The Joyous Faith of the Magi: Matthew 2:1-12

One of the things that I appreciate a lot about holidays in general is that they put a stamp in time for us. We can remember back on exact dates and remember who we were and what we were up to. What I usually do around this time is think back to this time last year and simply ask myself, “Do I love Jesus more than I did this time last year?”

The incorrect question would be, “What works have I done?” so that the question becomes, “Does Jesus love me more than last year?”

Jesus loves you the same if you are one of His own. This doesn’t change. The problem is that we have so many religious people and their list of rules to follow that it becomes more about the list than loving Jesus who saved you.

As we come to this Christmas season, ask yourself, “Do I love Jesus more?” “Do I commune with Jesus more?” “Do I fellowship with Jesus more?”

Maybe a better question: Do I even know Jesus?

We are going to see this text placed before us of the Magi, or wise men. I want you to ask these questions: Do I know Jesus? Am I saved from my sin? If I can say yes, “Am I closer to Jesus this year?” and “Where do I need to grow?”

Look to Matthew 2:1-12

We will look to two things:

The Prophecies of Christ
Reacting to Christ


Prophecies of Christ

As we come to this text, we have something occurring that is causing an uproar and that is found in the Magi, or wise men, coming and asking where the King of the Jews was because of prophecy.

Remember where we are here in the context of history. What just happened for 400 years between the prophet Malachi and John the Baptist? Nothing. God was silent.

And there was a great tribulation in Israel, such as was not since the day, that there was no prophet seen in Israel.
1 Maccabees 9:27

Israel went through a time of silence and this was really just like any other day. Then, all of the sudden, Magi come in and start inquiring, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?”

They come based on prophecy. So, what was this prophecy that they spoke of?

“I see him, but not now;
I behold him, but not near;
A star shall come forth from Jacob,
A scepter shall rise from Israel,
And shall crush through the forehead of Moab,
And tear down all the sons of Sheth.
Numbers 24:17

There are all kinds of speculation what this star was, but I believe that it was more of a supernatural star, like the Shekinah glory seen in Exodus 13:21,22 because of the movement of the star and because it didn’t have a central location:

The LORD was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.
He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.
Exodus 13:21,22

The next prophecy we see is when Herod is getting nervous and asked where the Messiah was to be born, and they stated: in Bethlehem of Judah.

This comes from Micah 5:2 and John 7:42 also shows that this was all of Israel’s expectation:

2 “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel.
His goings forth are from long ago,
From the days of eternity.”
Micah 5:2

This ruler to come is told even more specifically in Isaiah 7:14 and Isaiah 9:6 where it states:

14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.
Isaiah 7:14

6 For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us;
And the government will rest on His shoulders;
And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

Think of this: The ruler that was to come was going to be coming from eternity, from Bethlehem, born from a virgin, called Immanuel, or God with us, and will be called Mighty God, Eternal Father.

All this was going to be coming when the star rises from Jacob. This is the one who will be king, ruler, and who will save His people from their sins.

So, what’s the reaction? Maybe better put: what is our reaction to this?

Reacting to Christ

We have two types of people here: The powerful and religious and the pagan. Let’s look at the two:

First, the powerful and religious: This would include Herod, the scribes and the chief priests.

When the Magi come, what happens with Herod and the religious people? They are troubled.
This word is also translated in other places in the New Testament as meaning to be “terrified, to be stirred up, to be anxious”

So, we know that the first thing that these people do is become troubled instead of exceedingly joyous that the Messiah might be here. For Herod it was a power trip not wanting to give up his place of power. For the religious, I think it was something a lot more deep. They were anxious because they knew their deeds and knew that they were dark:

Look to 1 Thess 5:1-11

Notice that Paul is telling us here to be ready for the day of the Lord, for we do not know when it will come. Be alert, be sober, and with these in Thessolonica, keep doing as you are doing as you are encouraging and building up one another.

How did the Magi, who were pagan’s with no right to heaven, or God, if you asked the Jews, how did they react to the star, the prophecy that was coming true?

Look at Matthew 2:1 again:

1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem, saying,
2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”
Matthew 2:1-2

Notice that it does not say that they went straight to Herod or even the priests, but they arrived and were "saying" in Jerusalem. This word “saying” means to "continually inquire". They were going from place to place, asking the people, “Where is the Messiah?” They couldn’t wait to see him, they couldn’t wait to see God, they couldn’t wait to see the babe born of a virgin who was from eternity.

Why did they want to see the baby? They desired to worship Him. They were here, they were pagans, but they believed that the God, who created the universe, was here to be their king of all the earth, so they wanted to worship God.

