PARABLE

THE PARABLE OF THE PEARL OF GREAT PRICE

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls:

Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it [Matt. 13:45–46].

The popular interpretation of this parable says that the sinner is the merchantman and the pearl of great price is Christ. The sinner sells all that he has that he might buy Christ. One hymn says:

I have found the pearl of greatest price.

My heart doth sing for joy.

And sing I must for Christ is mine;

Christ shall my song employ.

I cannot accept this interpretation, and I have dismissed it as unworthy of thoughtful consideration. To begin with, who is looking for goodly pearls? Are sinners looking for salvation? My Bible does not read that way, nor has that been my experience as a minister. Sinners are not looking for salvation. The merchantman cannot be the sinner because he has nothing with which to pay. To begin with, he is not seeking Christ, and if he were, how could he buy Him? The merchantman sells all that he has—how can a sinner sell all that he has when he is dead in trespasses and sins (see Eph. 2:1)? Further, the Scriptures are very clear that Christ and salvation are not for sale. Salvation is a gift—“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). God so loved that He gave. And in Romans 6:23 we are told that “the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The correct interpretation of this parable reveals Christ as the merchantman. He left His heavenly home and came to this earth to find a pearl of great price. He found lost sinners and died for them by shedding His precious blood. He sold all that He had to buy us and redeem us to God. Paul told this to the Corinthians: “For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Cor. 8:9). He redeems us to God—He bought us.

Now let’s look at the pearl for a moment. The pearl represents the church. A pearl is not a stone like the diamond. It is formed by a living organism. A grain of sand or other foreign matter intrudes itself into the shell of a small sea creature. It hurts and harms it. The response of the organism is to send out a secretion that coats over the foreign matter. That fluid builds up until a pearl is formed—not a ruby or a diamond, but a beautiful white pearl. A pearl is not like other gems. It cannot be cut to enhance its beauty. It is formed intact. The minute you cut it, you ruin it.

The pearl was never considered very valuable by the Israelites. Several verses of Scripture give us this impression. For example, in Job 28:18 pearls are classed with coral. Although the pearl was not considered valuable among the Hebrews, it was very valuable to the Gentiles. When Christ used the figure of “goodly pearls” (v. 45), I imagine that His disciples wondered why. Oriental people gave to the pearl a symbolic meaning of innocence and purity, fit only for kings and potentates.

With this information in our thinking, let’s look again at the parable.

Christ came to this earth as the merchantman. He saw man in sin, and He took man’s sin and bore it in His own body. Our sin was an intrusion upon Him—it was that foreign matter. And He was made sin for us. As someone has put it, I got into the heart of Christ by a spear wound. Christ “… was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities …” (Isa. 53:5).

Notice Christ’s response to the sinner. He puts around us His own righteousness. He covers us with His own white robe of righteousness. “… we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus …” (Eph. 2:10). Christ sees us, not as we are now but as we shall be someday, presented to Him as “… a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:27). Christ sold all that He had in order that He might gain the church. “Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2).

When we come to the last book of the Bible, the Book of the Revelation, we find a description of the New Jerusalem, the future home of the church. Notice the emblem on the outside of the city—the gates are made of pearls! That is no accident, friend; it is planned that way by Christ’s design. He is the merchantman “Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.¹

Never thought of this parable like this.

We have four short parables in these verses.

I. That of the treasure hid in the field. Hitherto he had compared the kingdom of heaven to small things, because its beginning was small; but, lest any should thence take occasion to think meanly of it, in this parable and the next he represents it as of great value in itself, and of great advantage to those who embrace it, and are willing to come up to its terms; it is here likened to a treasure hid in the field, which, if we will, we may make our own.

1. Jesus Christ is the true Treasure; in him there is an abundance of all that which is rich and useful, and will be a portion for us: all fulness (Col. 1:19; Jn. 1:16): treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col. 2:3), of righteousness, grace, and peace; these are laid up for us in Christ; and, if we have an interest in him, it is all our own.

2. The gospel is the field in which this treasure is hid: it is hid in the word of the gospel, both the Old-Testament and the New-Testament gospel. In gospel ordinances it is hid as the milk in the breast, the marrow in the bone, the manna in the dew, the water in the well (Isa. 12:3), the honey in the honey-comb. It is hid, not in a garden enclosed, or a spring shut up, but in a field, an open field; whoever will, let him come, and search the scriptures; let him dig in this field (Prov. 2:4); and whatever royal mines we find, they are all our own, if we take the right course.

3. It is a great thing to discover the treasure hid in this field, and the unspeakable value of it. The reason why so many slight the gospel, and will not be at the expense, and run the hazard, of entertaining it, is because they look only upon the surface of the field, and judge by that, and so see no excellency in the Christian institutes above those of the philosophers; nay, the richest mines are often in grounds that appear most barren; and therefore they will not so much as bid for the field, much less come up to the price. What is thy beloved more than another beloved? What is the Bible more than other good books? The gospel of Christ more than Plato’s philosophy, or Confucius’s morals: but those who have searched the scriptures, so as in them to find Christ and eternal life (Jn. 5:39), have discovered such a treasure in this field as makes it infinitely more valuable.

4. Those who discern this treasure in the field, and value it aright, will never be easy till they have made it their own upon any terms. He that has found this treasure, hides it, which denotes a holy jealousy, lest we come short (Heb. 4:1), looking diligently (Heb. 12:15), lest Satan come between us and it. He rejoices in it, though as yet the bargain be not made; he is glad there is such a bargain to be had, and that he is in a fair way to have an interest in Christ; that the matter is in treaty: their hearts may rejoice, who are yet but seeking the Lord, Ps. 105:3. He resolves to buy this field: they who embrace gospel offers, upon gospel terms, buy this field; they make it their own, for the sake of the unseen treasure in it. It is Christ in the gospel that we are to have an eye to; we need not go up to heaven, but Christ in the word is nigh us. And so intent he is upon it, that he sells all to buy this field: they who would have saving benefit by Christ, must be willing to part with all, that they may make it sure to themselves; must count every thing but loss, that they may win Christ, and be found in him.

II. That of the pearl of price (v. 45, 46), which is to the same purport with the former, of the treasure. The dream is thus doubled, for the thing is certain.

Note, 1. All the children of men are busy, seeking goodly pearls: one would be rich, another would be honourable, another would be learned; but the most are imposed upon, and take up with counterfeits for pearls.

2. Jesus Christ is a Pearl of great price, a Jewel of inestimable value, which will make those who have it rich, truly rich, rich toward God; in having him, we have enough to make us happy here and for ever.

3. A true Christian is a spiritual merchant, that seeks and finds this pearl of price; that does not take up with any thing short of an interest in Christ, and, as one that is resolved to be spiritually rich, trades high: He went and bought that pearl; did not only bid for it, but purchased it. What will it avail us to know Christ, if we do not know him as ours, made to us wisdom? 1 Co. 1:30.

4. Those who would have a saving interest in Christ, must be willing to part with all for him, leave all to follow him. Whatever stands in opposition to Christ, or in competition with him for our love and service, we must cheerfully quit it, though ever so dear to us. A man may buy gold too dear, but not this pearl of price.²

One morning years ago, when the first heavy dew of the season had fallen in Jacksonville, Oregon, my then three-year-old daughter, Mary Elizabeth, looked out the window and saw the wet grass. With excitement in her voice, she said, “Mommy, Mommy! God made the whole world wet!” Then her little forehead furrowed. Looking rather puzzled, she said, “But He forgot to dry it.”

I think, like Mary, we sometimes look around with a smile on our face and say, “Wow! Look what God made!”

I was reading about the screech owl, which unlike our spotted owl, resides in cities and towns on the East Coast. They’re very prolific, but little bugs and maggots can infect and devastate their entire population. To counteract the maggots and bugs, the screech owl ingeniously gathers little snakes called blind snakes and takes them to his nest. The blind snake just so happens to love maggots, larvae, and little bugs, so he lives inside the nest along with the screech owl. They dwell together symbiotically—mutually beneficial to each other.

Who taught the screech owl to go after that particular snake and drop it in the tree trunk in which he is building his nest? I know owls are wise, but they’re not that smart! Such understanding was programmed into the owl by an ingenious Master Maker, a Creator.

