MAX KLEIN BIBLE MINISTRIES
The Seven Baptisms
Written by: Max Klein
Baptism means identification or association:
Introduction:
1. This meaning began in Homer's time. Homer wrote of the one-eyed giant, Cyclops who had trapped Ulysses and his men in a cave and was eating them one at a time. The ingenious Ulysses devised a plan. He had his men sharpen a large log and together they rammed this log into the eye of the one-eyed Cyclops rendering him blind. They identified (baptized) the sharpened log with Cyclops’ eye which changed Cyclops from a seeing giant to a blind giant. Having blinded the Cyclops, they were able to maneuver their way out of the cave. Another example by Homer: Homer's Odyssey, book 9, used baptism for hot metal identified (baptized) with water when a smith dipped a piece of hot iron into water. This is how a blacksmith would temper swords in the ancient world. After this identification, the sword was made stronger and so less likely to bend.
2. Xenophon said that the Spartan military recruits after finishing infantry training would identify (baptize) their spears with pig’s blood. They would run by a barrel of pig’s blood and thrust their spears into this blood. This ritual, identified their spears with killing and the soldier’s readiness for combat with the enemy.
3. Euripides used the word for a ship identified with the bottom of the sea when it sank. Before sinking, the ship was valuable; after sinking it had no value at all.
4. So "baptize" in the classical Greek meant to identify one thing with another so that the characteristics of the original thing were altered. Therefore, the interpretation of the word "baptism" is identification with something that brings about a change.
5. There are a number of cognates related to this Greek word such as bapto, baptizo, baptisma, baptismos, baptistes, and embapto. A few examples follow:
6. John 13:26, “Jesus then answered, ‘That is the one for whom, I shall dip [the future of the Greek word bapto] the morsel and give it to him. So, when he had dipped [the aorist participle of bapto; the sop now takes on a new meaning that of honor] the sop [the morsel], He took and gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot.”
To give someone a sop [a special bit of food usually a piece of bread or meat with a tasty sauce] was the highest honor of a banquet. At a banquet a special piece of bread or meat was prepared along with a special sauce for the guest of honor who would then honor someone by giving it to that person. Jesus as the guest of honor took this sop and dipped it into a special sauce and gave it to Judas. In this way, the Lord Jesus Christ honored Judas as a member of the family of God, and for his ministry as an apostle to the Lost Sheep of Israel. This honor should have given Judas second thoughts regarding his plan to betray Jesus to the Sanhedrin.
7. Matthew 3:7, “but when he [John the Baptizer] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism [identification: the Greek word baptisma], he said to them, “You brood of vipers [poisonous snakes], who warned you to flee from the wrath to come [Baptism of Fire: identification with the fire of Torments and then the Lake of Fire]?”
8. Hebrews 6:1-2, “Therefore, leaving behind the elementary teaching about Christ, let us advance to maturity, not laying again the foundation [of the basics such as]: a change of thinking about dead works [just as an unbeliever must have a change of mind about Christ to obtain salvation, so the believer must have a change of mind about legalism (dead works) in order to obtain the spiritual life], and of faith toward God [Faith-Rest Drill], (2) doctrine of baptisms [the Greek word baptismos; a reference to the seven types of baptism as found in Scripture] as well as the laying on of hands [ritual rebound in the age of Israel], and of resurrection from the dead, and of eternal judgment [the Great White Throne Judgment].
9. Matthew 3:1, “In those days John the Baptizer [the Greek word baptistes; when John baptized someone into the Jordan River, the converts were identified with the plan of God and his kingdom.] came proclaiming [as a herald] in the desert of Judea.”
There are two categories of identification in Scripture namely an actual identification or a real baptism and a representative identification or a ritual baptism which uses water.
The four real or actual identifications with something that has significance.
1. The Baptism of Moses: 1 Corinthians 10:1-2 presents the baptism of Moses, "For I do not want you to be unaware, brethren, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea; (2) and all were baptized [the Greek word baptizo] into Moses in the cloud [the Lord] and in the sea." This was a real identification in which Moses was identified with the Lord and the open path through the Red Sea and the Jews were identified with Moses. By the way, none of the Jews got wet, only Egyptian unbelievers who were immersed in the water as a means of death.
2. The Baptism of the Cross is found in Matthew 20:22, “But Jesus answered [Salome by addressing her sons] and said, “You [plural: a reference to James and John] do not know what you [James and John] ask. Are you [James and John] able to drink of the cup [bear the punishment of all the sins of the world] that I am about to drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism [the sins of the world identified with Christ followed by the Father judging them] that I am baptized with [identified with]?” They [James and John] said to Him, “We are able. [the dumbest statement that James and John ever made]” [I selected the longer text as did Jerome.]
3. The Baptism of the Holy Spirit (Retroactive Positional Truth and Current Positional Truth) occurs at salvation for Church Age believers only.
Colossians 2:12. Having been buried [aorist participle] with Him [Jesus Christ] by means of the baptism [God the Holy Spirit identified us with the burial of Jesus Christ as part of our salvation] by means of which [Baptism] you have been raised up [main verb] with Him [in union with Jesus Christ seated at the right hand of the Father] through faith [at the point of salvation] in the operational power from the source of God who has raised Him [the humanity of Christ was given a resurrection body] out from the dead [physical death].
Romans 6:3-9:
Romans 6:3: Or do you not know that all of us who [a correlative] have been baptized into [identified with] Christ Jesus [Current Positional Sanctification: we are in union with Christ in his life in heaven], have been baptized into His death [Retroactive Positional Truth and so identified with his substitutionary spiritual death on the cross]?
Positionally, (in union with Christ) we share His righteousness, heirship, priesthood, destiny, election, eternal life, royalty, sonship etc. All these making us a new spiritual species in Christ Jesus. The plural correlative hosoi (ὅσοι) means that if we were identified with Christ in heaven and we were, then also we have been identified with Christ in his substitutionary spiritual death in which he removed the power of sin nature. Thus, the sin nature should not have power over our lives.
A few more points will be noted:
1. Note that the baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation enters the believer into union with Christ at the right hand of God the Father which union is called current positional truth.
2. This verse also mentions identification with Christ in His spiritual death on the cross which identification theologians call retroactive positional truth. Retroactive positional truth also includes identification with Christ in His physical death and burial as well.
3. Identification with Christ in His death, then, has a two-fold connotation namely all personal sins were judged at the cross and since that is the case, God the Father is free to provide in grace, the Recovery Procedure. The second connotation is that good and evil were rejected by Jesus on the cross since good and evil are a part of Satan’s policy and plan. On the cross, Jesus relied on the proto-type spiritual life which operated under the two power options namely God’s power system.
4. So, the old sin nature’s ruling power over the Christian has been broken since all sins were judged on the cross and the Recovery Procedure has been provided. So, Retroactive Positional Truth has destroyed the sovereignty of the old sin nature over the life of the Christian.
5. Also, since Jesus rejected the good and evil policy of Satan so should the believer reject Satan’s policy of good and evil as the believer applies Retroactive Positional Truth.
Romans 6:4: Therefore, we have been buried together with Him through the identification [Baptism of the Spirit] into His death [physical], in order that just as Christ has been raised up from the dead [on Resurrection Sunday], through the glory of the Father [through the Father’s power], [So also we, the dead in Christ, will be raised from the dead by the power of the Father, and those alive at the Rapture, by the power of the Holy Spirit.] in this manner we also might walk in newness of life [Experiential sanctification should reflect our future ultimate sanctification.].
