The Difference Between חֵן (Chen) and חֵסֵד (Chesed)

 

What is the difference between חֵן and חֵסֵד in the HebrewBible?

In the Hebrew Bible, the terms חֵן (pronounced chen) and חֵסֵד (pronounced chesed) are distinct concepts, though both are often translated into English in ways that can obscure their nuances (e.g., as "grace," "favor," or "kindness"). Below, I’ll clarify their meanings, usage, and differences based on their biblical context and Hebrew lexicography.

חֵן (Chen)

• Meaning: Chen refers to favor, grace, or charm, often describing an unmerited positive disposition or approval from one party toward another. It can also imply beauty or pleasantness in a person or thing that evokes favor.
• Key Characteristics:
• Chen is often about receiving favor or approval, either from God or humans, without necessarily implying a covenantal or ongoing relationship.
• It emphasizes a quality that makes someone or something pleasing or attractive, sometimes in a subjective or aesthetic sense.
• It is not inherently tied to obligation or loyalty but is more situational, often describing a moment of kindness or acceptance.
• Biblical Examples:
• Genesis 6:8: "But Noah found favor (chen) in the eyes of the Lord." Here, chen indicates God’s gracious favor toward Noah, singling him out for salvation.
• Proverbs 31:30: "Charm (chen) is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting..." Here, chen refers to a pleasing quality, often associated with outward charm or grace.
• Exodus 33:12: Moses finds chen (favor) with God, indicating divine approval or kindness in a specific context.
• Lexical Insight: Chen often appears in the phrase "find favor in the eyes of" (e.g., matza chen b’einei), suggesting a relational dynamic where one party is pleased with another, often without an explicit reason.

חֵסֵד (Chesed)

• Meaning: Chesed is a richer, more complex term, often translated as loving-kindness, steadfast love, mercy, or covenant loyalty. It denotes a deep, enduring commitment to act with kindness, faithfulness, or mercy, often within a relational or covenantal framework.
• Key Characteristics:
• Chesed is frequently tied to covenant relationships, whether between God and His people or between humans (e.g., family, friends, or allies).
• It implies faithfulness, loyalty, and generosity, often going beyond what is required or expected.
• It is proactive and enduring, not merely situational, and often reflects God’s character or ideal human behavior in relationships.
• Biblical Examples:
• Exodus 34:6-7: God describes Himself as "abounding in chesed and faithfulness," highlighting His steadfast love as a core attribute.
• Psalm 136: Repeatedly declares, "His chesed endures forever," emphasizing the eternal, reliable nature of God’s love and mercy.
• Ruth 1:16-17: Ruth’s commitment to Naomi reflects chesed as loyal, sacrificial love within a familial bond.
• Lexical Insight: Chesed often appears in contexts of covenant (e.g., God’s covenant with Israel) or mutual obligations, and it can involve acts of kindness that exceed normal expectations (e.g., Boaz’s generosity to Ruth in Ruth 2:10-12).

Key Differences

• Relational Context:
• Chen is often situational, describing a moment of favor or approval, not necessarily tied to an ongoing relationship.
• Chesed implies a deeper, often covenantal or relational commitment, emphasizing loyalty and enduring kindness.
• Scope and Duration:
• Chen is typically momentary or specific, like receiving favor in a particular instance (e.g., Esther finding chen before the king in Esther 5:2).
• Chesed is long-lasting, often describing a consistent character trait or repeated acts of kindness (e.g., God’s enduring chesed toward Israel).
• Motive and Expectation:
• Chen can be unmerited and spontaneous, often tied to someone’s pleasing qualities or God’s gracious choice.
• Chesed often involves a sense of duty, loyalty, or covenantal obligation, though it may still be freely given.
• Theological Emphasis:
• Chen highlights God’s (or a person’s) favor or grace in specific situations, often without explicit reference to a broader relationship.
• Chesed is central to God’s character and covenant with Israel, reflecting His faithful love and mercy (e.g., in the Psalms and prophetic literature).

Overlap and Nuance

While chen and chesed can overlap (e.g., both may describe God’s kindness), chesed is broader and more relational, often carrying a sense of obligation or loyalty, whereas chen is narrower, focusing on favor or grace in a given moment. For example, someone might receive chen (favor) from God without a covenant, but chesed typically implies a deeper bond, as seen in God’s covenantal love for Israel.

Cultural and Linguistic Notes

• In Hebrew thought, both terms reflect positive attributes, but chesed is more central to theological discussions of God’s nature and human ethics.
• English translations (e.g., "grace" for chen or "mercy" for chesed) can blur distinctions, so consulting the Hebrew context is key.
• In post-biblical Jewish tradition, chesed became a cornerstone of ethical teaching, emphasizing acts of kindness and charity.