The Magi are the godly ones here. They are the ones who were waiting for the star to appear for hundreds of years, yet notice what the Scribes and Priests say:

Oh, yeah…the Messiah…here is what the prophecy says

It is almost carelessness. There is this great commotion and it would seem that the religious could care less that the One that they have been reading about in the Scriptures could actually be amongst them. Notice what Herod does: he gathers all the religious people and it says that he “inquires” where he is to be born: This word inquire can denote “demanding”

Then look what happens. The scribes and priests give their report and Herod sends for the Magi. These Magi search diligently in Jerusalem for the child, so they can worship Him. They search so much that Herod gets wind of it, sends for them and still the Magi don’t back down. They come to the courts of the ruler of Jerusalem and tell him that they want to go and worship another ruler, another king, another who will be king of the earth. These Magi have so much tenacity to worship Jesus they don’t care what they have to do to find Him.

So, who would you think would be the most excited about the coming of the Messiah? Those who have devoted themselves to God’s Scriptures or those who are pagan and devoted themselves to the devil’s magic?

Who ends up doing the Lord’s work of worshiping the Messiah? The religious or pagan?

This is the difference of religious people and those who truly follow Jesus: Religious people are really there for themselves trying to please God without Jesus, but with their own works and views of who God is and wants, where those for Christ just want to worship, be with Jesus, and ask Him what He desires!

Notice here:

8 And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the Child; and when you have found Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him.”
9 After hearing the king, they went their way; and the star, which they had seen in the east, went on before them until it came and stood over the place where the Child was.
10 When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
11 After coming into the house they saw the Child with Mary His mother; and they fell to the ground and worshiped Him. Then, opening their treasures, they presented to Him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew 2:8-11

We find out in verse 13 that Herod is a liar and self motivated to find the child so that he might kill the Christ, the promised One.

So, Herod’s response to the child is not only terror and ignorance, but now we find his response is to try and kill the baby. What he didn’t realize is that his wishes would come true, but it would not happen for another 33 years.

So, do we have the religious going to see Jesus, to see the Christ? No…we see the Magi.

When the Magi again see the star and it is over where the Child is, look what happened. They rejoiced exceedingly with great joy. This was what they were searching for, this is what they couldn’t wait to see. Their mission was almost over. Their lives almost complete. This joy is the same joy that is of a believer when he realizes that he has been sealed with the Spirit of Christ. This is the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22 of love, joy, peace, patience. This is the joy that John the Baptist said he had in just hearing Jesus’ voice. This is the joy that Christ prayed in the high priestly prayer in John 17 that all his people would have.

Who has this joy? The religious that should have been joyous, or the pagan Magi, who have nothing to do with Jesus? It is the Magi. For the religious, instead of joy, are troubled, not joyous. Know for certain, the Magi’s joy is not a reaction to the star, this isn’t simply happiness, this is an overwhelming joy of completeness. To discern a full description of the Magi and us is found in John 1:10-13:

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
John 1:10-13

So, because of this joy, what do the Magi do? The fell down and worshiped. This is not just a ceremonial worship reserved for worldly kings, but we see with the determination, the seeking, the rejoicing and joy, they could finally do the one thing that they said they wanted to do: worship the King.

This term “fell” connotates the fact that they literally fell prostrate like a dead man. They saw the Child and they were overwhelmed with the fact that after 1400 years (that was the approx. year Numbers was written) that God should choose these specific Magi to be the ones to find the Christ child, to be able to see Him face to face, to stare into his eyes, to see God face to face, to see the Word that became flesh, the One who was to bring salvation, the One who would be their King. These Magi had probably been handed down this prophecy of the Christ child from generations to generations and they were the ones whom God chose to finally take part.

So, we have the Magi, who probably numbered in the hundreds, standing outside this small house, they see the Child who was promised long ago and they couldn’t bear it, they couldn’t control themselves, so they fall like dead men, like a wave in the ocean, probably close to 200 men, fall in unison, to worship Jesus.

Have you heard the song by Mercy Me, “I Can Only Imagine” when they sing:

Surrounded by Your glory, what will my heart feel
Will I dance for you Jesus or in awe of you be still
Will I stand in your presence or to my knees will I fall
Will I sing hallelujah, will I be able to speak at all
I can only imagine

To these questions from this Christian band, I believe we find the answer in Matthew 2. I think we will find ourselves a lot like the Magi. For if you are a Christian, you must take after these Magi. You have journeyed for days and years, you have wanted to just be with Jesus and see His face. You want to see the One who saved you from your sin, you want to see the One who was sacrificed like an animal on a stake so that you can be in God’s presence, you want to see the one who saved you out of the bondage of paganism into the loving arms of your God. You want to be with the one who will wipe away all your tears, who loves you because you are His own.

And when that time comes. When you see the Lamb, we will do what we have only dreamed of doing: worshiping Him at His feet as we fall like dead men.

After the Magi get done worshiping, which I can’t imagine how long they were on their faces. After all, what compels a man to finally get up and stop worshiping at the feet of Jesus, the Promised Christ? Whatever it was they got up and presented Jesus with gifts. Some make more out of these gifts than is appropriate, for they are simply gifts that were custom to give to a king. The Magi show that they believe that this King deserves full kingship and following. They believe He is the King of kings, Lord of lords, so what better way than to lay dead at his feet and worship him and give this small baby, the gifts only deserving for a king.