Christ had to die physically “and Jesus having shouted clearly with a loud voice said, Father, into your hands I deposit my [human] spirit, and having said this, he exhaled” (Luke 23:46). This last exhale caused His soul and spirit to depart from his mortal body resulting in physical death. Just as Christ had to die physically in order to obtain his resurrection body, so we must depart from our body of corruption, or mortality in order to receive our eternal body called our resurrection body.
The Newness of Life:
1. The newness of life provided through the baptism of the Spirit includes positional freedom from producing good and evil. Not only are we free from the tyranny of good and evil but we are also free from having to produce good and evil.
2. The believer has no obligation to improve the devil’s world through social action, socialism, welfare state, communism, environmentalism, or any social gospel, social action, getting involved, etc.
3. The human race is protected from Satan’s policy of good and evil through the laws of divine establishment which promote freedom instead of improvement at the cost of freedom.
4. In addition to the Laws of Divine Establishment the believer is insulated from good and evil positionally through the baptism of the Spirit.
5. Divorced from the Old Sin Nature positionally and its useless activity of human good and the function of evil, the life of the believer can be devoted to glorifying the Lord Jesus Christ through maximum knowledge and application of Bible doctrine.
Romans 6:5: For if we have become united with Him [Christ, the new husband] in the likeness of His death [the substitutionary spiritual death of Christ on the cross], and we have, and not only this, but also, we shall be [united in the likeness] of His resurrection [Current Positional Truth: in union with the resurrected Christ].
Romans 6:6: Be knowing this [through Retroactive Positional Truth], that our old man [our former husband, the sin nature dates back to the Garden] has been crucified together [with Him], in order that the [human] body, with reference to its sin nature, [the sin nature located in the body] might be rendered powerless [when we use Recovery Procedure and the two power options], that we should no longer be slaves to the sin nature.
“Our old man has been crucified with Him” meaning that the power of the sin nature has been broken on the cross. Since the power of the sin nature was broken by the work of the cross, we as believers have no excuse for not executing the spiritual life. We will not be able to say to Christ at our evaluation that our sin nature was too powerful for us to execute the spiritual life.
A few points for further clarification:
1. Retroactive positional truth is that phase of the baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation which identifies the believer with Christ in His spiritual death, physical death and his burial.
2. In the substitutionary spiritual death of Christ on the cross all the personal sins in human history were imputed to Christ, but at the same time the other two trends of the old sin nature were not imputed for judgment.
3. Good and evil is the policy of Satan as the ruler of this world and the function of the old sin nature as the sovereign of human life. In fact, the sin nature functions as the agent of Satan.
4. Good and evil were not imputed for judgment on the cross. Hence, in the spiritual death of Christ on the cross they were rejected to remain an issue in the angelic conflict, rejected to be perpetuated in human history as an issue every believer must face, and either overcome through the intake of doctrine or be entrapped by ignorance of doctrine and therefore lose out in glorifying God in time.
5. We are identified with Christ in His spiritual death, which means that we must understand that our sins have been judged and that good and evil has been rejected.
6. It all adds up to the fact that the sovereignty of the old sin nature over human life has been made powerless through retroactive positional truth.
7. The imputation of all personal sins of the human race to Christ on the cross means that the believer through the rebound technique is instantly forgiven sins, cleansed from all wrong doing which includes Satanic good and evil, restored to fellowship and filled with the Spirit.
Romans 6:7: For we who have died [the Christian is identified with the substitutionary spiritual death of Christ: theologically called Retroactive Positional Truth] have been acquitted [positional deliverance] from [the power of] the sin nature.
A few points for further clarification:
1. A dead person is discharged from the obligations of his former sphere of life. This is why the word “death” is used in this context. It is not a literal, physical death we are discussing but identification with Christ in His death.
2. As unbelievers we were under the authority of Satan as the ruler of this world, and under the authority of the old sin nature as the sovereign of human life.
3. Both the power of Satan and the old sin nature have been abrogated through the baptism of the Holy Spirit at salvation.
4. This passage, then, emphasizes the annulling of the power and the authority of the old sin nature as the sovereign of human life.
5. Positionally, the power of the sin nature has been broken. Experientially, the old sin nature controls to the extent that we fail to understand and utilize the provision and support of logistical grace.
Romans 6:8: Now if we have died with Christ, and we have [retroactive positional truth], we also believe that we shall live in association with Him [the instrumental of association; a reference to Current Positional Truth].
In this verse, the 1st Class conditional sentence shows the relationship between Retroactive Positional Truth with Current Positional Truth. The protasis, the ‘if’ clause states the reality of Retroactive Positional Truth and the apodosis, the concluding clause states the doctrinal inference and the reality of Current Positional Truth. While Retroactive Positional Truth presents positional rejection and separation from good and evil as the policy of Satan and the function of the old sin nature, Current Positional Truth relates the believer to the function of the royal family of God. In other words, they have separate functions.
Romans 6:9: Knowing that because Christ has been raised from the dead [He received a resurrection body], no longer can He die; [physical] death is no longer a master over Him.
Analysis:
1. Retroactive positional truth destroys the sovereign authority of the old sin nature over human life. Current positional truth, on the other hand, destroys the limited authority of physical death in human life.
2. Instead of being ruled by the old sin nature located in the cells of the human body and influencing our souls toward sin, good and evil, we now have a new sovereign, the Lord Jesus Christ. We are identified with Him in His deaths, in His burial, resurrection, ascension and session.
3. Before salvation and the baptism of the Holy Spirit our lives were under the absolute rule of Satan who is the ruler of this world and under the rule of the old sin nature which is the ruler of life, and under the limited rule of physical death. All of that, of course, has been changed since salvation.
4. Now both retroactive and current positional truth have abrogated the authority and power of these former rulers. The power of Satan over our lives has been broken through identification with the rejection of good and evil namely Satan’s policy and plan and through our position in union with Christ. The power of the old sin nature is broken through retroactive positional truth and the power of physical death is broken through current positional truth.
5. Therefore, having studied these things by principle and by implication we are now ready for application, verses 12 & 13 specifically.
6. Having been positionally liberated from the sovereignty of the old sin nature as an absolute ruler, and the authority of physical death, we must recognise and apply doctrine for the experiential victory commanded in verses 11-13.
Galatians 3:25-28, “But now that faith has come, we are no longer under the authority of [have need of] a school bus. (26) For you are all children of God through faith in Christ Jesus. (27) For all of you who were baptized into Christ [identified with Christ through union with Him] have clothed yourselves with Christ. (28) There is neither Jew nor Greek [no racial distinction], there is neither slave nor free man [no social or economic distinction], there is neither male nor female [no gender distinction]; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. [All Christians have the same privileges and opportunities to execute the spiritual life.]”
Current Positional Truth, Elaborated:
In the Church Age, Current Positional Truth establishes our relationship with Christ as opposed to religion. It refers to the Church Age believer in union with Christ and is the key to understanding the Church Age and how the royal family came into being. Therefore, it is the basis for distinguishing between Christianity and religion. Christianity is a relationship with God without merit whereas religion is a system of works to gain the approbation of God. Never shall the twain meet!
