Bible Study - Let's give our spiritual armory the maintenance it needs!

Christianity
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Dear family,

As followers of Christ, it’s in our best interest to fortify our knowledge of His word. Reading the Bible and familiarizing yourself with scripture is standard practice for all Christians! But what happens when you come across certain scriptures that confound you? What happens when you read a passage that makes your heart sing joyfully? What if you re-read a verse and you suddenly “get it”?
Like fellow comrades, you should feel free, or rather compelled to share your knowledge with others so that they might also benefit from the gift, especially if you hear a plea for assistance on the very subject you have knowledge of.

I really like the Principles of Bible Study that was brought to our attention in an earlier topic. Let’s start with those for our guidelines, here. As such, if you wish to participate in this topic, I invite you to read and familiarize yourself with those key points.

Yours in Christ,
Diógi :paw_prints:

Share what you have read in the Bible, here! Tell us how a verse made you feel or what it made you think about in your life. Ask questions about verses you don’t understand, and remember to include the whole passage it’s a part of–not just a piece of scripture that can be taken out of context. Share your eureka moments from reading; let us benefit from your spiritual success too! Be open and receptive to correction when it is called for. Avoid feelings of pride and ego, but rather discuss everything with love in your heart for one another. Now, let’s dust off the rust on our spiritual armor and weapons!

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Ooh, so a more informal Bible study? I think that might work well for the forum setting!

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Right you are, Sleet! I’ll start us off.

The shortest Bible verse is found in John 11, Verse 35: Jesus wept.
Years ago when I first read this, I thought that the reason why Jesus wept was because Lazarus had died and Jesus felt sad about it. But reading the whole chapter again, I realized that Jesus had already known the exact time when Lazarus died. If we look at John 11, verses 11-14 we read:

11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

Jesus wasn’t shocked into grief when he arrived at Lazarus’ tomb. He already knew he had passed away. Even so, He didn’t go immediately to raise him from the dead, but stayed where He was for another two days (John 11:6). So then why did Jesus cry? From my understanding, Jesus wept because He was moved in His spirit by the grief that Lazarus’ family felt. In John 11: 32-35 we read:

32 Then when Mary was come where Jesus was, and saw him, she fell down at his feet, saying unto him, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
33 When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled.
34 And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see.
35 Jesus wept.

So then, why the runaround and seemingly off-timing? Why did Jesus allow Lazarus to die, which placed such heavy grief on his family? Jesus tells us why indeed he let this happen. In John 11:15 Jesus says:

15 And I am glad for your sakes that I was not there, to the intent ye may believe; nevertheless let us go unto him.

Then, in John 11:21-27 we read:

21 Then said Martha unto Jesus, Lord, if thou hadst been here, my brother had not died.
22 But I know, that even now, whatsoever thou wilt ask of God, God will give it thee.
23 Jesus saith unto her, Thy brother shall rise again.
24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
27 She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

Lastly, we read in John 11:36-45

36 Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!
37 And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died?
38 Jesus therefore again groaning in himself cometh to the grave. It was a cave, and a stone lay upon it.
39 Jesus said, Take ye away the stone. Martha, the sister of him that was dead, saith unto him, Lord, by this time he stinketh: for he hath been dead four days.
40 Jesus saith unto her, Said I not unto thee, that, if thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God?
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.
42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me.
43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.
44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.
45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him.

I’ve come to interpret this passage like this: God shows us that even though he knows all things and can do all things, He still feels empathy and even cries with us in times of pain and suffering. He is not some cold god who looks down on and belittles our feelings and sorrows, but rather his love for us extends to even something as quick and fleeting as our feelings. But know that whatever you are going through, all of it will, in the very end, be for the glory of God. Even something as serious as death.

Edit:
TL/DR: My hot take of the shortest Bible Verse, John 11:35, Jesus cried because of his empathy for Lazarus’ family, not because of his death. Jesus used the whole situation to bring glory to God.

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That makes sense! The entire idea behind Him being fully human in addition to fully God is that He lived and felt just like the rest of us. They mourned for Lazarus, and He did too. It doesn’t matter that He knew He would bring him back. It still hurt.

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I think it’s funny that the disciple Thomas was so morose in this passage too :laughing: In John 11:7-10 we read as the context:

7 Then after that saith he to his disciples, Let us go into Judaea again.
8 His disciples say unto him, Master, the Jews of late sought to stone thee; and goest thou thither again?
9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.
10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him.

And then after Jesus says that they’re going back, in John 11:16

16 Then said Thomas, which is called Didymus, unto his fellow disciples, Let us also go, that we may die with him.

Thomas was like “Welp! We’re gonna die.” :rofl:
He’s like Arnold in the Magic Schoolbus when Ms. Frizzle was taking them on another adventure.

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At a first glance, 2 Thessalonians 3 seems to just be a chapter Paul wrote to encourage the church to stay busy. But a closer look reveals what may be the foundation of what we know as “excommunication” from whatever denomination that practices it comes from.

We start off with a prayer request from Paul: That the word of God spread and prosper, that the church be spared from evil, and that the church be strengthened to do what’s right:

1 Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you,
2 and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men. For not all have faith.
3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.
4 And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command.
5 May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

Then, boom, Paul just comes out and says the thing:

6 Now we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from any brother who is walking in idleness and not in accord with the tradition that you received from us.

