Breaking Down Barriers
15: 4-6
Breaking down barriers DIG: Why is the TaNaKh important for believers today? How is it linked to the B’rit Chadashah? What does it mean for believers to have “the same attitude” toward one another? How are we to persevere? In whom do we place our hope?
REFLECT: Is there a relationship that needs to be restored in your life? What have you done in the past six months that has led to a spirit of hope and unity among your place of worship? Have you lost hope? The blessed hope is waiting with open arms to reassure you.
Everything written in the TaNaKh was written to teach us, so that we might have hope.
In a brief detour from his main argument, Paul reminds his readers that what he has just said about Psalm 69 is entirely appropriate (to see link click Dk – Building Up Others). For everything written in the TaNaKh was written to teach us, so that through perseverance and encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope (15:4). This thought is the core of Paul’s ministry. Knowledge of the whole plan of God (Acts 20:27) was critical in Paul’s day, and today the TaNaKh is our blueprint for living (see the commentary on Exodus Dj – The Ten Commandments). The TaNaKh looks forward and the B’rit Chadashah looks back. Both are essential, and linked together so that one cannot be fully understood without the other.
Paul reminded the believers in Corinth that the events of the Exodus under Moses happened as examples for us, that we should not crave evil things, as they also craved . . . Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were written for our instruction, upon whom the end of the ages has come (First Corinthians 10:6 and 11).
Perseverance (Greek: hupomones, meaning to be patient, to endure under the pressures of life): Our part in this blessing is perseverance, which is closely related to patience. In regard to the Lord’s return, James warns us to be patient until the Lord returns. See how the farmer waits for the precious “fruit of the earth” – he is patient over it until it receives the fall and spring rains. You too, be patient: keep up your courage; for the Lord’s return is near (James 5:7-8). Like saving faith, perseverance is both commanded of us and given to us by God, as Paul assures us in 15:5 below. It is continuing faithfulness to the Lord regardless of all circumstances. Second Thessalonians 1:4 says that is faith that does not fail in all the persecutions and troubles you are going through. The clearest encouragement to persevere is given in Colossians 1:22-23a, “He has now reconciled in the Son’s physical body through His death; in order to present you holy and without defect or reproach before Himself – provided, of course, that you continue in your trusting, grounded and steady, and don’t let yourselves be moved away from the hope offered in the Good News you heard.”
Hope (Greek: elpida, meaning expectation, trust, confidence): Jeremiah speaks of ADONAI, the author of Scripture, as the hope of Isra’el, her Savior in time of trouble (Jeremiah 14:7a). The Psalmist repeatedly speaks of their hope in ADONAI. “My soul, why are you downcast? Why are you groaning inside me? Giving answer to his own question, he says, “Hope in God, since I will praise Him again for the salvation that comes with His presence” (Psalm 42:5). In the great chiastic Psalm 119 that so majestically glorifies God’s Word, the writer calls on the Lord to remember your promise to your servant, through which You have given me hope (Psalm 119:49), and pleads: Uphold me, as You promised; and I will live; don’t disappoint me in my hope (Psalm 119:116), and testifies: I wait longingly for ADONAI; I put my hope in His Word (Psalm 130:5).
Dear Heavenly Father, Praise You for Your love in giving us Your Word which is filled with so many great stories that help Your children grow strong in You. Thank You for the many stories of Israel’s great King David. The true stories encourage us when we are facing hard times to persevere and to trust in You as David trusted in You, even when being hunted down to be killed by King Saul. My soul, wait in stillness, only for God – from Him comes my salvation. He alone is my Rock and my salvation, my fortress – I will never be moved (Psalms 62:1-2). David shares how Adonai is my shepherd, I shall not want (Psalms 23:1).
There is a marvelous story of forgiveness even when the sin is great, but the person responds with repentance and seeking Your face. Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your mercy. According to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin (Psalms 51:1-2). You are our Mighty warrior-going to battle for us and our problem. Thus, ADONAI says to you, “Do not be afraid or be dismayed because of this . . . for the battle is not yours, but God’s” (Second Chronicles 20:15c).
