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 Eleven
A verse-by-verse commentary by Max Klein
Matthew 11: the continuation of the 9th chapter
Matthew 11:1
Καὶ ἐγένετο ὅτε ἐτέλεσεν ὁ Ἰησοῦς διατάσσων τοῖς δώδεκα µαθηταῖς αὐτοῦ, µετέβη ἐκεῖθεν τοῦ διδάσκειν καὶ κηρύσσειν ἐν ταῖς πόλεσιν αὐτῶν.
When Jesus had finished giving instructions to [a briefing] his twelve disciples, he departed from there to teach [doctrine emphasized] and proclaim [himself as Savior and Messiah] in their cities.
The Greek noun keruks is a herald of a king. The keruks proclaims (kerusso) the king.
Matthew 11:2
Ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης ἀκούσας ἐν τῷ δεσµωτηρίῳ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ Χριστοῦ πέµψας διὰ τῶν µαθητῶν αὐτοῦ
Now when John, in prison heard of the works of Christ [Messiah], he sent word by his disciples.
John was imprisoned thanks to Herod Antipas. Herod Antipas A.D. 6–39 was the full but younger brother of Herod Archelaus. As a ruler he was regarded as sly and ambitious but not as able as his father. Of him Jesus said, “Go and tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons’” (Luke 13:32). After the death of his father, Herod the Great, Herod Antipas was made the tetrarch of Galilee and Perea, (Since Perea was located on the east side of the Dead Sea, it was separate from the main portion of the tetrarchy) which combined locations embraced but one-fourth of the original territory of Herod the Great.
John the Baptizer was imprisoned because he dared to criticize Herod Antipas. You see, Herod Antipas was first married to the daughter of Aretas, an Arabian king of Petraea. Nevertheless, he was intrigued with the beautiful Herodias, the wife of his half-brother, Philip I who politically had no future, and since Herodias was quite ambitious, she eloped with Herod Antipas. Her marriage to Herod Antipas (himself divorced), after her divorce from his half-brother, was censured by John as a transgression of the Mosaic Law. “But when Herod the tetrarch was reproved by him on account of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and on account of all the wicked things which Herod had done, he added this also to them all [his evil], that he locked John up in prison” (Luke 3:19–20). John’s argument was that rulers should adhere and enforce the Laws of Establishment, not attack them. Herodias reacted bitterly to John’s point and would have had him killed but could not because Herod, her husband feared killing John the Baptizer. Mark 6:18-20, “For John had been saying to Herod, “It is not lawful for you to have your brother’s wife.” 19 So Herodias nursed a grudge against John and wanted to kill him. But she was not able to, 20 because Herod feared John and protected him, knowing him to be a righteous and holy man. When Herod heard John, he was greatly perplexed; yet he liked to listen to him.” Eventually, Herodias through intrigue, got her revenge. Matthew 14:1-5, “At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, 2 and he said to his attendants, “This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” 3 Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 for John had been saying to him: “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 Although Herod wanted to put John to death, he feared the crowd because they considered John a prophet.”
Even though John is alive at this point, he will shortly be beheaded. Matthew 14:6-12, “On Herod’s birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for the guests and pleased Herod so much 7 that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.” 9 The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted 10 and had John beheaded in the prison. 11 His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. 12 John’s disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.”
Matthew 11:3
εἶπεν αὐτῷ, Σὺ εἶ ὁ ἐρχόµενος ἢ ἕτερον προσδοκῶµεν;
and said to him [through his disciples], “Are you the One who is coming [technical expression for the Messiah], or shall we look for another [that is not you]?”
This expression “the One who is coming” is also used in Mark 11:9, “Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted, Hosanna [deliverer, one who will deliver from the Romans] “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” also in Luke 19:38, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”
John recognized the Lord Jesus Christ as both the Savior and the Messiah. So, why this question?
As Savior:
John 1:29, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
As Messiah:
Matthew 3:11-13 “On the one hand I baptize you [believers] by means of water because of a change of thinking [about Christ], but the one coming after me, He 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]. (12) His winnowing-shovel is in his hand, and He [the Lord Jesus Christ at the 2nd Advent] will thoroughly clean [separating the unbelievers from the believers] his threshing floor [analogous to the earth], and he will gather his wheat [believers] into his granary [the Millennium], but he will burn up the chaff [the unbelievers] with unquenchable fire.” [The Baptism of Fire] (13) Then [while John was talking about the coming of Christ at the 2nd Advent] Jesus arrived [made his public appearance] from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John to be baptized by him.”
