Bullies and the 10 Pound Bible

“Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully” (1Tim 1:8).

Fire can help and it can hurt. It can be helpful and it can be hurtful. The same flickering flames in the fireplace that warm you up on a frosty night can also burn your house to the ground and kill your family. When we use fire properly, it’s wonderful. But it’s deadly when mishandled. Timothy is dealing with a similar situation in Ephesus. No, the middle school kids aren’t playing with matches at a lock in. (On the other hand, if your middle schoolers are spending the night at the church, you probably need to make sure none of them brought a lighter.) 

A team of false teachers have infiltrated the Ephesian church and their counterfeit gospel is damaging believers (1Tim 1:3-6). Paul already kicked two of these bad teachers to the curb (1Tim 1:21). Clearly, a few more of these spiritual snake oil salesmen are still around. They think they’re hot stuff when it comes to teaching God’s Word but don’t have a clue what they’re talking about (1Tim 1:7). They are totally misusing Scripture and abusing the followers of Jesus. The apostle contrasts their way of teaching and tells Tim, “Now we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully” (v8). When the law of God is used correctly, it’s constructive, not destructive. It’s helpful, not hurtful. These bad teachers are simply playing with fire and somebody’s going to get burned.

Paul begins by reminding Tim, “Now we know that the law is good” (v8). By “we,” he’s drawing a distinction between themselves and the false teachers. Let’s be clear on the teams involved. You’ve got the good guys who are good teachers teaching the Good News. That would be the “we.” That would be Paul and Tim. On the other side of the field are the bad teachers teaching bad news. The reason the apostle has left his protege in Ephesus is because he’s a teammate. Paul trusts Tim. It’s important to remember that we’re not alone. Following the Lord isn’t a long, lonely ride like your some mysterious High Plains Drifter for Jesus. We do it together. We do it as a team. So who are your teammates you can count on? Who is your “we?” 

As partners in grace, this dynamic duo knows “that the law is good if one uses it lawfully” (v8). A quality carpenter always uses the right tool for the right job. Paul and Tim know when, where, and how to use the law of God. The apostle makes it clear that it’s “good” (v8). This is the Greek adjective kalos, which can mean beautiful but can also describe something as useful and practical. Paul goes out of his way to tell the church in Rome about how incredibly awesome God’s law really is. “The law is holy, and the commandment is holy and righteous and good” (Rom 7:12). God’s law is a handy dandy tool when used in the right way. It’s helpful, not hurtful. It’s constructive, not destructive. 

You can be sure that’s NOT how bad teachers are using the law. They misuse God’s commandments to crush and cripple Christ followers. Let’s be honest, you’ve seen it for yourself. Maybe you’ve personally been on the business end of a 10 pound Bible. This is when some bully appoints themselves as a religious law enforcement officer. They are more than happy to call you out and condemn you every time you get out of line. Think of them as biker gangs. Jesus dealt with thugs called the Pharisees during His earthly ministry. Now Paul and Tim are ready to rumble with similar hoods in Ephesus. These jerks are carelessly throwing the law around, trying to make folks believe it’s up to us to maintain our place in God’s kingdom. According to their twisted teaching, if we want to stay saved we need to follow every single rule and regulation. Jesus may have gotten us in, but it’s up to us to work to stay in. 

If you’re wondering, THAT’S A LIE FROM THE PIT OF HELL!!!! We place our trust in what Jesus has done on our behalf. He does the work that we could never do for ourselves. Christ perfectly obeyed every single commandment in the Old Testament so that we aren’t held accountable for it. I’ll be the first one to admit that reading through OT books like Leviticus and Numbers makes my head spin. It’s just rule after law after commandment. Let’s read them differently. Read them with the revelation that Jesus did all of that. Every single one of them. For you. For me. We trust in Jesus’ perfect life of obedience, His death for our sin, and His spectacular resurrection on our behalf. If you’re wondering what else you need to do in order to maintain your place in God’s family, Jesus shouted the answer from the cross. “IT IS FINISHED!!!” (Jn 19:30 emphasis added with pleasure!).

