Date: Tue, 28 Mar 1995 13:34:26 CST
Reply-To: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel
Sender: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel
From: Teus Benschop
Subject: The Scriptures opened, 24
Contents
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1. Weekly reading, Leviticus 12
2. Psalm 25:7
3. New Testament, Matthew 23:1-12
1. Weekly reading, Leviticus 12
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The uncleanness as a result of a child born, and the atonement for it.
2 Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived
seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days;
according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be
unclean.
This chapter of Leviticus describes the law concerning the uncleanness of
a woman, when she brought forth a son or daughter. "If a woman have
conceived seed, and born a man child, then she shall be unclean seven
days." We see herein that the born child made his mother unclean. She
will be unclean seven days.
3 And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be
circumcised.
After the seventh day, the eighth day follows, whereon the child will be
circumcised.
4 And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and
thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the
sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled.
After that, she will be unclean another three and thirty days. We can ask
now, why that child made his mother unclean? Is the birth of a child a
reason of uncleanness? Clearly yes, for the text says it. Forty days will
the mother be unclean, as a result of the birth of her son.
5 But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks,
as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her
purifying threescore and six days.
When she got a maid child, she would be unclean twice the time, namely
eighty days. What is the reason of it? Obviously, the birth of a son or
daughter defiled the mother. One can only be defiled by unclean things,
or unclean people. We see therefore, that the child which is born, must
be unclean. Otherwise, he or she had not been able to make the mother
unclean. What is the reason that the child is unclean? Has he sinned
perhaps? No, when a child comes on the earth, it has still done nothing.
Nothing good, and nothing evil. So, it has not sinned. Why, then, is he
unclean? The reason must be this: the child has an innate uncleanness. It
must be so, for another explanation there is not. So, even before the
child has done anything good or evil, it is still unclean before God.
Even so unclean, that the woman was not allowed to touch a "hallowed
thing, nor to come into the sanctuary". She was unclean before God. So,
also that child was unclean in God's sight. What will be the origin of
that sinful nature of that child? It is the original sin, coming down
from our first father, from Adam. That original sin makes the child
unclean before God, and also his mother.
This doctrine of original sin is well-known in Christianity, but the
Jews reject it. However, they reject it without reason; yes, that
rejection if even contrary to the Scripture. We clearly see that a child
defiled its mother, even before it has done any sin. It is therefore,
that David says: "Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my
mother conceive me." (Ps.51:5) Also Job testifies the same, when he says
that no one, being born of a woman, will be righteous: "What is man, that
he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be
righteous?" (Job 15:14) For the same reason, we read of Adam, that he
begot a son in his own likeness, after his own image: "And Adam lived an
hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, after his
image; and called his name Seth:" (Gen.5:3) Had Adam sinned in eating the
forbidden fruit? Was he therefore defiled, and now a sinner? Then also
his son, being in his likeness, after his image, was defiled and a
sinner. We see that the Scripture clearly testifies about the original
sin of men. This sinful nature makes it utterly impossible for a man to
come unto God in his own strength. A man will never, and is utterly
unable to come unto God in own power. When the broken relation between
God and man must be healed, God must take the initiative. And that we see
in our text, in the following verse.
6 And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for
a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt
offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering,
unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest:
7 Who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her;
and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law
for her that hath born a male or a female.
To clean the woman who has given birth to a son or daughter, a burnt
offering and a sin offering were necessary. The priest shall offer it
before the LORD, "and make an atonement for her; and she shall be
cleansed from the issue of her blood". We see it, that the woman was
unable to become clean in own power. She needed a sin and burnt offering,
and then the priest would make an atonement for her. Payment due to her
sin of uncleanness was necessary, and then she was clean. And her sin?
What had she done? She had done nothing more than give birth to a child.
The sin? What was the reason of her uncleanness? The original sin, which
descends from Adam upon all his descendants.
Reader, are you a son of Adam? Yes, of course, you are. Then you have
the original sin on you, and you are unable to return to God in own
power. Atonement is necessary.
So, in short, we learn two things from our text.
