Old Testament Reading: Exodus 31:1–11

“Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: ‘See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design artistic works, to work in gold, in silver, in bronze, in cutting jewels for setting, in carving wood, and to work in all manner of workmanship. “And I, indeed I, have appointed with him Aholiab the son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan; and I have put wisdom in the hearts of all the gifted artisans, that they may make all that I have commanded you: the tabernacle of meeting, the ark of the Testimony and the mercy seat that is on it, and all the furniture of the tabernacle—the table and its utensils, the pure gold lampstand with all its utensils, the altar of incense, the altar of burnt offering with all its utensils, and the laver and its base—the garments of ministry, the holy garments for Aaron the priest and the garments of his sons, to minister as priests, and the anointing oil and sweet incense for the holy place. According to all that I have commanded you they shall do.’” (Exodus 31:1–11, NKJV)

New Testament Reading: Colossians 1:9-14

“And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:9–14, 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’ll begin by reminding you that, after greeting the Colossians, the very first thing Paul said was that he was praying for them (see Colossians 1:3). Already, we have an opportunity to apply the text. Paul was prayerful. Christians are to be prayerful. Christian ministers must be prayerful. We must not be so busy or hurried, or consumed with the cares of this life, that we neglect prayer. In 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, Paul commands us to, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances…” And then adds this word of explanation: “for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16–18, ESV). Here in the opening of Paul’s letter to the Colossians, we learn that Paul practiced what he preached. He prayed faithfully for the saints in Colossae. 

And what did Paul say when he prayed to God for the Colossians? What was the substance or content of his prayer?  Don’t you want to know? A man’s prayers reveal the desires of his heart. And I would like to know Paul’s desires for the church in Colossae. One of the reasons I would like to know is so that I might pray like Paul. I hope you share these sentiments. 

Paul reveals a lot about the substance of his prayer in the text that is open before us today, but we should not forget what was revealed in the previous passage. The very first thing that Paul revealed concerning the substance of his prayer for the Colossians was that he gave thanks to God for them. “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you…” (Colossians 1:3, ESV), he wrote. This is significant, for it reveals that, in Paul’s mind, the Colossians had turned from their sins to trust in Jesus, because God had been merciful to them. They had faith, hope, and love, because God had done a work in them. Therefore, when Paul prayed for the Colossians, he began by thanking God and blessing his name for his mercy and grace. 

By the way, I think it would be good to notice that this agrees with the order of the petitions in the Lord’s Prayer. Christ taught his disciples to pray like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.” (Matthew 6:9, ESV). What is the first thing we are to do in prayer? Christ taught us to first give glory and honor to God in prayer. We are to praise him. We are to thank him. And this was the first thing that Paul did when he prayed for the Colossians. He honored God by thanking him for the work he had done amongst the saints in Colossae. He thanked God for their genuine faith, their everlasting hope, and their love for the brethren. He thanked God for sending the gospel of salvation to them, and not only to them, but to the world. 

In the previous passage, Paul revealed that he gave thanks to God for the Colossians, and he also revealed the reasons why. In the text that is open before us today, Paul reveals more about the content of his prayer for them. 

Paul And Timothy Prayed For The Colossians Unceasingly

Look with me at verse 9: “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you…” 

I have been referring to this prayer as Paul’s prayer. In fact, it is the prayer of Paul and Timothy. Paul was in prison. Timothy was with him. And so we are to picture the two of them (and maybe others) laboring in prayer together. 

It is good to pray in private, brothers and sisters. Jesus spoke of private prayer when he said, “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Matthew 6:6, ESV). Do not neglect private prayer, brothers and sisters. But we ought to pray with others, too. The first-person plural pronoun, “our”, at the beginning of the Lord’s Prayer, reminds us to pray with and for others. Christ taught us to pray like this: “Our Father in heaven…” Husbands and wives ought to pray together. Parents and children should pray together. Elders and deacons should pray together. Christians ought to labor in prayer together, as Paul and Timothy did. 

What prompted them to pray? It was the report that one of the Colossian Pastors, named Epaphras, brought to them. When Paul says, “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you…”, he refers back to the day when Epaphras came to them and made known to them the Colossians’ love in the Spirit (see Colossians 1:8). Clearly, Epaphras brought good news to Paul and Timothy. The gospel had been preached in Colossae. Many had come to faith in Christ, and this faith produced hope in their hearts, and this hope was bearing the fruit of love. It was a good report that Epaphras delivered. But we should not forget that Epaphras also brought troubling news. False teaching had arisen within the church of Colossae. It was undermining the truth of the Gospel. It was diminishing the person of Christ and his finished work. This false teaching was threatening the faith of some. Although Paul does not directly refute this false teaching until the middle of his letter (see Colossians 2:4; 2:8; 2:16-23), I would like to suggest to you that the false teaching was on his mind and in his peripheral vision, as it were, from the very first word of his epistle, and even here, as he reveals the substance of his prayers for the Colossians. I say this because, if you were to compare the substance of the false teaching present within Colossae with the substance of Paul’s prayer, you would find in Paul’s prayer a remedy to the false teaching.

Prayer Is An Offering Up Of Our Desires To God

“We have not ceased to pray for you”, Paul says. And then we find the word “asking”. 

If only one word could be used to describe what prayer is, this would be a good choice. To pray is to ask God for something. It is to bring a request or petition to him. In fact, the Greek word that is found here appears many times in the New Testament  (70), and very often it refers to prayer. For example, in Luke 11:9, Jesus says, “And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Luke 11:8–9, ESV). So, in prayer, we ask, we seek, and we knock. In John 14:13, Christ says, “Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son” (John 14:13, ESV). To pray is to approach God and to ask something of him. 

I love the way that our catechism defines prayer: “Prayer is an offering up of our desires to God, by the assistance of the Holy Spirit, for things agreeable to His will, in the name of Christ, believing, with confession of our sins, and thankful acknowledgment of His mercies.” This agrees with what we are saying here. When we pray, we bring our desires to God and we ask him to meet them. The KJV actually uses the word “desire” when translating Colosians 1:9: “For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding…” (Colossians 1:9, KJV 1900). 

Brothers and sisters, have you ever stopped to consider what a privilege it is to pray? Through Christ Jesus, we have access to God. In Christ, we are invited to bring our desires to him and to lay them at his feet. It’s a marvelous privilege. Go to God in prayer, brothers and sisters. Do not pray for things that do not agree with God’s revealed will (see John 14:14). And do not pray for things so that you might spend them on your passions (see James 4:3). But do pray! By the assistance of the Holy Spirit, pray for things agreeable to His will, in the name of Christ, believing, with confession of your sins, and thankful acknowledgment of His mercies. 

Just a moment ago, I said that the substance of Paul’s prayer was itself a remedy to the false teaching within Colossae. I actually need to take that a step further. The truth is, even Paul’s mention of his unceasing communion with God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:3), in prayer was a refutation of the false teachers. For what were they teaching except that something more than Christ was needed for men and women to ascend to God and commune with him? These false teachers did not deny the need for Christ, but taught that something more than Christ was needed—special knowledge, a severe ascetic lifestyle, observance of holy days, spiritual visions, and even the worship of angels—for a person to draw near to God in his heavenly temple. It’s as if they said, Jesus is good, and the gospel is good—but there is more. If you wish to be truly spiritual—if you want to get really close to God—then you will receive the special knowledge that we have and follow our superior way. 