Consider also the Alaskan blackfish.

The Alaskan blackfish, which lives in ponds and streams that freeze over every winter, has the amazing ability to freeze right along with the pond or stream for up to forty-five minutes. Then he thaws out and continues with his life. These fish have been given the ability to go with the flow in a remarkable way!

Finally, consider the spider.

The spider spins a web made of a sticky substance that traps insects and bugs for his dinner. Why isn’t the spider caught in his own web? Ingeniously built into his little spider feet are tiny oil glands that secrete a minuscule amount of oil, allowing him to move over his own web without being caught.

I watch the spider, I see the owl, and I hear about the blackfish, and I marvel and say, “Oh, Lord, You are a master Creator!” But sometimes I look around, and like Mary Elizabeth, my brow begins to furrow as I say, “God, You made this world—but did You forget to dry it?”

“Why did Hurricane Hugo slam through the Caribbean, causing death and misery for countless thousands? Why are there volcanoes that erupt and wipe out entire villages in the Polynesian Islands? Why are thousands of babies born addicted to crack cocaine each year alone? If You are a God who is so ingenious and powerful, why do these things happen?”

People look around and see tragedy, war, rape, disease, difficulty, and say, “If there is a God who made this world, then how come He doesn’t dry it? Why doesn’t He take better care of it? Why are these things allowed to happen?” To find the answer, you need to go back to the beginning—back to the Book of Genesis. Here we read of a man who literally had the Spirit of God breathed into him, a man who was never polluted by sin, a man born without a sin nature. He was, in a sense, a champion for you and me. His name was Adam.

God gave Adam the authority, the opportunity, and the responsibility to oversee, tend, and rule this planet. But Satan came to Adam to tempt him, and Adam submitted to Satan when he ate of the forbidden fruit. The Bible says to whom you submit, of him you become the servant. When Adam submitted to Satan, he became the servant of Satan and handed to him the title deed, the authority, and the dominion of this planet. Thus, the ownership of the world changed hands—from God to man to Satan.

Why are there rape and hatred? Why is there starvation in Ethiopia? Why is there AIDS? It’s the enemy who has caused the problems, pollution, and plagues that descend upon us.

When Jesus stilled the storm in Luke’s Gospel, He said, “Be still,” or literally, “Be muzzled,” which is the same phrase He used whenever He encountered demonic activity. Therefore, I suggest to you the implication is clearly that many of these storms that bring about devastation and destruction are not “Acts of God,” as insurance companies refer to them, but acts of Satan. God gets a bad rap and gets blamed for what the Enemy does.

Will the title deed to earth remain in the devil’s grasp forever? Revelation 5 gives us the answer…

And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals. Revelation 5:1

Now, what is this book, or literally scroll? Jeremiah 32 identifies it as a title deed to a piece of property. The scroll sealed with seven seals is the title deed to planet earth.

Why is it written on the outside as well as the inside? In Old Testament times, if you lost your property due to hardship or bankruptcy, the deed would be scrolled and sealed with seven seals. On the outside would be written all of your financial obligations. You would have to meet them within seven years in order to regain your property. If those qualifications were met, the person who took possession of your property was required by law to return it to you. Such a transaction took place in the temple, where the qualifications on the outside of the scroll were read before the people. In heaven, the ultimate temple, there is a scroll sealed seven times. It is the title deed to the earth, which was given to Adam, who in turn, passed it on to Satan.

And I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, Who is worthy to open the book, and to loose the seals thereof? Revelation 5:2

In other words, “Who can meet the requirements? Who is worthy to take back the title deed of earth from Satan?”

Notice it doesn’t say, “Who is willing?” Many men have been willing to try to take control of the world—Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Napoleon, Hitler. They were all willing to take control, believing they could bring the world into a new level of glory or grandeur. The angel is not asking, “Who is willing?” The angel asks, “Who is worthy?”

And no man in heaven, nor in earth, neither under the earth, was able to open the book, neither to look thereon. And I wept much, because no man was found worthy to open the book, neither to look thereon. Revelation 5:3, 4

John wept at the thought of the world indefinitely in the hand and control and dominion of the Enemy so much so that the Greek word translated “wept” means “sobbing in agony.”

You mean poverty will continue, hunger will abound, disease will persist, and hate will be perpetuated? There will be wars, anxiety, tension, trauma, death, disease, and destruction—forever? John wept because no one was found worthy to wrest the scroll from the hand of the Enemy. As you read the papers, the editorials, and the news magazines today, no doubt your heart breaks as well. This can’t go on. Hurt, pain, sorrow, and evil can’t go on forever.

And one of the elders saith unto me, Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, hath prevailed to open the book, and to loose the seven seals thereof. And he came and took the book out of the right hand of him that sat upon the throne. Revelation 5:5–7

Jesus comes forward, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, saying, “I will redeem the scroll,” and the rest of Chapter 5 is a glorious outpouring of praise, adoration, and thanksgiving that someone was able to take the title deed of the planet. Worthy is the Lamb. He alone is worthy.

How did He do it? Look back at Matthew 13, where Jesus gives a one-verse parable that explains the redemptive process.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field; the which when a man hath found, he hideth, and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field. Matthew 13:44

In Jesus’ day, if a man had wealth, he would bury it in a field to keep it safe from thieves. The man in this parable stumbled across one such treasure chest and realized, “Wow! Someone has left his treasure here.” With joy, he bought the field in order to get the treasure. He gave everything he had because he knew within the field lay a treasure of great value.

• What is the field?

In a previous parable, Jesus identified the field as the world.

• Who is the Man?

Jesus Christ.

Think with me for a moment.

• The first Adam sold us out.

Jesus Christ, the last Adam, bought us back.

• The first Adam ate of a forbidden tree and handed humanity to the enemy.

The last Adam hung on a tree to redeem humanity from the enemy.

• Through the first Adam, the ground was cursed.

For our sake, the last Adam became a curse.

• Sin, through the first Adam, produced thorns.

God, through the last Adam, buried those thorns in His own brow.

Why? So He could, with His own pure blood, appear before the Father in the temple of heaven and declare, “I am worthy to take the scroll.”

You see, the price for the redemption of the world was not a million dollars, not ten billion dollars, not a zillion dollars. It was death.

Why did Jesus want the world? He certainly doesn’t need this planet, which in many places has been polluted beyond repair. He didn’t want another planet just to camp out on. There are a million planets He has created and a billion more He could speak into existence.

• What did He want?

He bought the planet for the treasure.

• What was the treasure?

You.

Jesus came, gave everything He had, and was slaughtered like a lamb in order that He might pay the price for the title deed to this earth. Because He wanted this planet? No. Because He wanted you. You are His treasure. You are the treasure He purchased with His own blood.

When the Enemy whispers in your ear that you’re not worth anything, please understand this: Jesus, walking through this world, saw you and was so excited about you and so in love with you that He sold everything to buy this whole world in order to take you—the treasure—out of it.

Maybe you’re saying, “That might be true theologically, but I couldn’t be much of a treasure to Him. I’m always messing up, missing the mark, and blowing it. I’m just an irritation to Him.”

Look at the next verse.

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. Matthew 13:45, 46

• Who is the One who sold all He had to purchase the pearl?

Jesus.

• Who is the pearl?

You are.

A pearl begins as nothing more than an irritating speck of sand in the shell of an oyster. The oyster coats this troublesome speck with layer upon layer of a crystalline substance called nacre, which hardens and becomes the actual pearl. Interestingly, the more irritating the grain of sand, the more beautiful the pearl.

You are the pearl of great price. When you asked the Lord to come into your life, you became robed with His righteousness and surrounded by His goodness. Although you might feel as though you’re terribly irritating, you are actually a trophy of His glory. You are a gem of His grace. And all of the cosmos looks at you and says,

“Wow! Glory be to the Lamb. Worthy is the Lamb. Hallelujah to the Lamb, who took that little speck of sand and made it a pearl of great price!”

God loves you, gang. Paul said He demonstrated His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).

When did Jesus die for us?

Not when we were going to church; not when we were reading the Word; not when we were praying. He looked at us when we were nothing more than an irritation and said, “I love you, and I’ll give all I have to redeem you, My treasure.”

