The Upper Room Daily Reflections, daily words of wisdom and faith in Nashville, Tennessee, United States “Listening Well” for Wednesday, 8 February 2017-------
Today’s Reflection:
LISTENING FOR THE voice of the Spirit, for the inner voice, involves an act of holy obedience. The word obedient comes from the Latin word audire, which means “to listen.”
Listening well goes beyond intellectual activity. Wholehearted listening requires bringing our whole self – body, mind, heart, and spirit – into the act of listening. …
Listening lies at the heart of the pilgrim’s journey. … Listening defines the work of prayer; it helps transform us into the person our Creator intended us to be all along.[Karla M. Kincannon, Creativity and Divine Surprise]
From pages 70-71 of Creativity and Divine Surprise: Finding the Place of Your Resurrection by Karla M. Kincannon. Copyright ® 2005 by Karla M. Kincannon. All rights reserved. Used by permission of Upper Room Books. http://bookstore.upperroom.org/ Learn more about or purchase this book.
Today’s Question:
How can you listen more creatively?
Today’s Scripture:
Happy are those whose way is blameless, who walk in the law of the LORD.[Psalm 119:1, NRSV]
This Week: pray for older adults.
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Did You Know?
In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers. Call 1-800-251-2468 or visit The Living Prayer Center website.
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This week we remember: Margaret Gaffney Haughery (February 9).
In need of prayer? The Upper Room Living Prayer Center is a 7-day-a-week intercessory prayer ministry staffed by trained volunteers. Call 1-800-251-2468 or visit The Living Prayer Center website.
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This week we remember: Margaret Gaffney Haughery (February 9).
Margaret Gaffney HaugheryFebruary 09
Margaret Gaffney Haughery (1813-1882) was born in Ireland and came with her parents to Baltimore in 1818. When she was nine, Margaret's parents died of yellow fever; she was taken in by neighbors. After work as a domestic, Margaret married Charles Haughery and moved to New Orleans. A year later, Charles and their infant died.
Margaret, who had received no formal education, took a job as a laundress at an orphanage. She used her own earnings to provide food for the children and was soon involved in all aspects of the orphanage. Under her leadership the financial condition of the orphanage improved. She established a prosperous dairy and later, a bakery, continuing her hands-on approach. Margaret delivered milk and bakery goods herself to paying customers and street children. As Margaret's earnings grew she invested the money back into the orphanage and in 1840 another orphanage was built. During the Civil War she continued to take food to the needy even when it called for standing up to Union soldiers.
When she died on February 9, 1882 Margaret left a half-million dollars to charity. A statue of "the mother of orphans" can be found today in New Orleans' Margaret Place.
If Margaret Gaffney Haughery had taken the Spiritual Types Test she probably would have been a Prophet. Margaret Gaffney Haughery is remembered on February 9.
Image is portrait of Margaret with Two Orphans. Painting by Jacques Amans, New Orleans, c. 1842.
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Lectionary Readings
Sunday, 12 February 2016
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Sunday, 12 February 2016
(Courtesy of Vanderbilt Divinity Library)
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Psalm 119:1-8
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
Matthew 5:21-37
Scripture Texts: Deuteronomy 30:(RY: iv, LY: vii) 15 “Look! I am presenting you today with, on the one hand, life and good; and on the other, death and evil — 16 in that I am ordering you today to love Adonai your God, to follow his ways, and to obey his mitzvot, regulations and rulings ; for if you do, you will live and increase your numbers; and Adonai your God will bless you in the land you are entering in order to take possession of it. 17 But if your heart turns away, if you refuse to listen, if you are drawn away to prostrate yourselves before other gods and serve them; (LY: Maftir) 18 I am announcing to you today that you will certainly perish; you will not live long in the land you are crossing the Yarden to enter and possess.
19 “I call on heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have presented you with life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore, choose life, so that you will live, you and your descendants, 20 loving Adonai your God, paying attention to what he says and clinging to him — for that is the purpose of your life! On this depends the length of time you will live in the land Adonai swore he would give to your ancestors Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov.”
Psalm 119:1 How happy are those whose way of life is blameless,
who live by the Torah of Adonai!
