Old Testament Reading: Psalm 110

“A PSALM OF DAVID. The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.’ The LORD sends forth from Zion your mighty scepter. Rule in the midst of your enemies! Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. The LORD has sworn and will not change his mind, ‘You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.’ The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth. He will drink from the brook by the way; therefore he will lift up his head.” (Psalm 110, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 20:41-44

“But he 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)

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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

The passage open before us today is small but weighty. 

To help us feel the weight of it, I think it is important to see this passage as the conclusion to the series of questions that the religious elite within Israel asked Jesus, beginning at Luke 20:1. Those questions, remember, all had to do with authority. Jesus claimed to have authority as the King of God’s eternal kingdom, and the religious elite questioned it so as to undermine it, because they were threatened by it.

Do not forget that Jesus had entered Jerusalem triumphantly. He entered riding on a colt, the foal of a donkey. This was to fulfill the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, which says, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.” You and I live in a representative democracy or republic, not a kingdom, so we might fail to appreciate the great power and authority that Kings have. Kingly authority is supreme. Kingly authority is unchecked. Do not forget that when Jesus entered Jerusalem, he was received as a King. 

Luke tells us that “As [Jesus] was drawing near to [Jerusalem]… the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, ‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!’” (Luke 19:37–38, ESV). Clearly, the disciples of Jesus regarded him to be the promised King of God’s kingdom. When his disciples shouted,  “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!”, the Pharisees in the crowd were greatly troubled by this. “Teacher, rebuke your disciples”, they said (Luke 19:39, ESV). But Jesus would not rebuke them. He answered the Pharisees, saying, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out” (Luke 19:40, ESV). The point is this: when Jesus entered Jerusalem, he entered with the authority of a King. 

Furthermore, when Jesus drew near to the city of Jerusalem, he wept over it and, with the authority of a prophet, declared that it would soon be destroyed, saying, “For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation” (Luke 19:43–44, ESV).

Finally, after Jesus entered Jerusalem, he came to the temple and cleansed it. He cleansed it, as if he owned the place. He cleansed it with priestly authority as he drove out those who sold within its courts. After this, Jesus began to teach authoritatively within the temple. 

We should not be surprised, therefore, that those with authority within Old Covenant Israel felt threatened by Jesus and came against him in an attempt to undermine his authority. First, “the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up and said to him, ‘Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority” (Luke 20:1–2, ESV). After this, “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 spies attempted to pit Jesus against the Roman authorities by asking him, “Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” (Luke 20:22, ESV). Finally, some from among the Sadducees attempted to gain an upper hand over Jesus by pitting him against the authority of Moses and the Holy Scriptures. If the resurrection is true, then how do you explain this text? This was their tactic. None of it worked as Jesus replied to their questions truthfully and winsomely. In Luke 20:39-40, we read, “Then some of the scribes answered, ‘Teacher, you have spoken well.’ For they no longer dared to ask him any question” (Luke 20:39–40, ESV).

Here in the text that is open before us today, it is finally Jesus who asks the questions. And as I have said before, I do believe it is important to see that Jesus’ questions have very much to do with the questions that were previously asked of him. In brief, those who came against Jesus questioned, One, the source of his authority. Two, they attempted to pit Jesus’ claimed authority against the governing authorities of this world to bring him into disfavor with them? Three, they attempted to pit Jesus’ claimed authority against the authority of Holy Scripture. Now, here in Luke 20:41-44, Jesus asks his opponents a question. And if they could only answer this one question correctly, then they would have the answer to all of the questions they had previously asked. I think you will see what I mean as we consider this small but mighty text together today.

Jesus’ Question

Let us now consider Jesus’ question. Really, he asks only one question, but it comes to us in three parts.  

Our text begins with the words, “But he said to them…” 

“Them” must refer to the scribes who were mentioned in verse 39, who will be mentioned again in verse 46. The scribes were considered expert interpreters of the Old Testament Scriptures. Now, when I say that Jesus spoke to the scribes, I do not mean to suggest that they were the only group present. I do believe that a great multitude stood around Jesus, including many of those who had questioned him previously. Jesus directed this question to the scribes in particular because they were regarded as expert interpreters of the Scriptures, and the question Jesus asks has to do with the interpretation of a very important text of Scripture, as we will soon see. So Jesus put this question to the scribes, but many others were there to witness this exchange and to be instructed by it.  

The first part of Jesus’ question is this: “How can they say that the Christ is David’s son” 

This was a commonly held view amongst the Jews in Jesus’ day. Most were looking forward to the arrival of the Christ, that is to say, the Messiah. “Christ” is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word “Messiah”, which means “one who is anointed” (see John 1:41; 4:25). The Old Testament Scriptures are very clear. They revealed that one day, an anointed King would come who would bring salvation to God’s people. And the Old Testament Scriptures are clear that this Anointed King would be a descendant of King David. This is spoken of in multiple passages in the Old Testament, but the central passage is 2 Samuel 7. There, we are told about the covenant God made with King David. Among other things, God gave this promise to King David: “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:12–13, ESV). When this text is considered carefully, it is clear that this promise was not fulfilled in David’s son, Solomon, but would be fulfilled by another, greater son, namely, the Messiah. And so the people knew that when the Christ or Messiah finally arrived, he would have to be a descendant of King David.

It should be clear to all that when Jesus asked the question, “How can they say that the Christ is David’s son?, he was not disagreeing with this idea. No doubt, Jesus agreed that the Messiah would be David’s son. He begins his question like this, not because he disagrees, but because he is about to demonstrate that there is more to the Messiah than mere fleshly descent from King David. Would the Messiah be David’s? Yes, of course! But Jesus is about to demonstrate that there is more to say about the Messiah.  

He demonstrates that there is more to the Messiah than fleshly descent from David by pointing to Psalm 110. Brothers and sisters, you should know that Psalm 110 is quoted or alluded to in the New Testament more than any other Old Testament text. That should tell you something about its importance. Psalm 110 is a very, very important passage as it pertains to the identity of the Messiah. 

Jesus introduces his question with the words,  “How can they say that the Christ is David’s son?”, but he did not end there. In the second portion of his question, he quotes Psalm 110 verse 1, saying, “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’” (Luke 20:42–43, ESV). 

I want you to notice a few things about Psalm 110:1 and what Jesus has to say about it. 

First of all, this Psalm was written by King David. It’s original and inspired title is, A PSALM OF DAVID. And Jesus clearly believed that this Psalm was written by David, for he says in our text, “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’” (Luke 20:42–43, ESV). 

Secondly, notice that King David mentions two “Lords” in this Psalm. The first “LORD” has the Hebrew word YHWH behind it. There is no mystery here. This is an obvious reference to the one true God—the God who created the heavens and the earth, who redeemed Isarel from Egyptian bondage and entered into covenant with Isarel in the days of Moses. The identity of the second “Lord” was a bit more mysterious. It has the Hebrew word Adonai behind it. This word is often used as a title for God, but it can be used to refer to human lords as well. The question was, who is this second  “Lord” (Adonai) of King David to whom the LORD (YHWH) speaks in this Psalm? Granted, this is no longer a mystery to us, for the proper interpretation of this Old Testament text has been clearly revealed by Christ and his Apostles and is now found in the New Testament. But it must have been a bit of a mystery to those who lived before the coming of the Christ. Who is this second Lord of King David to whom YHWH speaks? That is the question.

When I say that the meaning of this verse was a mystery before the arrival of the Christ, I do not mean to suggest that the true meaning was unknowable, for there are clues to its true meaning that could be easily observed even before Christ and his Apostles clarified the meaning of this text. .

For one, given that this Psalm was written by King David, the highest authority in Israel, it is clear that the second Lord (Adonai) of whom David speaks cannot refer to a human living during his reign. David the King would not have referred to anyone as Lord except for God and Christ, and that is the point, as we will soon see. Who had more authority than David? No one, except God and the Christ who would one day descend from him.  

