Lucas 18
John Calvin · Citado em PreceptAustin
Lucas 18
Calvin puts it, with “an earnest—nay, burning—desire to attain it” (Institutes of the Christian Religion [Westminster], 3:20:6). (Persevering in Prayer) Wear me out (buffet, batter, beat my body black and blue) (5299)(hupopiazo from hupo = under + ops = eye) means literally to strike under the eye a description of an "uppercut" to use modern pugilistic parlance. To strike in this manner was generally considered to be a "knockout" punch by the ancient Greek boxers. The idea then is to strike hard and heavy on one's face, rendering it "black and blue." Recall that (apparently not in the first rounds but only in later rounds according to some sources) the boxers wore gloves (the "cestus") made of leather bands and tied into knots in addition to being embedded with metallic objects composed of lead and iron! It is not surprising that these gloves obtained the nickname of "limb-breakers!" The only other use (also figurative) is by Paul who writes " I discipline (hupopiazo in present tense - continually) my body and make it my slave (doulagogeo - present tense - continually), so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified (adokimos)." (1Cor 9:27+) John
Lucas 18
Calvin comments that “Every man that is puffed up with self-confidence carries on open war with God, to Whom we cannot be reconciled in any other way than by denial of ourselves; that is, by laying aside all confidence in our own virtue and righteousness, and relying on His mercy alone." MacArthur on those who trusted in themselves as especially pointing to the Pharisees - They had the greatest influence on a populace because they had power in the local synagogues everywhere which were basically ruled by their theology and even local Pharisees. And so the people believed that trusting in yourself to become righteous was the way that you gained a place in the kingdom of God and the way you would eventually get to heaven. The benchmark of their system: self-confidence in one's ability to achieve righteousness by their own power and works....One of the leading victims of this big lie is none other than the apostle Paul who gives his own testimony in Philippians chapter 3. He says, "If anybody has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more." You want to talk about fleshly achievement? You want to talk about how good a man can be in himself? Listen to this. "Circumcised the eighth day," I followed that Old Testament prescription, "of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin," one of the nobler of the tribes. "A Hebrew of Hebrews," meaning I kept all the traditions. "As to the law, a Pharisee,” the most fastidious and zealous of all law keepers; “as to zeal,” so passionate about his religion that he “persecuted the church." and then the pinnacle, "As to the righteousness which is in the law, found blameless." There wasn't anybody who knew me on the outside who could point to anything in my life that was a violation of the law visible to them. I walked the walk. I toed the mark. He lived that life, trusting in yourself that you can be righteous. They fasted all the time. We'll see that. They prayed. They abstained. They tithed. They memorized Scripture. They invented laws just to keep them, anything and everything to create an appearance of holiness. (Luke 18:9-14 Who Can Be Right with God? Part 1) J C Ryle on those who celebrate that they are "self" righteous - We are ALL naturally self-righteous. It is the family-disease of all the children of Adam (Ro 5:12+, cf 1 Cor 15:22). From the highest to the lowest we think more highly of ourselves than we ought to do (cf Ro 12:3+). We secretly flatter ourselves that we are not so bad as some, and that we have something to recommend us to the favor of God. “Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness.” (Pr 20:6) We forget the plain testimony of Scripture, “In many things we offend all.”—“There is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good and sinneth not.”—“What is man that he should be clean, or he that is born of a woman that he should be righteous?” (James 3:2. Eccl. 7:10. Job 15:14) The true cure for SELF-righteousness is SELF-knowledge. Once let the eyes of our understanding be opened by the Spirit, and we shall talk no more of our own goodness. Once let us see what there is in our own hearts, and what the holy law of God requires, and self-conceit will die. We shall lay our hand on our mouths, and cry with the leper, “Unclean, unclean.” (Lev 13:45.) THE SIN OF CONTEMPT Bailey comments that "Their “self-righteousness” naturally leads them to despise others who do not put forth such efforts. The real focus of the parable, therefore, is not humility in prayer but how we are justified/made righteous before God." (Borrow - Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes: Cultural Studies in the Gospels). And viewed others with contempt - They saw others the considered less righteous as worthless and of no value! Self is elevated so high that all others seem far below to the person with this warped mindset. Have you ever been around someone like this? They give off a "stench" so to speak! They clearly do not understand that the ground is level at the foot of the Cross of Christ! Note the "great" facial expression of contempt above! A picture really is worth a thousand words! You can just imagine the Pharisee's facial expression in Lk 18:11 as he makes mention of the tax collector! And then imagine this same facial expression on King Herod Antipas and his soldiers who treated Jesus with contempt (Lk 23:11+)! Robert Stein - Those who like the publican understand their sinful condition and know that they can only be saved by grace, find it difficult to despise others, for there is nothing of which they can boast. Only those who possess a false confidence in their own righteousness look down at others. (See Luke - Page 449) Steven