Skip to main content

The Jesus You Can't Ignore

I have just read through a book by John MacArthur entitled The Jesus You Can't Ignore. MacArthur's focus is to look at the way Jesus primarily dealt with the professional scribes, religious people, and "self-righteous religious peddlers of plastic piety" (1). As he gets into the book, MacArthur notes that we often softened Jesus' message by only looking at those upon whom he had compassion, while dismissing those whom he confronted with the truth. Part of the benefit of MacArthur's book is that he situates the message of Jesus within the context of Jewish thinking during the time of Jesus. In looking at John 3 and the conversation with Nicodemus, MacArthur notest that "to a typical Pharisee, what Jesus was saying to Nicodemus would likely have come across as highly offensive....Let's face it: the idea that the entire human race is fallen and condemned is simply too harsh for most people's tastes. They would rather believe that most are fundamentally good" (62-63). The offense that Nicodemus, a leader into the community needed to be born of the Spirit was not a message that appealed to the Pharisees.
Part of the unique action of the Pharisees that MacArthur points out is their utter silence and withdrawal from the narrative after Jesus' specific statement in Mark 2:17. Jesus didn't come into this world for those who are healthy, but for those who are sick, not for the call of the righteous, but of sinners. The gospel narratives tell nothing of the Pharisees response. \
Lastly, if we take one or two points of application from this book it is this: Jesus confronted the religious leaders of his day with truth, truth that he was God's Son and truth that empty rituals and power do not elicit a deep faith. Secondly, the true of Jesus gives us reason to be bold to seek God's forgiving grace against hypocrisy and sinful patterns in our our own heart as well those around us, for we are not without fault.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Saving Casper

Saving Casper: A Christian and an Atheist Talk about Why We Need to Change the Conversion Conversation by Jim Henderson and Matt Casper http://www.amazon.com/Saving-Casper-Christian-Conversion-Conversation/dp/1414364881 Many readers will quickly know the authors of this book from their previous release Jim and Casper Go to Church.  Jim and Matt’s new book entitled Saving Casper focuses on the way we talk about conversion in the church and the devastating ways we have pushed away atheists and other non-believers by our posture.  Both Jim and Matt traversed the national landscape, meeting in churches and asking hard questions about faith, conversion, and life. The basic premise of the book and travel is laid out here in their words, “Part of what Casper and I are trying to achieve when we speak to a group of Christians is to help people move a little bit on their “judgment meter.”  This capacity, while intellectually and often theologically uncomfortable,...
Post a Comment
Read more

Essential Christian Doctrine

  Essential Christian Doctrine , General Editor John MacArthur Pastor John MacArthur has for years been teaching the Word of God in both pulpit ministry, books, and conferences with an aim to displaying God’s revelation to his listeners in a winsome and foundational manner.  This new book, Essential Christian Doctrine takes an entire life of teaching and preaching and encapsulates the main contours of the Christian faith for its readers.  John in a systematic way highlights the most necessary teachings from Scripture including God’s Word, the Trinity, while also including sections on Man and the Future. One of the most helpful ways the authors bring to light biblical truth and theology is the way in which they group together particular themes.  In the section on the Holy Spirit, instead of a complex discussion of personhood, word pictures of the Holy Spirit are introduced in a discernible and profitable manner.  The metaphors for the Holy Spirit include fir...
Post a Comment
Read more

Wisdom for All

Interpreting the Wisdom Books: An Exegetical Handbook by Edward Custis Among the many wonderful books on the OT wisdom literature, this fine new book helps the reader interpret, exegete, and apply God’s Word to his people in succinct and helpful way.  The book is laid out nicely with bolded words that emphasize necessary themes in the study of the wisdom books and short chapters that get to the point of the biblical books.  This series of exegetical handbooks is a great treasure for students and pastors because it synthesizes much of the academic work on a biblical book into digestable portions helpful  for preaching and teaching. The opening chapter on the wisdom books brings out a helpful grid for understanding wisdom literature.  Custis writes, “Biblical wisdom, in contrast to Israel’s neighbors, reflects “Yahwistic theology” through its regular use of terms like “fear of the Lord,” its affirmation of God’s providence, and its recognition th...
Post a Comment
Read more