John 3:28, 29, “You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him [as the herald].’ 29 The bride [the church] belongs to the bridegroom. The friend [John] who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him and is full of happiness when he hears the bridegroom’s voice [John met the Messiah]. That happiness is mine, and it is now complete.
Since John has already recognized Jesus as Christ, he is asking for vindication via the miracles of Messiahship. So, Jesus tells the disciples of John that they should go and communicate to John regarding these miracles in order that John will know that My Messiahship has been vindicated.
Matthew 11:4
καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Πορευθέντες ἀπαγγείλατε Ἰωάννῃ ἃ ἀκούετε καὶ βλέπετε
Jesus answered and said to them [John’s disciples], “Go and report to John what you hear [the Lord’s commands regarding the miracles] and see [the results of his commands]:
They were to stick around to witness His miracles and then to report back to John. In this way, John will know before he is executed that he had fulfilled his responsibility as the Lord’s herald.
Matthew 11:5
τυφλοὶ ἀναβλέπουσιν καὶ χωλοὶ περιπατοῦσιν, λεπροὶ καθαρίζονται καὶ κωφοὶ ἀκούουσιν, καὶ νεκροὶ ἐγείρονται καὶ πτωχοὶ εὐαγγελίζονται
The blind receive sight and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up [resuscitated], and the poor have the gospel preached to them [the poor get what they need the most].
There will always be poor people especially where religion is well entrenched. The best thing that a Christian can do for a poor person is to give him the gospel. If he should respond to the gospel, he then comes under the love of God and God’s logistical provision. Furthermore, as he advances spiritually, he will develop the motivation and ability to think which in some cases will allow him to leave poverty. In addition to giving the gospel, one may help such a person find meaningful employment if he is so inclined, but just giving a handout is not really helping the poor person.
Matthew 11:6
καὶ µακάριός ἐστιν ὃς ἐὰν µὴ σκανδαλισθῇ ἐν ἐµοί
“And blessed is he who does not take offense at me.”
Most were offended by His grace message due to their religious influence. Religion is a system of works and so religious people are always at odds with a grace system. However, there are always those who are under a religious system and come to understand its evil and so are open to the gospel message of grace.
The evaluation of the ministry of John: verses 7-11
Matthew 11:7
Τούτων δὲ πορευοµένων ἤρξατο ὁ Ἰησοῦς λέγειν τοῖς ὄχλοις περὶ Ἰωάννου, Τί ἐξήλθατε εἰς τὴν ἔρηµον θεάσασθαι; κάλαµον ὑπὸ ἀνέµου σαλευόµενον;
As these men were going away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out into the desert to see: a reed shaken by the wind [a pleasing personality: personality makes the man]?
Personality is not an important issue, but the truth. Since truth was not communicated in the temple in Jerusalem, nor in the synagogues, the Jewish unbelievers who were seeking the truth had to go to hear John. They didn’t go into the desert to meet a person with a nice personality, a personality that was pleasing from the human viewpoint, but one who communicated the truth of God.
Matthew 11:8-9
ἀλλὰ τί ἐξήλθατε ἰδεῖν; ἄνθρωπον ἐν µαλακοῖς ἠµφιεσµένον; ἰδοὺ οἱ τὰ µαλακὰ φοροῦντες ἐν τοῖς οἴκοις τῶν βασιλέων εἰσίν. (9) ἀλλὰ τί ἐξήλθατε ἰδεῖν; προφήτην; ναί, λέγω ὑµῖν, καὶ περισσότερον προφήτου
“But what did you go out to see: a man dressed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in Kings’ palaces. (9) But what did you go out to see: a prophet? Yes, I tell you and one who is more than a prophet.
Did they go out to see a prophet? Those Jewish unbelievers seeking the truth did not walk miles to visit a well-dressed aristocrat or member of the royal family. Although he did some prophesying, he was not a prophet by office.
Matthew 11:10
οὗτός ἐστιν περὶ οὗ γέγραπται, Ἰδοὺ ἐγὼ ἀποστέλλω τὸν ἄγγελόν µου πρὸ προσώπου σου, ὃς κατασκευάσει τὴν ὁδόν σου ἔµπροσθέν σο
“This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Behold I [God the Father] send my messenger [John] ahead of you [the Messiah], who will prepare your way before you’” [quoting from Malachi 3:1 and John was the messenger as the herald of the Messiah],’
John became the human herald for the 1st Advent, whereas Elijah will be one of the human heralds of the 2nd Advent. If Jesus Christ had not been rejected at the 1st Advent, there would not have been a need for a 2nd Advent. If there had not been a need for a 2nd Advent there would have been a need for John, the Baptizer as a herald. Thus, the Jews were somewhat confused about the role of John the Baptizer as per John 1:21, “They asked him, "Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the Prophet [the Messiah]?" He answered, "No." Since the Jews had rejected the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior and Messiah, there became a need for two advents and heralds for both advents.
