LA PARABOLA MAS MAL INTERPETADA

LA PARABOLA MAS MAL INTERPETADA

Más de 40 Parábolas, Todas y cada una de ellas son historias de Salvación. En esta ocasión  esta parábola es paralela a Jesus y Nicodémo y también a el joven rico.¿ Maestro que haré para heredar la vida eterna? Es la mejor pregunta hecha a la mejor persona pero con las peores intenciones.

La gente está familiarizada con la historia pero no con el punto y el significado de la historia. Jesús dijo que este sería el caso, regrese y observe  el v21.

MIS-CONCEPCIONES SOBRE ESTA PARABOLA

Algunos han pensado que esta parábola contiene un mensaje secreto y místico. Orígenes unos de los padres de la Iglesia enseñó: “El hombre es Adán, Jerusalén es el Edén, Jericó es el mundo, los ladrones son fuerzas demoniacas, el sacerdote es la ley, el Levita es los profetas, El samaritano es Cristo, El animal es el cuerpo del Señor, el mesón es la Iglesia y el retorno del samaritano es la segunda venida de Cristo. Los post-modernistas también fallan en la interpretación, Los carismáticos aman este pasaje. De acuerdo a ellos la historia del buen samaritano es el hacer buenas obras a otros.  Jim Wallace famoso carismático dijo: “ Esta historia es la lección mas bella que tenemos para hacer el bien a otros, para dar de comer al hambriento, y vestir al que no tiene”. Excelentes conceptos quizás, pero ambos fallan, esta historia no trata con ninguna de las dos cosas en lo absoluto. Quienes defienden estas posiciones se olvidan que Jesús tenía a un hombre parado frente a él con una pregunta  que ya se había hecho y el estaba esperando una respuesta sobre lo que él había preguntado. No se usted pero yo creo que el Señor No evadió nunca una pregunta.

LA VERDADERA INTENCION SOBRE ESTA PARABOLA

La realidad es vista en los versículos  26-28

  1. Jesús regresando a la Biblia (A.T), V26.
  2. El hombre cita LV. 19:18 y Dt. 6:5 combinados, Jesús había afirmado lo mismo en Mt 22:37
  3. La ley antigua requería amor a Dios a la perfección y amor al prójimo a la perfección y ambas  cosas debían ser hechas todo el tiempo.  Los primeros 5 mandamientos tenían que ver con amor a Dios y los otros 5 de los diez tenían que ver con amor perfecto al prójimo. Este hombre buscaba ser justificado V29.
  4. Este hombre no tenia ni una pizca de intención de como podía agradar EL a Dios.
  5. Tiró a la basura la enseñanza profunda que el Señor acababa de darle. Quería que Jesus re-definiera ¿ quien es mi prójimo?.
  6. El es indiferente al hecho de que el NO amaba a Dios perfectamente, es indiferente en cuanto a su propia salvación.
  7. Tenia su propio concepto de quien era su prójimo ( Su grupito de fariseos nada mas). Prójimo  incluía también a los enemigos y con toda claridad a los extranjeros Lev 19:34.  APLICACION: Cuantas personas en la actualidad no les interesa el como Dios define algo sino que ellos mismos van y lo re-definen, como si lo que Dios dijo no fuera suficiente, esta parábola entonces es para usted y es para mí.

LA PARABOLA ES PARA DESPEDAZAR A EL ORGULLO DE ESTE HOMBRE

Condene usted al sacerdote y al Levita y se estará condenando usted mismo

  1. SACERDOTE: En la historia el sacerdote podría traer esperanza a los oídos de la audiencia.

Ellos saben la ley de Dios y por lo tanto va a ayudar o a hacer algo. PERO NADA

  1. El LEVITA: Estos estaban para ayudar al sacerdote en las labores ceremoniales, ellos estaban a cargo del Servicio en los diferentes utensilios del templo pero. PERO NADA TAMPOCO.
  1. Condene usted al Sacerdote y al Levita y odio decir esto pero también se está condenando usted mismo, porque así es como nos comportamos la mayoría del tiempo, sea sacerdote o sea usted levita (Espiritualmente hablando).