Two, Psalm 110 must be interpreted in light of the covenant that YHWH made with David beforehand. In that covenant, God made a promise to David that he would have a son who would be greater than him, whose kingdom would have no end. This covenant promise should have been in the minds of all who read Psalm 110 even before Jesus was born. Those who wished to know the true meaning of Psalm 110 should have said, I wonder if this second Lord of David is in fact the greater son who was promised to him in 2 Samuel 7. In other words, I wonder if this is a reference to the  Messiah who is to come! In fact, if you were to read Jewish commentaries, some ancient and some modern, you would find that some Rabbis did interpret Psalm 110:1 as being about the Messiah. For those who are curious about this, John Gill quotes some of these Rabbis in his commentary on Matthew 22:44, which is a parallel passage to our text here in Luke 20:41-44. The point is this: This Psalm 110—this Psalm of David—must be interpreted with the promises that God made to David concerning a son who would have an everlasting kingdom in mind.  

Three, when you read the rest of Psalm 110, you see that this second Lord of King David—the Lord to whom YHWH speaks— is a great King who will one day rule and judge the nations.  We will look at Psalm 110 more closely in just a moment. For now, I am simply observing that interpreting Psalm 110 verse 1 as if it is about YHWH speaking to the Messiah, who is simultaneously the son and Lord of King David, is not at all a stretch. In fact, this interpretation is most reasonable and natural.  

The third thing to notice about Psalm 110 verse 1 and Jesus’ remarks about it is that, whatever others thought about the meaning of this verse, Jesus clearly thought and taught that it is about the Messiah. Listen to the words of Jesus again: “But he 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.’” Jesus then brings his question to a conclusion by saying, “David thus calls him Lord, so how is he his son?” (Luke 20:41–44, ESV). The words “him” and “he” in Luke 20:44 must refer back to “the Christ” mentioned in verse 41. So in brief, the question Jesus asked is this: In Psalm 110:1, King David calls the Christ or Messiah “Lord”, how then is the Christ his son? 

This is a very important question. I hope you understand the significance and weight of it. 

Do fathers typically call their sons “Lord”? No! A son may call his father Lord, but fathers do not refer to their sons as Lord, for fathers have authority over their sons. This is true of every father-son relationship, but it is especially true when the father is a King, as David was. So you can see that there is something unusual and even shocking going on here in Psalm 110:1, and Jesus drew attention to it. Again, the question is simply this: If it is true that the Messiah, the Anointed King of God’s Kingdom who was to come, would be the son of King David, why did King David call his son Lord?

The Implied Answer

Notice that Jesus did not provide an answer to the question. He asked the question and then he left it alone. The answer is implied, though, and it is not difficult to see. In brief, David called his son “Lord” because his son would be greater than him. The authority his son would possess would be much greater than his.  And so it was right for King David, the greatest of the Kings of Israel, and the King from whom all of the other Kings of Israel would descend, to call this Son, Lord. 

When Jesus drew attention to verse 1 of Psalm 110 and to the unusual features of this Messianic text, he was inviting the scribes, and all who listened in on his conversation with them, to go to Psalm 110 and to consider that weighty text anew and afresh. Who would the Messiah be, and what authority would he possess? And of course, everyone knew that Jesus was claiming to be the Messiah, the Son of David, who is also David’s Lord.    

The Answer To This Question Answers Other Questions

In the introduction to this sermon, I suggested that the answer to the question that Jesus asked the scribes would answer other questions, too, specifically, the questions that were previously put to him. Stated differently, I do believe that a proper interpretation of Psalm 110 functions like a key that unlocks many mysteries and answers many questions about the identity and authority of the Messiah. 

“The chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up and said to [Jesus], ‘Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority” (Luke 20:1–2, ESV). Psalm 110 answers this question. If Jesus is the Messiah, who is David’s son and David’s Lord, then Psalm 110 reveals that his authority is from YHWH.  For it was YHWH who had spoken to him in the eternal Covenant of Redemption and at his assension, saying, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool” (Psalm 110:1, ESV). It was YHWH who has sent “forth from Zion [his] mighty scepter.” And has decreed that he ”rule in the midst of [his] enemies!” (Psalm 110:2, ESV). By what authority did Jesus do these things? It was by God’s authority, for it was God the Father who, in eternity, decreed that the eternally begotten Son would become incarnate. Being born into the world as a son of Abraham and David, he would live a sinless life and die the death of a sinner for us and for our salvation. On the third day, he would rise. And after 40 days, he would ascend to heaven and, as the God man, he would sit down upon his throne at the Father’s right hand. By what authority did Christ do these things? It was by God’s authority, for it was God the Father who sent him, and he is the Son of God incarnate, the one who is anointed by God the Holy Spirit to do his work.  

A proper interpretation of Psalm 110 also helps to explain the answer Jesus gave to the spies who attempted to pit Jesus against the Roman authorities by asking, “Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?” (Luke 20:22, ESV). What did Jesus say? “He said to them… ‘render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Luke 20:25, ESV). In other words, for now, those in the kingdom of Christ will have to tolerate those who have worldly authority and give them their due, taxes to whom taxes are due, and respect to whom respect is due.  Psalm 110 reveals why this is so, for it teaches that the kingdom of Christ would come progressively. “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool’” (Psalm 110:1, ESV). So then, the Christ would first be seated on his heavenly throne, and after that his enemies would progressively be subdued. 

Paul speaks of this progression in 1 Corinthians 15:24-26, saying, “Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.” (1 Corinthians 15:24–26, ESV)

Psalm 110 reveals even more about this progression when it says that the Christ will, for a time, “Rule in the midst of [his] enemies!” (Psalm 110:2, ESV). Is that not what he is currently doing? He rules and reigns now, but his enemies are not yet fully and finally judged. And it is during this time—the time wherein the kingdom of the Messiah is inaugurated but not yet consummated— his “people… offer themselves freely on the day of [his] power, in holy garments…” (Psalm 110:3, ESV). Christ has enemies now, but he also has his people. They are those who have freely bowed the knee to him to confess him as Lord. They are those who trust in him and obey him. Christ the King does not force or coerce his people to “offer themselves” up to him. No, he makes the able and willing to come to him by his grace and by the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit as the word of Christ is preached. 

Psalm 110 also reveals that Christ is not only the King of God’s kingdom, but he is also the High Priest, for “The LORD has sworn [to him] and will not change his mind, [saying] “You are a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek” (Psalm 110:4, ESV). No wonder Christ cleansed the temple and taught within its courts. He is the priest of God’s end times temple—a temple, not made of stone, but of living stones built upon the foundation of Christ, the Apostles, and Prophets. 

When will it be that God’s people will no longer have to “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s”? When Christ returns to judge and to consummate his kingdom. It will be then that his enemies will be made his footstool (Psalm 110:1). It will be then that “he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath. He will execute judgment among the nations, filling them with corpses; he will shatter chiefs over the wide earth” (Psalm 110:5–6, ESV). 

Finally, some from among the Sadducees attempted to gain an upper hand over Jesus by pitting him against the authority of the Holy Scriptures. By pointing to this key text and raising questions about it, Jesus implied that, far from being at odds with the Scriptures, he was the fulfillment of them, being the very Christ and Lord of whom they spoke. 

Conclusion

As I have said, this passage is all about authority, authority, authority—the supreme authority of Christ the King. 

Is he your Lord and King? That is the question. 

To have him as Savior, you must have him as Lord and King, and Kings are to be obeyed. 

And what a marvelous King Jesus is. He is the King of kings and Lord of lords. All authority in heaven and earth has been given to him. Other kings may sit on earthly thrones, but he, having accomplished our redemption, is seated at the Father’s right hand in heaven, “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come” (Ephesians 1:21, ESV).  There he will rule and reign until all his enemies are subdued under his feet. Then, he will judge the nations with a rod of iron. But to his people whom he has redeemed by his shed blood, he is gentle, kind, and compassionate. He provides for his people and protects them as he leads them into their eternal home—a home that he has prepared for them.

