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 Ten
A verse-by-verse commentary by Max Klein
Genesis 12:3a, “And I [the Lord] will bless those who bless you [every generation of Jews in history], and the one who curses you [attacks and destroys the Jew], I will curse [wipe them off of the face of the earth].”
Chapter 10: This is the story how the laborers were sent into the harvest.
Matthew 10:1
Καὶ προσκαλεσάµενος τοὺς δώδεκα µαθητὰς αὐτοῦ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς ἐξουσίαν πνευµάτων ἀκαθάρτων ὥστε ἐκβάλλειν αὐτὰ καὶ θεραπεύειν πᾶσαν νόσον καὶ πᾶσαν µαλακίαν.
And when He had called to himself His twelve disciples, He gave them authority over unclean spirits [demons], to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.
Was Judas Iscariot a believer or an unbeliever? For the first time, the twelve were separated from the hundreds of other disciples and will be promoted to apostles to Israel. These twelve were given authority which could only be given to believers. Can you imagine Jesus Christ delegating responsibility to an unbeliever to evangelize and then to give authority to that same person to cast out demons and to heal all sickness and disease [similar to giving spiritual gifts]? How could anyone accuse Jesus Christ of such folly!
The healing was a credit card for the apostles and would draw the crowds and to allow them to communicate the gospel message to the ‘lost sheep of Israel’. (If Judas were an unbeliever, it would be tantamount to a lost sheep communicating to lost sheep. Since there was no criticism of Judas Iscariot, he apparently did a good job of evangelizing.) So, the purpose of healing was never to alleviate suffering only, but to have opportunity to present the gospel. Salvation is far more important than the alleviation of suffering in time.
Verses 2-4: the roster of the apostles to Israel
Matthew 10:2-4
Τῶν δὲ δώδεκα ἀποστόλων τὰ ὀνόµατά ἐστιν ταῦτα· πρῶτος Σίµων ὁ λεγόµενος Πέτρος καὶ Ἀνδρέας ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ, καὶ Ἰάκωβος ὁ τοῦ Ζεβεδαίου καὶ Ἰωάννης ὁ ἀδελφὸς αὐτοῦ, (3) Φίλιππος καὶ Βαρθολοµαῖος, Θωµᾶς καὶ Μαθθαῖος ὁ τελώνης, Ἰάκωβος ὁ τοῦ Ἁλφαίου καὶ Θαδδαῖος, (4) Σίµων ὁ Καναναῖος καὶ Ἰούδας ὁ Ἰσκαριώτης ὁ καὶ παραδοὺς αὐτόν.
And the names of the twelve apostles [to Israel] are these: First, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James, the son of Zebedee and John his brother. (3) Philip and Bartholomew [also called Nathaniel]; Thomas [Doubting Thomas] and Matthew the tax-collector; James, the son of Alpheus, and Thaddeus [some manuscripts have the following ‘Lebbeus, whose surname was Thaddeus’], (4) Simon the Canaanite, and Judas Iscariot, who also betrayed Him [handed Him over].
There must be a reason why they are listed in pairs. They apparently went out to evangelize in six teams. Even in the military, usually a single person is not sent on a mission; the smallest would be a team of two. In this way, if something should happen to one of the members, the other would be present to resolve the issue.
Matthew 10:5
Τούτους τοὺς δώδεκα ἀπέστειλεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς παραγγείλας αὐτοῖς λέγων, Εἰς ὁδὸν ἐθνῶν µὴ ἀπέλθητε, καὶ εἰς πόλιν Σαµαριτῶν µὴ εἰσέλθητε·
Jesus sent out these twelve, commanding them, saying [last minute instructions namely a briefing], “Do not go into the way of the gentiles, and do not enter into any city of the Samaritans [were the transplanted gentiles who intermarried with the Jewish people in that area].
Since Jesus has been instructing them for some time including the Sermon on the Mount, they are now prepared for their mission. Now he gives them a briefing before sending them to the lost sheep of Israel. The gospel must first go to the lost sheep [unbelievers] of Israel and then to Samaria and to the outermost parts of the world.
Matthew 10:6
πορεύεσθε δὲ µᾶλλον πρὸς τὰ πρόβατα τὰ ἀπολωλότα οἴκου Ἰσραήλ.
But rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel [their objective].”
After the Jewish areas have been completely saturated with the gospel, the Lord sends them to the gentiles (Matthew 28:19). Romans 1:16. “For I am not ashamed of the good news regarding salvation, for it is the power, the capacity, the ability of God for providing salvation to anyone who believes in Christ, both to the Jew foremost [first in privilege] and likewise to the Gentiles.”
Matthew 10:7
πορευόµενοι δὲ κηρύσσετε λέγοντες ὅτι Ἤγγικεν ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.
And as you go, proclaim, saying, “The kingdom of Heaven is at hand [since Christ is on the earth].”
‘The Kingdom of Heaven’ is the eternal life kingdom promised by the 4 unconditional covenants. Sometimes it is also called the ‘the Kingdom of God and sometimes just ‘the Kingdom.’
Matthew 10:8
ἀσθενοῦντας θεραπεύετε, νεκροὺς ἐγείρετε, λεπροὺς καθαρίζετε, δαιµόνια ἐκβάλλετε· δωρεὰν ἐλάβετε, δωρεὰν δότε.
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers [had to be reported to the priesthood], raise the dead [resuscitation], cast out demons [eliminate the enemy]. You [twelve] have freely received freely give [All twelve including Judas are the objects of God’s grace which began at their salvation].
How are they going to get the unbelievers to focus on the message of the gospel? They would cast out demons to remove the opposition and to give the one’s afflicted with demon possession and others the opportunity to respond to the gospel. The Lord gave his apostles these gifts to identify them with the Lord Jesus Christ. This great outbreak of healing and miracles was a declaration that the Messiah was here.
Verses 9, 10: How will they be sustained?
Matthew 10:9-10
Μὴ κτήσησθε χρυσὸν µηδὲ ἄργυρον µηδὲ χαλκὸν εἰς τὰς ζώνας ὑµῶν, (10) µὴ πήραν εἰς ὁδὸν µηδὲ δύο χιτῶνας µηδὲ ὑποδήµατα µηδὲ ῥάβδον· ἄξιος γὰρ ὁ ἐργάτης τῆς τροφῆς αὐτοῦ.
Do not provide gold nor silver, nor brass in your money belt, (10) nor a bread box for your journey, nor two coats, nor [two pairs of] sandals, nor staffs [for protection from robbers] for the workman is worthy of his food [other believers should provide for them]. (All the cities have believers in them whose believers will provide for them, not the unbelievers.)
They certainly would not need a staff to protect themselves from robbers since they are not carrying any wealth with them, and also they are under the Lord’s protection. Regarding food and other things needed, they will be provided for by believers in the different cities. Believers will be expected to sustain these apostles, not the unbeliever.
Matthew 10:11
εἰς ἣν δí ἂν πόλιν ἢ κώµην εἰσέλθητε, ἐξετάσατε τίς ἐν αὐτῇ ἄξιός ἐστιν· κἀκεῖ µείνατε ἕως ἂν ἐξέλθητε.
And into whatever city or village you enter, inquire [make a reconnaissance] who within it is worthy [a believer with whom you can associate and be relaxed and can trust]. And there abide until you go away from there [they will sustain you].
These apostles are to stay in a home in which they can relax. So, they must be careful in picking the right homes. Homes where believers have the capacity to function as team members.
Matthew 10:12
εἰσερχόµενοι δὲ εἰς τὴν οἰκίαν ἀσπάσασθε αὐτήν·
And when you come into a house [of believers who have offered lodging and provisions for the apostles], greet it [enjoy the hospitality and the time spent together].
‘Greeting a house’ is an idiom for relaxing and enjoying each other’s company. The apostles are to gather information about the believers in the cities to which they are going, and to locate those believers who will provide a relaxing environment for them during their work in that city.
Matthew 10:13
καὶ ἐὰν µὲν ᾖ ἡ οἰκία ἀξία, ἐλθάτω ἡ εἰρήνη ὑµῶν ἐπí αὐτήν· ἐὰν δὲ µὴ ᾖ ἀξία, ἡ εἰρήνη ὑµῶν πρὸς ὑµᾶς ἐπιστραφήτω.