EL SCHOCK- EL SAMARITANO

  1. Eran malos para los judíos, no tenían acceso al templo eran acusados de falsa doctrina
  2. La ofensa más grande para alguien era ser llamado así “Samaritano”  Juan 8:48
  3. Este enemigo: Lo vistió con su propia ropa, lo tuvo que haber chineado para montarlo a su propia bestia, le curó las heridas, se quedó toda noche V35 y aparte iba a pagar por su estadía de dos meses. EL Punto… Esto es amor inmensurable. ¿Quien hace todo esto, todo esto?  Ama al señor con todo tu corazón

ERROR EN EL DAR

  1. Para los que hacen obras de caridad pensando en este pasaje, deberían de leerlo dos veces.
  2. Si  al comprar un par de diarios para alguien, o vestir al pobre, o mandar dinero para cierta causa usted piensa que ya está bien, lea la historia de nuevo, tal vez usted sea más como el interprete de la ley que estaba ahí parado escuchando y no tanto al buen samaritano (Porque el cuidó de él, no nada más le dio algo).

EL CORAZON DE LA PARABOLA V36

  1. ¿ Hace usted todo esto de la parábola, todo el tiempo, de la manera perfecta? ¿ Ama usted a Dios con todo su corazón, alma y mente perfectamente y a su prójimo perfectamente todo el tiempo?
  2. La pregunta no es ¿ Quien es mi prójimo? la pregunta en este v36 es ¿ Eres TU prójimo? No se trata de saber quien califica para ser mi prójimo y amarle mas sino es ¿Soy yo un prójimo listo para amar a este prójimo que no califica ser amado?. Ve tu y has lo mismo ,  como??????????.
  3. Por esa razón nadie puede ser justificado por la ley, solo Cristo pudo hacer eso. (Gal 3:11, Rom 5:1-2, Colosenses 2:14, Efes 2:14, Mateo 5:17:18)
  4. Por nosotros mismo es imposible… La Salvación no depende de sus buenas obras NO. Nadie puede ser salvo sin antes entender su condición espiritual.

CONCLUSION

Esta historia  no esta diseñada para hacerle sentir incómodo sobre el dar o sobre la compasión o bien social.

Esta historia está diseñada para entender que bajo el A.T solo había condenación, para regresar la mirada a quién guardó la ley con perfección y para humillarse y pedir gracia y perdón. Si usted  es  un Cristiano, recuerde siempre que usted jamás llegará a ser lo suficientemente bueno para merecer la salvación, es por gracia y por amor de Dios (Efe 2:9), y usted debe vivir de acuerdo a esa gracia. Si usted no es cristiano todavía, debe reconocer su condición, comprender que está en su camino a la condenación eterna y que en ese precipicio solo el evangelio de Cristo puede rescatarle y ponerle a salvo.

 

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He was Willing to Forgive

He was Willing to Forgive

It is of a piece with the great love and compassion of Jesus Christ, that as they were lifting His battered body on high upon a cross, having beaten Him, spat upon Him, and mocked Him, He looked out over His persecutors and prayed, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they are doing.” (Luke 23:34)

The Scriptures remind us, “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

The sins of men are manifold, and each of them was as painful to God as the next, who, in His righteousness cannot abide iniquity. Each sin is a slap in God’s face and a mocking of His authority and power. Each sin is like one of the nails that was driven into Jesus in order to crucify Him.

And yet, God so loved the world that He sent His Son to die for that world.

Jesus, looking down from the cross, knew that He was dying, not for fictional perfect people who were all goodness and light, but for the broken sinful masses of humanity who needed an opportunity for a salvation they could not provide for themselves.

