WHY 2ND PETER DOES NOT RELY UPON JUDE

Scholars often attempt to pinpoint the dates when books within the New Testament were composed. The results of these efforts sometimes produce theoretical chronologies for the entire New Testament. Generally speaking, these chronologies are the results of educated guesses based upon historical data found within the New Testament. Some books contain helpful evidence, others not so much. There are additional techniques that are also used, such as comparing different biblical works to one another (e.g., the Synoptic Gospels; Paul’s epistles and Acts; etc.). Sometimes this type of literary analysis is helpful, while at other times it can be counterproductive. One such case involves the question of whether the Epistle of Jude relies upon 2^nd Peter or vice versa. First, it should be understood that determining their relationship and chronology has little impact upon one’s ability to correctly interpret them. Consequently, being wrong about this question does not adversely affect one’s capacity to accurately grasp their messages. And lest we forget, accuracy is the most important goal when studying scriptures; that is, correctly interpreting and applying what they teach into our daily lives. Nonetheless, these epistles provide helpful clues concerning which was composed first and their possible relationship to each other.

The first clue is found in 2 Peter 2:1-3, in which Peter wrote “there will also be false teachers among you” (see also 3:3, NASB). In other words, these verses warn that in the future false teachers and mockers would infiltrate the church. Jude’s epistle, however, regrettably announces their arrival (cf. Jude 4). This observation alone supports the conclusion that Jude wrote after 2^nd Peter. Additionally, and more importantly, Jude explicitly confessed his reliance upon the teachings of the “apostles” (17) and then in the very next verse he virtually quotes 2 Peter 3:3.[1]  Does this observation prove that Jude relied upon 2^nd Peter? Well, actually it does not. It is possible that Jude often heard Peter warn about future dangers that the church would face while in Jerusalem during the early days of its existence. One might wonder why Peter warned about this issue when the church was so young. He did so because Jesus had discipled him to do so (e.g., Matt. 7:15-20; 24:11, 23-25). A fact that Peter himself explained 2 Peter 3:2, stating “. . . remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior . . . .” Therefore, Peter understood that the Lord had commissioned him to protect the flock from internal dangers such as false prophets and teachers. Consequently, it should not be surprising that the Holy Spirit inspired Peter to write an epistle warning believers about the future arrival of these malicious counterfeits.

Another possibility is that Jude heard other apostles provide similar warnings. This assertion is defensible because the word “apostles” is plural (cf. 17). That being said, guesses about if, when, where, and what Jude may have heard is entirely speculative; therefore, they worthless for proving anything. Moreover, none of these conjectures overcomes the fact that 2^nd Peter predicted the coming of false teachers while the Epistle of Jude declares their arrival. Thus, it is more likely that Jude relied upon 2^nd Peter rather than the reverse.

Another reason for this conclusion is observable by identifying the recipients of both epistles. Peter never identified his audience in 2^nd Peter.  However, in 2 Peter 3:1 he wrote “This is now, beloved, my second letter I am writing to you.” Most Evangelicals recognize that this verse refers to 1^st Peter. Consequently, one must look to 1^st Peter in order to identify the audience for Peter’s second epistle. Peter’s first epistle was addressed to the following recipients: “To those . . . scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia . . .” (1 Pt. 1:1). This observation is significant because it reveals that 1^st and 2^nd Peter were circular letters that were intended for distribution over a wide geographical area in order to be read in churches throughout those areas. The Epistle of Jude, however, appears to have been written to a specific church (cf. vs. 3). Consequently, one is left to wonder which scenario is more likely: (a) that Peter would find a brief letter to a specific church and then depend upon it in order to warn churches concerning a future that demonstrably had already happened; or (b) that Jude would rely upon a widely read epistle written by a recognized apostolic leader in order to support his assertion that the warnings of the Lord and apostles had come to fruition? The more defensible conclusion is obvious.