There’s one thing that will ruin a pearl. It’s perspiration.

So, too, one thing will ruin your beauty in the Lord. Perspiring, sweating, or trying to prove you are worthy of His blessing. Trying to prove “it’s my spirituality, my energy, my togetherness that makes me so wonderful.” No, the pearl is destroyed, eaten away, decayed by sweat.

What you need is not to sweat it out, but just let it out. Release praise, thanksgiving, appreciation, and adoration, saying, “Thank You, Lord, for seeing me as a pearl. I’m not going to try to earn it, nor add to it. I don’t even understand it. But I am forever grateful.”

Be a pearl for His glory.

In Jesus’ Name.³

13:33–35. Kingdom of heaven is the spiritual form of the kingdom in the church. Leaven is a lump of old dough in a state of fermentation, which makes the bread dough rise. It is virtually always used as a symbol of evil (cf. Matt. 16:6–12; Mark 8:15; Gal. 5:9). Three measures of meal, a common baking quantity (cf. Gen. 18:6), equivalent to one-and-a-half gallons (Gr. saton; Heb. seah). The leaven is not just false profession of unsaved church members but false doctrine that they will attempt to bring into the church.

13:45, 46. The merchant man is Christ, who comes to purchase, through His atonement, sinners who shall become goodly pearls. The one pearl of great price is the church for whom Christ gave His life, that is, all that he had. If the pearl is Christ or the kingdom, for whom a man must give all in order to obtain, then no one has ever yet given all that he has for Christ. While we receive Him as *Savior, we also progressively continue surrendering areas of ourselves to Him as we come to know better His will for our lives.⁴

1 McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Gospels (Matthew 1-13) (electronic ed., Vol. 34, pp. 194–196). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

2 Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (pp. 1681–1682). Peabody: Hendrickson.

The pearl of great price (vv. 45–46). A well-known Gospel song perpetuates the interpretation that this pearl is Jesus Christ and His salvation. But the same objections apply to this interpretation as applied to the previous parable. The sinner does not find Christ; Christ finds the sinner. No sinner is able to pay for salvation, even though he sells all that he has.

The pearl represents the church. The Bible makes a distinction between Jews, Gentiles, and the church (1 Cor. 10:32). Today, the church, the body of Christ, is composed of believing Jews and Gentiles (Eph. 2:11ff). Unlike most other gems, the pearl is a unity—it cannot be carved like a diamond or emerald. The church is a unity (Eph. 4:4–6), even though the professing church on earth is divided. Like a pearl, the church is the product of suffering. Christ died for the church (Eph. 5:25) and His suffering on the cross made possible her birth.

A pearl grows gradually, and the church grows gradually as the Spirit convicts and converts sinners. No one can see the making of the pearl, for it is hidden in the shell of the oyster under the waters. No one can see the growth of His church in the world. The church is among the nations today (waters in the Bible represent nations, Dan. 7:1–3; Rev. 13:1; 17:15) and one day will be revealed in its beauty.

So, in spite of Satan’s subtle working in this world, Christ is forming His church. He sold all that He had to purchase His church, and nothing Satan can do will cause Him to fail. There is but one church, a pearl of great price, though there are many local churches. Not everyone who is a member of a local church belongs to the one church, the body of Christ. It is only through repentance and faith in Christ that we become a part of His church. Of course, all true believers ought to identify with a local assembly where they can worship and serve.

3 Courson, J. (2003). Jon Courson’s Application Commentary (pp. 103–108). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.

4 King James Version study Bible . (1997). (electronic ed., Mt 13:33–45). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

pARAB;ES

—Matthew 13:33

This parable is linked to the preceding one, and there is a movement in each from small to great. Again, the emphasis is on an insignificant beginning but a magnificent end. A woman may take three measures of meal for one of the larger bakings which would supply bread for family and guests, but using only a small lump of leaven. As it is mixed into this large amount of meal, it will work its way through the whole until all has been leavened. The kingdom of God permeates the world, having its effect on all, influencing for the good even those who reject it. The rejecters’ lot in life is improved, if in no other way than by needing to compete with something better! As the “salt of the earth” is interpreted by its enriching benefits, although not seen in and of itself when enriching the food, so leaven is not seen in itself in the loaf but works invisibly, making the bread rise. Yet, the results are visible, for we can see the bread rising!

Yeast is usually regarded as having negative overtones in Judaism. All leaven was to be removed from a home before the Passover lest it alter the special unleavened bread to be eaten at the Passover meal. However, this parable is not a study on the symbolism of leaven, but is a singular illustration that the kingdom will penetrate and influence the world as effectively as yeast penetrates and transforms the flour into which it is placed. As in the preceding parables that show that since Jesus has come the field no longer stands empty, so it is shown here that since Jesus has come the dough is rising! God is at work as the primary Actor on the stage of history, permeating society with the influence of His grace.

This parable emphasizes the transforming power of the gospel of the kingdom; it changes persons, social orders, economic relations, and primary loyalties. From the illustration of the way in which leaven moves from particle to particle, Plummer says, “That kingdom in which the will of God is acknowledged until it becomes supreme is to spread from soul to soul until all are brought within His sovereignty.”

¹

Once again, Jesus uses the illustration of sowing seeds in a field to teach something about his kingdom. But whereas the parable of the sower might suggest that much sowing is fruitless, the parable of the mustard seed shows how powerful and successful good sowing can be—its effect can be out of all proportion to its appearance. The mustard seed may be the smallest of all seeds, and the yeast may be almost indiscernible in the baking mixture, but the effects produced in both cases are far-reaching and thorough.²

The mustard tree is an unlikely symbol of the church or of individual Christians. Ordinarily, fruit–bearing trees are used to depict believers. Mustard is a condiment and has no food value. It’s not wheat germ, loaded with vitamins; it’s just good on hot dogs and hamburgers. Mustard is not a food you can live on.

The mustard seed does not grow into a mighty oak like the little acorn does. It is a shrub which thrives best in desert lands.

The mustard seed “is the least of all seeds.” Several years ago a liberal preacher in our area made the discovery that the mustard seed is not the least of all seeds. He thought he had found an error in the Bible. What did our Lord mean by “the least of all seeds”? It was the least of all seeds that the people in His audience knew about. It is my understanding that it is least of all the seeds in the category of plants to which the mustard belongs. It is a very small seed.

“But when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.” This little seed, which should have become an herb, got to the fertilizer and became a tree large enough for birds to roost in.

This parable reveals the outward growth of Christendom as the parable of the leaven speaks of the internal condition of Christendom. The church has not converted the world, but it has had a tremendous influence on the world. Any place that Christianity has gone can be called Christendom.

This parable reveals the outward growth of the organized church. The church and the world have become horribly mixed. There has been real integration between man in the church and man in the world. They live and act very much alike in our day. The Christian should be salt in the world, not mustard!

“The birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.” Years ago I heard another liberal preacher interpret the birds as being different denominations. He spoke of the Baptist birds, the Presbyterian birds, the Methodist birds, and all other church groups as being birds. That, of course, is a contradiction of our Lord’s own interpretation of the birds in the first parable. We can be sure that the birds in the parables of this discourse do not speak of anything good, but rather they represent evil. The birds are the ones that took the seed which fell by the wayside. Our Lord said that they represent the enemy who is Satan. I am afraid that Christendom today is a mustard tree filled with a lot of dirty birds!³

13:31, 32 The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed: The parable of the wheat and tares (vv. 24–30) reveals that the kingdom of heaven will be preceded by an age in which good and evil coexist. The parable of the mustard seed affirms that during that time period, the number of people who will inherit the kingdom will be very small at first. But though it begins like the smallest of seeds, the nucleus will enjoy growth completely out of proportion to its initial size. The birds of the air do not represent evil as they do in the parable of the soils (vv. 4, 19). In the OT a tree large enough to support nesting birds was considered prosperous and healthy (Ps. 104:12; Ezek. 17:23; 31:6; Dan. 4:12, 21). The kingdom, though having only a small number of people at the beginning of the age, will ultimately be large and prosperous.