The mechanics of Current Positional Truth is the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, whereby the Spirit enters us into union with Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:13, “For also by agency of the one Spirit we are all baptized [identification resulting in becoming a new spiritual species] into one body [in union with Christ], whether Jews or Greeks [racial distinctions are removed], whether slave or free [class and economic distinctions are removed], even all were made to drink [the aorist passive, the voice of grace] the one Spirit [The Holy Spirit did not ask us whether we wanted to be put into union with Christ or not.].” Ephesians 4:5, “One Lord [becomes our Lord positionally at Salvation]), one faith [faith alone in Christ alone; Acts 16:31], one baptism [Baptism of the Holy Spirit takes place at salvation].”
Current Positional truth guarantees that there will be no judgment for believers in eternity, Romans 8:1, “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Thus, the condemnation which occurred at the first birth was removed at the 2nd birth. As a result of being born with the sin nature and the imputation of Adam’s Original Sin, we were condemned to the Lake of Fire for all eternity, but now that has been removed. Romans 5:12, “For this reason just as through one man [Adam] the sin [nature] entered into the world [procreation], and so spiritual death through the sin [the imputation of Adam’s Original Sin to the sin nature], and so spiritual death spread to all mankind, because all sinned when Adam sinned [since we were all genetically in Adam when he sinned, we will receive Adam’s Original Sin].” However, at our spiritual birth, the 2nd birth, our pre-salvation sins were all forgiven including Adam’s Original Sin. After which, the Spirit entered us into union with Christ where there is now no condemnation (Romans 8:1).
Current Positional truth qualifies the believer to live with God forever. To live with God forever, the believer must have eternal life and God’s perfect righteousness, 1 John 5:11-12, “And this is the deposition [testimony] that the God [the Father] has given to us, eternal life, and this life is in his son [Since we are in union with Christ, we share this life.]. (12) and he who has the son [a relationship with the Son] has the life [eternal life] and the one who does not have the son of God [relationship with the Son] does not have the life [eternal life].” 2 Corinthians 5:21, “And He [the Father] made Him who knew no sin [perfection] to be a sin offering [imputation of sins on the cross] as a substitute for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him [current positional truth].” To live with God forever means you must have His life, and you must be as righteous as He is.
Positional truth guarantees the believer’s eternal security, Romans 8:38-39, “For I am persuaded that neither death [nothing in death] nor life [nothing in life] nor angels nor principalities [ruling angels] nor powers [human organizations] nor things present nor things to come (39) nor height [nothing in heaven] nor depth [nothing in Hades] nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Eternal life in Christ is for all eternity!
Positional truth belongs to all categories of believers whether they be apostate, mature, immature, spiritually adult, or carnal. Since Current Positional Truth occurs at the point of salvation before experience in the Christian life begins, it doesn’t depend on that experience. 1 Corinthians 1:2, “to the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus [at salvation], called saints together with all who call upon the person of Our Lord Jesus Christ, their [Lord] and ours.” So, even though you may be carnal or in reversionism, you still have positional truth. Being in union with Christ has nothing to do with what you do [experiential righteousness], or don’t do [failure to execute God’s plan]. Current Positional sanctification is completely the work of God the Holy Spirit and so is not based upon our volition, but on the sovereign decision of God. We make the decision to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, but we don’t make the decision to enter into union with Christ “all were made to drink the one Spirit” as per 1 Corinthians 12:13. God the Holy Spirit graciously did that for us and so it cannot be undone.
Current Positional truth creates a new spiritual species in Christ as per 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ and he is, he is a new spiritual species. The old things have lost their power; behold, new things have come to pass.” You become a new spiritual species at salvation by being put into union with Christ. It is what God does for you, and therefore it is grace. It is not what you do after salvation, such as the self-righteous works of legalism. The “old things” have to do with spiritual death and those things related to that death; the “new things” refer to things you receive at salvation such as the 40 assets and the unique spiritual life.
Positional truth should motivate the production of divine good and a pattern of life compatible with royalty as per Ephesians 2:10, “For we are his creation, having been created in Christ Jesus [a new spiritual species with many assets] for the purpose of divine good production [via experiential sanctification] which the God [the Father] has prepared in advance [in eternity past, God the Father provided election and predestination as part of our Portfolio of Invisible Assets], that we in the sphere of them [election and predestination] may pattern our lives.”
Even though a Christian may die the Sin on to Death, he will not lose his position in union with Christ (1 John 5:18-20), and so cannot lose his salvation. In order for a believer to lose his position in Christ, he would have to sin in that status, but since the believer cannot sin in union with Christ, he cannot lose his position in Christ and so cannot lose his salvation. Thus, it is comforting and reassuring to a believer to know that even though a loved one may have died the ‘sin on to death’, he has not lost his salvation.
Because we are in union with Christ, we share His:
1. Eternal life, 1 John 5:11, “And this is the deposition [testimony] that the God [the Father] has given to us, eternal life [At salvation, God the Father imputes this life to the human spirit], and this life is in his son [The Christian also shares the life of Christ through union with Him]. (12) and he who has the son [a relationship with the Son] has the life [eternal life] and the one who does not have the son of God [relationship with the Son] does not have the life [eternal life].”
John 14:6, “Jesus said to him [Thomas], ‘I am the way, the truth and the life [eternal life]; no person [in human history] comes face to face with the Father [having an eternal relationship with the Father] except through Me.’”
2. Perfect righteousness, 2 Corinthians 5:21, “And he (God the Father) made him [Jesus] who knew no sin (perfection) to be a sin offering as a substitute for us so that we might become the righteousness of God in him [positional truth]. Sharing the righteousness of Christ, we become the objects of God the Father’s love as per Romans 8:39.
3. Election, Ephesians 1:4, “just as He [the Father] has elected us for Himself in Him [Jesus Christ] before the creation of the world [in eternity past], that we may be set apart [experiential sanctification] and blameless [ultimate sanctification] in the presence of Him [Father].”
4. Destiny, Ephesians 1:5, “By means of love, He has predestined us for the purpose of adoption as adult sons to Himself through Christ Jesus our Lord according to the grace purpose of His will.”
5. Sonship, Galatians 3:26, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
6. Heirship, Romans 8:16-17, “The Spirit Himself testifies together [bears witness] with our [human] spirit, that we are the children of God. (17) Now, if we are children and we are, also heirs, on the one hand heirs of God [the Father], and joint heirs with Christ. If indeed [if it is true that], we suffer with Him [pass all three stages of undeserved suffering], that also we might be glorified with Christ.”
7. Sanctification, 1 Corinthians 1:2, “to the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus, called saints together with all who call upon the person of Our Lord Jesus Christ, their [Lord] and ours.”
8. Priesthood, Hebrews 7:12-19, “For when the priesthood is changed, of necessity there takes place a change in the Law also. (13) For the One [the Lord Jesus Christ] concerning whom these things are spoken belongs to another tribe [the tribe of Judah] from which no one has officiated at the altar. (14) For it is evident that our Lord has descended from Judah, a tribe with reference to which Moses spoke nothing concerning priests, (15) and this is clearer still, if another priest arises similar to Melchizedek, and there has, (16) who has become a priest not on the basis of physical requirement [a reference to the Levitical Priesthood] but on the basis of indestructible life [the Lord’s priesthood is forever]. (17) For this reason, it is witnessed, ‘You are a priest forever similar to the order of Melchizedek.’” [We are in union with Christ. Therefore, we are royalty and priests forever. We represent ourselves before God as royal priests.] (18) For, on the one hand, there is a rescinding of the former commandment [the Mosaic Law that authorized the Levitical priesthood] because of its weakness and uselessness (19) (for the Law brought nothing to completion), but on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope [the second door of hope for the Church Age believer—a personal sense of destiny—by which we enter the adult spiritual life] through which we draw near to God.”