There are 2 reasons why many secular scholars assert that 2^nd Peter was written after the Epistle of Jude. The first is that they reject Peter’s authorship of 2^nd Peter; as a result, they assert that it is much later than Jude’s epistle (composed well after Peter was martyred). Another reason is that Jude is the shorter letter; consequently, they argue that “the author” of 2^nd Peter depended upon Jude’s epistle. They arrive at this conclusion because often when an author depends upon an earlier work, then the latter composition tends to expand upon contents found in the earlier work (e.g., Luke’s dependence upon Mark’s Gospel). Consequently, latter compositions tend to be longer. While this observation may be helpful with cases involving more complex types of literature (e.g., histories; treatises; Gospels; etc.), it is not a hard rule. The fact is that when it comes to letter writing authors may have more practical concerns that impact a letter’s length, such as the amount of material available, the time available for composition, and a letter’s actual purpose and occasion, etc. Therefore, that Jude is shorter than 2^nd Peter is insufficient evidence for determining their order of composition, not to mention concluding that 2^nd Peter depended upon Jude—especially since evidence found within them leads in the opposite direction. Consequently, while at times literary analysis can be helpful, it appears more probably that Jude depended upon 2^nd Peter while composing his letter.

That being said, the most important take away from these epistles is what they model for today’s church leadership. More specifically, and out of faithfulness to the Lord, Peter and Jude warned churches about the reality of false teachers, false prophets, and demonic mockers. And having done so, they emphatically directed believers not to tolerate them under any circumstances. Consequently, pastors and elders are called to identify and warn believers of their presence, and then to educate their flocks about their immoral natures and destructive doctrines. Regrettably, this essential ministry is sorely lacking in today’s modern and progressive churches.

_{Copyright, © Monte Shanks 2023}  

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[1]It is recognized that some assert that Peter has quoted Jude 18.

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Why Did Jesus Use Parables?

WHY DID JESUS TEACH USING PARABLES?

When studying the Gospels, it is not long before one observes that a Jesus often used parables as he taught.[1]  Briefly defined (albeit through a strictly biblical context), a parable is a real life analogy that illustrates a more important spiritual truth about God and his kingdom. Much ink has been spilt concerning Jesus’ use of parables; nevertheless, many still misunderstand why he used them. A common misconception is that Jesus used parables because he was an amazing teacher; consequently, he knew that by them he would reach the masses “more effectively.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus did not use parables because they are the best way to reach a lot of people but because by them he could draw out from the masses those that were genuinely seeking to understand him. With this distinction in mind, Jesus used parables for 3 specific reasons: he used them to fulfill prophecy; as a tool of judgment; and lastly, to disciple those that genuinely believed in him. Consequently, Jesus never used parables because they were best way to reach as many people as possible. 

In order to understand Jesus’s reason for teaching through parables, one should first examine his explanation concerning why he used them. First, Jesus explicitly stated that he used them in order to full a prophecy found in Isaiah 6.9-10, his explanation reads as follows:

And in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, “You shall keep on hearing, but will not understand; you will keep on seeing, but will not perceive. For the heart of this people has become dull, with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes, otherwise they would see with their eyes, hear with their ears, and understand with their heart and return and I would heal them.” (Matthew 13.14-15; NASB)

It is essential to observe that this quote is not Matthew’s theory about Jesus’ teaching methods; instead it is Jesus’ own explanation as to why he used parables. Consequently, Jesus primarily used parables in order to fulfill this prophecy concerning his first coming.

Second, he used parables to secure judgment upon those that were listening to him with no interest in believing his claims about himself. A tragic observation concerning Jesus earthly ministry is that the masses did not really care about understanding him. Although they often surrounded him and were excited about him, their enthusiasm had nothing to do with who he actually was. Instead, they were attracted to him because of the temporary benefits that he was providing (e.g., physical healings, food, entertainment, political commentary, a hope for relief from Roman oppression, etc.). They never appreciated the opportunities that they were squandering, neither did they understand what was actually happening to them. God was teaching them but they were not really interested in obeying him or understanding what he was saying (cf. Mt 13.34-35; Ps 78.2). If they had cared about truth and the things that really mattered, then the Lord would have received them. He would have healed their souls, forgiven their sins, and provided them with eternal life. However, that was not what they desired; instead their focus was on satisfying temporal physical appetites and carnal felt needs. Consequently, judgment awaited them for their apathy and rejection of what Jesus was actually offering to them.