13:33 The kingdom of heaven is like leaven: This second parable on growth is even shorter than the former and builds upon it. This very brief parable has occasioned a great deal of discussion. Does the leaven illustrate sin or is it parallel with the parable of the mustard seed to portray large results from small beginnings? It is generally believed that leaven in the Bible portrays evil. Its use in this verse has also often been taken to represent evil which will gradually interpenetrate Christendom (the kingdom of heaven). But it is doubtful that leaven refers to evil in this parable, especially since this parable is also given in Luke 13:20, where it describes the “kingdom of God,” which can hardly be conceived as penetrated by evil. In the domestic context of Palestine, we should recall that leaven was properly used all but one week in the year. The parables were given to be understood by the common people, not the leaders who were concerned about deciphering theological symbols. If it is a picture of the dynamic character of yeast that once it starts it is impossible to stop, this could be a picture of the numerical growth of the kingdom. As the parable in vv. 31 and 32 dealt with the extent of the kingdom’s growth, this one concerns the power and process of its growth. Its lesson is related to the former in portraying how that great growth will take place. Rather than powered by outward armies or organizations, this kingdom will grow by an internal dynamic, later revealed as the Holy Spirit. As such it will not be hindered by opposition, but will rather thrive on it, as kneading enables leaven to penetrate and produce growth in dough. Consider this. It took from Pentecost to 1900 for Christians to number 2.5 percent of the world’s population. From 1900 to 1970 it doubled to 5 percent. In the next twenty-two years it doubled again to 10 percent. There is a demographic explosion of Christendom taking place today, especially in Third World countries.⁴

1 Augsburger, M. S., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1982). Matthew (Vol. 24, p. 18). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.

2 Campbell, I. D. (2008). Opening up Matthew (p. 82). Leominster: Day One Publications.

3 McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Gospels (Matthew 1-13) (electronic ed., Vol. 34, pp. 187–188). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

4 Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (Mt 13:25–33). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.

calvin

In the bible I got a friend who is using one verse to disprove the truth that is God is the one who picks the ones who come to himself. John 3 16 said he died for the world but the world does not mean everyone. He thinks this one verse is the pne but the truth is the bible teaches that u do not pick Jesus but Jesus picks you.

And you were dead in the trespasses and sins ² in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— ³ among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. ⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—¹

You were dead in your trespasses It mean you are going away from God and not even looking for him b ut in his Love he sends the Gospel to you. (note that means you or me who know Jesus. Some think that this means we do not need to share Jesus and I think we got to do it more. They do not gwet to know unless we obey.) look for the truth. They walk in the world. God made us alive in the Gospel. This means the Lord did the saving. He gave you the very faith to choose Jesus. He made the payment he made you have the faith and he not only made gave the faith but made the choice for you.

THINK OF THIS what does Jesus get when you are saved. He is the one that Loved you and has suffered and died to save you. He has all more than you in this transaction. He is the one you offended and rules you broke yet your the one Jesus loved enough to die for you and bled on a cross. He got whipped because he rather feel the pain than see his kids die in hell.

1 The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2001). (Eph 2:1–5). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

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Ver. 24. The kingdom of heaven is likened, or made like, ὡμοιώθη.—A delineation of the trials to which the kingdom of heaven was exposed from its first introduction into the world, and unavoidable connection with it. Hence the sower, who is the chief figure in the parable, cannot prevent the enemy from sowing tares among the wheat. The same expression is also used, ch. 18:23. The representation of the kingdom of heaven by “a certain man” recurs again in ver. 45, and in 20:1. It is an entire mistake to interpret the passage as implying that the kingdom of heaven was “at the time not yet founded.”

Ver. 25. While men slept;—i.e., at night, when evil-disposed persons would try to injure the property of their neighbors. Hence, the application of this clause to the negligence of Christian teachers, who were appointed to watch and guard the field (Chrysostom, Augustine), is incorrect. Still less does it refer to the sleep of sin (Calovius). Nor is it, on the other hand, merely a rhetorical figure (Meyer). It alludes to the weakness of men, through which the enemy succeeds in mixing up errors with saving truth, without this being perceived. Or perhaps it may denote, that professors of religion too frequently seek exclusively their personal comfort, without seriously reflecting upon, or being zealous for, the truth of the doctrines propounded.

Ver. 25. Tares [lit.: darnel].—The weed growing among wheat, ζιζάνιον, lolium temulentum, darnel. The only species of grass which in Eastern countries springs up wild among oats or wheat (Virg.: “infelix lolium,” Georg. i. 154). At the first it looks like wheat, but its fruit is black, not yellow, and its effects are intoxicating and otherwise detrimental. If allowed to grow till the harvest, it is extremely difficult to separate it from the wheat; and, accordingly, it happens not unfrequently that it becomes mixed up with the flour. The Talmudists regarded it as a degenerate wheat. See the Art. in the Encycls. [St. Jerome, who resided long in Palestine, speaks in loc. of the striking similitude between triticum and zizania, wheat, and bastard wheat. Dr. Hackett (Illustrations of Scripture, p. 130) collected some specimens of this deceitful weed, and found, on showing them to friends, that they invariably mistook them for some species of grain, such as wheat or barley. Hence the rabbinical name, bastard (i.e., bastard wheat).—P. S.]

[The sowing of tares among wheat is a kind of injury frequently practised to this day in the East, from malice and revenge. Roberts (Biblical Illustrations, p. 541, as quoted by Trench) relates of India “See that lurking villain watching for the time when his neighbor shall plough his field; he carefully marks the period when the work has been finished, and goes in the night following, and casts in what the natives call pandinellu, i.e., pig-paddy; this, being of rapid growth, springs up before the good seed, and scatters itself before the other can be reaped, so that the poor owner of the field will be for years before he can get rid of the troublesome weed.” Trench (Notes on the Parables, p. 83, 9th Lond. ed.) relates a similar trick of malice from Ireland, where he knew an outgoing tenant, who, in spite of his ejection, sowed wild oats in the fields of the proprietor, which ripened and seeded themselves before the crops, so that it became next to impossible to get rid of them. Dr. Alford, too, in loc., 4th ed., mentions that a field be longing to him in Leicestershire, England, was maliciously sown with charlock, and that heavy damages were obtained by the tenant against the offender.—P. S.]

And went his way.—The devil or his emissaries sow the seed and go their way; those who afterward hold the errors which they have sown, entertertaining them rather in consequence of their natural darkness and folly than of set hostile purpose. [Trench: “The mischief done, the enemy ‘went his way,’ and thus the work did not evidently and at once appear to be his. How often in the Church the beginnings of evil have been scarcely discernible; how often has that which bore the worst fruit in the end, appeared at first like a higher form of good!”—P. S.]

Ver. 26. Then appeared the tares also;—i.e., it became then possible to distinguish them. The most fascinating error is seen in its true character whenever its poisonous fruit appears.

Ver. 29. Lest ye root up also the wheat.—Gerlach: “Our Lord allows both to grow together, not because His servants might be apt to mistake the tares for the wheat,—which would scarcely be the case if they knew anything of the matter, and which, at all events, would not apply to the reapers (ver. 30),—but because, however different the plants in themselves, their roots are so closely intertwined in the earth.” This remark is very important; but some other elements must also be taken into account, such as the excitement and haste of these servants—they are not angels, as the reapers spoken of in ver. 30; and, lastly, that the difference between wheat and tares is not so distinct as at the time of the harvest.—The same commentator refers this verse exclusively to excesses of ecclesiastical discipline, for the purpose of excluding all unbelievers and hypocrites, and constituting a perfectly pure Church. He denies all allusion to the punishment of death for heresy, since the Lord spoke of the Church, and not of the secular power. But the Church here alluded to is the Church in the world, and tainted more or less with secularism.¹

The Parable of the Wheat and the Tares

²⁴ Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field;
²⁵ but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. ²⁶ But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. ²⁷ So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ ²⁸ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ ²⁹ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. ³⁰ Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.”’”

—Matthew 13:24–30

There is a change in the introduction of the second and following parables from the first. Jesus now introduces the parable by saying, “The kingdom of heaven is like…” The preceding parable stressed the sower’s expectation of fruit, but this parable implies the question, “What of the plant that doesn’t bear fruit?” Continuing the imagery of the preceding parable of the sower casting seed in the field, Jesus introduces some strange new features.