2 How happy are those who observe his instruction,
who seek him wholeheartedly!
3 They do nothing wrong
but live by his ways.
4 You laid down your precepts
for us to observe with care.
5 May my ways be steady
in observing your laws.
6 Then I will not be put to shame,
since I will have fixed my sight on all your mitzvot.
7 I thank you with a sincere heart
as I learn your righteous rulings.
8 I will observe your laws;
don’t completely abandon me!
1 Corinthians 3:1 As for me, brothers, I couldn’t talk to you as spiritual people but as worldly people, as babies, so far as experience with the Messiah is concerned. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, because you were not yet ready for it. But you aren’t ready for it now either! 3 For you are still worldly! Isn’t it obvious from all the jealousy and quarrelling among you that you are worldly and living by merely human standards? 4 For when one says, “I follow Sha’ul” and another, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you being merely human? 5 After all, what is Apollos? What is Sha’ul? Only servants through whom you came to trust. Indeed, it was the Lord who brought you to trust through one of us or through another. 6 I planted the seed, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 So neither the planter nor the waterer is anything, only God who makes things grow — 8 planter and waterer are the same.
However, each will be rewarded according to his work. 9 For we are God’s co-workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
Matthew 5:21 “You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Do not murder,’[Matthew 5:21 Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 5:17] and that anyone who commits murder will be subject to judgment. 22 But I tell you that anyone who nurses anger against his brother will be subject to judgment; that whoever calls his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing!’ will be brought before the Sanhedrin; that whoever says, ‘Fool!’ incurs the penalty of burning in the fire of Gei-Hinnom! 23 So if you are offering your gift at the Temple altar and you remember there that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift where it is by the altar, and go, make peace with your brother. Then come back and offer your gift. 25 If someone sues you, come to terms with him quickly, while you and he are on the way to court; or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer of the court, and you may be thrown in jail! 26 Yes indeed! I tell you, you will certainly not get out until you have paid the last penny.
27 “You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Do not commit adultery.’[Matthew 5:27 Exodus 20:13(14); Deuteronomy 5:17(18)] 28 But I tell you that a man who even looks at a woman with the purpose of lusting after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye makes you sin, gouge it out and throw it away! Better that you should lose one part of you than have your whole body thrown into Gei-Hinnom. 30 And if your right hand makes you sin, cut it off and throw it away! Better that you should lose one part of you than have your whole body thrown into Gei-Hinnom.
31 “It was said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a get.’[Matthew 5:31 Deuteronomy 24:1] 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of fornication, makes her an adulteress; and that anyone who marries a divorcee commits adultery.
33 “Again, you have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Do not break your oath,’ and ‘Keep your vows to Adonai.’[Matthew 5:33 Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:3(2); Deuteronomy 23:22(21)] 34 But I tell you not to swear at all — not ‘by heaven,’ because it is God’s throne; 35 not ‘by the earth,’ because it is his footstool;[Matthew 5:35 Isaiah 66:1] and not ‘by Yerushalayim,’ because it is the city of the Great King.[Matthew 5:35 Psalm 48:3(2)] 36 And don’t swear by your head, because you can’t make a single hair white or black. 37 Just let your ‘Yes’ be a simple ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ a simple ‘No’; anything more than this has its origin in evil.
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Verse 19
[19] I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Chuse life — They shall have life that chuse it: they that chuse the favour of God, and communion with him, shall have what they chuse. They that come short of life and happiness, must thank themselves only. They had had them, if they had chosen them, when they were put to their choice: but they die, because they will die.
Verse 20
[20] That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
That thou mayest love the Lord thy God — Here he shews them in short, what their duty is; To love God as the Lord, a being most amiable, and as their God, a God in covenant with them: as an evidence of their love, to obey his voice in every thing, and by constancy in this love and obedience, to cleave to him all their days. And what encouragement had they to do this? For he is thy life and the length of thy days - He gives life, preserves life, restores life, and prolongs it, by his power, tho' it be a frail life, and by his presence, tho' it be a forfeited life. He sweetens life by his comforts, and compleats all in life everlasting.