Hebrews 7:26-28, “For it is fitting that we should have such a high priest, impeccable integrity, the One who cannot do evil, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; (27) Who does not need daily, like those Levitical priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for their own sins, and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when He [Jesus] offered up Himself. (28) For the Law appoints men as high priests who are weak, but the word of His [God the Father’s] oath, which came after the Law, appoints a Son, who has become perfect forever [Jesus Christ is a perfect high priest].”
9. Royalty, 1 Peter 2:9, “ But you and only you are an elect [elect by God the Father] race [as a new spiritual species], a royal priesthood [since Jesus is a king-priest], a holy nation [God’s entity: a nation of priests: every Christian is a priest], a people for God’s own possession [a protected people], so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him [Christ] who has called [in eternity past] you out of darkness [spiritual death and the Cosmic Systems] into His amazing light [his plan];”
10. New Spiritual Species, 2 Corinthians 5:17, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ and he is, he is a new spiritual species. The old things have lost their power [Old Covenant]; behold, new things have come to pass [This would include the New Covenant to the Church.].”
Current Positional Truth changes our relationship with Angels.
1. Through current positional truth the believer is higher than angels positionally.
2. Christ is seated at the right hand of the Father, and so superior to all angels. By virtue of being in union with Christ, every believer is now positionally superior to angels.
3. Positional truth has fulfilled the believer’s triumph with Christ in the angelic conflict. We are victorious with Him already.
4. Furthermore, positional truth demands compatibility with experiential righteousness. Therefore, the believer’s walk on this earth must be compatible with positional truth since we have perfect security in Christ, we have the freedom to choose for Jesus Christ, to love Jesus Christ, to respond to His love, and to fulfill our purpose on this earth.
What positional truth is not?
1. It is not an experience, emotions or ecstasies.
2. It is not progressive; it cannot be improved in time or eternity.
3. It is not related to human merit or ability.
4. It cannot be changed by God, man or angels. It is eternal in nature.
5. It is not obtained gradually as you grow in grace, but in toto at salvation.
6. It is not known apart from the metabolization of doctrine.
7. From understanding the doctrine of positional truth, we progress in our spiritual life, but we cannot improve it since it is perfect at salvation.
8. We are not in Christ because of what we do (execution of the spiritual life) or fail to do (fail to execute the spiritual life), but because of what God has done.
A few points of explanation:
1. The conclusion from positional truth, whether retroactive or current, is that the Christian must apply these doctrines to his spiritual life.
2. In Romans 7:1-4 where we have an illustration of a woman whose first husband has died freeing her to marry another. This is what actually happens to us as believers at salvation. The old sin nature is the husband up to the point of salvation, but at the moment we believe in Jesus Christ positionally the sin nature is dead, as it were, the first husband has died and we have a new husband through union with Christ. Retroactive Positional Truth removes our first husband, the sin nature whereas Current Positional Truth enters us into union with Christ, our new husband.
3. The old sin nature-husband is still around, still seeking to regain his control over his former wife, the believer. But union with the second husband, the Lord Jesus Christ, has broken the first husband’s authority over the former wife.
4. The Baptism of Fire:
Matthew 3:11, “On the one hand I [John the Baptizer] baptize you [believers] by means of water because of a change of thinking [about Christ], but the one coming after me is mightier than I whose sandals I am not worthy to lace [loosen, remove]. He himself will baptize by means of the Holy Spirit [a reference to the Baptism of the Holy Spirit in the Church Age] and by means of fire [a reference to the Baptism of Fire at the 2nd Advent].”
Baptism of Fire: The baptism of fire (identification with fire) is defined as the judgment of unbelievers both Jew and gentile at the Second Advent. They will be removed from the earth and placed in fire for 1000 years until the Last Judgment, Luke 3:16-17; Mathew 25:31, 33. The analogy to the Baptism of Fire is found in Matthew 24:36-41. The one left in the field is the mature believer; the one taken is the unbeliever.
Parables of the Baptism of Fire:
1. The wheat and the tares (the unbelievers), Matthew 13:24-30, 36-40.
2. The good and bad fish (unbelievers), Matthew 13:47-50.
3. The ten virgins: five wise, five foolish (the unbelievers), Matthew 25:1-13.
4. The sheep and the goats (the unbelievers), Mathew 25:31-46.
5. The talent test, Matthew 25:14-30. The one talent man represents the unbeliever.
If Jesus Christ had not been rejected by the Jewish people, then the age of Israel would have continued until its completion (the Tribulation completes the age of Israel). (However, they did reject Jesus Christ as Savior and Messiah and so the client nation was destroyed, and the Church age was intercalated that is inserted before the age of Israel was complete.) After the completion of the age of Israel at the end of the Tribulation, comes the wrath of God namely the Baptism of Fire when the Lord removes both Jewish and gentile unbelievers from the earth and identifies them with fire forever. After which, the Millennial reign begins.
The Three Ritual Baptisms. None are extant at the present time. They are representative identifications in which water is used as a training aid to represent some principle of doctrine.
1. The Baptism of John is found in Matthew 3:2-6, “Saying, ‘Change your thinking [regarding Christ] for the kingdom of heaven is near.’ [The future king was already on the earth] (3) For this is what was communicated through Isaiah, the prophet saying, ‘The voice of one [John the Baptizer] proclaiming loudly in the desert [of Judea]. Prepare [the aorist tense is a one time-decision] the way of the Lord [an idiomatic expression for salvation]. Keep on making upright [the use of the Recovery Procedure followed by the development of experiential righteousness] His paths!’ (Isaiah 40:3) (4) Now, John himself kept on having a garment of camel’s hair [very uncomfortable] and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. (5) Then [after John went where God wanted him to be] Jerusalem kept on going out to him [face to face] and all Judea and all the districts around the Jordan. (6) and they were being baptized [identified with the kingdom] by him [under John’s authority] in the Jordan River [where Israel crossed when they entered the land], and they kept on confessing their sins [post-salvation confession of sins].”
MAX KLEIN BIBLE MINISTRIES
The Gospel of Matthew: Chapter Nine
A verse-by-verse commentary by Max Klein
When nearly everything one reads, hears, and sees is evil, it is easy to become distracted by all the evil people, ideas, thinking and solutions. However, we must not allow ourselves to be distracted by all this Satanic activity. The more we read or listen to this evil, the more we think about it; the more we think about it, the more it is on our minds. If it is on our minds, we will talk about it. What a non-ending cycle of distractions. Rather than spending so much time on Satan’s propaganda, we should more time on the solutions found in the Word of God and on executing the spiritual life.
The citizens and the government of the United States needs to take heed of a promise from the Lord to Abraham regarding every generation of his seed. Genesis 12:3a, “And I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you, I will curse.”
Lamentations 3:22-23, “The Lord’s loving kindnesses indeed never cease for His compassions never fail; (23) They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.” Jeremiah weeping wrote Lamentations in 586 BC just after the Southern Kingdom along with Jerusalem and the Temple had been destroyed by the Chaldeans.