Meanwhile Paul reassures his boy Tim that God’s law is awesome “if one uses it lawfully” (v8). The original language here describes God’s good law as legitimate and correct according to proper use. A few years after this letter, the apostle will write Timothy a second time and use this same word (Gr. nomimos). “An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules (Gr. nomimos)” (2Tim 2:5). So it also pictures an athlete who follows the rules of athletic competition. They don’t cheat. There’s no Deflategate scandal. No Spygate controversy. No suspicion of steroids or PEDs. This isn’t NASCAR where if you’re not cheating, you’re not trying. Good teachers and pastors use God’s law as it is supposed to be used. There’s no cheating. No fudging the truth. 

So what does it mean to use the law of God “lawfully” (v8)? The best illustration is one from medicine. Think of the law like a diagnostic device like a CT scan, MRI, or x-ray. What incredible tools they are to health care professionals. These machines allow doctors to look inside our bodies and diagnose the disease. Once they’ve figured out what’s wrong, they know exactly what sort of treatment plan to pursue. No matter how many times you get a CT scan, it doesn’t treat the disease. The law is a diagnostic tool. God gives us His law in order to see our desperate need for a Savior. It points out just how much we need the Gospel. 

Look at it this way. The law is the diagnostic. The Gospel is the treatment. Without God’s good law, we wouldn’t know how bad our condition is. Going back to the law over and over again doesn’t provide the treatment for our sin. Only the grace of Jesus does that! Or in the words of Paul, “For by the works of the law no human begin will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin” (Rom 3:20). When used correctly in combination with the Gospel, God’s commandments have incredible healing power. King David had a hit song all about it’s rejuvenating ability. “The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul” (Ps 19:7). The law can’t save. But it can tell us how badly we need to be saved. The law is used for our diagnosis, not the cure.

When God’s commandments are used as intended, they’re awesome. When they’re used a weapon, they’re awful. Knowing when, where, and how to use His wonderful Word is incredibly important. Or in the Message paraphrase of verse 8, “It’s true that moral guidance and counsel need to be given, but the way you say it and to whom you say it are as important as what you say” (v8 The Message). Use God’s rules and regulations carefully and graciously. He gives them to us for our own good. Just like a loving dad tells his kids to not play with matches, He gives them to us for our own protection. It’s NOT to be used to hammer and hurt people. Stop bullying people with your 10 pound Bible. 

Bad Teacher

“desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions” (1Tim 1:7)

My wife loves movies about great teachers. I don’t mean she likes them a lot. LOVES them. There’s something about these stories that suck her in. Every. Single. Time. If “Mr. Holland’s Opus” is on, she’s in. Same with “Dead Poets Society.” Sidney Portier in “To Sir with Love”? Are you kidding me?!? These are stories of dedicated educators pouring themselves into the lives of young people in the hopes of making a difference. 

That is NOT the story we read about in Paul’s letter to Timothy in Ephesus. Oh, there are teachers there in the church. Teachers exercising their influence. There’s just one hitch. These are bad teachers. Now I don’t mean the kind you see Jack Black play in “School of Rock.” No, these aren’t misguided people who suddenly have a change of heart and use their abilities for good and not for evil. These are spiritual snake oil salesmen who’ve weaseled their way into the church who are doing everything they can to sidetrack people away from Jesus and His spectacular grace. These are bad teachers with bad intentions.

Paul writes to his protege about certain people in the Ephesian church who are “desiring to be teachers of the law” (v7). The phrase “teachers of the law” is actually one compound Greek word: nomodidaskalos. It means someone skilled in the teaching and interpretation of Old Testament. It literally means “law (nomo-) teachers (-didaskolos).” This is someone who knows more than just the words on the page. They understand the bigger context. They know how different passages relate to one another. They know that Scripture interprets Scripture. They can give perspective to the bigger story of the Bible and how it relates to God’s great story of rescue and redemption.

That’s awesome! We desperately need more people willing to teach and explain God’s Word. In his second note to Tim, the apostle encourages the young pastor to continually hone his skills as a teacher and preacher. “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2Tim 2:15). Teachers need to know how to handling and teach all of the different books of the Bible. But just because you think you can teach, doesn’t mean you should teach. Jesus’ kid brother James warns folks who are thinking about becoming Bible teachers to think twice before doing so. “We who teach will be judged with greater strictness” (James 3:1). If you’re going to instruct people about Scripture, your principal and superintendent won’t be the one ultimately doing your review. God holds teachers and preachers accountable for how they perform their job.