Dear friends, you must learn to think of Jesus as the greatest of all kings and as the King of the greatest of all kingdoms, for his power is supreme and his rule and reign will have no end. If you have not yet renounced your allegiance to sin, Satan, and his kingdom of darkness and bowed the knee to King Jesus instead, today is the day to do it. And if you have already pledged your allegiance to King Jesus, I urge, brothers and sisters, surrender to him more and more. Offer yourself freely to him in holy garments” (Psalm 110:3, ESV). Do this to the glory of Christ and for your good. 

Baptist Catechism 75-77

Q. 75. Which is the seventh commandment?

A. The seventh commandment is, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” (Exodus 20:14)

Q. 76. What is required in the seventh commandment?

A. The seventh commandment requireth the preservation of our own and our neighbor’s chastity, in heart, speech, and behavior. (1 Cor. 6:18; 7:2; 2 Tim. 2:22; Matt. 5:28; 1 Peter 3:2)

Q. 77. What is forbidden in the seventh commandment?

A. The seventh commandment forbideth all unchaste thoughts, words, and actions. (Matt. 5:28-32; Job 31:1; Eph. 5:3,4; Rom. 13:13; Col. 4:6)

Scripture Reading: 1 Corinthians 6:18–7:5

“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. Now concerning the matters about which you wrote: ‘It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.’ But because of the temptation to sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband. The husband should give to his wife her conjugal rights, and likewise the wife to her husband. For the wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does. Likewise the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. Do not deprive one another, except perhaps by agreement for a limited time, that you may devote yourselves to prayer; but then come together again, so that Satan may not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.” (1 Corinthians 6:18–7:5, 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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Before we can understand what the sin of adultery is, we must first understand God’s design for sexual relations. In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. And the pinnacle of God’s earthly creation was man made in his image. As Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:27, ESV). And in the beginning, God also instituted marriage. As Genesis 2:24 says, “Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24, ESV). This one-flesh union is covenantal and spiritual. In the marriage covenant, two lives become one. But it is also physical. The sexual union consummates the covenantal marriage bond after it has been made. 

And this is where we must begin if we are to understand the seventh commandment, which is “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” God created sex, so it must be considered good. But like many other things, it is only good when enjoyed in a particular context. Wine is good, but it may be misused. Men and women do sin when they drink wine to the point of drunkenness. Money is good. But the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. And so too, sex is good. But it may be misused, abused, and badly distorted. It is good when it is enjoyed by a man and woman bound together as one flesh in the covenant of marriage. 

When two who are unmarried engage in sexual relations, that is called fornication. Deuteronomy 22:28ff. speaks to the sin of fornication when it says, “If a man meets a virgin who is not betrothed, and seizes her and lies with her, and they are found, then the man who lay with her shall give to the father of the young woman fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife, because he has violated her. He may not divorce her all his days” (Deuteronomy 22:28–29, ESV). Now, we are not under the law of Moses as a civil law code, but we may learn from this law even still. It is fornication that is described here, and not adultery, for neither the man nor the woman was betrothed or married. And the penalty, you will notice, was not death but a fine. 

The sin of fornication is serious. Sexual relations are to be reserved for marriage. But a more serious sin is the sin of adultery, wherein one who is married lies with someone who is not their spouse. That adultery is a more serious sin is made clear from the punishment prescribed under the law of Moses. Again, we are not under the law of Moses as a civil law code, but we may learn something about the seriousness of the sin of adultery from what it says—the adulterer and the adulteress were to be put to death. Deuteronomy 22:22 says, “If a man is found lying with the wife of another man, both of them shall die, the man who lay with the woman, and the woman. So you shall purge the evil from Israel” (Deuteronomy 22:22, ESV). Don’t mess with the sin of adultery, brothers and sisters. It is so very destructive. 

And if we were to go even further to discuss greater acts of sexual perversion, we would have to talk about the sins of homosexuality and bestiality. Concerning the sin of homosexuality, Leviticus 18:22 says, “You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination” (Leviticus 18:22, ESV). 

And the New Testament scriptures also speak against these sexual sins. Take, for example, 1 Corinthians 6:9, which says, “Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9–11, ESV).

As I have said, to understand the seventh commandment and the sin of adultery, we must first understand God’s design for sexual relations. God created sex to be enjoyed by a man and a woman bound together for life in the covenant of marriage. All other sexual relations are a perversion of God’s design. Sexual immorality of all kinds is to be avoided, especially the sin of adultery, for when the sin of adultery is committed, the marriage covenant, which is a very sacred thing, is broken. 

Can the adulterer be forgiven? Yes, of course. And so too can the homosexual and the fornicator. Did you hear what Paul said to the Corinthians? After speaking of the sins of sexual immorality, adultery, and homosexuality (among other things), he said, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11, ESV). “Such were some of you”, Paul said. And by this, he indicates that the Christians in Corinth were no longer these things, for they had turned from their sin and to Christ—they were washed, sanctified, and justified, through faith in Jesus Christ. 

You know, it is common for homosexuals and other sexually perverse people today to say, This is who I am. And there may be some truth to that. But look at what the Scriptures say. Who you are needs to change! God is calling you to turn from your sin and to Christ, for in Christ, there is cleansing, renewal, and the forgiveness of sins. Who would allow the liar, the thief, or the adulterer to excuse their sin by saying, This is who I am? Though I do not doubt that people have propensities towards these sins. And though it may be true that their deepest desires lead them in this sinful direction. And perhaps this is their way of life to the point that they can hardly distinguish between the sinful act and their very being. Even still, God calls sinners to turn from their sin and to believe upon Christ for the forgiveness of sin and for renewal, so that it may be said of them, “and such were… you… but you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:9–11, ESV).

The sin that is expressly forbidden in the seventh commandment is adultery. And adultery is forbidden because it is particularly damaging. Not only is it a perversion of God’s design for sexual relations, but it is also the breaking of the covenant of marriage. I do not need to describe to you the damage that the sin of adultery does to individual lives, families, and society. 

But as usual, our catechism helps us to see that the commandment is to be interpreted and applied broadly. Not only does the seventh commandment forbid the sin of adultery, it also requires “the preservation of our own and our neighbor’s chastity, in heart, speech, and behavior”, while forbidding “all unchaste thoughts, words, and actions.” The rest of the scriptures make it very clear that this is the proper interpretation and application of God’s moral law, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”

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Baptist Catechism 76 and 77

Not only does the seventh commandment forbid you from committing adultery, it requires that you seek to preserve your own and your neighbor’s chastity. Now there is an old-fashioned word — chastity. It should not be old-fashioned. It ought to still be on our minds and lips. To be chaste is to abstain from extramarital or premarital intercourse. The seventh commandment requires us to preserve our own chastity and also our neighbors. 

This means that men and women should be careful not to bring temptation to those around them. Being mindful of this will affect the way that you dress and the way that you talk.

This also means that husbands and wives should be generous with one another as it pertains to conjugal rights, for this does help to guard against temptation. You may read 1 Corinthians 6:18-7:5 again to see what I mean. Husbands and wives are to serve one another in this way. 

And notice also how our catechism applies the seventh commandment to the heart, and not merely to our words and actions, saying, “The seventh commandment requireth the preservation of our own and our neighbor’s chastity, in heart, speech, and behavior”, and again, “The seventh commandment forbideth all unchaste thoughts, words, and actions.”

God’s commands are always to be applied to the heart, friends. You should know this by now. And this is why Jesus said, “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Jesus was not saying something new here. Instead, he was giving the proper interpretation of the seventh commandment. God’s law was always meant to be applied to the heart. Remember the summary of the law is to love God with all our being and to love our neighbor as ourselves. Here, Christ is simply saying that the seventh commandment is to be kept from the heart. This was always the intent. 