A commentator named John Eadie (1810-1876) described the Colossian error like this: 

“[T]heir error was not in denying, but in dethroning Christ—not in refusing, but in undervaluing his death, and in seeking peace and purity by means of cerimonial distinctions and rigid mortifications… the errors promulgated in Colosse were wrapped up with important truths, and were therefore possessed of dangerous attractions. They were not a refutation of the gospel, but a sublimation of it [a changing of its form]. The Colossian errorists did not wish to subvert the new religion, but only to perfect it… in other words, they were not traitors, but they were fanatics. They did not counterfeit so as to surrender the citadel, but only strove to alter its discipline and supplant [replace] its present armor.” (Eadie, A Commentary On The Greek Text Of Paul’s Letter To The Colossians,  xxxii) 

I think he is right. The Colossian error arose from within the church. The false teacher or teachers were professing Christians. They were a part of the church in Colossae. Again, they were not openly denying Christ or the gospel, but they were adding to it. They were not adding to it in the same way that the false teachers in that threatened the Galatian churches were—those false teachers (the Judaizers) were teaching that to be justified before God, a person must trust in Christ and be circumcised. That error undermined the very foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ. These false teachers in Colossae were adding to Christ and the gospel in a different way. Again, it is as if they said, Jesus is good, and the gospel is good—but there is more. If you wish to be truly spiritual—if you want to get really close to God—then you will need to receive the special knowledge that we have and follow our superior way of life.

But notice, Paul and Timothy present themselves as two individuals who already have bold access to God. They unceasingly came before God in his heavenly temple to lay their desires at his feet. And notice what they call God. He is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Christ’s name is exulted by Paul. He is the Lord. And notice the nearness between Christ and God—he is the Son of the Father. Christ is able to bring us to the Father—that is what is implied. And this refutes the false teachers. 

You might think that I am getting ahead of myself by talking so much about the false teaching in Colossae this early in our study. Why not wait until we get to 2:16 to talk about all of this, you might ask. Again, I do believe the false teaching was in Paul’s peripheral vision from the moment he started to write. It would have been in the forefront of the Colossians’ minds from the moment they began to read this, initially, and so it should be on our minds from the beginning, too.

Paul And Timothy’s Desires For The Colossians Revealed

Paul and Timothy came boldly before the throne of grace and prayed unceasingly for the Colossians.  What did they ask God for when they prayed? What did they desire for them? The answer is found in verses 9 and 10: “And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him…”

In brief, Paul and Timothy prayed for two things: One, that the Colossians would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will. Two, that this would result in them walking in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him.

Brothers and sisters, I’m confident that Paul would pray the same thing for us. It’s not as if these prayers were so customized for the Colossian believers that they do not apply to other or to all churches. In fact, listen to Paul’s prayer for the church in Ephesus. It will sound familiar. In Ephesians 1:16, Paul says, ​​“I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him…” (Ephesians 1:16–17, ESV). And in Ephesians 4:1, he delivers this exhortation: “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called…” (Ephesians 4:1, ESV). Paul’s desire for all the churches was the same. And his prayers for them, though they were no doubt unique in some way, were essentially the same. His desire for the Colossians, and for all true churches, is this: that we would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, and that this would result in our walking in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him.

That You May Be Filled With The Knowledge Of His Will In All Spiritual Wisdom And Understanding

The words Paul used to express himself are interesting and important. 

Paul and Timothy prayed that the Colossians would be filled. This implies that the Colossians had something in them, but that they needed more of it. And notice the passive voice. His prayer was not that they would fill themselves up, but that they would be filled.

And what did he pray they be filled with? Knowledge of God’s will. The Greek word translated as “knowledge” refers to a full knowledge—an exhaustive knowledge—especially meant for those who have some little knowledge (see Eadie, 21). The choice of this particular Greek word indicates that Paul’s desire for the Colossians was not that they would be filled with knowledge of a different kind but that the knowledge they already possessed would deepen. His prayer for them was that the theological knowledge they already possessed would further develop and that they might have even more of the insight they already enjoyed.  

Paul’s prayer was that the Colossians would be filled with a full and deep knowledge of God’s will. What is meant by God’s will? I think it is best to take this as a reference to all that God has revealed to us concerning his plans, purposes, and commandments. Paul’s desire for the Colossian believers, and for us, is that we would be filled up more and more with knowledge concerning God’s plan of salvation through Christ Jesus, of his plans for us under the New Covenant, and of the commands he has given is to follow until Christ returns at the end of the age. If God has revealed it or commanded it in the Scriptures, Paul’s prayer for us is that we would grow in our knowledge of it. 

I’ve already drawn your attention to the passive voice of the Greek word translated, “that you may be filled”. The passive voice indicates that the subject of the sentence is being acted upon. Paul’s prayer was not that we would fill ourselves up with knowledge, but that we would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will. Who does the filling? That is my question. It must be God who does the filling. We are filled with the knowledge of God the Father’s will only when we submit to him and to what he has revealed to us through his Son or Word and by his Holy Spirit.

When Paul says, “in all spiritual wisdom and understanding”, he helps us to understand how the believer will be filled with the knowledge of God’s revealed and commanded will. It will be through the working of the Holy Spirit of God within us. It is the Spirit of God who gives the believer the wisdom and understanding to increase in their knowledge the will of God the Father as it is revealed to us through Christ the Son in the Holy Scriptures. 

To Walk In A Manner Worthy Of The Lord, Fully Pleasing To Him

And what is the point of being filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding? For what purpose? To what end? Is it so that we might be puffed up with pride? Is it so that we might win arguments? Is it so that we might impress others by appearing spiritual? Pay careful attention to this, brothers and sisters. Paul prays that we would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will, in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that we might then “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him”  (Colossians 1:10, ESV).

In the original Greek text, four participles flow from the phrase, fully pleasing him. These participles, and the short phrases that follow them, clarify what it means to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him. The Greek participles are translated by English words ending in –ing: bearing fruit in every good work; increasing in the knowledge of God; being strengthened with all power…; and giving thanks to the Father.  

What will those who are “filled with the knowledge of [God’s] will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him” do? How will they live? How will they walk?

One, they will bear fruit in every good work. And do not be deceived, brothers and sisters— Good works are only such as God has commanded in his Holy Word. They are not works devised by men out of blind zeal, or upon any pretence of good intentions (see Second London Confession 16.1). Good works are the works that God commands. They are not inventions or traditions of men. Those who know God’s revealed will and walk worthy of the Lord in a way that pleases him will live fruitful lives. They will bear fruit in every good work. They will be like a fruitful treat planted by streams of water that bears, not one kind of fruit, but all of the varieties of good works commanded by God in his Word.  

Two, those who walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, will increase in the knowledge of God. Brothers and sisters, this is the height of our spiritual growth. It is those who know God — his essence, character, will, and ways who are truly spiritual and mature. Friends, do you know God? Do you know what he is? Do you know who he is? Do you know his character? Do you know what he has planned and what he requires of you and me? 

The order is interesting to me. First, Paul mentions bearing fruit in good works, and then he mentions increasing in the knowledge of God. On the one hand, we cannot really do good works until we know God through Christ Jesus (see Second London Confession 16.7). In this sense, knowledge of God must precede good works. But here Paul is talking about increasing in the knowledge of God, and this we cannot really do without good works and obedience. As Hebrews 12:14 says, “Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14, ESV). Those who read great books on theology, but live in sin and rebellion against God, and fail to do the good works that God commands, do not know God truly. 

Three, those who walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, will be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy. Where is true power found? Where will we find the power and strength required to endure suffering with joy? It will not be found in the traditions of men or in the rituals they command, but by drawing near to God the Father, through Christ the Son, and by the Spirit. If we hope to persevere in the faith and to endure to the end with joy, then we had better be strengthened with all power, according to God’s glorious might. 