And so, He could pray, in compassion, even for the ones crucifying Him, because it was those very people He was dying for. Even if they never took the opportunity to find the forgiveness He offered, He was dying so they would have the chance.

Jesus instructs His followers, “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?  You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” (Matthew 5:44-48)

This is not always an easy thing, but if we wish to be followers of Christ and children of God, it is a necessary thing.

We live in a divided world, filled with animosity, tribalism, sectarianism, factions and the like. Some people are, in all honesty, hard to like because they are just so rude and hateful. Others are conniving and dishonest, ready to cheat us or use us at a moment’s notice, if they think they can get away with it.

But Jesus died for them too. Because they are exactly the sort of people that need forgiveness and compassion. Jesus said of such, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Mark 2:17)

Too often this idea is ignored in our dealings with one another, or in our conversations about others.

Politics, of late, is a good example of this. Two teams, taking sides, both insisting that the other is evil, or stupid, or treasonous. Nasty things are said of one another, and offense is taken when the other side offers a rebuttal in kind. Forgotten by many who profess a faith in Christ is that Christ died for their political opponents too.

However, politics is not the only place we see such rancor and bitterness. How many mutter angrily about their bosses, their neighbors, their children’s teacher, that person who just cut them off in traffic, those who drive too slow, the cashier in the store, or any number of other individuals throughout the day? How often do we forget, Christ died for that one too?

Christians are not to be grumblers and complainers. We are to shine as children of light in a world of darkness. Which means, learning not to speak ill of those around us. (cf. Philippians 2:14-15) More though than just learning not to grumble, Christ wants us to learn to forgive them, even as He was and is willing to forgive. The One who prayed, “Father, forgive them,” wants us to learn the same prayer. And having learned that prayer, to pray it. Again, and again. Seventy times and more if need be in a day. (cf. Matthew 18:22)

We should be thankful that Christ is merciful, because that means He was willing to die for us. For each of us individually. But if that is true of me, then it is true of the one next to me, and the one next to them. Even the ones I might be angry at. And if it is true of you, then it is true of the one next to you, and the one next to them. Even the ones you might be angry at.

So, when we get angry; when we get mad, and we want to lash out… we would be well served to take a moment and remind ourselves, “Christ died for that one too.”

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He Learned Obedience

Obedience

“Though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him” (Hebrews 5:8-9).

A learned response has many sources.

A learned response has many sources.

Obedience is not a popular concept today.  The preferred method of getting cooperation today is reasoning with people.  Sometimes, however, reasoning simply doesn’t get the job done.  It assumes that the person with whom you are speaking understands your reasons and agrees with you about the conclusion.  This doesn’t always happen, and there are times when it is better for one to simply obey.  The Bible speaks about reasoning with people (Isaiah 1:18), but it also speaks about obedience.  Children are supposed to obey their parents in the Lord (Ephesians 6:1).  Servants are to obey their masters (Colossians 3:22).  We are to obey those who have the rule over us (Hebrews 13:17).  We are to obey God (Acts 5:29).  We are to obey the truth (Galatians 3:1, 5:7).  We are to obey the gospel (2 Thessalonians 1:8, 1 Peter 4:17).

Even Jesus learned to obey the Father.  This does not mean that He was disobedient; it simply meant that obedience needed to be practiced and understood experientially.  In turn, Jesus became our great example of obedience so that we may obey Him to receive salvation (Hebrews 5:8-9).  When we obey as we ought, we can receive great peace and joy knowing that we have followed the Lord’s will in our lives.  God’s commandments are not designed to bring grief, but peace, and when we obey the Lord’s commandments, we demonstrate our love for Him (1 John 5:1-2).  Why do we so often not want to obey?  It is due to our own pride.  Remove the pride, and obedience becomes easy, loving, and joyful.  God bless you, and I love you.

