James 3

Dear RTB’ers,

The tongue. From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. (v. 10a) Years ago I was working with my dad, a concrete contractor. I recall my dad calling out a truck driver who was delivering a load of concrete to us and who was speaking a mouthful of profanity. My dad asked him, “Are you going to eat with the same mouth that you are talking with?” From the same mouth — profanity out, food in??!! Dad then went on to explain to the man hat he meant and the man took it to heart. He apologized and was forever changed from that moment on whenever he showed up at our job site.

Some time ago I remember thinking that once those misguided words escape the protective barrier of my mouth, it may take thousands and thousands of words to get them back. Indeed,  How great a forest is set ablaze by such a small fire! (v. 5b)

Blessings.

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See also:

• November 29 (2023) / James 1-5 (again)
• July 29 (2021) / James 3:1-18

James 2:14-26

Dear RTB’ers,

Today we are reading that section in James which many people either embrace or shun – faith and works. You can often hear it said that Martin Luther wanted the book of James eliminated from Scripture. With a quick Internet search I found that he did not want it eliminated, but he did include it in his translation along with other books that he considered less important, that he referred to James as an “epistle of straw”. According to one writer, “it does not possess God’s gospel word with the purity that other NT writings possess.”

So, faith and works… Here are two key verses: So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead. (vv. 17, 26) Both John and I have commented on this topic in earlier posts (e.g., from 2023 and 2020). My Study Bible also says it about as clearly as anything that I have ever read: “James means only that righteous action is evidence of genuine faith—not that it saves…”

Faith and works… Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. (v. 18b)

Blessings.

James 2:1-13

Dear RTB’ers,

The ESV heading for today’s reading is “The Sin of Partiality”. But alongside partiality, in fact a prelude to partiality, is judgment. James ties these words together quickly. After a “For if…” intro to a sentence (James 2:2), he writes …have you not then made distinctions among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? (v. 4) We then see the word “judge” and its iterations three more times in today’s reading.

Judgment (being judgmental) is an item that hits me hard. I suppose it’s natural for a teacher to be judgmental. Sadly, it’s often the case that we don’t know even half the story of our students’ lives coming into the classroom. But we judge on what we see and we often make mistakes in our evaluations. The good news is that our negative judgments are often balanced by the need for mercy. And I am certain that, on balance, my merciful decisions outweigh any excessive judgment that I have meted out. Scripture bears me out, that we should offer mercy more often. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment. (v. 13)

Please forgive my personal “teacher” paragraph above. For all of us, think about our time at church and what we do (or don’t do) in terms of greeting newcomers or even of our possibly spending time with those regulars with whom we have never spoken. Maybe it’s time to open up. Introduce yourself to someone you’ve never met. No doubt, ours is a welcoming church. Become a bigger part of that! Yes, Mercy triumphs over judgment. And I daresay, friendliness triumphs over reticence! And let us know of your past or future experiences.

Blessings.

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See also:

• November 29 (2023) / James 1-5 (again)
• July 28 (2021) / James 2:1-26

James 1:19-27

Dear RTB’ers,

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (v. 22) I’ve probably said this before, but it’s worth repeating. We have all heard of 20/80 churches, maybe even been a member of one, where 20% of the people do 80% of the work. Thankfully, St. Andrew’s is not one of those. There are some people who do much more than “their share”, but there are not a lot of people who do nothing except come to church on Sunday mornings. I’m not judging anyone; I don’t know what else might be going on in anyone’s life. I would rather focus on that positive item – our church is a “doing” church. Things get done, by a lot of people! But the one who …being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (v. 25) Doing = blessing. I like that!

Blessings.

James 1:1-18

Dear RTB’ers,

The book of James is second only to Acts as my favorite book in all of Scripture. My first thought today was, what to say when James says it so well?

Today in a short section he contrasts poverty and plenty (James 1:9-11), but on both sides of those verses his concern is trials and temptations (James 1:2-4, 12-15). My Study Bible suggested that poverty and plenty are themselves trials – that both poverty and plenty are tests of our faith, as to how we respond to each. I have lived in both, certainly not in extreme poverty, nor in excessive riches, but I have known want and I have had much more than “my share”. So that Study Bible suggestion causes me to think about those times in my life, as to how I responded. Was it a trial when I didn’t have much? How did I respond? Or was I tempted (to “luxurious” living) when I had plenty? Those are good questions; I offer you the same.

Temptation, desire, sin, death (James 1:14-15). Your reactions…? Either to share or simply to reflect…

Blessings.