Notice that these Magi don’t ask anything from the Christ, yet they offer gifts to Him. They realize that just by Christ coming is enough, Jesus needs not to give them anything more, His life is enough.

Conclusion

What is Christmas to you? What are the things that we dwell on? When you think of the Christ, the Messiah, are you more troubled because you are not ready for Christ to come or are you diligently seeking Christ so that your joy may be made full, so that you can worship him with exceeding praise?

Are you more like the religious of the days that only do religious things but never have turned your life over to Jesus. Or, are you like the pagan Magi who only cared to see the Christ so that they could worship Him?

See what Revelation 22:20,21, the last verses in the Bible say:

20 He who testifies to these things says, “Yes, I am coming quickly.” Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.
21 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all. Amen.
Revelation 22:20-21

Is this us? Is this you? Do you say, Come Lord Jesus, so I can worship you, so my joy may be made full at the seeing of your face. Or does this simply trouble you, does this terrify you? Does it terrify you that Christ could come today and ask you “Why should you enter into my holy place?”

If you don’t know Jesus, let this Christmas be the Christmas that Jesus gives you a gift. Let this Christmas be the Christmas that you can confidently say, “Come Lord Jesus.”

Be like the Magi, look for Jesus so that you can worship Him at his feet. So that you can hail Him as King of kings and Lord of lords. Listen to the last words spoken of in the Gospel of Luke:

and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day,and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. “You are witnesses of these things. “And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple praising God.
Luke 24:46-53

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Book Review: For Us and Our Salvation

Stephen J. Nichols hit a homerun in this book. As the title suggests Dr. Nichols' goal is to establish what the early church thought of the deity of Christ. He lays this out by going through a quick examination of who the "players" are, what and who they were fighting, and then laying out their arguments.

After this, he lets the men speak for themselves with their own writings. I really enjoyed this format. You get some explanation and then you get to read for yourself. Most books will either focus on just the explanation and yet others just lay out the entirety of a writing. This book is a great medium. Although it is short, it gets to the point and shows that the Council of Nicaea was definitely not the first time that Jesus' deity was brought forth in the church, but was an orthodoxy handed down from the Apostles to those in the early church.

The book is broken down in chapters and includes many men and their beliefs. From the early centuries all the way to the fifth century. You read from men like Ignatius, Irenaeus, Turtullian, Hippolytus, Athanasius, Leo the Great, and more. You also encounter some of the heretical writings so that you see what these men were fighting against.

All and all, I would use this book as a resource for any that doubt the doctrine of Christ's divinity in relation to the early church. No doubt the Bible speaks of the divinity of Christ, but now we are getting attacked that it was a foreign concept to the church fathers. This book puts that to rest in a quick and easy read on the subject that Jesus Christ was no doubt God, and was For Us and Our Salvation. Highly Recommended

Link to Buy

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A Timely Quote: Iain Murray

The following is a quote that was read by Iain Murray in a tape-recorded sermon entitled, "The Problems of Contemporary Evangelism." I thought it to be a great reminder:

The great want of today is a holier ministry. We do not need more stalwart polemics, more mighty apologists, or preachers who compass a wide range of natural knowledge, important though these be. But we need men of God who bring the atmosphere of heaven with them to the pulpit and speak the borders of another world.

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Clearing Up My Position

Turretinfan has asked me to clear up my position and asked if we differ on the thesis. You can see his full question here. I will put forth my position as it stands, and also assert that Turretinfan and I do NOT agree on this. He, for some reason, believes that I have "conceded" to his points of concern, which I have not. I will also make a comment at the end, and putting forth again the quotes on what Shedd is asserting as well. Turretinfan said that he has "substantiated" his claim, which I found wanting.

Here is the original topics to be debated:

Resolved: Christ's sacrifice has saved or will save each person upon whose behalf it was offered. (Turretinfan)

I will be denying that [assertion] and affirming that Christ died universally for the whole world, especially the elect. (Seth)

Here is my clarification on what I believe:

1. I believe that Jesus Christ died for the whole world of unbelieving humanity. I believe he paid the ransom, wiped away their sin.

2. Jesus Christ only intended (purposed is my word of choice) the salvation of the elect, this is the efficacy of the payment. Really found in the application of it.

3. By Jesus' death, He then offers this death to all men. He desires the salvation of all men, even seeks their salvation through the call of the Gospel, that is, that Christ died for all and by that death it is the means for all to be saved.

So, in the end. God's secret will, will save everyone of the elect, because it(Christ's death) is for them that it is purposed. But, in God's revealed will, Jesus died for all and paid the payment and the desire and offer is to all.

As far as Shedd is concerned. Turretinfan "substantiated" his claim that Shedd believed only in limited atonement with this quote:

But if the answer be that there is not efficient power in the sinful will itself, either wholly or in part, to savingly believe, then faith is wholly the gift of God, is wholly dependent upon his electing grace, and redemption is limited by election, as is taught in 1 Cor. 3:5: “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, by whom you believed, even as the Lord gave to every man”; and in Rom. 9:16: “It is not of him that wills nor of him that runs, but of God that shows mercy.”
Shedd, W. G. T., & Gomes, A. W. (2003). Dogmatic theology.

