so chosen? Of course, he could have, yet Abraham matched his will with that of the Father so that the plans and purposes of God would be fulfilled through His servant, Abraham.

A Purpose for Our Salvation – One of the Why’s God Chooses Us

There is a purpose to our salvation. God desires a people who will fulfill His design for them, a people who will be for the praise of His glory. God is looking throughout the earth for anyone willing to say, “Yes!” Much of this very purpose cannot be developed independently of community. You want more of this? Consider this:

…“Praise be to the LORD, who has given rest to His people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through His servant Moses. May the LORD our God be with us as he was with our fathers; may he never leave us nor forsake us. May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in all His ways and to keep the commands, decrees and regulations he gave our fathers. And may these words of mine, which I have prayed before the LORD, be near to the LORD our God day and night, that he may uphold the cause of His servant and the cause of His people Israel according to each day’s need, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the LORD is God and that there is no other.* But your hearts must be fully committed to the LORD our God, to live by His decrees and obey His commands, as at this time.” …(1 Kings 8:56-61)

* bold added for emphasis

Solomon is saying that something about God will be made known throughout the earth when His people keep His commands. Our obedience to God enables him to allow the blessing of the whole earth to flow through us. Solomon even goes so far as to intercede on behalf of the foreigners who should happen to pray to the God of Israel because of hearing of His reputation by His mighty acts on behalf of His people.

Solomon prays:

…“As for the foreigner who does not belong to your people Israel but has come from a distant land because of your name— for men will hear of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm— when he comes and prays toward this temple, then hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and do whatever the foreigner asks of you, so that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel.*”… (1 Kings 8:41-43)

* bold added for emphasis

Do you understand that Solomon has such a view of God and His honor that he prays not only that the foreigner be blessed while visiting “in our house of worship,” but that the foreigner can transmit this relationship of trust in God to His own people back home? …“That all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your own people Israel.”… ibid The purpose is always that the ways of God may be known throughout the earth through His people. How we lead our lives has everything to do with whether those on the outside will ever come to know His ways.

There is a purpose to our Christianity that is far bigger than the question of our going to heaven. Our responsibility is to give the world an accurate picture of what God is like. We have over time become a nation of individuals. There has been an erosion of our sense of national identity and national destiny. It is another tragic loss of community. We have become a nation of spoiled children. “ Gimme this, gimme that, spoil me. You cannot require anything of me.”

Self-centered individuals cannot be givers of life. Christians must, like Jesus, express compassion. We must be willing to reach out to those in need of healing and compassion. We must have eyes to see, really see people in need, and to feel and understand their needs that we might reach out and touch and transmit His life and healing to them. We must act as Jesus showed us to act. When the kingdom of God comes upon a person, it is for things to become restored to their rightful order, even as they shall be in the age to come.

Hear again the purpose, once again, of these parables. Jesus is telling these people they have become a divided people, unable to forgive even their brothers and sisters, sons and daughters of Abraham. If a sinner from within your own family repents, you must forgive him and restore that one back into the community. If you cannot get this right with your own people, how in the world will you ever demonstrate the desire of God to forgive also the Romans? Or the Ninevites?

If we do not learn to practice the healing of individuals and the restoration of individuals to the community within our churches, how can we ever hope to fulfill our commission to all nations? This process must begin with us.

The Disciples Understand the Message but Ask for more Faith

After the parable about Lazarus, we have this little “thing” about forgiveness and then the disciples are asking Jesus how many times they should forgive. Jesus tells them they should forgive seven times a day if necessary. In Matthew’s account, he says to forgive seventy times seven times. The Disciples reply:

…“Oh, but Lord, we can’t do that! We don’t have enough faith!”…(Luke 17:5)

Jesus answers them and says they have plenty of faith. Even the little faith they have can cause the transplantation of a tree into the sea. What they lack is obedience. If the disciple will only obey, the purposes and plans of God for this generation will be fulfilled. This, you will recall, I suggest is the back “bookend” of this teaching regarding tax collectors and sinners.