Comments on: ‘Come to Me, all who labor and are heavy laden…’, by Man’s Own Free Will? http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/10/06/%e2%80%98come-to-me-all-who-labor-and-are-heavy-laden%e2%80%a6%e2%80%99-by-man%e2%80%99s-own-free-will/ "Shepherd the flock of God that is among you, exercising oversight, not under compulsion, but willingly, as God would have you...” Sat, 11 Oct 2008 18:54:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.2 By: Thomas Twitchell http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/10/06/%e2%80%98come-to-me-all-who-labor-and-are-heavy-laden%e2%80%a6%e2%80%99-by-man%e2%80%99s-own-free-will/#comment-994 Thomas Twitchell Tue, 09 Oct 2007 05:17:19 +0000 http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/10/06/%e2%80%98come-to-me-all-who-labor-and-are-heavy-laden%e2%80%a6%e2%80%99-by-man%e2%80%99s-own-free-will/#comment-994 John 4 :10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. [2] The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.” You would think that at this point Jesus would have given her a drink. After all, isn't it expressed by her that she is burdened with the heavy load of coming to the well every day. But, he doesn't. He goes on. He burdens her further, disclosing the weight of her sin. It is with this that her eyes begin to see that he is no mere man. He reveals to her the Father, "21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” Curiously, he speaks of the Father's seeking, and that now is the day "if you hear his voice." One would think, knowing the woeful life of this woman that her's would have been heavy burden, but she seems, even in the midst of it to be cocky- 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” His rebuke is similar to his cutting off of Nicodemus. He speaks to her of truth and that is when the living waters quench for when she hears of a breath of life her heart is rent and she confesses the hope of her soul for messiah. To which the Lord replies, it is He. We like this Samaritan woman or like Nicodemus will continue to plod along making the same mistakes going to the same polluted well whether on a hill in Samaria or a hill in Jerusalem shedding one burden for another in an endless charade of sacrifices to our own imaginations, thinking along that if we just keep going Messiah will come and when he shows up we do not recognize him. Instead, we assert that we have the answers, and prove that we are not so burdened as to really need rest. This is the mystery: Though we are driven to search for rest we must cease from searching to find it. Because the truth is that no one seeks God. Christ's answer to her was simple, "If you knew...," and to Nicodemus, "Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?" She only needed water to get her through one more day. He only needed one more Scripture to find the way. It was not until Jesus opened their eyes to see the Father that they knew the heavy burden and great weight of sin that was crushing them. No one has seen the Father at anytime except the Son, and those to whom he chooses to reveal Him. John 4 :10 Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” 11 The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water? 12 Are you greater than our father Jacob? He gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did his sons and his livestock.” 13 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. [2] The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.” 15 The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water, so that I will not be thirsty or have to come here to draw water.”

You would think that at this point Jesus would have given her a drink. After all, isn’t it expressed by her that she is burdened with the heavy load of coming to the well every day. But, he doesn’t. He goes on. He burdens her further, disclosing the weight of her sin. It is with this that her eyes begin to see that he is no mere man. He reveals to her the Father, “21 Jesus said to her, “Woman, believe me, the hour is coming when neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem will you worship the Father. 22 You worship what you do not know; we worship what we know, for salvation is from the Jews. 23 But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. 24 God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” 25 The woman said to him, “I know that Messiah is coming (he who is called Christ). When he comes, he will tell us all things.” 26 Jesus said to her, “I who speak to you am he.” Curiously, he speaks of the Father’s seeking, and that now is the day “if you hear his voice.”

One would think, knowing the woeful life of this woman that her’s would have been heavy burden, but she seems, even in the midst of it to be cocky- 19 The woman said to him, “Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. 20 Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” His rebuke is similar to his cutting off of Nicodemus. He speaks to her of truth and that is when the living waters quench for when she hears of a breath of life her heart is rent and she confesses the hope of her soul for messiah. To which the Lord replies, it is He.

We like this Samaritan woman or like Nicodemus will continue to plod along making the same mistakes going to the same polluted well whether on a hill in Samaria or a hill in Jerusalem shedding one burden for another in an endless charade of sacrifices to our own imaginations, thinking along that if we just keep going Messiah will come and when he shows up we do not recognize him. Instead, we assert that we have the answers, and prove that we are not so burdened as to really need rest. This is the mystery: Though we are driven to search for rest we must cease from searching to find it. Because the truth is that no one seeks God. Christ’s answer to her was simple, “If you knew…,” and to Nicodemus, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things?” She only needed water to get her through one more day. He only needed one more Scripture to find the way. It was not until Jesus opened their eyes to see the Father that they knew the heavy burden and great weight of sin that was crushing them. No one has seen the Father at anytime except the Son, and those to whom he chooses to reveal Him.