Psalm 119:1-8
(Read all of Psalm 119)
Verse 6
[6] Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
Respect — A due respect, which implies hearty affection, diligent study, and constant practice.
To all — So as not to allow myself in any known sin, or in the neglect of any known duty.
Verse 7
[7] I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.
When — When by thy good spirit I shall he more fitly instructed in the meaning of thy word.
Verse 8
[8] I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.
Forsake me not — For then I shall fall into the foulest sins.
Verse 9
[9] BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
A young man — Or, any man. But he names the young man, because such are commonly void of wisdom and experience, and exposed to many and great temptations.
Cleanse — Purge himself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit.
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
(Read all of 1 Corinthians 3)
Verse 1
[1] And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
And I, brethren — He spoke before, 1 Corinthians 2:1, of his entrance, now of his progress, among them.
Could not speak to you as unto spiritual — Adult, experienced Christians. But as unto men who were still in great measure carnal, as unto babes in Christ - Still weak in grace, though eminent in gifts, 1 Corinthians 1:5.
Verse 2
[2] I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
I fed you, as babes, with milk - The first and plainest truths of the gospel. So should every preacher suit his doctrine to his hearers.
Verse 3
[3] For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
For while there is among you emulation in your hearts, strife in your words, and actual divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk according to men - As mere men; not as Christians, according to God.
Verse 4
[4] For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
I am of Apollos — St. Paul named himself and Apollos, to show that he would condemn any division among them, even though it were in favour of himself, or the dearest friend he had in the world.
Are ye not carnal — For the Spirit of God allows no party zeal.
Verse 5
[5] Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
Ministers — Or servants. By whom ye believed, as the Lord, the Master of those servants, gave to every man.
Verse 7
[7] So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
God that giveth the increase — Is all in all: without him neither planting nor watering avails.
Verse 8
[8] Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
But he that planteth and he that watereth are one — Which is another argument against division. Though their labours are different. they are all employed in one general work, - the saving souls. Hence he takes occasion to speak of the reward of them that labour faithfully, and the awful account to be given by all. Every man shall receive his own peculiar reward according to his own peculiar labour - Not according to his success; but he who labours much, though with small success, shall have a great reward. Has not all this reasoning the same force still? The ministers are still surely instruments in God's hand, and depend as entirely as ever on his blessing, to give the increase to their labours. Without this, they are nothing: with it, their part is so small, that they hardly deserve to be mentioned. May their hearts and hands be more united; and, retaining a due sense of the honour God doeth them in employing them, may they faithfully labour, not as for themselves, but for the great Proprietor of all, till the day come when he will reward them in full proportion to their fidelity and diligence!
Verse 9
[9] For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
For we are all fellowlabourers — God's labourers, and fellowlabourers with each other.
Ye are God's husbandry — This is the sum of what went before: it is a comprehensive word, taking in both a field, a garden, and a vineyard.
Ye are God's building — This is the sum of what follows.
Matthew 5:21-37
Verse 21
[21] Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
Ye have heard — From the scribes reciting the law; Thou shalt do no murder - And they interpreted this, as all the other commandments, barely of the outward act.
The judgement — The Jews had in every city a court of twenty-three men, who could sentence a criminal to be strangled. But the sanhedrim only (the great council which sat at Jerusalem, consisting of seventy-two men,) could sentence to the more terrible death of stoning. That was called the judgment, this the council. Exodus 20:13.
Verse 22
[22] But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
But I say unto you — Which of the prophets ever spake thus? Their language is, Thus saith the Lord. Who hath authority to use this language, but the one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy.
Whosoever is angry with his brother — Some copies add, without a cause - But this is utterly foreign to the whole scope and tenor of our Lord's discourse. If he had only forbidden the being angry without a cause, there was no manner of need of that solemn declaration, I say unto you; for the scribes and Pharisees themselves said as much as this. Even they taught, men ought not to be angry without a cause. So that this righteousness does not exceed theirs. But Christ teaches, that we ought not, for any cause, to be so angry as to call any man Raca, or fool. We ought not, for any cause, to be angry at the person of the sinner, but at his sins only. Happy world, were this plain and necessary distinction thoroughly understood, remembered, practised! Raca means, a silly man, a trifler.
