The mind of Jesus
Americans use many idioms that come straight from the King James Bible, and many atheistic secularists don’t even realize that this is the case. “Skin of my teeth”—Job 19:20. “Safe and sound”—Lk. 15:27. “In his right mind”—Mk. 5:15. Et cetera, et cetera. There are many more.
It seems evident to me that the English language that has spread around the globe, which came largely through America’s influence, has littered biblical phrases into an English speaking world. I think we can owe this to America having been raised the King James Bible. We just don’t realize how fundamental the Bible teachings play in our way of thinking, as proven by our King James idioms. While we have lost much of the original reverence for the Book, we still retain some of its spirit. Like a person can never lose the bond with its mother and father which it gained from infancy—even, despite later conflicts with the parents, Americans retain the deeply seated roots of mercy and peace which God gave us from the establishment of our nation while it was still a colonial refuge from the harassment of papal and feudal Europe.
This is not to say we must claim ourselves a Christian nation. When we began as a state and established our Constitution, we built into it the principles we gained from the Bible—that we would never do what Europe did with its governments and the church. We would never join them together as “Christian” Europe had done and was the cause of murdering hundreds of millions of people who believed in the Bible and dissented against the so-called “Church” of Christ. It is never safe to unite the church and the state. It never has been and never will be. When the day comes that America repudiates its original Constitution which separated the church and the state, the whole world will be in for a horrific time of trouble such as the world has never seen. And Rome is waiting on the wings, manipulating world events and stirring up world conflicts—even financially, in order to re-establish herself once more as supreme world leader, governor over every aspect of our lives.
But, here is another idiom: the “Word of God.” We call it the Bible. But where did that idiom come from? We throw it around all the time, and never give thought to tracing its roots back to their first usage. Not that that is essential in this case, but a deeper look at it will broaden our understanding of the phrase. And knowledge is good.
To look at all the references for the biblical phrase, “word of God,” copy/paste into your web browser the website from BibleGateway,
http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/index.php?search=word%20of%20god&version1=9&searchtype=phrase&startnumber=26. There, you can see all the instances where the idiom is used. There some very familiar verses are listed, so we can see what the original intent was when the phrase was used in the Bible. This is good exegesis. Maybe we’ve had it wrong? Maybe we’ve misunderstood it or lacked the full understanding of it? It never hurts to investigate truth. If what we believe is true, then we have no reason to fear a relook and an investigation. And a fuller knowledge of God’s wisdom is always a blessing.
But what spurred me to study this phrase is the verse that came to me yesterday, “He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matt. 4:4).
Jesus was blind and deaf. Did you know that? The Bible says so. “Who is blind, but My Servant? Or deaf, as My Messenger that I sent? Who is blind as He that is perfect, and blind as the Lord’s Servant? Seeing many things, but Thou observest not; opening the ears, but He heareth not.” (Is. 42:19,20). What was He blind and deaf to? The sin that daily surrounded Him. He was cut off from the temptations that Satan pushed on Him through the people that crowded Him every day from His childhood Nazareth all the way to Satan’s crescendo at Golgotha.
How did He escape from the tempter’s snares? The word of God—every word of God. His mind swam with the Old Testament scriptures and their deepest meanings. It all made perfect sense to Jesus, and He reveled in the beauty and wonder of the truth and wisdom and inspiration in those holy pages.
In their ignorance of truth, the religious teachers and doctors of the law quizzed themselves of Him, “How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?” (Jn. 7:15). Yet His comprehension and depth of understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures was infinite. He was so far ahead of them that they were lost in His dust. His every thought came from those scriptures. He brought out of them wonderful meanings attached to already well-established truths, in keeping with His parable: “Then said He unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.” (Matt. 13:52).
In early childhood He had plumbed the depths of the holy Writ, and in later life had brought into that understanding ever newer wisdom gained from daily experiences, from hard labor, and from nature. Daily His mind churned with the glories of truth and grace, as He chewed the cud of the word. He was appropriately called, the Word of God.
Thus He could say, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me.” (Jn. 14:30). And “He that sent Me is with Me: the Father hath not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him.” (Jn. 8:29).
Better than David, the Son of David had the experience of this truth: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” (Ps. 119:11).
“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to Thy word.” (vs 9).
“Through Thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.” (vs. 104).
“Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.” (vs. 111).
“I hate vain thoughts: but Thy law do I love.” (vs. 113).
“O that my ways were directed to keep Thy statutes!” (vs. 5).