And if the house is worthy [advanced believers who are gracious], let your prosperity [provided by the Lord] come on it [enjoy the people in that home and understand the concept of blessing by association. Also, God always provides some type of blessing for believers with capacity.]. But if it is not worthy [the believers are not relaxing to be with because they are legalistic or emotional neurotics and so will not listen to your grace teaching], let your prosperity return to you [get out and let the Lord judge the situation].
Verses 14-28 opposition
Matthew 10:14
καὶ ὃς ἂν µὴ δέξηται ὑµᾶς µηδὲ ἀκούσῃ τοὺς λόγους ὑµῶν, ἐξερχόµενοι ἔξω τῆς οἰκίας ἢ τῆς πόλεως ἐκείνης ἐκτινάξατε τὸν κονιορτὸν [ἐκ] τῶν ποδῶν ὑµῶν.
And whoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words [rejects the message of the Lord’s apostles], when you depart out of that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet [pronouncing a curse].
To Israel the dust of a heathen country was unclean and defiled; it was associated with the grave and death. To shake off the dust was to pronounce a curse upon that home or city.
Matthew 10:15
ἀµὴν λέγω ὑµῖν, ἀνεκτότερον ἔσται γῇ Σοδόµων καὶ Γοµόρρων ἐν ἡµέρᾳ κρίσεως ἢ τῇ πόλει ἐκείνῃ.
Truly I say to you, it was logically more bearable [sometimes the future tense is used for logical progression, not the future] for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah [when they were judged a couple of thousand years before] in the day of [historical] judgment than for that city [any city where the apostles had to dust off their sandals which cities the Romans will judge in 70 A.D.].
The Romans in 70 A.D. were harder on some Jewish cities like Jerusalem and Capernaum than on others. The judgment on Sodom and Gomorrah was rather quick, but there was a lot of mental anguish, rape, torture, and slaughter by the Romans and in some cases the Arabs got involved as well in the judgment of some of these Jewish cities. In summary, the suffering on these Jewish cities was greater than the suffering in Sodom and Gomorrah.
This verse cannot refer to the Great White Throne Judgment for the following reasons:
1. There are no degrees of punishment administered to unbelievers; all unbelievers are cast into the same Lake of Fire.
2. All will enter into the Lake of Fire for the only sin which was not judged on the cross namely rejection of Jesus Christ as their savior. Since this is the same sin for all, the judgment will be the same for all.
3. The consequences of rejecting Jesus Christ on the cross are dealt with at the Great White Throne Judgment.
4. When the unbeliever rejects Jesus Christ as his savior, he is rejecting imputed righteousness. When he rejects divine imputed righteousness, his name is blotted out from the Book of Eternal Life since his everlasting life will not be spent with God.
5. The unbeliever rejects the imputed righteousness received by faith in Jesus Christ because he assumes that his experiential righteousness is sufficient for him to gain access into the eternal kingdom of God. However, at the Great White Throne Judgment, the Lord Jesus Christ demonstrates that the unbeliever’s righteousness is not good enough. Furthermore, since the unbeliever has been blotted out of the Book of eternal Life, the life that allows him to live with God for all eternity, he is only qualified for the Lake of Fire.
6. Apparently, if the unbeliever could prove at the Great White Throne Judgment that he is perfectly righteous and so qualified to live with God, but he can’t because he isn’t, he would be reinstated into the Book of Life, but he won’t be.
7. There are no degrees of rejection; one either believes in the Lord Jesus Christ as his Savior or rejects Him. So, since there are no degrees of rejection, there can be no degrees of eternal punishment.
Matthew 10:16
Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω ὑµᾶς ὡς πρόβατα ἐν µέσῳ λύκων· γίνεσθε οὖν φρόνιµοι ὡς οἱ ὄφεις καὶ ἀκέραιοι ὡς αἱ περιστεραί.
Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be as wise as serpents and to be without gimmicks as doves [trust the Lord and stay away from gimmicks].
No shepherd knowingly would send his flock into a pack of wolves unless he could and would protect them. Since their shepherd was the Lord Jesus Christ, their protection was perfect.
In the ancient world, the serpent was the emblem of wisdom for example, Hermes (Mercury) carried a caduceus, a winged staff with a couple of serpents winding around it. The Christian needs wisdom if he is going to deal successfully with a ministry.
