Posts Tagged ‘Luke’

The Four Gospels: Well established by the end of Second Century

Posted: April 9, 2013 in Biblical, catholic, Charismatic, Christian, Church, Evangelical, Liturgical, Orthodox, Pentecostal, Reformed, Renaissance, Repentance, Sacramental, Scriptural, universal
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the-four-gospels

When it comes to basic facts about the NT canon that Christians should memorize, one of the most critical is the statement by Irenaeus, bishop of Lyons, around A.D. 180: “It is not possible that the gospels can be either more or fewer than the number they are. For, since there are four zones of the world in which we live and four principle winds… [and] the cherubim, too, were four-faced.”[1]

Here Irenaeus not only affirms the canonicity the four gospels, but is keen to point out that only these four gospels are recognized by the church. Indeed, Irenaeus is so certain that the canon of the gospels is closed that he can argue that it is entrenched in the very structure of creation—four zones of the world, four principle winds, etc.

In an effort to minimize the implications of Irenaeus’ statement, some scholars have suggested that only Irenaeus held this view. He is thus portrayed as lonely, isolated, innovator who is trying to break into new and uncharted territory. This whole idea of a fourfold gospel, we are told, was invented by Irenaeus.

But, does this Irenaeus-as-innovator approach fit the facts? Not really. There are several considerations that raise doubts about it:

1. Irenaeus’ own writings. When Irenaeus talks about the fourfold gospel in his writings, he gives no indication that he is presenting a new idea, or that he is asking the reader to consider a new concept. On the contrary, he speaks in a manner that assumes the reader knows and follows these same gospels. He speaks of them naturally and unapologetically. In short, Irenaeus does not write like a person advocating the scriptural status of these books for the first time.

2. Irenaeus’ contemporaries. The idea that Irenaeus was alone runs into a serious challenge, namely that there were other writers at the end of the second century that affirmed these same four gospels as exclusive. The Muratorian fragment, Clement of Alexandria, and Theophilus of Antioch are examples. Apparently, Irenaeus was not the only one under the impression that the church had four gospels.

In addition, one should consider Tatian’s Diatesseron—a harmony of the four gospels written c.170. The Diatesseron not only tells us that these four gospels were known and used, but it tells us that they were seen as authoritative enough to warrant harmonization. After all, why would one bother harmonizing books that were not authoritative? If they weren’t authoritative, then it wouldn’t matter if they contradicted each other.

3. Irenaeus’ Predecessors. Although the evidence prior to Irenaeus is less clear, we can still see a commitment to the fourfold gospel. For instance, Justin Martyr, writing c.150, refers to plural “gospels”[2] and at one point provides an indication of how many he has in mind when he describes these gospels as “drawn up by His apostles and those who followed them.”[3] Since such language indicates (at least) two gospels written by apostles, and (at least) two written by apostolic companions, it is most naturally understood as reference to our four canonical gospels.[4]

This is confirmed by the fact that Justin cites from all three Synoptic Gospels,[5] and even seems to cite the gospel of John directly, “For Christ also said, ‘Except ye be born again, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven’” (cf. John 3:3).[6] The fact that Justin was the mentor for Tatian (who produced a harmony of the four gospels) provides yet another reason to think that he had a fourfold gospel.

In the end, there are ample reasons to reject the idea that Irenaeus was the inventor of the fourfold gospel canon. Not only did his contemporaries have this same view, but this view was even shared by those before him. Thus, we must consider the possibility that Irenaeus was actually telling the truth when he says that the fourfold gospel was something that was “handed down”[7] to him.

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[1] Haer. 3.11.8.

[2] 1 Apol. 66.3.

[3] Dial. 103.

[4] G. Stanton, “The Fourfold Gospel,” NTS 43 (1997): 317–346.

[5] E.g., Dial 100.1; 103.8; 106.3-4. Koester, Ancient Christian Gospels, 38, declares that the citations in Justin “derive from written gospels, usually from Matthew and Luke, in one instance from Mark.”

[6] 1 Apol. 61.4.

