Lord of Scripture
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Intro: Most of you here hold an English translation of God’s word, the Bible, in your hands at this very moment. Why do we care so much about what this book says? Why do we strive so hard to submit to its teaching? It’s simple. Jesus is Lord of all, and if the supreme Lord elevates Scripture to the place of being the very word of God, revealing God and the truth to which we must submit, then we do the same.
That’s what you will find today as we look at the end of Luke 20 and into the beginning of ch. 21.
In the context (controversy and confrontation in the temple), Jesus now counters the attacks from his opponents.
First he demonstrates that the Sadducees are not the only ones failing to interpret Scripture rightly. And the failure of the scribes proves fatal to their ability to decipher something central about the identity of the Messiah.
Secondly, such bad interpretation (and therefore bad doctrine) leads to bad spiritual leadership, so Jesus warns his disciples against the hypocrisy of the Pharisees.
Finally, he’ll contrast the character of the religious leaders with someone who appears to be helpless and lowly, but who demonstrates a humble love and trust toward God that is sacrificial instead of self-aggrandizing. Luke’s reader is left to ponder: which one am I behaving more like?
But he said to them, “How can they say that the Christ is David’s son? For David himself says in the Book of Psalms, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’ David thus calls him Lord, so how is he his son?”
With this line of questioning and scriptural quotation, for which the audience seems to be in stunned silence with no answer, Jesus is stating plainly…
Scripture Teaches That Messiah Is More Than David’s Descendent (20:41-44)
Scripture Teaches That Messiah Is More Than David’s Descendent (20:41-44)
From Luke’s account here we see that everyone is still listening, and from Matthew’s account we know the inquiry is particularly in the direction of the group of Pharisees gathered there along with the many (Mt 22:41), and Mark informs us that the question mentions scribes specifically since they are the interpreters of the Scripture, experts of the law (Mk 12:35).
“How can they say that the Christ is David’s son?” is not a question meant to deny that he is indeed that, a descendant of David. But the meaning is like asking, ‘In what sense do they mean that he is David’s son?” and again in v.44 restating the question. He continues, “bc David himself says in the Psalms” and now he’s quoting from the first verse of the 110th psalm.
We might unknowingly assume that the scribes too must have at least believed this Psalm was a messianic text, but scholars have not found any clear evidence that such was regularly taught, that is until Jesus (and therefore his followers after him - Psalm 110:1 is the OT Scripture most quoted and alluded to in the NT!). To this day it is a Christian interpretation and not one adhered to in Judaism.
The scribes were not interpreting Psalm 110 correctly.
The scribes were not interpreting Psalm 110 correctly.
Psalm 110 emphasizes, yes, that the Messiah will in fact be superior even to David: David refers to him as Lord. But it also emphasizes the completeness of his rule over the nations (v. 6) and the total submission of those who serve him (v. 3). The psalm further teaches the unique priestly office of this One who is Lord to be a Priest after the order of Melchizedek (v. 4), a theme which Hebrews picks up to explain that Jesus continues his priesthood forever, as opposed to the former levitical priesthood made up of fallible and finite humans.
In other words, though, the experts in the law were wrongly interpreting scripture to not see messianic promises that would lead them to conclude the superiority of the Messiah. And this is not the only aspect of messianic promise in which their interpretation was lacking. They largely missed the suffering servant aspect of his ministry in favor of the references which speak of his deliverance and rule. (Christ’s deliverance offered would be even greater than mere political deliverance from Israel’s enemies and his rule more far-reaching than a simple little inconsequential kingdom in the middle east.) It seems everyone missed that this suffering would in fact lead to his resurrection and exaltation, which in turn is what proves his superiority and cements his Lordship.
Back to Jesus quoting the first stanza of the poem/song. - The LORD (God - Hebrew = Yahweh) said to my Lord (Hebrew = Adonai), sit at my right hand (the place of highest honor and authority), until I make your enemies your footstool (the point where all your enemies are completely conquered, so as to be under your feet, like a footstool).
If the Messiah is David’s Lord, what does the Lordship of Jesus mean?
If the Messiah is David’s Lord, what does the Lordship of Jesus mean?
Lord, at its most basic level, means someone who has superior authority and control and power over another. So to say that Jesus is Lord is at least to verbalize his superiority over David and over us... and our submission to his authority and control.