The writers of the New Testament don’t exactly put these dudes on a pedestal. Dr. Luke tells how the “Pharisees and teachers of the law (Gr. nomodidaskalos)” would arrogantly watch Jesus like a hawk and just wait for Him to slip up (Lk 5:17). As you might imagine, He never once bobbled or stumbled in His instruction. As a matter of fact, our Savior regularly put the smack down on bad teachers. He accuses them of going out of their way to make it impossible to know God (Mt 23:15). They were more worried about tithing out of their spice rack and not showing compassion (Mt 23:23). They only care about their image and not their integrity (Mt 23:25-26). Bad teachers with bad intentions.

Paul’s own mentor Gamaliel is an interesting example. On one hand, he was both a one of those infamous Pharisees as well as holding a seat among the religious bullies known as the Sanhedrin. Yeah, the same Sanhedrin that murdered Jesus. In Acts, Luke describes Gamaliel as “a teacher of the law (Gr. nomodidaskalos) held in honor by all the people” (Acts 5:34). Yet he’s wise enough to tell the council to pump its brakes when it comes to Jesus’ followers. If God is behind this movement, nothing’s gonna stop them (Acts 5:40). That’s someone who understands the scope and story of the Old Testament. Gamaliel had a strong grasp of God’s promises of a coming Hero. That’s what a teacher of the law is supposed to do.

The bad teachers in Ephesus don’t come anywhere close to Gamaliel. As a matter of fact, they don’t anywhere near the Gospel. They speak to believers “without understanding what they are saying” (v7). These troublemakers don’t have a clue what they are talking about. Yeah, that’s a bit of a problem. Later in this same letter, Paul says anyone trying to push a counterfeit message “is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing” (1Tim 6:2-4). There’s a pretty good chance hucksters had peddled similar garbage just down the road in Colossae. The apostle tells Colossian believers not to let any religious thugs intimidate them into any belief other than the Gospel because these bullies are “puffed up without reason” (Col 2:18). Arrogant people are full of hot air and just like to hear themselves talk. Bad teachers are moving their lips but nothing’s coming out. Good teachers build up others. Bad teachers puff themselves up. Good teachers make Jesus famous. Bad teachers make themselves the star.

That doesn’t stop these incompetent instructors from talking about “things about which they make confident assertions” (v7). Once again, it takes an entire phrase in English to translate one compound Greek verb. Diabebaioomai means to strongly insist or state with extreme confidence. It’s not bad to give certain things special emphasis…when it’s the truth! Paul instructs Titus, “I insist (Gr. diabebaioomai) on these things, that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote themselves to good works” (Titus 3:8). But the bad teachers in the Ephesian church stomp their feet and insist on crap that’s simply not legit. 

There are issues in God’s Word on which we need to stand strong. Who Jesus is. What He has done. His life. His death. His burial. His resurrection. Our sin. Our need to be rescued. Salvation by grace through faith. Inerrancy of Scripture. That’s all worth fighting for. There’s a lot of other stuff that the Bible talks about but doesn’t give us 100% clarity. Things like how to baptize believers, how often to celebrate the Lord’s Supper, worship style, preaching style, and church government. The list goes on and on and on and on. And there are people who will step into the octagon over every one of them too. Be careful when you stomp your feet and demand that certain things are true.

So if this is what a bad teacher looks like, how about a good one? If you’re looking for the ultimate Teacher, look no further than Jesus. He made it clear He’s not using anyone else’s teaching materials or curriculum. His teaching comes straight from His Heavenly Dad (Jn 7:16). Some of His biggest enemies even said, “No one ever spoke like this Man!” (Jn 7:46). Christ taught creatively by using parables and examples of contemporary culture. But Jesus didn’t just teach the Law of Moses, He fulfilled it (Mt 5:17). In other words, our Savior obeyed every single rule and command in the Old Testament on our behalf. He lived the perfect life that I failed to live. He died the death on the cross in my place that I should have died. He rose to new life that I don’t deserve. Jesus goes so far as to say He’s the Hero of the entire Bible (Lk 24:27; Jn 5:39, 46). 

Christ is so much more than a great Teacher. He’s the whole point of the lesson! And that’s the message quality instructors should always be teaching. Don’t get me wrong. Flicks about selfless educators are awesome. They’re stories of men and women who make tremendous sacrifices for underprivileged kids the rest of society has turned its back on. But then again, that’s the story of the ultimate Teacher. He left the comforts of the heavenly palace to move into the slums of our sinful world. He’s the greatest Teacher with the greatest message and the greatest intentions.