Thank you for telling us of your wisdom in creation (Genesis 1) making a fire-breathing leviathan (dinosaur). Out of his mouth go flames, sparks of fire shoot out. Smoke pours from his nostrils, as a boiling pot over burning reeds. His breath sets coals ablaze and flames dart from his mouth (Job 41:19-21). Praise You for the many messages/parables your prophets/disciples wrote about how important and valuable it is to live as their most important treasure in life, as in the Pearl of Great Price parable. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant searching for fine pearls. Upon finding a pearl of great value, he went out and sold all that he had and bought it (Matthew 13:45-46). Praise You that You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He reduces princes to nothing. He makes the judges of the earth a confusion (Isaiah 40:23; Revelation 19).
Praise Your Word is a wonderful source of strength and great encouragement. Praise You that there is no need to worry. Consider the ravens. They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn, yet God feeds them. How much more valuable you are than birds! “And which of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? So, if you cannot do even something very little, why do you worry about other things (Luke 12:24-26, Matthew 6:26-27)? When we place our hand in Yours, You are always there watching over us to love and to protect Your child. For God Himself has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you,” so that with confidence we say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear. What will man do to me” (Hebrews 13:5b-6)? We love You our Mighty and loving Father!
Your Word stands the test of time, for Your Word is eternal! The grass withers, the flower fades. But the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8). Thank You for the joy of seeing Your love, comfort and protection when we read and study Your word. In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen
Paul reminded the Gentile believers in Ephesus that before their conversion they had no Messiah, and were estranged from the national life of Isra’el. You were foreigners to the covenants embodying God’s promise. You were in this world without hope and without God (Ephesians 2:12). From these passages and many others in the Bible, it is clear, as far as the believer’s hope is concerned, God and His Word are inseparable. We know that God’s Word, Yeshua Messiah . . . is our hope, our certain hope, which is appearing of the Sh’khinah of our great God and the appearing of our Deliverer (First Timothy 1:1; Titus 2:13).380
And may God, the source of encouragement and patience, give you the same attitude among yourselves as the Messiah Yeshua had (15:5). Relationships are always worth restoring. Because life is all about learning how to love, God wants us to value relationships and make the effort to maintain them instead of discarding them whenever there is a rift, a hurt, or a conflict. In fact, the Bible tells us that ADONAI has given us the ministry of restoring relationships (Second Corinthians 5:18). For this reason, a significant amount of the B’rit Chadashah is devoted to teaching us how to get along with one another. Paul wrote: If you’ve gotten anything at all out of following Messiah, if His love has made any difference in your life, if being in a community of the Spirit means anything to you . . . agree with each other, love each other, be deep-spirited friends (Philippians 2:1-2 The Message). Paul taught that our ability to get along with others is a mark of spiritual maturity.381
So that with one accord and with one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah (15:6). The ultimate purpose of the Body of Messiah, however, is not to please each other, as important as that is, but to please the Lord, both inwardly and outwardly, both individually and corporately. It is only when His people are in one accord and worship Him with one voice that they truly and fully glorify the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah (15:6). Thus, Paul was emphasizing Yeshua’s deity. He is not an adopted son of God, as are those who believe in Him (Romans 8:14-17; Galatians 4:5; Ephesians 1:5). He is the unique and the Father’s only Son, full of grace and truth (John 1:14). He is the promised Messiah, and is our Lord, completely equal with God the Father in deity.382
The B’rit Chadashah repeatedly speaks of this unique and unfathomable relationship of God the Father and God the Son. Immediately after his greeting to the church at Ephesus, Paul declares: Praise be ADONAI, Father of our Lord Yeshua Messiah, who in the Messiah has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in heaven (Ephesians 1:3), and later on in that first chapter he speaks of the God of our Lord Yeshua Messiah, the glorious Father (Ephesians 1:17a ). In His letter to the church at Philippi, Paul prophecies that one day in honor of the name of Yeshua, every knee will bow – in heaven, on earth and under the earth – and every tongue will acknowledge that Yeshua Messiah is ADONAI, to the glory of God the Father (Philippians 2:10-11).
Through grace far beyond our comprehension, our Lord Yeshua Messiah prayed to His Father on our behalf, that they may all be one. Just as you, Father, are united with me and I with you, I pray that they may be united with us, so that the world may believe that you sent me. The glory which you have given to me, I have given to them; so that they may be one, just as we are one – I united with them and you with me, so that they may be completely one, and the world thus realize that you sent me, and that you have loved them just as you have loved me (John 17:21-23).383
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