Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

 ³⁷  “David himself calls Him ‘Lord’; so in what sense is He his son?”  And the large crowd enjoyed listening to Him.”  Mark 12:35-37. 

We know the importance of Jesus Christ being God.  What is the importance of Jesus Christ being “the son of David”? 

Jesus had to also be “very man”.

In a recent devotion, we read Question and Answer 15 of The Heidelberg Catechism:

Q. 15. What sort of a mediator and deliverer then must we seek for?
A. For one who is very man, and perfectly righteous;  and yet more powerful than all creatures; that is, one who is also very God.  (Emphasis added.)

Hebrews 2:14-18 states:  “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.  For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham.  Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.  For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.”

We can now understand why Jesus Christ had to be “very man”, but why did Jesus Christ have to specifically be “the son of David”?

To fulfill God’s purpose and promise, Jesus Christ had to also be king and inherit the kingdom of his ancestor David.

Isaiah 9:6-7 states:                                                                                                                                “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
         And the government will rest on His shoulders;
         And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
         Eternal Father, Prince of Peace. 
 There will be no end to the increase of His government or of peace,
         On the throne of David and over his kingdom,
         To establish it and to uphold it with justice and righteousness
         From then on and forevermore 
         The zeal of the LORD of hosts will accomplish this.”

Jeremiah 33:14-18 states:  ” ‘Behold, days are coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will fulfill the good word which I have spoken concerning the house of Israel and the house of Judah.  ‘In those days and at that time I will cause a righteous Branch of David to spring forth; and He shall execute justice and righteousness on the earth.  ‘In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will dwell in safety; and this is the name by which she will be called: the LORD is our righteousness.’  “For thus says the LORD, ‘David shall never lack a man to sit on the throne of the house of Israel;  and the Levitical priests shall never lack a man before Me to offer burnt offerings, to burn grain offerings and to prepare sacrifices continually.'”

Ezekiel 37:24-28 states:  “My servant David will be king over them, and they will all have one shepherd; and they will walk in My ordinances and keep My statutes and observe them.  “They will live on the land that I gave to Jacob My servant, in which your fathers lived; and they will live on it, they, and their sons and their sons’ sons, forever; and David My servant will be their prince forever.  “I will make a covenant of peace with them; it will be an everlasting covenant with them And I will place them and multiply them, and will set My sanctuary in their midst forever.  “My dwelling place also will be with them; and I will be their God, and they will be My people.  “And the nations will know that I am the LORD who sanctifies Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forever.”‘”

Mark 11:10
“Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David;  Hosanna in the highest!”

 ³⁰  AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.’

 ³¹  “The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’  There is no other commandment greater than these.”  Mark 12:28-31. 

The issue to be considered is whether these are two commandments or one commandment.

It is noteworthy that Jesus does not stop his description of the foremost commandment after verse 30 with “just” “LOVE THE LORD”, but He continues his description of the foremost commandment through verse 31 by including “LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR”. 

It is also noteworthy that Jesus uses the singular verb “is” rather than the plural verb “are”.

It is also noteworthy that Jesus uses the singular word “commandment” rather than the plural word “commandments”.

But, what about Jesus’ use of the word “second”?

I think that Jesus is using the word “second” as in the sense of a “second” part of the foremost commandment and not in the sense of a “second” separate commandment.  When Jesus uses the word “these”, I think Jesus is using the word “these” as in the sense of “these” parts and not in the sense of these commandments.

So, what is the importance of whether these are two commandments or one commandment?

We could use the interpretation that these are two commandments as a justification of our behavior of not loving our neighbor as much as we should.  We could think and act as if these commandments are completely separate from each other and even in competition with each other.  We could justify our actions of not loving our neighbor, because such loving neighbor actions would subordinate or at least interfere with our foremost duty to love God. 

How often that happens in practice!  We can be cold to others but think we are pious toward God.  We can give to God but ignore our duties toward our parents.  See Mark 7:10-13.  We can pray and give our best wishes to others but fail to give our neighbor food and clothing.  James 2:15-16.

Faith without works is dead. 