The Good News about the Bad News

“I’ve got bad news and I’ve got bad news. What do you want to hear first?” I’ve lost count of the number of times someone has asked me that. I don’t know about you, but I ALWAYS want to hear the good news first. But Nehemiah 8:9-12 reminds me once again that it’s better to break the bad news first. There’s a method to the madness. It’s only when we realize just how bad the bad news that we realize just how good the Good News is. 

As a result, a very strange thing happened one day in Jerusalem. What begins as a funeral turns into a party. Let me explain. God’s Law absolutely crushes God’s people. It exposes their sin. It makes it painfully clear that they can never save themselves through obedience. The bar of perfection and holiness is way too high. The result is death and separation from God. Think of the most painful funeral you’ve ever attended. And then realize that it’s yours! I told you this is bad news. This is exactly where God’s Gospel comes to our rescue. That’s when we realize that God does for us what we could never do for ourselves. He saves us when we could never save ourselves. What was our funeral is now a party! You see, it’s only when we realize just how bad the bad news that we realize just how good the Good News is. 

Let’s crank up the Hot Tub Machine for Jerusalem in Tishri 1, 445 BC. God’s chosen people are steadily coming home to the Promised Land after an extended period of captivity in places like Babylon and Persia. We arrive at a citywide Bible study. People pack the square to hear Ezra read from the first five books of the Bible (Neh 8:1-8). He’s one of the greatest Bible teachers anyone has ever heard (Ez 7:6, 10). The dude reads Scripture for nearly six hours! The huge crowd breaks up into smaller groups to discuss what they’ve heard and what they should do about it. It’s not long before tears begin to flow. 

Nehemiah, Ezra, and the rest of the small group leaders go out of their way to tell the people that this is no time to cry. “And Nehemiah, who was governor, and Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who taught the people said to all the people, ‘This day is holy to the LORD your God; do not mourn or weep’” (v9). They tell the people today is a day to celebrate God. He’s circled this day on the calendar to party. Twice in those first five books, the LORD tells His people about an annual shindig one the first day of the seventh month called the Feast of Trumpets (Lev 23:23-25; Num 29:1-6). And wouldn’t you know it, that’s today! Not once, not twice, but three times Nehemiah and the other leaders that “this day is holy” and not to mourn, weep, and grieve (v9, 10, 11).

But no matter what they hear from the platform, the huge crowd cries. “For all the people wept as they heard the words of the Law” (v9). Instead of cheers, there are tears. That’s what the Law does. It crushes us. It destroys us. God’s Law sets His holy standard so high that we can never, ever meet it. We would have better odds lacing up our Air Jordans and trying to jump from Earth to the moon. Yeah, good luck with that. Just in case you need a reminder of just how you and I stack up against God’s Law, let’s take a quick look back at some of the lowlights of the Pentateuch. The Creator gives Adam and Eve access to the goodness of the entire garden but tells them to stay away from one tree for their own protection. Ever seen the meme “you had one job”? It started in Eden. Yeah, their disobedience was the epic fail of epic fails. Over in Exodus, God gives Moses His Top Ten. If you fool yourself into believing you’ve nailed those, you need to check Jesus’ little ditty called the Sermon on the Mount. Then there’s that feel good book called Leviticus where God goes into meticulous detail about His sacrificial worship system. Most of us can’t even read through Leviticus much less do what it says. And in case we’re not crushed by now, there’s Deuteronomy. God uses Moses to drop the hammer of His Law one more time to make sure we get it through our thick skulls that obedience is impossible. 

God’s Law causes us to cry because it’s impossible to obey. That’s exactly the point. Think of the law like a medical diagnostic tool. An MRI. A CT scan. An x-ray. If you want to know exactly what’s wrong, you put on one of those breezy medical gowns and get climb inside. Doctors use this amazing technology to figure out what’s going on inside you. God uses the law to reveal the cancer of sin in each one of us. But there’s one problem. As great as these diagnostic marvels are, they can’t heal. No matter how many times we climb into the MRI machine, it can never heal me. It only reveals what’s wrong. God’s Law reveals my sin. The prognosis is terminal. The bad news is bad. REALLY bad.