If you’d like specific examples analyzed further or a deeper dive into particular passages, let me know! I can also search for additional scholarly insights or discussions on X if you’re interested in real-time perspectives.

The Supremacy of Scripture, as Affirmed by the Church Fathers

The biggest divide in Christendom today is not about the primacy of Christ Jesus, or the role of the church in the world.

The biggest divide is what serves as the chief authority for informing us of the Truth of Jesus, the Gospel, the Truth.

The massive divide between the traditional denominations, like Catholic and Orthodox Churches, and the Evangelical or Protestant movements is the primacy of Scripture.

Catholic and Orthodox adherents routinely point to tradition and history as a seminal source of truth and authority for Christianity. They point to the elders, the church fathers, as well as Scripture, and assert that you need to maintain connection with the Church, the authority of the elders, the teachings of the Early Church Fathers in order to understand the Scriptures. They even posit that the Church came before the Bible, and therefore the authority of the Church is greater than Scripture.

However, this thinking is all wrong. This reasoning ignores revelation and truth, and ultimately places man's efforts above God's goodness. Morever, the very Church Fathers whom traditional denominations appeal to actually affirm the revelation that Scripture has Supremacy in revealing to us Jesus, The Gospel, and the full Truth of Christianity.

Here's a great summation, with references and quotes, provided by Bill Worthy:

Clearly, the doctrine of sola Scriptura was championed by Christian leaders long before the Reformation.

ECF on Supremacy of The Scriptures

Let the inspired Scripture, then, be our umpire, and the vote of truth will surely be given to those whose dogmas are found to agree with the Divine words. (Dogmatic Treatises, Book 12. On the Trinity, To Eustathius.)

Irenaeus of Lyons (d. 202)

We have learned from none others the plan of our salvation, than from those through whom the Gospel has come down to us, which they did at one time proclaim in public, and, at a later period, by the will of God, handed down to us in the Scriptures, to be the ground and pillar of our faith. (Against Heresies, 3.1.1)

Tertullian of Carthage (c. 160–235) [in defending the truth of the Trinity against the heretic Praxeas:]

It will be your duty, however, to adduce your proofs out of the Scriptures as plainly as we do, when we prove that He made His Word a Son to Himself. . . . All the Scriptures attest the clear existence of, and distinction in (the Persons of) the Trinity, and indeed furnish us with our Rule of faith. (Against Praxeas, 11)

Hippolytus (d. 235)

There is, brethren, one God, the knowledge of whom we gain from the Holy Scriptures, and from no other source. For just as a man if he wishes to be skilled in the wisdom of this world will find himself unable to get at it in any other way than by mastering the dogmas of philosophers, so all of us who wish to practice piety will be unable to learn its practice from any quarter than the oracles of God. Whatever things then the Holy Scriptures declare, at these let us look; and whatsoever things they teach these let us learn. (Against Heresies, 9)

Dionysius of Alexandria (ca. 265):

We did not evade objections, but we endeavored as far as possible to hold to and confirm the things which lay before us, and if the reason given satisfied us, we were not ashamed to change our opinions and agree with others; but on the contrary, conscientiously and sincerely, and with hearts laid open before God, we accepted whatever was established by the proofs and teachings of the Holy Scriptures. (Cited from Eusebius, Church History, 7.24.7–9)

Athanasius of Alexandria (296–373) [After outlining the books of the Bible, Athanasius wrote:]

These are fountains of salvation, that they who thirst may be satisfied with the living words they contain. In these alone is proclaimed the doctrine of godliness. Let no man add to these, neither let him take ought from these. For concerning these the Lord put to shame the Sadducees, and said, ‘Ye do err, not knowing the Scriptures.’ And He reproved the Jews, saying, ‘Search the Scriptures, for these are they that testify of Me.’ (Festal Letter 39, 6–7)

Cyril of Jerusalem (315–386) [After defending the doctrine of the Holy Spirit]:

We ought not to deliver even the most casual remark without the Holy Scriptures: nor be drawn aside by mere probabilities and the artifices of argument. Do not then believe me because I tell thee these things, unless thou receive from the Holy Scriptures the proof of what is set forth: for this salvation, which is of our faith, is not by ingenious reasonings, but by proof from the Holy Scriptures...Let us then speak nothing concerning the Holy Ghost but what is written; and if anything be not written, let us not busy ourselves about it. The Holy Ghost Himself spoke the Scriptures; He has also spoken concerning Himself as much as He pleased, or as much as we could receive. Be those things therefore spoken, which He has said; for whatsoever He has not said, we dare not say. (Catechetical Lectures, 4.17ff)

John Chrysostom (344–407)

Let us not therefore carry about the notions of the many, but examine into the facts. For how is it not absurd that in respect to money, indeed, we do not trust to others, but refer this to figures and calculation; but in calculating upon facts we are lightly drawn aside by the notions of others; and that too, though we possess an exact balance, and square and rule for all things, the declaration of the divine laws? Wherefore I exhort and entreat you all, disregard what this man and that man thinks about these things, and inquire from the Scriptures all these things; and having learnt what are the true riches, let us pursue after them that we may obtain also the eternal good things; which may we all obtain, through the grace and love towards men of our Lord Jesus Christ, with Whom, to the Father and the Holy Spirit, be glory, might, and honor, now and ever, and world without end. Amen.” (Homily on 2 Corinthians, 13.4) 

Rooted and Grounded in Love, or Cut Off from the Spirit?