And please don’t misunderstand his words. He is not saying that lust and adultery are the same thing. They are not. Adultery is worse because it is the sin of lust full-grown. Jesus is simply teaching that lust is adultery in the heart. Lust is adultery in seed form. Root it out, brothers and sisters, for lust is a sin. And root out the sin of lust, before it is fully grown, leading to the act of sexual immorality and even adultery. 

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Conclusion 

“Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:18–20, ESV)

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 5

“TO THE CHOIRMASTER: FOR THE FLUTES. A PSALM OF DAVID. Give ear to my words, O LORD; consider my groaning. Give attention to the sound of my cry, my King and my God, for to you do I pray. O LORD, in the morning you hear my voice; in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you and watch. For you are not a God who delights in wickedness; evil may not dwell with you. The boastful shall not stand before your eyes; you hate all evildoers. You destroy those who speak lies; the LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man. But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love, will enter your house. I will bow down toward your holy temple in the fear of you. Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies; make your way straight before me. For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue. Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you. But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you. For you bless the righteous, O LORD; you cover him with favor as with a shield.” (Psalm 5, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 20:19-26

“The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on him at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people. So 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. So they asked him, ‘Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God. Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?’ But he perceived their craftiness, and said to them, ‘Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?’ They said, ‘Caesar’s.’ He said to them, ‘Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent.” (Luke 20:19–26, 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.

A Great Power Struggle

What we see here in this portion of Luke’s Gospel is best described as a power struggle between the chief priests, scribes, and elders and Jesus. 

Our text begins, “The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on [Jesus] at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them, but they feared the people” (Luke 20:19, ESV). 

When Luke says, “the scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on [Jesus]”, he means they wanted to lay hands on him to do him harm.

Why did they wish to do him harm? For many reasons, no doubt. But Luke says it was especially because “they perceived that he had told this parable against them…” This is a reference to the parable we considered two Lord’s Days ago, found in the previous passage. Do you remember it? 

When Christ was teaching in the temple, he was confronted by the chief priests, scribes, and elders of Israel. They approached him and said, “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority” (Luke 20:2, ESV). 

Can you see the power struggle? Jesus was a threat to these men.  They enjoyed power and authority within Israel, and Jesus threatened to take it away as he taught in the temple and as the multitude flocked to him. 

In brief, Christ claimed that, like John the Baptist, his power and authority were from God, not man. And after this, he told a parable. It is a parable about a vineyard owner who went away on a long journey and leased his vineyard to tenants. These tenants were wicked tenants, though. When the owner of the vineyard sent his servants to get some of the produce, they beat them and treated them shamefully. Finally, the owner of the vineyard sent his beloved son, saying, “Perhaps they will respect him” (Luke 20:13, ESV). But these wicked tenants conspired against the son to kill him, saying, “This is the heir. Let us kill him, so that the inheritance may be ours” (Luke 20:14, ESV).

When all is considered, the vineyard represents Old Covenant Israel, the owner represents God, the servants represent the prophets of old, the beloved son represents Jesus the Messiah, and the wicked tenants represent the principle of men of Israel—men like the chief priests, scribes, and elders. The parable concludes with a question: “What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them?” Answer: “He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others” (Luke 20:15–16, ESV).

The parable that Jesus told was a condemnation of the principal men of Israel, and they knew it.  And so our text for today begins with these words: “The scribes and the chief priests sought to lay hands on [Jesus] at that very hour, for they perceived that he had told this parable against them…”

When Luke adds, “but they feared the people”, he informs us that the chief priests, scribes, and elders could not directly oppose Jesus because of the people. So large and zealous was the multitude that followed Jesus, the principal men of Israel could not lay hands on Jesus in a direct way because they feared the people. They had to proceed against him in a crafty way.   

[Friends, can you see that this was a great power struggle? Many had submitted to Jesus as Lord and Savior, but these principal men of Isarel would not submit, for to submit to Jesus as God’s beloved son, the King of God’s kingdom, and heir of God’s vineyard, would mean the loss of their power and prestige within the world. This was a very great power struggle. Everyone could see it. And it illustrates the power struggle experienced in the mind and heart of all who hear the good news of Jesus Christ. In brief, the gospel of Jesus Christ is the good news that God has provided a Savior, Christ the Lord, and that all who trust in him will have their sins forgiven and life everlasting in the blessed presence of God. But what does truly trusting in Christ involve? It involves turning from sin to Christ, confessing him as Lord. It involves bowing the knee to Jesus and honoring him as King. As Christ has said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Matthew 16:24-26, ESV). All who hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and this call to faith and repentance will certainly experience this power struggle within themselves. Essentially, the question is this: Will I be the Lord of my life, or will Christ? Will I trust in myself, or in Christ? Will I live for my glory, or Christ’s? This is the power struggle that all will face when they hear the gospel of Jesus Christ and are called to faith and repentance. For some, the struggle will be great, as it was for Paul, who kicked against the goads (Acts 26:14). Others, by the grace of God, will quickly bow the knee to Jesus. But I do believe that all who are called by the gospel externally will experience this power struggle. Only those called inwardly by the Spirit will submit to Jesus and confess him is Lord (Romans 10:9; John 6:44; 1 Corinthians 12:3). But even true Christ followers will sometimes struggle to submit themselves to Christ the King, for the flesh still wars against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh. I suppose the whole process of sanctification could be described as a power struggle. In fact, we confess that “sanctification is throughout, in the whole man, yet imperfect in this life; there abideth still some remnants of corruption in every part, whence ariseth a continual and irreconcilable war; the flesh lusting against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh” (Second London Confession 12.2)]

For most, the power struggle is personal, and no more. Will you submit to Jesus as Lord to have him as Savior? That is the question. But for those in positions of leadership within God’s Covenant community, the power struggle has a broader impact. It should be clear to all that this power struggle between Jesus and the leading men of Israel was not only about their personal relationship to Jesus and their personal salvation at stake, for these men were leaders. They represented the people and the nation. Or to use the language of the previous parable, these were the tenants of Old Covenant Israel. So then, it was not only their personal salvation at stake, but also their tenure. Do not forget what Christ said in the parable. Because these men would reject and kill the son, the vineyard owner would “come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others” (Luke 20:16, ESV).

Hardness Of Heart Put On Display

Notice, secondly, the hardness of heart displayed by these leaders of Israel. 

Look with me at verse 20: “So 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).

Clearly, these men had no interest in Jesus. They were not open to the possibility that he was the Messiah as he claimed. Their hearts were hard toward him, and their minds were resolute. They were determined to find some way to destroy him.

“So they watched him”, the text says. They watched him carefully, not with an open mind, to see if he was indeed the Lord’s Messiah, but to find a way to bring him down. 

They even sent spies in to mingle amongst the disciples of Jesus. Luke tells us that these “pretended to be sincere”. This means they pretended to be true disciples of Jesus, or at least to be asking him sincere questions, but in reality, they wished to catch him in something so they might deliver him over to the authorities to be killed. 

[Dear brothers and sisters, we must not forget that the Evil One wars against Christ and his church in the same way even to this present day. There will always be false believers in our midst—false teachers and wolves in sheep’s clothing. Jesus warned of this in the days of his earthly ministry, saying, “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits (Matthew 7:15–16, ESV). Peter warned of this in his second epistle, saying, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies… And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep” (2 Peter 2:1–3, ESV). And Paul reports that this was a reality in the churches of Galatia, saying, “Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery— to them we did not yield in submission even for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might be preserved for you” (Galatians 2:4–5, ESV). 

The point I am making is this: the church must always be on guard as it pertains to this tactic of the Evil One. The Evil One is constantly warring against Christ and his church. We must not forget that he is crafty and cunning. He disguises himself as an angel of light. One of the ways that Satan disrupts churches is to infiltrate them with people who pretend to be sincere. “They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work” (Titus 1:16, ESV).