The order is again important. How can a person endure suffering with joy? Answer: by drawing near to God and delighting supremely in him. If God himself is the source of your joy,  then your joy will never be diminished, for God cannot be diminished. But if a created thing is the supreme source of your joy, then your joy will diminish when that created thing is diminished. And all created things are eventually diminished. This is why increasing in the knowledge of God is mentioned before being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy.     

Four, those who walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him, will give thanks to the Father, who has qualified them to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Here we find the theme of thanksgiving again. Those who know God and his will for us in Christ Jesus truly will not find it difficult to give thanks to God in all circumstances, for look at what God has done for us. He has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. This is a reference to the glorious inheritance that Christ Jesus the Lord has earned for all whom the Father gave to him in eternity. Though every good and pleasant thing on earth be removed from us, this cannot be taken away. And nothing on earth can compare to the glory that Christ has secured for his people.

 Paul’s prayer for the Ephesians was similar to his prayer to the Colossians, but it is stated a little differently. There, he amplifies what he says in brief here. He prayed  “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 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 1:17–21, ESV).

Dear friends, here is what it looks like to “be filled with the knowledge of [God’s] will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him…” Those of whom these things are true will bear fruit in every good work; they will increase in the knowledge of God; they will be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; and they will give thanks to the Father, who has qualified them to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.  

The last two verses of our text for today explain what has just be said, and prepare us for what is to come. How has God qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light? Verse 13: “He [that is, God the Father] has delivered us from the domain of darkness [that is, Satan’s kingdom; the kingdom of sin and death] and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son [the kingdom of Jesus Christ], in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13–14, ESV). What follows? A hymn or poem of praise concerning the preeminent Christ. 

Conclusion And Application 

If I had more time, I would walk back through this glorious text with you, and I would point out all of the ways in which this prayer of the Apostle Paul pulled the rug out from under the feet of the false teacher or teachers in Colossae. 

You say that Christians can only draw near to God by following your worldly philosophy and traditions? Timothy and I constantly draw near to God the Father in prayer through Jesus Christ the Son, and Christians may do the same.  Christ is sufficient.

You say that special knowledge is needed to draw near to God? In fact, the knowledge that is need found in the gospel. All Christians have the knowledge that is needed. What they need is more of the same—a deeper and more extensive understanding of the things they already know. Christ is sufficient. 

You say that you and your followers are truly spiritual. You fools! It is those who are led by the Spirit of God in all wisdom and understanding into a fuller understanding of God reveled will who are truly spiritual. And the Holy Spirit does not act at cross purposes with the Father and Son, but as the one who eternally proceeds from them.  Christ is sufficient. 

You false teachers—you have done a terrible thing. You have diminished Christ. You have diminished his person and his work. Your teaching put a barrier between God and his people. And yet Jesus Christ came to remove that barrier and to reconcile us to God so that we might know him, worship him, serve him, and enjoy him. Don’t you know that “the joy of the LORD is [our] strength” (Nehemiah 8:10, ESV)? But your teaching separates God’s people from the joy of his presence. Christ is sufficient. His gospel is sufficient. 

If I had the time, those are the kinds of observations I would make. 

 As I think about the application, here is where my mind goes:

One, I hope and pray that Paul’s prayer helps you to pray. The first three petitions of the Lord’s prayer are hallowed by your name, your kingdom, come, and your will be done. Paul’s prayer follows that pattern and should be of great help to us. It should especially help us to know how to pray under the petition, thy will be done. When you come to that petition, and you begin to pray for yourself, your spouse, your children, and your fellow church members, you would do well to pray Paul’s prayer. Father, fill us with the knowledge of your will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Enable us to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him. May we bear fruit in every good work and increase in the knowledge of God. Strengthen us with all power, according to your glorious might. Empower us endure. Enable is to patiently bear up under difficulty. Enable is to have joy even in the midst of hardship, for you, O Lord, are the source of our joy. Father, enable us to give thanks to you in all circumstances,  knowing that you have qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. Indeed, you, Father,  have delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Thank you Lord. Help me and those I love to never diminish Christ and the redemption he has secured” (Colossians 1:9–14, ESV). I hope that Paul’s prayer helps you to pray.

Two, as you think about your walk with Christ and your spiritual growth, do not neglect to grow in your knowledge of God—his nature, persons, perfections, plans, purposes, and commands. I have this uneasy feeling—this sneaky suspicion—that a lot of Christains don’t know God or Christ very well. Yes, they might claim to believe in God and Christ, and they might even assemble to worship God on the Lord’s Day, but I do wonder what many would say if I said, tell me about your God. What is he like? Why do you love him? Why do you worship him? What is he doing presently? And what does he require of you? 

Three, as you think about growing in your knowledge of God and Christ, do not forget to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him. There is a bit of a snowball effect here. We cannot begin to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him, until we come to know God through faith in Christ. This, of course, is the gift of God. It is not of works, lest any should boast (Ephesians 2:8-10). But after we come to know God and begin to walk with Christ, there is something about our walking—our holy living—that enables us to know and see God more and commune with him more closely. Though sin can never separate the believer from the love of God in Christ Jesus—though sin cannot render the believer un-justified or un-adopted—our sin does grieve the Holy Spirit (see Ephesians 4:30) and disrupt and diminish our sweet communion with the Lord.  As you seek to grow in your knowledge of God and Christ, do not forget to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing him, for it is those who walk in holiness who walk most near to the God of love. “[A]s he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct…” (1 Peter 1:15, ESV).

Baptist Catechism 6

Q. 6. What things are chiefly contained in the Holy Scriptures?

A. The Holy Scriptures chiefly contain what man ought to believe concerning God, and what duty God requireth of man. (2 Tim. 3:16,17; John 20:31; Acts 24:14; 1 Cor. 10:11; Eccles. 12:13)

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Scripture Reading: Ecclesiastes 12:9–13

“Besides being wise, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs with great care. The Preacher sought to find words of delight, and uprightly he wrote words of truth. The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed are the collected sayings; they are given by one Shepherd. My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh. The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” (Ecclesiastes 12:9–13, 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

Question 6 of our catechism asks, What things are chiefly contained in the Holy Scriptures?

“Chiefly” means mainly, or supremely. So the question is, what are the Holy Scriptures mainly about? 

Our catechism has been teaching us about the Holy Scriptures. First, we learned that God has revealed the truth about himself in a general way in the world that he has made and in a much more specific way through his Word (see BC 3). Next, we learned that the “Holy Scriptures made up of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, and the only certain rule of faith and obedience” (BC 4). After that, we learned that the Holy Scriptures are for all men and women. “All men are not only permitted, but commanded and exhorted, to read, hear, and understand the Holy Scriptures” (BC 5). Now our catechism attempts to tell us, concisely, what the Holy Scriptures are mainly about. This is a difficult task, don’t you think? The Holy Scriptures are long and complex. How could we possibly say what they are mainly about in only a few words? I think the answer that our catechism gives is very good. Again, “The Holy Scriptures chiefly contain what man ought to believe concerning God, and what duty God requireth of man.”

So the teaching of Holy Scripture is here divided into two main categories.

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What Man Ought To Believe Concerning God

First, the Scriptures teach us what we should believe concerning God. I think this is a perfect summary of the main message of the Bible. The Bible teaches us about God and all things in relation to him.

 Who is God? What is God? What are his attributes? God reveals himself to us in the Holy Scriptures. We should read the Scriptures to discover who God is.