Nehemiah tells the people that while the prognosis is fatal, there is indeed a miracle cure available to each and everyone there. “Then he said, ‘Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength” (v10). The governor announces that this is no funeral but a party. Stop crying. Start eating. Stop mourning. Start drinking. And make every effort to take the party to those who didn’t have anything to bring. Get your eyes out of the mirror and stop obsessing over your sin. It’s time to get your eyes on the goodness of our gracious God and party! 

With the bad news still ringing in their ears, the people undoubtedly hear the Good News. While God’s Law is the diagnostic tool, God’s Gospel is the therapy. He does for us what we could never dream of doing for ourselves. God sets the impossible standard. He exposes our sin. But He doesn’t leave us there. He meets that impossible standard for us. That’s why the Apostle Paul wrote to his buddies in Rome about how God is both the “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom 3:26). The Son of God came on His amazing rescue mission to do everything we couldn’t. He lived the perfect life that we failed to live. He died the death for our sin that we should have died. He rose to glorious new life that we don’t deserve. In the middle of His incredible Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells the crowd that His mission isn’t to toss God’s standard in the trash but to be obedient to it on our behalf. “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them” (Mt 5:17). We experience the healing of the Gospel when we place our trust in what Jesus has done what we couldn’t do. 

The people of Jerusalem back in 445 BC didn’t know all the specifics about the resurrected Rabbi/Carpenter from Nazareth that we do. That’s why they call it “BC,” as in “Before Christ.” But the Old Testament is full of promises of One who is to come. That promise starts just after the Fall (Gen 3:15) and is a consistent theme throughout. Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Levites explain that Messiah is coming to heal. He’s coming to restore. He’s coming to save. He’s coming to dry their tears. 

The bad news is REALLY bad. But the Good News is SPECTACULARLY good!

Mad Skills

It’s always great to know about the author of the story. Understanding who’s behind the book or blog is important in wrapping your head around what you’re reading. Here at the beginning of Ezra 7, we meet the author. Ezra himself steps into the story. Most scholars believe he wrote both the book that bears his name but Nehemiah as well. Here in chapter seven we get a bit of his bio as well as God’s blessing on his life. We see that Ezra’s kind of a big deal. He’s got some serious skills when it comes to God’s Word. We’re talking mad skills. He’s got the backing of the Persian government. But as great as he is, his God is even greater. None of this happens with the LORD.

The author slaps a date on the beginning of chapter seven. “Now after this, in the reign of Artaxerxes king of Persia” (v1). A few verses later, he gets even more specific by letting us know that this is “in the seventh year of Artaxerxes the king” (v7). A closer look at Persian history tells that we’ve skipped ahead a few years in the story. And when I say “a few years,” I mean 59 years. Artaxerxes ran the join from 464-423 BC. We suddenly find ourselves in 458 BC. A lot has happened since then. Like an entire book of the Bible. You can drop the book of Esther smack dab in between Ezra 6 and 7. If you’re familiar with that particular book, you know that if some dude named Haman had  his way, there wouldn’t be a single Israelite left alive to return home. 

Previous Persian kings played key roles in the return of God’s people to the Promised Land. First Yahweh lit a fire under Cyrus to not only send the Jews back home but to bankroll the project (Ez 1). Next God used Darius to sign off on all the royal paperwork for the rebuilding of the temple and order that local tax money be used for financing (Ez 6:6-13). Almost 60 years later, Ezra asked Artaxerxes to back the next phase of the resettlement of God’s people into their homeland. We know that Ezra didn’t make this happen simply through his charming personality and good looks. He writes that “the hand of the LORD his God was on him” (v6). More on that in a moment. 

It’s important to point out that these Persians weren’t pussycats or pushovers. These men were ruthless dictators that ruled through power and war. They weren’t normally given to letting their slaves move back and home much less giving away millions of dollars to help them do it. That’s because God was behind it all. Remember, the Israelites were under the thumb of these kings for almost 70 years. They were almost 1,000 miles from home. And if the situation isn’t desperate enough, their capitol city of Jerusalem and specifically the temple of God is a pile of bricks. It was “game over, man.” That’s when the LORD shows up in a very big way. Suddenly, kings are making it rain and God’s people are headed home. Is your situation bleak? Is your life hopeless? I’ve got great news for you. That same God is still up to His same old tricks. 

