Restoration
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I want to start by revisiting one verse which Randy covered last week, and the role of cultural issues to biblical interpretation
We’ve talked this over and we are both in agreement on this
To do this we are going to quickly go over a number of other passages before returning to Colossians
I’m going to try to be brief but please forgive me if I don’t succeed - Hard Passages in the Bible and Culture
Where we have to start
16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,
Written by God, for our profit in these four areas, timeless
Not written by fallible man, subject to change as times change
Are there hard sayings/verses in the Bible?
15 Also, regard the patience of our Lord as salvation, just as our dear brother Paul has written to you according to the wisdom given to him. 16 He speaks about these things in all his letters. There are some things hard to understand in them. The untaught and unstable will twist them to their own destruction, as they also do with the rest of the Scriptures.
Note: such passages can be dangerous - “twist to their own destruction”
Is a knowledge of ancient middle-eastern culture helpful for interpreting the Bible?
8 If you build a new house, make a railing around your roof, so that you don’t bring bloodguilt on your house if someone falls from it.
How many of you have a railing around your roof?
Yes - to give us historical/cultural insights into what the Bible means, and to make application to our day (there may be other places on your property that do need a fence for safety)
No - not to change God’s moral law
What do we do when we encounter hard passages?
It means what it says
It doesn’t (really) mean what it (literally) says (or seems to say)
Scorecard on the whiteboard
29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.
Literal? no. (Is God expecting people to gouge out their eyes and cut off their hands?) Rather - take radical steps (if necessary) to pursue Christ’s kingdom
14 Is anyone among you sick? He should call for the elders of the church, and they are to pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 The prayer of faith will save the sick person, and the Lord will raise him up; if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
Literal? no, but due to some translational choices (ex: Dan Taylor)
26 For this reason God delivered them over to disgraceful passions. Their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones. 27 The men in the same way also left natural relations with women and were inflamed in their lust for one another. Men committed shameless acts with men and received in their own persons the appropriate penalty of their error.
Is this literally a condemnation of homosexuality?
Literal? yes
The world: cultural issues; did not refer to loving, committed, same-sex relationships? No - the bible means what it says on this moral issue
4 Marriage is to be honored by all and the marriage bed kept undefiled, because God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterers.
Does this literally condemn premarital sex and adultery?
Literal? yes
The world: “consent is all that matters,” “mutually consenting adults”
Now for some foundational verses
18 Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper corresponding to him.”
The same word for “helper” is used of God’s help for us. Is that in any way demeaning?
9 Israel, trust in the Lord! He is their help and shield. 10 House of Aaron, trust in the Lord! He is their help and shield. 11 You who fear the Lord, trust in the Lord! He is their help and shield.
The word for “fit” means an appropriate match (illustration: slicing an apple)
16 He said to the woman: I will intensify your labor pains; you will bear children with painful effort. Your desire will be for your husband, yet he will rule over you.
man and woman will live in conflict and their relationship will become problematic
Now we come to the New Testament, where roles for men/woman, husbands/wives in the church age addressed. Here is the first hard passage:
11 A woman is to learn quietly with full submission. 12 I do not allow a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; instead, she is to remain quiet. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve. 14 And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was deceived and transgressed.
For a more literal translation...
Commentary on the New Testament: Verse-by-Verse Explanations with a Literal Translation The Organization of the Church by Timothy (1 Timothy 2:1–3:13)
2:11–14: In quietness a woman is to be learning in total subjection. 12 And I don’t permit a woman to teach and assume authority over a man—rather, to be in quietness. 13 For [out of clay] Adam was molded as the first [human being], then Eve [Genesis 2:7, 18–22]; 14 and Adam wasn’t deceived, but the woman, having been completely deceived, fell into a transgression
Literal? yes
The world: but that was only relevant for the ancient culture, when women did not have the opportunity to be educated
Response (Paul): No, this can’t be cultural; this is due to the order of creation - “Adam was formed first”
22 Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord, 23 because the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of the body. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives are to submit to their husbands in everything.
Does a more literal translation help?
Commentary on the New Testament: Verse-by-Verse Explanations with a Literal Translation A Code for Christian Households (Ephesians 5:22–6:9)
Wives, [be subordinating yourselves] to your own husbands as [you subordinate yourselves] to the Lord, 23 because a husband is the head of [his] wife as also the Christ, [is] the church’s head. He himself [is] the Savior of the body [the church]. 24 Nevertheless [= despite his saviorhood, which could make members of the church think too highly of themselves as the objects of salvation], as the church is subordinating herself to the Christ, in this way also you wives, [be subordinating yourselves] to [your] husbands in everything
Literal? yes
The world: but that was only relevant for the ancient culture; women should be equal in all ways
Response (Paul): No, this can’t be cultural; this is actually because the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church
Objection: what about mutual submission mentioned in verse 21?