Furthermore, we may ask, what has God done? What are his acts? And the Scriptures reveal what God has done. In the Scriptures, we find the record of God’s act of creation. In the Scriptures, we learn that God providentially upholds and governs the world he has made. In the Scriptures, we also learn of God’s act of redemption and the application of that redemption to God’s elect in time. So then, the Scriptures teach us about God and what he has done.

And the Scriptures also teach us about who we are in relation to God. Humans are made in the image of God. We were created to know God, to commune with him, and to enjoy him. After God created man he entered into a covenant of life with man so that man might relate to God, but man broke the covenant. Adam sinned against God, and all of humanity sinned with him. But God has mercifully provided a redeemer, Christ the Lord. We are reconciled to God through faith in Christ and are made partakers of a New Covenant, the Covenant of Grace.

Our catechism is right. The Scriptures are mainly about God. They tell us who he is and what he has done. The Scriptures also tell us the truth about who we are in relation to him.

You should know that questions 7-43 of our catechism will expand upon the first part of the answer given in response to question 6. The Scriptures mainly tell us what we are to believe concerning God, and our catechism is mainly about that too. In questions  7-43 we will learn all about:

God: His Nature, Decrees, Creation, Providence, And Covenant (7-15)

Sin: Man’s Alienation From God By His Fall Into Sin (16-22)

Redemption Accomplished By God Through Christ The Son (23-31)

Redemption Applied By God Through The Spirit (32-43)

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What Duty God Requireth Of Man

Two, the Scriptures teach “what duty God requireth of man.” “Duty” means obligation or responsibility. What is man obligated to do before God? The Scriptures reveal it. 

Questions 44-114 will teach us about the duty that God requires of man. 

Question 44 asks, “What is the duty which God requireth of man?”

A. “The duty which God requireth of man, is obedience to His revealed will.” (Micah 6:8; Eccles. 12:13; Ps. 119:4; Luke 10:26-28)

Question 45 asks, “What did God at first reveal to man for the rule of his obedience?”

A. “The rule which God at first revealed to man for his obedience, was the moral law.” (Rom. 2:14,15; 5:13,14)

Question 46 asks, “Where is the moral law summarily comprehended?”

A. “The moral law is summarily comprehended in the Ten Commandments.” (Deut. 10:4; Matt. 19:17)

In questions 47-86 we will find teaching on the Ten Commandments. We will learn what they are, what they require of us, and what they forbid. God’s moral law is used as a light to our feet in this section.

Question 87 then asks, “Is any man able perfectly to keep the commandments of God?”

A. “No mere man since the fall is able in this life perfectly to keep the commandments of God, but daily break them in thought, word, or deed.” (Eccles. 7:20; Gen. 6:5; Gen. 8:21; 1 John 1:8; James 3:8; James 3:2; Rom. 3:23)

Question 88 asks. “Are all transgressions of the law equally heinous?”

A.”Some sins in themselves and by reason of several aggravations, are more heinous in the sight of God than others.” (Ezekiel 8:13; John 19:11; 1 John 5:16)

Q. 89 asks, “What doth every sin deserve?”

A. “Every sin deserveth God’s wrath and curse, both in this life, and in that which is to come.“(Eph.5:6; Gal. 3:10; Prov. 3:33; Ps. 11:6; Rev. 21:8)

Here in questions 87-89, God’s moral law is used as a disciplinarian to show us our sin. The news is bad. 

Question 90 brings us relief: “What doth God require of us, that we may escape His wrath and curse, due to us for sin?” A. To escape the wrath and curse of God due to us for sin, God requireth of us faith in Jesus Christ, repentance unto life, with the diligent use of all the outward means whereby Christ communicateth to us the benefits of redemption. (Acts 20:21; Acts 16:30,31; 17:30)

So what is the answer to the question, what is the duty that God requires of man? Really, it is twofold.

One, now that we are fallen and in sin, we must turn from our sin and trust in Christ!

Two, having been forgiven by Christ, we are to keep God’s law out of gratitude for what God has done through Christ to save us and from a heart renewed and empowered by the Holy Spirit. 

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Conclusion

“What things are chiefly contained in the Holy Scriptures?” Our catechism is correct. “The Holy Scriptures chiefly contain what man ought to believe concerning God, and what duty God requireth of man.” (2 Tim. 3:16,17; John 20:31; Acts 24:14; 1 Cor. 10:11; Eccles. 12:13)

Baptist Catechism 5

Q. 5. May all men make use of the Holy Scriptures?

A. All men are not only permitted, but commanded and exhorted, to read, hear, and understand the Holy Scriptures. (John 5:39; Luke 16:29; Acts 8:28-30; 17:11)

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Scripture Reading: Acts 8:26-40

“Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, ‘Rise and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.’ This is a desert place. And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. And the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go over and join this chariot.’ So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, ‘Do you understand what you are reading?’ And he said, ‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this: ‘Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter and like a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he opens not his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.’ And the eunuch said to Philip, ‘About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?’ Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?’ And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.” (Acts 8:26–40, ESV)

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Introduction

This question, “May all men make use of the Holy Scriptures?”, might seem like a no-brainer to you. We are accustomed to having copies of the Scriptures written in our native language at our disposal. And it is very common for pastors today to encourage Christians to read the Scriptures for themselves. But we should remember that things have not always been this way. There was a time, before the invention of the printing press, when very few people had copies of the Scriptures in their possession. And even if someone did, it was probably written in a language that very few people knew how to read – Hebrew, Greek, or perhaps Latin. The invention of the printing press, the practice of translating the Scriptures into the native language of the people, and the Protestant Reformation changed all of that. In a very short time, people went from having very little access to Scripture to having the opportunity to read the Scriptures for themselves. If we keep this history in mind, then the question, “May all men make use of the Holy Scriptures?”, will seem more reasonable to us. 

The answer to the question is true: “All men are not only permitted, but commanded and exhorted, to read, hear, and understand the Holy Scriptures.”

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“All men are not only permitted, but commanded to read… the Scriptures” 

The words, “all men”, are very important. They emphasize the need for all people – men and women, boys and girls, clergy and laymen, the educated and uneducated, rich and poor, etc – to engage with the Holy Scriptures. The Scriptures are not to be reserved for a particular class of men within society or the church, but all should have access to them.

Next, our catechism says that all men are “not only permitted, but commanded…” to engage with Holy Scripture. The proof texts that are listed in our catechism are really interesting. They are John 5:39; Luke 16:29; Acts 8:28-30; and 17:11. All of these passages share this in common: they speak of men searching the Scriptures. For example, Acts 17:11 speaks of the men of Berea and says that they “ were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.” (Acts 17:11, ESV)

It truly is mind-boggling to think that the Romanists decided that the Scriptures should only be read by the religious elite. The Scriptures were originally written in Hebrew and Greek. In other words, they were written in the language of the people of that day. They were written to be read by everyone! And the Scriptures themselves speak of men – common men – searching the Scriptures. Indeed, the Scriptures even encourage and command the study of the Scriptures! What a dark time that must have been when the light of Holy Scripture was hidden away within the confines of the Roman hierarchy. Praise God for the Reformation, which did, among other things, bring the light of God’s Word back into the midst of the people.

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“All men are not only permitted, but commanded to hear… the Scriptures

“All men are not only permitted, but commanded and exhorted, to read, hear, and understand the Holy Scriptures”, our catechism says.  

We are to read the Scriptures, so long as we are able. 