James rightly concludes:  “What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works?  Can that faith save him?”  James 2:14.  John likewise comes to the same conclusion:  “But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?”  1 John 3:17.

^“For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”  Galatians 5:14.  (Emphasis added.)  

1 John 2:5-10 states:  “but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected.  By this we know that we are in Him:  the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.  Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard.  On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining.  The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now.  The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him.”

James 1:27
“Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world.”

In conclusion, certainly, this devotion does not include all of our specific duties to love God and our neighbor as ourself.  I specifically do not want to ignore or minimize our duty to worship God as we should.  However, even in our worship, we must remember Jesus’ words.  “Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your offering there before the altar and go;  first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering.”  Matthew 5:23-24.  Hopefully, these Scriptures will convince us that part of our duty to love God is to also love our neighbor.  Through God’s grace and the Holy Spirit producing the fruit of the Spirit, which includes love, we can love God and our neighbor as we should.

We tend to pass by these verses in a rush, without much thought, thinking:  “I know that!” 

Unlike the “Sadducees (who say that there is no resurrection)”, we believe in the resurrection of Christ and also that Christians who die are resurrected and are given imperishable bodies and are very much alive.  See all of Chapter 15 of 1 Corinthians, particularly verses 12 through 15:  “Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?  But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised;  and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.  Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised.”  1 Corinthians 15:12-15. 

 ¹⁵  “Shall we pay or shall we not pay?”  But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, “Why are you testing Me?  Bring Me a denarius to look at.”

 ¹⁶  They brought one.  And He said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?”  And they said to Him, “Caesar’s.”

 ¹⁷  And Jesus said to them, “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”  And they were amazed at Him.  Mark 12:13-17.  (Emphasis added.) 

What does it mean to render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s besides the obvious point of paying taxes?

Generally, we are called to respect what is right in the sight of all men.  “Never pay back evil for evil to anyone.  Respect what is right in the sight of all men.  If possible, so far as it depends on you, be at peace with all men.  Romans 12:17-18.

Specifically, we are called to be “… in subjection to the governing authorities.  For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.”  Romans 13:1.  

Thus, in Matthew 17:24-27, we see Jesus and His disciple pay the poll tax, so as to not offend those who questioned them, even though they were exempt.   

We are also reminded of Christ’s example of humility in Philippians 2:5-8:  “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.  Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”   

But, we are also called to render unto God the things that are God’s.  So, what are the things of God?

“And he answered, ” YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND;  AND YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”  Luke 10:27

“He has told you, O man, what is good;  And what does the LORD require of you  But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?”  Micah 6:8

“but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.”  Jeremiah 9:24.  (Emphasis added.)

This Scripture is important to read for a number of reasons.  First, we get a good understanding of the precious privilege of being in God’s “house of prayer”.  The precious privilege extends to “every one who keeps from profaning the sabbath And holds fast My covenant;  Even those I will bring to My holy mountain And make them joyful in My house of prayer“.  Second, we get a good understanding of the importance of prayer in church.  It is called a “house of prayer”.  Third, God blesses us by making us “joyful” in His house of prayer. 

In my church, Grace Presbyterian Church (PCA) here in Pinellas Park, Florida, we have a special time in our Sunday evening worship service when anyone in the congregation can present his or her prayer requests and our Pastor will include such requests in the prayer time and will pray for them with the congregation.  Personally, I have experienced the joy of praying for my family and others, and I have experienced the joy of God granting many of these prayer requests in wonderful ways.  John 16:24 states:   “Until now you have asked for nothing in My name;  ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be made full.”  Sunday evening worship service’s time for prayer is truly a special and joyful time that I have grown to appreciate more and more. 

But, even more important than these two joys of praying and experiencing the granting of prayers is the joy of “being glad in the LORD”.  When we understand the LORD and His great works in church, it helps us to be glad in the LORD.  And yet, even beyond such understanding, joy is given to us in ways that we do not understand.  The fruit of the Spirit is joy.  Galatians 5:22.  God simply makes us joyful, and we should not limit His means of grace to reasons that we can articulate which make us so joyful.  We can simply conclude:  “Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones;  And shout for joy, all you who are upright in heart.”  Psalm 32:11.

