Posts

2 Peter 2:5 – Pre-Flood Stubbornness

Posted on April 19, 2017 by Will

And if he did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah and seven others, a preacher of righteousness, bringing a flood on the ungodly world;

Truth to Learn

The people of Noah’s day refused to listen to the truth and they paid the ultimate price for their sinfulness.

Behind the Words

The word translated “spare” is pheidomai, meaning “to treat with tenderness” or “to forbear.” In other words, God did not hold back His judgment.

“Flood” is translated from the Greek word kataklusmos, from which we get our English word cataclysm. This is a compound word made up of kata, an intensifier and kludzo which refers to the surging, washing effect of an ocean wave.

Meaning Explained

Peter now gives us a second example of those who have not escaped the judgment of God in spite of His longsuffering. God, Peter says, did not spare the ancient world, that is the world of people that existed before the flood. He did, however save Noah. The Greek text says,

And He did not treat the old world leniently but preserved Noah the eighth, a preacher of righteousness …

The expression, “Noah the eighth” is an idiom that was used by many of the Greek writers of that era. It means that Noah was one of eight people who were saved, Noah, his wife, and his three sons with their wives. No one outside his immediate family believed the message he preached. Because of their unbelief they were not saved from the flood.

Noah is an excellent example of a patient preacher of righteousness. For 120 years he labored, building the ark. And although we are not told specifically, he was probably ridiculed by all those around him. He labored obediently while they lived wantonly. He believed that God was going to bring a flood while they believed that things would simply continue on as they always had. Peter declared him to be a preacher of righteousness, which implies that he was not a silent builder. It appears he warned the people of his time that God was going to judge their sinfulness. But they, like the false teachers of Peter’s day and false teachers today, did not believe that God was going to judge them.

Why does God let such people continue on in their sinful ways? It seems like the wicked continue to prosper and the righteous continue to suffer, doesn’t it? Peter will address this in the next chapter, but let’s take a quick peek there right now:

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9) [NIV]

God delays His judgment for two reasons. First, to give the unsaved every opportunity to hear the salvation message and, second, so they will have no excuse when they are finally judged.

Application

Our commission, like Noah’s, is not to brow beat people into believing. Our job is to proclaim the message both in word and in deed. We must proclaim the message and we must live the message, because He is risen and He is coming back soon!

It could even be today! Get the word out!

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Peter 2:4 – Held For Judgment

Posted on April 18, 2017 by Will

For if God did not spare sinning angels, but delivered them to chains of darkness sending them down to Tartarus, holding them for judgment;

Truth to Learn

False teachers, like the angels who sinned, will be judged!

Behind the Words

The word “if” indicates a conditional clause. In New Testament Greek there are three classes of conditional clauses. There is s fourth class of conditional clauses in classical Greek, but it is not used in the New Testament. The conditional clause used here is a first class condition. A first class conditional sentence assumes that the premise (protasis) is true for the sake of argument. For this reason, some have proposed that the “if” can be translated as “since.” Whereas this is not always true, in this case it does give us a better sense of what the Greek is saying.

“Sending them down to Tartarus” is translated from the verb tartaroō. This is based on the noun Tartaros, the name of “the subterranean abyss of Greek mythology where the gods were punished.” Tartarus is also mentioned in the book of Enoch as the place where fallen angels are confined.

Meaning Explained

Peter told us in the previous verse that the judgment of false teachers and their destruction will come. He told the early Christians this because, like today, these false teachers seemed to be prospering in spite of (or because of) their selfish tactics. He will now go on to give us several examples of judgment that have already been performed upon those who thought they were getting away with their rebellion. The first of these examples is in today’s verse, the angels that sinned.

We don’t know exactly what their sin was, although Jude 6 implies that these angels left their original dwelling place and went somewhere they were not supposed to go. Some believe that this is a reference to the angels having come down to earth to cohabitate with human women, but that is really only speculation. What we do know is that they exceeded the bounds that God had set for them and they were punished.

Peter tells us that the angels are incarcerated in Tartarus in chains of darkness (gloomy dungeons) awaiting their judgment. And, by combining this verse with the end of this sentence (in verse nine), we see that Peter is saying, “If God did not spare angels when they sinned … then the Lord knows how to … hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment.” His point is that judgment will certainly come to these spirit beings just as judgment will come to the false teachers who are selling snake oil to the people.