Whosoever shall say, Thou fool — Shall revile, or seriously reproach any man. Our Lord specified three degrees of murder, each liable to a sorer punishment than the other: not indeed from men, but from God.
Hell fire — In the valley of Hinnom (whence the word in the original is taken) the children were used to be burnt alive to Moloch. It was afterward made a receptacle for the filth of the city, where continual fires were kept to consume it. And it is probable, if any criminals were burnt alive, it was in this accursed and horrible place. Therefore both as to its former and latter state, it was a fit emblem of hell. It must here signify a degree of future punishment, as much more dreadful than those incurred in the two former cases, as burning alive is more dreadful than either strangling or stoning.
Verse 23
[23] Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Thy brother hath aught against thee — On any of the preceding accounts: for any unkind thought or word: any that did not spring from love.
Verse 24
[24] Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Leaving thy gift, go — For neither thy gift nor thy prayer will atone for thy want of love: but this will make them both an abomination before God.
Verse 25
[25] Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
Agree with thine adversary — With any against whom thou hast thus offended: while thou art in the way - Instantly, on the spot; before you part.
Lest the adversary deliver thee to the judge — Lest he commit his cause to God. Luke 12:58.
Verse 26
[26] Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
Till thou hast paid the last farthing — That is, for ever, since thou canst never do this. What has been hitherto said refers to meekness: what follows, to purity of heart.
Verse 27
[27] Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Thou shalt not commit adultery — And this, as well as the sixth commandment, the scribes and Pharisees interpreted barely of the outward act. Exodus 20:14. 29, 30. If a person as dear as a right eye, or as useful as a right hand, cause thee thus to offend, though but in heart. Perhaps here may be an instance of a kind of transposition which is frequently found in the sacred writings: so that the 29th verse may refer to 27, 28; and the 30th to verse 21, 22. Matthew 5:29,27,28,30,21,22 As if he had said, Part with any thing, however dear to you, or otherwise useful, if you cannot avoid sin while you keep it. Even cut off your right hand, if you are of so passionate a temper, that you cannot otherwise be restrained from hurting your brother. Pull out your eyes, if you can no otherwise be restrained from lusting after women. Matthew 18:8; Mark 9:43.
Verse 30
[30] And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell..
Verse 31
[31] It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
Let him give her a writing of divorce — Which the scribes and Pharisees allowed men to do on any trifling occasion. Deuteronomy 24:1; Matthew 19:7; Mark 10:2; Luke 16:18.
Verse 32
[32] But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
Causeth her to commit adultery — If she marry again.
Verse 33
[33] Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
Our Lord here refers to the promise made to the pure in heart of seeing God in all things, and points out a false doctrine of the scribes, which arose from their not thus seeing God. What he forbids is, the swearing at all, 1, by any creature, 2, in our ordinary conversation: both of which the scribes and Pharisees taught to be perfectly innocent. Exodus 20:7.
Verse 36
[36] Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
For thou canst not make one hair white or black — Whereby it appears, that this also is not thine but God's.
Verse 37
[37] But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
Let your conversation be yea, yea; nay, nay — That is, in your common discourse, barely affirm or deny.
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The Upper Room Ministries
PO Box 340004
Nashville, Tennessee 37203-0004, United States
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Psalm 119:1-8
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
Matthew 5:21-37
Scripture Texts: Deuteronomy 30:(RY: iv, LY: vii) 15 “Look! I am presenting you today with, on the one hand, life and good; and on the other, death and evil — 16 in that I am ordering you today to love Adonai your God, to follow his ways, and to obey his mitzvot, regulations and rulings ; for if you do, you will live and increase your numbers; and Adonai your God will bless you in the land you are entering in order to take possession of it. 17 But if your heart turns away, if you refuse to listen, if you are drawn away to prostrate yourselves before other gods and serve them; (LY: Maftir) 18 I am announcing to you today that you will certainly perish; you will not live long in the land you are crossing the Yarden to enter and possess.