1. We are taught about the general decay of our nature: original sin.
2. We are taught about the remedy against it: atonement.
Who denies these things, denies parts of God's Word. May God give that
you, reader, believe these things, which have such a clear testimony in
the Scriptures. Remember therefore, that when you and I were born, that
we defiled our mothers. Our nature was so very sinful, that we not only
were unclean ourselves, but made also others so. The following prayer
ought to be ours: "For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine iniquity; for
it is great." (Ps.25:11)
2. Psalm 25:7
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Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to
thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD.
This is a Psalm of David. He is persecuted by his enemies. Therefore, he
prays for help unto God. Being in this danger, he has thought about the
cause thereof. He has found that his sins are the reason of his distress.
So, when God will help him, his sins must be taken away first; they must
be forgiven. We have this part of his prayer as our text.
"Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions". While in
need, much sins of his youth pop up in his mind. The longer he meditates
about that, the more sins he sees. Was David then such a sinner in his
youth? Surely, he was, though he was not worse then the other people. But
seen absolutely, he was a great sinner before God, like we all are. How
do we know it that David sinned in his youth? We know it out the
Scripture, which says that all the people are sinners from their youth.
"The imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth." (Gen.8:21) This
saying is general, and includes both David and us. David saw, when he
came in distress, this truth. Have you, reader, already seen this truth
concerning yourself? If yes, pray the prayer of David. If no, you are
blind; pray for the opening of your eyes. The children of Israel of old
had the same experience. They say, through the mouth of the prophet
Jeremiah, that they were sinners from their youth even unto this day: "We
lie down in our shame, and our confusion covereth us: for we have sinned
against the LORD our God, we and our fathers, from our youth even unto
this day, and have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God." (Jer.3:25)
What a blessed result if this! When God brings you in need, and in all
sorts of danger, He does so not without great cause. He wishes that you
remember what a great sinner you are from your youth until now. All the
little sins will come back in your mind. The money you stole from your
mother. The cakes you ate, when your mother saw it not, though she often
had forbidden it. Your impolite behaviour in relation to your friend.
Your lying to the teacher. Your disobedience to your elders. Your rude
behaviour. Your quarrel with your brother or sisters. These all, and much
more, will you remember.
Your prayer will be: Remember not the sins of my youth, but remember
me in mercy, O LORD. That is it what David said. His sins were great, but
also God's mercy was great. "Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my
transgressions: according to thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness'
sake, O LORD." Blot out, O LORD, my transgressions for Thy goodness'
sake. He knows that he has no merits, on the account whereof he could ask
that God would forgive. He says not: LORD, I'm upright, so forgive my
sins. No, far from that. This is the speech of the hypocrites, or of
those who are righteous in their own sight. But this is not the language
of David, nor the speech of every other true believer. Blot out my sins,
O LORD, not for my righteousness, for I have not righteousness, but for
Thy goodness' sake. We need God's mercy. For, a sinner from his youth
until now, what merits would he have? He hasn't. It is deplorable that
many people think that they, though not sinless, are rather righteous. In
my opinion, and also in the opinion of David, they are blind. For they
see not their present and former sins.
Therefore, while I am such a sinner, O LORD, "Remember, O LORD, thy
tender mercies and thy lovingkindnesses; for they have been ever of old.
Remember not the sins of my youth, nor my transgressions: according to
thy mercy remember thou me for thy goodness' sake, O LORD." (Ps.25:6,7)
And in the following verse, David calls himself a sinner: "Good and
upright is the LORD: therefore will he teach sinners in the way."