 ¹⁴  He said to it, “May no one ever eat fruit from you again!”  And His disciples were listening.”  Mark 11:12-14.  (Parenthetical identification of “He” is mine.)

The concern and condemnation is not limited to the fig tree, but more importantly, it is a teaching and revelation as to what can happen to people who do not produce fruit.  I am reminded of two Scriptures, one of which applies to individuals, and one of which applied to a nation.

First, in regards to the Scripture that applies to individuals, Matthew 7:19 states:  “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Second, in regards to the Scripture that applied to a nation, the nation of Israel, as distinguished from (and not including) the elect Jews within the nation of Israel,  ^““Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people, producing the fruit.”  Matthew 21:43.

^“What shall we say then?  That Gentiles, who did not pursue righteousness, attained righteousness, even the righteousness which is by faith;   but Israel, pursuing a law of righteousness, did not arrive at that law.  Why?  Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as though it were by works.   They stumbled over the stumbling stone,  just as it is written, “BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STONE OF STUMBLING AND A ROCK OF OFFENSE, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED.”  Romans 9:31-33.

If good fruit is not obtained by works, then how is it obtained? 

It is obtained through the Spirit which must dwell within us in order for us to bear good fruit.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22.     

How then do we obtain the Spirit? 

We must saved by God through faith and be Christians.  “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you.  But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.  If Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness.  But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Romans 8:9-11. 

Does the Spirit lead us to do any good works or just show good attitudes (love, joy, peace etc.) mentioned in Galatians 5:22?

The fruit are not just attitudes, but the fruit are also actions.  Through the fruit, we serve one another and do those good works.  “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything, but faith working through love.  …  For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.  For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”  Galatians 5:6, 13, and 14.

 ⁴⁸ Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

 ⁴⁹  And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.”  So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up!  He is calling for you.”

 ⁵⁰  Throwing aside his cloak, he jumped up and came to Jesus.

 ⁵¹  And answering him, Jesus said, “What do you want Me to do for you?”  And the blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, I want to regain my sight!”

 ⁵²  And Jesus said to him, “Go;  your faith has made you well.”  Immediately he regained his sight and began following Him on the road.”  Mark 10:46-52.  (Emphasis added.)

The foregoing Scripture for today shows the humility, persistence, and faith of Bartimaeus, the blind beggar, who was healed by Jesus. 

We see the humility of Bartimaeus who “began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 

We see the persistence of Bartimaeus in verse 48:  “Many were sternly telling him to be quiet, but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

We see the faith of Bartimaeus acknowledged by Jesus’ words in verse 52:  “Go;  your faith has made you well.” 

The importance of humility is shown in James 4:6:  “But He gives a greater grace.  Therefore it says, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE.”

The importance of persistence is shown in the parable of the widow and the judge in Luke 18:1-8.  “Now He was telling them a parable to show that at all times they ought to pray and not to lose heart,”  Luke 18:1. 

The importance of faith is shown throughout Scripture.  Here, in our Scripture for today, the importance of faith is shown by Jesus’ words to Bartimaeus:  “Go;  your faith has made you well.”  But, more important than physical healing, Hebrews 11:6 states:  “And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.” 

Faith is necessary for salvation, but even faith is a gift of God.  “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;  not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”  Ephesians 2:8-9.  (Emphasis added.) 

2 Peter 1:1 and 2 Peter 1:3 confirm that not only faith is received as a gift through God’s grace, everything that we need pertaining to life and godliness is a gift:  “Simon Peter, a bond-servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have received a faith of the same kind as ours, by the righteousness of our God and Savior, Jesus Christ:  …  seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence.”  1 Corinthians 4:7 :  “For who regards you as superior?  What do you have that you did not receive?  And if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”  (Emphasis added.)

In summary and conclusion, we have seen the humility, persistence, and faith of Bartimaeus.  We have seen the importance of these virtues.  But, finally, we have also seen that we have received these virtues, not through our own works or other merit, but only as gifts through the grace of God.