In verse one, we meet our main man Ezra. Ezra’s kind of a big deal. Jimmy Buffett may be the son of a son of a sailor. That’s nothing compared to the Big E. You see, Ezra is the son a son of a high priest. We get a glimpse of his family tree in the following verses (v1-5). What we see is a who’s who of Jewish high priests. Check it out. Seraiah (2Ki 25:18). Azariah (1Ki 4:2). Hilkiah (2Ki 22:4-23:24; 2Chr 34:9-18). Zadok (1Ki 2:35). Ahitub (1Sam 14:3). Amariah (1Chr 6:7-11). Meraioth (1Chr 6:6-7). Zerahiah (1Chr 6:6). Uzzi (1Chr 6:5-6). Bukki (1Chr 6:5). Abishua (1Chr 6:4-6). Phinehas (Num 25:10-13).. Eleazar (Ex 28:1). These boys are some real heavy hitters, biblically speaking. Ezra can even trace his family line back to Moses’ kid brother Aaron, the very first priest of Israel (Ex 28:1). Yeah, Ezra’s kind of a big deal.

“This Ezra went up from Babylonia” (v6). In other words, this wasn’t just any Ezra. This was THE Ezra! He’s the current high priest of God’s people. Told you he was a big deal. But Ezra’s resume is even more impressive. “He was a scribe skilled in the Law of Moses” (v6). The word “skilled” (Heb. mahiyr) tells us a ton about the Big E. It means diligent, quick, prompt, and ready when it comes to Scripture. The Law of Moses describes the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Bible. Tradition holds that Ezra had these first five memorized. Think about that. Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. I don’t even know where my car keys are half the time, yet Ezra could recite the Pentateuch from memory. This was EXACTLY the kind of person who is desperately needed in Jerusalem as the people are rebuilding their nation.

Ezra leads quite a posse back to the Promised Land. Check out this roster. “some of the people of Israel, and some of the priests and Levites, the singers, the gatekeepers, and the temple servants” (v7). A couple of important notes. First of all, the temple is up and back in operation (Ez 6:14-16). There was a huge need for all of these people to lead the worship of God in His house. The other crucial idea is that this is the second wave of Jews to make the migration home. Zerubbabel led the initial resettlement team of almost 50,000 some 80 years ago (Ez 2). Don’t you know the folks in Jerusalem were glad to see reinforcements arrive!

For the second time in just a few short verses, we read how God has His kung fu grip on Ezra as a leader. “The hand of the LORD his God was on him” (v6). “For the good hand of his God was on him” (v9). God’s handprints are all over the book of Ezra. The Big E says there’s a reason behind his boldness. “I took courage, for the and of the LORD God was on me” (Ez 7:28). Ezra boldly tells the pagan King Artaxerxes, “The hand of our God is good on all who seek Him” (Ez 8:22). When this second team of Israelites eventually heads back home, Yahweh kept them safe and “the hand of our God was on us” (Ez 8:31). Man, talk about a great place to be! Forget Allstate, this is the hand I want to be in!! As the author, Ezra doesn’t want us to miss the point that God is the one who deserves the applause. He points the spotlight on the One who was really running the show. Ezra’s a big fat zero without the power and strength of God’s hand on Him and behind this project. And when God grabs onto you, He never lets go. Ezra might be really good, but his God is really great!

Earlier we see that Ezra has some serious skills when it comes to Scripture (v6). We get a little better idea of what that means. “For Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of the LORD, and to do it and to teach His statutes and rules in Israel” (v10). He not only knew the law but did the law. According to Jesus’ kid brother James, that’s exactly the sign of a powerful faith in God (James 1:22-25; 2:18). Ezra didn’t turn his head into a biblical hard drive. Once inside his brain, God’s Word went to work in and through Ezra’s life. He did something with what he believed. He led. He loved. He served. Don’t just cram your skull full of useless Bible trivia. Let God change you and renew your mind through His truth (Rom 12:2). And before you know it, you’ll have skills. Serious skills. Mad skills.

Our man Ezra simply a picture of the Christ who was to come. Ezra’s a pretty cool guy but he’s no Jesus. There’s only One of those. Jesus is the One who will lead us back home from our slavery to sin to the ultimate Promised Land. Jesus is the ultimate High Priest who actually offers Himself as the once-and-for-all sacrifice (Heb 4:14-5:10; 7:23-28; 8:1-13). And there’s no one who has ever walked the planet that has the crazy skills when it comes to the law like Jesus. He had jaw-dropping knowledge of the Bible at the age of 12 (Lk 2:46-47). He continually blew people away with His teaching of Scripture (Mt 7:29; Mk 1:22). But most of all, Jesus was completely obedient to the law and fulfilled every single thing said about Him (Mt 5:17-20). When it came to Scripture, the radical Rabbi/Carpenter had skills. Serious skills. Mad skills. They don’t call Him the Word for nothing.

