Tag: Jesus

The Error of the Pharisees

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date February 1, 2011

In The Error of the Sadducees and Pharisees, it was noted that the Pharisees’ mistake was adding to the Bible and then esteeming their additions as more important.

Jesus notes that they break God’s commands in order to keep their own, man-made traditions (that is, the religious rules they added to the Bible). He then gives an example and quotes Isaiah, deeming it as worthless worship.

While most God-loving people would shutter at the thought of doing this, their actions often belie their intentions.

Consider being fixated on what a certain scholar says about the Bible and knowing his or her work better than the Bible or jumping on the bandwagon of the latest “hot” author, pouring over his or her writings with great fervor, while relegating the Bible to second-class status.

Studying scholars and writers who point us to God can be a positive and helpful thing, which should not be dismissed.

However, giving them undo importance, or diminishing God and what the Bible says about him in the process, is never good.

It is the error of the Pharisees.

[Matthew 15:3-9, Mark 7:5-13, and Isaiah 29:13.]

Peter DeHaan writes about biblical Christianity to confront status quo religion and live a life that matters. He seeks a fresh approach to following Jesus through the lens of Scripture, without the baggage of made-up traditions and meaningless practices.

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Tags Jesus, Pharisee, tradition

Bible Insights

God Thinks Highly of Us

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 22, 2011

Are You Highly Esteemed?

Do you ever wonder what God thinks of you? Unfortunately, I suspect that most people who consider such a question reach the wrong conclusion.

But what if an angel were to show up and provide a supernatural perspective about you?

It’s happened:

An angel tells Daniel that he is “highly esteemed.” This doesn’t just happen once, but is said three times on two different occasions. As a result of being highly esteemed, great insight about the future is revealed to Daniel.

A few centuries later, an angel tells a young girl that she is “highly favored.” Her name is Mary. As a result of being highly favored, Jesus is born and the world is forever changed.

Although we can’t earn our salvation, we apparently can be esteemed and favored by God for our actions and dedication; implicitly, the opposite must also be true.

While we may never have an angel visit us to say what God thinks of us, the Bible does reveal this truth. But to find out, you can’t read it as a legal document or an instruction manual.

Embrace the Bible as a narrative, God’s narrative to you.

[Daniel 9:23 and 10:11&19, Luke 1:28]

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Tags angel, Daniel, Jesus, supernatural

Bible Insights

A Curious Prayer by Daniel

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date January 15, 2011

The ninth chapter of Daniel records a curious prayer of Daniel.

One thing that is strange is Daniel confesses things he never did. He personally accepts the errors of former generations, identifying with the wayward actions of his country.

It is as if Daniel, though innocent in this regard, takes on himself the faults and failures of an entire nation, personally confessing them and seeking God’s deliverance on their behalf.

If that sounds a bit familiar, Jesus did the same thing, but on a much grander scale and with universal and everlasting impact.

Daniel’s humble prayer foreshadows Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice.

[Daniel 9:1-19; also check out 2 Corinthians 5:21]

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Tags Daniel, Jesus

Bible Insights

What Was the Error of Edom?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date December 19, 2010

“As you have done, it will be done to you; your deeds will return upon your own head.”

Obadiah Said

The short book of Obadiah is a stinging rebuke to the nation of Edom, not for what they overtly did, but for what they did indirectly: for a failure to act, for smug attitudes, and for capitalizing on the wrong actions of others.

Even though they did not directly do wrong, the outcome is quite clear:

Paul Said

A few centuries later, Paul teaches the same lesson:

“Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”

Hosea Said

Hosea phrases this in the positive:

“Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love”

Jesus Said

However, Jesus said it best:

“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you…For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

More succinctly, in what we call the Golden Rule, Jesus also said:

“Do to others what you would have them do to you.”

Yes, good words to live by.

[Obadiah 1:11-15, Galatians 6:7, Hosea 10:12, Luke 6:37-39, Matthew 7:12]

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Tags Hosea, Jesus, Obadiah, Paul

Bible Insights

Give to God What Belongs to God

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date November 12, 2010

In Jesus’ parable of the tenants, there is a man who plants a vineyard and rents it out. When it is harvest time, he sends his representative to collect some of the harvest, which is likely the terms of lease.

Instead of remitting to the owner what is due him, the tenants refuse, mistreating everyone the owner sends, even to the point of killing his son. The owner then kills the evil tenants and leases the vineyard to others.

Perhaps the first part of this parable is a picture of what God wants from us. As tenants in his creation, he desires us to give part of our “crop” to him as a form of “rent” for the privilege of living here.

This seems simple enough, but often we are greedy, wanting to keep everything for ourselves. The implication is that God will then find someone else who is willing give to him what is due him.

This is perhaps what Jesus had in mind when on another occasion says “…and give to God what belongs to God.”

[Luke 20:6-19 and Matthew 22:21]

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Tags give, God, Jesus, parable

Bible Insights

Do You Want More From God?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date November 8, 2010

Here is another thought building on the prior post about one of Jesus’ parables.

To review, the parable is about a nobleman who, before going on a journey, entrusts three servants with varying amounts of money to invest for him.

The first two invest their amounts and earn a good return, apparently doubling their stakes.

The third, however, to whom little is entrusted, makes no effort to invest it. He lazily does nothing and merely returns the original amount to his master. This is done under the guise of keeping it safe.

The master takes the money from the lazy servant and gives it to the first servant. The people nearby protest that this is not fair.

Jesus replies “I tell you that to everyone who has, more will be given, but as for the one who has nothing, even what he has will be taken away.”

The lesson in this seems to be that to those who have been blessed with resources and have been faithful with them, more will be given. However, to those who have not faithful with what they have, that too will be taken away.

