What does scripture say?

• What is a wise man?
  • Context is everything
  • In New Testament, Greek “Magos”
  • Can mean magician, astronomer, scientist, doctor, etc.
  • True meaning usually derived from text
  • Acts 13:6 – Bar-Jesus (Elymas)
• Hebrew “Chakam”
  • Wise men – 124 times
  • Cunning – 10 times
  • Unwise – 2 times
  • Wiser – 2 times
  • Subtle (shrewd) – 1 time
  • Not the same as sorcerer (Kashaph) or magician (chartom)

Wise men in Old Testament

• Pharaohs had wise men AND sorcerers
  • Genesis 41:8
  • Exodus 7:11
• Nebuchadnezzar’s wise men – Daniel 2:2
  • Magicians – occult knowledge
  • Sorcerers
  • Conjurers – astrologers
  • Chaldeans – smartest people in the land (compare Bohemian)
• There were men who were wise
  • Their virtues were extolled
  • Deuteronomy 1:13-15
  • Proverbs 13:20; 29:8

Wisdom in the New Testament

• Compared to foolish – Matthew 7:24-27
• Their wisdom compared to God’s majesty – Romans 1:20-23
• Wisdom desirable for a Christian – Romans 16:19; Ephesians 5:15
• But not in one’s own eyes – Romans 11:25
• Not in the wisdom of this world – I Corinthians 1:20

What about the magi?

• Translations divided between “magi” and “wise men”
  • Transliteration versus translation
  • Selection of “wise men” over other possibilities
  • Dodging the issue by transliteration
    • Similar to “baptism”
• What happened
  • Matthew 2:1-12
    • Matthew 2:6 – This is a quote from Micah 5:2.
  • Took place “… after Jesus was born in Bethlehem …”
    • Not the night of His birth
    • Wise men from “the East”
      • Likely Persia (Iran)
      • One-way trip of 800-900 miles
      • Daniel 9:24-27
        • Written in Persia
        • Timeline given
      • Balaam’s prophecy? Numbers 24:17
    • Were they Jews?
      • Many had remained after the captivity
      • At the time, outnumbered Jews in Judea
      • “His star” was their signal of the event
  • Went to Jerusalem
    • Began inquiring whereabouts of Jesus
    • Stated intent to worship Him
    • Herod’s trouble
    • Scribes and priests understood prophecy of Micah
    • Herod got the timing of Jesus’ birth from appearance of star
    • Herod’s lie – intent to worship
    • Wise men go, find, give, worship
      • Star indicated where Jesus was
      • They rejoiced
      • Three gifts or gifts of three things?
        • Gold
          • Valuable, could fund journey to Egypt
          • Representative of royalty, divinity
        • Frankincense
          • Sap from the Boswellia tree – Arabian Peninsula, East Africa, South Africa, India
          • Also valuable in trade
          • Used in offerings (see Leviticus 2:1-2 – grain offerings)
          • Exodus 30:34 – Kept in the testimony of the tabernacle
          • Symbolic of Jesus as high priest?
        • Myrrh
          • Sap of Commiphora tree
          • Purification ritual – Esther 2:12
          • Anointing tabernacle, high priests, kings
          • Bitter taste – Mark 15:23
          • Embalming – John 19:39-40
      • Aided in Jesus’ escape
    • How did they know not to go back to Herod?
    • Herod’s subsequence action – Matthew 2:16-18

What can we say about the wise men?

• Read, understood, believed God’s word
• Sought Jesus – despite great effort involved
• Saw Him as God – to be humbly worshipped
• Saw Him as valuable – opened their treasures to Him
• In conflict of commands – Herod and God
• Chose to obey God

Introduction

• I Corinthians 1:1-3

Love them.

• I Corinthians 1:4 – These people were troublesome for Paul, but he was thankful for them.
• I Corinthians 4:14-15
• I Corinthians 10:14 – He loved them!
• I Corinthians 15:58
• I Corinthians 16:23-24
• The simple fact that he was writing to them shows his love for the Corinthians.
• There is nothing in the Bible that says you must have a relationship with someone before you can helm them spiritually. Paul spoke to complete strangers constantly.

Tell them what’s right and wrong.

• Paul was clear with the Corinthians:
  • I Corinthians 1:10-11 – divisions among them
  • I Corinthians 3:1 – men of flesh … infants in Christ
  • I Corinthians 4:7 – arrogant, as though I were not coming to you
  • I Corinthians 5:1 – immorality among you
  • I Corinthians 6:8 – you yourselves wrong and defraud
  • I Corinthians 9:11 – is it too much if we reap material things from you
  • I Corinthians 11:20 – when you meet … it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper
  • I Corinthians 15:12 – you say there is no resurrection of the dead
• I Corinthians 7:1-2, 10 – Paul got pretty personal!
• Imagine a doctor that won’t tell the patient what the problem is.

Minimize yourself and magnify God.

• I Corinthians 1:12-15 – Paul tried to minimize himself.
• I Corinthians 3:5
• I Corinthians 4:1-4 – Paul describes himself as a servant. We must all stand before God.
• I Corinthians 9:12, 15, 19-23

Be a good example.

• I Corinthians 4:16-17
  • We should not be seeking glory.
  • We already are examples.
• I Corinthians 11:1
• I Corinthians 8:13 – Paul would forego a liberty to prevent a brother from stumbling.
• I Corinthians 9:26-27
• We may not realize how much people are watching us.