[7] Haer 3.1.1.

by Michael Kruger

The Quality of These Times

Posted: April 8, 2013 in Biblical, catholic, Charismatic, Christian, Church, Evangelical, Liturgical, Orthodox, Pentecostal, Reformed, Renaissance, Repentance, Sacramental, Scriptural, universal
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WordonFire

“I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled! I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished! Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division; for henceforth in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against her mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law.” He also said to the multitudes, “When you see a cloud rising in the west, you say at once, ‘A shower is coming’; and so it happens. And when you see the south wind blowing, you say, ‘There will be scorching heat’; and it happens. You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky; but why do you not know how to interpret the present time? “And why do you not judge for yourselves what is right? As you go with your accuser before the magistrate, make an effort to settle with him on the way, lest he drag you to the judge, and the judge hand you over to the officer, and the officer put you in prison. I tell you, you will never get out till you have paid the very last copper.”  Luke 12:49-59

These passages from the Gospel of Luke are very important for these days and times in which we live.

 In the Gospel of Luke 12:49 Jesus says that He came to cast fire to the earth!

The word “cast” in the original Greek “balein” means “to violently or intensely throw or cast.

What does this verse mean?

Jeremiah 23:29 says, “Is not My Word like fire, and like a hammer that breaks the rock into pieces?”

I believe that the fire that Jesus casts to the earth is the fire of the Holy Spirit in the proclamation of the Gospel.

God’s Word is like fire!

Let me qualify this: The baptism Jesus mentions to His disciples in our Gospel lesson is one which begins with His blood.

Jesus bloody baptism occurs in His death, burial, then in His resurrection and ascension. All this must occur before Jesus casts the fire.

In Matthew 3:11 John the Baptist prophesied that Jesus would baptize Christians with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

This baptism of Jesus must take place before He sends the Holy Spirit – before Jesus baptizes Christians with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

When Jesus sends the Holy Spirit, the Fire, the Holy Spirit comes into Christians to enable them to proclaim the Gospel of His Kingdom.

The Holy Spirit is the higher element of our spiritual life we need; we need His holy Fire!

We need the preaching of the Gospel!

What happened when the Holy Spirit came? The Holy Spirit descended with tongues as of fire!

What happened after the Holy Spirit came on the disciples and those with them?

The Gospel message was preached and 3000 people were saved through Peter’s message!

The preaching of the Gospel will bring down God’s Fire to burn the dross off His people!

The preaching of the Gospel is going to divide people – even families!

Here are some results of Gospel preaching:

Some will oppose the Gospel – opposition

Some will persecute those who proclaim the Gospel – persecution

There is a disturbance in the world today, a shaking as it were of the things in this world and there is a shaking going on in the Church!

Why? Some are preaching the Gospel faithfully!

There is no peace in this world and in the Church!

There is no peace in the world and in the Church because the Gospel is not being proclaimed!

Do you see the paradox? The Gospel IS being preached and it is not!

The only peace we have is the peace God sheds upon our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

Jesus says where the Gospel is preached there will be division and no peace!

Jesus was to suffer a baptism and be in anguish until it was completed.

Jesus was immersed into the ultimate sacrifice; His body broken for our redemption; He suffered for our forgiveness; He suffered for the remission of our sin and to cleanse us of all our unrighteousness!

Preaching the Gospel will give occasion for discord among all humanity, even in our own families!

HEAR ME NOW!

Standing for the TRUE Gospel will also give occasion for discord to those who do not believe it within the Church!

Unbelief will be provoked by the TRUTH of the Gospel!

Now, more than even before, people will start becoming uncomfortable in their pews or chairs upon hearing the Gospel.

God is calling for our faith and obedience to the Gospel.

Now let me share something prophetic with you:

“The Holy Spirit is expressing His heart now for the Church. God desires true repentance in the hearts of the leaders of the Church; the gatekeepers, the ordained members of the clergy and board members (those who have authority within Christianity). God is primarily concerned with the sincerity and humility of the “fathers” because what they do affects their wives and children…both in the natural realm and in the spiritual realm. We must not be deceived into judging the homosexual sins of “others,” this is in the open, while hiding from our own secret sexual immorality and idolatry!

We must examine our hearts, thoughts, words, and deeds first! Taking the log out of our own eye and allowing the Holy Spirit to break our hearts over our own sin before daring to examine, correct and judge others, lest we find ourselves in the desolate graves of Pharisees and heartless hypocrites!”