                                  

"14For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 16That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; 17That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, 18May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; 19And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God." (Ephesians 3:14-19)

I have often written about one of the most pernicious aspects of the AA Cult. Not only does this destructive, deceptive program teach people to "choose their own conception of God," but it also teaches people that this "loving God" can be cut off from us if we feel bad, if we harbor resentment.

This is one of the most devious cults, in that it induces people into this lie of absolute freedom, but in fact grabs, hooks, and pulls people into a long-term cult bound by a bunch of strict rules, put together by a creep with a falsehood Messiah complex: Bill Wilson.

To a degee, I guess, by the grace of God, I am still getting deprogrammed from this awful cult. As I have written many times, I was convinced that I had to watch, and watch out for, every thought and feeling so that I would not be cut off from God. That is the worst kind of torture that you can impose on someone, since our feelings go all over the map all the time!

Our feelings come and go! God's love for us, His favor for us does not!

"Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrews 13:5)

This stumbling block to God's grace in my life has been ebbing away more and more every day. As I have prayed Paul's prayers in Ephesians 1 and Ephesians 3, Daddy God has really come through for me! He has shown me more of Himself, and what His Son has done for me.

For the longest time, I did not feel that I was "rooted and grounded" in His love. I thought I had to do my part in some fashion to ensure that I would not get uprooted or cut off from Daddy God. Today, I realize more and more that I am rooted and grounded in Him, that He has always surrounded me with a shield of His favor (Psalm 5:12). It has taken time to really understand these revelations, but Paul literally got down on his knees praying that all of us in the Body of Christ would understand how broad, great, and wonderful is God's love for us!

No, we cannot be cut off from God's Spirit, even when we sin, fall, or fail. The Blood of Jesus did a perfect work at the Cross, fulfilling the law and instituting the New Covenant of Grace! We are rooted and grounded in His love, and we cannot be uprooted or shaken from this foundation. It's just a matter of believing and resting in this truth.

The Sermon on the Mount: Revelations in the Beatitudes

In the last post, I shared that Jesus' main audience in the Sermon on the Mount is "the disciples," i.e. individuals who wanted to obey God's Word, keep His Law, and earn their standing before God.

Of course, the Gospel is about grace, not works, about receiving from Jesus, not achieving for Jesus. However, for the Isrealites, as a nation they had gotten accustomed to the notion that the Mosaic Law could be kept, they were convinced that they could try in their efforts and earn God's favor and righteous standing before Him.

As a key part of His earthly ministry as prophet, Jesus came to restore the fullness of the Law to its proper, unassailable form. The Law is a composite whole which damns everyone of us (Romans 3:19).

Consider what Jesus said to the Pharisees when they confronted Him during the Feast of Tabernacles:

"Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?" (John 7:19)

So, with this revelation in mind, let's take another, refreshing, revealing look at the Beatitudes:

"3Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:3)

Consider this: Jesus is saying to disciples, "It's a great thing to be poor in spirit!" I have to wonder how the disciples sitting at His feet must have responded to this. They might have been confused, shocked, even offended! The last thing that anyone wants to be is poor in any way, especially poor in spirit.

And yet, there you have it! Jesus tells them to "be poor." If we truly understand our first state when we come into this world, when we learn to discern good from evil, we would all realize that we are already poor! In fact, Paul writes to the Ephesians how they were "dead in trespasses." (Ephesians 2:1) before believing in Jesus.

That's about as poor as it gets! And yet, when we realize that we are spiritually poor, that we have nothing on our own to give or perform, then Jesus our Savior can step in and provide us everything! We can receive from Him the Kingdom of Heaven, which is righteousness, peace, and joy in His Holy Spirit. (cf Romans 14:17)

"4Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted." (Matthew 5:4)

Again, what is so blessed about mourning? When you mourn, it means that you have lost something, or more importantly, somoene important to you. No one wants to lose a loved one, no one wants to stand before a casket before the body of a dearly departed friend or family member. Yet here again, Jesus is saying: "If you mourn, you are blessed."

Considering the broader context, that Jesus is trying to bring the self-righteous under the inexorable demands of the Law. Which kind of mourning should we be looking for? How about the mourning that our sins are so great, our debt for all our wrongdoings is too much for us to bear. When we realize that we have no hope in ourselves, then Jesus can step in and save us.