As we don't deny that the efficacy was found in the elect alone, as Shedd is asserting here, we also see the other side of the atonement, and that is in the actual sufficiency found in the expiation for the entirety of the whole of mankind.

Here is where Shedd explicity agrees with us. We would not disagree with the above mentioned quote, but we also understand that it does not stop there with Shedd, with us, nor with the entirety of the understanding of Christ's expiation. This is the equivalent, in my opinion, of quoting John 10:11 that states: I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. and then stating that the debate is over. The whole of this entire argument over Shedd, Dabney, Hodge, Calvin, Bullinger, Zwingli, etc. does not end with one quote, but with their entire theology of the subject, taken as a whole, and not in part. Of course, we find this because we do the same with Scripture. We don't just state John 10:13 and then declare victory. We must ask some key questions on the entirety of the biblical account to prove the purposes, sufficiency,efficacy, and purposes of the atonement. The same is to be said with Shedd, or any other theologian.

On that note, here again, are a couple of quotes by Shedd that very much clear up his opinion on the death of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In the third place, an atonement, either personal or vicarious, when made, naturally and necessarily cancels legal claims. This means that there is such a natural and necessary correlation between vicarious atonement and justice, that the former supplies all that is required by the latter. It does not mean that Christ’s vicarious atonement naturally and necessarily saves every man; because the relation of Christ’s atonement to divine justice is one thing, but the relation of a particular person to Christ’s atonement is a very different thing. Christ’s death as related to the claims of the law upon all mankind, cancels those claims wholly. It is an infinite “propitiation for the sins of the whole world,” 1 John 2:2. But the relation of an impenitent person to this atonement, is that of unbelief and rejection of it. Consequently, what the atonement has effected objectively in reference to the attribute of divine justice, is not effected subjectively in the conscience of the individual. There is an infinite satisfaction that naturally and necessarily cancels legal claims, but unbelief derives no benefit from the fact...This reasoning applies to vicarious atonement equally with personal. Justice does not require a second sacrifice from Christ, in addition to the first. “Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many,” Hebrews 10:28 [sic]. This one offering expiated “the sins of the whole world,” and justice is completely satisfied in reference to them. The death of the God-man naturally and necessarily cancelled all legal claims. When a particular person trusts in this infinite atonement, and it is imputed to him by God, it then becomes his atonement for judicial purposes as really as if he had made it himself, and then it naturally and necessarily cancels his personal guilt, and he has the testimony that it does in his peace of conscience.

Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, 2:437, 438.

VOL. II., p. 441. The expiation of sin is distinguishable from the pardon of it. The former, conceivably, might take place and the latter not. When Christ died on Calvary, the whole mass, so to speak, human sin was expiated merely by that death; but the whole mass was not pardoned merely by that death. The claims of law and justice for the sins of the whole world were satisfied by the "offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Heb. 10:10); but the sins of every individual man were not forgiven and "blotted out" by this transaction. Still another transaction was I requisite in order to this: namely, the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the sinner working faith in this expiatory offering, and the declarative act of God saying " Thy sin is forgiven thee." The Son of God, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, " sat down on the right hand of God " (Heb. 10:12) ; but if the redeeming work of the Trinity had stopped at this point, not a soul of mankind would have been pardoned and justified, yet the expiatory value of the " one sacrifice "would have been just the same. Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, 3:418.

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Hebrews 10:10-14: Rebuttal

When I saw this post come across my email, I, at first, was confused at why this one would be chosen. I then read Turretinfan's comments on it and I saw why he would want it to read as he has asserted, but yet, I find it not the point of this passage nor is it feasible. Of course that is my position, so take that with a grain of salt. But, the reason I was perplexed is because I have never heard anyone taking this passage and use it this way. From my reading of Hebrews 10, I have always come to this conclusion, both as a Calvinist and also when I was growing up in the Southern Baptist Churches: Jesus Christ's sacrifice is greater than the bulls and goats because his takes away sin and is the ONE sacrifice to give assurance to believers for their sanctification.

I will be honest, I have not been able to keep up with the comments in TF's post, so forgive me if I am bringing up "old" arguments, but I want to post on how I see this passage playing out and its implications for the elect of God.


What I do see here is Turretinfan making a big jump, exegetically, in the context of the passage. He wants it to read: the offering made was only for those who will be sanctified. The problem is that this is not the point of the verse nor can that be found. He changes some key words in their context to make this happen.

TF: The sacrifice of Christ was offered for particular people; The "τους αγιαζομενους" are those for whom the offering is made.

That is simply not found in the passage itself, but has been added to by TF. Now the second part of both of these statements, I thoroughly agree with as TF states, they are perfected by the offering. This is not going to be argued, but I would argue that this is the actual point of the verse.

The way that this passage reads is simply that those who believe, i.e. sanctified, were sanctified because of the one offering, that is Christ, not the priestly sacrifices of bulls and goats.