Doves fly into a certain place at night without gimmicks and they leave without gimmicks. They are quite straightforward. They don’t even use noise to distract hunters like a covey of quail does. For example, if a few hunters are trying to flush a covey of quail from some brush, the quail will cleverly hold fast until the hunters are almost upon them before they take flight. Then, suddenly there will emerge from the brush a startling noise from a covey of 15- 25 birds flapping hard to gain flight which noise can unsettle a hunter for a bit and give them a chance. These apostles are not to mimic quail, but doves namely they are to present the gospel information accurately and in a straightforward manner like doves. No gimmicks, no tricks!
Matthew 10:17
προσέχετε δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνθρώπων· παραδώσουσιν γὰρ ὑµᾶς εἰς συνέδρια, καὶ ἐν ταῖς συναγωγαῖς αὐτῶν µαστιγώσουσιν ὑµᾶς·
But beware of men [religious types], for they will deliver you up to the Counsel [Sanhedrin for the assignment of Judicial punishment], and they will scourge you in their synagogues [places of religious worship].
Religion is the greatest persecutor of the truth, always has been and always will be.
Matthew 10:18-19
καὶ ἐπὶ ἡγεµόνας δὲ καὶ βασιλεῖς ἀχθήσεσθε ἕνεκεν ἐµοῦ εἰς µαρτύριον αὐτοῖς καὶ τοῖς ἔθνεσιν. (19) ὅταν δὲ παραδῶσιν ὑµᾶς, µὴ µεριµνήσητε πῶς ἢ τί λαλήσητε· δοθήσεται γὰρ ὑµῖν ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ὥρᾳ τί λαλήσητε·
And you shall be brought before [Roman] governors [appointed by the Roman Senate] and kings [client kings appointed by the Roman senate like Herod] for my sake, for a testimony against them [in most case, these governors and kings will reject the gospel] and against the gentiles [other gentiles who reject the gospel]. (19) But when they deliver you up, take no thought how or what you shall speak [don’t become frightened or worried]; for it shall be given you in that same hour what you shall speak.
This is not a promise to preachers who have not prepared for a service and need a message miraculously given to them. This is for a person who has been arrested by some governmental agency for communicating the gospel or teaching a group of believers. It is not a speaking situation, but a situation whereby they are going to be quizzed or interrogated by governmental officials and so are under great pressure.
1. To say the right thing before political leaders will be an ordeal for the disciples.
2. So, God will provide special wisdom for this situation of pressure.
3. This promise does not apply to preachers in their preparation of a message, but believers under the pressure of persecution and consequently under the pressure of freezing-up mentally.
4. The more doctrine these disciples have the easier it will be for them to answer under pressure.
Verses 20-23: the intensity of opposition
Matthew 10:20
οὐ γὰρ ὑµεῖς ἐστε οἱ λαλοῦντες ἀλλὰ τὸ πνεῦµα τοῦ πατρὸς ὑµῶν τὸ λαλοῦν ἐν ὑµῖν.
For it is not you who speak, but the [Holy] Spirit of your [to the twelve apostles] Father who speaks in you.
The Holy Spirit under enduement will pull out of their memory center what they (the twelve apostles which includes Judas Iscariot) shall say. You see these are believers with metabolized doctrine taught to them previously by Jesus.
All twelve apostles as believers were given the power of the Holy Spirit just as certain believers in the age of Israel had received before them. This ministry we called enduement. Bezalel for example was given the ability to construct the Ark, some were given administrative ability, to others leadership, to still others like the prophets, Biblical information etc. Judas as one of the apostles to Israel was given this power of the Holy Spirit. All who received this power were believers!
God the Father is said to be the father of Judas Iscariot, “your Father who speaks in you.” It is the message of God the Father delivered through the power of the Enduement of the Spirit to the twelve apostles to Israel.
Matthew 10:21
παραδώσει δὲ ἀδελφὸς ἀδελφὸν εἰς θάνατον καὶ πατὴρ τέκνον, καὶ ἐπαναστήσονται τέκνα ἐπὶ γονεῖς καὶ θανατώσουσιν αὐτούς.
And brother will deliver up brother to death, and the father his child. And the children shall rise-up against their parents and cause them to be put to death.
