AUTHORS » Joe Anady

Sermon: Disciples Of Jesus, Beware!, Luke 20:45-21:4

Old Testament Reading: Jeremiah 22:1–10

“Thus says the LORD: ‘Go down to the house of the king of Judah and speak there this word, and say, ‘Hear the word of the LORD, O king of Judah, who sits on the throne of David, you, and your servants, and your people who enter these gates. Thus says the LORD: Do justice and righteousness, and deliver from the hand of the oppressor him who has been robbed. And do no wrong or violence to the resident alien, the fatherless, and the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place. For if you will indeed obey this word, then there shall enter the gates of this house kings who sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their servants and their people. But if you will not obey these words, I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that this house shall become a desolation.’ For thus says the LORD concerning the house of the king of Judah: ‘You are like Gilead to me, like the summit of Lebanon, yet surely I will make you a desert, an uninhabited city. I will prepare destroyers against you, each with his weapons, and they shall cut down your choicest cedars and cast them into the fire. And many nations will pass by this city, and every man will say to his neighbor, ‘Why has the LORD dealt thus with this great city?’ And they will answer, ‘Because they have forsaken the covenant of the LORD their God and worshiped other gods and served them.’ Weep not for him who is dead, nor grieve for him, but weep bitterly for him who goes away, for he shall return no more to see his native land.” (Jeremiah 22:1–10, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 20:45–21:4

“And in the hearing of all the people he said to his disciples, ‘Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love greetings in the marketplaces and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at feasts, who devour widows’ houses and for a pretense make long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.’ Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, ‘Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.’” (Luke 20:45–21:4, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

I’m sure you have heard about families and organizations developing an ethos or culture over time. It’s bound to happen. The core beliefs, values, and priorities of a group will certainly affect the spirit or culture of a group. And I am sure you have heard of the significant impact that leaders will have on a group’s culture. Leaders will likely set the tone for the ethos of the rest of the group. Owners and managers will have a large effect on a company’s culture. Fathers and mothers will set the tone for the family. Elders and deacons are bound to affect the culture of a church. But who is the true head of the church, brothers and sisters? Who is the one who sets the tone and determines the ethos of the Christian community, except Jesus Christ, the Lord?

I do love to read the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John with this principle in mind. Not only are we to pay attention to the words that Christ spoke and the things he did, but also to the manner or way in which he did them. Now, granted, not everything that Jesus did is to be done by his disciples, for he is the Messiah, and we are not. But the Lord Jesus Christ is the head of the church. His words are to be obeyed, therefore, and his way of life is to be imitated too. Christ must determine the ethos or culture of the community that bears his name. Christians are to love as Christ has loved (John 13:44; Ephesians 5:25), forgive as we have been forgiven (Ephesians 4:23), value what Christ values (Luke 12:33), and endeavor to align our priorities with his (Matthew 6:33).   

It seems to me, there is a lot to learn from the passage that is open before us today, as it pertains to the ethos or culture of Christ’s church. 

To set the stage, we must remember that at this point in Christ’s ministry, he was having conflict with the religious elite within Isarel. Upon his entering Jerusalem and the temple, the chief priests, elders, and scribes swarmed Jesus, like bees protecting their hive. They challenged his authority in an attempt to drive him away. But they could not prevail against him. Again and again, he answered them truthfully and winsomely.   

Jesus eventually turned his attention to the scribes to question them. They were considered expert interpreters of the Old Testament Scriptures, remember, and so they were used to having legal and religious questions asked of them. Jesus must have embarrassed the scribes when he demonstrated that they did not understand what the Scriptures say about the Messiah. He asked them a question about a very important Messianic Psalm—Psalm 110. “[H]e said to them, ‘How can they say that the Christ is David’s son? For David himself says in the Book of Psalms, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’ David thus calls him Lord, so how is he his son?” (Luke 20:41–44, ESV). They could not answer him, revealing their ignorance regarding the Messiah—his person and work.   

Here in the passage that is open before us today, Jesus continues to focus his attention on the scribes. Here he exposes not their ignorance but the corruption of their hearts, particularly their pride, selfish ambition, and greed. And make no mistake about it, friends, there is often a connection between these two things. Willful ignorance and false teaching often go hand in hand with the heart sins of pride, selfish ambition, and greed. And what is the connection? Well, speaking the truth in this world is rarely a lucrative business. It is often costly. Men and women who love to receive praise from others—men who love wealth above all else— will often be willing to compromise the truth to maintain their position of privilege and prestige.  

Our text is quite simple. We will consider it in two parts. First, we will consider the warning that Jesus Christ delivers to all who follow him. Beware of the scribes!, Christ says. Secondly, we will consider the story of the widow’s offering. The chapter break (which was not original to the Gospel of Luke but was added much later for convenience’s sake) might give the impression that the two passages are unrelated, but I believe they are connected. Beware of the pride, selfish ambition, and greed of the scribes, Christ warns. And then we are told of the poor widow and the generous offering she made.

This story is meant to encourage humility, selflessness, compassion, and generosity amongst the disciples of Jesus. This must be the culture or ethos of Christ’s church.  

Beware!

Immediately after Christ finished pressing the scribes with his question about Psalm 110—a question they could not, or at least were not willing, to answer—he issued a warning to his disciples concerning the scribes. “Beware of the scribes”, Christ said. 

I believe Jesus’ warning about the scribes should be applied in three ways. First of all, the disciples of Jesus were, quite literally, to beware of the scribes. Many of the scribes who lived in Jesus’ day were men of corrupt character. They were dangerous men, therefore, and so Christ warned his disciples to beware of them. Secondly, disciples of Jesus, living in all times and places, are instructed by this text to beware of others, especially those who have religious authority, who are infected by the same moral corruptions as the scribes. Thirdly, disciples of Jesus are instructed by this text to guard their own hearts and minds lest the sin of the scribes corrupt them.

Our text begins with these words: “And in the hearing of all the people [Jesus] said to his disciples, ‘Beware of the scribes…’” Now, what was it about the scribes who lived in Jesus’ day that his disciples were to beware of? 

Jesus mentions six things: 

One, they liked to walk around in long robes. 