19 “I call on heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have presented you with life and death, the blessing and the curse. Therefore, choose life, so that you will live, you and your descendants, 20 loving Adonai your God, paying attention to what he says and clinging to him — for that is the purpose of your life! On this depends the length of time you will live in the land Adonai swore he would give to your ancestors Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov.”
Psalm 119:1 How happy are those whose way of life is blameless,
who live by the Torah of Adonai!
2 How happy are those who observe his instruction,
who seek him wholeheartedly!
3 They do nothing wrong
but live by his ways.
4 You laid down your precepts
for us to observe with care.
5 May my ways be steady
in observing your laws.
6 Then I will not be put to shame,
since I will have fixed my sight on all your mitzvot.
7 I thank you with a sincere heart
as I learn your righteous rulings.
8 I will observe your laws;
don’t completely abandon me!
1 Corinthians 3:1 As for me, brothers, I couldn’t talk to you as spiritual people but as worldly people, as babies, so far as experience with the Messiah is concerned. 2 I gave you milk, not solid food, because you were not yet ready for it. But you aren’t ready for it now either! 3 For you are still worldly! Isn’t it obvious from all the jealousy and quarrelling among you that you are worldly and living by merely human standards? 4 For when one says, “I follow Sha’ul” and another, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you being merely human? 5 After all, what is Apollos? What is Sha’ul? Only servants through whom you came to trust. Indeed, it was the Lord who brought you to trust through one of us or through another. 6 I planted the seed, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 So neither the planter nor the waterer is anything, only God who makes things grow — 8 planter and waterer are the same.
However, each will be rewarded according to his work. 9 For we are God’s co-workers; you are God’s field, God’s building.
Matthew 5:21 “You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Do not murder,’[Matthew 5:21 Exodus 20:13, Deuteronomy 5:17] and that anyone who commits murder will be subject to judgment. 22 But I tell you that anyone who nurses anger against his brother will be subject to judgment; that whoever calls his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing!’ will be brought before the Sanhedrin; that whoever says, ‘Fool!’ incurs the penalty of burning in the fire of Gei-Hinnom! 23 So if you are offering your gift at the Temple altar and you remember there that your brother has something against you, 24 leave your gift where it is by the altar, and go, make peace with your brother. Then come back and offer your gift. 25 If someone sues you, come to terms with him quickly, while you and he are on the way to court; or he may hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer of the court, and you may be thrown in jail! 26 Yes indeed! I tell you, you will certainly not get out until you have paid the last penny.
27 “You have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Do not commit adultery.’[Matthew 5:27 Exodus 20:13(14); Deuteronomy 5:17(18)] 28 But I tell you that a man who even looks at a woman with the purpose of lusting after her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye makes you sin, gouge it out and throw it away! Better that you should lose one part of you than have your whole body thrown into Gei-Hinnom. 30 And if your right hand makes you sin, cut it off and throw it away! Better that you should lose one part of you than have your whole body thrown into Gei-Hinnom.
31 “It was said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife must give her a get.’[Matthew 5:31 Deuteronomy 24:1] 32 But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of fornication, makes her an adulteress; and that anyone who marries a divorcee commits adultery.
33 “Again, you have heard that our fathers were told, ‘Do not break your oath,’ and ‘Keep your vows to Adonai.’[Matthew 5:33 Leviticus 19:12; Numbers 30:3(2); Deuteronomy 23:22(21)] 34 But I tell you not to swear at all — not ‘by heaven,’ because it is God’s throne; 35 not ‘by the earth,’ because it is his footstool;[Matthew 5:35 Isaiah 66:1] and not ‘by Yerushalayim,’ because it is the city of the Great King.[Matthew 5:35 Psalm 48:3(2)] 36 And don’t swear by your head, because you can’t make a single hair white or black. 37 Just let your ‘Yes’ be a simple ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No’ a simple ‘No’; anything more than this has its origin in evil.
John Wesley's Notes-Commentary: Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Verse 19
[19] I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:
Chuse life — They shall have life that chuse it: they that chuse the favour of God, and communion with him, shall have what they chuse. They that come short of life and happiness, must thank themselves only. They had had them, if they had chosen them, when they were put to their choice: but they die, because they will die.