Documentation:
Malachi 4:5-6: “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before the coming of that great and dreadful day of the Lord.”
Matthew 3:3, “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 [Rebound followed by the development of experiential righteousness] His paths!’” Taken from Isaiah 40:3, “A voice [John the Baptizer] proclaiming in the desert [of Judea], prepare the way of the Lord [believe in Him]; make straight in the desert a highway to our God [after salvation execute the spiritual life].”
Matthew 11:11
ἀµὴν λέγω ὑµῖν, οὐκ ἐγήγερται ἐν γεννητοῖς γυναικῶν µείζων Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ· ὁ δὲ µικρότερος ἐν τῇ βασιλείᾳ τῶν οὐρανῶν µείζων αὐτοῦ ἐστιν
Truly I say to you, among those who have been born of women there has not risen a greater one than John the Baptist. But the one who is least [Paul, the greatest person of grace and doctrine] in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he [John; a prophecy of Saul of Tarsus].
John had the record up until the time of Paul. Until Paul came on the scene John had the record for being the greatest believer. Paul oriented to the grace of God more than any believer in history. ‘Least’ refers to Paul’s orientation to grace as well as to John’s (John 3:30). Paul said that he was the least of all in 1 Corinthians 15:10. Grace and humility make the man.
Matthew 11:12
ἀπὸ δὲ τῶν ἡµερῶν Ἰωάννου τοῦ βαπτιστοῦ ἕως ἄρτι ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν βιάζεται, καὶ βιασταὶ ἁρπάζουσιν αὐτήν
And from the days of John the Baptist until now the Kingdom of Heaven suffers violence [great believers are persecuted], and the violent ones take it by force [evil people bring violence upon great believers namely opposition to grace and truth]
A grace-oriented believer is going to have opposition. This is bona fide opposition. Self-righteous Christians also suffer persecution, but they ask for it, and deserve it. The son of the bond woman...
Matthew 11:13-14
πάντες γὰρ οἱ προφῆται καὶ ὁ νόµος ἕως Ἰωάννου ἐπροφήτευσαν. (14) καὶ εἰ θέλετε δέξασθαι, αὐτός ἐστιν Ἠλίας ὁ µέλλων ἔρχεσθαι.
For all the Prophets and the Law [the Old Testament] prophesied [about the Messiah] until John. (14) And if [1st class condition of assumption] you are willing to accept it [the gospel and so the Kingdom], this is Elijah who is about to come. [If you do not then John is John and Elijah is yet to come.]
If the Jews had responded to the gospel message of our Lord there would have been no need for John, only Elijah since only one advent would have been necessary. However, since you will not believe in Jesus Christ and his kingdom, John is John and Elijah will come later.
Matthew 11:15
ὁ ἔχων ὦτα ἀκουέτω
He who has ears, he must keep on listening [persistence is important].
The condemnation of the Jews: verses 16-24
Matthew 11:16
Τίνι δὲ ὁµοιώσω τὴν γενεὰν ταύτην; ὁµοία ἐστὶν παιδίοις καθηµένοις ἐν ταῖς ἀγοραῖς ἃ προσφωνοῦντα τοῖς ἑτέροις
But to what shall I compare this generation [this generation of Jewish religious unbelievers]? It [that generation] is like little children sitting in the markets and calling to their playmates, [that generation of Jews were like children]
They are calling to their friends in a sulking way. They are complaining to their friends about the treatment they are receiving from their friends.
Matthew 11:17
λέγουσιν, Ηὐλήσαµεν ὑµῖν καὶ οὐκ ὠρχήσασθε· ἐθρηνήσαµεν καὶ οὐκ ἐκόψασθε
saying, “We [the generation of Jews at the 1st Advent] played the flute to you, and you did not dance [John didn’t dance. He lived a life of asceticism]! We mourned to you, but you did not wail [Jesus neither fasted nor did he live a life of asceticism]!” [These Jewish unbelievers are like complaining children.]