In Jesus’ day, it was common for men to wear robes, even long robes. But the scribes liked to distinguish themselves from others by wearing robes that were longer still. 

Here is the way that Matthew puts it in his gospel: “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice. They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long…” (Matthew 23:1–5, ESV). 

When all is considered, it is clear that these men loved to put on a show. They dressed to be distinguished from and noticed by others. Their long robes would catch the eye and appear glorious and grand, but it was all a facade. Underneath, these men were vile and corrupt. 

Some might interpret this passage to mean that preachers and teachers should not dress in a distinguished way. I disagree. When a man stands behind a pulpit to read and preach the word of God, or when he stands behind the Lord’s Table to administer the Lord’s Supper, it is good and right for him to be dressed in a way that fits the occasion.  

Two, they loved greetings in the marketplaces.

Three, they loved the best seats in the synagogues. 

Four, they loved the places of honor at feasts.

Five, they devoured widows’ houses. 

Six, for a pretence, they made long prayers.  

They will receive greater condemnation. 

“And the Lord said to him, ‘Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness.’” (Luke 11:39, ESV)

The scribes were dangerous. They had religious authority. It was thought that they cared about the truth. But here Christ warns of their inner corruption. They did not care about the truth as much as they cared about themselves. They would be willing to sacrifice the truth, therefore, to maintain their power, prestige, and pleasure.

This warning that Jesus delivered about the scribes has relevance for disciples of Christ today. Though we do not have scribes in our midst, we must beware of others with prideful, selfishly ambitious, and greedy hearts. 

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15, ESV)

“I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive.” (Romans 16:17–18, ESV)

“Brothers, join in imitating me, and keep your eyes on those who walk according to the example you 

have in us. For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.” (Philippians 3:17–19, ESV)

“But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.” (2 Timothy 3:1–5, ESV)

This warning that Jesus delivered about the scribes should also cause us to look inward and to beware, lest the heart sin of pride, selfish ambition, and greed infect us! 

These heart sins are particularly deadly for they lead to many other sins. 

The best way to guard against these heart sins is to think often of the glory of God and of the mercy that has been shown to us in Christ to save us from our sins.

Those in Christ Jesus must pursue humility, contentment, selflessness, and genersoisty.

“I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Ephesians 4:1–3, ESV)

“Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful.” (Colossians 3:12–15, ESV)

Beware of the scribes, Jesus warned. His disciples were to, quite literally, beware of those dangerous men who possessed religious authority in their day. And his disciples in every age are to beware of those who are like them. Also, as disciples of Jesus we must beware lest the heart sins of pride and greed lest they infect us. Instead, we are to pursue humility in Christ Jesus. The ethos of the Christian community is to be marked by humility, selflessness, compassion, and generosity. 

Be Humble, Selfless, Compassionate, And Generous Instead

Ignore the chapter break, brothers and sisters, for do believe that the story about the poor widow’s offering is is meant to be considered along with this text.    

“Jesus looked up and saw the rich putting their gifts into the offering box, and he saw a poor widow put in two small copper coins. And he said, ‘Truly, I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all of them. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on.’” (Luke 21:1–4, ESV)

Notice her humility. 

Notice her love for God, as expressed through her extreme generosity. 

Perhaps there is an indictment against the scribes here, for they devoured widows’ houses. 

Conclusion

“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:1–8, ESV)

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 Catechetical Sermon: What Is The Eighth Commandment? What Does It Require And Forbid?, Baptist Catechism 78-80

Baptist Catechism 78-80

Q. 78. Which is the eighth commandment?

A. The eighth commandment is, “Thou shalt not steal.” (Exodus 20:15)

Q. 79. What is required in the eighth commandment?

A. The eighth commandment requireth the lawful procuring and furthering the wealth and outward estate of ourselves and others. (Prov. 27:23; Lev. 25:35; Deut. 15:10; 22:14)

Q. 80. What is forbidden in the eighth commandment?

A. The eighth commandment forbideth whatsoever does or may unjustly hinder our own or our neighbor’s wealth or outward state. (1 Tim. 5:8; Prov. 28:19; 23:20,21; Eph. 4:28)

Scripture Reading: Proverbs 6:6–11

“Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest. How long will you lie there, O sluggard? When will you arise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.” (Proverbs 6:6–11, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church but without the benefit of proofreading.

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The eighth commandment is, “you shall not steal”. It is rather obvious what that means. Don’t take what is not yours. But that very simple principle is just begging to be fleshed out. For example, we should ask, how then should I provide for myself? How should I increase my wealth and my possessions?  

Stealing is forbidden. 

Yes, it is true that someone may give you a gift. That is fine. 

And making wise investments is also encouraged in the scriptures. 

But in general, the way to provide for yourself and your family and to increase your wealth and possessions is to work. You are to provide a service for someone else and be compensated for it, or you must work your land with the hopes of reaping a harvest. Either way, the principle is the same. We must provide for ourselves by working. As Paul says,  “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need.” (Ephesians 4:28, ESV)

There are so many questions associated with this topic. I’ll name a few to show you that I am not oblivious to them. Must a person work with his hands? No, some work involves the mind more than the hands. And what about the wife and mother who does not go off to work but remains at home? That is a great blessing, but the scriptures do warn against idleness at home. The wife and mother should be diligent to manage the home, and she is also free to engage in industry on top of that (see Proverbs 31, for example). And what about retirement? Is there a place for that? Of course, there is. Hard work in the younger years does sometimes provide an opportunity to retire in the later years. But even in retirement, men and women should serve the Lord. They should be diligent in prayer and (if possible) the service of others in their old age. And what about those who are independently wealthy who come into great wealth by way of inheritance? That is a great blessing. But the scriptures do warn the rich not to trust in their riches, but to trust in God. And those who are rich should use what they have been given for the furtherance of God’s kingdom and the relief of the poor. They should be generous. Again, idleness is forbidden. 

In general, I wish to say this: Christians should be diligent and hard-working. That takes so many different forms. I am aware of that. Yes, things will look different from person to person, and the circumstances will change as the seasons of life change. But in general, Christians should be hard-working. Stated negatively, Christians are not to be sluggards. No, we are to use our time and energies for the glory of God, for our good, and for the good of others.