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Connecting the Dispensations

Connecting the Dispensations

I once witnessed a conversation in which the premise put forth was that the older generation did not understand the times.  Culture changes!  Ages go by. Therefore, the beliefs of the older generation were no longer considered correct.  In part, there is truth to this.  Traditions, skills, and knowledge which have been passed down over time aren’t always acceptable.  Speaking in the language of an era passing away, “use a #2 pencil to adjust the tape in the cassette” may not only be a confusing phrase, but outdated and irrelevant.  Yet, what are we to do with the Biblical statement “…ask for the old paths…”.  The context and source of any discussion are critical in determining their usefulness.  When speaking of the old paths, the context is people needing to get back to what God commands.  The source of the statement is God.  This is a message that fits all cultures and times.  Today, many people want to do what God says, but they are holding to practices which God no longer authorizes.  So looking back over man’s time upon earth, what statements of God should one follow?  Is there a thread of consistency or interrelatedness throughout the time of man upon the earth and the dispensations he has lived through that helps determine this?

The dispensations of man connect like holding hands.

The dispensations of man connect like holding hands.

The New Testament definition for the word dispensation is “the management or oversight of a household or property”.  In other words, a dispensation is defined by the authority or laws under which it operates and is not confined to time or culture.  It appears in the expanse of man’s life upon earth there have been four major dispensations given by God: Creation, Patriarchal, Mosaic, and Christian.  Each has very specific characteristics.

The dispensation of Creation is remembered through two people:  Adam and Eve.  They were to be fruitful and multiply, tend the Garden of Eden, and not eat the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  That was their dispensation (authority they lived under).

The Patriarchal dispensation represented a time when God spoke directly to the fathers (patriarchs). It has been frequently taught that God spoke to them with different laws, each under their own dispensation as it were.  To support this it is oft stated that Abraham was the only one told to sacrifice his son or Noah was the only one told to build an ark.  However, it appears that despite individual directives by God, there was a universal law given.  Consider the man Noah.  What is it that Peter calls him?  He calls Noah a “preacher of righteousness” (2 Peter 2:5).  How could Noah preach righteousness if what was right to him was not also defined as right to others as well?  The source of what defined righteousness to all men was God.  Thus, Noah could preach righteousness to others.  Later, but under the same dispensation, Lot is seen vexed with the filthy conversation of others (2 Peter 2:7).  Why?  He was aware of a common dispensation all lived under, but some were rejecting.

The Mosaic dispensation is defined by a particular people and a particular law.  By the authority of God, the nation of Israel was given the “Law of Moses” to live under.  It was specifically for them and those who would voluntarily choose to live under it.  When God directed that from the Israelites two silver trumpets be made and that only the Levites play them, no other people lived under that law.  None other were under that authority.

The Christian Dispensation, the fullness of time, the right time, began with the crucifixion of the savior of the World, Jesus the Christ.  He died as an Israelite man, fulfilling the law which God had imparted to Israel by Moses.  The dispensation being fulfilled, a new dispensation began.  All mankind became accountable to the household administration of Christ.  Since that time, no other dispensation has been given by God.

In examining the dispensations of God, it is interesting to note that the first two dispensational laws never appear to have been written down.  Beginning with the Mosaic dispensation, God commands His Law be written down (Exodus 34:27).  These laws were to be at the forefront of every Israelite’s mind (Deuteronomy 6:6-9).  As Christ came onto the scene in the first century, John the immerser heralded the kingdom of God as being at hand.  Jesus and his disciples would share the gospel of the kingdom (Mark 1:1).  Then, following the death of Jesus, his disciples continued on with that gospel in full knowledge.  The apostles and disciples by the power of the Holy Spirit wrote down exactly what God desired us to know and follow (2 Peter 1:20-21).  The perfect Word of God, as we find it in the Bible today, enabled men to be fully mature in Christ (I Corinthians 13:9-13; Ephesians 4:8-15).