Lastly, Jesus used parables as a discipleship tool to communicate truths concerning the kingdom to those that Father was drawing to him. Jesus explained this phenomenon in John 6.44-45, in which he said, “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. It is written in the prophets: ‘And they will all be taught by God.’” Again, Jesus has appealed to another prophecy found in Isaiah 54.13. This passage refers to the promised Millennial Kingdom, where upon the Lord himself will actually instruct its citizens. While this prophecy will be ultimately fulfilled in the future, from it Jesus drew a principle concerning those that were coming to him. That principle is that people only come to him because God draws them to him; and having come to him, then they as well will be “taught by God.” The salient point is that Jesus’s parables are always about something that truly matters, they are always about the God’s kingdom. He did not use them because they are an entertaining method for effectively communicating “life hacks.” He used them to teach his disciples about realities concerning Kingdom of God. Consequently, to interpret his parables with any other focus in mind is to commit interpretive malfeasance.

With that in mind, the question arises concerning how can anyone identify someone that the Father is drawing to salvation? The answer is found in Matthew’s Gospel, which reads: “Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Why do you speak to the people in parables?’” (Matthew 13:10). And with this simple action the disciples modeled how one can tell the difference between apathetic hearers and motivated listeners. Those that are being drawn to Jesus are those that not content with simply “hearing” him, instead they want to understand him. To put it another way, those that God is drawing to Jesus are people that seem to have an itch is never satisfied until they receive Christ as savior. They are the ones that are always asking questions about the implications concerning what they have heard. Sometimes their search for truth makes us feel uncomfortable by the questions they ask, while other times they require us to think harder. Nevertheless, understand that Jesus used parables so that those seeking God would be unsatisfied with sound bites and entertaining stories. And their discontent was the impedance that drove them to the Lord in order to find clarity concerning the truths that he was teaching to them.

These types of people are genuine truth seekers; concerning them Jesus himself said “. . . For this purpose I have been born, and for this purpose I have come into the world, so that I may testify to the truth. Everyone that is from the truth hears My voice” (Jn 18:37 translation mine). And these unsatisfied seekers are the ones that endure until they learn the truth from Jesus. Concerning these truth sojourners, Jesus explained that they will be the ones that receive answers to the mysteries about the Kingdom of God. When the disciples asked Jesus about why he used parables and what he meant by them, he replied, “The mystery of the kingdom of God has been given to you, but to those on the outside everything is expressed in parables” (Mark 4.11).  For those that endured in seeking to understand Jesus, the blessing of discovery is promised. Jesus put it this way, “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear” (Matthew 13:16). When confronted with these enduring truth seekers, Jesus revealed to them plainly his purpose for coming and the glorious realities of the Kingdom of God. The key was that they only had to thirst for truth and to hunger for more of it from him.

Consequently, what can be learned from Jesus’ use of parables? One thing that is obvious is that he did not model following the latest fades concerning how to effectively engage in mass communication. He obviously was willing to speak to large crowds; nonetheless, Jesus never practiced dummy down his message so that it would entertain the broadest possible audience. If anything, he made his points harder to understand instead of easier. And therein lies the beauty of his method, by making his message more mysterious, he motivated those that were discontent with their lack of understanding to come to him in search for answers. Jesus understood that the best way to recognize those that the Father was drawing to him was to communicate spiritual truth in such a way that it required them to ask for more. He knew that when it comes to evangelism, sometimes a more effective tool is to only wet one’s lips so that they will thirst for more instead of drowning them with a fire hose.

Copyright @ 2023 Monte Shanks (PhD)

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[1] Jesus explained why he taught through parables in Mt 13.10-17; Mk 4.10-12; Luke 8.9-10.

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What is “Q” and What Is the “Synoptic Problem”?

Have you every wondered what “Q” is and why it is so often mentioned with respect to the New Testament Gospels? Then consider watching this brief video from ASKABIBLEPROF.COM. It explains what Q is and how it has impacted Gospel studies. Another helpful video from ASKABIBLEPROF.COM. Just look for us on YouTube, Facebook, and the web.

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WHEN RAGE IS THE RAGE WHAT ARE CHRISTIANS TO DO?

One would have to be blind to not know that rage is in vogue these days. Secular society has embraced rage because it justifies their cancel culture. The logic goes as follows: if you disagree with my truth, my beliefs, my behaviors, and my values then your speech promotes violence against me. Consequently, that makes you a danger to me and the greater society; therefore, your perspective should be banned from the public square if for no other reason than to protect those that may be harmed by your speech. In other words, they feel that they have a moral imperative to suppress your views because you present a danger to the general well-being of society. And the more we object, then the more we will receive their wrath. The result is that rage is reasonable, justifiable, and now fashionable.