First, Jesus introduces an answer to the problem of evil by saying “his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat.” This was not an unheard-of illustration, for one of the acts of vengeance in tensions between farmers was the threat, “I’ll sow weeds in your field.” In fact, there were laws drawn up to prohibit this act. Second, Jesus rejected the idea of pulling up the tares (or darnel), saying that they were to be left alone until the harvest, i.e., the judgment. The wheat represents the disciples of Christ, the darnel represents the enemies of Christ in the world.

The judgment scene (v. 30) is of a harvest where servant labor, often of women, was engaged to sort out the tares. The darnel looked like wheat until it reached the stage where the heads showed the obvious difference. The gathering out of the tares first, then the wheat, does not sound like a “rapture” of the righteous. However, remember that we don’t allegorize from every aspect of a parable but seek its main point. The powers of evil will do all they can to destroy the kingdom, but such will be fully exposed and dealt with at the final judgment.

A message from this parable on the kingdom could emphasize several things: (1) no insulation, vv. 25–26; (2) no isolation, vv. 27–29, and (3) no indefiniteness, v. 30. The primary meaning has to do with the presence of the kingdom amidst ambiguity.

Many interpreters have used this passage to support an open membership in the church, noting that Jesus left His circle open to include Judas as a tare. But this interpretation deserves more careful analysis which follows in the section where Jesus interprets His own parable (vv. 36–43). At this point we note the words of verse 29, “No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them.” If the choice is between unresolved tension and a dishonest solution we should choose the tension²

The true church is made up of true believers, irrespective of any denomination. True believers are those who have trusted Christ as Savior, are resting in Him, and love His Word—this is the real test³

24–27. This parable serves as a warning to the laborers in the field (which is the world, vs. 38). Unlike the Jewish form of the kingdom in the Old Testament where citizens could be easily recognized, during the Church Age converts will be made from all over the world and received upon their profession of faith. Thus, it will be easier to slip in some counterfeits who profess what they do not possess. The kingdom of heaven must refer to the church, which is the subject of these parables. The enemy is Satan and the tares (Gr zizanion, denoting “darnel,” lolium temulentum) are false converts. The darnel was a weed that resembled wheat but did not come to fruition. The good seed … sprung up, and brought forth fruit again, emphasizing that true converts produce fruitful lives. By contrast, false (professing) converts produce no lasting fruit. It should be noted that a “fruit” is something which God must produce in us by His power (cf. Gal 5:22ff.), whereas, a “work” is something which man can do by his own effort. Singing, preaching, ushering, teaching, witnessing are all works; by contrast, loving people, having a deep-seated inner joy, being at peace with people, etc., are fruits of the Holy Spirit, as is righteousness and holiness. False converts may produce outstanding works but no real fruits.

28–30. The servants questioned what could be done with these tares. To uproot them would be to damage the entire crop: root up … the wheat with them. The implication seems to be that too much scathing of people’s genuineness of faith may damage the saved before it exposes the lost. Let both grow together indicates that there will always be some false professors among true Christian believers until the time of harvest or judgment. Note that the tares are gathered, bound, and burned first, whereas the wheat is gathered into my barn (heaven). The same progression of judgment, then blessing, follows in Revelation 19–22.

The Parable of the Tares is interpreted later by Jesus in verses 36–43. It should be observed that only the main details are symbolic in a parable, the minor incidents (e.g., the servants) merely give substance to the story. The field is the world, not the church. The sower of the good seed is the Son of man, or Christ Himself who will also be the final Judge who evaluates the fruit. The gospel is to be sown where lost people are and where converts need to be made in the world. As Lord of the harvest, Christ directs this sowing process, i.e., the missionary mandate of the church. The children of the kingdom are the saved believers of the church, who are Christ’s true followers. The harvest is the end of the world and the reapers are angels who play a decisive role in the final judgment. The fire represents hell, or the lake of fire, the destination of all unbelievers and false professors who deny Christ. By contrast, the righteous shall enjoy the eternal kingdom of their Father.⁴

The tares—false Christians (vv. 24–30, 36–43). Satan cannot uproot the plants (true Christians), so he plants counterfeit Christians in their midst. In this parable, the good seed is not the Word of God. It represents people converted through trusting the Word. The field is not human hearts; the field is the world. Christ is sowing true believers in various places that they might bear fruit (John 12:23–26). But, wherever Christ sows a true Christian, Satan comes and sows a counterfeit.

We must beware of Satan’s counterfeits. He has counterfeit Christians (2 Cor. 11:26) who believe a counterfeit Gospel (Gal. 1:6–9). He encourages a counterfeit righteousness (Rom. 10:1–3), and even has a counterfeit church (Rev. 2:9). At the end of the age, he will produce a counterfeit Christ (2 Thes. 2:1–12).

We must also stay awake to make sure that Satan’s ministers do not get into the true fellowship and do damage (2 Peter 2; 1 John 4:1–6). It is when God’s people go to sleep that Satan works. Our task is not to pull up the false, but to plant the true. (This does not refer to discipline within the local church.) We are not detectives but evangelists! We must oppose Satan and expose his lies. But we must also sow the Word of God and bear fruit in the place where He has planted us.

What will happen to the tares? God will gather them together and burn them. It is interesting to see that some of this “bundling” is already going on as various religious groups merge and strive for union. Spiritual unity among true Christians is one thing, but religious uniformity among mere professing Christians is quite another. It is difficult to tell the false from the true today; but at the end of the age, the angels will separate them.⁵

1 Lange, J. P., & Schaff, P. (2008). A commentary on the Holy Scriptures: Matthew (pp. 244–245). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

2 Augsburger, M. S., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1982). Matthew (Vol. 24, p. 18). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.

3 McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Gospels (Matthew 1-13) (electronic ed., Vol. 34, p. 187). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

4 Hindson, E. E., & Kroll, W. M. (Eds.). (1994). KJV Bible Commentary (p. 1918). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

5 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, pp. 45–46). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

WEar the stuff and beat on the devil

Belt of Truth

A girdle was a belt. Its most immediate and practical use for a soldier was to gird (hold tight) his tunic so he might be free in his movement; it also provided a place to hang his sword. The imagery here is that truth holds together all other virtues and makes them effectual.

Breastplate of Righteousness

Paul talks about the belt of truth and the breastplate of righteousness in the same breath and the same verse. If he is following Isaiah 59:17, as he seems to be doing, the warrior “puts on righteousness as a breastplate.” Yet Paul gives it a more specific meaning. As the purpose of a breastplate is to guard the most vital parts of the body, so the Christian protects himself by righteousness. When persons are clothed with righteousness, they are impregnable. In what sense?

1. Passions are redeemed and redirected. Do not forget that righteousness, as Paul sees it, is first of all a gift. God, through the Cross, imputes righteousness; that is, He looks at us as though we were without sin. The imputed righteousness of God is appropriated by our faithful and obedient response to Him. Thus we are regenerated—made over into new creations by Christ dwelling within us by the power of the Holy Spirit. Our passions, then, are redirected. The drives and instincts of our lives move under the sway of the indwelling Christ.

2. Death loses its sting. The most devastating aspect of death is our fear of it, especially our fear of what lies beyond death in the mysterious abyss of eternity. When we accept the grace of God, extravagantly given us in the Cross of Jesus Christ, death is defeated. We know that He who gave himself in Christ holds our future and beyond death we have nothing to fear.

Sandals of the Gospel of Peace

The caligal, military boots, was one of the most important parts of the Roman soldier’s equipment. They were designed for marches over every kind of tough terrain. It has been said that the attention given to soldiers’ boots was the secret of Roman conquest. So, Paul uses this image in verse 15: “having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace.”

Even though we may not grasp the precise meaning of this metaphor, two possibilities can add to our strength in the Lord.

1. In the gospel the believer is prepared for all difficulties. The gospel gives us the stability of sure footing. We can march over the rough terrain of life, over the mountain passes of excruciating pain, through deserts of fear and terror, without falling out.

