“But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, ‘I believed, therefore I spoke, ’ we also believe, therefore also we speak” 2 Corinthians 4:13

The apostle Paul, while enumerating the afflictions, perplexities, and persecutions that come from preaching the gospel, along with the constant risk of death for the name of Jesus, cites  a passage from the book of Psalms.

“For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he should instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:16

As we’ve mentioned in a previous bulletin (4-26-09), the first three chapters of Paul’s earliest letter to the Corinthian church deals with the schisms in the body created by competing ideologies or affections based upon human wisdom versus the wisdom of God as revealed in the gospel of Jesus Christ, His predetermined plan set forth from before the foundation of the earth. We need to be aware that the city of Corinth and many of its inhabitants valued and were enamored with the great orators and philosophers of their day.

“Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord. ‘But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.’ ” Rom. 12:19-20

The apostle Paul, as he worked on the issue of how to respond to evil (Rom. 12:17-21), particularly that which may have been perpetrated upon a believer, laid out a practical guide from scriptural principles and concepts of how to effectively “overcome evil with good.” (Rom. 12:21)

“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become foolish that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness before God. For it is written, ‘He is the one who catches the wise in their craftiness’; and again, ‘The Lord knows the reasonings of the wise, that they are useless.’ ” 1 Corinthians 3:18-20 (NAS)

The apostle Paul, in working to alleviate the schisms among the brethren in the church at Corinth, is continuing to work on the early theme in the letter to the Corinthians, the issue of worldly wisdom versus God’s plan and wisdom in Christ Jesus. 

“As it is written, ‘He who gathered much did not have too much, and he who gathered little had no lack.’ ” 2 Corinthians 8:15

The apostle Paul, while writing to the Corinthian church concerning their participation in the support of the saints, quotes from the book of Exodus referencing the gathering of the manna for the daily needs of the nation of Israel during their desert wanderings. 

“But Jesus turning to them said, ‘Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For behold, the days are coming when they will say, “Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.” ‘Then they will begin to say to the mountains, “Fall on us,” and to the hills, “Cover us.’ ” Luke 23:28-30

One cannot but marvel at the discipline exhibited by our Lord Jesus Christ. After being scourged, beaten with a staff, spit at and mocked, Jesus, as He was being led away to be crucified and while being lamented by the women at the injustice of His predicament, had the clarity of mind to quote from the Old Testament prophet Hosea warning those women of the impending conditions to come.

“For, ‘All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls off, but the word of the Lord abides forever.’ And this is the word which was preached to you.” 1 Peter 1:24-25 (NAS)

The apostle Peter opens his inspired epistle to the scattered aliens (all Christians) by moving them through themes of propitiation (vss 2-4), protection (vs 5), persecution (vss 6-9), prophecy (vss 10-12), preparation (vs13-15), purification (vss 16-22) and closes with the proclamation contrasting the perishable with the imperishable, the temporal with the permanent (vss 23-25). 

“And one of the scribes came and heard them arguing, and recognizing that He had answered them well, asked Him, ‘What commandment is the foremost of all?’ Jesus answered, ‘The foremost is, “Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord” ’ ” Mark 12:28-29 (NAS)

Be honest now brethren, when someone has asked you in the past what is the greatest (foremost) commandment of the Bible, have you answered the way Jesus did, or have you answered the way most of us have by citing the verse that follows the one in our text above? 

“and he (Satan) said to Him, ‘All these things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me.’ 10 Then Jesus said to him, ‘Begone, (or, “Away with you!” NKJV) Satan! For it is written, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.” ’ ” Matthew 4:9-10

In the gospels, we have two parallel accounts of Satan’s three shots at tempting Jesus while he was in the wilderness: Matthew’s and Luke’s. 

“Now if He were on earth, He would not be a priest at all, since there are those who offer the gifts according to the Law; who serve a copy and shadow of the heavenly things, just as Moses was warned by God when he was about to erect the tabernacle; for, ‘See,’ He says, ‘that you make all things according to the pattern which was shown you on the mountain.’ ” Hebrews 8:5

The move from the physical view to the spiritual perspective is the core issue the inspired penman of the Hebrew letter is working to communicate as the divinely directed mouthpiece of the Lord.