People, we need to be stirred up about the Gospel!

We need to obtain the boldness of the Holy Spirit to share the Gospel with others!

The Messiah has come and He has brought His Kingdom with Him!

He has sent His power to enable us to share the Gospel of His Kingdom.

What is your interest in the Kingdom of God?

The Jews could not even see the fact plainly that God’s Kingdom had come to them in Jesus, the Son of God, the prophesied Messiah, right before their eyes!

They could not interpret or discern the signs of their own times – right in front of them…what’s happening?

Let’s look at verse 56, “You hypocrites! You know how to interpret the appearance of earth and sky, but why do you not know how to interpret the present time?

What does Jesus mean here? Is this verse, time – “kairos” in the original Greek means “what time brings; the state of the times; the things and events of time.”

In Greek, there are two words for time “Chronos” and “Kairos.”

Chronos marks the quantity of time while kairos marks the quality of time.

The word we are looking at “kairos” means “a season, a time, a period possessed of certain characteristics.”

This is what Jesus was trying to make these people understand.

Today, there is a “quality” to the times or season we are in right now!

This is the “quality” of our own times:

There are those who pretend or are so deluded as to think they are wise – and cannot see what’s going on in this world, or in their own churches!

They can determine how the weather will change by looking at the sky; or if the south wind will blow in a dry heat – but they cannot even determine the condition of their own hearts or the heart of the church?

Oh, pray that the Holy Spirit speaks to your hearts, and leads you to true repentance and faith toward God!

Oh, pray that you will stand for the TRUE Gospel, by the power of the Holy Spirit and shun the deluded and deceptive other “gospel” which condones unbelief and sinful behavior!

God is ready with His fire…to rain down on us…to purge and purify our hearts by His Holy Fire, as the Refiner to purge the dross off our lives, to destroy the sin that remains in our hearts!

God send Your Fire down upon us!

Come Holy Spirit; rain down your Holy Fire!

Matthew 16:2-3 says, “He answered them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. An evil and adulterous generation seeks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of Jonah.”

Jesus says an evil and adulterous generation seeks signs! What is our present generation like?

Jesus says no sign will be given except the sign of Jonah.

What was the sign of Jonah? It was Jonah preaching repentance!

Look at the signs of the times/or season when Jesus preached the Good News of the Kingdom of God.

Now, we have been given the task in the power of the Holy Spirit to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His Kingdom!

Remember what Jesus said about casting fire to the earth?

Malachi 3:2-3 says, “…For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD.”

Now look at Matthew 3:11-12, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will clear his threshing floor and gather His wheat into the barn, but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire.”

You know you cannot tell the difference between wheat and tares?

The tare, or the bearded darnel, is a species of rye grass, the seeds of which are a strong soporific poison, i.e., it has the power to put you to sleep. It bears the closest resemblance to wheat only until the ear appears, and only then, the difference is discovered – in Jesus day it grew plentifully in Syria and in Palestine.

You cannot tell the difference until the ear appears…

What is Jesus telling us?

You cannot tell the difference until the fruit appears – the grain – when the truth about our lives appears – either the fruit of the Spirit or the fruit of the flesh, our sinful unregenerate self, meaning a life without Christ.

St. Paul talks about the fruit of the Spirit or the works of the flesh.

The “works” of the flesh means our effort or occupation in being sinful!

The works of the flesh are the result of sinful behavior that is our way of life.

Is your life producing the fruit of the Spirit or the works of the flesh?

Can we tell if you are the wheat or the tare?

Hear me, Christian! People HAVE to be able to tell the difference between you, the believer (the wheat), and the unbeliever, those of the world (the tares)!

If not, we are truly hypocrites!

Either you are for Jesus Christ or you are against Him.

Jesus has violently and intensely thrown fire to the earth! The Holy Spirit has come, His Kingdom is here, and we have been tasked and enabled to proclaim the Gospel to every Nation, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Fire either purifies or destroys. The signs of the times here and now are those which bring us to the cross road of decision.

Do you choose unbelief, death, and eternal separation from God?

Do you choose Christ, His Kingdom, and eternal life?

What is your decision today?