2. We must be ready to carry the gospel any- and everywhere. The prophetic message of Isaiah 52:7 must have been in Paul’s mind. “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings, who publishes peace, who brings good tidings of good, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns’” (Is. 52:7, rsv). Missionary spirit, evangelical zeal, preparedness, and readiness to carry the gospel everywhere—that is at least one meaning of wearing the sandals of the gospel.

Some of the keenest observers of the current scene are intimating that the times are coining when what is happening now in Latin America and many other countries, may happen in the United States—persons being imprisoned, persecuted, even killed for the faith. To be ready for that our feet must be shod with preparation of the gospel of peace. Is there any meaning in the striking paradox that the soldier should be equipped for battle with a declaration of peace? At least this: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts” (Zech. 4:6, kjv). The only “power” the Christian can trust is the power of the Spirit, and the manifestation of the Spirit is love.

Shield of Faith

One of the most dangerous weapons of ancient warfare was the fiery dart. The heads of the darts or arrows would be wrapped with flax or hemp fiber, soaked in pitch, then set afire before they were thrown. A wooden shield could be set afire by them. For that reason, the shields were covered with a layer of hide and were large enough to protect the whole body. Even though the dart may pierce the shield, the fire would be quenched.

What a picture! Faith is a shield, guarding the believer against all attacks of invisible and visible enemies. Be careful, though. Paul never uses the word “faith” glibly as we moderns do. We use it to refer to what we believe, and of the act of believing. “I have faith,” or “I believe” rolls off our tongue easily because we express ourselves in such vague ways. We may be noting our belief in a person: “I have faith in her,” or indicating our rational assent to certain dogma or beliefs. For Paul, trustful obedience was always involved in faith (see commentary on Gal. 2:16). Justified by faith, we live by faith, in trustful obedience to Jesus Christ. This faith, Paul says, will “quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.”

The highway of life is strewn with the wreckage of Christians who never discovered how to combat “the wicked one.” They depend on their own moral strength. Sanctioned and supported by ethical wisdom, high ideals and precepts, committed to social and personal justice and righteousness, they face evil in naked encounter. And some victories are won: temptations are escaped, sin is labeled ugly and overcome, social crime is exposed and condemned. Even the strength that comes from the fear of the consequences of our sin often becomes a source of power in resisting evil.

But none of them are ultimately adequate. Moral strength or the driving inspiration of a high ideal, at times wears down, and we wear out. We need more. We need the resources of Christ who stands with us and fights with and for us against every onslaught of sin.

We need to recover viscerally the meaning of justification by faith, for this is good news not merely at the point of our acceptance, but in the resource for daily living it affords. Jesus addressed a parable to those who “trusted in themselves” (Luke 18:9–14). This is a message for us who have fallen into the snare of “moralistic Christianity”—a works-righteous stance that believes, consciously or unconsciously, that with our own resources of moral goodness, ethical responsibility, and high Christian ideals we can withstand “the fiery darts of the wicked one.” Faith, our trustful obedience, our utter commitment and dependence upon Christ for daily, as well as ultimate salvation, is our only shield.

Helmet of Salvation

Paul returns to his reminiscence of Isaiah who pictures God with “a helmet of salvation upon His head” (59:17). The helmet does not protect, but symbolizes God’s power and readiness to save others. Paul sees this helmet of salvation, worn by the Christian soldier, as the guarantee of divine protection and ultimate deliverance. The future consummation of the Christian’s life is secure because salvation has been given by God. If we “fake” (receive) that helmet we are safe—not only in the sense of being delivered from conflict and suffering, or removed from the arena where fiery darts are flung in all directions, but safe from the destructive powers of evil forces.

Salvation, then, is not only forgiveness of past sins, it is strength to overcome, even conquer, present and future sins.

Wearing this helmet, we have confidence—confidence that nothing, absolutely nothing, can separate us from the love of God. So if God be for us, it does not matter who is against us (see Rom. 8:31–39).

Sword of the Spirit—The Word of God

Goodspeed sees this phrase as a parallelism for all that has preceded it. There is a sense in which that is true. Truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, are all of the Spirit who speaks the Word of God. But the more complete meaning is to see this phrase in the way we have seen the other words of Paul—not as technical theology but as descriptive analogy. And, as with the other items of Christian armor, this one should not be allegorized too rigidly.

The sword of the Spirit is the Word of God, and that word “is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword” (Heb. 4:12). In the New Testament “the word of God” is never a general reference to “the Holy Scriptures.” It means the word which God gives us to speak. We must be rooted in Scripture, for the Scripture is the primary source of God’s Word. But the challenge of Paul’s suggestion is that the Christian may be open to and can always depend on receiving the needed word from God. It may be a word of comfort for one’s emotional turmoil, a word of hope for one’s quivering soul, a word of courage for trembling knees, a word of challenge to one’s apathy, a word of condemnation for one’s sin, a word of prophetic judgment for one’s uninvolvement and insensitivity. It may also be the word which the Christian is to speak—witness to be made, judgment to be shouted, prophecy to be uttered, teaching to be shared.

Our sword, then, is the Bible, but it is more. It is the word of the Bible made alive by the Spirit for our edification and for witness, admonition, and exhortation with others. It is also the inbreaking of God by His Spirit, speaking to our spirits, and through our spirits to others.

That brings us to the next area essential for those who would be strong in the¹

THE SOLDIER’S PROTECTION

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand [Eph. 6:13].

We have identified the enemy. Now Paul begins to identify the arsenal which is available for defense. Nowhere is the believer urged to attack and advance. The key to this entire section is the phrase to stand.

The Bible speaks of believers as pilgrims. As pilgrims we are to walk through the world. The Bible speaks of us as witnesses, and we are to go to the ends of the earth. As athletes we are to run. We are to run with our eyes fixed upon the Lord Jesus Christ: “… and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith …” (Heb. 12:1–2). However, when the Bible speaks of us as fighters, it says we are to stand. Very frankly, I would rather do a great deal of old–fashioned standing than fighting.

Many years ago Billy Sunday, the evangelist, attracted a great deal of attention by saying that up on the speaker’s platform he was fighting the devil. I think that there was a great element of truth in that, because it was a spiritual battle. The battle is carried on wherever the Word of God is preached and the gospel is given out. That’s the battle line today. That is where the enemy is working. The enemy is not working down on skid row or partying it up on Saturday night.

Years ago when I was active in Youth for Christ as a young preacher, I was out every Saturday night. We used to say at that time that Saturday night was the devil’s night and we were making it the Lord’s night. Well, now that I have had many more years to observe the situation, I think the devil was at home in bed. I think he was resting up so he could come to church the next morning. Why should he want to fight his own crowd? They belong to him. I’m not sure he’s proud of them. In fact, I think he’s ashamed of a lot of these alcoholics and these down–and–outers and these up–and–outers. He could take no pride in them. He would rather be out fighting where the spiritual battle is.

Personally, I never felt that I should carry on that battle. That is, I never felt I should make the attack. The command is to stand. It is the devil who will make the attack. Our command is, “Having done all, to stand.”

I have never been enthusiastic about a group of defeated Christians singing, “Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war.” I think it is more scriptural for the believer to sing, “Stand up, stand up for Jesus, ye soldiers of the cross.” Just to be able to stand in an evil day is a victory for the believer.

This is an hour when my heart is sad as I look at a great many churches. I love the local church and the local pastors. There are a great number of wonderful pastors fighting the battle. They are the men who are really on the battlefront today. I go to so many Bible conferences as a speaker because I want to help them. I have been a pastor long enough to know how wonderful it felt and how I always appreciated it when others came to me and stood shoulder to shoulder with me. My heart is sick when I see the attendance way down and the interest gone in churches that at one time were great churches. The members were blind to the fact that a battle was being fought there, a spiritual battle.

Do you pray for your pastor on Saturday night? Don’t criticize him, but rather pray for him. He needs your prayers. The devil gives him enough opposition. You don’t need to join the crowd that crucifies the man who is preaching the Word of God. You ought to uphold his hands as Aaron and Hur upheld the hands of Moses on behalf of Israel. My heart goes out to pastors who are in need of congregations who will stand with them.

Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace [Eph. 6:14–15].