The Ministry of the King:
Verses 1-8: Ministry to the paralytic
Verses 9-13: Ministry to the tax collector and the prostitutes
Verses 14-17: Ministry to the disciples of John
Verses 18-26: Ministry to the Jewish rulers
Verses 27-31: Ministry to the blind
Verses 32-35: Ministry to a demon possessed person
Verses 36-38: Ministry to the disciples
Matthew 9:1-2
Καὶ ἐµβὰς εἰς πλοῖον διεπέρασεν καὶ ἦλθεν εἰς τὴν ἰδίαν πόλιν. (2) καὶ ἰδοὺ προσέφερον αὐτῷ παραλυτικὸν ἐπὶ κλίνης βεβληµένον. καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὴν πίστιν αὐτῶν εἶπεν τῷ παραλυτικῷ, Θάρσει, τέκνον· ἀφίενταί σου αἱ ἁµαρτίαι.
And having entered into a ship [since there was no ministry opportunities in the Gadarenes], he passed over [the sea of Galilee], and came to His own city [the port city of Capernaum: Matthew 4:13, “Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum which was by the sea in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali.” Mark 2:1, “When He had come back to Capernaum several days afterwards, it was heard that He was at home.”] (2) And behold, they [his four friends according to Mark 2:4] brought to Him, a paralytic, having been thrown [it began with his guilt which produce a psychosomatic illness] on a cot. And Jesus, seeing their [the friends carrying the paralytic] faith, said to the paralytic, “Son [a student under authority], keep on having confidence [regarding the forgiveness of sins]. Your sins are forgiven.”
The paralytic was a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, but he obviously had a guilt problem based on some sin committed. Guilt made him so subjective that he would not use the Recovery Procedure. As a result of his guilt, he developed a psychosomatic illness namely paralysis of his limbs.
According to parallel passages found in Mark 2:1-12 and in Luke 5:17-26, the friends of the paraplegic lowered the cot down through the roof for they couldn’t maneuver through the door due to the large crowd.
Matthew 9:3
καὶ ἰδού τινες τῶν γραµµατέων εἶπαν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς, Οὗτος βλασφηµεῖ.
And behold, some of the scribes said within themselves, “This one blasphemes [for only God can forgive sins].”
There were many Pharisees and teachers of the Law from every village of Galilee, and Judea and from Jerusalem at this time according to Luke 5:17.
Matthew 9:4
καὶ εἰδὼς ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὰς ἐνθυµήσεις αὐτῶν εἶπεν, Ἱνατί ἐνθυµεῖσθε πονηρὰ ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις ὑµῶν;
And Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts [in your stream of consciousnesses]?
They were accusing Christ, the God-Man of blasphemy since they did not accept Him as Messiah. Really, they were the blasphemers.
Matthew 9:5
τί γάρ ἐστιν εὐκοπώτερον, εἰπεῖν, Ἀφίενταί σου αἱ ἁµαρτίαι, ἢ εἰπεῖν, Ἔγειρε καὶ περιπάτει;
For which is easier? To say, your sins are forgiven you, or to say, Arise and walk!
In Matthew 4:23, 24, Jesus healed every kind of disease and illness including demoniacs, epileptics and paraplegics. So, since He has already healed paraplegics miraculously, he has already proven that He is the Messiah. If He is the Messiah, he is also the prophesied Savior. If He is the Savior, then He has the authority to forgive of sins since He will be the one who would be punished for all the sins of mankind. Logically, it would be easier to heal, since to forgive sins required the punishment of the cross to make the forgiveness a reality.
Jesus Christ knew that healing this individual miraculously would not have solved the problem of guilt in this man’s soul. So, He decided to forgive this man of his sins which put the man into fellowship with God and the opportunity to apply doctrine and to appreciate God’s grace forgiveness. Once this man started to apply God’s word under the power of metabolized doctrine in his soul, his psychosomatic illness disappeared.
Matthew 9:6
ἵνα δὲ εἰδῆτε ὅτι ἐξουσίαν ἔχει ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἀφιέναι ἁµαρτίας ñ τότε λέγει τῷ παραλυτικῷ, Ἐγερθεὶς ἆρόν σου τὴν κλίνην καὶ ὕπαγε εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου.
But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins, then He said to the paralytic, “Arise [since your psychosomatic illness has been resolved], take up your bed and go to your house.”
Since the man was able to get up without Christ performing a miracle of healing implied that the man did have confidence in his forgiveness. He had resolved his guilt and his psychosomatic illness. The command to arise was given to prove that the young man had already been healed.
Matthew 9:7-8
καὶ ἐγερθεὶς ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτοῦ. ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ ὄχλοι ἐφοβήθησαν καὶ ἐδόξασαν τὸν θεὸν τὸν δόντα ἐξουσίαν τοιαύτην τοῖς ἀνθρώποις.
And he arose and departed to his house. But when the crowds saw, they marveled and glorified God [the Father as unbelievers], who had given such authority to men.
Amazingly, the crowd did not recognize Jesus Christ as God, nor as the Messiah.
Matthew 9:9
Καὶ παράγων ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἐκεῖθεν εἶδεν ἄνθρωπον καθήµενον ἐπὶ τὸ τελώνιον, Μαθθαῖον λεγόµενον, καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ, Ἀκολούθει µοι. καὶ ἀναστὰς ἠκολούθησεν αὐτῷ.
And as Jesus passed on from there, He saw [the first time in the crowd] a man named Matthew sitting at the tax-office. And He said to him, Follow me! And he [Matthew] arose and followed Him.
Matthew having heard prior messages liked the grace teaching of Jesus and His understanding of the religious hypocrites. However, since he, an ostracized person, would not approach Jesus himself, Jesus approached him.
Being a Jewish tax collector for Rome meant to be ostracized with social consequences. Cicero in the Senate gave an oration on the corruption of tax collectors. The Romans would assign tax collectors to different provinces. In turn, these tax collectors would collect the required revenue and often an extravagant amount for themselves as well. The Jews in turn, having to pay these taxes ostracized the tax collectors. Being ostracized, no respectable Jewish girl would have anything to do with Jewish tax collectors working for the Roman government. So, if a tax collector wanted a girlfriend or wife, he would have to pick from among the Jewish prostitutes.
Matthew 9:10
Καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτοῦ ἀνακειµένου ἐν τῇ οἰκίᾳ, καὶ ἰδοὺ πολλοὶ τελῶναι καὶ ἁµαρτωλοὶ ἐλθόντες συνανέκειντο τῷ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τοῖς µαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ.
And it happened as Jesus reclined [the formal style at a dinner party] in the house [of Matthew], behold, many tax-collectors and prostitutes [their girlfriends] came and were reclining with Him and His disciples.
Matthew threw a big party for Jesus Christ for he wanted his friends to hear the gospel. During the party, reclining on a couch, Roman style, the Lord would have an opportunity to present his credentials and the gospel message. Luke 5:27-30; Mark 2:14, 15).
Matthew 9:11
καὶ ἰδόντες οἱ Φαρισαῖοι ἔλεγον τοῖς µαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ, ∆ιὰ τί µετὰ τῶν τελωνῶν καὶ ἁµαρτωλῶν ἐσθίει ὁ διδάσκαλος ὑµῶν;
And when the Pharisees saw, they said to His disciples, ‘Why does your master eat with tax-collectors and prostitutes’?
There was a law in Israel that no one was to eat with a tax collector and prostitute. It carried as much weight as the Ten Commandments due to the influence of religion and was enforced through ostracism.
Matthew 9:12
ὁ δὲ ἀκούσας εἶπεν, Οὐ χρείαν ἔχουσιν οἱ ἰσχύοντες ἰατροῦ ἀλλí οἱ κακῶς ἔχοντες.