Notice in Hebrews 10:1 that it states:

...which they offer continually year by year, make perfect those who draw near.

If we try and make a parallel here, we can see that those who draw near would be the elect who are believers. Remember, here on earth there are two classes of the elect: those who are currently believing and those who will believe. Where was their hope in being cleansed? They thought it was the sacrifices that were made each year.

So, the passage then goes on to say that these sacrifices had no hope of cleansing but, in actuality, a reminder. So, the passage moves on to Christ. It's the same idea, except, now, we see that those who draw near, which are now used with a different term: those who are sanctified (or being sanctified), have confidence because of the one sacrifice that was made (for us that was about 2000 years ago). The sacrifice, the offering of Jesus, is where these people have hope and confidence.

This is the statement being made.

If one believes that the offering that was made 2000 years ago, forever, at that point, made the elect perfect then we have to ask the reason for duty faith. I am not sure if this is TF's point, so if it is not then we can just skip this.

But, the subject that is being considered here are those that are sanctified, not the elect as a whole. Who are those that are, in actuality, currently sanctified? It is those that are elect that have already believed. What did they believe and where is there hope? On the offering that was made 2000 years ago.

If we take here, that those that are sanctified means the whole of the elect, then we have to ask, "How can an elect person who has not believed be sanctified?" Don't they need to believe first, before they are sanctified? We understand they, in actuality, do, because of Ephesians 2:3 that states:

Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest.
Ephesians 2:3

So, if we, as the believing elect, were once the unregenerate elect, then we were not sanctified at the time of the cross, but at the time of Christ's imputation of righteousness at faith.

So, again, the point of this passage is not to point to the offering being made for a particular people, but just the opposite. It is so that the particular people can look to the offering made and have assurance that they have been paid for, that they have been sanctified. But this assurance doesn't happen until faith.

Calvin would agree with me here as well, and so do many major commenters on this passage.

He has hitherto labored enough, and more than enough, in defending the priesthood of Christ; the conclusion then is, that the ancient priesthood, which is inconsistent with this, has ceased; for all the saints find a full consecration in the one offering of Christ. At the same time the word teteleioken,which I render “has consecrated,” may yet be rendered “has perfected;” but I prefer the former meaning, because he treats here of sacred things. By saying, them who are sanctified, he includes all the children of God; and he reminds us that the grace of sanctification is sought elsewhere in vain.

Calvin Heb 10:14.

V. 10 is still closely bound to the quotation: neither θέλημα, προσφορά, nor σῶμα in this sense is part of the epistle’s normal vocabulary. But the author moves away from phrase-by-phrase comment to a statement which not only sums up this whole stage of the argument, but also goes beyond it to state, more explicitly than the quotation, even christologically interpreted, the benefits of Christ’s self-offering for believers, including the author and his readers. With this broadening of the theme there comes a change of time reference: the continuing state (ἡγιασμένοι ἐσμέν) of believers depends on the once-for-all offering of the body of Christ. The importance of the statement is stressed by the use, for the first time in the epistle (cf. 13:1, 21), of the full name “Jesus Christ”; ἐφάπαξ (→ 7:27) is emphatic by position. The once-for-all sacrifice of Christ has lasting effects (ἡγιασμένοι; see Lane 256 n.x)

Vv. 12f. (especially if εἰς τὸ διηνεκές in → v. 12 is taken with what follows) have been concerned with the death and exaltation of Christ himself; v. 14 is concerned with the consequences of this event for believers. Here, as elsewhere in Hebrews (→ 2:10), τελειόω implies the fulfilment of the Christian goal, namely an access to God which was formerly open only to the high priest. Hebrews emphasizes the unique priesthood of Jesus (Vanhoye 1980.242–247), and thus does not speak explicitly of the priesthood of all believers; but he comes close to doing so here, in language which is not only cultic (Bourgin 1959.79–81) but priestly (Zimmermann 1977.116–125, following G. Delling in TDNT 8.83f.). The perfect tense joins with the following phrase to emphasize the permanent effects of Christ’s sacrifice.

Ellingworth, P. (1993). The Epistle to the Hebrews : A commentary on the Greek text. Spine title: Commentary on Hebrews

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Hebrews 10:10-14: By Turretinfan

Hebrews 10:10-14

10By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: 12But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; 13From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. 14For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

The sacrifice of Christ was offered for particular people ("them that are sanctified") and was perfectly sufficient and effective for that particular people ("one sacrifice . for ever" and "one offering"). It is done, it is finished. The priest has sat down.

The "τους αγιαζομενους" are those for whom the offering is made. They are perfected by the offering. Matthew 23:17,19 provides some comparable uses of the verb. So, for that matter, does John 17:19, Acts 20:32, 1 Cor. 1:2, and more importantly Hebrews 2:11, 9:13, and 13:12. It's rather standard sacrificial terminology. The effect of Christ's work is to render those for whom the sacrifice was made perfect, and this is contrasted with the use of the same verb in Hebrews 10:1, to show that the OT sacrifices could not perfect those for whom they were offered.