Verse 20
[20] That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days: that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them.
That thou mayest love the Lord thy God — Here he shews them in short, what their duty is; To love God as the Lord, a being most amiable, and as their God, a God in covenant with them: as an evidence of their love, to obey his voice in every thing, and by constancy in this love and obedience, to cleave to him all their days. And what encouragement had they to do this? For he is thy life and the length of thy days - He gives life, preserves life, restores life, and prolongs it, by his power, tho' it be a frail life, and by his presence, tho' it be a forfeited life. He sweetens life by his comforts, and compleats all in life everlasting.
Psalm 119:1-8
(Read all of Psalm 119)
Verse 6
[6] Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
Respect — A due respect, which implies hearty affection, diligent study, and constant practice.
To all — So as not to allow myself in any known sin, or in the neglect of any known duty.
Verse 7
[7] I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.
When — When by thy good spirit I shall he more fitly instructed in the meaning of thy word.
Verse 8
[8] I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.
Forsake me not — For then I shall fall into the foulest sins.
Verse 9
[9] BETH. Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
A young man — Or, any man. But he names the young man, because such are commonly void of wisdom and experience, and exposed to many and great temptations.
Cleanse — Purge himself from all filthiness of flesh and spirit.
1 Corinthians 3:1-9
(Read all of 1 Corinthians 3)
Verse 1
[1] And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.
And I, brethren — He spoke before, 1 Corinthians 2:1, of his entrance, now of his progress, among them.
Could not speak to you as unto spiritual — Adult, experienced Christians. But as unto men who were still in great measure carnal, as unto babes in Christ - Still weak in grace, though eminent in gifts, 1 Corinthians 1:5.
Verse 2
[2] I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
I fed you, as babes, with milk - The first and plainest truths of the gospel. So should every preacher suit his doctrine to his hearers.
Verse 3
[3] For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?
For while there is among you emulation in your hearts, strife in your words, and actual divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk according to men - As mere men; not as Christians, according to God.
Verse 4
[4] For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal?
I am of Apollos — St. Paul named himself and Apollos, to show that he would condemn any division among them, even though it were in favour of himself, or the dearest friend he had in the world.
Are ye not carnal — For the Spirit of God allows no party zeal.
Verse 5
[5] Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?
Ministers — Or servants. By whom ye believed, as the Lord, the Master of those servants, gave to every man.
Verse 7
[7] So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.
God that giveth the increase — Is all in all: without him neither planting nor watering avails.
Verse 8
[8] Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour.
But he that planteth and he that watereth are one — Which is another argument against division. Though their labours are different. they are all employed in one general work, - the saving souls. Hence he takes occasion to speak of the reward of them that labour faithfully, and the awful account to be given by all. Every man shall receive his own peculiar reward according to his own peculiar labour - Not according to his success; but he who labours much, though with small success, shall have a great reward. Has not all this reasoning the same force still? The ministers are still surely instruments in God's hand, and depend as entirely as ever on his blessing, to give the increase to their labours. Without this, they are nothing: with it, their part is so small, that they hardly deserve to be mentioned. May their hearts and hands be more united; and, retaining a due sense of the honour God doeth them in employing them, may they faithfully labour, not as for themselves, but for the great Proprietor of all, till the day come when he will reward them in full proportion to their fidelity and diligence!
Verse 9
[9] For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.
For we are all fellowlabourers — God's labourers, and fellowlabourers with each other.
Ye are God's husbandry — This is the sum of what went before: it is a comprehensive word, taking in both a field, a garden, and a vineyard.
Ye are God's building — This is the sum of what follows.
Matthew 5:21-37
Verse 21
[21] Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:
Ye have heard — From the scribes reciting the law; Thou shalt do no murder - And they interpreted this, as all the other commandments, barely of the outward act.
The judgement — The Jews had in every city a court of twenty-three men, who could sentence a criminal to be strangled. But the sanhedrim only (the great council which sat at Jerusalem, consisting of seventy-two men,) could sentence to the more terrible death of stoning. That was called the judgment, this the council. Exodus 20:13.