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Proverbs 6

The Proverbs have a lot to say about this. They constantly urge men and women to be diligent, hard-working, and wise with their money. They show how men and women generally come to be both rich and poor. And the text that we read from Proverbs 6 is most instructive. 

“Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise”, the text says. 

Have you ever watched ants? And no, we are not talking about your Aunt — your mother or father’s sister — but ants — the little bugs that crawl on the ground. Have you ever watched them? They are very hard-working and diligent little creatures. They never stop. They just move along, working constantly to provide for themselves and others. Proverbs 6 tells us that we are to  “go to the ant” and “consider her ways…”

And no, the point is not that we are never to rest. That would contradict other scriptures, wouldn’t it? The scriptures teach that sleep is a gift from God. The scriptures warn against the vanity and folly of overworking. And the scriptures command that we cease from our labor one day out of seven to worship God in a pronounced way in public and private. That day is called the Sabbath Day, or the Lord’s Day. So we are not to imitate ants by working tirelessly and unceasingly seven days a week (in fact, ants do sleep. Worker ants take about 250 little power naps a day, totaling about 4 ½ hours of sleep a day. The Proverbs do not speak scientifically, but from the appearance of things).  

But what are we to learn from the ants who seem to work so diligently? Well, notice that the lesson is for the sluggard. “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise” A “sluggard is a lazy person. It is the lazy person who is encouraged to go to the ant and to consider her ways to become wise. 

And what exactly is the sluggard to notice? Two things: 

One, the ant works very diligently “without having any chief, officer, or ruler”. Yes, scientifically, we know that in an ant colony, there is a queen. And there are even other kinds of ants, so there is a kind of hierarchy in the ant world. But the point is this: when you watch ants, you see that they work very hard and very diligently, and no one is cracking a whip, as it were. Ants seem to be self-motivated. It seems to be a part of their nature to work consistently hard. The sluggard should learn from this. The sluggard may work hard… for a time… if someone forces him to, and then back to the couch he goes. 

Two, this proverb urges us to notice this about ants: they seem to understand the seasons. “Go to the ant, O sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise. Without having any chief, officer, or ruler, she prepares her bread in summer and gathers her food in harvest.” The ant is diligent to work and to save in times of plenty, knowing that times of want or lack may soon come. The sluggard needs to learn this lesson, too. The lazy person may have adequate provisions at the moment, and so they lounge on the couch and sleep in their bed. But they forget that those provisions will soon run out! What then? That ant works diligently even when her storehouse is full, for she knows that the time will come when provisions will be lacking. 

And that is what the Proverb warns against so directly, saying, “A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest, and poverty will come upon you like a robber, and want like an armed man.” 

Christians are to be hard-working and diligent people. The eighth commandment requires it. Yes, it forbids stealing. But that means on the flip side that we are required to “labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need” (Ephesians 4:28). 

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Baptist Catechism 80

To state the matter negatively, “The eighth commandment forbideth whatsoever does or may unjustly hinder our own or our neighbor’s wealth or outward state.” 

As with all of God’s commandments, we must reflect deeply on these things. What sorts of things may “hinder our own or our neighbor’s wealth or outward state”? 

Well, concerning our neighbor, stealing is obviously out of the question. That would hinder our neighbor’s wealth, wouldn’t it? Dishonest work is also out of the question. Though we may provide some good or service to our neighbor, if it is dishonest work, or a good of poor quality that we deliver then we are not helping our neighbor, but hindering them. 

But what about the responsibility we have to earn a living for ourselves to provide for ourselves and to help others who may be in need?  It seems to me that we need to think about our own work ethic, the management of our finances, the wisdom of our investments and business ventures. Brothers and sisters, we must think carefully about these things. 

As Christians, we must not love money. We must pursue contentment and be generous with what we have. But at the same time, we cannot be foolish with our money or unconcerned about the question, how will I make an honest living? And will I have enough for the future when my ability to earn an income has diminished? These are important questions. 

And perhaps I should move to a conclusion by saying, I understand that life does not always go as planned. Sometimes we wish to work, but cannot. I don’t mean for any of this to burden those who are in a situation like that. Rather, I am setting forth the scriptural ideal. Remember, the scriptures do speak of the importance of caring for those in need. Ideally, no one would ever be in need. But in reality, sometimes people are. And the reasons for this are varied. 

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Conclusion 

Q. 80. What is forbidden in the eighth commandment?

A. The eighth commandment forbideth whatsoever does or may unjustly hinder our own or our neighbor’s wealth or outward state. (1 Tim. 5:8; Prov. 28:19; 23:20,21; Eph. 4:28)

Let us pray. 

Lord, help us to keep your law in thought, word, and deed. And forgive in Christ Jesus us when we do not. We thank you for Christ who kept this law perfectly on our behalf and died for our sins. In him we have placed our trust. Amen. 

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Discussion Questions: Baptist Catechism 78-80

  1. What is the eighth commandment?
  2. What does it mean to steal? 
  3. How is our daily provision and wealth to be obtained?
  4. Ephesians 4:28 says, “Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need” (Ephesians 4:28, ESV). Can you think of certain kinds of “work” that would not qualify as “honest work”? Why must the Christian avoid this kind of work?
  5. Why does our catechism say that the command, “Thou shalt not steal”, requires  “the lawful procuring and furthering the wealth and outward estate of ourselves and others”? How do we jump from the one idea to the others?   
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Discussion Questions: Baptist Catechism 75-77

  1. What is the seventh commandment?
  2. What is God’s design for sex?  
  3. What is adultery?
  4. Does the seventh commandment only forbid adultery? What else does it require and forbid as we work out its implications?
  5. Why is it important to keep the seventh commandment in the heart and mind?
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Sermon: There Is A Resurrection, Luke 20:27-40