That being said, what are Christians to do as they attempt to promote truth, justice, and godliness among those that reject them?  Well, the scriptures explain how we are to interact with those that oppose us.  A good start is found in James 1:20, “. . . for a man’s anger does not bring about the righteousness of God.”  Whatever behavior that our greater culture is impressed by, one’s anger (i.e., aggressive behavior and vitriolic speech) is not the means by which God’s accomplishes his purposes. Given this principle, James encouraged us to be “. . . quick to hear and slow to speak and be slow to anger” (Jm 1:19).  Of course, James didn’t mean that we should never be angry. Things occur every day that generate anger within us (e.g., shootings, rape, robbery, etc.).  Nevertheless, his point is that when we lose control and lash out in anger at others, then that which is right in God’s eyes is the first victim of our behavior. Consequently, believers are called to disciplined speech. Does that mean that we will always win the day when we are debating those that disagree with us? Of course not, but if we desire to please God and accomplish his purposes, then we must check our anger at the door. Behaving in an angry manner at others who oppose us is a non-starter for those that claim Jesus as their Lord. 

Next, Jesus himself said the following: “. . . bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Lk 6:28), and “But I say to you, love your enemies . . .” (Matt 5:44a).  Even though it may be hard to remember while in an intense discussion, Jesus calls us to love and pray for those that slander us as dangerous bigots. If you think that such a request is unrealistic, then you only need to remember that Jesus loves and died for the very ones who are arguing with you. Consequently, we please Him by squelching our anger and giving ourselves to loving them and praying that the Holy Spirit will illuminate their hearts. If you don’t think that you could pray for those that slander you, then that is more of an indictment of you and your attitude about prayer.

Having learned to control our emotions, then we are to ensure that we are “. . . speaking the truth in love” (Eph 4:15a). Paul made this admonition after exhorting us to make sure that we are no longer childlike with respect to the issues we discuss. As a result we are immune to the “trickery” and “craftiness” of deceitful people (vs 14). This capacity requires that we do some heavy lifting to ensure that we have the facts straight about whatever we are addressing since ignorance is never attractive. That means no longer living by the sound bites of others, but finding out the truth and promoting it rather than someone else’s deficient biases.  Such a commitment is particularly important during election cycles. Thoreau wrote, “Rather than love, than money, than fame, give me truth” (Walden, or Life in the Woods, 249). In general, people thirst for love before anything else. Nevertheless, many also have an insatiable hunger for truth, and they know it when they hear it. Which is why Jesus said that “. . . the truth will set you free” (Jn 8:32). He knew that once those who hunger for truth find it, then they are liberated from all other deceits. 

And Jesus wasn’t referring to Oprah Winfrey’s personal subjectivism, which she famously labels as “my truth.” He was referring to reality; he was referring to eternal truth. Consequently, telling genuine truth is inherently a loving act. Regrettably, however, it can be done in an unloving manner.  Therefore, how we speak the truth is as important as speaking it. Notice that Paul didn’t simply write “just love others” or “just speak the truth,” instead he exhorted us to speak the truth with love. It doesn’t matter whether we are interacting with others in person or posting something on social media, wherever and however we interact others, truth should be on our lips and genuine love and concern should be our demeanor.

Today we are plagued by a deceitful global relativism that is labeled as “truth” but in reality is anything but it. More than ever the world needs truth, whether it’s moral, social, political, or spiritual. Consequently, Christians need to be devoted anew to publicly speaking the truth in love in all forms of public dialogue. And speaking it to others will be costly. Some claim that George Orwell once said that in “a time of universal deceit — telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” While the quote can’t be found in any of his writings, it’s quite appropriate for our time. More importantly, withholding truth from those who need it most for fear of self-preservation is a hateful act. That we lovingly speak the truth is no guarantee that we will be tolerated or accepted. But as stated earlier, speaking the truth with rage is a non-starter. Therefore, if we hope to win those hungering for truth, then speaking it with love can only aid in their receiving it.