How can a church protect itself against infiltrators? Two things are needed. One, the church must be careful when receiving new members. Who is to be received into the membership of the church? Answer: All who make a credible profession of faith are to be received. Two, the church must be faithful in discipline so that those who, over time, destroy the credibility of their profession by holding to false doctrines that undermine the foundation of the faith or by living an unholy and unrepentant life are removed from the church. 

Brothers and sisters, there is a ditch on both sides of this road. On the one hand, we must be careful not to judge too strictly so that those new to the faith or who are weak or immature in faith are barred from the church and the sacraments. Paul says in Romans 16:1, “As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions” (Romans 14:1, ESV). It is possible for someone to have weak but true faith, and these must be received into the church so they might grow. On the other hand, we must not be so open, undiscerning, and naive that we receive those who are unbelieving and insincere into church membership and give that which is holy to the dogs (see Matthew 7:6). 

When I say that the church must always be on guard, I mean both the members and the elders must do their part. 

Dear brothers and sisters, church members must not be sleepy and disengaged as it pertains to the government and discipline of the church. Ultimately, it is the members of a church who receive new members and covenant to walk with them in the ways of the Lord. It is also the members of the church who must judge in church discipline cases. Christ says, “If he refuses to listen to them [the two or three witnesses], tell [of the unrepentant sin] to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector” (Matthew 18:17, ESV). The members of the church must take an active role in preserving the purity, peace, and unity of the church. 

No doubt, the elders of the church have a special role to play. They must lead in the government of the church. They must oversee disciplinary cases. And they must authoritatively declare the decisions of the church. It is true, the elders of the church have a special responsibility to guard the doors of the church, spiritually speaking. I was recently reminded of a quote from John Calvin concerning the pastor’s responsibility to protect the flock. “The pastor ought to have two voices: one, for gathering the sheep; and another, for warding off and driving away wolves and thieves. The Scripture supplies him with the means of doing both…” (John Calvin and William Pringle, Commentaries on the Epistles to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 296.) It is true, pastors and elders have a special responsibility to protect the flock against false believers and false teachers, but the members of the church must also be on guard against insincere and divisive persons.] 

By inserting this point of application, by no means am I criticizing Christ or his disciples for allowing these “spies, who pretended to be sincere,” to infiltrate the multitude. For one, this was not a settled or fully formed church,  but a rather chaotic scene. Many had flocked to Jesus to hear his words. Not all were sincere. Two, ministers and members cannot help it if insincere persons assemble with the church. Our church assemblies should be open to non-believers and to those who are inquiring concerning the Christian faith. The question is, what will pastors and members do with those who prove to be insincere, full of falsehood, and divisiveness? Will these be tolerated, or expelled? We should remember Paul’s words to Titus: “As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him” (Titus 3:10, ESV). Three, it was the will of God that these spies be permitted to infiltrate the crowd. What they did was exceedingly sinful, but God decreed to use it to lead to the crucifixion of Christ and the accomplishment of our salvation (see Acts 2:22ff.).

Clearly, the hearts of the chief priests, scribes, and elders were very hard. They hated Christ. They were not open to his teachings. They were determined to lay their hands on him to do him harm,  and so they sent in spies who pretended to be sincere to catch Jesus in something he said so they might deliver him up to the authority and jurisdiction of the governor. So you can see their plan. They could not stop Jesus on their own. They would attempt to stop him by setting him at odds with the Roman authorities. 

A Question Designed To Trap

Notice, thirdly, the question they asked Jesus in an attempt to trap him. 

Look at verse 21. “So they asked him, ‘Teacher, we know that you speak and teach rightly, and show no partiality, but truly teach the way of God…” (Luke 20:21, ESV). These men attempted to flatter Jesus. This was in fulfillment to Psalm 5, which we read earlier: “For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue. Make them bear their guilt, O God; let them fall by their own counsels; because of the abundance of their transgressions cast them out, for they have rebelled against you” (Psalm 5:9–10, ESV).

Their question is found in verse 22: “Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?”” (Luke 20:22, ESV). By asking this question, they tried to put Jesus on the horns of a dilemma. They thought, if Jesus answers “yes” the multitudes will abandon him, for many were still hoping for a political Messiah, one who would oppose and overthrow the Romans. And if Jesus answered “no”, Jesus would find himself at odds with the Romans, for the governments of the world will not tolerate their citizens refusing to pay their taxes. If you wish to be viewed by the government as a rebel and seditionist, refuse to pay your taxes. You’ll soon see how they interpret that act! 

Earlier, the chief priests, scribes, and elders attempted to trap Jesus by saying to  him, “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority” (Luke 20:2, ESV). They wished to know if Jesus claimed his authority came from God or man. Jesus answered in a very winsome way, and so this trap didn’t work.  Now they try another tactic. This time they try to pit the authority of Jesus against the authority of the civil government. “Is it lawful for us to give tribute to Caesar, or not?”” (Luke 20:22, ESV), they asked. 

A Winsome Reply

Again, Jesus replied in a winsome way. 

Look at verse 23: “But he perceived their craftiness…” (Luke 20:23, ESV). The word “craftiness” catches my attention. It shows that these men were not lovers of truth and lovers of God. No, their behavior resembles the behavior of Satan.

This same Greek word appears in other places in the Bible. 

It appears in 2 Corinthians 11:3, where Paul warns Christians, saying,  “But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning [craftiness], your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:3, ESV).

In Ephesians 4:14 Paul warns the Christian not to be deceived by crafty schemes. There he teaches that pastors and teachers have been given to the church to do the work of the ministry, “so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes” (Ephesians 4:14, ESV.)

[Beware of crafty and cunning schemes, brothers and sisters. And beware of those who employ them.] 

In 2 Corinthians 4:2, Paul states that he and the other Apostles would have nothing to do with crafty schemes: “But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God” (2 Corinthians 4:2, ESV).

[All Christians, and especially ministers of the word, must follow Paul’s example. We must be about the truth, pure and simple. We must renounce “disgraceful, underhanded ways” and “refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God’s word…”

 In 1 Corinthians 3:19, Paul comforts us with the truth that God will judge those who are crafty. “For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, ‘He catches the wise in their craftiness…’” (1 Corinthians 3:19, ESV). This is a citation from Job 5:13, which says, “He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end” (Job 5:13, ESV). Jesus is about to demonstrate this principle in his reply to these crafty ones. 

In verse 24, we hear Jesus say to them, “‘Show me a denarius. Whose likeness and inscription does it have?’ They said, ‘Caesar’s.’ He said to them, ‘Then render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.’ And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch him in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent” (Luke 20:24–26, ESV).

A denarius was a Roman coin worth about a day’s wage. Like with our coins, Roman coins would be struck with images on them. This particular coin had an image of the Roman Emporer on it. And so he said, “Then render [or make payment] to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Luke 20:25, ESV).

This answer from Jesus was very wise and instructive. 

It was wise because by this answer, he freed himself from the horns of a dilemma. By this answer, he showed that there was no real dilemma or conflict between Jesus’ authority and the authority of Rome. These Old Covenant Jews thought there was conflict. The nation of Old Covenant Israel was at this time under Roman occupation, and they wished to be free and independent. They hated paying taxes to Rome, therefore, because it was a sign of their continued subjugation.  But the kingdom Christ came to establish does not function this way. He did not come to establish an earthly kingdom that would be at odds with Rome, but an eternal kingdom without land or borders. “Render [or make payment] to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Luke 20:25, ESV).

This answer is instructive because it shows us that under the New Covenant, God’s people will live as sojourners and exiles simultaneously as citizens of two kingdoms: the kingdom of Christ, and a kingdom of this world—be it Rome or some other. When Christ said, “Render [or make payment] to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Luke 20:25, ESV), he clearly communicated that his disciples would need to be faithful citizens in both kingdoms. Some things would be owed to Caesar, and some things would be owed to God.  

