In the Fulness of Time/Part 36

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The Principles of Prayer Illustrated and Applied. Matthew 7:9-11

Illustrated from Human Relations. 7:9-10

“Or what man is there of you, whom, if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?”

While no one would deny that there are fathers who have abused or even deserted their families, Jesus takes His illustration from the usual, ordinary, family relationship between father and son. In such familial love it would be unthinkable for a father to give his son something unsuitable or even poisonous when he asks for needed food. Bread and fish were staples, especially around the Sea of Galilee, and a stone and a serpent (the Greek word is not skorpion, but rather ophis, snake, or serpent) were common so that this illustra­tion would not go unnoticed nor be misunderstood. By the way, in Luke 11:12 a third cou­plet is added, “Or if he ask an egg, will he give him a scorpion?” (skorpion). Now Jesus is ready to take this illustration and apply it in a remarkable way, to the believer’s relationship to God.

Applied to Heavenly Relations. 7:11

“If ye, then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father, who is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him?”

When Jesus calls His true disciples (who have a heavenly Father) “evil” (poneroi) He uses a term which He also applied to Satan as “the evil one” in 5:37; 13:19, 38. But here in 7:11 Jesus is not referring so much to their evil acts as to their fallen human natures. Even true disciples retain their sinful natures until they are glorified. So, the point is, if true dis­ciples with fallen natures can express love to their children by giving good (agatha) gifts, how much more can One Who is intrinsically good, your Heavenly Father, give good things to His children? But these good things do not necessarily come automatically; there must be continued asking (present tense) which shows a true sense of dependence on, and confidence in, the Heavenly Father. According to Luke 11:13 it is the Holy Spirit Who is promised to those who are asking. In light of the fact that the coming of the Holy Spirit was fulfilled on the Day of Pentecost to indwell each believer forever (John 14:16-17), the true disciple today need not and indeed cannot ask to receive the Holy Spirit. Paul asks, “What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom ye have of God, and ye are not your own?” (I Corinthians 6:19). Whatever is included in the “good things” given to us, it is because the Heavenly Father is the giver, and He cares for His children.

Summary: The all-encompassing standard for true discipleship in His Kingdom. 7:12

“Therefore, all things whatever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them; for this is the law and the prophets.”

Before He gives three final warnings to those who are not true disciples, Jesus summa­rizes in one sentence all He has been teaching in this discourse, since He came to fulfill “the law and the prophets” (5:17-18). As many have pointed out, Jesus is the only one who gives this “Golden Rule” in a positive manner. Others have said, “Do not do unto others what you would not want them to do unto you,” but that is a rather negative approach! Remember also that Jesus was seeking those who would follow Him as Messiah/King, and He gave them detailed instructions of the “better righteousness” required. This final chal­lenge to His true disciples summarizes the high standard of the law and the prophets par­ticularly as they deal with human relationships. It is not written to the unsaved since there is nothing in this “Golden Rule” which can save anyone. Otherwise, salvation would not be by God’s grace, but by our treating fellow men kindly; this would contradict everything that Jesus said about the self-righteous works of the scribes and Pharisees, not to mention what Paul said in Romans 5:1; 11:16 and Galatians 3:10-14. True righteousness has always been by faith, and it is then evidenced by good works, just as surely as Ephesians 2:10 follows 2:8-9! There is only one way of salvation, by grace through faith, and it will remain so always, until He returns “ in the fulness of time!”

Read Part 37