But when Jesus heard, He said to them, “The ones who are whole do not need a physician, but the ones who are sick.”
Even though they didn’t speak directly to the Lord, his deity heard them. So, He quotes an old proverb. The proverb in effect says that the doctor goes to the sick, not to the well. As a spiritual doctor, he was going to those who needed the message; the ones who knew that they were sick and would respond to his message. The scribes and Pharisees were equally sick, but due to their self-righteousness were not interested in the gospel.
Matthew 9:13
πορευθέντες δὲ µάθετε τί ἐστιν, Ἔλεος θέλω καὶ οὐ θυσίαν· οὐ γὰρ ἦλθον καλέσαι δικαίους ἀλλὰ ἁµαρτωλούς.
But go and learn what this means [quoted from Hosea 6:6], I desire mercy [unbelievers interested in God’s grace solution to their sin problem] and not sacrifice [that day the scribes, Pharisees and Sadducees had offered meaningless sacrifices] For I have not come [to Capernaum] to call the righteous [self-righteous unbelievers who are not interested in the gospel], but the sinners [those who know that they were sinners namely the tax collectors and prostitutes].
Hosea 6:6, “I delight in love rather than sacrifice, and in the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”
While Jesus was giving the gospel of grace, the religious leaders were involved in ritual without meaning. This last sentence implies that many tax collectors and prostitutes became believers that night at the party.
Matthew 9:14
Τότε προσέρχονται αὐτῷ οἱ µαθηταὶ Ἰωάννου λέγοντες, ∆ιὰ τί ἡµεῖς καὶ οἱ Φαρισαῖοι νηστεύοµεν πολλά, οἱ δὲ µαθηταί σου οὐ νηστεύουσιν;
Then the disciples of John came to Him saying, ‘Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but your disciples do not fast’?
While Jesus and his disciples were having a party in Matthew’s house with the tax collectors and prostitutes, the disciples of John had joined the religious crowd in fasting and going through the streets asking for alms. To them fasting was spirituality. These disciples of John were born again believers who had become legalists. They apparently thought that fasting accompanied by sackcloth and ashes was a means of gaining points with God. And now they were criticizing Christ, and that takes a lot of gall. In their legalism they were quite subtle in their criticism making an issue out of fasting but avoided making an issue of the Lord’s dinning with prostitutes though that was certainly on their minds as well.
Everything which Jesus did on this earth was done in grace. So, antagonism toward Christ was antagonism toward grace. Since legalists are functioning on the basis of their own merit, they are opposed to grace.
‘We and the Pharisees’ what an unexpected identification! John the Baptizer’s disciples had become legalistic and so they identified themselves with religious, legalistic unbelievers. When the believer gets out of fellowship, he imitates the unbeliever.
The first thing that a believer should do is to separate himself from religious people. However, the disciples of John did not follow this wise advice, and so the self-righteousness of religion rubbed off on them. So, in their arrogance, they actually found themselves criticizing the Lord Jesus Christ. Their mentor, John the Baptist was the greatest possible believer, not in any way a legalist. However, his lifestyle apparently was distorted by his disciples who became legalists.
Matthew 9:15
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Μὴ δύνανται οἱ υἱοὶ τοῦ νυµφῶνος πενθεῖν ἐφí ὅσον µετí αὐτῶν ἐστιν ὁ νυµφίος; ἐλεύσονται δὲ ἡµέραι ὅταν ἀπαρθῇ ἀπí αὐτῶν ὁ νυµφίος, καὶ τότε νηστεύσουσιν.
And Jesus said to them [the disciples of John], Can the wedding guests [guests of the bridegroom enjoying time together] mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom shall be taken away from them [at the Ascension], and then they shall fast [giving them time to meditate on the bridegroom].
The disciples of Jesus are pictured as wedding guests and Jesus as the groom. This party could last for a week or so. As long as the groom was present, the party continued, but when the groom left, so did everyone else. In other words, they feasted together through the celebration. The wedding celebration was one big house party; it became a synonym for happiness and relaxed gaiety.
No matter how a marriage turns out, most people are happy on their wedding day and feast during their marriage celebration. Jesus then presents this situation as an illustration of true happiness and spirituality. The wedding guests stayed in the home of the bride and bridegroom during the celebration. The party would break up when the bride and groom left. This was the custom at that time. The wedding guests by analogy are believers and the groom is Jesus Christ on the earth.
Matthew 9:16
οὐδεὶς δὲ ἐπιβάλλει ἐπίβληµα ῥάκους ἀγνάφου ἐπὶ ἱµατίῳ παλαιῷ· αἴρει γὰρ τὸ πλήρωµα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἱµατίου, καὶ χεῖρον σχίσµα γίνεται.
No one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth [by analogy legalism] onto an old garment [the spiritual life which has been in operation a long time]; for that which is put in to fill it up, pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse [legalism destroys the spiritual life].
The old garment, the ‘chiton’ has been washed many times and so shrunken. So, if one puts a patch which had not been shrunken on an old garment, it will cause a greater tear for when it is washed, the new patch will shrink and tear itself away from the older portion of the garment.
“A little leaven leavens the whole lump” (Galatians 5:9). When fasting is superimposed upon the Christian way of life, it neutralizes grace and destroys the spiritual life.
Matthew 9:17
οὐδὲ βάλλουσιν οἶνον νέον εἰς ἀσκοὺς παλαιούς· εἰ δὲ µήγε, ῥήγνυνται οἱ ἀσκοί, καὶ ὁ οἶνος ἐκχεῖται καὶ οἱ ἀσκοὶ ἀπόλλυνται· ἀλλὰ βάλλουσιν οἶνον νέον εἰς ἀσκοὺς καινούς, καὶ ἀµφότεροι συντηροῦνται.
Nor do men put new wine [the spiritual life] into old wineskins [legalism; asceticism]; else the wineskins burst, and the wine runs out, and the wineskins perish. But they put new wine [the spiritual life] into new wineskins [into a grace system], and both are preserved together.
These wineskins were made-out of goat skin which when emptied eventually dried out and cracked. So, if you put new wine with its acid into an old wineskin, it will cause the cracks to break open and all will be lost.
Matthew 9:18-26: ministry to the Jewish rulers:
Matthew 9:18
Ταῦτα αὐτοῦ λαλοῦντος αὐτοῖς ἰδοὺ ἄρχων εἷς ἐλθὼν προσεκύνει αὐτῷ λέγων ὅτι Ἡ θυγάτηρ µου ἄρτι ἐτελεύτησεν· ἀλλὰ ἐλθὼν ἐπίθες τὴν χεῖρά σου ἐπí αὐτήν, καὶ ζήσεται.
While He spoke these things to them, behold, a certain ruler [of the synagogue in Capernaum: Luke 8:41] came and worshiped Him, saying, my daughter [an only daughter: Luke 8:42] has just now died. But come and lay your hand on her and she will live. [This man understood from the miracles that Jesus was the Messiah and he undoubtedly was a believer or would be.]
The ruler’s name was Jairus according to Luke 8:40-56; Mark 5:21-43.
Matthew 9:19-20
καὶ ἐγερθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἠκολούθησεν αὐτῷ καὶ οἱ µαθηταὶ αὐτοῦ. (20) Καὶ ἰδοὺ γυνὴ αἱµορροοῦσα δώδεκα ἔτη προσελθοῦσα ὄπισθεν ἥψατο τοῦ κρασπέδου τοῦ ἱµατίου αὐτοῦ·
And Jesus arose and followed him. And so did His disciples. (20) And behold, a woman, who had a flow of blood for twelve years, [a menstrual problem] came up behind Him and touched the hem of his garment.
