The Tree of Knowledge by David Green Jr

Author:David Green Jr. [David Green, Jr.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781543437331
Publisher: Xlibris US
Published: 2017-07-21T04:00:00+00:00

The Traditions Of Men

Jesus warned, repeatedly, that in later times people, who call Him “Lord,” will declare how they have prophesied and cast out demons in His name, and He will say to them, “I know you not… . depart from, all [ye] workers of iniquity” (Luke 13). Jesus here is not talking to Muslims or Buddhists; he’s talking to people who identify as His followers— Christians—who have done evil under the assumption that they followed Christ! Jesus declared “in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Mark 7:7). Can Christians study the Word of God and completely miss meanings?

Spiritual things are spiritually discerned. When we approach the Word of God with only our common understanding—try as we might, fervent and zealous as we may be—we may only experience the shell of the seed, the dirt above the wellspring. Jesus explained to his followers in Matthew 13:52 that true Christian’s theologians will understand the dual meanings of word.

Therefore every scribe [which is] instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man [that is] an householder, which bring forth out of his treasure [things] new and old.

As we move forward in this book, I am going to examine words, beginning with the Old Testament. Many Christians today pay little attention to this portion of the Bible. In doing so, they are actually ignoring the very writings the Apostles taught that:

“All scripture [is] given by inspiration of God, and [is] profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (II Timothy 3:16).

What did they mean by “all scripture?” They meant what we today call the Old Testament, plus a few books that have been lost in history.

The Apostles weren’t referencing the New Testament were yet to be written (many of which didn’t survive, either). Even once written, the majority of the New Testament that we have today either quotes, parallels or references the Old Testament.

Yes, there was a covenant with Abraham and a new covenant through Christ, but some forty years after Christ we see his disciples proclaiming that the Old Testament very much remains a source for Christian doctrine and instruction.

It contains instruction that, is misread, can subvert the mission of the church.

The “rightly divided word” of which 2 Timothy speaks is indeed the Old Testament, and wrongly dividing the Old Testament imperils the Christian reader. How can we disregard the Old Testament while Christ and the Apostles emphasized the importance of correctly understanding it?

But I do not write this book to proclaim that the forsaken cornerstone is the Old Testament. Scriptures say the cornerstone is Christ and His message. Jesus said that the scriptures (Old Testament)

“Are they which testify of me” (John 5:39), but what was rejected was not the personage of Christ, but the essence of his message. Those who say Christ, “Lord, Lord” accept His personage and claim His blood, but have rejected—or never knew—His message! They rejected the Spirit when it challenged their sensibilities. The builders beheld the core of his message and didn’t recognize it! It was foolishness! (I Corinthians 2:14).

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