"5Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth." (Matthew 5:5)

To be meek is to recognize yourself as lowly in and of yourself, to have no power or influence in and of yourself. Again, this is not something that people generally strive for. When people are trying for obedience to fulfill God's law in their own strength, they are making themselves big, they are giving into this notion that they can take care of themselves or that they can step up to the challenge.

However, if we want to be saved, if we want to be received, we need to understand that we cannot conceive or achieve anything on our own. We need God. We need our Savior Jesus Christ!

Also, this beatitude is a direct quote from the Old Testament:

"But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." (Psalm 37:11)

What is the context before this verse?

"3Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

"4Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." (Psalm 37:3-4)

This Psalm gives incredible insight into the New Covenant! It's about trust, putting your faith in God, literally "feed on His faithfulness." It's not about our works, but believing in Him!

Let's continue looking at the other Beatitudes:

"6Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled." (Matthew 5:6)

No one wants to hunger and thirst for anything. Such a state implies lack, desperation, loss, emptiness. Those states in and of themselves are not something to celebrate. But here, Jesus says to the disciples, who want to do, do, do, that they need to be empty, hunger, thirsty, lacking, in order to be fed, to be filled. Indeed, Jesus does fill us with His righteousness when we believe on Him. In fact, we become the righteousness of God! (2 Corinthians 5:21)

"7Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." (Matthew 5:7)

Here is demand, law, imposition. "If you want mercy, you have to be merciful." But again, who can give what he does not have to begin with? We need mercy! Thankfully, Daddy God is merciful. Not only merciful, though, but rich in mercy! (Ephesians 2:4)

"8Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."

How does one get a pure heart? If these disciples had any learning, any retention of knowledge from serious studies of the Old Testament, surely they would have remembered this verse:

"The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)

No one on earth, of himself, from birth, has a pure heart. Man's heart is not only dishonest, causing man to lie to himself and to his fellow man, but man's heart is desperately--hopelessly--wicked! He cannot have any chance of fixing himself or his heart. In fact, man needs a new heart, one which God prophesied through the New Covenant that He would provide:

"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh." (Jeremiah 36:26)

One must wonder once again how the disciples must have taken this statement to heart (pun intended). Surely, they must have despaired, knowing how desperately wicked is the heart of man!

"9Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God." (Matthew 5:9)

Man cannot bring peace into his own life, his own situation. With men, there is nothing but discord, rancor, fighting, and war:

"For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace." (Jeremiah 8:11)

Man needs peace. He needs a peacemaker, for he cannot be a peacemaker of Himself. In that dire need, Jesus steps in, for He is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6)

And here's the last Beatitude:

10Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:10)

Again: whow wants to be persecuted for any reason? That doesn't sound like fun! And isn't righteousness supposed to safeguard someone from being persecuted in the first place?

Throughout the Beatitudes, notice the importance placed on identity, not action, and of being persecuted, rather than taking the lead, committing action. Jesus is impressing on these disciples to give up this falsehood, this mistaken identity that there is something good in themselves, some capacity in them to be good, holy, righteous through their own actions, in their own eyes.

Man does not need advise or steps on how to do better. Man needs to become someone new. He needs a new heart. He needs a Savior! The Beatitudes outline how we receive these blessings: not through our efforts, not through keeping the Law, not through our learning more tips and ideas for how to be more obedience.

We are blessed when we realize that we need a Savior, and we receive Him!

The Sermon on the Mount: Three Different Audiences

The Sermon on the Mount contains Jesus' important ministry of restoring the fullness of the Law, so that the Israelites of His day could understand that they needed a Savior. There is no amount of good deeds, great works, or law-keeping that one can do to be accepted before God.

We need His grace, we need His favor, and if we will just believe on His Son Jesus, then we will be saved!

So, what else do we see in the Sermon on the Mount which affirms the truth that much of that sermon is not written for the church to abide by today, but does exist to show the fullness of His ministry on earth, and what He accomplished at the Cross?

Consider the first few verses of Matthew 5:

"1And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying," (Matthew 5:1-2)

There are two groups that I want to focus on here: the multitudes and the disciples.

Throughout the Gospels, when there are multitudes thronging after Jesus, our Savior reaches out to them and helps them in every way, whether with healing or provision. Yet this time, early in His earthly ministry, Jesus does not go towards this multitude, but goes away from them. Isn't that interesting!

What's going on here? The multitudes here are pictures of people who are "fans." They see Jesus as a celebrity, as an oddity, a curiosity. They want to get near Him, see Him so that they can brag about being something near Jesus. Any movie star can tell you that fans are often very selfish. They only care about their feelings and promoting their own reputations, their own interests. Basically, this multitude of fans wanted to use Jesus to further their own ends.