As the apostles communicate the gospel message some will respond to their message and others will not. This causes the greatest divisions and antagonisms possible. The antagonism is initiated by those who reject truth. They will develop a hatred toward members of their own family who have accepted the truth of the gospel. This hatred can easily motivated murder lust. So, in many cases, members of a family will murder other members of their very own family. China is the classical example in modern history where members of a family put other members of their family to death. In China after the communist takeover, children were used to kill twenty million adults (the parents of the children). The parents adhering to truth had rejected communism. The children were inculcated in communism and so had rejected the truth as found in the Laws of the Divine Institutions. The concept of family love and bond broke down very quickly under communism. Whenever truth is rejected whether it be the gospel or the Laws of Divine Establishment, it leads to demonization of the souls of the ones involved. Once this occurs, these people indoctrinated with Satan’s thinking can be used as weapons against those who have accepted the truth.
Matthew 10:22
καὶ ἔσεσθε µισούµενοι ὑπὸ πάντων διὰ τὸ ὄνοµά µου· ὁ δὲ ὑποµείνας εἰς τέλος οὗτος σωθήσεται.
And you [the twelve] will be hated by all [who reject the truth and hatred motivates murder lust.] for my name's sake, but he [anyone of the twelve] who endures [under pressure with happiness as per James 1:12] to the end [of this ministry] this one will be delivered [from all the hostility in this ministry to the ‘Lost Sheep of Israel’ and will be promoted to the permanent rank of apostleship in the Church age. The only exception was Judas for since he did not endure under pressure and continue his spiritual life, and so under emotional revolt of his soul took his own life.].
James 1:12, “Happy is the mature believer [the noble man] who endures under the pressure [of undeserved suffering] because having been evaluated [at the Judgment throne of Christ], he will receive the wreath of Life which He promised to those who love Him.”
Of the twelve apostles to Israel a temporary promotion, eleven will succeed in their spiritual lives and be promoted to the permanent rank of apostleship in the Church Age. So, during their ministry to the Lost Sheep of Israel, though they faced many dangers from hostile peoples, Jewish leaders and Roman governors and kings, they were delivered from all these dangers. Only Judas Iscariot was not promoted from the temporary rank of apostleship in the Age of Israel to the permanent rank of apostleship in the Church Age because he failed in his spiritual life; he did not persevere in his spiritual life and took his own life.
Matthew 10:23
ὅταν δὲ διώκωσιν ὑµᾶς ἐν τῇ πόλει ταύτῃ, φεύγετε εἰς τὴν ἑτέραν· ἀµὴν γὰρ λέγω ὑµῖν, οὐ µὴ τελέσητε τὰς πόλεις τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἕως [ἂν] ἔλθῃ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου.
But when they [those antagonistic to the gospel message] persecute you [the twelve] in this city, get out and go to another; for truly I say to you, in no way shall you have finished the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes [to the earth at the 2nd Advent which officially ends the Age of Israel; This does not mean that they will not complete their evangelism for the world is completely evangelized in every generation. Rather, this simply means that the time is short. So, don’t waste your time with negative people.].
God is fair to all. When you evangelize someone and that person is negative, move on. Don’t waste your time trying to evangelize a negative person. This includes your loved ones. If they should become interested in the gospel at some later time, the Lord can use another agent. In any case, the Lord is perfectly fair toward every unbeliever which means that the Lord never fails to bring the gospel information to anyone who desires it. So, in every generation, the gospel message reaches all who desire to hear it. God never fails in His responsibility.
Matthew 10:24
Οὐκ ἔστιν µαθητὴς ὑπὲρ τὸν διδάσκαλον οὐδὲ δοῦλος ὑπὲρ τὸν κύριον αὐτοῦ.
A disciple is not above his teacher [Jesus Christ], nor the servant above his master.
Jesus Christ was both their teacher and master. So, if Jesus Christ is going to receive opposition, so will they.
There is a principle here as well. If a group of very advanced believers choose as their pastor someone who is spiritually less advanced, they will drop down to his level. The Christian can not advance beyond the teaching of their pastor.
Matthew 10:25
ἀρκετὸν τῷ µαθητῇ ἵνα γένηται ὡς ὁ διδάσκαλος αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὁ δοῦλος ὡς ὁ κύριος αὐτοῦ. εἰ τὸν οἰκοδεσπότην Βεελζεβοὺλ ἐπεκάλεσαν, πόσῳ µᾶλλον τοὺς οἰκιακοὺς αὐτοῦ.