Paul elaborates on the things owed to Caesar in chapter 13 of his epistle to the Romans, saying, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer. Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s wrath but also for the sake of conscience. For because of this you also pay taxes, for the authorities are ministers of God, attending to this very thing. Pay to all what is owed to them: taxes to whom taxes are owed, revenue to whom revenue is owed, respect to whom respect is owed, honor to whom honor is owed.” (Romans 13:1–7, ESV).

And what are the things owed to God? They can be summed up with the words love, worship, and obedience. By this answer, Christ shows that subjection to civil magistrates is not necessarily inconsistent with the reverence and fear we owe to God. 

[Christ followers must strive, therefore, to be good citizens in both the kingdoms of Christ and the nations of this earth in which we live. It helps a great deal to remember that though these kingdoms differ greatly as it pertains to their purpose and adminstration, Christ is Lord of both,  for “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to [him]” (Matthew 28:18, ESV).]

Conclusion

Our text concludes with these words in verse 26: “And they were not able in the presence of the people to catch [Jesus] in what he said, but marveling at his answer they became silent” (Luke 20:26, ESV). Soon, the authorities would lay their hands on Jesus to do him harm, but it must be remembered that Jesus was innocent. Peter stressed this in his sermon on the day of Pentecost, saying, “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it” (Acts 2:22–24, ESV).

Baptist Catechism 68 – 71

Q. 68. Which is the fifth commandment?

A. The fifth commandment is, “Honor thy father and thy mother, that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.” (Exodus 20:12)

Q. 69. What is required in the fifth commandment?

A. The fifth commandment requireth the preserving the honor, and performing the duties, belonging to everyone in their several places and relations, as superiors, inferiors, or equals. (Lev. 19:32; 1 Peter 2:17; Rom. 13:1; Eph. 5:21,22; Eph. 6:1,5,9; Col. 3:19-22; Rom. 12:10)

Q. 70. What is forbidden in the fifth commandment?

A. The fifth commandment forbideth the neglecting of, or, doing anything against the honor and duty which belongeth to everyone in their several places and relations. (Prov. 30:17; Rom. 13:7,8)

Q. 71. What is the reason annexed to the fifth commandment?

A. The reason annexed to the fifth commandment is a promise of long life and prosperity (as far as it shall serve God’s glory and their own good), to all such as keep this commandment. (Eph. 6:2,3; Prov. 4:3-6; 6:20-22)

Scripture Reading: Proverbs 4

“Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching. When I was a son with my father, tender, the only one in the sight of my mother, he taught me and said to me, “Let your heart hold fast my words; keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom; get insight; do not forget, and do not turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will keep you; love her, and she will guard you. The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown.” Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many. I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble. Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life. Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence. But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, which shines brighter and brighter until full day. The way of the wicked is like deep darkness; they do not know over what they stumble. My son, be attentive to my words; incline your ear to my sayings. Let them not escape from your sight; keep them within your heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all their flesh. Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil.” (Proverbs 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.

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Introduction

I have come to really love and appreciate the instruction that our catechism provides on the Ten Commandments. One thing I appreciate is the breadth of the interpretation. Our catechism does not give us a narrow interpretation of the Ten Commandments, but a broad one. In other words, these commandments are teased out a little so we might see their implications. And it is right for the Ten Commandments to be teased out, for this is what the Scriptures do, and this is what Christ himself did. We confess that the Ten Commandments contain a summary of God’s moral law. And you know what a summary is. A summary provides a brief or concise account of something. It does not tell the whole story. The Ten Commandments contain God’s moral law, in summary form. 

So, the fifth commandment, which is “Honor thy father and thy mother”, does not merely require little children to respect their parents. No, properly understood, it requires us “to  preserve the honor, and perform the duties, belonging to everyone in their [various] places and relations, as superiors, inferiors, or equals.” Stated negatively, it forbids “the neglecting of, or, doing anything against the honor and duty which [belongs] to everyone in their [various]  places and relations.” In other words, the fifth commandment requires us to show respect to all people, taking into consideration their relation to us as either superiors, inferiors, or equals. Notice, or catechism teaches that it is not only superiors, like parents, who are to be respected but equals and inferiors too, each in a fitting way. 

Let me ask you, brothers and sisters, where is this respectful behavior first learned? In the home. It is in the family environment where children are taught to show honor and respect to others. First, they learn to show honor to their parents. Second, if they have siblings, they learn to honor them as equals. And third, they are taught to take this respectful behavior with them out into the world to apply in every realm. “The fifth commandment requireth the preserving the honor, and performing the duties, belonging to everyone in their several places and relations, as superiors, inferiors, or equals.”

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Baptist Catechism 69 & 70

Notice that the fifth commandment is the first commandment of the second table of God’s law. The first table of the law (commandments 1-4) has to do with our relationship to God and the worship of his name. The second table of the law (commandments 5-10) has to do with our relationship to our fellow man. We should not be surprised to see that the fifth commandment, just like the first commandment, is foundational. 

Where do we start if we wish to relate to our fellow man in the right way? We must start by learning to show honor to others. And the very first people we must learn to honor are our parents.       

My time is very limited in this second portion of our liturgy, and so I will not expand upon this much. But think of how devastating the breakdown of the family is to society. Think of how devastating it is for God’s moral law to be abandoned and suppressed within a society. If God’s law is not honored, and if children are not taught to honor God and man within the home, then do not be surprised when that society grows very sinful. 

Notice that our catechism says that we must “preserve the honor” of others. Does this not imply that men and women possess a certain kind of dignity by nature? Yes, and this is because all humans are made in the image of God. And add to this the place that God has given them in the world. Each position or place within society, be it high or low, demands a certain kind of honor or respect. This honor is to be preserved. Does this phrase not also imply that we, because of our sinful condition, do tend to show dishonor to others? Throughout the history of the world, the weak have been exploited by the strong. This cannot be. And men often will slander other men. This is also a great evil. Not only are we to show honor to others who have been made in God’s image, but we must also seek to preserve their honor. So this may involve standing up for the weak and oppressed and rebuking the gossiper or slanderer to preserve the reputation of another.

Next, our catechism speaks of “performing the duties, belonging to everyone”. When I think of the instruction to preserve the honor… belonging to everyone”, I think of defense. We must defend the honor of others. But the words, “performing the duties, belonging to everyone”, communicates that we are to positively and proactively give to others the honor that is due to them. 

Children owe their parents honor in the form of respect and obedience. Children, honor your parents. You must. God commands it. And when you fail to honor your parents, you must repent. That means that you must confess your sin to God, for you sin against him when you dishonor your parents. You must ask him to forgive you in Christ Jesus. And you must also ask your parents to forgive you, for you have done wrong to them. You have failed to give them what they deserve as your parent, that is, respect and obedience. You must also ask the Lord to help you not to stumble again. Children owe their parents honor in the form of respect and obedience. Citizens owe respect to governing authorities; congregants owe respect to their ministers; wives owe respect to their husbands; employees owe respect to their employers. On and on I could go. 

But I do love this little phrase, “ in their several places and relations, as superiors, inferiors, or equals.” It helps us to remember that honor is owed, not only to those who are over us, but also to those who stand beside us and are under us. Husbands, honor your wives, therefore. Am I now contradicting the scriptures which say, “Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.” No! I am only drawing your attention to what is said next in that same passage—“Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them.” So do you see that there is a special kind of honor that a wife owes to her husband, and there is a special kind of honor that a husband owes to his wife? Yes, the husband has authority in the home, but honor is to be shown to all. As Peter says, “Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered” (1 Peter 3:7, ESV). In a similar way, governors owe a certain kind of honor to their citizens. Bosses owe a certain kind of honor to their employees. And parents are even called to honor their children. “Fathers, do not provoke your children, lest they become discouraged” (Colossians 3:21, ESV). “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Ephesians 6:4, ESV).