We see another example of this fleshly fan-dom in John 6:

"When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone." (John 6:15)

Jesus performed miracles and healed many, but there were still many in these crowds who just wanted to use Jesus to accomplish the narrow political goal of restoring Israel. Jesus' main mission during His earthly ministry was not Israel, but to fulfill the Old Covenant, enact the New Covenant, and provide salvation for the whole world! 

Then we have the second group: the disciples. When Jesus sat down on this mountain, all the people who saw Jesus as a pattern to follow, a teacher who could help them be more godly, they came up and sat around Him. These are the "followers." They want to be near Jesus so that they can hear His teachings and become just like Him ... through their efforts.

However, anyone who reads the Old Testament, as many of these disciples should have done by that time, would have learned that there is no keeping the Law in order to make oneself holy!

"And Joshua said unto the people, Ye cannot serve the LORD: for he is an holy God; he is a jealous God; he will not forgive your transgressions nor your sins." (Joshua 24:19)

and

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." (Isaiah 64:6)

Yet, these disciples come up to Jesus, they sit down around Him on that mountain, and they smugly distance themselves from the rest of the crowds, which only see Jesus as some curiosity. "Teach us how to be like you, Jesus!" You can kind of sense that arrogant eagerness about them.

In fact, there is also a third audience, but in the Sermon on the Mount account, he does not appear until the end, when Jesus goes away from the multitudes further and goes down the other side of the mountain:

"1When he was come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed him. 2And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 3And Jesus put forth his hand, and touched him, saying, I will; be thou clean. And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. 4And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them." (Matthew 8:1-4)

We have here a leper, in essence a failure who would later become family. He does not see Jesus as a Celebrity. He does not see Jesus as a Sage. He sees Jesus as He really is: a Savior! When you are dying from a deadly disease, or in bondage to sin, you need someone to save you, to set you free. You don't need a selfie with a celebrity. You don't seek advise from a sage. You need a SAVIOR who can save you! The leper asks Jesus to heal Him, and He not only heals him, but he touches the leper! This very act of touching the leper probably shocked the disciples whom He had been teaching, since in the Law it was unlawful to touch a leper. Not only that, but the leper should have never been around other people, but instead he should have shouted "Unclean! Unclean!" to warn and ward off everyone away from him. Jesus not only fulfilled the Law, but He took away all the sins of the world, and that included healing people of diverse diseases.

And there you have it. There are in total three key audiences throughout the Gospels when it comes to the people who interact with Jesus. In the midst of disciples generally, one can include the Pharisees and other religious leaders, who think that they can earn God's goodness, that they can keep God's law, that if they learned more and tried harder, they would be good, loved, accepted, and blessed. All of this is rank offense, of course, since it's only by God's grace that we receive, not achieve, His goodness.

With the three different audiences outlined, this revelation will further help us to see the full context of the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus was not speaking to the saved and resurrected Body of Christ who believes in Him. He was speaking to disciples who had gotten accustomed to this falsehood that if they could keep God's law as best as possible, then they would be accepted and favored. With them, He expounded on and restored the Law to its "unkeepable" heights. Keep in mind that when Jesus opens His mouth and speaks, that moment occurs when the disciples come up to Him. He doesn't say anything when He sees and walks away from the multitudes. He speaks to His disciples, and so with them He is restoring the full prominence, pre-eminence, and impossibilities of the Law.

The Sermon on the Mount: Restoring the Old Covenant, Preparing for the New Covenant

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." (2 Timothy 2:15)

Too many Christians believe that we are supposed to live by everything that Jesus taught in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).

And yet, if we look closely at what Jesus says during His earthly ministry, then consider the revelations that Jesus gave to Paul in his epistles, we recognize that a change has taken place!

Consider this passage in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount:

"But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses." (Matthew 6:15)

Wow! We have to forgive, or God won't forgive us? How demanding!

And that's the point. Jesus was bringing the Law, the Old Covenant, back to its pristine wholeness again.

Remember what Jesus said about the Pharisees and their "brand" of righteousness:

"For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:20)

But under grace, under the New Covenant, we are not trying to earn righteousness. In fact, because of Jesus, we have become THE righteousness of God in Christ! (2 Corinthians 5:21)

Jesus restored the DEMANDS, the CLAIMS of the law, and Jesus would fulfill all those demands and claims.

In fact, He declared as much in the same Sermon on the Mount!

"Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil." (Matthew 5:17)

What about the issue of forgiving others and being forgiven? Well, under grace, in the New Covenant, we forgive BECAUSE we have been so forgiven!

"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you." (Ephesians 4:32)

You see? We forgive BECAUSE "God the Father for Christ's sake has forgiven" us!

There is no contradiction. There has been a CHANGE!

What has changed? The covenants!