We must be wise and faithful stewards.

A direct application of this may be for the person who is asking God for more, be it for the physical provision or spiritual blessing.

Perhaps their felt lack is a result of them having already been unfaithful with what they had been given; therefore it was taken away.

The warning in this is that perhaps we shouldn’t ask God for more if we have misused or squandered what he has already provided.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Luke 19-21, and today’s post is on Luke 19:24-27.]

Read more about the book of Luke in That You May Know: A 40-Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke, now available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Tags faithful, Jesus, parable

Bible Insights

Is God Like a Hard Man?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date November 5, 2010

Doctor Luke records a parable of Jesus. It is about a nobleman who, before going on a journey, entrusts three servants with varying amounts of money to invest for him. He is a “hard man.”

The first two invest their amounts and earn a good return, apparently doubling their stakes. The third, however, to whom little is entrusted, makes no effort to invest it.

He lazily does nothing and merely returns the original amount to his master.

This is done under the guise of keeping it safe, calling his master a hard man. The master judges him accordingly, taking the money away from him and giving it to the first servant.

Although we must guard against reading too much into a parable, the nobleman in this one parallels God. When the servant declares that the noble is a “hard man,” is this a characteristic that we can apply to God?

At first glance it is difficult, perhaps even seeming sacrilegious, to call God “hard,” but is there truth that can be gleaned from this?

In balancing the paradox of a God of love with a God whom we fear, does a “hard” God fit somewhere into the picture of who he is?

For those who think God will give them a free pass regardless of how they act or what they do, the image of God as hard, that is a strict God, might be a good characteristic for them to ponder.

However, there are also those who view God as mean and vindictive, just waiting for them to mess up so that he can inflict ill-will upon them.

Their view of God is already way too “hard.” They will do well to focus on his loving nature instead.

Yes, God does have a hard side to him, but that’s not all there is to him; he is also loving and gentle.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Luke 19-21, and today’s post is on Luke 19:20-24.]

Read more about the book of Luke in That You May Know: A 40-Day Devotional Exploring the Life of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke, now available in e-book, paperback, and hardcover.

Read more in his books, blog, and weekly email updates.

Tags Jesus, love, parable, paradox

Bible Insights

Forgive Us as We Forgive Others

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date August 18, 2010

When you pray, be careful what you pray—I’m serious, be very careful. In the prayer that Jesus taught his disciples (also called “The Lord’s Prayer” or the “Our Father”), one part says: “Forgive us our debts, as we have also forgiven our debtors.”

Some translations use the word “sins” or “transgressions” in place of debts, but the intent is the same.

The request is that God will forgive us…to the degree we forgive others.

That is, if we forgive fully, we are asking God to forgive us fully. However , if we only forgive partially—keeping grudges, holding onto ill-feelings, or harboring hate—then we are asking God to only forgive us partially.

Our lack of forgiveness towards others could limit the amount of forgiveness we receive. Ouch!

So when I pray that prayer, I do so carefully and with some trepidation; some days, I even want to skip that part!

However, skipping it is not the answer. A better solution is to be steadfast and diligent in forgiving others—then we can likewise expect the same from God.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Matthew 5-7, and today’s post is on Matthew 6:12.]

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Tags Heavenly Father, Jesus, Lord’s Prayer, pray

Reviews of Books & Movies

Movie Review: Chocolat

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date July 13, 2010

Reviewed by Peter DeHaan

Nomadic traveler, Vianne Rocher (Juliette Binoche), shows up unexpectedly at a rural French village and creates quite a stir. A non-catholic, unmarried mom, and free spirit, she is not like the intransigent townsfolk.

To make matters worse, she has the audacity to open up a chocolate shop across from the church—during the season of Lent.

Initially opposed by all, she responds to their opposition with non-conditional acceptance, to their indifference with open compassion, and to their snubs with kind generosity.

Possessing a demeanor more like Jesus than the locals who attend church every Sunday, she gradually wins over some with her uncompromising love—and delectable chocolate.

But will it be enough to be welcomed into their tiny town or will its leaders prevail in running her out?

Her open acceptance of the disdained river drifters, along with winsome Roux (Johnny Depp), threatens to drive the wedge even deeper. Perhaps it’s time to move on anyway, yet there is an allure to stay and settle down.

Note that while this is not a faith-friendly movie per se, it is faith confronting—and highly recommended.

[Read more reviews by Peter DeHaan of other faith-friendly videos and movies.]

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Tags Jesus, love

Bible Insights

What’s the Deal with Evil Spirits?

Post author By Peter DeHaan
Post date May 1, 2010

When reading the gospels (the stories about Jesus) in the Bible, it doesn’t take long to run across the phrase “evil spirit.” (Some translations use “unclean spirit” or a “corrupting spirit.”)

What is an “evil spirit” anyway?

As a teenager, I thought that an evil spirit was merely ancient man’s way of understanding mental illness.
As a young adult, my perspective flipped and I thought that mental illness was merely modern man’s way of explaining evil spirits.
Later on, I began to consider that both mental illness and evil spirits existed, but as separate, disparate phenomena.
More recently, I’ve been thinking that they may just be two different ways of looking at the same thing, two sides of the same coin.

Although contemplating the meaning of an evil spirit may be intellectually inviting, the central point is to remember that regardless of what it was, Jesus healed people who had evil spirits—and he gave his followers the authority to do the same!

Now, that’s something to think about.

[Read through the Bible with us this year. Today’s reading is Matthew 8-10, and today’s post is on Matthew 10:1.]

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Tags evil spirits, heal, Jesus