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See also:

• November 29 (2023) / James 1-5
• July 27 (2021) / James 1:1-27

Malachi 3:7-4:6

Dear RTB’ers,

Today we finish Malachi, closing with more promises from the Lord, judgment upon the arrogant and exaltation for those who fear Him. The word “fear” pops up three times in today’s reading: …those who feared the LORD… twice in Mal. 3:16 and …you who fear My name… in Mal. 4:2. We have noted before that “fear” used in this context is nothing akin to being afraid, but is something closer to respect or adoration even. I would expect that those of us reading Malachi today would fall in that category. And when we gather together later today, we will be acting in the same manner as those faithful Jews, …those who feared the LORD spoke with one another …and esteemed His name. (v. 3:16) Looking forward to that!

Blessings.

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See also: September 18 (2023) / Ezra 4:6-23; Malachi (again).

Malachi 2:10-3:6

Dear RTB’ers,

Yesterday the Lord through Malachi was castigating the priests. Today He takes on the rest of Jerusalem and Judah, railing against their marrying foreign women and being unfaithful to their wives – the same issues that Ezra and Nehemiah were dealing with. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and let none of you be faithless to the wife of your youth. (v. 2:15b) Good advice!

The second chapter ends with the Jews asking, Where is the God of justice? (v. 2:17b) God answers their question in the next chapter, with its first verse pointing to John the Baptist, and the next few verses pointing to Jesus, the Messiah. He will indeed bring justice: Then I will draw near to you for judgment. I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, against the adulterers, against those who swear falsely, against those who oppress the hired worker in his wages, the widow and the fatherless, against those who thrust aside the sojourner, and do not fear Me, says the LORD of hosts. (v. 3:5) These verses and earlier verses in Malachi and other prophets led the Jews to expect a powerful Messiah who would take down the ruling authorities and establish Jerusalem as the center of His dominion. Instead, they got Jesus, a “Suffering Servant”. Malachi’s prophetic fulfillment is yet to come.

Blessings.

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One more thing… Different translations can indeed be very different. Here are two translations of Malachi 2:16, first in the ESV and the second in the NASB:

For the man who does not love his wife but divorces her, says the LORD, the God of Israel, covers his garment with violence, says the LORD of hosts. So guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not be faithless.

ESV

For I hate divorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with violence,” says the LORD of armies. “So be careful about your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.

NASB

I hate divorce in the NASB stands out much more strongly than the wording in the ESV.

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See also: September 18 (2023) / Ezra 4:6-23; Malachi (again).

Malachi 1:1-2:9

Dear RTB’ers,

Late June and all of July have been post-Exile readings for us. Persian kings had permitted the Jews to return to Jerusalem. These returnees initially built an altar and then, with Haggai’s and Zechariah’s encouragement (speaking for the Lord) built the “Zerubbabel” temple (after a 16-year delay). Then after another sixty to seventy years, Ezra and Nehemiah came from Babylon to teach the people the Law (Ezra) and to govern the people and to rebuild Jerusalem’s walls (Nehemiah). It is likely during this time period of Ezra and Nehemiah that we read Malachi’s prophecies. And Malachi finds that the people had fallen into their old ways, failing to obey the Lord as He had commanded. So his words point to their failings.

Today, it’s the priests that Malachi reprimands. Evidently they are offering blemished food and failing to follow specifics in the Law. The Lord through Malachi even puts words of scorn into their mouths: But you say, ‘What a weariness this is,’ and you snort at it, says the LORD of hosts. You bring what has been taken by violence or is lame or sick, and this you bring as your offering! (v. 1:13a) But the Lord’s judgment will fall upon them: But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. …and so I make you despised and abased before all the people… (vv. 2:8-9a)

Malachi is speaking directly to the Jerusalem priests, but I think that he has a larger message for all of us who teach or lead God’s people: For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. (v. 2:7) In my mind I hear other words written hundreds of years later, Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. (James 3:1) No doubt Rev. Ben and David before him embrace these verses – John and I also as we encourage all of us in our RTB readings. We do not take these words lightly! Nor should you, the …people [who] should seek instruction… We are all in this together!

Blessings.

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See also: September 18 (2023) / Ezra 4:6-23; Malachi.

Zechariah 14

Dear RTB’ers,

Zechariah 14 reads a lot like later chapters in Revelation and Jesus’ end-times prophecies in Matthew 24. …on that day… is mentioned another seven times in today’s reading. Again, it will be a “day” in some future time. When? According to Jesus, But about that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. (Matthew 24:36) But we do know the outcome, …the LORD will be King over all the earth. (v. 9a)

I wonder what his contemporaries thought of Zechariah’s prophecies in chapters 12-14? They had just come out of the Exile. Were they looking for, expecting God to intervene with power and might? After all, He had delivered them from Babylon; they had rebuilt the wall and the temple and were feeling relatively secure (although still subject to Babylon). No doubt they liked what they were hearing, but were they expecting the Lord to act any time soon? Sounds a lot like us today… We know that the End is coming; we just don’t know when. We believe, we pray, and we wait. We wait.

Blessings.

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See also: October 6 (2023) / Zechariah 9-14 (again).