Since angels are each a separate creation, there can be no substitutionary payment for their sins. We, on the other hand, being procreated beings (descendants of a created being) can, and do, have someone else who paid for our sins. That someone is the Son of God, Jesus Christ, who paid with His blood. The Bible tells us that if we do not accept this fact, then we too will be cast into Hell (Hades) to await the Great White Throne judgment where all unbelievers will be cast into the lake of fire for eternity.

Application

What future awaits you? The choice is yours: either the pain and suffering of Hades and the Lake of Fire, or as Peter talked about in the previous chapter:

a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Which future do you want?

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Peter 2:3 – Snake Oil Preaching

Posted on April 17, 2017 by Will

And by covetousness, with deceitful words they will use you for gain, whose judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction does not sleep

Truth to Learn

Not every message delivered from the pulpit comes from God.

Behind the Words

The word translated “covetousness” is the Greek word pleonexia, which means, “fraudulent practice driven by greed.”

The next expression is, “deceitful words.” This comes from the Greek words plastois logois. We have seen the word logos before, meaning “a word or a message.” The other word here is plastos, from which we get our English word “plastic.” This Greek word means “molded” or “purposely shaped.” Today we refer to this kind of language as “spin.”

The verb “will use you for gain” comes from the Greek word emporeuomai, which means “to travel about as a merchant or trader.” The way it’s used here it means “to make merchandise of people.”

Meaning Explained

We have been talking about false prophets of the past and false teachers of the present. Peter now tells us what is driving their actions and how they operate. His imagery is that of a snake oil salesman traveling about, taking advantage of uneducated people by way of well chosen but intentionally misleading words so as to make the message sound the way people want it to sound for the purpose of taking their money. These false teachers that Peter is talking about are presenting messages that will inspire and comfort people so that they will give to the ministry and meet the selfish desires of the false teachers.

Their deception is as old as sin itself, driven by the same selfishness that drove Satan to deceive Eve with molded words that may have sounded good but lead to destruction. Peter tells us (literal translation of the second half of today’s verse):

their long standing judgment is not idle and their destruction is not dozing-off

In other words, the same judgment that has been given concerning this type of deception from of old will be applied to these false teachers of today without fail. They may think that they are getting away with something, but their destruction is sure.

These false teachers are occupying many of our church pulpits today, delivering homilies and sermons that bless the hearts of the hearers, while leading them straight to Hell. Their messages are soothing and even inspiring, but they are not the messages that God wants delivered. The messages are intended to please the people rather than to proclaim the message of sacrifice, commitment, and submission. These are the deceptive messages that church members are willing to pay for. How sad!

Application

The next time you hear your pastor preach a message that is straight from The Word, one that pricks your heart, causing you to once again submit yourself to the God of all creation, tell him thank you for taking the road less traveled and being God’s instrument of righteousness.

But, perhaps you go to church on Sunday to be soothed and comforted. If so, you may be buying snake oil!

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Peter 2:2 – Ungodly Witnesses

Posted on April 14, 2017 by Will

And many will follow their licentious ways and will bring the way of truth into disrepute.

Truth to Learn

Professing Christians who live un-Christ-like lives bring the whole body of Christ into disrepute.

Behind the Words

All of the writings from which the New Testament was translated were written during the first century AD. Unfortunately, none of the original versions of these writings are still around. What we have are copies, or portions of copies, of copies, of copies, etc. As a result of this copying and re-copying over a period of time, words sometimes got changed, added, or deleted by the copiers. These variations in the text are referred to as “variant readings.” Today’s verse is one example of this. The most reliable of these copies uses the word aselgeia, here translated “licentious.” This Greek word refers to “debauchery, sexual excess, absence of restraint, or insatiable desire for pleasure.” Other copies of this letter instead use the word apōleaia, which refers to “the state after death where one realizes that he or she is lost and has no hope of salvation.” Translations that use this textual source often translate this word as “destructive ways.”

The word “disrepute” is translated from blasphēmeō, meaning “to slander someone’s reputation with harsh words.”