So what are Christians to do when rage is the rage? They are to reject rage and embrace knowledge of the truth and love for it. We also need to love those that are seeking after truth, as well as those that oppose it and us. Does it mean that our world’s cancel culture will respect us; probably not. But when it comes to being on the side of right, it is always better to stand for the truth. W. Clement Stone is believed to have said, “Truth will always be truth, regardless of lack of understanding, disbelief, or ignorance.” Jesus is the epitome and source of all truth; consequently, he calls us to lovingly promote truth wherever it is in jeopardy. For if we are faithful to the truth in general, then we may earn the trust of others and hopefully they will listen as we share the truth about Jesus.

Monte Shanks Copyright © 2022

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WHY DID JESUS WALK ON WATER?

We all know the old joke about why the chicken crossed the road; it simply wanted to get to the other side. One could ask the same question about why Jesus walked on the Sea of Galilee (Mt 14.22-33, Mk 6.45-52, Jn 6.16-21). Was it only because He needed to get to the other side? But seriously, why walk on water? Are we to actually believe that Jesus suddenly felt the urge to walk on water and therefore God miraculously enabled Him to do so? We all remember those vacation Bible school felt board presentations displaying Jesus in a ghostly white robe walking on that stormy sea. But have you ever wondered what the real point of the “story” is. If you think that it was only to teach Peter that he needed to keep his eyes on the Lord, then you are missing the main point because 2 of the 3 Gospel make no reference to Peter’s failure and rescue. Consequently, the importance of keeping our focus on Jesus is only a secondary lesson; it is not the main one. So if trusting the Lord in the midst of life’s storms isn’t the main point, then what is? Was it just another miracle demonstrating that God was on Jesus’ side? Could not Jesus have miraculously sprinted super-humanly fast like Elijah and arrived at Gennesaret a head of the disciples? Wouldn’t that have also been very miraculous? We know that God has performed several miracles involving water. There was Moses turning the Nile to blood; and Joshua’s leading Israel across the Jordan on dry ground; and don’t forget Elisha’s floating axe head; and of course the big one, the crossing of the Red Sea. Was walking on water just another aquatic miracle that God performed on Jesus’ behalf? The short answer of course is no—there was a more important point that the Lord was making.

Before answering this question, it’s necessary to address first an attitude that some have about Jesus’ life and ministry. It seems that some have the idea that Jesus was simply bumbling through life with God as His good luck charm; specifically, that God wildly blessed everything that Jesus did. Regrettably, some try to acquire this Jesus “magic” for themselves so that they can “live their best lives now.” However, Jesus explained how He went about deciding on what to do in this manner: “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in the same way. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will be amazed” (Jn 5.19-20, NASB). In short, everything that Jesus did was directed by the Father. Jesus didn’t live independently of the Father and the Father wasn’t around just to cover Jesus backside. Consequently, as the incarnate God-man He is our consummate model of what it means to live in complete obedience to the Father’s will—whatever that cost may be.

That being said, Jesus also explained that the central theme of the Old Testament was to reveal precisely who He was. John 5.39 quotes Jesus asserting that “You examine the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is those very Scriptures that testify about Me . . . if you believed Moses, then you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me” (Jn 5.39, 46a). Additionally, He told the disciples that “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all the things that are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled” (Lk 24.44).  But most importantly He explained that “Do not presume that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke of a letter shall pass from the Law, until all is accomplished!” (Mt 5.17-18). Jesus embraced His identity as revealed in the Old Testament. Moreover, He either “fulfilled” during His first coming or will fulfill at His second coming whatever it communicates about the Lord God. As far as Jesus was concerned the entire Old Testament foretold of His coming, and it explains everything about Him, as well as what He promises to accomplish. Consequently, Christians that ignore the Old Testament because it contains uncomfortable things or because it’s hard to understand necessarily deprive themselves of fully comprehending Jesus. In other words, by ignoring the Old Testament we guarantee our own spiritual ignorance about the Lord because it is foundational to understanding Him. 