The Old Covenant was cut between God and Israel at Mt. Sinai, and it was cut with blood, for all covenants come into being through the shedding of blood and the death which ensues:

"17For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth. 18Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood." (Hebrews 9:17-18)

Consider what Jesus declared when He instituted communion in the Upper Room on the night of His betrayal:

"Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you." (Luke 22:20)

That blood was shed at the Cross, and at the Cross, Jesus declared "It is Finished!" (John 19:30) because He fulfilled the Old Covenant and enacted the New Covenant!

So, there you have it. The Sermon on the Mount restores the pristine, unassailable, unachievable standards of the Old Covenant, and therefore, since we believe in Jesus and are no longer under law but under grace (Romans 6:14), we need to make sure that we understand what Jesus is saying, where, when, and to whom Jesus is saying things in the four Gospel accounts.

The Church of Laodicea: Revelation of the Grace and God and the Gift of Righteousness

A while back, I received a profound revelation about the Church of Laodicea.

Granted, it may not seem at first glance that there is any good news to glean from this account. Of the seven church whom Jesus communicated to in the early chapters of Revelation, five of the churches receive correction from Jesus--and the Laodicean church receives the harshest.

Today, there are many pastors and preachers which are warning about churches becoming like the Laodicean church.

However, I did some research on the church in Laodicea, and I found some very good news!

From Biblical Archaeology:

Yet the Laodicean church’s “lukewarm” legacy was not its final legacy.

The church at Laodicea survived Domitian’s reign. The city became a bishopric (seat of a Christian bishop), and a Christian council was even held there in the fourth century C.E. Archaeologists have discovered about 20 ancient Christian chapels and churches at the site. The largest church at Laodicea, called the Church of Laodicea took up an entire city block and dates to the beginning of the fourth century.

The Church of Laodicea. Dated to the beginning of the fourth century C.E., the Church of Laodicea spanned an entire city block. The church faced east and was decorated with marble floors. Photo: © Mark R. Fairchild, Huntington University.

Laodicea remained an important city until the seventh century C.E. when it was struck by a devastating earthquake and subsequently abandoned. 

Imagine that? Jesus had some harsh words for this church, but in this revelation that I received from Daddy God, you will find that there is great grace even in our worst failings, and even for a church which was so summarily chastised as the church in Laodicea.

First, let's look at the passage as a whole.

14And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

15I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. 16So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth. 17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: 18I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 19As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

First, it is important to establish that when Jesus communicates with the Seven Churches, He speaks specifically, directly to the "angel" of the church, i.e. the minister or the pastor of the church. Second, in other letters, Jesus does say that if the angels, the ministers do not repent, He will take their candle out (Revelation 2:5). This does not mean that the pastor or the members of the church will lose their salvation, It does mean that the pastor will lose his place and the church will close.

Around the world and over many decades, we have witnesses many churches close. They no longer preach the Gospel, the focus on man-made causes and concerns. They do not focus on Jesus, but rather on man and his efforts, or the perfection of man through his efforts. All of this is a clear abandon of the Gospel of Grace (Galatians 1:6) which we receive through Jesus Christ (John 1:17).

Now, let's look at what Jesus says to the church of Laodicea.

First, about the word "Laodicea" itself, the word means "The people rule." This name speaks to the types of churches in which the pastor panders to the people, giving into their demands, and also to the types of churches where man's interests, where the interests of the population, what is popular, take precendence instead of the Word of God. 

What is the first thing that Jesus says to Laodicean church?

I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

Many of construed this passage to indicate that the church members were not on fire for God or cool and refreshing in what they had to offer.

Let's look further:

So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

The word "lukewarm" in the Original Greek is:

chliaros: tepid, warm

Original Word: χλιαρός, ά, όν
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: chliaros
Phonetic Spelling: (khlee-ar-os')
Definition: tepid, warm
Usage: warm, tepid; of persons: lukewarm.

Thayer's dictionary provides more information:

χιλιαρος, χιλιαρα, χιλιαρον (χλίω, to become warm, liquefy, melt), tepid, lukewarm: metaphorically, of the condition of a soul wretchedly fluctuating between a torpor and a fervor of love, Revelation 3:16. (Herodotus, Pindar, Diodorus, Plutarch, Athen., Geoponica.)

What we have here is a church that is wavering, that is going back and forth between two extremes. A clear example of this occurs in the Galatian church, in which the Galatians went from grace back to law (Galatians 1:6, 3:3)

James warns about men who are double-minded, as well (James 1:8).

This wavering is all about going from grace to law, from faith to works, from trusting in the Lord's Finished Work to man's self-effort. That is what is happening here!