I hope you are able to see, brothers and sisters, that the fifth commandment is foundational. It sets the standard, not only for the relationship between child and parent, but for all human relationships. Honor is to be shown to all in a way that is fitting. Or to use another term, love is to be shown. And I’m sure you remember how Christ summed up the whole law with the word love. Love God with all you are, and love your neighbor as yourself. In fact, listen to the way he summed up the second table of the law as he spoke to a rich young man who was covetous. “And Jesus said, ‘You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself’” (Matthew 19:18–19, ESV). The law, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”, is the sum of the entirety of the second table of God’s moral law. 

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Baptist Catechism 71

In the remainder of our time together, I would like to briefly consider Baptist Catechism 71, which asks, “What is the reason annexed to the fifth commandment?” “Annexed” is simply an old-fashioned word for added. “What is the reason [added or attached] to the fifth commandment?”

This is a question about the promise attached to the fifth commandment itself, which says, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land that the LORD your God is giving you.” (Exodus 20:12, ESV). So there is a blessing attached to the fifth commandment. In Ephesians 6:1, Paul says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. ‘Honor your father and mother’”, and then he adds, “this is the first commandment with a promise” (Ephesians 6:1–2, ESV). 

So what is this promise all about? Our catechism gives this answer: “The reason annexed to the fifth commandment is a promise of long life and prosperity (as far as it shall serve God’s glory and their own good), to all such as keep this commandment.”

The little qualification, “as far as it shall serve God’s glory and their own good,” is meant to keep us from assuming that this is a guarantee. In other words, we should not take this to mean that every child who honors his parents will live a very long and prosperous life. No, life doesn’t work that way. The righteous do sometimes suffer and die young. 

Instead, we are to take this as a general rule. In fact, the Proverbs are filled with little principles like this. They are not promises, strictly speaking, but general principles. Those who obey God’s law and pursue wisdom will be blessed in life, generally speaking. And you know this to be true. Wise living usually produces good things. But not always. As I said, sometimes the righteous do suffer. In fact, I think that is one reason we have the book of Job. That book shows us that the righteous do sometimes suffer. But what is the general principle in this promise attached to the fifth commandment?

Well, we should remember that the Ten Commandments were originally given to Israel as a nation. If Israel were to obey this law, it would be blessed in the land. But Paul also applies this same law to New Covenant Christians who do not have a homeland. And to us, he says, “‘Honor your father and mother’ (this is the first commandment with a promise), ‘that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land [or earth]’” (Ephesians 6:2–3, ESV).

Here is the principle. Though it is true that God may have other plans and purposes, in general, it is true that keeping this commandment will be rewarded with good things in this life. Good things will come to you because the blessing of God is on you. And also, good things will come to you because of the so-called natural consequences of your actions. Those who are rebellious will most often suffer difficulty, whereas those who honor God and their fellow man will most often enjoy the blessings that come with that way of life. You have witnessed this, I’m sure. 

And indeed this is true when it comes to all of God’s commandments. There is a blessing in them. There is life in them. No, we do not keep them perfectly, so we need a Savior. But God’s law is good. God’s law is not burdensome. 

Proverbs 4, which was read at the start of this sermon, speaks to this reality. It begins, “Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight, for I give you good precepts; do not forsake my teaching.” And then later it says, “Get wisdom, and whatever you get, get insight. Prize her highly, and she will exalt you; she will honor you if you embrace her. She will place on your head a graceful garland; she will bestow on you a beautiful crown. Hear, my son, and accept my words, that the years of your life may be many.”

And I would like to show you this same principle in Paul’s instructions to husbands. He says, among other things, “In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself” (Ephesians 5:28, ESV). Oh, how true that is. Brothers, do you want it good? Then love your wives with the love of Christ. And sisters, do you want it good, then honor your husbands in the Lord. Children, do you want it good? Then honor your father and mother—indeed, give everyone the honor that is due to them. 

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Conclusion

Friends, I’ll conclude with this question: Have you kept this law perfectly? No, we have violated this law in thought, word, and deed. Let us turn from our sins to Christ for the forgiveness of our sins. And by God’s grace and with the strength he provides, let us strive to keep his law from this day forward, out of gratitude for all God has done, for his glory and our good, 

Baptist Catechism 66 & 67

Q. 66. What is forbidden in the fourth commandment?

A. The fourth commandment forbids the omission or careless performance of the duties required, and the profaning the day by idleness, or doing that which is in itself sinful, or by unnecessary thoughts, words, or works, about worldly employments or recreations. (Ezekiel 22:26; 23:38; Jer. 17:21; Neh. 13:15,17; Acts 20:7)

Q. 67. What are the reasons annexed to the fourth commandment?

A. The reasons annexed to the fourth commandment are, God’s allowing us six days of the week for our own lawful employments, His challenging a special propriety in a seventh, His own example and His blessing the Sabbath day. (Exodus 34:21; 31:16,17; Gen. 2:2,3)

Scripture Reading: Acts 20:7-12

“On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. But Paul went down and bent over him, and taking him in his arms, said, ‘Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.’ And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. And they took the youth away alive, and were not a little comforted.” (Acts 20:7–12, 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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Introduction

As we consider the moral law of God as summarized in the Ten Commandments, there are two errors that must be avoided. The first error is legalism. The second error is antinomianism. Both of these errors are very serious and must be avoided.

What is legalism? Well, it takes different forms. 

One, it is the false belief that sinful men and women can be made right with God through obedience to the law of God. The Scriptures are clear that this is impossible for the simple reason that all mere men are lawbreakers. Apart from Christ, we stand guilty before God. No amount of lawkeeping will fix that problem. We need a Redeemer. His name is Jesus Christ. He kept God’s law in our place. He died in our place, too, so that we might be forgiven and reconciled to the God the Father. 

There is a second form of legalism that must also be avoid, and it is the elevation of human traditions and opinions to the level of law, along with the imposition of those traditions and opinions on others. If I choose to fast every Thursday and to make that a law for myself—if I do it, not to earn God’s favor, but from the heart and out of gratitude for all that God has done for me in Christ Jesus—that is not legalism. But if I begin to preach and to bind the consciences of others, saying, you must fast every Thursday, or you must not eat meat during this time of the year, or you must observe these holidays, etc, that is legalism, for the word of God has not commanded such things. We must not treat human traditions or opinions as if they are the law of God.

A third form of legalism is really a subcategory of the second, and that is the false teaching that believers under the New Covenant are obliged to obey the civil and ceremonial laws that were given to Isarel under the Old Covenant. Granted, these laws are biblical in the sense that they are found in the Bible, but they are not binding on us now because we do not live under the Old Covenant of which they were a part. We live under the New Covenant, not the Old. Yes, the Hebrews living under the Old Covenant were obligated to circumcise their male children, offer sacrifices at the temple, and to observe many holy days and Sabbaths, throughout the year. They were not legalists when they keep these laws (provided that they weren’t trying to earn eternal life through the keeping of them instead of through faith in the promised Redeemer). No, they were right to obey these laws, for these laws were not the product of man, but were given by God to them. But if anyone comes to you today and says, you are obligated to keep the civil and ceremonial laws given to Israel—to be circumcised, to abstain from certain foods, or to observe Old Covenant festivals, new moons, and Sabbaths (see Colossians 2:16)—that person is a legalist. Though it is true that all of these laws were from God, it is also true that they are not for us, for we live under the New Covenant and not the Old. We have Christ as our High Priest, and not Aaron. The Scriptures are clear, “when there is a change in the priesthood, there is necessarily a change in the law as well” (Hebrews 7:12, ESV). New Covenant saints are not bound to observe Old Covenant laws.

Beware of legalism in all of its forms, brothers and sisters.