Old Testament Reading: Exodus 3

“Now Moses was keeping the flock of his father-in-law, Jethro, the priest of Midian, and he led his flock to the west side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God. And the angel of the LORD appeared to him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush. He looked, and behold, the bush was burning, yet it was not consumed. And Moses said, ‘I will turn aside to see this great sight, why the bush is not burned.’ When the LORD saw that he turned aside to see, God called to him out of the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then he said, ‘Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’ And he said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. Then the LORD said, ‘I have surely seen the affliction of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their cry because of their taskmasters. I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land, a land flowing with milk and honey, to the place of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites. And now, behold, the cry of the people of Israel has come to me, and I have also seen the oppression with which the Egyptians oppress them. Come, I will send you to Pharaoh that you may bring my people, the children of Israel, out of Egypt.’ But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?’ He said, ‘But I will be with you, and this shall be the sign for you, that I have sent you: when you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.’ Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?’ God said to Moses, ‘I AM WHO I AM.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I AM has sent me to you.’’ God also said to Moses, ‘Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. Go and gather the elders of Israel together and say to them, ‘The LORD, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob, has appeared to me, saying, ‘I have observed you and what has been done to you in Egypt, and I promise that I will bring you up out of the affliction of Egypt to the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, a land flowing with milk and honey.’’ And they will listen to your voice, and you and the elders of Israel shall go to the king of Egypt and say to him, ‘The LORD, the God of the Hebrews, has met with us; and now, please let us go a three days’ journey into the wilderness, that we may sacrifice to the LORD our God.’ But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless compelled by a mighty hand. So I will stretch out my hand and strike Egypt with all the wonders that I will do in it; after that he will let you go. And I will give this people favor in the sight of the Egyptians; and when you go, you shall not go empty, but each woman shall ask of her neighbor, and any woman who lives in her house, for silver and gold jewelry, and for clothing. You shall put them on your sons and on your daughters. So you shall plunder the Egyptians.’” (Exodus 3, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 20:27-40

“There came to him some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection, and they asked him a question, saying, ‘Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children. And the second and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. Afterward the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife.’ And Jesus said to them, ‘The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him.’ Then some of the scribes answered, ‘Teacher, you have spoken well.’ For they no longer dared to ask him any question.” (Luke 20:27–40, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

When Jesus entered Jerusalem with his band of disciples and the great multitude that followed after him and proceeded to pronounce judgment upon Jerusalem, cleanse the temple, and teach within it, it was as if he had kicked a hornet’s nest. Clearly, the religious establishment viewed him as a great threat, and they wasted no time in coming against him in an attempt to drive him away or to do away with him altogether. Jesus was of some concern to them when he ministered in the less populated regions of the country and away from their center of power. But when Jesus entered Jerusalem and came into the temple, the concern of the religious elite grew very great, and so they swarmed around Jesus and attempted to sting him. 

First, the chief priests, scribes, and elders approached him while in the temple to question his authority. “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority”, they said (Luke 20:1–3, ESV). When this direct attack proved ineffective, “they watched him and sent spies, who pretended to be sincere, that they might catch him in something he said, so as to deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor” (Luke 20:20, ESV). These infiltrators approached Jesus and attempted to put him at odds, either with the multitudes that followed him or with the Roman authorities, saying, “Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” (Luke 20:22, ESV). Jesus escaped their trap by speaking the truth: “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Luke 20:25, ESV), he said. 

Luke tells us of a third attack in the text that is open before us today. In Luke 20:27, we read, “There came to him some Sadducees… and they asked him a question… (Luke 20:27–28, ESV). We will soon consider their question and Jesus’ wise reply. For now, it must be recognized that this was yet another attempt by the religious elite within Israel to undermine Jesus’ authority. This time they would attempt to pit Jesus, not against the Roman authorities, but against the authority of Moses. 

As was said in the previous sermon, what we are witnessing here is best described as a great power struggle. The King of God’s eternal Kingdom had come. Would these men bow the knee to him and confess him as Lord or not? That is the question.   

The Sadducees

The previous attacks are said to have come from the chief priests, scribes, and elders of Israel. This attack is said to have come specifically from the Sadducees. This is, in fact, the first time the Sadducees are mentioned in Luke’s gospel. The question we must ask is, Who were they? And what did they believe?

The information we have about them is quite limited. We do not have any writings from the Sadducees. What we know of them must be pieced together from what others say. They are mentioned fourteen times in the New Testament. In addition to this, the first-century Jewish historian, Josephus, mentions the Sadducees and tells us a little about what they believed. Some wonder if Josephus was biased against the Sadducees, for he claimed to be a Pharisee, and the two groups were often at odds with each other. Nevertheless, Josephus does provide us with some insight into the Sadducees, who they were, and what they believed. 

When all is considered, here is what we know about them:

Firstly, the Sadducees were one of three major schools of thought existing amongst the Jews in the days of Jesus. There were the Pharisees, whom you have heard of, the Essenes (a community “that regarded themselves as the faithful remnant of the true Israel and the core of God’s eschatological community, the purity of which they sought to preserve by forming an isolated society devoted to strict observation of the pentateuchal regulations), and the Sadducees.

Secondly, Josephus suggests that Sadduceeism was especially popular amongst the elites of Israel, including the priestly class. In one place, Josephus says, “the Sadducees are able to persuade none but the rich, and have not the populace [submissive] to them, but the Pharisees have the multitude on their side…” It is interesting to note that Josephus says the high priest named Annas, who is mentioned in Luke 3:2 and Acts 4:6 alongside his son-in-law Caiaphas, was a Sadducee. So then, when Luke tells us that Sadducees approached Jesus to question him, we should see this as being connected to the broader attack that began with the events described in Luke 20:1-3.

Thirdly, as it pertains to the beliefs of the Sadducees, Josephus reports that they rejected the many traditions that the “Pharisees [had] delivered to the people”, that is to say, they rejected the “great many observances by succession from their fathers, which are not written in the law of Moses.” According to Josephus, “the Sadducees reject them,  and say that we are to esteem those observances to be obligatory which are in the written word, but are not to observe what are derived from the tradition of our forefathers…” I’ve heard some say the Sadducees only accepted the law of Moses, the first five books of the Hebrew Old Testament, as authoritivae, but I don’t think that’s true. It seems they accepted all of the Old Testament Scriptures. What they rejected was the manmade traditions of the Pharisees. Perhaps it can be said that they viewed the writings of Moses to be of particular importance, which is, in a sense, true. The first five books of the Bible, written by Moses, are indeed foundational. The rest of the Old Testament builds on them. But we confess that the whole Old Testament is inspired by God. It seems to me that the Sadducees would say the same thing.