Spiritual Smoke and Mirrors

“But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless” (Titus 3:9).

I can be such a sucker. I’m an easy mark for folks looking to fool others. Movies. Books. Magic. I’m a puppet when people pull out the smoke and mirrors. Before I realize what’s going on, they’ve sucked me in like a patsy. Here in his instructions to Titus, the Apostle Paul tells us not to be a sap when it comes to arguments that don’t really matter in the long run. “But avoid foolish controversies, genealogies, dissension, and quarrels about the law, for they are unprofitable and worthless” (v9). Don’t be a sucker. Don’t be a sap. Don’t get distracted with foolish disputes. 

Don’t fall for spiritual smoke and mirrors.

Paul has left our boy Titus on the island of Crete with three very specific things to do. First, put leaders in place in all the new churches (Titus 1:5). Second, pull the plug on a posse of false teachers who are distracting folks from following Jesus (Titus 1:10-11). Third, establish a self-replicating system of discipleship to encourage new believers to dive into the deep end of the pool in their relationship with Christ (Titus 2:1-10). And here as he lands the plane of his little letter, the apostle takes another bombing run at those spiritual hucksters. He gives us a little glimpse of what they have in their bag of tricks. 

Before we get to their specific tactics, we’re warned to stay away from these con artists and their schemes altogether. We must “avoid” them. This is the Greek verb peri’istemi. It describes how to stay clear of something, keep aloof from what’s going down, stand back, and even shun. These arguments are like hand grenades rolling around with the pin pulled out. They’re going to go off and somebody’s going to get hurt. Paul uses the very same word when he tells his buddy Timothy, “Avoid (Gr. peri’istemi) irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness” (2Tim 2:16). This bomb is gonna blow! Avoid it. Get back. Get WAY back! We need to walk away.

Paul tells us not to take the bait of the false teachers (Titus 1:10-11). These dudes are like those athletes that talk smack and play dirty. They try to get your head. They try to get you to lose your cool. They try to get you off your game. They never stop yapping. They’re always looking for a cheap shot when the ref is not looking. The false teachers use all sorts of dirty tricks to get followers of Jesus off their game. “Foolish controversies, genealogies, dissensions, and quarrels about the law” (v9). We’re not exactly sure what these specific controversies might be. We don’t really know which black sheep of the family are being put on display (I mean, have you seen some of the knuckleheads in Jesus’ family?!?). And spiritual snake oil salesmen are still up to their same old crap today. They’re still trying to get you and me off our game. They’re still trying to distract us from following Jesus. They’re still trying to fool us into not helping others. Don’t let them get in your head.

One of their tactics is to use “quarrels about the law” (v9). How many times have you heard folks tempting you into a discussion about following God’s rules? Which laws should we follow? The Ten Commandments? The Law of Moses (I mean, have you REALLY read Leviticus?)? The teaching of Jesus? The Sermon the Mount (am I REALLy supposed to saw off my own arm if it causes me to sin)? Here’s what we need to remember. Jesus kept the law so we don’t have to. He said Himself that He didn’t come to abolish the law but to keep it for us (Mt 5:17). Over and over again, Paul made it clear that when we love God and love others, we’re keeping ALL of the law (Rom 13:8, 10; Gal 5:14)! Be a lover, not a fighter. 

Don’t fall for their spiritual smoke and mirrors.

In the end, these arguments and debates are a total waste of time. They’re “unprofitable and worthless” (v9). This is exactly the opposite of being a blessing to others which Paul has just told us is “excellent and profitable” (Titus 3:8). These arguments are futile, useless, and ultimately harmful. If we’re spending all of our time tangled up with these knuckleheads, we’re not able to do the stuff that really benefits others in the name of Christ. Are we going to stand around and squabble or roll up our sleeves and get busy helping people? Are we just going to lock horns over meaningless garbage or shine the light of Jesus’ love to those around us? The apostle has already told us to stop trolling for a fight and play nice (Titus 3:2). Remember to keep the main thing the main thing. Don’t let the false teachers distract you off your game. Don’t be a sucker. 

Don’t fall for their spiritual smoke and mirrors.