Now, this being the ESV (English Standard version), “walking in idleness” sounds like a very gentle way of saying “lazy” or “unproductive”. In other versions, it’s not so gentle:

(NAS - New American Standard)
6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us.

(KJV - King James Version)
6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.

(LEB - Lexham English Bible)
6 But we command you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, [that] you keep away from every brother who lives irresponsibly and not according to the tradition that they received from us.

We see the use of “unruly”, “disorderly”, irresponsibly"–all of which sound way more aggressive. But the point is that Paul is calling out the people who have heard the gospel, claim to be a Christian, but do not either: work in the ways a Christian should, lead a Christian life, or are just lazy, or maybe even all three. We get some more context in the following verses (ESV):

7 For you yourselves know how you ought to imitate us, because we were not idle when we were with you,
8 nor did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with toil and labor we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you.
9 It was not because we do not have that right, but to give you in ourselves an example to imitate.
10 For even when we were with you, we would give you this command: If anyone is not willing to work, let him not eat.
11 For we hear that some among you walk in idleness, not busy at work, but busybodies.
12 Now such persons we command and encourage in the Lord Jesus Christ to do their work quietly and to earn their own living.

Paul is saying that people shouldn’t use their positions as “Christians” as an excuse to not work, or perpetuate slothfullness. At the same time, we shouldn’t make an exorbitant show of “how busy we are”, ever the busybody and unable to work in the things we should. Another perspective on this same chapter, from Matthew Henry in his work, ‘Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible (Concise)’:

It is a great error and abuse of religion, to make it a cloak for idleness or any other sin.

Now, in no way is Paul asking the church to condemn those who fall under this category, and we see it explained here in the following verses:

13 As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.
14 If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed.
15 Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

We are not to seek ways to directly shame them, but by lack of association they will feel ashamed of what they are doing. Not only are we to not go on the offensive with them, but also not regard them as an enemy. They are your bothers/sisters after all! There was a reason they found the Gospel to resonate with them and they have come a lot further than many others who flat out reject the word of God. We are to instead warn them as a brother.

Now, the family dynamic is hugely different for many people. Some might be tempted to follow the example of what you grew up with in your own family, with your siblings. Heated arguents, the silent treatment, even physical altercations included–we are all at least aware of “sibling rivalry”. But the type of brother Paul is talking about isn’t a sibling brother you were born with. He’s talking about being brothers in Christ. That means you have a godly love for each other. You want to help your brothers to genuinely seek God. You want your brothers to find the joy in serving God. Because of this, you should warn them of falling away from path God wants us to follow. You should warn them of the ways they act in contrast to the Gospel. And as a true brother in Christ, you will do this with love, not hate.

16 Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.
17 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. This is the sign of genuineness in every letter of mine; it is the way I write.
18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

He signs off here. Verse 16 could be interpreted as just the way he says goodbye, but I believe he actually means it, in fact he prays it. That despite the obvious (possibly heated) discourse that following his instructions will cause, he urges the Lord to maintain our peace with one another–to recognize the love we have for each other as followers of Jesus. And to govern ourselves through that godly love. Because of this I view excommunication as a manmade construct, extreme in measure, that misses the point of this passage.

By following God first, before our own selfish and lazy desires, we strengthen ourselves. And we should seek to help each other do this as well. This is how I’ve come to interpret this chapter.

Edit: Conclusion about excommunication

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I think a big theme of Paul’s letters is to highlight problems in Christianity not so you can look down on them as “true Christians” but so you can be watchful of your own heart and not become like that.

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Oh it’s absolutely the main theme! If we learn to identify the pitfalls and always apply that knowledge in our lives, we’d never have to fix anything or build back up from rock bottom. Nevertheless, many times it takes an education from the school of hard knocks for a person to finally understand. Sometimes Christians don’t even realize they are living in sin until they are shown or told. Just like how families, out of love, will often reach out to their wayward youths to help them progress in life, we should also reach out to our brothers and sisters when we see they are struggling with making Christlike decisions. What kind of complacent Christians we’d be if we didn’t offer help to our family in Christ!
To your point though, we are indeed meant to help each other recognize the “unruly”, “disorderly”, or irresponsible" behavior, but not belittle them, or spout hatred for that matter. It’s the intention, tact and adherence to Biblical principle that sets help apart from self-righteous attack. In the end it’s really up to the individual to decide how they will interpret it. Interpreting correction as a bigoted or hateful attack, when none of that was intended (or there’s plenty of plausible proof to claim otherwise), could very well just lead to needless division and isolation. We should weigh a person’s advice or correction against the Bible and see if it makes sense or if it’s just twisted to fit some other narrative.

2 Timothy 3:16-17:
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Proverbs 3:11-12:
“My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the Lord reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.”

Hebrews 12:11: “For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.”

Discipline will almost never feel good when it’s being received. In today’s cancel-culture, it’s such a low threshold to cross for someone to say “I feel attacked”, and then completely reject what “hurt” them. Or further yet, go on the offensive against that “attacker”. I’ve seen it happen plenty of times, have been on the recieving end of it, and even perpetuated it myself. As Tony Fahkry neatly put it, “You can’t always control what happens to you, but you can control how you react to it.”