Meaning Explained

Even though we have disagreement regarding the precise word Peter used, as with virtually all textual disagreements in the New Testament, the difference between “destructive” and “licentious” does not affect our doctrinal view. But it does slightly alter what Peter is saying about these false teachers. Whether we refer to the heretical teaching of these false teachers as “leading people into an eternal state where salvation is no longer possible” or “leading people into a false religion which has no restraint from pleasures,” it is evidence of a man made religious substitute for true Christianity.

It’s amazing to me how often “popular” churches are preaching a watered down gospel or misleading heresies. People seem to flock to them, probably because these churches are non-threatening to their sinful way of life, and comfortable. In some cases it’s because the church actually caters to their particular sinful practices without condemning them or proclaiming the truth about them.

It is difficult to convince someone involved with one of these churches that they are being led astray because they don’t want to see the truth. The fact of the matter is, however, that many unsaved people on the outside can see through the façade and know that something’s wrong with their religion. This type of religion in the name of Christianity has caused many others to turn away from God and even to categorically claim that all Christians are this way, which is precisely what Peter said would happen.

Application

One thing that I want all of us to see here is that, in a sense, we are all proclaimers of our beliefs in the way that we live our lives and behave in front of others. Are you proclaiming a message that is consistent with the truth of the Word? Or, are you proclaiming a false religion that merely professes Christianity without demonstrating it?

That’s something to think about!

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Peter 2:1 – False Teachers

Posted on April 13, 2017 by Will

But false prophets were also among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction on themselves.

Truth to Learn

Beware! There are false teachers in the church today.

Behind the Words

“False prophets” is translated from the Greek word, pseudoprophētēs. This is made up of pseudo, meaning “false” and prophētēs, meaning prophet. The word prophētēs is made up of pro, meaning “before, in time or position” and phēmi, meaning “to tell” or “to proclaim.” Thus, the word prophētēs refers to someone proclaiming a message before it occurs, or proclaiming a message before (in front of) other people.

The word translated “destructive” is apōleias which is a compound word made up of apo, used as an intensifier and ollumi, meaning “to destroy.” Hence, it could be interpreted as “completely destructive” or “absolutely destructive.”

The word “heresies” is translated from the Greek word, hairesis. The verb form of which is haireō, meaning “to choose for oneself.” Hence, a heresy is not a God given truth, but a false truth chosen by the false teacher.

“Master” is from the Greek word despotēs, which refers to a person who possesses supreme authority over another. It is the word from which we get our English word “despot.”

Meaning Explained

Having just proclaimed the importance of, and the veracity of the prophetic messages in scriptures, Peter now gives us a warning that we need to heed, especially today! He tells us that in addition to the absolutely truthful and reliable prophets of the Old Testament, there were also those who were masquerading as prophets of God who, in fact, were not prophets of God. Peter says that there will also be false teachers among us, who will not just deny the truth of the Word, but they will teach destructive heresies.

He tells us that the false teachers of today are proclaiming a message that they choose for themselves rather than proclaiming the truth that God intended. And these lies (or mis-truths) will cause absolute destruction, not only to those who believe their lies but to those proclaiming the lies themselves as well. These false teachers will even go so far as to deny their master; literally the text says “disavow the master who bought them,” ultimately bringing destruction on themselves.

There are two things we can learn from this verse. First, we should not be teaching God’s Word unless we are sure it is the Spirit of God who is teaching through us. We who teach are under stricter condemnation if we do not adhere strictly to the truth. James warns us:

My brothers, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we will receive greater judgment. (James 3:1)

In other words, be careful, those of you who want to teach, because teachers of God’s Word will receive a greater punishment for false teaching and for leading others astray.

The other thing we all can learn from today’s verse is that we need to be careful who we believe. Don’t believe any teacher of the Bible simply because he or she claims to teach the truth. Rather, we need to make sure that they are teaching God’s Word and not their own interpretation of religion. The Apostle John said:

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world. (1 John 4:1)

Application

Are you searching the Scriptures to see if the things taught in your church are truth? Are you searching the Scriptures to see if the things taught in these daily Bible verse studies are truth? I sure hope so!