By: Turretinfan

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Q & A from Turretinfan

Turretinfan has posed some questions to me which I will answer here. We can then comment on them and I am sure that Turretinfan will then follow up with a post.

I will give my answer and then follow up most of my comments with another theologian who also answers in the positive. If any need clarification on any of my responses, just ask away.


1) There have been various comments made that (not necessarily all by you) that seem to hint at the idea that you hold that Christ died on the cross not only to secure the salvation of the elect, but also to obtain something salvation-related (not merely incidental) for the reprobate. Is that true?

Seth: Yes, this is true. Christ then, died for the whole world, especially the elect. Christ, being God, knows who was the elect, who was to be regenerated and called, and who would be given faith and who would receive the imputation of the price that was paid at the cross. #2 will answer this more fully.

2) In what way has Christ taken away the sins of the reprobate? Has he actually taken away the guilt of their sins?

Seth: Jesus has taken away the sins of the world. Jesus has canceled the legal claims of the law to sinners. This is different than being pardoned, these two; cancellation of legal claim and pardon are separate. He has bore their sins on the cross and they have been paid.

He is called the Lamb of God that taketh away (beareth) the sins of the world (John 1:29). Ye were not redeemed, says the apostle Peter, with corruptible things as silver and gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.

Charles Hodge, The Way of Life, (Philadelphia, American Sunday School Union, 1869), 165.

VOL. II., p. 441. The expiation of sin is distinguishable from the pardon of it. The former, conceivably, might take place and the latter not. When Christ died on Calvary, the whole mass, so to speak, human sin was expiated merely by that death ; but the whole mass was not pardoned merely by that death. The claims of law and justice for the sins of the whole world were satisfied by the "offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all" (Heb. 10:10); but the sins of every individual man were not forgiven and "blotted out" by this transaction. Still another transaction was I requisite in order to this: namely, the work of the Holy Spirit in the heart of the sinner working faith in this expiatory offering, and the declarative act of God saying " Thy sin is forgiven thee." The Son of God, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, " sat down on the right hand of God " (Heb. 10:12) ; but if the redeeming work of the Trinity had stopped at this point, not a soul of mankind would have been pardoned and justified, yet the expiatory value of the "one sacrifice "would have been just the same.

Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, 3:418.

Besides the arguments already mentioned in favour of the unity of mankind, next to the direct assertion of the Bible, that which after all has the greatest force is the one derived from the present condition of our moral and spiritual nature. Wherever we meet a man, no matter of what name or nation, we not only find that he has the same nature with ourselves; that he has the same organs, the same senses, the same instincts, the same feelings, the same faculties, the same understanding, will, and conscience, and the same capacity for religious culture, but that he has the same guilty and polluted nature, and needs the same redemption. Christ died for all men, and we are commanded to preach the gospel to every creature under heaven. Accordingly nowhere on the face of the earth are men to he found who do not need the gospel or who are not capable of becoming partakers of the blessings which it offers. The spiritual relationship of men, their common apostasy, and their common interest in the redemption of Christ demonstrate their common nature and their common origin beyond the possibility of reasonable or excusable doubt.
Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, 2:90-91

3) In what way has a ransom been paid for the reprobate? Has he actually purchased them as a possession for himself? Do the reprobate belong to Christ as Redeemer?

Seth: Ransom is deliverance language. So when we hear the word, "ransom" there is not someone being "paid off." This is what Origen thought and then also Muslims continue to accuse us of. Origen and the Muslims would say that God paid Satan off, as a ransom payment. In the Old Testament the term ransom, as the Lord uses it, would connotate deliverance. I would not say that the reprobate are a possession of Christ or belong to him. They have merely been ransomed for (delivered), by His death, out of the Law of death.

“Indeed, I brought you up from the land of Egypt And ransomed you from the house of slavery, And I sent before you Moses, Aaron and Miriam."
Micah 6:4

Into Your hand I commit my spirit;You have ransomed me, O Lord, God of truth.
Psalm 31:5

Shall I ransom them from the power of Sheol?
Shall I redeem them from death?
O Death, where are your thorns?
O Sheol, where is your sting?
Compassion will be hidden from My sight.
Hosea 13:14

The priestly work of Christ is also represented in Scripture under the figure of a price or ransom. This, also, is an objective term. The price is paid by the subject to the object: “The Son of Man is come to give his life a ransom (lytron)70 for (anti)71 many” (Matt. 20:28); “the church of God which he has purchased (peripoiēsato)72 with his own blood” (Acts 20:28); “the redemption (apolytrōsis)73 that is in Jesus Christ” (Rom. 3:24); “you are bought (ēgorasthēte)74 with a price” (1 Cor. 6:20); “Christ has redeemed (exēgorasen)75 us from the curse” (Gal. 3:13); “redemption through his blood” (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14); “who gave himself a ransom (antilytron)76 for all” (1 Tim. 2:6). The allusion in the figure is sometimes to the payment of a debt and sometimes to the liberation of a captive. In either case, it is not Satan but God who holds the claim. Man has not transgressed against Satan, but against God. The debt that requires canceling is due to a divine attribute, not to the rebel archangel. The ransom that must be paid is for the purpose of delivering the sinner from the demands of justice, not of the devil. Satan cannot acquire or establish legal claims upon any being whatever. Some of the early fathers misinterpreted this doctrine of a “ransom” and introduced a vitiating element into the patristic soteriology, which however was soon eliminated and has never reappeared.
Shedd, W. G. T., & Gomes, A. W. (2003). Dogmatic theology. "First one-volume edition (3 vols. in 1)"--Jacket. (3rd ed.) (701). Phillipsburg, N.J.: P & R Pub.