Just as these Jewish unbelievers complained about John the Baptist so also they complained about the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus will live a life eating good food and wine as it were he danced. John the Baptist is going to live a very ascetic type of life as it were, he wailed. Some Jewish unbelievers liked and desired the lifestyle of Christ whereas the ascetic Jewish unbelievers respected the ascetic type-lifestyle of John. John and Jesus had antithetical lifestyles, and both were rejected and hated by that generation not because of their lifestyles, but because these religious unbelievers hated grace. You are not going to please people who reject the truth.
Matthew 11:18
ἦλθεν γὰρ Ἰωάννης µήτε ἐσθίων µήτε πίνων, καὶ λέγουσιν, ∆αιµόνιον ἔχει·
For John came neither eating [beautifully deliciously prepared food] nor drinking [wine], and they [this generation of religious Jewish unbelievers] say, He has a demon [a criticism because he represents grace and truth].
Even though John had a lifestyle that many ascetic Jews revered, he was rejected and hated by them because he was grace oriented, not a self-righteous ascetic. It is not the lifestyle that people accept or reject alone, it is their thinking and mental attitude as well. So, even though Jesus danced (dined well and dressed well), they complained about him and called him a glutton and drunkard.
Matthew 11:19
ἦλθεν ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἐσθίων καὶ πίνων, καὶ λέγουσιν, Ἰδοὺ ἄνθρωπος φάγος καὶ οἰνοπότης, τελωνῶν φίλος καὶ ἁµαρτωλῶν. καὶ ἐδικαιώθη ἡ σοφία ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων αὐτῆς
The Son of Man came eating [delicious food] and drinking [wine], and they say, Behold, a man who is a glutton [went to parties and ate good food] and a winebibber [an alcoholic], a friend of tax-collectors and prostitutes [a criticism]. But wisdom [from knowing doctrine] is vindicated by its production [production comes from God. Do what is right not what people think or say!].
Religious people both believer and unbeliever attack hypocritically the lifestyle of Christians for if a religious person had that same lifestyle, it would be okay. The same thing goes on with political liberals. It is really the thinking and mental attitude that they are attacking.
The condemnation of Jewish cities: verses 20-24.
Matthew 11:20-21
Τότε ἤρξατο ὀνειδίζειν τὰς πόλεις ἐν αἷς ἐγένοντο αἱ πλεῖσται δυνάµεις αὐτοῦ, ὅτι οὐ µετενόησαν· Οὐαί σοι, Χοραζίν· οὐαί σοι, Βηθσαϊδά· ὅτι εἰ ἐν Τύρῳ καὶ Σιδῶνι ἐγένοντο αἱ δυνάµεις αἱ γενόµεναι ἐν ὑµῖν, πάλαι ἂν ἐν σάκκῳ καὶ σποδῷ µετενόησαν.
Then He began to reproach the cities in which most of His mighty works [miracles] were done, because they did not change their thinking [about Christ and believe]. (21) Woe to you, Chorazin [just north of Capernaum on the city of Galilee]! Woe to you, Bethsaida [house of fishing]! For if the powerful acts which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon [two cities of Phoenician for wickedness and evil], they would have changed their thinking long ago in sackcloth and ashes [and they do when the gospel is brought to them even without all the miracles]!
Chorazin was a center for all the fishermen and for all the smugglers and for many who were doing business with the Roman Empire. Bethsaida was another fishing headquarters. They rejected the gospel in spite of having seen many miracles. Regarding Sidon and Tyre, many did believe when Paul brought the gospel message to them. If the unbeliever is positive, he doesn’t need to see miracles. To the contrary, if the unbeliever is negative, all the miracles in the world will not change his volition as these Jews had demonstrated.
Matthew 11:22
πλὴν λέγω ὑµῖν, Τύρῳ καὶ Σιδῶνι ἀνεκτότερον ἔσται ἐν ἡµέρᾳ κρίσεως ἢ ὑµῖν.
But I say to you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon [judged by Alexander] in the day of [national] judgment than for you [Chorazin and Bethsaida when you are judged by the Romans].
The siege of Tyre was orchestrated by Alexander the Great in 332 BC during his campaigns against the Persians. It is said that Alexander was so enraged at the Tyrians' defense of their city and the loss of his men that he destroyed half the city and slaughters all their leaders. Since the Sidonians did not resist Alexander, they got off quite well.
The Romans started their campaign against the cities of Galilee in 66 A.D. and completed their conquest in 67 A.D. will be more savage than Alexander the Great and that is saying something. In this campaign there was a lot of killing and a lot were taken as prisoners and sold into slavery.