Fourthly—and this is the belief they are most well known for—the Sadducees denied that there is a resurrection. This is the doctrine of the Sadducees that the Scriptures frequently mention—”they say there is no resurrection” (see Matthew 22:23; Mark 12:18; Acts 4:1-2; Acts 23:6, 8). Here in the text open before us today, Luke says, “There came to him some Sadducees, those who deny that there is a resurrection…’” It is interesting to note how Josephus puts it: “But the doctrine of the Sadducees is this: That souls die with the bodies.”  Listen also to Acts 23:6-8: “Now when Paul perceived that one part were Sadducees and the other Pharisees, he cried out in the council, ‘Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. It is with respect to the hope and the resurrection of the dead that I am on trial.” And when he had said this, a dissension arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the assembly was divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection, nor angel, nor spirit, but the Pharisees acknowledge them all” (Acts 23:6–8, ESV). It would seem, then, that the Sadducees not only denied that there would be a bodily resurrection in the future, but also taught that the soul or spirit of a man dies when his body dies—no life after death—that seems to have been their view. 

This insight into the Sadducees’ beliefs will help us understand the question they brought to Jesus and Jesus’ response. [But before we move on in text, I would ask you to imagine what it would be like to not believe in the resurrection of the body or the immortality of the soul. Imagine what it would be like to live in this world and believe that when the body dies, the soul dies too. Many live with this view. They think that after death, there is… nothing. Many imagine that the soul does not live apart from the body, and that the body will never be raised. Those who think this way must also deny the final judgment and the hope of future reward. Think of what it would be like to live with such a view. When I think of this, I’m struck with feelings of emptiness and purposelessness. It also occurs to me that such a view would remove nearly all motivation to pursue holiness in this life and to live a selfless life for the good of others. In fact, I would not be surprised if a person who denies the resurrection in the way the Sadducees did, concluded that the best way to live is to experience as much pleasure in the here and now as possible, no matter the harm it brings to others, for, in their view, the here and now is all there is. Friends, I trust you can see that theology matters. Beliefs have consequences. And it is hard to imagine a more impactful question than this: Does God exist and, if so, will we stand before him either to be rewarded or judged in the life to come? The Sadducees believed God exists, but they denied the resurrection of the body and the existence of the soul apart from it (see Acts 23:8). This must have impacted their way of life. And for the Sadducees who were involved in the trial and crucifixion of Jesus, this must have impacted how they treated Jesus when he was on trial and when they saw to his crucifixion. What mattered to them most was not justice or truth, but holding on to their worldly power and authority and the wealth and pleasure that accompanied it. Theology matters, friends. When men behave very badly and do not seem to care, and it puzzles you, consider what they believe. And conversely, consider how belief in the existence of God, the immortality of the soul, the resurrection of the body, and the final judgement ought to motivate us to be found united to Christ by faith, cleansed by his blood, clothed in his righteousness, pursuing holiness and good works so as to store up treasures, not here on earth, but “in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:20, ESV).]

The Question

Quoting Josephus again, “the doctrine of the Sadducees is this: That souls die with the bodies.” It is not surprising that they attempted to trap Jesus and to pit him against the authority of Scripture by presenting him with this conundrum. 

Look at verse 28: “and [the Sadducees] asked [Jesus] a question, saying, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother. Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children. And the second and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. Afterward the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife” (Luke 20:28–33, ESV).

Notice a few things about this question: 

First of all, the question was asked by these Sadducees in an attempt to prove Jesus wrong about the resurrection. Clearly, Jesus believed in the resurrection. In Luke 14:13-14, he says, “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the just” (Luke 14:13–14, ESV). And in Luke 9:22, Christ spoke of himself, saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Luke 9:22, ESV). The Sadducees knew that Jesus believed in and taught about the resurrection of the body and the immortality of the soul, and so they questioned and challenged him on this point.

Secondly, the Sadducees questioned Jesus using the Old Testament Scriptures, particularly the writings of Moses. Verse 26: “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, having a wife but no children, the man must take the widow and raise up offspring for his brother.” This is a reference to the laws concerning Levirate marriage found in Deuteronomy 25:5–10, which says, “If brothers dwell together, and one of them dies and has no son, the wife of the dead man shall not be married outside the family to a stranger. Her husband’s brother shall go in to her and take her as his wife and perform the duty of a husband’s brother to her. And the first son whom she bears shall succeed to the name of his dead brother, that his name may not be blotted out of Israel. And if the man does not wish to take his brother’s wife, then his brother’s wife shall go up to the gate to the elders and say, ‘My husband’s brother refuses to perpetuate his brother’s name in Israel; he will not perform the duty of a husband’s brother to me.’ Then the elders of his city shall call him and speak to him, and if he persists, saying, ‘I do not wish to take her,’ then his brother’s wife shall go up to him in the presence of the elders and pull his sandal off his foot and spit in his face. And she shall answer and say, ‘So shall it be done to the man who does not build up his brother’s house.’ And the name of his house shall be called in Israel, ‘The house of him who had his sandal pulled off’” (Deuteronomy 25:5–10, ESV). No doubt, this custom sounds very strange to you. As an aside, I do wonder what the Theonomists say about this text. Is this law still binding on the Christian today? We say no. If consistent, I suppose the Theonomist would have to say yes. But that is besides the point. This law was certainly binding under the Old Covenant. 

Thirdly, notice how the Sadducees attempted to use this passage to disprove the resurrection. They pointed to it and claimed that if there was life after death this law of Moses would create a very confusing situation in the afterlife if obeyed. The Sadducees presented Jesus with a rather extreme hypothetical situation. “Now there were seven brothers. The first took a wife, and died without children. And the second and the third took her, and likewise all seven left no children and died. Afterward, the woman also died. In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife will the woman be? For the seven had her as wife.” As you can see, these Sadducees attempted to set Jesus on the horns of a dilemma by pitting him against Moses and the authority of the Holy Scriptures. They must have been very proud of themselves when they presented Jesus with this unsolvable riddle.