Then comes this very harsh pronunciation from our Lord Jesus:

[B]ecause thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

The King James Version gives off a harsh, inexorable stance from Jesus. The Greek more accurately reads "I am about to spit you out of my mouth,"

Jesus is about to, but He does not! Right away, that should inspire relief and respite for all who read this. Think aboout it, besides: if Jesus was going to spit out the pastor at the Church of Laodicea, why would He have bothered to send them a letter in the first place?

Consider how the New International Version renders this verse:

So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

Even when Jesus has to issue a stern warning to a pastor, He is all about grace. He wants to help them--He wants to help all of us even when we are lost in our self-serving delusions.

Next, Jesus says:

17Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

Ouch! Quite an indictment!

It does sound like some of the churches we see in our world today. Church leaders are talking a great deal about "Name it and Claim it," they share a great deal on tithe, tithing, and tithers. They even make the case that God does not bless you unless you give first. Of course, even the first mention of tithing in the Bible clearly illustrates that God blesses us, and then we tithe in response to His goodness! (Genesis 14)

Sadly, there are so many pastors and church leaders who assume that they are great and are all taken care of simply because they are wealthy, have lots of stuff, and they really think that they don't need anything. And yet they are:

1. Wretched: 5005 talaípōros (an adjective, derived from talaō, "to bear, undergo" and pōros, "a callous," J. Thayer) – properly, wretched (beaten-down) from continued strain, leaving a person literally full of callouses (deep misery) – describing a person with severe side-effects from great, ongoing strain (significant hardships).

Many people who boast in their wealth have relied on their own strength and have harmed themselves, their health, their families in the process. God's kind of prosperity never causes such harm:

"The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it." (Proverbs 10:22)

Amen! How silly for people to boast in their wealth, when it cost them so much more attain it through their own means. Besides, God's heart is for all of us to prosper and be in health--even as our soul prospers (3 John2).

2. Miserable: Cognate: 1652 eleeinós (from 1656, eleos, "mercy") – pitiable, wretched; in great need of mercy (because desperate).

This church leader thinks that they do not need more mercy, more grace, and yet Paul urges us to receive--and keep receiving--the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness (Romans 5:17). Peter's last words urge his readers to "Grow in grace and knowledge of the Lord." (2 Peter 3:18).

3. Poor: 4434 ptōxós (from ptōssō, "to crouch or cower like a beggar") – properly, bent over; (figuratively) deeply destitute, completely lacking resources (earthly wealth) – i.e. helpless as a beggar. 4434 (ptōxós) relates to "the pauper rather than the mere peasant, the extreme opposite of the rich" (WP, 1, 371).

Wow! What we find, then, is that this Laodicean church was truly "all talk." They said that they were rich, but in fact they actually were not! They had lots of pride, but in reality they were in great need!

4. blind: Thayer's Greek Lexicon

STRONGS NT 5185: τυφλός
τυφλός, τυφλοῦ, ὁ (τύφω, to raise a smoke; hence, properly, 'darkened by smoke'), from Homer down, the Sept. for עִוֵּר, blind;

Throughout the Bible, blindness is a sign not just of someone who cannot physically see, but more importantly represents someone who has forgotten that all of his sins have been forgiven:

"But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins." (2 Peter 1:9)

5. Nake: gumnos: naked, poorly clothed

Original Word: γυμνός, ή, όν
Part of Speech: Adjective
Transliteration: gumnos
Phonetic Spelling: (goom-nos')
Definition: naked, poorly clothed
Usage: rarely: stark-naked; generally: wearing only the under-garment; bare, open, manifest; mere.

When we think of nakedness, what comes to mind is not merely a lack of clothing in itself, but it reminds me of Adam and Eve, who became naked because their eyes were no longer looking at God's goodness and provision, but rather at themselves and their inadequacies in themselves. They wanted to depend on their own knowledge and wisdom, and what they found was inevitably inadequate.

Nakedness speaks to our sinful state in ourselves, our weakness on our own without Christ. In trusting ourselves with everything, we find ourselves lost, losing, and lacking in so many ways.

But Jesus does not stop there and just shame them for their current status.

18I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see. 

Now, this passage is confusing!

First, Jesus tells the messenger of the church that he is poor and blind and wretched (might as well as throw in 'sloppy, dumpy, and stupid.') And now Jesus is telling him to buy something from Him? And not just anything, but "gold tried in the fire" and "white raiment" and "eyesalve."

We are not talking about cheap goods here.

Let's take a look at the first part of the verse "I counsel thee to buy ..."

Counsel:

sumbouleuó: to take counsel together, advise

Original Word: συμβουλεύω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: sumbouleuó
Phonetic Spelling: (soom-bool-yoo'-o)
Definition: to take counsel together, advise
Usage: I give advice, exhort; mid: I take counsel together, consult.

HELPS Word-studies

4823 symbouleúō (from 4862 /sýn, "identify with" and 1011 /bouleúō, "to plan," which is derived from 1012 /boulḗ, "a resolute plan") – properly, to consult (counsel) together, like when people plan something out together with high resolve (keeping to their pre-set goals).