What then is antinomianism? Well, it is the false teaching that says, there is no law for the Christian. The prefix “anti” means “against”, and “nomos” means “law”. So then, antinomians teach, in one way or another, that there is no law for the Christian. As with legalism, antinomianism comes in different flavors. Some may teach that there is no objective law for the Christian, period. I suspect that most would say that there is a law, but it is the law of the Spirit, or the law of Christ. They then suppose that the law of the Spirit or of Christ is different in substance from the law written on stone at Sinai. Both views are erroneous, and they leave the Christian without an objective moral standard. If I were to guess, I would say antinomianism is a bigger problem in the church today (at least in our region) than legalism is. It must be avoided. 

If you wish to read a very helpful summary of what we believe concerning God’s law, I would encourage you to read chapter 19 of our confession of faith, The Second London Baptist Conefssion. In brief, we confess that God’s moral law was given first, not to Israel, but to Adam, having been written on his heart. The moral law of God is for all people living in all times and places, therefore. Furthermore, we confess that the same moral law written on Adam’s heart is contained within the Ten Commandments which were written on stone and given to Isarel through Moses at Sinai. In those days, many other civil and ceremonial laws were added to the Ten Commandments and given peculiarly to Isarel. The moral law, as contained within the Ten Commandments, is for all people living in all places and times. But the civil and ceremonial laws found in the Old Testament were binding on Old Covenant Isarel only.

I mention chapter 19 of our confession, because it helps guard against the errors of legalism and antinomianism. On the one hand, it protects us from leagalism when it states in paragraph 6 that “true believers [are] not under the law as a covenant of works, to be thereby justified or condemned…” It also protects us from leagalism when it clearly teaches that the civil and ceremonial laws given to Old Covenant Israel have been fulfilled and taken away. On the other hand, our confession protects against antinomianism when it says in paragraph 5 that “The moral law doth for ever bind all, as well justified persons as others, to the obedience thereof, and that not only in regard of the matter contained in it, but also in respect of the authority of God the Creator, who gave it; neither doth Christ in the Gospel any way dissolve, but much strengthen this obligation.” In paragraph 6, we confess that the moral law is it is “of great use to [believers] as well as to others”, and then a list of uses follows. I especially appreciate paragraph 7, which says, “Neither are the aforementioned uses of the law contrary to the grace of the Gospel, but do sweetly comply with it, the Spirit of Christ subduing and enabling the will of man to do that freely and cheerfully which the will of God, revealed in the law, requireth to be done.” 

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Baptist Catechism 66 & 67

You may be wondering what all of this has to do with Baptist Catechism questions 66 and 67. Well, I believe I have said enough about what the fourth commandment requires and forbids in the previous two sermons. Here I wanted to take a moment to counter the criticism that we will certainly face, even from other Christians living in our time and place, as we strive, by the grace of God and in the power of the Spirit, to honor the Lord’s Day Sabbath and to keep it holy. What will some charge us with? Answer: legalism.

But is it legalistic to say that the Christian ought to obey God’s moral law? Is it legalistic to say that the Christian ought to worship God alone in the way he has prescribed, honoring one day in seven as holy unto him until the end of the world? Certainly not. 

Some who are anti-Sabbatiarians will say, well, the practice of Sabbath keeping belonged to the ceremonial laws of Old Covenant Israel and has been done away with. You are guilty of legalism for teaching that the Sabbath Day is to be kept under the New Covenant. This is not true. As has been said in previous sermons, that Sabbath command was not given first to Israel through Moses, but to Adam. And when the Sabbath command was given to Isarel through Moses, it was given a special place at the heart of the Ten Commandments, wherein God’s universal and unchanging moral law is summarized. Will the anti-Sabitarians charge us with legalism when we say that God alone is to be worshiped, not with images, and with reverence for his name? Will they charge us with legalism when we say, You shall honor your father and mother, do not murder, commit adultery, steal, bear false witness, or covet? Are we guilty of legalism when we teach that Christians are to keep these laws, not to earn God’s favor, but from a heart renewed and empowered by the Holy Spirit out of gratitude for all that God has done for us in Christ? OI doubt it! Why then do so many professing Christians in our day charge us with legalism when we teach that the fourth of these ten Commandments is to be kept, too? I’m afraid that the antinomian error has had a devastating effect on the modern church.    

Some who are anti-Sabbatiarians will respond, saying, but the command to keep the Sabbath day holy is not restated in the New Testament, therefore we are not bound to keep it. 

First of all, this is simply not true. But let us assume for a moment that it was true. What if the fourth commandment were not restated in the New Testament? Would this mean that we are not bound to keep it? I think not. The question I would ask in reply is this: Who invented this rule that for something to be believed or obeyed by the New Covenant people of God, it must be restated in the New Testament? This is a false assumption. In fact, the New Testament is not written as a fresh start. It is written as a continuation and fulfillment of the Old. If something is to be done away with, you will need to demonstrate that it has been fulfilled or advanced somehow under the New Covenant. And as I said in the previous sermon, the thing of which the Sabbath is a sign, namely eternal rest in the presence of God, is not here yet in full. Christ has entered his rest. We rest in him in part. We will rest eternally when he returns to make all things new. Until then, the practice of Sabbath keeping remains for the people of God. This idea that something must be said in the New Testament for it to be believed or obeyed is not true.

But as I have said, this claim that the Sabbath is not taught in the New Testament is not true. Christ kept the Old Covenant Sabbath. He also stripped away all of the legalistic gunk that the religious leaders had piled on it so as to demonstrate what true Sabbath-keeping looked like. And after his resurrection, he met with his disciples on the first day of the week to break bread. The early church did the same, as recorded in Acts. And the writer of Hebrews clearly states that “there remains a [Sabbath-keeping] for the people of God…” (Hebrews 4:9).

Friends, assembling for Christian worship on the first day of the week is not merely the tradition of man. It is the law of God properly understood. It is the Christian, New Covenant, Lord’s Day Sabbath. I hope you understand, if it is only the tradition of man, then there is nothing at all binding us to worship on Sunday. In fact, nothing is binding us to weekly worship either.

Some who are anti-Sabbatiarians will respond, saying, then why has the day changed? Answer: The everabiding and unchanging moral principle is that a proportion of time is to be set apart for the worship of God. The pattern or rhythm God established at creation was one day in seven. This is the moral principle that remains. The particular itself is symbolic or ceremonial. In previous sermons, I described how the seventh day Sabbath fit with the terms of the Covenant of Works that God made with Adam in the garden (work will lead to rest). Also, the seventh day Sabbath was a reminder of the original creation, which has been ruined by sin. But the first day Sabbath fits with the terms of Covenant of Grace instituted by Christ  (rest in Christ leads to work). Also, the first day Sabbath is a reminder of the original creation and of the new creation which Christ earned through his life, death, and ressurection. The new creation was inaugurated when Christ rose. It will be consummated at his return. Then the weekly Sabbath will be fulfilled and swallowed up byu eternal rest in the presence of God.

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Conclusion

The fourth commandment remains, brothers and sisters. The day has changed. But the moral obligation to devote a proportion of time to the public and private worship of God remains. The pattern established at creation was one and seven. While this world remains, that weekly pattern will remain. From Adam to the resurrection of Christ, the holy day for rest and worship was Saturday. From the resurrection of Christ to the end of the world, the day is Sunday. And this is why you need to know that “the fourth commandment forbids the omission or careless performance of the duties required, and the profaning the day by idleness, or doing that which is in itself sinful, or by unnecessary thoughts, words, or works, about worldly employments or recreations.” 

I’ll conclude by asking you, have you kept this law perfectly? No, we have violated this law in thought, word, and deed. Thanks be to God for the forgiveness that is in Christ Jesus, and for the gift of the Spirit, who has regenerated us and freed us from bondage to sin so that we, by God’s grace, might obey God’s law willingly and from the heart, for our good and his glory.