“With my whole heart have I sought Thee: O let me not wander from Thy commandments.” (vs 10).
It seems evident to me that the English language that has spread around the globe, which came largely through America’s influence, has littered biblical phrases into an English speaking world. I think we can owe this to America having been raised the King James Bible. We just don’t realize how fundamental the Bible teachings play in our way of thinking, as proven by our King James idioms. While we have lost much of the original reverence for the Book, we still retain some of its spirit. Like a person can never lose the bond with its mother and father which it gained from infancy—even, despite later conflicts with the parents, Americans retain the deeply seated roots of mercy and peace which God gave us from the establishment of our nation while it was still a colonial refuge from the harassment of papal and feudal Europe.
This is not to say we must claim ourselves a Christian nation. When we began as a state and established our Constitution, we built into it the principles we gained from the Bible—that we would never do what Europe did with its governments and the church. We would never join them together as “Christian” Europe had done and was the cause of murdering hundreds of millions of people who believed in the Bible and dissented against the so-called “Church” of Christ. It is never safe to unite the church and the state. It never has been and never will be. When the day comes that America repudiates its original Constitution which separated the church and the state, the whole world will be in for a horrific time of trouble such as the world has never seen. And Rome is waiting on the wings, manipulating world events and stirring up world conflicts—even financially, in order to re-establish herself once more as supreme world leader, governor over every aspect of our lives.
But, here is another idiom: the “Word of God.” We call it the Bible. But where did that idiom come from? We throw it around all the time, and never give thought to tracing its roots back to their first usage. Not that that is essential in this case, but a deeper look at it will broaden our understanding of the phrase. And knowledge is good.
To look at all the references for the biblical phrase, “word of God,” copy/paste into your web browser the website from BibleGateway,
http://www.biblegateway.com/keyword/index.php?search=word%20of%20god&version1=9&searchtype=phrase&startnumber=26. There, you can see all the instances where the idiom is used. There some very familiar verses are listed, so we can see what the original intent was when the phrase was used in the Bible. This is good exegesis. Maybe we’ve had it wrong? Maybe we’ve misunderstood it or lacked the full understanding of it? It never hurts to investigate truth. If what we believe is true, then we have no reason to fear a relook and an investigation. And a fuller knowledge of God’s wisdom is always a blessing.
But what spurred me to study this phrase is the verse that came to me yesterday, “He answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” (Matt. 4:4).
Jesus was blind and deaf. Did you know that? The Bible says so. “Who is blind, but My Servant? Or deaf, as My Messenger that I sent? Who is blind as He that is perfect, and blind as the Lord’s Servant? Seeing many things, but Thou observest not; opening the ears, but He heareth not.” (Is. 42:19,20). What was He blind and deaf to? The sin that daily surrounded Him. He was cut off from the temptations that Satan pushed on Him through the people that crowded Him every day from His childhood Nazareth all the way to Satan’s crescendo at Golgotha.
How did He escape from the tempter’s snares? The word of God—every word of God. His mind swam with the Old Testament scriptures and their deepest meanings. It all made perfect sense to Jesus, and He reveled in the beauty and wonder of the truth and wisdom and inspiration in those holy pages.
In their ignorance of truth, the religious teachers and doctors of the law quizzed themselves of Him, “How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?” (Jn. 7:15). Yet His comprehension and depth of understanding of the Hebrew Scriptures was infinite. He was so far ahead of them that they were lost in His dust. His every thought came from those scriptures. He brought out of them wonderful meanings attached to already well-established truths, in keeping with His parable: “Then said He unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old.” (Matt. 13:52).
In early childhood He had plumbed the depths of the holy Writ, and in later life had brought into that understanding ever newer wisdom gained from daily experiences, from hard labor, and from nature. Daily His mind churned with the glories of truth and grace, as He chewed the cud of the word. He was appropriately called, the Word of God.
Thus He could say, “The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in Me.” (Jn. 14:30). And “He that sent Me is with Me: the Father hath not left Me alone; for I do always those things that please Him.” (Jn. 8:29).
Better than David, the Son of David had the experience of this truth: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against Thee.” (Ps. 119:11).
“Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to Thy word.” (vs 9).
“Through Thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.” (vs. 104).
“Thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage for ever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart.” (vs. 111).
“I hate vain thoughts: but Thy law do I love.” (vs. 113).
“O that my ways were directed to keep Thy statutes!” (vs. 5).
“With my whole heart have I sought Thee: O let me not wander from Thy commandments.” (vs 10).
posted by David | 7:45 AM
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