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Peter 1:21 – Inspired Writing

Posted on April 12, 2017 by Will

For prophecy was never brought about by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

Truth to Learn

The Bible is the “inspired” Word of God.

Behind the Words

The word translated “will” is translated from the word thelemati, a form of thelema, which refers to the “determined will” as opposed to “desirous will.” This we could translate the opening phrase as, “For prophecy was never brought about by the determination of man …”

Both the phrases “brought about” and “carried along” are from a form of the Greek word pherō, meaning “to carry” or “to bring.”

Meaning Explained

This verse requires careful translation to get the true meaning. A literal translation is, “for prophecy was not at any time borne by the determination of man, but holy men of God spoke, being carried by the Holy Spirit.”

In the previous verse Peter said, “…no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation,” meaning that the prophets did not proclaim the messages with their own meaning or intent. Remember that we said the word “interpretation” did not apply to the one receiving the message but the one proclaiming the message? In today’s verse Peter explains what he meant by that.

Peter says, in today’s verse, that prophecy (referring to the entire Old Testament) was not at any time carried by the determination of man. He says that their message was not proclaimed based on what man determined. Instead, these holy men were carried along by the Holy Spirit. In other words, the Old Testament writers did not determine their message and then proclaim it. They were, rather, controlled by the Holy Spirit as they proclaimed their message.

In 2 Timothy 3:16, the Apostle Paul said it this way, “All scripture is inspired by God…” (NASB) or “All scripture is God-breathed…” (NIV). The word here translated “inspired” or “God-breathed” is theopneustos, a compound word made up of theos, which means “God” and a form of pneō which means “to breath” or “to blow.” So whether the prophet is “carried along by the Holy Spirit” or their message was “God-breathed,” the source and the content of the message are from God, while the prophet or author is simply the channel through which the message is conveyed.

The Bible is not just a collection of stories and predictions written by a bunch of different men over the span of several thousand years. It is the writing of men who were controlled by the Holy Spirit of God and it is, therefore, without error (in the original manuscripts) and perfectly accurate in its predictions of future events. And though not all of the prophecies in the Bible have come true (yet), not a single one that has come to pass has been wrong! That’s pretty amazing for a book that has been penned by so many human authors (under divine control) over such a long period of time. Only by the power of God could this be accomplished.

Application

The bottom line is that the Bible is truth. It is God’s truth, and contained within its pages is everything you and I need for salvation, godly living, and peace! Praise God!

We all need to read it more!

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Peter 1:20 – Spirit Inspired

Posted on April 11, 2017 by Will

Knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation.

Truth to Learn

The truth of the Bible is communicated by the Holy Spirit.

Behind the Words

The words translated “one’s own interpretation” are idias epiluseos. The first of these, idias, means “pertaining to a private person and not to the public.” The second one, epiluseos, is built on the root word “epiluō.” This is made up of epi, meaning “over, on, or upon” and luō, meaning “release” or “let loose.” So, quite literally, it means “let loose upon” or “release upon.” In translating to English, this word has the basic meaning of “interpretation” or “exposition.” Hence, we see that idias epiluseos refers to “a person’s own private interpretation.”

Meaning Explained

Peter starts off today’s verse with, “knowing this first,” (that is, first in importance). He has been talking about the fact that we can more firmly believe prophecies about Christ’s second coming because He has already demonstrated the veracity of the prophecies concerning His first coming. First, though, before we get carried away and try to make other prophecies mean what we want them to mean, Peter gives us some instruction on how prophecies come about.

He uses a construction that would appear awkward to us today but, I believe, for a very good reason. He literally says,

all prophetic scripture does not come into being by personal interpretation.

He wants to make sure that we understand that he is talking about all of the holy writings of Scripture. With the English translation we have, there is an exclusionary phrase (no prophecy of Scripture), but with Peter’s original writing there is an inclusionary phrase (all prophetic scripture.) It is a subtle difference, but one that is important in that what he has to say applies to all scripture.

Where most people get off track on this verse is that they apply the “interpretation” to the reader but that’s not what the verse is talking about. It is talking about the one proclaiming the prophecy, not the one reading it. What Peter is saying is that those who have proclaimed the prophecies did not give them their own meaning. Rather, as he tells us in the following verse, they were carried along in their message by the Holy Spirit of God!