That being established, we now turn back to the original question, which is “why” did Jesus walk on water? What was the essential point that He was making? As previously referenced, the Old Testament contains 2 key events in which God performed miracles involving water. The first was His rescuing Israel from the Egyptian army, in which the entire nation safely “passed through” the Red Sea (Ex 14.13ff, Ps 78.13, Neh 9.11, 1 Cor 10.1). The second was crossing through the Jordon River on dry ground (Josh 3.1-17, Ps 66.6).  However, during these miracles the Israelites could only safely pass through those waters, they were not enabled to walk on the waters. Scripture reveals that only divinity possesses the capacity to walk on water. We are told this in Job 9.8, which states that God “alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea” (NIV). Of course, for a brief moment Peter walked on water, but only by the divine enabling of the Lord Jesus Christ, not from Peter’s own power. If left to his self, then he would have drowned. The Scriptures teach that only He who is divine can walk on water, those that are only human lack this ability.

But what did the Gospel authors think about that miracle? Unfortunately they provided little commentary about the event. John simply stated that Jesus got into the boat. Mark explained that the disciples were “terrified” and “astonished,” and by that point their hearts were “hardened” with respect to comprehending Jesus’ full identity (vs 52).  Matthew wrote that the disciples “worshiped” the Lord and actually declared that He was the “Son of God” (vs. 33). The rest of his Gospel, however, reveals that their momentary confession lacked an adequate appreciation of what they asserted. It is not until the end of his Gospel that Matthew revealed that they fully comprehended who Jesus is.

So once more, why did Jesus walk on the stormy Sea of Galilee? For the same reason that He had previously stilled it (Mt 8.23-27, Mk 4.35-39, Lk 8.22-25), because He was revealing that He is God incarnate, for only God can control the Earth’s elements so as to calm a stormy sea by just the power of His spoken word (Ps 65.7, 89.9, 107.29). And similarly, only God can walk on water (Jb 9.8). Therefore, if we think that it was just serendipitous that God the Father enabled Jesus to walk on water in order to teach Peter a valuable lesson, then we are missing Jesus’ purpose for that miracle. Jesus was making a Christological statement concerning Himself.[1] This self-revelation is why He walked on those waves. Consequently, if we ignore the Old Testament and read only the New Testament, then we will miss the riches of discovering exactly who Jesus is.  However, if we study the entire Bible with the purpose of discovering what it reveals about the Lord, then we have the opportunity to comprehend Jesus’ full identity. That means learning that He is the incarnate God; He is the one who was eternally before the beginning; He is the promised messianic Davidic King, and He is Lord of Heaven and Earth. And most importantly, He is Lord of all and the only savior of the world, for He is the One that even water serves and submits to His will.

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[1] Simply defined, “Christology” is the study of the person, nature, and work of Jesus Christ.

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How to Prepare for Seminary and/or Divinity School

Have you ever wondered what you can do to prepare yourself before starting seminary or divinity school? Here are 5 simply recommendations that will enable you hit the ground running before you even start your first course, simply view this YouTube video at: https://youtu.be/b6p0PS44am4. Another helpful video from ASKABIBLEPROF.COM. Find us on the web and at Facebook by the same name. If you would like to support what we do, then find us on Patreon at: https://www.patreon.com/ASKABIBLEPROF

Another helpful video from ASKABIBLEPROF.COM

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The Gospel of Mark: Who Wrote It and How We Know

Have you ever wondered who Mark was and if he really did write the second canonical Gospel? Or have you ever heard that the Gospels in the New Testament were anonymously written? Well this video that identifies precisely who wrote the Gospel of Mark and how we can know for sure. Another helpful video provided by ASKABIBLEPROF.COM.  Find us at ASKABIBLEPROF.COM, and also on YouTube, Rumble, and Facebook/Meta by the same name. Click this link to view it on YouTube: https://youtu.be/GaKRiUQJpTM.

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The World according to Psalm 1

Recently my wife and I began watching the “Star Wars” episodes in their proper chronological order. The last episode we watched contained the showdown between Obi Wan and Anakin Skywalker (i.e., the future Darth Vader). Just before the climatic dual, Obi Wan informed Anakin that “Only a Sith deals in absolutes.” In case you are unaware, Siths are committed to the “Dark Side.” In other words, only really bad guys believe in absolutes, which ironically is also an absolute. But hey, it’s Star Wars, so who is really paying attention anyway. Nevertheless, absolutes are an unavoidable part of life; we deal with them wherever we go (e.g., gravity, the need for oxygen and water, etc). Some are to our benefit, some are neutral, and some we generally chose to ignore, like the absolutes found in the Bible. A good example of just such an absolute is found in Psalm 1.