It is enough for the disciple that he be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house, Beelzebub [prince of dung, a title of derision for Satan], how much more those of his household?
Christ communicates doctrine; they are to communicate doctrine. Beelzebub is a derisive title for Satan. So, if they call Jesus Christ who is the perfect God-Man, the ‘prince of dung’ how much more his disciples who are not perfect.
Matthew 10:26
Μὴ οὖν φοβηθῆτε αὐτούς· οὐδὲν γάρ ἐστιν κεκαλυµµένον ὃ οὐκ ἀποκαλυφθήσεται, καὶ κρυπτὸν ὃ οὐ γνωσθήσεται.
Therefore, do not fear them, for there is nothing covered [the opposition will always try to obscure or veil the gospel] that shall not be revealed [The Lord will always reveal the truth where truth is sought.], and nothing hidden [by rejection of truth] which shall not be known [The truth will be communicated when it is sought after.].
Those who hate the truth attack the gospel in several ways. They can obscure the gospel by maligning or mocking the communicator of the message or by distorting the gospel message or by preventing the presentation of the gospel message. The greatest opposition always comes from religion. 2 Corinthians 4:3, 4 “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. (4) The god of this age [Satan] has blinded the minds of unbelievers [mainly through religion, also through emotion and the dark side of morality etc.], so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
Matthew 10:27
ὃ λέγω ὑµῖν ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ, εἴπατε ἐν τῷ φωτί· καὶ ὃ εἰς τὸ οὖς ἀκούετε, κηρύξατε ἐπὶ τῶν δωµάτων.
What I tell you in darkness [the teaching ministry of Jesus privately to his disciples], speak [commanded to communicate the gospel] in the light [proclaim the gospel clearly and honestly]; and what you hear with the ear, proclaim [some believer with a communicative gift] on the housetops.
You must learn certain things before one can communicate the gospel. So, the Lord had to teach them not only about the gospel, but also how to communicate to religious unbelievers and how to face opposition just to mention a few requirements.
Matthew 10:28
καὶ µὴ φοβεῖσθε ἀπὸ τῶν ἀποκτεννόντων τὸ σῶµα, τὴν δὲ ψυχὴν µὴ δυναµένων ἀποκτεῖναι· φοβεῖσθε δὲ µᾶλλον τὸν δυνάµενον καὶ ψυχὴν καὶ σῶµα ἀπολέσαι ἐν γεέννῃ.
And stop being afraid of [middle voice: you receive benefit when you obey this command] those who kill the body but are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear [addressed to believers] Him [God and his plan] who can ruin [make void; bring to nothing] both soul and body in Gehenna [Lake of Fire: the believer though he will not go to the Lake of Fire, he should have great respect for the power of God. We should be afraid of missing out on the power of God].
The real person is his soul which will live for all eternity. Since no human being can injure or kill the soul, then why should we fear any person. The most that any human being can do is to kill one’s body and that if only God permits. However, the Lord on the other hand can not only execute any person at any time in time but can also cast the unbeliever into the Lake of Fire forever which impacts not only his everlasting body but his soul as well.
Matthew 10:29
οὐχὶ δύο στρουθία ἀσσαρίου πωλεῖται; καὶ ἓν ἐξ αὐτῶν οὐ πεσεῖται ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν ἄνευ τοῦ πατρὸς ὑµῶν.
Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing [1.5 cents before the Fed started unlimited printing]? And one of them shall not fall upon the ground [shall not be killed] apart from your Father’s will.
The sparrow was the cheapest bird to purchase for food. In those days they ate sparrows just as they do in China today. I was told by a Chinese lady that they are quite delicious, but it takes many sparrows to fill a big stomach. Even though the sparrow is the least of birds, God the Father has a plan for them which includes providing food, a mate, little ones and a right time for their departure.
Even though this is not a formal a fortiori argument, it is a type of a fortiori. If the Lord is willing to protect the least of birds, a fortiori He will protect the believer from any danger or harm.
Matthew 10:30
ὑµῶν δὲ καὶ αἱ τρίχες τῆς κεφαλῆς πᾶσαι ἠριθµηµέναι εἰσίν.
But even the hairs [the details about you] of your head are all numbered.