And, not only were the writers of Scripture carried along by the Holy Spirit so that their writings are “inspired,” but the truths of the Scripture are now revealed to us by the Holy Spirit:

But the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as His anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true and no lie … (1 John 2:27)

Application

As you read your Bible today, ask God to open your eyes to the truth of His word. May the Holy Spirit teach you His truth as you yield to Him rather than the whims of man.

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Peter 1:19 – More Sure Foundation

Posted on April 10, 2017 by Will

And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

Truth to Learn

God’s Word regarding Christ’s second coming, delivered by the prophets of old, is made more reliable by His first coming.

Behind the Words

The words “more sure” come from the Greek word bebaios, the root of which is basis, meaning “a firm footing or foundation,” hence our English word, basis. This is the same root as the word we saw back in verse 10 where Peter told us to “make our calling and election sure.” The word in today’s verse is expressed as a comparative. Therefore, it means “firmer footing,” or “more foundational,” or “more certain.”

“Pay attention” is translated from the verb prosechō. This is a compound word made up of pros, meaning “to or toward” and echo, meaning “to have.” As a nautical term, this means “to hold a ship in a specific direction” or “to keep one’s course toward a place.” As used here it means “to apply one’s mind to something,” that is, “to give attention to.”

Meaning Explained

This is another one of those verses that has stirred up considerable debate among scholars and theologians over the centuries. It primarily centers on the phrase “word of the prophets made more certain.” The controversy comes in when we ask ourselves what two things are being compared by Peter. Is he making a comparison between the transfiguration and prophesy? Is he simply saying that the word of prophecy was very sure and could be relied on, or is Peter saying something else?

A literal translation of this passage reads, “and we have the prophetic word more firm.” It appears that what Peter is saying is, because of the coming of Jesus in his first advent, confirmed by his transfiguration, witnessed by only a few people, the words of prophecy concerning his second coming are made even more firm, more steadfast, and more believable. That is why Peter follows this phrase up with, “to which you do well to take heed.”

Peter has been talking about our need to be diligent in developing Christian character qualities, built on the firmness of our election and calling. He reminded us that we are not following fables, but the majesty of God in the flesh, which Peter and the two others had a glimpse of. The prophets have shed some light on both the first and second coming of the Messiah, and we need to take heed regarding those prophecies.

He compares these prophetic messages to a light that shines in the darkness. At night, when there is no light from the sun and very little from the moon, we use a lantern of a flashlight to see where we’re going, but it’s not the same as daylight. That’s exactly what Peter is saying. Prophecy is only a partial illumination of things to come, and it does not make all things clear, yet it does give us a glimpse of what is to come. Peter is saying that we can believe what prophecy says regarding the second coming of our Lord because of His first coming. Having perfectly satisfied many of the predictions by His coming as the Lamb, He will satisfy all the rest by His coming as the King!

Application

Will you be ready when He returns, or will you be like those religious people who completely missed His first coming? They fought against Him and conspired to kill Him because they wanted religion their way (based on their traditions) instead of salvation God’s way (based on the Word of God).

Is your foundation the Word of God, or religious traditions?

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Peter 1:18 – His Holy Presence

Posted on April 7, 2017 by Will

And we heard this voice borne out of heaven being with him on the sacred mountain.

Truth to Learn

Holiness is in the presence of God, not the location or building.

Behind the Words

The word translated “voice” is phōnē, which comes from the verb phaō, meaning “to shine.” So phōnē actually means “to audibly shine forth.” The Greek historian, Plutarch, calls it "that which brings light upon that which is thought of in the mind." So, not only did these three disciples see the shining glory of the Son of God revealed, but they also heard the revelation of the shining voice of God the Father.

The word translated “sacred” is hagios, which comes from the word hagos, meaning “an awful thing.” Not awful as we often think of it as “terrible” or “very bad,” but awful as something that fills one with awe and wonder. It is a word that has come to mean “morally pure and set-apart from sin.”

Meaning Explained

As Peter continues his description of the transfiguration of Christ, he makes three assertions in this verse. First, that he, along with James and John, heard the voice of God the Father. It was not merely an inarticulate noise; they heard His words giving glory and honor to the Son.