Jesus was not just on the outside giving advice. Here, Jesus is working with the pastor: "Let's do this together."

And what about that word "buy"?

agorazó: to buy in the marketplace, purchase

Original Word: ἀγοράζω
Part of Speech: Verb
Transliteration: agorazó
Phonetic Spelling: (ag-or-ad'-zo)
Definition: to buy in the marketplace, purchase
Usage: I buy.

HELPS Word-studies

59 agorázō (from 58 /agorá, "the ancient marketplace, town-center") – properly, to make purchases in the marketplace ("agora"), i.e. as ownership transfers from seller to buyer.

59 /agorázō ("acquire by purchasing") stresses transfer – i.e. where something becomes another's belonging (possession). In salvation-contexts, 59 (agorázō) is not redeeming ("buying back"), but rather focuses on how the believer now belongs to the Lord as His unique possession (J. Thayer). Indeed, Christ purchases all the privileges and responsibilities that go with belonging to Him (being in Christ).

We are not talking about a mere exchange of goods here. We are talking about a deeper revelation of Christ's redeeming work. In effect, one could more precisely translate the phrase:

"Agree with me to receive from me something that I have bought for you."

This verse, this revelation reminds me of Isaiah 55:

"1Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.

2Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness.

3Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your soul shall live; and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David." (Isaiah 55:1-3)

How exactly do we buy something 'without price'? We receive it by grace, through faith! YES!

Now, let's delve more deeply into what Jesus is provided to the Church in Laodicea:

Gold: that speaks of the Gift of righteousness, our sure foundation based on Jesus' Finished Work

The white raiment speaks of the Robe of righteousness, which clothes us, YES!

And what about the eyesalve?

Well, this is a very interesting word in the original Greek:

eyesalve:

kollourion: eye salve.

Original Word: κολλούριον, ου, τό
Part of Speech: Noun, Neuter
Transliteration: kollourion
Phonetic Spelling: (kol-loo'-ree-on)
Definition: eye salve
Usage: eye-salve.

kollurion: a small bread roll, an eye salve (shaped like a roll).

Transliteration: kollurion
Definition: a small bread roll, an eye salve (shaped like a roll)

What is the eyesalve for? Obviously, to heal a person's sight, soo that they can see clearly.

Notice also that this eyesale is the same word for bread, a small bread roll specifically. Where have we read about this connection between eating bread and seeing?

In The Gospel of Luke!

"30And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them. 31And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight." (Luke 24:30-31)

Here, we have the breaking of the bread, commmunion! When Cleopas and his wife broke the bread with Jesus in their midst, they saw HIM! They did not see their sins, they did not see their failures, they did not see their losses. They saw HIM!

And that is what Jesus is so determined to restore to the Laodicean church. They need to see Him. They need to see all their needs can only be met in Him. Their needs are far greater than food and cleathing. Consider what Jesus said to the Israelites of His day during His earthly ministry:

"25Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?  .... 33But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." (Matthew 6:25, 33)

The issue is righteousness! This righteousness is something that Jesus has purchased for us! In fact, not just any status of righteousness, but because of Jesus, we have been made the righteousness of God in Him! (2 Corinthians 5:21)

What was plaguing the Laodicean church? They thought that they were righteousness becaused of their great wealth and status. They were depending on their own efforts, and boasting in their own works. They did not have a revelation of the abundance of grace and the gift of righteousness (Romans 5:17). They had works, and they thought they were alive, but they were actually dead.

They were mixing up law and grace, trusting in their own efforts. This Galatian errror receives the harshest rebuke, and yet let us not forget that this church not only learned the lesson, received correction, but thrived for centuries afterwards. AMEN!

The LORD is Pleased With Me -- I Don't Have to Do Something to Maintain It

One of the chronic mindgames that I had to deal with in the past was that if I had a bad feeling or bad thought, I had to do something about it. I had to get rid of it.

I kept thinking that the bad thoughts or the bad feelings would knock me out of the place of peace and presence, and therefore I had to do something to get back to that place again.

"Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee." (Isaiah 26:3)

I now realize that that whole game: do something about the feelings to get back in the right place-was all wrong in the first place.

I don't have to do anything about any of that, because I am already in Christ, and how I feel, what I think, whatever I am going through cannot affect me.

There is nothing that this world can dish at me that can affect me. Nothing.

I am favored because of all that Jesus has done at the Cross.

It really is not about us. There is no "our part" that we need to be busy about.

We need to get rested in His Finished Work on this.

For too long, I was so convinced that I still "had to" do something more to maintain my relationship with my Daddy God. Now I know that all of that is gone.

Now I know that He is taking care of me, always on my side. AMEN!