“Stand therefore.” This is the fourth time he gives this exhortation to the believer. This is the only place that I find Paul laying it on the line and speaking like a sergeant. Earlier he said, “I beseech you,” but now he gives the command to stand. Not only are we to be in a standing position, but we are also to have on certain armor to protect ourselves. We are not to be outwitted by the wiles of the devil; we are to be ready for his attacks.

“Having your loins girt about with truth.” In the ancient garment of that day, the girdle about the loins held in place every other part of the uniform of the soldier. It was essential. To tell you the truth, if the girdle was lost, you lost everything. The garments would fly open and the pants would fall down. We see this routine in comedies, and the people laugh to see a man trying to run or fight with his trousers drooping down. It looks funny in a comedy routine, but it is not funny in a battle. A great battle in the past, we are told, was won by a clever general who told his men to cut the belts of their enemy while they were sleeping. The next morning the enemy troops were so busy holding up their trousers that they weren’t able to shoot their guns and, therefore, they lost the battle. We are told to be girded with truth in the face of the enemy. Truth is that which holds everything together. What is that truth? It is the Word of God.

We need people to give out the Word of God and to give it out just as it is written. Today we have many people giving testimonies. We have football players, baseball players, movie stars, television stars, all giving testimonies. Many of them do not know any more Bible than does a goat grazing grass on a hillside. We need people whose loins are girt about with truth. They need to know the Word of God. (I could give you the names of a dozen peronalities who have gone off on all sorts of tangents, into cults and “isms.”) I admit that some testimonies are thrilling to hear, but they are coming from folk who are standing there about to lose all their spiritual garments! They are not girded about with truth, which is the Word of God.

Every piece of this armor really speaks of Christ. We are in Christ in the heavenlies, and we should put on Christ down here in our earthly walk. Paul has already told us to put on Christ. He is the One who is the truth, and we should put Him on in our lives.

Any testimony that does not glorify Jesus Christ should not be given. There are too many testimonies that glorify the individual, such as, “I was a great athlete,” or “I was a great performer, and now I am turning over my wonderful talent to Jesus.” The implication is: Believe me, He is lucky to have me in His crowd! Friend, you are lucky if you have Him. He didn’t get very much when He got you, and He didn’t get very much when He got me. This is a day when the little fellow really doesn’t have very much to say. We get the impression that we need to be someone great in the eyes of the world. No, what we need is to have our loins girt about with truth so that we can give a testimony that glorifies Christ. Christ is the truth. Truth alone can meet error.

“Having on the breastplate of righteousness.” Christ is the righteousness of the believer. I do think, however, that it includes the practical righteousness of the believer. Let’s be clear that the filthy rags of self–righteousness are useless as a breastplate, but I do think that underneath there should be a heart and a conscience that is right with God. Only the righteousness of Christ can enable the believer to stand before men and before God, but the heart that is to be protected should be a heart that is not condemning the believer. It is an awful condition to have sin in the life while we are trying to carry on the battle. We can never win it that way.

“Your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace.” Shoes are necessary for standing. They speak of the foundation. We need a good, solid foundation, and preparation is foundational. I remember in hand–to–hand combat we were taught to make sure our feet were anchored. Are your feet anchored on the Rock? Christ is your foundation in this world. No other foundation can any man lay but the one that is laid, Jesus Christ (see 1 Cor. 3:11). We are to put on Christ. Oh, how we need Him today as we face a gainsaying world and also spiritual wickedness in the darkness of this world!

Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints [Eph. 6:16–18].

The armor of the believer is a spiritual armor because we fight against a spiritual enemy. We are to stand in that armor, and that armor is Christ, the living Christ. Satan himself, in the Book of Job, describes how God protects His own. He said, “Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? …” (Job 1:10). God has provided protection for us today in the armor He supplies.

“Above all, taking the shield of faith.” The shield covered all of the armor. The shield referred to is a large shield the size of a door. It was the shield of the heavy infantry. A soldier stood behind it and was fully protected. Christ is both the door to salvation and the door that protects the believer from the enemy without. This is the picture in John, chapter 10. Christ is both salvation and security.

“Faith” enables us to enter the door: “I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture” (John 10:9). That is salvation. What about security? Faith places us securely in His hands: “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand” (John 10:27–28). Faith enables us to lay hold of the Lord Jesus Christ. Faith also enables us to stand behind that shield which will quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

“The fiery darts of the wicked.” He is shooting them fast and furiously. I remember that when I was in college, I had a brilliant philosophy professor who had studied in Germany. I respected his intellect, although I didn’t realize at that time he was intellectually dishonest. I looked up to him but, very frankly, he was taking my feet out from under me. I would try to answer him in class when I probably should have kept my mouth shut. But we became friends, and we used to walk together across the campus after class and discuss the questions I had raised. I came to the place where I went to the Lord in prayer and said, “Lord, if I can’t believe Your Word, I don’t want to go into the ministry.” Then the Lord in a very miraculous way sent me to hear a man who was the most brilliant man, I think, whom I have ever heard. He gave me the answer to my questions. Then I began to learn that when a fiery dart comes my way and I don’t have the answer, I am to put up the shield of faith. And this is what I have been doing ever since. I have found that the shield of faith has batted down the fiery darts of the wicked one.

I remember that I was upset about questions concerning the Genesis record of creation. I was ready to get out of the ministry because I couldn’t accept certain things. The problem was not with my pygmy intellect, although I thought it was at the time; I just didn’t know enough. So I put up the shield of faith.

Someone was walking with me in Israel as we were observing some excavations. He asked me, “Suppose they dig up something down there that looks like it disproves the Bible. What position would you take?” I answered, “I would put up the shield of faith, and that would bat down the fiery darts of the wicked one. I have learned that when a fiery dart is batted down, I will get the correct answer later on.” I remember a time when the authorship of John was being questioned—was the Gospel of John written by John? Today it is pretty well established that John was the writer, but at one time I had questions about it.

The fiery darts of the wicked one come fast and furiously, and they are going to continue to come. The only thing that will bat them down is this shield of faith. It is like a big door. The hoplites, the heavily armed soldiers in the Greek infantry, could move with those tremendous shields, put them out in front of them, and stand protected shoulder to shoulder, while the enemy shot everything they had at them. When the enemy was out of ammunition, they would move in, certain of victory. That is the way to stand against the fiery darts of the evil one.

“And take the helmet of salvation.” The helmet protects the head, and God does appeal to the mind of man. I recognize that He appeals to the heart, but God also appeals to the intellect. Throughout the Scriptures God uses reason with man. “Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool” (Isa. 1:18). “And as he reasoned of righteousness, temperance, and judgment to come, Felix trembled, and answered, Go thy way for this time; when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee” (Acts 24:25). Paul reasoned with Felix; he appealed to the mind of the man as well as to his heart. “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom. 10:17).

A theology professor who was a liberal said many years ago when I was a student, “Faith is a leap in the dark.” That is not true. God does not ask you to take a leap into the dark. In fact, God says if it is a leap in the dark, don’t take it. God wants you to leap into the light. God has a solid foundation for you, and how wonderful it is!

Christ is the salvation of the sinner. He is the One to receive the glory in it all. That plume on the top of the helmet is Christ. He has been made unto us salvation. “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins” (Matt. 1:21). Even before His birth in Bethlehem He was marked out as the Savior.

Paul mentions this helmet in connection with salvation again in another epistle. “But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation” (1 Thess. 5:8).

All the parts of the armor mentioned so far have been for defense. Have you noticed that? Everything is for the front of the individual. There is no protection for his back; nothing is provided for retreat. Believe me, a retreating Christian is certainly open season for the enemy; the enemy can get through to him.

Now we have two weapons for offense. The first one is the Word of God, called the sword of the Spirit. “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two–edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart” (Heb. 4:12). Christ is the living Word of God. He used the Word of God to meet Satan in the hour of His temptation. Out of His mouth goeth a sharp two–edged sword in the battle of Armageddon (see Rev. 1:16; 19:21). He gains the victory with that sword. What is it? It is the Word of God. We need that sharp sword going out of our mouths today. The Word of God is a powerful weapon of offense. You and I are to use it.