We are so important to the Lord that even He keeps track of our hairs, and usually He permits enough to remain to count. Your needs and problems change daily just as your hairs do. God is aware of your needs and problems and their changes just as he is aware of your hairs and their changes.
Matthew 10:31
µὴ οὖν φοβεῖσθε· πολλῶν στρουθίων διαφέρετε ὑµεῖς.
Therefore, stop fearing, you are of greater value than many sparrows.
If the Lord will provide for and protect the least of birds which have little value and are here today and gone tomorrow, how much more will he provide for and protect His precious beloved children who will live with Him for all eternity.
Matthew 10:32-33
Πᾶς οὖν ὅστις ὁµολογήσει ἐν ἐµοὶ ἔµπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ὁµολογήσω κἀγὼ ἐν αὐτῷ ἔµπροσθεν τοῦ πατρός µου τοῦ ἐν [τοῖς] οὐρανοῖς· (33) ὅστις δí ἂν ἀρνήσηταί µε ἔµπροσθεν τῶν ἀνθρώπων, ἀρνήσοµαι κἀγὼ αὐτὸν ἔµπροσθεν τοῦ πατρός µου τοῦ ἐν [τοῖς] οὐρανοῖς.
Then everyone who shall acknowledge [confess] Me [who Christ is and what he did] before men [the apostles witnessing to the Lost Sheep of Israel], I will acknowledge him before My Father who is in Heaven [these believers will be presented before God the Father as a type of reward]. (33)But whoever shall deny Me before men [If an apostle rejects his responsibility to witness properly etc.], I will also deny him before My Father in Heaven [that apostle will be denied reward].
Judas Iscariot probably did not do much witnessing since he was primarily interested in making money. Since he did not advance spiritually, when he did witness, he was out of fellowship.
Verses 34-39: some of the sacrifices the believers will have to make.
Matthew 10:34
Μὴ νοµίσητε ὅτι ἦλθον βαλεῖν εἰρήνην ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν· οὐκ ἦλθον βαλεῖν εἰρήνην ἀλλὰ µάχαιραν.
Do not presume that I have come to bring peace on earth, I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Many of those who spread the social gospel say that Christ has come to show us the way of peace and disarmament. Politicians cause peace to take precedence over principle, over freedom or anything else. This emphasis is Satanic. The road to peace is not through disarmament, but through a strong military and a large pivot.
1. The cross divides mankind and the basis for many wars.
2. This division reaches the closest relationships in life including the family.
Matthew 10:35
ἦλθον γὰρ διχάσαι ἄνθρωπον κατὰ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ θυγατέρα κατὰ τῆς µητρὸς αὐτῆς καὶ νύµφην κατὰ τῆς πενθερᾶς αὐτῆς,
For I have come to set a man [referring to the son] against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. [the antagonism is equal in these three sets]
The Lord does not directly pit people against one another, rather those who reject truth will be antagonistic toward those who seek truth. Though the daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law has natural antagonism, the son against his father, and the daughter against her mother are not naturally antagonistic toward each other. However, in this verse they are stated as equal sets of antagonism. Another words, those who reject grace and truth will hate the others with great animosity even in the closest of relationships.
Matthew 10:36
καὶ ἐχθροὶ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου οἱ οἰκιακοὶ αὐτοῦ.
And a man's enemies shall be those of his own household [includes family and marriage].
The believer’s greatest enemy is himself when he is failing. However, the advanced believer’s greatest enemies are from other people who hate grace and truth and in many cases, these are members of his own household.
Matthew 10:37
Ὁ φιλῶν πατέρα ἢ µητέρα ὑπὲρ ἐµὲ οὐκ ἔστιν µου ἄξιος· καὶ ὁ φιλῶν υἱὸν ἢ θυγατέρα ὑπὲρ ἐµὲ οὐκ ἔστιν µου ἄξιος·
When he [a believer] loves [fileo is love in relationship] father or mother more than Me. he is not worthy of Me. Conversely, when anyone loves son or daughter more than Me, he is not worthy of Me.
The believer must have the greatest love for the Lord. The Lord must be number one in his scale of values. If he does, he will also have great capacity to love the members of his family. The mature Christian will love those in his family infinitely more than the Christian who has rejected the spiritual life.