Jesus’s Answer

As with the answers that Jesus gave to the last two groups who attempted to trap him, the answer he gave to the Sadducees was very wise. His answer consists of three parts: 

Firstly, Jesus teaches that the institution of marriage belongs to this age only. Verse 34: “And Jesus said to them, ‘The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage…’” (Luke 20:34, ESV). Marriage was instituted at the time of creation, and it will continue as an institution until Christ returns to rescue his people, raise the dead, judge, and usher in his consummated kingdom.  

Secondly, Jesus teaches that in the age to come, that is to say, when the kingdom of heaven is consummated after the resurrection in the new heavens and earth, the institution of marriage will be no more. Verse 35: “but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage…” (Luke 20:35, ESV). 

[Those with happy marriages might be tempted to feel saddened by this. If that is the case with you, may I suggest that your thoughts of life in the new heavens and earth are too small? What we experience there, namely, unbroken and uninterrupted fellowship with God and Christ and with one another in the Lord, will far exceed anything that we experience in this age, so that we will not feel as if we have lost anything, but only gained. I have no doubt that in the age to come, we will remember the special relationships we enjoyed in this present evil age. In the age to come, the relationships we enjoy with one another in Christ Jesus will be more sweet, not less, for the sinful corruptions that remain even in the best of Christians will then be removed.]     

After Jesus teaches that there will be no marriage in the age to come, he tells us why. Verse 36: “for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to [or like the] angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection” (Luke 20:36, ESV). 

Why did Jesus mention angels? Two reasons: One, the Sadducees not only denied the resurrection and the life of the soul apart from the body, but they also denied the existence of angels. Christ set them straight about this as well. Two, Christ teaches that in the age to come, we will be like the angels in some respects. In this age, people come into the world through birth, and depart from this world through death. But in the age to come, there will be no birth or death. The population of the new heavens and earth will be fixed. Once it is established, none will enter and none will depart. And those who are granted entrance will live forever and ever. When Christ said, “​​because they are equal to [or like the] angels”, he did not mean we will be like the angels in every respect, for angels are ministering spirits. They do not have bodies like we do. Human beings will have resurrected physical bodies in the age to come. What Christ meant is that, in the age to come, we will be like the angels as it pertains to their unending life and no marriage or procreation. Just as the number of angels is fixed because they neither procreate nor die, so will it be for those who enter the new heavens and earth at the resurrection. Because there will be no procreation, neither will there be marriage, and this agrees with the Biblical teaching that one of the primary purposes of marriage is procreation. It is within the covenant of marriage that children are to be brought into the world, and it is within the covenant of marriage that children are to be raised, disciplined, and nurtured to maturity. But these activities are a part of this age, not the age to come. In the age to come, there will be no genealogical descent so that so-and-so is regarded as the son or daughter of so-and-so, but all will be “sons of God, being sons of the resurrection” (Luke 20:36, ESV). 

When Jesus corrected the Sadducees concerning their misunderstanding regarding marriage in the age to come, he effectively escaped their trap, but he had more to say.  Not only does the doctrine of the resurrection not contradict the Scriptures written by Moses, but the doctrine is found there!

That brings us to the third part of Jesus’ reply, wherein he shows that the doctrine of the resurrection is found even in the Pentateuch. Look at verse 37. There Christ says, “But that the dead are raised, even Moses showed, in the passage about the bush, where he calls the Lord the God of Abraham and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. Now he is not God of the dead, but of the living, for all live to him” (Luke 20:37–38, ESV).

The passage that Jesus refers to is found in Exodus 3. Notice, this passage is about the calling of Moses, whom the Sadducees claimed to revere. In that text, Moses saw a bush in the wilderness that was burning yet not consumed. When he drew near to investigate, “God called to him out of the bush, ‘Moses, Moses!’ And he said, ‘Here I am.’ Then he said, ‘Do not come near; take your sandals off your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground.’ And he said, ‘I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ And Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God” (Exodus 3:4–6, ESV). According to Jesus, this passage proves that the soul of man goes on living after the body dies, and that there is the hope of the resurrection of the body, for though Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had long before this, God claimed to be their God presently. Though Exodus 3 does not teach about the resurrection in a direct way, it teaches the resurrection through necessary consequence. If it is true that God was the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob when he spoke to Moses from the bush many years after these men had died, then it must mean that they still existed and had God as their God and as their hope. 

[By the way, we learn something very important about Biblical interpretation from this saying of Jesus. Here, our Lord and Savior shows us that we are not only bound to believe what the Scriptures directly and explicitly say, but also what they necessarily imply.  If we wish to faithfully interpret the Scriptures, we must follow the example of Christ and his Apostles and interpret them in the same way they interpreted them. Indeed, we confess that “The whole counsel of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, man’s salvation, faith and life, is either expressly set down or necessarily contained in the Holy Scripture…” (Second London Confession, 1.6).] 

Though the doctrine of the resurrection is not expressly set down in Exodus 3, Christ taught that it is necessarily contained there, and in this way, he proved the Sadducees wrong. They claimed that the resurrection is nowhere found in the writings of Moses. Christ demonstrated that they were badly mistaken. Not only is it found in Moses, it is found in the most foundational of texts, that is to say, in the one wherein Moses is called to be God’s prophet and deliverer, wherein God reveals himself to Moses as YHWH, the great I AM. And by mentioning Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, God and Christ remind us that Moses, as great as he was, came in fulfilment to promises previously made, and those promises have everything to do with an unending life in the news heavens and earth through faith in the Messiah, the son promised to Abraham, and the Son of God.

Conclusion

I imagine the countenance of the Sadducees changed. They came against Jesus, prideful and arrogant. They assumed he would be stumped by their riddle. But Luke tells us that “some of the scribes [who were regarded as experts in the law]  answered, ‘Teacher, you have spoken well.’ For they no longer dared to ask him any question” (Luke 20:39–40, ESV). In the next passage, we will see that Jesus had something to say to the scribes as well, but that will need to wait until next Sunday.

