For today, One Year Bible Online links here.
The proverb writer tells us that those with good sense are respected, then he tells us part of what he means by good sense: thinking before you act (I believe that he would include speaking within the meaning of “act” for this proverb). On the other hand he tells us that the treacherous, or unfaithful, are headed for destruction. The treacherous, the unfaithful, are those who not only act without thinking first, but brag about doing so.
The King James translation of the first verse of this psalm inspired the hymn, “I Will Sing of the Mercies of the Lord”. The sentiments of this psalm and that song should be ours. I will sing of God’s great faithfulness, of the fact that His love endures forever.
When Jesus was asked by what authority He took the actions He did, He responded by asking if John authority to baptize came from heaven or from man. Essentially, Jesus was asking them what sort of answer they would accept. This is a good example for us to follow when we are challenged on our faith and what we believe. Before we attempt to answer the question, let us make sure that there is an answer our questioners will accept. If every answer is the wrong answer, don’t bother to try.
There is a common point between the parable of the evil farmers and the story about Jesus being questioned on taxation. In both cases, Jesus brings up the point of giving God what is God’s due. It is in Jesus’ answer on taxation that we get the clearest answer as to what is God’s due. Jesus asks whose image is on the coin used to pay the Roman tax. The answer is that Caesar’s image is on those coins. At which point Jesus says, “Give to Caesar what belongs Caesar, and give to God what belongs to God.” It is subtle, but this is a clear reference to Genesis 1:26. Since we are made in God’s image, it is ourselves which we are to give to God.
I could go on for some time about this message. The government has claim to our money, since it is government laws which make that money in the first place. However, only God has claim to us, because it was God who created us and in the process put His image upon us. It is the nature of governments that they continually attempt to extend their authority over our very beings. If we fail to give our very selves to the service of God, we will gradually end up giving that service to the government, or some other authority which does not have legitimate claim to that service. This lesson is just another take on the lesson Jesus taught when He told us we must choose who we are going to serve, God Or Mammon?
The story of the eastern tribes building an altar and the response of the rest of Israel gives us a lesson for dealing with those who we believe are behaving sinfully. Here is what happened. The people of Israel learned that the eastern tribes had done something. The only explanation they could think of for that action was something which violated God’s commands to the people of Israel. However, rather than assume that their explanation for the action of the eastern tribes was correct and passing judgment on them, they asked them why they had done what they had done. That is instead of acting on their assumptions they decided to check their facts. It is this model to which Jesus refers in Matthew 18 when He tells us how to deal with our fellow believers who sin.