There are commonalities throughout the dispensations. A few come quickly to mind.  God put people on the earth to multiply and fill it (Genesis 1:28, 9:1, Leviticus 26:9, Deuteronomy 8:1, Matthew 28:19, John 3:5). God expects man to be obedient or face consequences (Genesis 3:3, Genesis 4:7-12, Exodus 15:26, Romans 2:8, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9). God requires blood sacrifice for the sins of man (Genesis 3:21, Job 1:5, Numbers 15:25, Galatians 1:3-4).  A list of like characteristics could get relatively lengthy if we continue on.  However, there is the more pressing issue of the interrelatedness of the dispensations which explains what law is applicable today.

The thread interlocking all the dispensations and causing them to work together was once a mystery.  Today, that mystery has been revealed.  In the beginning the light of this mystery was dim, but with the arrival of the Christian dispensation it burns bright.  Interestingly enough, the Creation and Patriarchal dispensations were once described by many a preacher as “starlight”.  The light from stars is dim and limited.  Similarly, so was information regarding the mystery.  When the Mosaic Dispensation unfolded more light was shed in regard to the mystery.  This timeframe was referred to by ministers as “moonlight”.  Finally, the Christian Dispensation brought “Sunlight” or “Sonlight” upon the mystery of God.  What was once unperceivable was revealed and made known to the world.  The mystery that glued all the dispensations together was the truth of the Gospel of Christ.  The good news was eternal life.  Salvation!

God “hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love.” (Ephesians 1:4)  God “saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began.” (2 Timothy 1:9)  The salvation planned by God was necessary “In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began.”  So before the world began, God had a plan of salvation through Christ for the promise of eternal life.  In the creation, Adam and Eve did not know this plan.  It was a mystery.  They were happy in the Garden of Eden with no concerns.  And then it all changed with the taking of the fruit against the Word of God (Genesis 3).  Death came into the world.  Sin separated man from God (Isaiah 59:1-2).  How could men be before God holy, if they were filthy from sin?  This would be the opening dilemma starting the Patriarchal dispensation.  Perhaps the only clue came in Genesis 3:15 where it was said that man would crush the head of Satan, whereas Satan only the heel of man.

The Patriarchal dispensation makes it clear that sacrifice and offerings were part of man’s worship based on the sin that had entered the world.  Cain and Able, Noah, Job, Abraham, and Jacob are all recorded as offering to the Lord.  The related tie between the Creation and Patriarchal dispensations is the desire to get from the latter state back to the former.  Yet, man no longer in the presence of God, with the Fathers guiding the families, chose not to follow the righteousness of God, but to perish in the waters of the flood and then afterward begin sin anew.  Yes, Noah preached for them to do right!  But mankind did not listen.  How would God bring them back to the holiness of God and be faithful to His promise?  A great mystery indeed!  Again there are clues seen from the flood itself: salvation and the washing away of sinfulness through water.  Additionally, three promises given to Abraham, one specifically stating through his Seed all nations would be blessed.

The Mosaic dispensation removed the focus from the worship of the patriarchs and presented a chosen nation to the world as a vessel for something greater and an example to the world.  Israel was born out of Egypt.  God gave them a Law from Sinai delivered by the hand of Moses.  A priesthood was chosen from the nation and a sacred place of worship (the tabernacle) was built by the directive of God.  God promised the nation of Israel that when they would obey Him, they would be blessed and that when they disobeyed they would be punished.  This was a great teacher to all the world and still is today (Joshua 2:9-11), but the purpose of the Law was to be a pedagogue.  A pedagogue is an individual who would take the children from home to school.  He delivered them from point A to point B.  The Law of Moses served to hold the people under sin and take them to the coming of the messiah (Galatians 2:22-25).  Jeremiah 31:31 declared a new dispensation was coming. A new law would be needed because the many sacrifices since sin came into the world could not remove the filth of sin from mankind (Hebrews 10:4).  The nation of Israel had been given clues from Moses and the prophets about the coming Messiah.  Clues about how He would arrive, where He would live, and what He would do, were given in abundance to the nation of Israel.  The mystery was still hidden, but more and more was known.  The end of this dispensation would see Messiah coming, heralded by John the Immerser.  Christ declared the kingdom of God to be at hand.  He instructed the people in righteousness with miracles as confirmation of the truth. Jesus went to the cross nailing the old dispensation to the cross (Colossians 2:14).  The Law of Moses had accomplished its task in bringing mankind to the cross.  Now the mystery would be revealed.  The link from creation to salvation, from sin to holiness, would come into full view.