I’ll conclude with one point of application. In fact, it is a restatement of something that has already been said. Brothers and sisters, please meditate on the doctrine of the resurrection. Christ died in the place of sinners. His body was laid in a grave, and his soul descended to Sheol, not to suffer, but to proclaim victory and to set captives free. On the third day, his body was raised and was reunited with his soul, and it is in this resurrection body that Christ lives forevermore. 

Christ rose from the dead, and it is because of his resurrection that all will be raised bodily at his return. 

We confess that: “The bodies of men after death return to dust, and see corruption; but their souls, which neither die nor sleep, having an immortal subsistence, immediately return to God who gave them. The souls of the righteous being then made perfect in holiness, are received into paradise, where they are with Christ, and behold the face of God in light and glory, waiting for the full redemption of their bodies; and the souls of the wicked are cast into hell; where they remain in torment and utter darkness, reserved to the judgment of the great day; besides these two places, for souls separated from their bodies, the Scripture acknowledgeth none.” (Second London Confession, 31.1)

We confess that, “At the last day, such of the saints as are found alive, shall not sleep, but be changed; and all the dead shall be raised up with the selfsame bodies, and none other; although with different qualities, which shall be united again to their souls forever.” (Second London Confession Chapter, 31.2)

We confess that, “The bodies of the unjust shall, by the power of Christ, be raised to dishonor; the bodies of the just, by his Spirit, unto honor, and be made conformable to his own glorious body.” (Second London Confession Chapter, 31.3)

Do you believe in the resurrection, friends? Do you believe that Christ was raised bodily, and that you will be raised bodily too? I hope and pray that you for, for the Scriptures teach it. And I hope and pray that you live every day of your life here in this age in light of the resurrection, the judgment, and the life in the age to come. 

You must be found trusting in Christ if you hope to pass through the judgment and into life everlasting unscathed. And wise are you if you “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19–20, ESV).

Posted in Sermons, Joe Anady, Luke 20:27-40, Posted by Joe. Comments Off on Sermon: There Is A Resurrection, Luke 20:27-40

Catechetical Sermon: What Is The Sixth Commandment, And What Does It Require And Forbid?, Baptist Catechism 72 – 74, Acts 16:25–34

Baptist Catechism 72 & 73

Q. 72. What is the sixth commandment?

A. The sixth commandment is, “Thou shalt not kill.” (Exodus 20:13)

Q. 73. What is required in the sixth commandment?

A. The sixth commandment requires all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life and the life of others. (Eph. 5:29,30; Ps. 82:3,4; Prov. 24:11,12; Acts 16:28)

Q. 74. What is forbidden in the sixth commandment?

A. The sixth commandment absolutely forbideth the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbor unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto. (Gen. 4:10,11; 9:6; Matt. 5:21-26)

Scripture Reading: Acts 16:25–34

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened. When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” And the jailer called for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, ‘Sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ And they said, ‘Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.’ And they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house. And he took them the same hour of the night and washed their wounds; and he was baptized at once, he and all his family. Then he brought them up into his house and set food before them. And he rejoiced along with his entire household that he had believed in God.” (Acts 16:25–34, ESV)

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Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without the benefit of proofreading.

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Baptist Catechism 72

Our catechism says that the sixth commandment is, “thou shalt not kill”, and that is indeed the way the King James Version translates the sixth commandment as found in Exodus 20:13: “Thou shalt not kill.” But more modern Bible translations have preferred the word “murder” instead of “kill”. “You shall not murder” is what the ESV says. Really, either term will do. In fact, both are prone to misunderstanding and must be explained.

“Thou shalt not kill” may be taken to mean that humans should never kill anything. Animals should not be killed for food, therefore. But we know this is not the meaning, for animals were rightly killed for food and sacrifice in the days of Moses and long before that. And “thou shalt not kill” may also be taken to mean that a human must never take the life of another human. And that is not true either. The rest of the law of Moses teaches that men may kill in self-defense, in righteous war, and as agents of the state to uphold justice. For example, Genesis 9:6, says, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” (Genesis 9:6, ESV). This principle of retributive justice runs through the law of Moses and is even found in the New Testament (see Romans 13). So, if you memorize the sixth commandment as “Thou shalt not kill”, you must keep in mind that it does not mean thou shalt not kill anything or under any and all circumstances. No, you do not break the sixth commandment if a violent intruder breaks into your home and threatens your family, and you take his life. 

The translation, “You shall not murder”, can be misunderstood in other ways. It is a better translation, I think, for it clarifies that it is the unjust taking of a human life is forbidden. But the word “murder” may be interpreted too narrowly. Not only does the sixth commandment forbid murder, or perhaps we might say, murder in the first or second degree. It also forbids carelessness, which leads to the death of another human being. We might refer to this as murder in the third degree or manslaughter.  

So take your pick. When reciting the sixth commandment, you may say “Thou shalt not kill”, following the KJV, or “You shall not murder”, following the ESV. Whichever translation you choose, the important thing is that you understand what the commandment means. 

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Baptist Catechism 73 -74

Our catechism is very helpful. Today, we will ask, what is required in the sixth commandment?

And the answer given by our catechism is, “The sixth commandment requires all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life and the life of others.” This is what is required. I’ll leave it to you to reflect on question 74, which asks, What is forbidden in the sixth commandment? It teaches us that “The sixth commandment absolutely forbideth the taking away of our own life, or the life of our neighbor unjustly, or whatsoever tendeth thereunto.”

Before we consider the answer to question 73 piece by piece, I should say a word about the basis for the sixth commandment. I will do this by asking, Why are humans permitted to kill animals for food, but forbidden from taking the life of another human without just cause? I should also say, I do not believe that humans are permitted to kill animals indiscriminately — that is to say, randomly, recklessly, and carelessly. No, humans are to be good stewards of the created world, and they are not to be brutal, not even with animals. 

But with that said, the question remains. Why do the scriptures forbid the taking of human life without just cause? And the answer is that man is made in God’s image. There is something particularly dignified about human life. Human life is to be highly respected because the human being is the pinnacle of God’s creation. The human is made in God’s image, and this cannot be said of anything else in all of God’s creation, not even the angels. I have already quoted from Genesis 9:6, but hear it again. “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image” (Genesis 9:6, ESV). It is because man is an image-bearer of God that murder is to be punished with death. 