Do you read the Scriptures, brothers and sisters? You should. May I encourage you to read the Scriptures daily? The word of God should be like daily bread for our souls. I would encourage you to read the Scriptures regularly and to read them broadly. By this I mean, we should read through the Scriptures from beginning to end, though not necessarily in that order. We all have our favorite books and passages. Yes, some portions of the Bible speak more to the soul than others. But do not forget that all Scripture is inspired by God and is profitable. No part of Scripture can be called unimportant, therefore, for each part does contribute in some way to the whole. Read the Scriptures, brothers and sisters. Read them carefully and thoughtfully. Read them broadly.

And listen to them read, too. Here, we are to think primarily of the reading of the Holy Scriptures by the pastor when the church is assembled for worship. Did you know that this is one of the things that pastors are called to do? Listen to what Paul says to Timothy: “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching” (1 Timothy 4:13, ESV). When ministers read Scripture, they should work hard at reading clearly and in such a way that the meaning of the text shines through. When congregants listen to the reading of the Scripture, they should listen very intently, knowing that they are encountering the very words of God.

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“All men are not only permitted, but commanded to… understand the Scriptures.”

Lastly, our catechism exhorts us to understand the Scriptures. “All men are not only permitted, but commanded and exhorted, to read, hear, and understand the Holy Scriptures.” 

Understanding the Scriptures can be difficult. One of the proof texts listed by our catechism is Acts 8:28-30. That is the passage we read a moment ago. Phillip approaches the Ethiopian eunuch who is reading Isaiah the prophet and asks him, “Do you understand what you are reading?” What was his response? “‘How can I, unless someone guides me?’ And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him” (Acts 8:31, ESV). I’m sure that many Christians have felt like the  Ethiopian eunuch at times while reading Scripture. How can I understand this unless someone guides me?

Last week, I mentioned in passing the doctrine of the clarity of Scripture. I said the Scriptures have these characteristics: they are inspired, clear, sufficient, and authoritative. What do we mean when we say that the Scriptures are “clear”? 

Our confession is very helpful. In Chapter 1 para 7 we read, “All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned, but the unlearned, in a due use of ordinary means, may attain to a sufficient understanding of them.” 

First, when we say that the Scriptures are clear, we do not mean that all things are equally clear. Some things are indeed difficult to understand. Second,  when we say that the Scriptures are clear, we mean that the main message is clear. The gospel is clear. “Those things which are necessary to be known, believed and observed for salvation” are clear.” Third, not everything is equally clear to everybody. Those who have been in the faith for a long time may have an easier time understanding Scripture when compared to those who are new to the faith. And indeed, some are more gifted, naturally or spiritually, than others when it comes to the interpretation of Scripture.    

Here is the point, though. The Scriptures are sufficiently clear so that “not only the learned [literate], but the unlearned [illiterate], in a due use of ordinary means, may attain to a sufficient understanding of them.” What are the “ordinary means” that our confession is referring to? They are the means of grace, one of them being the preaching and teaching of the Scriptures. 

When the Ethiopian eunuch was having a hard time with Isaiah and said, “How can I [understand] unless someone guides me?”, it was not a denial of the perspicuity of Scripture. No, for the Lord provided Phillip to minister the Word to the man so that he might understand the message of the gospel. 

We have the responsibility, not only to read and hear the Scriptures but to understand them too. Are they clear? Yes! But that does not mean we won’t have to work at understanding them. 

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Conclusion

Brothers and sisters, young and old, may I encourage you to grow very familiar with the Scriptures? Read the Word. Listen to the Word. And listen to the Word when it is preached. And when you hear the Scriptures preached, pay very careful attention. Especially pay attention to the way that pastors who are faithful to the Scriptures interpret Scripture so that you might learn how to rightly divide the word of truth yourself. Do not forget that this is how God saves us, through the ministry of the Word of God. This is why Paul told Timothy, “Keep a close watch on yourself and on the teaching. Persist in this, for by so doing you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16, ESV) 

Q. 5. May all men make use of the Holy Scriptures? 

A. All men are not only permitted, but commanded and exhorted, to read, hear, and understand the Holy Scriptures. (John 5:39; Luke 16:29; Acts 8:28-30; 17:11)

Baptist Catechism 4

Q. 4. What is the Word of God?

A. The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, and the only certain rule of faith and obedience. (2 Peter 1:21; 2 Timothy 3:16,17; Isaiah 8:20)

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Introduction

To appreciate question 4 of our catechism, we need to remember question 3. 

Question three addresses the question of knowing when it asks, “How may we know there is a God?” The answer given is, “The light of nature in man and the works of God plainly declare that there is a God; but His Word and Spirit only do it fully and effectively for the salvation of sinners.” So here we learn a most foundational truth. We may know things in general, and we may know that God exists in particular, because God has revealed truth to us. God has spoken both through nature and his Word. We call these two forms of revelation general or natural revelation and special revelation. God reveals himself and certain truths about himself, generally through the world that he has made. And God reveals himself and truths about himself much more specifically through his Word. The way of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ is only revealed in God’s Word. 

It is not surprising that question 4 asks, “What is the Word of God?” The answer that is given is very basic and very important. “The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, and the only certain rule of faith and obedience.” Let us consider the answer piece by piece. 

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The Holy Scriptures

Here, the “Holy Scriptures” are said to be “the Word of God”.

Scripture means writing. The writings that are being referred to here are (for the most part) the writings of men. Men like Moses, David, and Paul wrote the Scriptures that we now have. But here we are confessing that these writings are not ordinary writings — they are holy. The word “holy” reminds us that the Scriptures are from God and they are pure. 

We confess that the Scriptures are inspired by God (see Second London Confession, 1). Did men write them? Yes, indeed. Did men choose the words? Yes, in most instances, they did. Can we get a sense of their education or their personalities through their writings? Yes, I think we can. Men wrote the Scriptures. But with the Holy Scriptures, there is more to the story. We confess that these men we inspired by God. God’s Spirit moved or carried them along to write what they wrote so that, at the end of the day, we are right to refer to their words as the Word of God. This is what Peter says in 2 Peter 1:20–21: “knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit” (2 Peter 1:20–21, ESV). This is a marvelous description of inspiration. Again, “no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

Before moving on, I think it would be good to think through some of the implications of the doctrine of inspiration. In other words, if it is true that the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God, what must that mean?

Firstly, if the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God, they must be without error. God is pure, and his word is pure. The Holy Scriptures are inerrant — they are without error. The Holy Scriptures are infallible — they cannot err. Psalm 19:7 speaks of the purity of Scripture when it says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7, ESV).  

Now, it needs to be clarified that when we speak of the inerrancy and infallibility of inspired Scripture, we have in mind the writings as they came from the hand of the original author. The Old Testament was written in the Hebrew language. The New Testament was written in the Greek language.  The writers of Scripture wrote in these languages, and then copies were made. It is our view that God not only supernaturally superintended the writing of Holy Scripture, but he also preserved the Scriptures so that God’s people have access to God’s inspired Word in every age. It is the originals, and the copies of the original Scriptures, written in Hebrew and Greek, that we regard as bing immediately inspired. Today, we are blessed to have translations of the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures in many different languages. These translations are a great blessing.  They carry the authority of God’s Word as they faithfully convey the meaning of the Hebrew and Greek texts.  But we should remember that they are translations. It is good for pastors to study Hebrew and Greek so they can engage with the text as it originally came from the author of Scripture.