Matthew 11:23
καὶ σύ, Καφαρναούµ, µὴ ἕως οὐρανοῦ ὑψωθήσῃ; ἕως ᾅδου καταβήσῃ. ὅτι εἰ ἐν Σοδόµοις ἐγενήθησαν αἱ δυνάµεις αἱ γενόµεναι ἐν σοί, ἔµεινεν ἂν µέχρι τῆς σήµερον
And you, Capernaum, who are exalted to the heaven [extremely religious], shall be brought down to Hades [as unbelievers]. For, if the mighty works [the miracles] which have been done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day [they would have turned away from their homosexuality].
If the Lord Jesus Christ had gone to Sodom and had performed many miracles to establish his authority and credibility, his warning against homosexuality would have been heeded. Keep in mind that Sodom was destroyed because of this sexual perversion, not because of their rejection of the gospel. So, this verse is not stating that they would have responded to the gospel message.
Matthew 11:24
πλὴν λέγω ὑµῖν ὅτι γῇ Σοδόµων ἀνεκτότερον ἔσται ἐν ἡµέρᾳ κρίσεως ἢ σοί
But I say to you, it shall be more tolerable for the Land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you. [The future tense is used since the comparison at this point was not yet brought to completion.]
Genesis 19:24-25, “Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah—from the Lord out of the heavens. hus he overthrew those cities and the entire plain, destroying all those living in the cities—and also the vegetation in the land.” The judgment was swift. So, the suffering was not long.
Whereas the Roman campaign in Galilee lasted for many months with tremendous suffering, death and slavery.
Matthew 11:25
Ἐν ἐκείνῳ τῷ καιρῷ ἀποκριθεὶς ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν, Ἐξοµολογοῦµαί σοι, πάτερ, κύριε τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ τῆς γῆς, ὅτι ἔκρυψας ταῦτα ἀπὸ σοφῶν καὶ συνετῶν καὶ ἀπεκάλυψας αὐτὰ νηπίοις·
At that time Jesus answered [not answering them, but closing out with prayer] and said, I thank You, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise [rationalism] and prudent [empiricism: those with a theological education] and revealed them to babes [faith oriented].
God does not reveal his plan through rationalism or empiricism, but through faith. Since faith functions without works or merit, religion always rejects the revelation of God. Only through faith, is God’s word revealed.
Matthew 11:26
ναί, ὁ πατήρ, ὅτι οὕτως εὐδοκία ἐγένετο ἔµπροσθέν σου
Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in Your sight.
Jesus recognized that the Father’s plan is perfect, a grace plan understood and executed through the non-meritorious function of faith.
Matthew 11:27
Πάντα µοι παρεδόθη ὑπὸ τοῦ πατρός µου, καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐπιγινώσκει τὸν υἱὸν εἰ µὴ ὁ πατήρ, οὐδὲ τὸν πατέρα τις ἐπιγινώσκει εἰ µὴ ὁ υἱὸς καὶ ᾧ ἐὰν βούληται ὁ υἱὸς ἀποκαλύψαι
All things are delivered to Me from My Father. And no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom [is the person who will respond to grace and learn by faith] the Son desires to reveal Him [God the Father].
Matthew 11:28
∆εῦτε πρός µε πάντες οἱ κοπιῶντες καὶ πεφορτισµένοι, κἀγὼ ἀναπαύσω ὑµᾶς
Come [particle of exhortation] to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden [the Jewish unbeliever loaded down with the legalistic requirements for salvation], and I will give you rest [of salvation].
The Jewish unbeliever has worked to the point of exhaustion in trying to save himself and he is burdened with all the things he must do for salvation as prescribed by the religious crowd. They can rest from carrying the weight of salvation by works. By removing the legalistic requirements of salvation, they can merely believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and rest in their salvation.
Matthew 11:29-30
ἄρατε τὸν ζυγόν µου ἐφí ὑµᾶς καὶ µάθετε ἀπí ἐµοῦ, ὅτι πραΰς εἰµι καὶ ταπεινὸς τῇ καρδίᾳ, καὶ εὑρήσετε ἀνάπαυσιν ταῖς ψυχαῖς ὑµῶν· (30) ὁ γὰρ ζυγός µου χρηστὸς καὶ τὸ φορτίον µου ἐλαφρόν ἐστιν.
Take My yoke on you [the believer is to serve the Lord under his authority] and learn from Me [must learn if one is going to serve], for I am meek [reference to His proto-type spiritual filled life] and lowly in heart [orientation to grace, having humility], and you shall find rest to your souls [tranquility and happiness through application of God’s Word]. (30) For My yoke is [service to the Lord] is profitable, and My burden [opposition and suffering] is light [easy to carry with doctrine].
