FREEDOM!
Remember that there are two aspects of biblical redemption:
- Redemption of a person sold into bondage (Lev 25.47-49)
- Redemption of property sold to another landlord (Lev 25.23-26)
In the eschatological parallels to these laws, we realize that we needed a Redeemer, because in Adam we had “sold out,” as Christine Bender put it. We had sold ourselves into bondage to sin, and “sold out” our dominion over the earth to Satan. We needed a Redeemer who was both a kinsman (i.e., born of a woman, born under law, Gal 4.4), and someone who could afford the redemption price of a perfect life sacrificed in death -- and yet live. Jesus Christ, uniquely brought these qualities together in one person as the sinless God-Man.
It’s because Jesus Christ has successfully paid the redemption price on Golgotha, that we can be set free and expect to win our spiritual warfare. Because of Christ’s redemption we can expect demons to obey us when we cast them out of our friends or command them to stop blinding our loved ones (Col 2.15; 2Co 4.4), and we can expect to see cities transformed as we apply ourselves to reclaiming the land for God’s kingdom (Mat. 6.9). Hallelujah!
These wonderful truths generated two brilliant questions as we concluded our class session:
- Stephanie Dupea asked, “How then could Jesus and his disciples cast out demons before the crucifixion?”
- Bill Siems asked, “Could Adam have redeemed Eve before he also ate the fruit?”
posted by Roderick of TMin @ 10:06 AM
12 comments
12 Comments:
I have some thoughts about Ruth. Whenever I have read or heard the story of Ruth, I have thought that whem Naomi sent her to the threshing floor that it was a very vulnerable act or position to take, to communicate to Boaz that she was offering herself. Not that Naomi was somehow working out some plan, which sounds to me like a manipulation. Or did I misunderstand something from last night?
Yes, Ruth was acting in both vulnerability and altruism. Naomi was looking out for her whole family's interests, but she was not manipulative (I don't think anyone suggested that, did they?). By sending Ruth to the threshing floor, Naomi was righteously calling her kinsman to his legal responsibility.
Do we know specifically what the relationship,Naomi to Boaz, was? Yes I understand that Naomi was looking out for her family's interest, but yes the impression I was left with was that Naomi was acting in such a way as to be "making something" happen, not that she was following the traditions and customs of calling her kinsman to his responsibility.
Jesus had all power and authority. As referenced in Matt 10:1, Mark 3:14-15, and Luke 9:1, He gave power and authority to the 12, to to drive out demons, cure diseases and heal the sick.
My remark about Naomi sending Ruth to the threshing floor to lay at Boaz' feet was completely conjecture on my part and I should have been clear about that. Please forgive me for saying something like that as an invited "teacher" and let me assure you that I did not find that in any research.
The story of Tamar and Judah in Genesis influenced my thinking on that.
About the casting out of demons by Jesus and His disciples before His death and resurrection, there is evidence in the scripture that others even cast out demons without even being a disciple. Matthew 7.21-23 cites people having driven out demons and performing many miracles in His name without Jesus' having "known" them.
In Matthew 12.27, Jesus asks the Pharisees "by whom do your people drive them out?"
In the sending of the 12 and the sending of the 72 in Mark 6 and Luke 10, it's clear Jesus gave them authority to cast out demons. That satisfies my question as to how they did it--in His command and authority to do so.
I'm more puzzled than ever how others did it without that. No answers here--just more questions.
The comparison and contrast between Naomi and Tamar is very insightful. In both cases, the women were pursuing their legal right of a levirate marriage. The contrast is that while Tamar acted deceptively, Ruth (under Naomi's instruction) asked Boaz straightforwardly to take her under his wing. Tamar really stretched the rules, but still Judah confessed, "She is more righteous than I."(Genesis 38:26)
On the question, “How then could Jesus and his disciples cast out demons before the crucifixion?” Christine is on the right track regarding the disciples when she says, "Jesus gave them authority." The deeper question is, how did Jesus Himself have the authority before paying the redemption price on the cross? This latter question may be akin to another: How did anyone get saved before the redemption price was paid?
Bill Siems writes: My question was generated during a story I wrote about the FALL. Because he was made in God's image (and the male?), his heart was a lot like God's. So, I presupposed that redemption would be in his blood. In the story, he chooses not to (redeem Eve), because she would be left alone with the serpent (the angel Lucifer) and he didn't envision the resurrection. I wonder if he had chosen to die for her, if that would have been the end of Lucifer's chances to deceive. Hmmmmmm.
Stephanie Dupea writes: OK, my best guess as to how Jesus and the apostles could cast out demons before the crucifixion has to do with Jesus being the Lamb that *was slain before the foundation of the world.* In a sense his death was a done deal from the beginning, because that was what He came to do, and God knew He would follow through. However this brings up some problems viz. the temptation of Jesus. For Him to have been tempted in every way as we are, it must have been possible for him to sin, i.e. to refuse to go to the cross. This puts us in a logical conundrum similar to the predestination/foreknowledge dilemma. If God knew Jesus would not sin, and would go to the cross, then how could He have truly experienced the depths of temptation?
Rick Dupea asks: How about this: man gave up his domain in the fall, But God never gave up his domain -- even if we broke one side of the covenant, he was faithful in his part and still had authority over demons?
Stephanie Dupea writes: OK, my best guess as to how Jesus and the apostles could cast out demons before the crucifixion has to do with Jesus being the Lamb that *was slain before the foundation of the world.* In a sense his death was a done deal from the beginning, because that was what He came to do, and God knew He would follow through. However this brings up some problems viz. the temptation of Jesus. For Him to have been tempted in every way as we are, it must have been possible for him to sin, i.e. to refuse to go to the cross. This puts us in a logical conundrum similar to the predestination/foreknowledge dilemma. If God knew Jesus would not sin, and would go to the cross, then how could He have truly experienced the depths of temptation?
Post a Comment
<< Home