21 submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.
Answer: this really isn’t mutual(!)
hypotasso - military term, commander telling his soldiers to line up. This is one-way subordination! There isn’t a military in the world where it’s two-way!
Example #1 don’t lie to each other (can be two-way)
Example #2 don’t kill each other (can’t normally be two-way); this is the case with submission!
Option #1 (false): Christians should kindly treat other Christians in a humble and loving way
Option #2 (true): Christians should faithfully subject themselves to those in authority around them
Church org chart
So…now that we are finally to Colossians, this should be (relatively) easy:
18 Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.
Commentary on the New Testament: Verse-by-Verse Explanations with a Literal Translation The Application of Having Been Raised with Christ to Righteous Actions (Colossians 3:12–4:6)
Wives, be subordinating yourselves to [your] husbands, as it’s appropriate [for you to do] in the Lord.
Literal? yes
Objection #1 The world - but couldn’t this be cultural? No - see parallel passage in Ephesians
Objection #2 But what about mutual submission? No - mutual submission is not a thing
Objection #3 But what if the husband is selfishly taking advantage of the wife?
This is completely against Col 3:19 (Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them)
In a fallen world this will sometimes happen (Gen 3:16)
This situation does *not* justify disregarding this command. This objection can be a two way street - should a husband continue to love his wife even if she is resisting his leadership? If she is acting selfishly?
Objection #4 But what if the husband is asking the wife to do something illegal/immoral? Physically abusive? Acts 5:29 “29 But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men.” In that case only, this verse would not apply.
Can we let the main point here be the main point?
Philemon
Philemon
This book was written to an individual, Philemon, but also to
Apphia (wife)
Archippus (co-worker)
Church meeting in Philemon’s house
Philemon owned a slave named Onesimus, who had run away
Slavery was legal and common
Slavery was very different from what we once had in this country
The Bible condemned some types of slavery (kidnapping) but not others (Jacob working 7 years for Rachel)
Onesimus may have been an indentured servant; to put this in our modern context, maybe an employee under contract
Onesimus ran away, possibly stealing from Philemon as well
In God’s providence Onesimus crossed paths with Paul and became a believer. Paul writes to Philemon on Onesimus’ behalf.
We have in this book one of the greatest examples of an appeal. Another would be Abigail to David, 1 Sam 25
1. Sent
1. Sent
8 For this reason, although I have great boldness in Christ to command you to do what is right, 9 I appeal to you, instead, on the basis of love. I, Paul, as an elderly man and now also as a prisoner of Christ Jesus, 10 appeal to you for my son, Onesimus. I became his father while I was in chains. 11 Once he was useless to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me. 12 I am sending him back to you—I am sending my very own heart.
v. 8 “to command you” - as an apostle, Paul had that right
v. 9 “appeal…on the basis of love”
v. 10 “my son, Onesimus” - Paul became his spiritual father
v. 11 “useless to you, useful to me” - a play on words with the name of Onesimus, which means “useful”. He could be very useful for one locked up in prison.
v. 12 “sending my very own heart” - a part of himself
2. As a brother
2. As a brother
13 I wanted to keep him with me, so that in my imprisonment for the gospel he might serve me in your place. 14 But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent, so that your good deed might not be out of obligation, but of your own free will. 15 For perhaps this is why he was separated from you for a brief time, so that you might get him back permanently, 16 no longer as a slave, but more than a slave—as a dearly loved brother. He is especially so to me, but how much more to you, both in the flesh and in the Lord.
v. 13 “serve me in your place” - It was the responsibility of a prisoner’s friends/family to provide for them
v. 14 “without your consent” - Paul didn’t want to demand this of Philemon
v. 15-16 “get him back permanently…as a dearly loved brother” - think about God’s providence in this. What is better to have, merely a servant, or a dearly loved brother?
3. So welcome him
3. So welcome him
17 So if you consider me a partner, welcome him as you would me. 18 And if he has wronged you in any way, or owes you anything, charge that to my account. 19 I, Paul, write this with my own hand: I will repay it—not to mention to you that you owe me even your very self. 20 Yes, brother, may I benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ. 21 Since I am confident of your obedience, I am writing to you, knowing that you will do even more than I say.
v. 17 “if you consider me a partner” - stresses his personal relationship with Philemon
v. 18 “if he has wronged you...” - lost income
v. 19 “I will repay it” - I promise
v. 19 “you owe me even your very self” - the spiritual debt is greater than the financial one
v. 21 “you will do even more than I say” - give Onesimus his freedom