Apparently, she was waiting to talk with him, but never had the chance. So, she did the next best thing.
Matthew 9:21
ἔλεγεν γὰρ ἐν ἑαυτῇ, Ἐὰν µόνον ἅψωµαι τοῦ ἱµατίου αὐτοῦ σωθήσοµαι.
For she kept saying within herself, ‘If only I should touch His robe, I will be delivered’ [from this problem; a logical conclusion].
This woman is expressing a deep faith. Understanding that there is no human solution; she looks for a divine solution. Mark 5:25, 26, “A woman who had a hemorrhage for twelve years (26) and had endured much at the hands of many physicians and had spent all that she had and was not helped at all but rather had grown worse.”
Matthew 9:22
ὁ δὲ Ἰησοῦς στραφεὶς καὶ ἰδὼν αὐτὴν εἶπεν, Θάρσει, θύγατερ· ἡ πίστις σου σέσωκέν σε. καὶ ἐσώθη ἡ γυνὴ ἀπὸ τῆς ὥρας ἐκείνης. (23) Καὶ ἐλθὼν ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν τοῦ ἄρχοντος καὶ ἰδὼν τοὺς αὐλητὰς καὶ τὸν ὄχλον θορυβούµενον
But turning and seeing her, Jesus said, Daughter [she is a believer], keep on having confidence [in the person of Christ and his thinking]; your faith-rest has delivered you [perfect tense: never this problem again]. And the woman was delivered from that hour. (23) And when Jesus came into the ruler's house [Jairus] and saw the flute players [hired to play a mournful funeral dirge] and people wailing [hired professional wailers],
They were playing a mournful funeral dirge. Between this and wailing, it was quite a horrible situation.
Matthew 9:24-26
ἔλεγεν, Ἀναχωρεῖτε, οὐ γὰρ ἀπέθανεν τὸ κοράσιον ἀλλὰ καθεύδει. καὶ κατεγέλων αὐτοῦ. (25) ὅτε δὲ ἐξεβλήθη ὁ ὄχλος, εἰσελθὼν ἐκράτησεν τῆς χειρὸς αὐτῆς, καὶ ἠγέρθη τὸ κοράσιον. (26) καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἡ φήµη αὕτη εἰς ὅλην τὴν γῆν ἐκείνην.
He kept on saying to them, Get-out for the little girl is not dead, but sleeps [body sleep]. And they ridiculed him by laughter [as they left]. (25) But when the people [the professional mourners] were put out, he went in [with Peter, James, John, and the parents] and took her by the hand, and the little girl arose [twelve years old: Mark 5:42]. (26) And this report went out into all that land.
Ministry to the blind:
Matthew 9:27
Καὶ παράγοντι ἐκεῖθεν τῷ Ἰησοῦ ἠκολούθησαν [αὐτῷ] δύο τυφλοὶ κράζοντες καὶ λέγοντες, Ἐλέησον ἡµᾶς, υἱὲ ∆αυίδ.
And when Jesus passed on from there, two blind men started to follow him, kept shouting out and saying, Son of David, have mercy on us [treat us in grace].
The religious leaders were arrogantly blinded so they could not see that Christ was God. Any person with eye site should have been able to identify Christ as God since they had seen his miracles. These blind believers were demanding mercy as an expression of their faith.
Matthew 9:28-30
ἐλθόντι δὲ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν προσῆλθον αὐτῷ οἱ τυφλοί, καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς, Πιστεύετε ὅτι δύναµαι τοῦτο ποιῆσαι; λέγουσιν αὐτῷ, Ναί, κύριε. (29) τότε ἥψατο τῶν ὀφθαλµῶν αὐτῶν λέγων, Κατὰ τὴν πίστιν ὑµῶν γενηθήτω ὑµῖν. (30) καὶ ἠνεῴχθησαν αὐτῶν οἱ ὀφθαλµοί. καὶ ἐνεβριµήθη αὐτοῖς ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγων, Ὁρᾶτε µηδεὶς γινωσκέτω.
And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to him [somehow, they managed to follow]. And Jesus said to them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” They said to him, Yes, Lord [believers]. (29) Then He touched their eyes, saying, “According to your faith let it be to you.” (30) And their eyes were opened. And Jesus warned them sternly, saying, “Beware [stay alert with regard to my command], let no one know.” [Keep your mouth shut.]
Several reasons for this command:
1. Jesus must present his credential to Israel via his miracles and his messages, not through a couple of emotional believers. These two blind men are zealous and full of emotion but have little knowledge and little humility.
2. Jesus is faced with maximum negative volition in Capernaum, by contrast Nineveh, Assyria was a city of maximum positive volition during the time of Jonah.
Matthew 9:31-32
οἱ δὲ ἐξελθόντες διεφήµισαν αὐτὸν ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ γῇ ἐκείνῃ. (32) Αὐτῶν δὲ ἐξερχοµένων ἰδοὺ προσήνεγκαν αὐτῷ ἄνθρωπον κωφὸν δαιµονιζόµενον·
But going out, they made Him known in all that land [not only in Capernaum, but in all the suburbs]. (32) As they went out, behold, they [certain members of the crowd] brought to Him a dumb man, who had been demon-possessed.
Certain handicaps and diseases are caused by demon possession.
Matthew 9:33
καὶ ἐκβληθέντος τοῦ δαιµονίου ἐλάλησεν ὁ κωφός. καὶ ἐθαύµασαν οἱ ὄχλοι λέγοντες, Οὐδέποτε ἐφάνη οὕτως ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ.
And when the demon had been cast out, the dumb one spoke. And multitudes marveled, saying, ‘Never was it seen like this in Israel’! [Jesus did not forbid this man to speak.]
The multitudes marveled but did not believe. Amazing! If one is negative at God-consciousness, he will more than likely be negative at gospel hearing.
Matthew 9:34
οἱ δὲ Φαρισαῖοι ἔλεγον, Ἐν τῷ ἄρχοντι τῶν δαιµονίων ἐκβάλλει τὰ δαιµόνια.
But the Pharisees said, He casts out demons by the ruler of the demons [namely Satan]. [The two ‘buts’ connect verse 31 with 34. The first ‘de’ connects the story with the second ‘de.’]
Because the healed blind men disobeyed the Lord’s orders, He now has a problem with the Pharisees. Apparently, these Pharisees learned about Jesus’ through these two blind men and came to cause trouble.
Matthew 9:35-36
Καὶ περιῆγεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς τὰς πόλεις πάσας καὶ τὰς κώµας, διδάσκων ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς αὐτῶν καὶ κηρύσσων τὸ εὐαγγέλιον τῆς βασιλείας καὶ θεραπεύων πᾶσαν νόσον καὶ πᾶσαν µαλακίαν. (36) Ἰδὼν δὲ τοὺς ὄχλους ἐσπλαγχνίσθη περὶ αὐτῶν ὅτι ἦσαν ἐσκυλµένοι καὶ ἐρριµµένοι ὡσεὶ πρόβατα µὴ ἔχοντα ποιµένα.