Psalm 1 is a startling psalm, which is a significant reason for why it’s the first one in the Book of Psalms. It’s startling because the psalmist observes that there are only 2 types of people in the world, there are the godly and the ungodly. Verse 1 appears to categorized the ungodly into 3 degrees, they are the “wicked,” the “sinners,” and the “scoffers” (NASB). Some suggest that these labels are synonyms that simply refer to the same type of person (i.e., the ungodly), but others see a progression from the lesser to the greater in the spectrum of ungodly people. I personally agree that the psalmist is describing a progression towards entrenched ungodliness.

On the other side there are the godly, which are marked by 2 passions. First, they “delight” in the “law of the Lord,” and second, they meditate on it constantly. As the psalmist put it, “And in His law he/she meditates day and night.” Thus, for the psalmist there are only 2 types of people in the world, those who love God’s word and those who reject it.

At this point some may object by asserting “That is a rather limited perspective; the world is much too diverse for such a prospect to be true”; and I’m sure there are countless other objections. But the problem with such objections is that the psalmist wasn’t too impressed with them. You either delight in God’s word, or you don’t. You either study it to seek Him and His will or you don’t. It’s just that simple.

Some have excuses for not ruminating over God’s word. Excuses such as “It’s not really relevant today’s world”; or “It’s was written so long ago and translated so many times, who knows what it originally said?” Other common excuses are that “It’s too hard to understand”; or “I don’t really have time for it.” The psalmist observed that such excuses do not deter those that love God; consequently, they are constantly availing themselves to the Scriptures. More importantly, it should be noted that the psalmist didn’t write that the godly simply “read” God’s word, but that they “meditate” upon it, and they do so “day and night.” Plainly stated, the Bible is not your personal daily greeting card from God. Understanding it requires appreciation, devotion, discipline, reason, and faith. It is not for the lazy and indifferent, it is for those that are serious about finding God and worshiping Him. And least we forget, in the psalmist’s day “the law of God” referred to just the Pentateuch and not the entire Bible that we now possess. It referred to only the first 5 books, which includes Numbers and Deuteronomy (which basically means the “second law” or “repetition of the law”; in other words, “now let’s go over this again”).

But some may suggest, “Well none of this actually affects me since I don’t really fall into either camp.” And there is the rub. Anyone making such a claim objectively places themselves outside of the camp of the godly, which means that for the psalmist they are being influenced by the wicked, or by sinners, or possibly by scoffers. Only the ungodly appease themselves with reasons for not studying the Bible. The godly, on the other hand, enjoy meditating on the Scriptures because in them they find God and His will for their lives. Only the ungodly “trust in confusion” (Is 59.4), and only they find excuses for neglecting God’s word. As the apostle Peter explained, while referring to specific New Testament letters, that “. . . the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction” (2 Pet 3.16).

So if it’s been a while since you invested time in meditating upon God’s word, then it means you are on the wrong path. It means that you are being influenced by the wicked, or by sinners, or maybe even by scoffers. Those that walk in their “ways” inevitably begin to look like the wicked, and after a while they windup standing around with sinners. And in the end, they find themselves sitting among their fellow scoffers. In other words, they become the ungodly.

Only by delighting in the Bible, and being delighted in it in such a way that one is constantly thinking about what it says, trusting in what it means, and applying it to one’s daily life protects that one from the future of the ungodly. It protects them because it should inevitably lead to saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, thereby rescuing them from the fate of the ungodly. And there is a different destiny for the ungodly. The psalmist described their end in this manner: “The wicked are not so, but they are like chaff that the wind blows away. Therefore, the wicked will not stand in the judgment, or sinners in the assembly of the righteous. For the Lord knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish” (Ps 1.4-6).

Monte Shanks Copyright © 2021

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So Who Really “Invented” Christianity?

Have you ever been told that it’s the personal disciples of Jesus that started “Christianity” by messing up the things that Jesus really taught? Then consider watching this brief video from ASKABIBLEPROF.COM. It explains who really founded Christianity as well as who did not. You can also find us on YouTube and Facebook at “ASKABIBLEPROF.”

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