With Jesus, that is part but not all. Although it goes undisclosed here (the reader is left to ponder it), Luke intends to develop further what Jesus only hints at for the moment: Jesus’ Lordship is a result of not only his superiority but also his divinity.
It’s not as if this is out of the blue or unsubstantiated by Luke (not to mention other NT writers). Think back to where Luke began his Gospel. Jesus was uniquely born of a virgin, the only person ever to be conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and not by natural means. Might that conception foreshadow his person and purpose? Could he be both God and man? Is that where his unique power and authority stems from in his miracles and teaching? Might he be an even greater Messiah than they could have hoped for and expected? Could he live a singularly perfect (sinless) human existence? Could he give his life to atone for sin as the untainted Lamb of God? Did he indeed have authority to forgive sins like he said?
(Now back to the context of the passion week) Only a few short days from these interactions in the temple, Jesus will be secretly arrested and tried before various religious and political authorities. Luke telescopes a couple of those interactions with members of the Sanhedrin (the council made up of religious leaders who served as the ruling body over Israel’s religion). Although, Lord willing, we will study this text together as well later this year, let’s listen to their questioning and the result of that exchange.
When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people gathered together, both chief priests and scribes. And they led him away to their council, and they said, “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I ask you, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say that I am.” Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.”
Notice that by Jesus not denying what they say, he implies that these things are true even while the religious leaders are rejecting Jesus. So He is putting it on them that they refuse to believe that he is indeed (three things in this flurry of questions) 1. The promised Messiah, 2. The divine Son of Man from Daniel 7:13-14 who pre-existed and whose dominion will last forever, and 3. The Son of God.
Recall that they have been looking for something to pin on him with his own words, and what they interpret as blasphemy is actually Jesus admitting the truth about himself. Jesus already knows that this confession will lead to his crucifixion, but that his suffering of death would lead to his exaltation by resurrection from the grave.
Jump forward to Luke’s record in Acts of the first apostolic sermon on the day of pentecost, when Peter preaches to explain that after all the miracles and signs and wonders that Jesus did, it is ultimately his resurrection and exaltation, quoting OT prophecy from David in both cases as confirmation (Psalm 16 & 110), which is proof positive that Jesus is both the promised Messiah and that He is Lord (Acts 2:22-36). Here is his conclusion:
This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.
Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
It begins to make sense to us that, after his confirming resurrection and exaltation, NT teaching concerning Jesus is that he is indeed the promised Messiah, which would make him a superior worthy of lordship, but that he is also divine, the supreme Lord.
Jesus’ Lordship is supreme.
Jesus’ Lordship is supreme.
We, the Church, confess the declaration of Thomas, “My Lord and my God!” (Jn 20:28) in response to seeing the risen Jesus, and we embrace Peter’s statement to Cornelius that Jesus is “Lord of all” as he shared the gospel with his household.
The primary applications for us from this first section today are two-fold:
1. Jesus is Lord. He is equal with the Father and Spirit in the Godhead, he is the Creator and Judge to whom you must give an account, and he is the only Lord to whom we must submit for salvation.
2. We are to interpret all of Scripture in light of the Lord Jesus Christ. - This is not to say that every text is about Jesus, but that Jesus fulfills OT prophecy to an even greater and more complete degree than could be understood from the vantage point of the original audience, so we look to the NT to interpret that for us. And the New Covenant teaches that everything which flows from Jesus’ exaltation onward is a growth out of his person and work on behalf of his people. - Jesus is the fulcrum of history and the bullseye of God’s revelation to mankind.
These religious leaders missed the Lord standing before them, not only because they wrongly interpreted some scriptures as non-messianic, but also because their posture toward God and their practice as religious leaders was about themselves and not about God.
That is the accusation and warning Jesus levels next, continuing down the track of the scribes (associated with the Pharisees) as the example this.
And in the hearing of all the people he said to his disciples, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”
In the hearing of everyone, including these religious leaders, Jesus issues yet another warning to his disciples to avoid the pharisaical approach to spiritual leadership. In context of what we just covered, I think it’s fair to state the warning like this:
Warning! Bad Doctrine Leads to Bad Religion (20:45-47)
Warning! Bad Doctrine Leads to Bad Religion (20:45-47)
Look where this lack of sincere submission to God leads! When we don’t submit to God on his terms, religion simply becomes a tool for self-exaltation, which is the posture Jesus condemns here.