4) Is Christ the federal head of the elect only, or of all mankind exhaustively?

Seth: Yes, as Adam was the head of the whole of humanity, so Christ as the second Adam, better than the first, represents the whole of humanity, especially the elect.

It is true that the angels well knew that Jesus Christ was the Head of all mankind, but how that should come to pass, or what time, or by what means, that was hidden from them.
Calvin, Sermons on Ephesians, Sermon 18, 3:-12, p., 264

5) Did Christ die intending to save the reprobate? intending to make their salvation possible? intending to save only the elect, but yet provide other incidental benefits to the reprobate? (or some other option I have not imagined)

Seth: Christ died to pay for the sins of the world with the intention to save the elect. God's salvific will is purposed for only the elect, but his desire is for all to come to salvation. This is the famous "two-wills of God" theory, which I hold to. So this is where the multiple intentions comes in the discussion. Christ died for the whole of mankind, but his special love for the elect was the "joy set before him" and that is why he "endured the cross." If when you say incidental benefits, you mean ransomed, then I would say yes.

In the third place, an atonement, either personal or vicarious, when made, naturally and necessarily cancels legal claims. This means that there is such a natural and necessary correlation between vicarious atonement and justice, that the former supplies all that is required by the latter. It does not mean that Christ’s vicarious atonement naturally and necessarily saves every man; because the relation of Christ’s atonement to divine justice is one thing, but the relation of a particular person to Christ’s atonement is a very different thing. Christ’s death as related to the claims of the law upon all mankind, cancels those claims wholly. It is an infinite "propitiation for the sins of the whole world," 1 John 2:2. But the relation of an impenitent person to this atonement, is that of unbelief and rejection of it. Consequently, what the atonement has effected objectively in reference to the attribute of divine justice, is not effected subjectively in the conscience of the individual. There is an infinite satisfaction that naturally and necessarily cancels legal claims, but unbelief derives no benefit from the fact... This reasoning applies to vicarious atonement equally with personal. Justice does not require a second sacrifice from Christ, in addition to the first. "Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many," Hebrews 10:28 [sic]. This one offering expiated "the sins of the whole world," and justice is completely satisfied in reference to them. The death of the God-man naturally and necessarily cancelled all legal claims. When a particular person trusts in this infinite atonement, and it is imputed to him by God, it then becomes his atonement for judicial purposes as really as if he had made it himself, and then it naturally and necessarily cancels his personal guilt, and he has the testimony that it does in his peace of conscience.

Shedd, Dogmatic Theology, 2:437, 438.

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Moving Forward in the Debate

I am going to go ahead and put up my three major "issues" with what TF is purporting in his last argument and he can dialogue, along with others, in the comments box as desired. I have then asked TF to go ahead and come with another argument for limited expiation alone and we'll go from there. What I will say is that by me asking TF to show that the atonement was for the elect alone is not the same as me asking, "prove the Bible doesn't teach it." The reason is, I am not asking TF to prove that "Jesus didn't wear a red t-shirt" but I am asking him to prove that Jesus wasn't a ransom for all, that He didn't come to save the world, that He didn't come to take away the sins of the world. "Jesus wearing a red t-shirt" is a "prove it through biblical silence" treatment, where my questions to him have been in the area of "prove it through through a biblical mandate." I believe that these are questions that beg to be answered, being that the Bible speaks on it. I would also ask all to remember that John's reasoning for writing his gospel and letters is so that we would be saved (John 20:30,31). He is a fisherman, trying to show all the way of salvation. I would think that John is trying to be clear and not "cryptic" in his reading. So, I am asking TF to give me his best arguments for why Jesus is only the atonement for the elect and not the world.

This is why you have seen so much argument on both sides of John's usage of world.


What I am simply going to do is lay out the two things I and TF disagree on and I will ask for a clarification or comment on one last thing. Then Turretinfan can either post on it or comment in the comments of this post (I will let him decide) and then he can post another verse for discussion.

First, Ephesians 5:23

It seems as though we really disagree with each other on this rendering of this passage.

Here is TF's comments:
So, yes, the passage is speaking analogously about physical salvation/protection that the husband gives a wife (ought to, at any rate) as a simile to the spiritual salvation/protection that Christ gives Christians, with the actual force of the passage being primarily directed not to emphasize that Christ is our savior, but that husbands should emulate Christ and wives should emulate the church (notice how this discussion is bookended between the directions for church life generally (including mutual submission vs. 21) and the remaining family relations (children to parents 6:1-3, parents to children 6:4, slaves to masters 6:5-8, and masters to slaves 6:9).