After the crucifixion, upon the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit of promise was poured out.  The Spirit provided all truth to the Apostles (John 16:13).  The mystery of salvation revealed, Peter then declared the Deity of Jesus and convicted 3000 souls of their sins against God.  Horrified at their condition, the crowd asked what they should do.  “Repent and be baptized… for the forgiveness of sins” (Acts 2:38).  Once again, washing with water was taking away the sins of the world, one spiritual birth after another as God added to His Kingdom, the Church (Acts 2:47, I Peter 3:21, I Timothy 3:15).  The Christian dispensation had begun!  The Christ by His once for all time blood sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10), born of the Mosaic dispensation, was linking the Christian dispensation to the great washing flood of the Patriarchal dispensation for the purpose of returning to the state once present in the Creation dispensation.

It is Jesus who provides us the full assurance of returning to stand holy before God (Hebrews 10:20-22).  It is Jesus who provides the authority and relevance for which we all live under (Colossians 3:17).  It is His free salvation which links all the dispensations together.  Following any other dispensation, tradition, or creed is done only by those who do not understand the times.

 

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Eternal Words of God

Eternal Words of God

Jesus said, “It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord” (Matt. 4:4, italics added throughout). The full implication of that phrase, “every word which comes from the mouth of the Lord,” can so easily be overlooked. Think about it. For man to live by every word which comes from God necessitates that every word which God spoke still exists. Otherwise, if any is missing, man cannot live.

Life is found within the words of God, not a bowl of Wheaties.

Life is found within the words of God, not a bowl of Wheaties.

Let’s take a moment to look at a parallel phrase, all the words, and the implication it has. The phrase is found forty-one times in the Bible. Six of these times it refers to the words of individuals expressing their own thoughts. The rest of the time it describes the words spoken by God or words spoken by His messenger. God gave His message, and His messengers then gave us His word. But, they gave us more than His word— they gave us every word.

When Moses met his brother, Aaron, who was to be the spokesman, “Moses told Aaron all the words of the Lord who had sent him…” (Ex. 4:28). Two verses later, these brothers are in Egypt talking to the Jews, “…and Aaron spoke all the words which the Lord has spoken to Moses.” Not one word given at the burning bush was omitted!

When Moses descended from Mount Sinai, he had the two tablets of stone and “…on them were all the words which the Lord had spoken” (Deut. 9:10). While Moses was on the mountain, God gave instructions of sacrifices and worship. Moses descended from that mount “…and came and told the people all the words…and all the people…said, ‘All the words which the Lord has spoken we will do.’ And Moses wrote all the words of the Lord” (Ex. 24:3-4).

Are you intrigued by this study? Do you see how God and His messengers were careful to ensure we have all the words He spoke? Take time to read Deuteronomy 27:3, 8; 28:58; 29:29; 31:12; 32:44, 46,  and you will see this emphasis again and again. God is not just concerned about men having His word. He is concerned about men having all the words!

There is one chapter in the Bible where the phrase, all the words, is found seven times. It concerns the time when God told Jeremiah (who had been God’s messenger for over twenty years) to write on a scroll all the words that God had given to him. He could not leave even one word out and do what God said. When the king burned that scroll in his fireplace, God told Jeremiah to rewrite the scroll again and include every word God had said.

Next time you read the Bible, read every word carefully! God has given each of them and preserved them all!

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