(Ps.25:8) Thou art good and upright, O LORD, and therefore Thou will
teach sinners, like I am, in the way. David is not such a man, who calls
him righteous in the sight of God. David, of course, was righteous in the
sight of the people, and we also ought to be that. But in the eyes of
God, he was not righteous. And again, in verse eleven, he confesses
himself to be a sinner: "For thy name's sake, O LORD, pardon mine
iniquity; for it is great." (Ps.25:11) And again, in verse eighteen, he
remembers his sins: "Look upon mine affliction and my pain; and forgive
all my sins." (Ps.25:18)
How deeply was David humbled! And this all was the result of God's
grace, which used the circumstance of his distress and danger. This is
often God's way. When He wants to humble us, and wants to bring us back
to Him, He brings us in needs. For, when we always are in surety, and
never have problems, we will never be humbled, nor humble ourselves. We,
people, cannot without God's humbling grace. When the yoke is taken away
from our shoulders, we jump into the height, and run away from God, like
the unreasonable animals. We will then choose our own paths, which are
the paths of the world. But when we are taught by God's Spirit, we will
do like David. We ask for God's paths instead of our own: "Shew me thy
ways, O LORD; teach me thy paths." (Ps.25:4)
3. New Testament, Matthew 23:1-12
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1 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples,
2 Saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
3 All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do;
but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.
Jesus says to the crowd and His disciples, that they ought to listen to
the scribes and the Pharisees, but that they do not after their works.
The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat, that means, they
explain Moses' law. They are the called teachers of the people. And as
far as they explain Moses, the people must obey their voice. But as far
as they lead a wicked life, the people must not follow after their works.
They speak about doing this and that, but they do it not. Their mouth
sounds well, but their works testify against them. When we see our
teachers leading a wicked life, often will we also despise their
teachings. But Jesus will prevent this. The law of Moses is holy, and
must be observed. Though the teachers observe it not, yet, the people
must listen to them, and observe it.
4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them
on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of
their fingers.
Observing the law of Moses is like heavy burdens, and grievous to be
borne. Yet, the people must obey. The scribes and Pharisees however,
speak about the Torah, but do it not. They themselves will not move them
with one of their fingers. They think that their work is to teach them,
not to do them.
5 But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad
their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments,
6 And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the
synagogues,
7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
They speak about the Torah, but do it not. Of course not, for they have
something else to do. They must walk before the people, to be seen of
them. They must make broad their phylacteries. They go to the tailor to
enlarge the borders of their garments. All this do they to be seen of the
people. Further, they spend their time in the feasts, and love the
uppermost rooms there. In the synagogue, they are present to be seen by
all the people. Therefore, they occupy the chief seats. And when their
time is still not filled, they go to the markets to receive the greetings
of the people. "Shalom Rabbi", that is what they like. When they are
called "rabbi", their breasts swell up of pride. So, we see, that they
have enough to do. For the observing of Moses' law they have no remaining
time.
8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and
all ye are brethren.
9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father,
which is in heaven.
10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
Jesus, having seen these wrongs, will give us the right teachings. Do not
like it to be called Rabbi, for one is your Master, even Christ. Jesus
Christ reigns His church, and we all are brethren. Do not give the
undeserved honour to those scribes and the Pharisees, but give honour to
Christ. He is our one Master. Likewise the father. Give nobody on earth
the honour of being your spiritual father, for that would take away God's
honour. One is your Father, Which is in heaven.
11 But he that is greatest among you shall be your servant.
The greatest among you shall use his gifts for the benefit of the people.
He will serve them. And Jesus Himself has given us the example. "For even
the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to
give his life a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45) This is easily said, but
difficult for us to do. Who is there, who will serve his brothers, and be
the least? Who gives his time to be the servant of the people? This
lesson is difficult to learn, and difficult to execute.
12 And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that
shall humble himself shall be exalted.
The scribes and Pharisees exalted themselves, but they will be abased. "A
man's pride shall bring him low." (Prov.29:23) And let we draw a lesson
from this. Let we listen to the apostle Peter, who said: "Likewise, ye
younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one
to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud,
and giveth grace to the humble." (1 Pet.5:5) God resists the proud. So,
when we are proud, we are assured of God's resistance, which will destroy
us. Let we therefore be humble, for then we receive God's grace. The
scribes and the Pharisees have experienced God's resistance, and they are
destroyed. Much better experience had the humble, for they received God's
grace. Before God abases us, let we humble ourselves.
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Chr-Exp, a Christian explanation of the Tanach and the New Testament
Editor: Teus Benschop - t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl
No copyrights on this publication
Institution Practical Bible-education, the Netherlands
End of The Scriptures opened, 24
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