Thus, the wife is the husband’s body, and it is his job to preserve it – just as he instinctively preserves his own body, and just as Christ graciously preserves the church (his body/wife by analogy).

I could not disagree more here. Although I believe that TF has hit in one sense, that being physical, that is not where the discussion stops for the husband. The husband is more than just a physical protector for the wife, but he is responsible for the spiritual well being for the wife as well. So, we don't ignore the body, but we also don't ignore the spiritual ramifications here either for the husband. The husband is both the physical and spiritual head of the wife and is responsible for her. How is this comforting for the Christian wife if her husband's job is merely physical? This is why the parallel is made with Christ. The husbands job is to look to Christ and how He laid His life down for the church, and in the same way, the husband for the wife. The husband, like Christ, is to protect his wife spiritually and be ready to do all that is necessary for her in respect to that protection. Chapter 5 of Ephesians starts off this perception by saying, "Be imitators of God..." This is the precedence that the husbands are to adhere to: to imitate Christ. Christ is the physical and spiritual head of the church, as are the husbands to the wife.

Then 1 Peter 3:20 is brought in and said that the thing being saved was merely their bodies?

The point I was making was a point from English. If I wanted to be contentious, I could point out that it was their physical lives that were preserved, via the mechanism of their “psuche” (breath) not being cut off by drowning in the flood waters, or simply point out that “souls” is simply an idiom for “people.” But that’s really neither here nor there.
Turretinfan

Why did God bring a flood? To destroy only the people's bodies? Or was it not because their heart was continually evil (Genesis 6:5) and so God destroyed both body and soul? So, on the other side, God saved the 8 persons body AND soul through the ark, not merely their bodies. Again, look to who Peter is writing to. He is writing to a people who are being lit up like torches by Nero and their confidence is needing building up. I have done studies on 1 Peter and about 50% of 1 Peter speaks of salvation in some way. What is going to comfort these people? Physical salvation or spiritual salvation? I believe both. But if you asked them, which would they rather have confidence in? I believe the spiritual is what is being strengthened here, not just the physical. Look at 1 Peter 3:18

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit;
1 Peter 3:18

So, is Peter then going to point to the mere physical bodies for their comfort? No, he is pointing to the fact of God's grace in saving the eight's "psuche," or their whole person, both body and spirit.

Second, Created Order

TF: John 3:16. God so loved the created order.

So, is the reprobate a part of the created order? If so, we are back to square one. If not, we need a reason they are not. John 1:10 is a great passage to look at:

He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. John 1:10

Which part of the "created order" didn't know him? Would it not make more sense to see that John is trying to convey the thought of unbelieving humanity?

Thirdly, Calvin's Comments on John 12:47

If any man hear my words. After having spoken concerning his grace, and exhorted his disciples to steady faith, he now begins to strike the rebellious, though even here he mitigates the severity due to the wickedness of those who deliberately--as it were--reject God; for he delays to pronounce judgment on them, because, on the contrary, he has come for the salvation of all. In the first place, we ought to understand that he does not speak here of all unbelievers without distinction, but of those who, knowingly and willingly, reject the doctrine of the Gospel which has been exhibited to them. Why then does Christ not choose to condemn them? It is because he lays aside for a time the office of a judge, and offers salvation to all without reserve, and stretches out his arms to embrace all, that all may be the more encouraged to repent. And yet there is a circumstance of no small moment, by which he points out the aggravation of the crime, if they reject an invitation so kind and gracious, for it is as if he had said, “Lo, I am here to invite all, and, forgetting the character of a judge, I have this as my single object, to persuade all, and to rescue from destruction those who are already twice ruined.” No man, therefore, is condemned on account of having despised the Gospel, except he who, disdaining the lovely message of salvation, has chosen of his own accord to draw down destruction on himself. The word judge, as is evident from the word save, which is contrasted with it, here signifies to condemn. Now this ought to be understood as referring to the office which properly and naturally belongs to Christ; for that unbelievers are not more severely condemned on account of the Gospel is accidental, and does not arise from its nature, as we have said on former occasions. Calvin, John 12:47

TF, I am not going to get into whether Calvin was a Five Point Calvinist (which would need some clarification in of itself) or not as that would take us into a different direction. I think we both agree on this. But, I do wonder what your thoughts are on his exegesis of John 12:47. Cause, like David says, this is what I believe it to be, this is the exegesis that I agree with for John 12:47. So, any comment on Calvin and his exegesis for John 12:47 would be helpful.

I guess in the end, I have to ask TF, and everyone else: What is the fear in John the Baptists words, "Behold the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world!" Of course using my thoughts of world being "unbelieving humanity" that John uses in John 7:7; John 15:18 and John 1:10.

Any thoughts on this "fear" question will be helpful.

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