Verse 22
[22] But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.
But I say unto you — Which of the prophets ever spake thus? Their language is, Thus saith the Lord. Who hath authority to use this language, but the one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy.
Whosoever is angry with his brother — Some copies add, without a cause - But this is utterly foreign to the whole scope and tenor of our Lord's discourse. If he had only forbidden the being angry without a cause, there was no manner of need of that solemn declaration, I say unto you; for the scribes and Pharisees themselves said as much as this. Even they taught, men ought not to be angry without a cause. So that this righteousness does not exceed theirs. But Christ teaches, that we ought not, for any cause, to be so angry as to call any man Raca, or fool. We ought not, for any cause, to be angry at the person of the sinner, but at his sins only. Happy world, were this plain and necessary distinction thoroughly understood, remembered, practised! Raca means, a silly man, a trifler.
Whosoever shall say, Thou fool — Shall revile, or seriously reproach any man. Our Lord specified three degrees of murder, each liable to a sorer punishment than the other: not indeed from men, but from God.
Hell fire — In the valley of Hinnom (whence the word in the original is taken) the children were used to be burnt alive to Moloch. It was afterward made a receptacle for the filth of the city, where continual fires were kept to consume it. And it is probable, if any criminals were burnt alive, it was in this accursed and horrible place. Therefore both as to its former and latter state, it was a fit emblem of hell. It must here signify a degree of future punishment, as much more dreadful than those incurred in the two former cases, as burning alive is more dreadful than either strangling or stoning.
Verse 23
[23] Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee;
Thy brother hath aught against thee — On any of the preceding accounts: for any unkind thought or word: any that did not spring from love.
Verse 24
[24] Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.
Leaving thy gift, go — For neither thy gift nor thy prayer will atone for thy want of love: but this will make them both an abomination before God.
Verse 25
[25] Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison.
Agree with thine adversary — With any against whom thou hast thus offended: while thou art in the way - Instantly, on the spot; before you part.
Lest the adversary deliver thee to the judge — Lest he commit his cause to God. Luke 12:58.
Verse 26
[26] Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.
Till thou hast paid the last farthing — That is, for ever, since thou canst never do this. What has been hitherto said refers to meekness: what follows, to purity of heart.
Verse 27
[27] Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Thou shalt not commit adultery — And this, as well as the sixth commandment, the scribes and Pharisees interpreted barely of the outward act. Exodus 20:14. 29, 30. If a person as dear as a right eye, or as useful as a right hand, cause thee thus to offend, though but in heart. Perhaps here may be an instance of a kind of transposition which is frequently found in the sacred writings: so that the 29th verse may refer to 27, 28; and the 30th to verse 21, 22. Matthew 5:29,27,28,30,21,22 As if he had said, Part with any thing, however dear to you, or otherwise useful, if you cannot avoid sin while you keep it. Even cut off your right hand, if you are of so passionate a temper, that you cannot otherwise be restrained from hurting your brother. Pull out your eyes, if you can no otherwise be restrained from lusting after women. Matthew 18:8; Mark 9:43.
Verse 30
[30] And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell..
Verse 31
[31] It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement:
Let him give her a writing of divorce — Which the scribes and Pharisees allowed men to do on any trifling occasion. Deuteronomy 24:1; Matthew 19:7; Mark 10:2; Luke 16:18.
Verse 32
[32] But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
Causeth her to commit adultery — If she marry again.
Verse 33
[33] Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths:
Our Lord here refers to the promise made to the pure in heart of seeing God in all things, and points out a false doctrine of the scribes, which arose from their not thus seeing God. What he forbids is, the swearing at all, 1, by any creature, 2, in our ordinary conversation: both of which the scribes and Pharisees taught to be perfectly innocent. Exodus 20:7.
Verse 36
[36] Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black.
For thou canst not make one hair white or black — Whereby it appears, that this also is not thine but God's.
Verse 37
[37] But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.
Let your conversation be yea, yea; nay, nay — That is, in your common discourse, barely affirm or deny.
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The Upper Room Ministries
PO Box 340004
Nashville, Tennessee 37203-0004, United States
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