Secondly, if the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God, they must be clear. This is the doctrine of the clarity (or perspicuity) of Scripture. If we believe that God has spoken to us — if we believe that he has given us his Word — it would be absurd to think that his Word is unclear. Is God a poor communicator? I think not. Now, the doctrine of the clarity of Scripture does not deny that some things in Scripture are hard to understand (see 2 Peter 3:16).  The Scriptures speak of marvelous, deep, and mysterious things. It is no wonder that we sometimes struggle to comprehend them.  But this is not the fault of Scripture. It is due to our own inadequacies. And the doctrine of the clarity of Scripture does not deny that we must learn to properly interpret Scripture and work hard at this. Yes, we must labor to rightly divide the Word of truth (see 2 Timothy 2:15). What the doctrine of the clarity of Scripture asserts is that God is a good communicator and that the main message of Scripture is clear. Chapter one of our confession is about the Holy Scriptures, and paragraph seven is about the clarity of Scripture.  It says, “All things in Scripture are not alike plain in themselves, nor alike clear unto all; yet those things which are necessary to be known, believed and observed for salvation, are so clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other, that not only the learned [literate], but the unlearned [illiterate], in a due use of ordinary means, may attain to a sufficient understanding of them.” 

Thirdly, if the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God, they must be sufficient. By this, we mean that God has given us everything we need to know in the Scriptures. They are sufficient. This does not mean they are exhaustive. Are there things we are curious about that are not revealed in the Scriptures? Yes.  And are there things we can learn from nature that are not revealed in Scripture? Yes. The Bible is not a scientific textbook. There are things to learn from nature that the Bible does not talk about, but we should always expect God’s book of nature and his book of Scripture to agree!  If there is a contradiction, someone is not interpreting one of the books correctly.  When we say that the Scriptures are sufficient, we mean, to quote Second London Confession 1.7 again,  “that those things which are necessary to be known, believed and observed for salvation, are… clearly propounded and opened in some place of Scripture or other…” 

In 2 Timothy 3:14-17, Paul wrote to Timothy, the minister, saying, “But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings [the Holy Scriptures], which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.  All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:14–17, ESV).  Notice that Paul viewed the Scriptures as sufficient — they are able to make a person “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” and to be used to teach, reprove, correct, and train, God’s people to live right.  Everything the Christian needs, and everything the man of God (or Christian minister) needs, is found in the Holy Scriptures.  The Scriptures are sufficient.  

Fourthly,  if the Holy Scriptures are the Word of God, they must be authoritative.  By authoritative, we mean that the Scriptures are the rule or standard for what we are to believe concerning God and what he requires of us. Notice, this is what Baptist Catechism 4 teaches.  “What is the Word of God?” Answer: “The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God, and the only certain rule of faith and obedience.” 

Q: “What is the Word of God?”  A: “The Holy Scriptures… are the Word of God…” 

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Old And New Testaments

More precisely, our catechism states that “the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God…” The phrase, “of the Old and New Testaments”, is very important, for it identifies what “Scriptures” we have in mind. Not just any Scriptures (writings), but the Scriptures “of the Old and New Testaments”.

As you know, our catechism summarizes our confession of faith. And our confession of faith is more detailed on this point. The books of \Holy Scripture are listed in chapter 1, paragraph 2. 

Brothers and sisters, I think it is important to understand something about the structure of the Scriptures. The Holy Scriptures are made up of two testaments. And what divides the Old Testament from the New? What distinguishes them? Well, it is the birth of Jesus the Christ. Matthew 1 is the beginning of the New Testament, and it begins by telling us about the birth of Jesus the Messiah. 

This is a bit of an oversimplification, but it is true nonetheless – both the Old Testament and the New Testament are about Jesus the Messiah and our salvation in him. Though it is right for us to distinguish between the Old and New Testaments, we must not divorce them. Together, they tell one story – the story of God’s creation, man’s fall into sin, and our redemption in Jesus the Messiah. Saint Augustine once famously described the relationship between the Old and New Testaments like this: “The New is in the Old concealed; the Old is in the New revealed.”

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The Works Of God

After saying that “the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God”, our catechism then declares that they are “the only certain rule of faith and obedience. 

Rule means standard. What is the standard for what we should believe and for what we should do? The Scriptures are. They are the rule of faith and obedience. What should we believe about God? To the Scriptures, we must go! What should we believe about ourselves? To the Scriptures, we must go! What should we believe about salvation? To the Scriptures, we must go! And how should we live? How should we worship? To the Scriptures, we must go! Natural revelation can help us in many ways, but it is not the rule of faith and obedience. Only God’s Word is, and the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the Word of God. 

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Conclusion

Do you know the Scriptures, brothers and sisters? Do you love to listen to them read and preached? Do you read them for yourselves? Do you cherish them and store them in your heart? We ought to, for the Scriptures are God’s words to us. 

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 24

“A PSALM OF DAVID. The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah” (Psalm 24, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 24:50-53

“And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God.” (Luke 24:50–53, 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

As you can see, this will be the last sermon in our series through the Gospel of Luke. I began preaching through the Gospel of Luke in March 2023. We took a couple of short breaks along the way, but for the most part, we have been in Luke’s Gospel for over two and a half years (33 months). I’ve thoroughly enjoyed preaching through this portion of Holy Scripture, and hope and pray you have been edified by the sermons. 

What have we learned from Luke? There are different ways to express it. In brief, we have learned about the inauguration of the eternal Kingdom of God (see Luke 1:32-33). We have considered the beginning of the  New Covenant (see Luke 22:20) and the passing away of the Old (see Luke 21:20-24). We have observed the accomplishment of our redemption (see Luke 4:18), the defeat of Satan (see Luke 10:18), sin (see Luke 24:47), and death (see Luke 24:34), and the beginning of a new creation (see Luke 24:36-39).  Luke tells us that all of this was accomplished through the humiliation and exaltation of the eternally begotten Son of God incarnate (see Luke 1:32). Stated differently, this marvelous work was accomplished through the life, death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

We speak often of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus (and rightly so). But there is actually more to say about the exultation of Jesus. When did the humiliation (or descent) of Jesus end and the exaltation (or ascent) of Jesus begin? Answer: When Christ the Lord was raised from the dead to life in glory on the third day after his crucifixion. But was that the end of Jesus’ exultation? No, Jesus would be exulted higher. He would ascend into heaven, bodily. He would be enthroned at God the Father’s right hand, bodily. And one day, he will return, bodily, to judge and to make all things new.     

This is what our catechism teaches: Q. 26. What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer?

A. Christ, as our Redeemer, executeth the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in His state of humiliation and exaltation. Q. 30. Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist?

A. Christ’s humiliation consisted in His being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross, in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time. Q. 31. Wherein consisteth Christ’s exaltation? A. Christ’s exaltation consisteth in His rising again from the dead on the third day, in ascending up into heaven, in sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and in coming to judge the world at the last day.

Notice this: Luke does not conclude his Gospel with an account of Christ’s resurrection, but mentions also his ascension into heaven (we find the same thing in Mark 16:19). And so, today, we will be considering Christ’s ascension, a doctrine that is sometimes overlooked or forgotten, I’m afraid.

First, we will consider our text. After that, we conclude with a few exhortations or suggestions for application. 

Luke 24:50-53

Our text is quite brief. In Luke 24:50, we read, “And he led them out as far as Bethany…” The NIV translates the Greek this way: “When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany…” (Luke 24:50, NIV84). I think I prefer this translation, for not only is it a valid translation of the Greek text, but it also clarified that Christ did not ascend from within the town of Bethany, but from a tract of land near Bethany, which could also be called by that name. In Acts 1:12, Luke tells us that, after Christ’s ascension into heaven, the disciples “returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away” (Acts 1:12, ESV). 