]]> By: Robert http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/10/06/%e2%80%98come-to-me-all-who-labor-and-are-heavy-laden%e2%80%a6%e2%80%99-by-man%e2%80%99s-own-free-will/#comment-1003 Robert Wed, 10 Oct 2007 18:11:20 +0000 http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/10/06/%e2%80%98come-to-me-all-who-labor-and-are-heavy-laden%e2%80%a6%e2%80%99-by-man%e2%80%99s-own-free-will/#comment-1003 Nathan, Good post. It's amazing how many verses are colored by our own presuppositions, and then when you actually pull a verse out and examine it truthfully, you're accused of "playing games" with the text to make it say what you want! thanks, bob Nathan,
Good post.
It’s amazing how many verses are colored by our own presuppositions, and then when you actually pull a verse out and examine it truthfully, you’re accused of “playing games” with the text to make it say what you want!

thanks,
bob

]]> By: GeneMBridges http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/10/06/%e2%80%98come-to-me-all-who-labor-and-are-heavy-laden%e2%80%a6%e2%80%99-by-man%e2%80%99s-own-free-will/#comment-1009 GeneMBridges Wed, 10 Oct 2007 20:49:11 +0000 http://shepherdtheflock.com/2007/10/06/%e2%80%98come-to-me-all-who-labor-and-are-heavy-laden%e2%80%a6%e2%80%99-by-man%e2%80%99s-own-free-will/#comment-1009 Just a few exegetical notes. While John 6 clearly has effectual calling and the covenant of redemption (or, if one prefers, the inter-trinitarian arrangement), we need to be careful about reading that into this text. It is implicit, not explicit. This periocope comes after the discussion about the poor, blind, and deaf being called in contrast to those who claim they are spiritually sighted, rich, and hearing. Following that pericope is the denunciation of Capernaum and Bethsaida in contrast to Chorazin and Sodom. Then here, Jesus praises the Father for revealing matters touching salvation, or in Matthean language, "the Kingdom" to babes. Thus babes are: the poor, blind, etc. in the first pericope and Gentile cities in the second (which are representatives of the former). Matthew's concern here is not the secret workings of the Spirit, per se. Rather, his concern is a class distinction. Those who are "sighted, rich," etc. are typified by Capernaum, where Jesus made his home. These were the greatest blessed, but they were the most blind. This theme carries over throughout the Gospel of Matthew. Yes, these things in the physical realm have spiritual analogs, but, strictly speaking, the physical thing is in explicit view, the spiritual is implicit. John reverses this and makes it explicit. Note that John 6 takes place in Capernaum. What Jesus is praising God for isn't explicitly election of individuals - though that is implicit, but this phenomenon: For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written: "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate." 20Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. 26Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29so that no one may boast before him. 30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31Therefore, as it is written: "Let him who boasts boast in the Lord." (I Cor. 1) Just a few exegetical notes.

While John 6 clearly has effectual calling and the covenant of redemption (or, if one prefers, the inter-trinitarian arrangement), we need to be careful about reading that into this text. It is implicit, not explicit.

This periocope comes after the discussion about the poor, blind, and deaf being called in contrast to those who claim they are spiritually sighted, rich, and hearing.

Following that pericope is the denunciation of Capernaum and Bethsaida in contrast to Chorazin and Sodom.

Then here, Jesus praises the Father for revealing matters touching salvation, or in Matthean language, “the Kingdom” to babes.

Thus babes are: the poor, blind, etc. in the first pericope and Gentile cities in the second (which are representatives of the former). Matthew’s concern here is not the secret workings of the Spirit, per se. Rather, his concern is a class distinction. Those who are “sighted, rich,” etc. are typified by Capernaum, where Jesus made his home. These were the greatest blessed, but they were the most blind. This theme carries over throughout the Gospel of Matthew. Yes, these things in the physical realm have spiritual analogs, but, strictly speaking, the physical thing is in explicit view, the spiritual is implicit. John reverses this and makes it explicit. Note that John 6 takes place in Capernaum.

What Jesus is praising God for isn’t explicitly election of individuals - though that is implicit, but this phenomenon:

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

20Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

26Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29so that no one may boast before him. 30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.” (I Cor. 1)

]]>