Deuteronomy 32

• Deuteronomy 32:1-47 – The song of Moses.
  • See Deuteronomy 31:1-19 – This song was a warning of future events.
  • Note that the decision always belonged to the people. God was laying out the paths before them, but it was theirs to choose.
  • God is just. When we sin, it is our decision.
    • Romans 7:7-12
    • If there is not law, there is no sin. But we cannot blame God and His laws for our own sin. God’s laws are for our good. The problem is sin!
  • Deuteronomy 32:15 – “Jeshurun” is a poetic, ironic reference to Israel, meaning “upright one.”
  • Deuteronomy 32:21 – See Romans 10:19.
  • Deuteronomy 32:44-47 – Obey God or face the consequences!
• Deuteronomy 32:48-52 – Moses will die on Mt. Nebo.

Deuteronomy 33

• Deuteronomy 33:1-5 – Moses begins to bless the people.
• Deuteronomy 33:6-25 – Blessings for each tribe
  • Deuteronomy 33:6 – Reuben
  • Deuteronomy 33:7 – Judah
  • Deuteronomy 33:8-11 – Levi
    • It is not clear exactly what the Urim and Thummim were. Apparently, they were some sort of small token. See Exodus 28:30; Leviticus 8:8. They were somehow used to determine the will of God.
  • Deuteronomy 33:12 – Benjamin
  • Deuteronomy 33:13-17 – Joseph
  • Deuteronomy 33:18-19 – Zebulun and Issachar
  • Deuteronomy 33:20-21 – Gad
  • Deuteronomy 33:22 – Dan
  • Deuteronomy 33:23 – Naphtali
  • Deuteronomy 33:24-25 – Asher
  • Note: Where is Simeon?
• Deuteronomy 33:26-29 – Conclusion of blessings

Deuteronomy 34

• Deuteronomy 34:1-12 – The death of Moses
  • Deuteronomy 34:1-8 – God shows Moses the land of Canaan then Moses dies and God buries him.
  • Deuteronomy 34:9-12 – Joshua takes over as leader of Israel.

Introduction

• I Peter 1:3, 6
• I Peter 4:8

You are all one in Christ Jesus

• I Peter 3:8
• I Peter 2:12, 13
• I Peter 3:1, 9, 14
• I Peter 4:4; 3:8; 4:8 – If we have Christ in common, we can get along!
• II Peter 1:1
• Christ is what we have in common.
• Acts 11:19-20, 21, 26, 29
• Galatians 3:28-29
• Matthew 13:53-58 – Jesus was not popular with the people He grew up with in His hometown – His own demographic, physically speaking.
• Acts 2:9-11, 46-47 – Despite being from all different countries and cultures, those people were unified spiritually.

Serving one another

• Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 – We all benefit from fellowship.
• Galatians 6:1 – Help your brother!
• James 5:19-20
• Ephesians 4:1-3
• Philippians 1:27; 2:2-4; 3:17; 4:2-3
• I Peter 4:8-11
• Hebrews 10:24 – “Take careful note of each other’s spiritual welfare.”

Jethro, continued:

Other possible encounters

• Numbers 10:29 – Hobab
  • Same as Jethro?
  • Judges 4:11 – same Hobab? Same lineage?
• We know some of his family went with Israel
  • Settled in the promised land
  • Used by God to liberate Israel from oppression
  • Judges 4 – Jael versus Sisera

Jethro’s legacy

• We can learn from his character
  • Hospitable
  • Polite and gracious
  • Constructive criticism
  • Willing to trust
  • Willing to release Moses
  • Wise use of resources
    • Daughters as shepherds
    • Wise counsel on delegation
    • Selectivity of those right for the task
    • Making God the final authority

Prayer

• Difficult to put into one lesson – why?
• How much is it mentioned?
  • 334 times
  • Believe (all its forms) – 328 times
  • Obey (all its forms) – 222 times
  • Repentance – 74 times
• Who prayed?

Prayer is a requirement

• Lord’s prayer (Matthew 6) – pray:
  • To praise God (Matthew 6:9)
  • For God’s will to be done (Matthew 6:10)
  • For physical provision (Matthew 6:11)
  • For forgiveness – both giving and receiving (Matthew 6:12)
  • For deliverance from evil (Matthew 6:13)
• Also pray:
  • For our leaders – spiritual and political (Hebrews 13:17; I Timothy 2:1, 2)
  • To live a peaceful life (I Timothy 2:2)
  • For gospel preachers (II Thessalonians 3:1, 2)
  • To open opportunities for the gospel (Colossians 4:3)
  • For other Christians and for the church (John 17:17-21)
  • For the sick (James 5:14-15)
  • For sinning brethren (I John 5:16)
  • In thanksgiving (I Thessalonians 5:18)

Some remarkable prayers in scripture

• Luke 18:13 – short but effective
• Numbers 6:24-26 – scripted by God
• II Kings 20:3 – Asks God to remember his thoughts and deeds
• I Kings 8:23-53 – long, but thoughtful and to the point
• Jonah 2:1-10 – prayer with immediate results
• Daniel 9:4-19 – begging forgiveness for his nation
• I King 18:36-37 – calls God to open people’s eyes
• I Kings 3:5-10 – asks God’s help to lead

Who prayed?

• Men everywhere – I Timothy 2:8
• Women gathered by a river – Acts 16:13
• Epaphras – Colossians 4:2
• Jabez – I Chronicles 4:9-10
• The tax collector – Luke 18:10-14
• Hannah – I Samuel 1:10-11; 2:1-10
• Jesus – 25 accounts in the gospels

Subject of this series

• The little-known or lesser known
• Does prayer fit this description for you?