Where exactly did Christ ascend to heaven from? He ascended to heaven, not from within the town of Bethany, which was two miles to the east of Jerusalem, but from the Mount of Olives, which was a mile to the east of Jerusalem. The Mount of Olives was on the way to, and in the vicinity of, the town of Bethany, and so that tract of land was sometimes called by the name of that nearby town.  As you may remember, the Mount of Olives was one of Jesus’ favorite places. It overlooked the city of Jerusalem and the Temple to the West. It was a place of rest for Jesus and his disciples. Jesus oftentimes communed with the Father there in prayer. How fitting that this would be the place on earth from which Christ would ascend into heaven.

When did Jesus make this journey with his disciples? Luke is not specific about the timing in his Gospel. But he is specific about the timing in his second volume, the book of Acts. Listen to how the book Acts begins: “In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:1–3, ESV). When did Christ go to the Mount of Olives with his disciples and ascend into heaven? Forty days after his resurrection. For forty days, Christ appeared to his disciples many times, “presented himself alive to them…  by many proofs… speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:1–3, ESV). After this, he ascended.

Who was there when Christ ascended? If we look back to Luke 24:33 and forward to Acts 1:13-14, we learn that it was at least the eleven remaining disciples whio saw him ascend. Most likely, others were present too. In Acts 1:13, Luke mentions that a slightly larger group was together immediately after the ascension: “Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers” (Acts 1:13–14, ESV). In 1 Corinthians 15:6, Paul says that Jesus appeared in his resurrection to a group of over 500 people at one time. Some think that all of these were present at the ascension, but I’m not so sure. 

Where did the ascension of Christ take place? On the Mount of Olives near Bethany. When did it take place? Forty days after Christ’s resurrection. Who was there to witness it? The eleven were certainly there. Most likely, other eyewitnesses to his resurrection were there too (see Luke 24:33; Acts 1:13-14; 1 Corinthians 15:6). 

Now, what did Christ say and do before he ascended? If we go to the book of Acts, we learn that Christ gave his disciples one more lesson about the kingdom of God and reminded them of their mission immediately before he ascended.  Here is what Acts 1:6 says: “So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’” (Acts 1:6, ESV). As you can see, they still didn’t get it. Even after Christ’s resurrection, and even after he appeared to them many times over he course of forty days, “speaking [with them] about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3, ESV), they still couldn’t comprehend that Christ’s kingdom is not of this world, nor is it centered on ethnic Israel, but is heavenly, consisting of people from evey tongue, tribe, and nation on earth. It would still take some time for the disciples to get it (read Acts 1-11:18 for that story). “So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’ He said to them, ‘It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.’ And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight” (Acts 1:6–9, ESV).

What did Christ say and do before he ascended? In Acts, Luke tells us that Christ instructed his disciples and reminded them of their mission. But in Luke 24:50, we read, “and lifting up his hands he blessed them” (Luke 24:50, ESV, emphasis added). 

Under the Old Covenant, Aaron and the priests who descended from him were called by God to pronounce God’s blessing upon the people of Israel. In Numbers 6:23, the LORD speaks to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. ‘So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them’” (Numbers 6:23–27, ESV). When Jesus lifted up his hands to bless his disciples before his departure, it was to pronounce a priestly blessing upon them, for indeed, Christ is our great High Priest, and he is superior to Arron and his sons (see Hebrews 4:14ff.).

Here is what John Gill says about that: 

“Christ, as the great high-priest, having offered himself a sacrifice for the sins of his people, lift up his hands towards his apostles, and blessed them in an authoritative way, by bestowing blessings upon them: he blessed them with a larger measure of the spirit; for though they were to wait some few days longer for the extraordinary effusion of the spirit, yet, in the mean while, they received from him more of it than they had formerly had… He blessed them with larger measures of grace, and with more spiritual light, and understanding into the Scriptures of truth, and with much inward peace of mind, and with the fresh discoveries of pardoning love; and which seemed necessary, since by their conduct towards him, one by denying him, and the rest by forsaking him, the peace of their minds was broken, and they needed a fresh application of forgiving grace. The form of blessing the people used by Aaron, and his sons, the priests, who were types of Christ, is recorded in Num. vi. 23-27. and though our Lord might not use the same form in blessing his disciples, yet it seems he used the same gesture, lifting up his hands as they did.” (Gill’s commentary on Luke 24:50)

Finally, how did Christ ascend? Verse 51 says, “While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven” (Luke 24:51, ESV). Pay careful attention to the way in which Christ departed. 

One, he did not turn his back on his disciples as if he were running away from them or abandoning them on earth. The text says, “While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.” Christ blessed his disciples as he departed from them, and this was to show his abiding love and concern for them. This was to show that his gracious presence would remain with them. Though he would be away from them bodily, his heart was with them still. And is this not what he had promised? After he commissioned his disciples, he said, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20, ESV). Before this, he spoke to them, saying, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you… “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:18–24, ESV). And not long before Christ’s ascension, he spoke to his disciples, saying, “And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49, ESV). When Jesus blessed his disciples as he departed, it sent a powerful message to them. I’m not running away from you. I’m not abandoning you. I am for you, and I am with you, to keep you and to bless you always. 

Two, Jesus did not vanish when he ascended; rather, he parted from them. And this was to show that he ascended bodily. Acts 1:9-10 tells the same story, but with more detail: “And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, ‘Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven’” (Acts 1:9–11, ESV). Just as Jesus was raised bodily (see Luke 24:38-39), he ascended bodily, and he will also return bodily. This is what Paul says in Colossians 2:9. He wrote these words after Christ’s ascension, and yet he wrote in the present tense, saying, “For in [Christ] the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily…” (Colossians 2:9, ESV). 

Perhaps you know that within the Lutheran tradition, you will find some who teach that the body of Christ is now ubiquitous and omnipresent. This agrees with their teaching that the body of Christ is really present with the communion elements, a doctrine known as consubstantiation. We deny this teaching. We affirm that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead bodily and that he ascended bodily. His body, though now glorified, is not capable of being in more than one place at a time. Furthermore, we affirm that Jesus Christ is omnipresent, but not according to his human nature. No, he is omnipresent according to his divine nature only. He is especially with us to bless us through the Helper, the Holy Spirit of promise that he has sent poured out from on high. 

When Jesus ascended, he did not vanish into thin air, but parted from the disciples. The disciples watched his body go up into the clouds of the first heaven. This brings us to our third observation about the way in which Jesus ascended: the text tells us that Jesus Christ was received, bodily, into heaven, that is to say, into the third heaven, where the glory of God is manifest before the holy angels and the spirits of the righteous made perfect. Jesus ascended bodily and was received by a cloud residing within the first heaven (that is to say, our sky) to show that he was received by God bodily into the third heaven (not the heaven where the sun, moon, and stars reside (that is the second heaven), but the heaven that is presently invisible to us, where the angels dwell, and where the glory of God shines forth radiantly.

It’s not so difficult for me to imagine the souls of men being received into heaven, for heaven is a spiritual place, invisible to us. But how can it be that heaven has received the man Jesus Christ, soul and body? That, dear friends, is a mystery to me. Clearly, there is something about the glorified body of Jesus that makes it fit for life in heaven, but I will confess, I cannot comprehend this. And it seems that God has determined to leave this as a mystery to us. As 1 John 3:2 says, “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2, ESV; see also Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 13:12; 2 Corinthains 3:18; 4:11; Philippians 3:21; 2 Peter 1:4). 

What was the manner in which Jesus ascended into heaven? Luke 24:51 says, “While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.” And we know that when Luke used the word heaven, he meant the third heaven, for in Acts 7, he reports that, immediately before Steven, the first martyr of the church was stoned to death by the Jews, “he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:55, ESV).