Our second weapon of offense is prayer—“praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.” Praying in the Holy Spirit is not turning in a grocery list to God. It means that you and I recognize our enemy and that we lay hold of God for spiritual resources. We lay hold of God for that which is spiritual that we might be filled with all the fullness of God. Paul here distinguishes between prayer and supplication. Prayer is general; supplication is specific. All effective prayer must be in the Spirit.

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Since we are fighting against enemies in the spirit world, we need special equipment both for offense and defense. God has provided the “whole armor” for us, and we dare not omit any part. Satan looks for that unguarded area where he can get a beachhead (Eph. 4:27). Paul commanded his readers to put on the armor, take the weapons, and withstand Satan, all of which we do by faith. Knowing that Christ has already conquered Satan, and that the spiritual armor and weapons are available, by faith we accept what God gives us and go out to meet the foe. The day is evil, and the enemy is evil, but “if God be for us, who can be against us?” (Rom. 8:31)

The girdle of truth (v. 14a). Satan is a liar (John 8:44), but the believer whose life is controlled by truth will defeat him. The girdle holds the other parts of the armor together, and truth is the integrating force in the life of the victorious Christian. A man of integrity, with a clear conscience, can face the enemy without fear. The girdle also held the sword. Unless we practice the truth, we cannot use the Word of truth. Once a lie gets into the life of a believer, everything begins to fall apart. For over a year, King David lied about his sin with Bathsheba, and nothing went right. Psalms 32 and 51 tell of the price he paid.

The breastplate of righteousness (v. 14b.) This piece of armor, made of metal plates or chains, covered the body from the neck to the waist, both front and back. It symbolizes the believer’s righteousness in Christ (2 Cor. 5:21) as well as his righteous life in Christ (Eph. 4:24). Satan is the accuser, but he cannot accuse the believer who is living a godly life in the power of the Spirit. The life we live either fortifies us against Satan’s attacks or makes it easier for him to defeat us (2 Cor. 6:1–10). When Satan accuses the Christian, it is the righteousness of Christ that assures the believer of his salvation. But our positional righteousness in Christ, without practical righteousness in the daily life, only gives Satan opportunity to attack us.

The shoes of the Gospel (v. 15). The Roman soldier wore sandals with hobnails in the soles to give him better footing for the battle. If we are going to “stand” and “withstand,” then we need the shoes of the Gospel. Because we have the peace with God (Rom. 5:1) that comes from the Gospel, we need not fear the attack of Satan or men. We must be at peace with God and with each other if we are to defeat the devil (James 4:1–7). But the shoes have another meaning. We must be prepared each day to share the Gospel of peace with a lost world. The most victorious Christian is a witnessing Christian. If we wear the shoes of the Gospel, then we have the “beautiful feet” mentioned in Isaiah 52:7 and Romans 10:15. Satan has declared war, but you and I are ambassadors of peace (2 Cor. 5:18–21); and, as such, we take the Gospel of peace wherever we go.

The shield of faith (v. 16). The shield was large, usually about four feet by two feet, made of wood, and covered with tough leather. As the soldier held it before him, it protected him from spears, arrows, and “fiery darts.” The edges of these shields were so constructed that an entire line of soldiers could interlock shields and march into the enemy like a solid wall. This suggests that we Christians are not in the battle alone. The “faith” mentioned here is not saving faith, but rather living faith, a trust in the promises and the power of God. Faith is a defensive weapon which protects us from Satan’s fiery darts. In Paul’s day, arrows, dipped in some inflammable substance and ignited, were shot at the enemy. Satan shoots “fiery darts” at our hearts and minds: lies, blasphemous thoughts, hateful thoughts about others, doubts, and burning desires for sin. If we do not by faith quench these darts, they will light a fire within and we will disobey God. We never know when Satan will shoot a dart at us, so we must always walk by faith and use the shield of faith.

The helmet of salvation (v. 17). Satan wants to attack the mind, the way he defeated Eve (Gen. 3; 2 Cor. 11:1–3). The helmet refers to the mind controlled by God. It is too bad that many Christians have the idea that the intellect is not important, when in reality it plays a vital role in Christian growth, service, and victory. When God controls the mind, Satan cannot lead the believer astray. The Christian who studies his Bible and learns the meaning of Bible doctrines is not going to be led astray too easily. We need to be “taught by Him as the truth is in Jesus” (Eph. 4:21). We are to “grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18). Wherever Paul ministered, he taught the new converts the truths of the Word of God, and this helmet protected them from Satan’s lies.

One Sunday afternoon, I visited a man who had been a deacon in a local church, but was at that time involved in a false cult. We sat at the table with open Bibles, and I tried to show him the truth of God’s Word, but it seemed his mind was blinded by lies. “How did you happen to turn away from a Bible-preaching church and get involved in this belief?” I asked, and his reply stunned me.

“Preacher, I blame the church. I didn’t know anything about the Bible, and they didn’t teach me much more. I wanted to study the Bible, but nobody told me how. Then they made me a deacon, and I wasn’t ready for it. It was too much for me. I heard this man preaching the Bible over the radio and it sounded as if he knew something. I started reading his magazine and studying his books, and now I’m convinced he’s right.”

What a tragedy that when his local church took him in, they failed to fit him with the helmet of salvation. Had they practiced the truth found in 2 Timothy 2:2, this man might not have been a casualty in the battle.

The sword of the Spirit (v. 17b). This sword is the offensive weapon God provides us. The Roman soldier wore on his girdle a short sword which was used for close-in fighting. Hebrews 4:12 compares the Word of God to a sword, because it is sharp and is able to pierce the inner man just as a material sword pierces the body. You and I were “cut to the heart” (Acts 2:37; 5:33) when the Word convicted us of our sins. Peter tried to use a sword to defend Jesus in the Garden (Luke 22:47–51); but he learned at Pentecost that the “sword of the Spirit” does a much better job. Moses also tried to conquer with a physical sword (Ex. 2:11–15), only to discover that God’s Word alone was more than enough to defeat Egypt.

A material sword pierces the body, but the Word of God pierces the heart. The more you use a physical sword, the duller it becomes; but using God’s Word only makes it sharper in our lives. A physical sword requires the hand of a soldier, but the sword of the Spirit has its own power, for it is “living and powerful” (Heb. 4:12). The Spirit wrote the Word, and the Spirit wields the Word as we take it by faith and use it. A physical sword wounds to hurt and kill, while the sword of the Spirit wounds to heal and give life. But when we use the sword against Satan, we are out to deal him a blow that will cripple him and keep him from hindering God’s work.

When He was tempted by Satan in the wilderness, Christ used the sword of the Spirit and defeated the enemy. Three times Jesus said, “It is written” (Luke 4:1–13). Note that Satan can also quote the Word: “For it is written” (Luke 4:10), but he does not quote it completely. Satan tries to use the Word of God to confuse us, so it is important that we know every word that God has given us. “You can prove anything by the Bible,” someone said. True—if you take verses out of context, leave out words, and apply verses to Christians today that do not really apply. The better you know the Word of God, the easier it will be for you to detect Satan’s lies and reject his offers.

In one sense, the “whole armor of God” is a picture of Jesus Christ. Christ is the Truth (John 14:6), and He is our righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21) and our peace (Eph. 2:14). His faithfulness makes possible our faith (Gal. 2:20); He is our salvation (Luke 2:30); and He is the Word of God (John 1:1, 14). This means that when we trusted Christ, we received the armor. Paul told the Romans what to do with the armor (Rom. 13:11–14): wake up (Rom. 13:11), cast off sin, and “put on the armor of light” (Rom. 13:12). We do this by putting “on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Rom. 13:14). By faith, put on the armor and trust God for the victory. Once and for all, we have put on the armor at the moment of salvation. But there must be a daily appropriation. When King David put off his armor and returned to his palace, he was in greater danger than when he was on the battlefield (2 Sam. 11). We are never out of reach of Satan’s devices, so we must never be without the whole armor of God.³

1 Dunnam, M. D., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1982). Galatians / Ephesians / Philippians / Colossians / Philemon (Vol. 31, pp. 237–241). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.

2 McGee, J. V. (1991). Thru the Bible commentary: The Epistles (Ephesians) (electronic ed., Vol. 47, pp. 179–186). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.

3 Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 2, pp. 58–59). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.