While they try to look pious, the Pharisees use their position for personal prestige and prominence and power. They are proud and pretentious. -Jesus gives specific examples to prove the point:
-Long robes - “some Jewish teachers wore a special identifying garb, in this case a long, white linen robe, similar to those of priests and temple officials” -Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Lk 20:45–46.
-Love greetings - “People normally greeted teachers with titles of honor; marketplaces, which were full of people, would provide many opportunities for teachers to receive such recognition.” -Ibid.
-Best seats - “Seating at banquets marked one’s rank in society.” -Ibid.
-Long prayers - “here Jesus criticizes not the longevity of prayers but the motive of this longevity” -Ibid, Lk 20:47.
AND (also in v. 47) they abuse their authority against those who are socially powerless, whom they should in fact be protecting and treating with compassion (according to the law of which they are experts):
You shall not mistreat any widow or fatherless child. If you do mistreat them, and they cry out to me, I will surely hear their cry,
Most likely, in the example Jesus gives, they were enforcing tithes on the poor to the point where, if they could not pay, said widow could lose her property, even her home. Or the same might be true in some sort of legal issue, exacting the letter of the punishment instead of showing mercy… to the poor, the widow, the fatherless.
For their falsehood and lack of mercy their condemnation at the judgment will be severe: “They will receive the greater condemnation.”
Needless to say, Jesus pulls no punches in blasting the religious elite and warning his disciples that they must be an altogether different breed of spiritual leader.
*Having contradicted the scribes’ interpretation of Scripture, and having warned his disciples against their hypocrisy, Jesus now contrasts their falsehood with the private piety of a poor and powerless widow.
Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, “Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.”
Just as Jesus transitioned smoothly using the scribes as the example of abusive, self-exalting spiritual leadership, so Jesus uses the example of a sincere widow to contrast true worship with the falsehood of the Pharisees.
Right Doctrine Leads to Giving Our Very Lives (21:1-4)
Right Doctrine Leads to Giving Our Very Lives (21:1-4)
The point of this example from Jesus is simple: This widow likely doesn’t know 1/10 of the Scripture of these Pharisees, and yet she rightly submits her whole self to God.
Jesus of course has no problem whatsoever with the rich giving their gifts, as they should. The comparison of generosity and sacrifice is what Jesus is driving at. She gives to worship God… all she has left, in fact… because she loves and trusts and depends upon God.
Neither is the point that everyone must give away everything in order to please God. The heart of the matter is the heart. Do we love God or do we love self? Do we trust God or do we trust self? Do we aim to be generous because we know that all we have is in fact God’s and provided by him?
That’s the issue. The point is the contrast between the self-exalting false religion of the leaders versus this selfless, true spirituality of the one who submits to and serves God with everything she is and has.
*Right interpretation leads to right doctrine which leads to right behavior. (more specifically…)
The Lordship of Jesus leads to right interpretation, which leads to right doctrine, which leads to right worship.
The Lordship of Jesus leads to right interpretation, which leads to right doctrine, which leads to right worship.
… Not the lordship of self. (Notice too that what I’m saying is that our secret hearts and our private behavior reveal the condition of our worship. Let that sink in a moment.)
A right interpretation of Scripture requires that we hear from God on his terms. I right interpretation of Scripture requires that we submit to the Lordship of Jesus. - Jesus is worthy of your submission... and your salvation depends on it. - Faith in God means understanding that God is who he says he is and does what he says he will do, and I therefore submit to God on his terms. And his terms are that we submit to Jesus as Lord, realizing that without his sacrificial death and resurrection in power, we are powerless to be right with God.
But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,
And that first moment of submitting to God through faith in Jesus is just the beginning of an eternity of worshipping God.
Submission to God (and therefore to Jesus in particular) leads to a right relationship to God and right worship of God. - A right understanding of God’s intention for us flows from a submissive spirit that desires to exalt God rather than ourselves.
(Finally again) Right interpretation of scripture must be in light of Jesus, which will lead us to a right understanding (right doctrine), which in turns leads us to worship God rightly, through Jesus.
To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
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