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, and proclaiming the gospel of the Kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people [His credit card]. (36) But seeing the crowds, He was moved with compassion [to have a reasonable sympathy based on their need for salvation] on them, because they were fainting [in their souls; having no doctrinal information] and scattered [negative at God-consciousness also at gospel hearing] like sheep having no shepherd [someone to communicate to them].
Reasonable sympathy: You don’t beg the unbeliever to believe; you give him information about the Lord and his work. The Lord had compassion on them for three reasons: first, they were fainting in their souls, secondly, they were negative and lastly, they had no shepherd to feed them truth.
The challenge of verse 37.
Matthew 9:37
τότε λέγει τοῖς µαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ, Ὁ µὲν θερισµὸς πολύς, οἱ δὲ ἐργάται ὀλίγοι·
Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the [skilled] laborers are few.
He didn’t tell his disciples to go because they were not yet ready.
Matthew 9:38
δεήθητε οὖν τοῦ κυρίου τοῦ θερισµοῦ ὅπως ἐκβάλῃ ἐργάτας εἰς τὸν θερισµὸν αὐτοῦ.
Therefore, pray [to the Father] that the Lord of the harvest [God the Holy Spirit] will force out laborers [believers qualified in evangelism] into his harvest.”
The information below on witnessing is taken from R. B. Thieme’s booklet, ‘Witnessing’ pages 22-26.
One of the reasons we remain on this earth after salvation is to witness for the Lord Jesus Christ. This principle is stated in both the Old and the New Testaments: He who is wise wins souls. (Prov. 11:30b) You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses. (Acts 1:8a) Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ. (2 Cor. 5:20a) Whether you witness by the example and impact of your life on unbelievers in your periphery, or by the opportunity to tell the Gospel “by the words from your lips,” or both, your motivation in witnessing is of utmost importance. Does your attitude match that of Paul’s in the Book of Romans? I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish. Thus, for my part, I am eager [ready] to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel. (Rom. 1:14–16a)
“I am under obligation”! As believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, we are mandated to speak about our Savior. We have a fantastic inheritance: a personal relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ, forgiveness of sin, eternal life, plus every spiritual blessing that accrues as a result of salvation. How can others know or receive this inheritance unless we fulfill our obligation and tell them about it (Rom. 10:14–15)?
“I am eager [ready]”! Readiness is our preparation and, consequently, our motivation. We must master the critical doctrinal knowledge for witnessing and present pertinent information to the unbeliever. But most important, we must be filled with the Holy Spirit through the use of 1 John 1:9, the rebound technique. If the above conditions are met, we can say “I am eager!” “I am not ashamed”! How could anyone be ashamed of the One who has saved them for all eternity? But countless people are ashamed of mentioning the Lord or of proclaiming the Gospel. Being ashamed is nothing more than fear of being ridiculed or fear of failure engendered by ignorance of doctrine. When we do not make learning doctrine our first priority in life, we get our priorities confused and lose perspective with regard to the importance of witnessing.
Many Christians cannot endure the pressure that accompanies witnessing. Easily intimidated, they say little to anyone about the way of salvation. However, pressures did not stop the Apostle Paul. Thessalonica was a large city in the ancient world, and thousands of its citizens were open to the Gospel. On his second missionary journey Paul traveled along the Ignatian Way—one of the famous highways of antiquity—and crossed Asia Minor (the area of present Turkey). Upon the apostle’s arrival at Philippi, he encountered adverse circumstances and personal suffering, but he continued to preach the Gospel. He left Philippi and arrived at Thessalonica, where the Lord gave him a tremendous harvest of souls (Acts 17:1–4; 1 Thess.; cf. 2 Thess.). Paul’s perseverance in personal and mass evangelism offers an excellent biblical pattern for your witnessing (1 Thess. 2). Be a Fisher of Men For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain. (1 Thess. 2:1)
“Our coming to you” implies contact. Contact suggests approaching and communicating. You cannot witness without making contact. Our Lord Himself cited the perfect analogy to making contact in witnessing when He said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matt. 4:19b) What did He mean? First of all, fishermen must have a desire to fish— be motivated. Second, fishermen must be equipped to fish—be prepared and ready. Third, fishermen must go where the fish are located—catch them where they are. Travel to the locale for fishing may involve seasickness or a strenuous hike through difficult terrain. Once you arrive you cannot sit on the bank and wait for fish to come to you. You must use all your knowledge and skill in the pursuit. As a “fisher of men,” Paul stressed these very principles: when pursuing those who are positive toward Jesus Christ, correct motivation and preparation overcome hardships, fears, and pressures. Once Paul reached his destination, he made certain his contact would not be “in vain.” In vain means hollow, empty, fruitless, or ineffective. He knew fishermen must use the right bait. His bait was the Gospel with the content clearly defined. Confident of his message, he witnessed in the power of the Spirit, never deviating from the real issue. His job done, he stayed out of the Holy Spirit’s way and awaited the results. Thus, Paul fulfilled another analogy to witnessing: fishermen must be patient. Even as fishermen will be rewarded for their efforts, so “fishers of men” can anticipate the fruits of their labor: the joy of WITNESSING seeing souls saved in time to the everlasting glory of Jesus Christ throughout eternity. Paul followed this pattern of making contact in detail and stated: For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of men, we proved to be among you for your sake. (1 Thess. 1:5) Not only by word of mouth did Paul and his traveling companion, Silas, proclaim the Gospel, but also by the way they lived. “What kind of men” they were was well known—honorable ambassadors for Christ. Consequently, their message received a favorable hearing. The old cliché “actions speak louder than words” is all too true when referring to personal evangelism. The unbeliever says, “Show me; then I’ll listen to what you have to say!” (James 2:14–16). If your lifestyle does not match your high calling in Christ, is it any wonder the unbeliever turns away and thinks: “If this is a sample of Christianity, I want no part of it!” To his detriment, the unbeliever judges a potential, eternal relationship with the Lord and the incomparable Christian way of life by the behavior of a poor representative. So, as you encounter the unbelieving world, remember that you are the Lord’s emissary, His personal ambassador on earth with an honor code to uphold.
The Gospel Must Be Clearly Presented: But after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition. (1 Thess. 2:2) Even in the face of strong opposition, the Gospel must be presented with bold clarity. During their stay at Philippi, Paul and Silas were severely persecuted because of their stand for Jesus Christ. They had been dragged into the marketplace, the open court, where they were severely flogged and cast into prison (Acts 16:16–24). Although they suffered bitterly, they continued to confidently present the Gospel. Fear of additional punishment did not stop them. From the persistence of Paul and Silas a principle arises: opposition and obstacles to the Gospel are to be expected but should never discourage our resolve to witness. Tragically, failure to understand the correct function of evangelism has often dispatched to the mission field ill-prepared people who never should have gone. Many missionaries who experience the rigors of the foreign field refuse a second term. The dropout rate is high. Simply deciding to face the hardship of crossing a mountain range or an ocean does not prepare a missionary. When a Christian will not cross the street to speak to a neighbor about Christ, assuredly he will do no better in a foreign land. The best test of the desire of a missionary or anyone else to proclaim the Gospel would be a positive response to these questions: 1. Do you understand and clearly communicate the Gospel and pertinent biblical doctrines? 2. Do you witness regularly at home? 3. Do you master the language of the land you seek to reach for Christ? 4. Do you manifest maturity and stability in your spiritual life and show concern for lost souls? If a person is reticent about witnessing in his own neighborhood, he would soon become overwhelmed, discouraged, and wither under the fires of opposition elsewhere.