This brings us to our next question about the ascension of Christ. What did Jesus do after ascending to heaven? Answer: He sat upon the throne of his everlasting kingdom. Steven saw him standing (see Acts 7:55), for Jesus was standing for him to support him through the trial of death. But when Christ ascended to heaven, he sat down upon his eternal throne. 

This is called the session of Christ. After the Lord Jesus Christ finished the work of redemption, defeated sin, Satan, and death, and was raised to life in glory, he ascended into heaven to sit down upon the throne of the kingdom that was promised to David long before, in these words: “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). This is the moment that King David spoke of when he wrote Psalm 110: “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool’” (Psalm 110:1, ESV).

We know that, properly speaking, God does not have a right hand. What does it mean, therefore, that Christ is seated at God’s right hand? Clearly, the language is anthropomorphic. Human attributes are being attributed to God, who is without body, parts, or passions, to communicate something true to us. And what is the truth? The truth is this: The man Jesus Christ, the Son of God incarnate, has been exalted to the highest possible place. He sits now in the very presence of God in a place of unimaginable power and glory, with all authority in heaven and on earth given by God to him (see Matthew 28:18). God has placed everything under his feet. At the end of time, this man, Jesus, who has been received into heaven and is seated at God’s right hand, will, quoting now the Apostle, [deliver] the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For [Jesus] must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For [the Apostle then cites Psalm 8:6], ‘God has put all things in subjection under his feet.’ But when it says, ‘all things are put in subjection,’ it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all”. This passage that I have just read is found in 1 Corinthians 15:24-28, and I think it helps us to understand what it means for the Lord Jesus Christ to be seated at God’s right hand in heaven. 

Now for the final question about our text: What did the Apostles (and those with them) do when Jesus ascended into heaven? Verse 52: “And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God” (Luke 24:52–53, ESV). 

Notice, briefly, three things:

One, the disciples worshiped Jesus. Let that sink in for a moment. They worshiped Jesus. Tell me, brothers and sisters, according to God’s law, who alone is to be worshipped? Only God is to be worshipped. Remeber the first two of the Ten Commandments: “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:3–6, ESV). If Jesus were merely a man, and not God with us (see Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:32), then this would have been pure idolatry! If Jesus were a mere man, to worship him would be to worship a creature rather than the Creator (see Romans 1:25). But Jesus is no mere man. He is the eternally begotten Son from the Father, incarnate. He is the eternally begotten Word, the one through whom all things were made and through whom they are sustained. The disciples of Jesus knew it. This is why Thomas, after being convinced his resurrection, spoke to Jesus, saying, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28, ESV). The disciples of Jesus worshipped him when he ascended because, although he was Imanuel—God with us—from the moment he was conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, the disciples could finally comprehend it. “And they worshipped him”, Luke says. 

Two, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. This shows us that they worshipped Jesus by obeying his commands. Humanly speaking, Jerusalem was the last place these disciples wanted to be. This was the city that crucified the Christ. But what did Christ tell them to do? Luke 24:49: “And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49, ESV). They did not run home to Galilee, but returned to the city, in obedience to Christ. 

Three, they were continually in the temple blessing God. In other words, they did not hide behind locked doors for fear of the Jews, as they had done before, but they took their commissioning seriously and sought to fulfill it with boldness. According to Luke 24:47, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would have to be proclaimed in Jesus’ name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem, and these disciples were called by God to testify concerning all they had seen and heard. They were “continually in the temple blessing God” (Luke 24:53, ESV), for all that he had accomplished through Jesus Christ the Lord. 

Application

Please allow me to conclude with a few suggestions for application. Firstly, I would encourage you to ask the question, how could it be that Jesus Christ could ascend to heaven, and what does this mean for us? To help you do this, I would encourage you to go back and meditate on our Old Testament reading for today, Psalm 24. It asks an interesting question: “Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?” (Psalm 24:3, ESV). Most assume this about ascending up into the city of Jerusalem and coming into the presence of the Lord to worship in his temple. And it is about that… kind of. But once you realize that, corresponding to the earthly city of Jerusalem is the heavenly Jerusalem, and corresponding to the earthly holy of holies is the heavenly holy of holies (see Hebrews 9), then you begin to see that this Psalm and the question it asks is really about ascending to heaven! Here the question again:  “Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?” (Psalm 24:3, ESV). And now for the answer: “He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully” (Psalm 24:4, ESV). Does this describe you? Are your hands perfectly clean? Is your heart perfectly pure? Mine is not. And neither is yours. So what is the answer? “Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?” (Psalm 24:3, ESV). The answer is, there is only one! His name is Jesus! He has truly ascended the hill of the Lord. He has been received by God into his holy place. How then can we, who are sinful and impure, stand before the Lord? Only through faith in Christ the King. Go back to the 24th Psalm and read it with the ascension of Christ in view, for that is what it is really about. Consider the end of the Psalm and see that King Jesus is the only one qualified to ascend the holy mountain. Psalm 24:7 says, “Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in” (Psalm 24:7, ESV). Verse 8: “Who is this King of glory?” Answer: “The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle!” (Psalm 24:8, ESV). Verse 9: “Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.” (Psalm 24:9, ESV). Verse 10: “Who is this King of glory?” Answer: “The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah” (Psalm 24:10, ESV). When Jesus Christ ascended, he fulfilled this Psalm. When Jesus Christ ascended, he did what King David could only do on earth in a prototypical way. When Jesus Christ ascended, he did what King Adam failed to do. Adam sinned and fell short of the glory of God. And all born Adam ​​“have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23, ESV). Thankfully, Jesus Christ was not born from Adam, but from above. He is the King of Glory. To him, the ancient gates of heaven have been opened, for his are clean and his heart is pure. 

Secondly, I would exhort you, brothers and sisters, as you contemplate Christ’s exaltation, to not stop with his resurrection or even his ascension, but to remember his session at God’s right hand and his eventual return. But contemplating Christ’s exultation thoroughly, it will help us to think of Jesus, not only as Savior, but also as Lord and King, for that is what he is—our Lord and King. Friends, you must think of him as such, and you must bow the knee before him to love and revere him as King. He is a wonderful King. In love, he subdues us to Himself, he rules and defends us, and he restrains and conquers all of his and our enemies (Baptist Catechism 29). Don’t you love our King? “Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah” (Psalm 24:10, ESV).

Thirdly, and finally, contemplate the fact that when Christ ascended to heaven, he was blessing his disciples. I’m not sure what exactly he said to his disciples in that moment, but we would do well to consider the many blessings that are found in the pages of Holy Scripture, many of which we use as benedictions at the end of our corporate worship each Lord’s Day. Listen to those blessings and take them to heart. Receive them as from Christ, for indeed, they are his words to his people. Friends, if you are united to Christ by faith, God and Christ are for you, and not against you. And “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?… No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:31–39, ESV).

1. What is the Gospel of Luke mainly about? What have you gleaned most from this sermon series through Luke?
2. Rehearse the steps of the Son of God’s humiliation and exultation. Why did the Son of God descend (become incarnate)? Why did the Son of God ascend (as incarnate)? Did the Triune God experience any change when the Son assumed a human nature?   
3. Why was Jesus Christ, the God-man, able to ascend God’s holy hill (see Psalm 24)? What does this mean for us? 
4. Discuss the way in which Christ ascended. Three observations were drawn from Luke 24:51 concerning the way he ascended. What were they, and what do they communicate?  
5. Why is Jesus to be worshipped?