The second assertion that Peter makes is that the three disciples were “with Him.” Yes, they were physically with him, but there is another sense in which they were with him. They were with him in spirit through their belief in him. They were his disciples, his followers, desirous of learning more about Him. This is one of the “black and white” issues of the Scriptures. Christ, Himself, said it this way in Luke 11:23,

He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

You are either with Him, that is, you believe in Him, you follow Him, and you obey Him, or you are against Him. There is no middle road and no half-way Christianity. Either your faith is real or it is pretend. That’s one of the points Peter has been making throughout this chapter. We need to show our faith, let it shine forth like the voice of God, by diligently working on developing the Christian character qualities he outlined in the early verses of this chapter.

The third assertion that Peter makes in today’s verse is regarding the place where they were. He calls the mountain sacred, not because the mountain itself possessed any special moral purity, but because of the presence of the Almighty. We think of a temple or a church, particularly the “sanctuary” where church services are held, as a holy place. The very word “sanctuary” is a translation of the Greek word hagia meaning an awful (holy) place. It is not a place of holiness and awe because the physical structure possesses any holiness, but because of Whose presence is there. It is this presence of the Holy God that makes something, or someone, holy.

Application

The place where you meet on Sunday morning may be a large cathedral, a small hand-made building, or even someone’s living room. The place is not important, but the presence of God is. As you participate in your church service this week, remember that you are in a holy place because the Spirit of our Holy God is in your midst.

In God's service, for His glory,

2 Peter 1:17 – A Father Well Pleased

Posted on April 6, 2017 by Will

For having received honor and glory from God the Father such a voice was brought to him from the majestic glory, saying, "This is my Beloved Son, with him I am well pleased."

Truth to Learn

God the Father is, and has always been, pleased with His Son.

Behind the Words

The word “honor” is a translation of the Greek word timē, which also occurred back in verse 4 of this chapter. It refers to “having value.” In verse 4 it was used in reference to the promises that have been given to us and there it was translated as “precious,” i.e. very valuable. In today’s verse it is translated as “honor.” According to The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, the word honor means, “High respect, as that shown for special merit; esteem” but this doesn’t quite carry the same sense as the Greek word. It is more than respect or esteem, it is recognition of His value in the order of creation, He is preeminent, that is, the highest, most valuable, and greatest!

The word “glory” is from the Greek word doxan, which refers to “glory, dignity, or honor.” There is a subtle but distinct difference in these two words that Peter used (glory and honor). The first refers to His worth as a being and the second refers to recognition for what He has done.

The word translated “Majestic” is from the Greek word megaloprepēs, which is a compound made up of megas, meaning “great or big” and a form of prepō, meaning “that which is right or proper.” In English, this word implies something “resplendent, glorious, magnificent, or majestic.”

Meaning Explained

Peter has just talked about his eyewitness account of the transfiguration of Christ on the mountaintop. In today’s verse he recounts some of the details of that event. Before we talk about his details, however, let’s look at the word translated “transfigured” from Matthew 17:2. It is the Greek word metamorphoō, which is a compound word made up of meta, which means “a change of place or condition” and morphoō, which means “to form.” So Matthew is telling us that he didn’t simply change appearance, he actually changed in form on that mountaintop.

In today’s verse Peter tells us that Jesus Christ received “honor and glory from God the Father.” He then tells us how glory and honor were bestowed on Jesus. There was an audible voice carried forth from the majestic (or magnificent) glory saying, “This is my son – the beloved, with whom I was well pleased” (literal translation). Jesus received glory in that God the Father referred to Him as “my Son” (the Son of God), and He received honor from God the Father when He proclaimed, “with him I was well pleased.” This does not mean that the Father is no longer pleased with the Son. Rather, it means that He has been pleased with the Son of God since eternity past.

Application

Although we will never attain the same position as Jesus (i.e. we will never be God), we who have accepted Christ as Savior have had His righteousness bestowed upon us and we have been adopted into the same family. And, if we are faithful and diligent in our efforts for Him during this life, we may someday hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant!”

Is that what you want to hear from your Heavenly Father? I know I do!

In God's service, for His glory,