PT-2 "The Partnership of the New Man" (Col. 3:11)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 5/2/2017 8:07 PM

My Worship Time                                          Focus: PT-2 “The Partnership of the New Man”

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Colossians 3:11

            Message of the verses:  “a renewal in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.”

            The following is found in my Online Greek/English dictionary that defines the word “barbarian”:  “1) one whose speech is rude, rough and harsh

2) one who speaks a foreign or strange language which is not understood by another

3) used by the Greeks of any foreigner ignorant of the Greek language, whether mental or moral, with the added notion after the Persian war, of rudeness and brutality. The word is used in the N.T. without the idea of reproachfulness.

 

Next we look at the “Scythians” and this quote comes from William Hendriksen which is found in the MacArthur commentary for Colossians:

 

“The invaded Asia, after they had driven the Cimmerians out of Europe…and made themselves masters of all Asia.  From there they marched against Egypt; and when they were in that part of Syria which is called Palestine, Psammethichus, king of Egypt, met them and with gifts and prayer persuaded them to come no farther…They ruled Asia for twenty-eight years; and all the land was wasted by reason of their violence and their arrogance…The greater number of them were entertained and made drunk and were slain by Cyaxares and the Medes.  They drank the blood of the first enemy killed in battle, and made napkins of the scalps, and drinking bowls of the skulls of the slain.  They had the filthiest habits and never washed with water.”

 

MacArthur adds “The Jewish historian Josephus added, ‘The Scythians delight in murdering people and are little better than wild beasts.’  The early church Father Tertullian could think of no greater insult to the heretic Marcion than to describe him as ‘more filthy than any Scythian.’”

            Think about having a fellowship with Greeks, Jews, and Scythians as we described some of them.  This is precisely what happened in the Church.  This kind of reminds me of a couple of the disciples that Jesus had, and yet you don’t hear of any fighting between Simon the Zealot, and Matthew the tax collector, and that was about as opposite as you can get. 

            As we look next at the slave and the freeman we know that the slave had masters over them, and yet there were times when the slave may have had the position as a deacon and the master might not have any position in the church at all.  I just finished reading a book that John MacArthur wrote entitle “Slave” and in that book he shows that all believers in Jesus Christ are slaves, and that in the book of Philippians we see Jesus as a slave.  When Israel came out of Egypt where they were slaves to the Egyptians, they then became slaves to the Lord, which is far better. 

            MacArthur concludes this section by writing “There is no place for man-made barriers in the church since ‘Christ is all, and in all.’  Because Christ indwells all believers, all are equal.  He breaks down all racial, religious, cultural, and social barriers, and makes believers into one man (Eph. 2:15).”

5/2/2017 8:34 PM