Matthew 10:38
καὶ ὃς οὐ λαµβάνει τὸν σταυρὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀκολουθεῖ ὀπίσω µου, οὐκ ἔστιν µου ἄξιος.
And he who does not take up his cross and follow Me [to execute the spiritual life with emphasis on correct priorities, personal and impersonal love along with undeserved suffering] is not worthy of Me.
This metaphor does not refer to the literal cross of Christ since no one can follow Christ in His going to the cross. That would be blasphemous. This is a reference to picking up the Roman cross on the way to execution. All on-lookers looked down on such a person in disgrace. All previous approbation for such a person is now gone. Even one’s own family will have nothing to do with such a person. So, it is with the Christian. He may have to lose the approbation of family and friends to execute the Father’s plan. So, just how do we pick-up our cross? Just as Jesus Christ executed the proto-type spiritual life and passed all the undeserved suffering tests. We must execute the spiritual life given to us which in the Church Age is the execution of the Operational Spiritual Life. In so doing, we may lose the fellowship of friends and family.
Jesus completed the Father’s plan for His life by picking up His cross. Now, we must pick-up our cross by completing the Operational Spiritual Life.
The seven spirits are titles related to the teaching ministry of God the Holy Spirit first to the humanity of Christ and then to the Church Age believers. These 7 titles are found in Isaiah 11:2 and are as follows:
-
The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him (The Holy Spirit’s power)
-
The Spirit of wisdom (wisdom extrapolated from truth and applied to people, circumstances, sufferings etc.)
-
The Spirit of perception (the means of learning doctrine)
-
The Spirit of counsel (the Spirit counsels through metabolized doctrine)
-
The Spirit of strength (the Spirit produces strength in the soul through humility and integrity)
-
The Spirit of knowledge (the Spirit, the teacher of divine knowledge)
-
The Spirit who provides respect for the Lord
Matthew 10:39
ὁ εὑρὼν τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἀπολέσει αὐτήν, καὶ ὁ ἀπολέσας τὴν ψυχὴν αὐτοῦ ἕνεκεν ἐµοῦ εὑρήσει αὐτήν.
He who discovers [the action of the aorist active participle precedes the main verb] his soul [by developing capacity through the execution of the plan of God] shall lose it [loses the old standards by putting God’s plan first]. And he who loses his soul [the old standards of his soul by advancing spiritually] for my sake shall find it [capacity for life, love, and happiness].
The Christian has not discovered his soul until he has the capacity to reciprocate God’s love.
Matthew 10:40
Ὁ δεχόµενος ὑµᾶς ἐµὲ δέχεται, καὶ ὁ ἐµὲ δεχόµενος δέχεται τὸν ἀποστείλαντά µε.
He [the advanced believers in the towns to which the apostles will go] who receives you [the apostles] receives Me [because they represent the Lord], and he who receives me receives Him [the Father] who sent Me.
This is relationship in a chain of authority and command. For example, in the past if any government attacked a missionary from Great Britain, it was an attack on Great Britain.
Matthew 10:41
ὁ δεχόµενος προφήτην εἰς ὄνοµα προφήτου µισθὸν προφήτου λήµψεται, καὶ ὁ δεχόµενος δίκαιον εἰς ὄνοµα δικαίου µισθὸν δικαίου λήµψεται.
He who receives a prophet in the person of a prophet [He respects the prophet and provides for him] will receive a prophet's reward [share in that reward]. And he who receives a righteous man in the person of a righteous man will receive a righteous man’s reward.
This is the concept of teamwork. Though one may not be an apostle, prophet, evangelist or pastor, he can support the ministry of the one’s mentioned and in so doing he shares in that ministry.
Matthew 10:42
καὶ ὃς ἂν ποτίσῃ ἕνα τῶν µικρῶν τούτων ποτήριον ψυχροῦ µόνον εἰς ὄνοµα µαθητοῦ, ἀµὴν λέγω ὑµῖν, οὐ µὴ ἀπολέσῃ τὸν µισθὸν αὐτοῦ.
And whoever shall give to one of these little [in terms of undeserving] ones [one of the apostles] a cup of cold water to drink, only in the name of a disciple, truly I say to you, He shall in no way lose his reward.
God will reward those who help the apostle assuming that all the other requirements of the spiritual life are met.