Think of how perverse our society is. In our society, murders are often permitted to die of old age, whereas the lives of millions of unborn children are snuffed out in the wombs of their mothers each and every year. This perversion is rooted in the fact that our society has forgotten that man is made in God’s image. If we were to remember this, then human life would be treated with dignity at every stage. Murders would get their just reward, and the lives of the innocent would be protected.

 So, what is the basis for the sixth commandment? Man is made in the image of God. And what does this commandment require? “All lawful endeavors to preserve our own life and the life of others.” 

What does the word lawful mean? It means that we are to preserve life so long as it does not require us to violate God’s moral law. This can get a little tricky. Is it ever right to tell a lie to preserve life? In general, no. But what about those who hid the Jews from Hitler’s troops during WWII? Did they do wrong when they deceived Natzis? I think not. I pray that we will never be faced with such difficult choices. But in general, the principle stands. The sixth commandment requires “all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life and the life of others.”

I do appreciate that our catechism draws attention to the obligation we have to preserve our own life. Human beings are made in God’s image. And this means that you are made in God’s image. Not only do you have the responsibility, therefore, to preserve the lives of other image-bearers. You also have the responsibility to preserve your own life! 

Christians should not live recklessly, therefore. This, too, can get a little tricky when it comes to application. Just how cautious should we be? You will notice that our catechism does not provide us with a detailed application, but only with the principle. And I am glad about that! The Christian should not be reckless. G.I. Williamson in his commentary of the Westminster Larger Catechism (by the way, both of these resources — the Westminster Larger Catechism, and Williamson’s commentary on it — are very useful tools for the study of the Baptist Catechism, which very similar to the Westminster Shorter Catechism)… back to my point: G.I. Williamson in his commentary of the Westminster Larger Catechism lists “dueling, bullfighting [and] shooting the rapids of the Niagara River in a barrel” as a clear violation of the sixth commandment, but he admits that attempting to cross the Atlantic in a small sailboat may not be a violation. I think it is right that we are confronted with the principle that the sixth commandment requires “all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life”, and then, in general, to leave it to each person to work out the specifics. 

Does this mean that we should watch what we eat? Probably. But I’ll refrain from telling you what you can and cannot eat. Does this mean that you should exercise? Probably. But again, I’ll leave it to you to work out the details. Does this mean that you should avoid toxic pharmaceuticals as much as possible? I think so. But this, too, is a matter of Christian liberty. But if I heard that you were drag racing your car on Domenigoni Parkway, I’d surely rebuke you. I’d rebuke you for a number of reasons. You’d be breaking a civil law— a civil law rooted in the sixth commandment, by the way. And you would be in clear violation of God’s moral law, given that you would be recklessly endangering your own life and the lives of others. 

Some live recklessly and deserve to be rebuked. But some do also live fearfully. And perhaps this is more of an issue in our day. There is a delicate balance that we all must strike, therefore. We must not be reckless with our lives, but neither can we be driven by fear. No, we must live our lives to the fullest. This means that we must live courageously and with wisdom to the glory of God. We cannot allow fear of sickness or death to hinder us from loving, serving, and worshipping God, nor can we allow fear to hinder us from loving one another. We must live courageously and with wisdom to the glory of God. I suppose this will always require us to assess risk and reward. 

Not only does the sixth commandment require us to endeavor “to preserve our own life,” it also requires us to endeavor to preserve the lives of others. This means we are to seek our neigbors’ good and prosperity, live careful lives, and defend the weak and vulnerable, so far as we are able. I suppose if we were to push this principle of the preservation of life too far, we would never leave our homes. Certainly, we would never assemble. When we leave our homes, we take risks. We might get into a car accident and be killed, or kill another. And many in our day are concerned about the spread of diseases and the warming of the planet, etc. Brothers and sisters, I hope you can see that as true as it is that we have a moral obligation to preserve our own life and the lives of others, this principle, if pushed to far,  can be misused by those with civil authority to take away freedoms. In fact, this truth can be misapplied and used as a weapon against God’s people to keep them from doing what God has called them to do, namely, assemble together on the Lord’s Day in Jesus’ name. Think of how the world, and even the church, were locked down a number of years ago. And what were we told? It is for the common good. It is for the health of the public. I suspect that this is not the last time well will see this wonderful and sacred truth twisted and misapplied. 

*****

Conclusion 

Q. 73. What is required in the sixth commandment?

A. The sixth commandment requires all lawful endeavors to preserve our own life and the life of others.

Posted in Sermons, Joe Anady, Posted by Joe. Comments Off on Catechetical Sermon: What Is The Sixth Commandment, And What Does It Require And Forbid?, Baptist Catechism 72 – 74, Acts 16:25–34

Discussion Questions: Baptist Catechism 72-74

  1. What is the sixth commandment?
  2. Some English translations say “kill” while others say “murder”. How can each of these words be misunderstood?
  3. What is it about human nature that makes the unjust taking of human life so wrong? 
  4. What does the sixth commandment require and forbid?
  5. What does it mean to seek to preserve your own life?
  6. What does it mean to seek to preserve the life of others?
  7. How can both of these principles be misused and abused by individuals and even governments?
  8. How does the sixth commandment apply to the issue of abortion?
  9. What do we need if we are to apply this law in a way that truly honors God and man? I’m thinking of a word that starts with a “W”.
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Discussion Questions: Baptist Catechism 68-71

  1. What is the fifth commandment?
  2. What is the most obvious and direct thing this commandment requires and forbids?
  3. Does the fifth commandment only require children to honor their parents? What else does it imply?
  4. Does the fifth commandment only require those with an inferior position to honor those who are over them? What else does it imply? 
  5. Give examples of how a superior is to show honor to an inferior (from the Bible and from real-life experience). 
  6. Why is it important to note that the fifth commandment is the first of the second table of God’s moral law?
  7. What is another word we could use instead of honor? Hint: Matthew 19:18-19; 22:39.
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