Many people around the world use the English language to write or read official documents. The Bible is commonly read in the English language. Knowing the scriptures were translated into the first English Bible by the order of King James of England in 1611, the original Hebrew (Old Testament language) and the Greek (New Testament language) were translated using the old British (English) language. Time has changed the usage of some of the terms to a more modern English slang. Other cultures adopting English as a language have their own dialects modifying the term’s definitions from common understanding for the masses. This causes a harsh reality; hateful behaviors erupting from a lack of understanding of the old British translated terms. Time and forgetfulness add to the ill behavior of many.
Very often people’s actions come under strict scrutiny. Someone does not approve of what is said or done. If it is an absolute wrong or violation of a rule, they have a right to disagree. If it is a marginal error, they may disapprove but should keep the matter to themselves. Without knowing all the facts, a Christian should operate with caution. Obtaining the facts or a proper verifiable ruling with good understanding should be explained to the one in believed error. Only God knows all the facts behind one’s judgment of all his commands. With scripture’s consistencies, a righteous person can with certainty know absolute rights and wrongs. However, they may not know all the absolutes from grey rules. In this they get too many assumptions wrong. This cultivates strife and anger among many religious believers. This leads to separations and the development of other religious assemblies. God is not the author of confusion; mankind is.
Who becomes an individual’s boss? Who is their judge? When one tries to do right, mistakes will still happen because of ignorance, error in judgment, etc. Perhaps the intentions were good. Only their Master has the authority to judge their speech or deeds.
Who is their Master? Who is their Lord? Who has the right to judge another’s actions? Romans 14:4. 4 Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Let’s investigate.
Biblical terms of authority are not used regularly in our culture as once used in the past. They often need clarification for our understanding. Humans need reminders of things of which we think we are absolutely correct in our understanding and that we feel we properly remember. Once we understand them more readily, scripture becomes more clear as to the meaning and usage of the terms. It either stands to confirm our understanding or it corrects our misunderstanding.
With clarity, a righteous person can understand who is in authority over another’s decisions. A righteous person can read and comprehend these old translated terms and of whom it speaks. The Pharisees thought they were Israel’s authority over all commandments from God. We know, however, in scripture, they did not do as they might have commanded others. Jesus called them hypocrites, often. They, like humans today, could be wrong in their judgments and commands of mankind. They may have not remembered the commandments of God correctly.
Let us notice a common behavior of humans. Then, as today, humans want everything to happen without much effort. We call this efficiency. Perhaps they made a list of common do’s and don’ts to help remember the laws. The Sabbath, for instance: A list of do’s would help remind the people of what they could do on the Sabbath, a very holy day. Perhaps a longer list of things a Jew could not do also existed. This simplified the remembrance of the command to keep the Sabbath Holy. It could help in remembering to do no servile work of any kind on the Sabbath. It could even help the most righteous to properly judge a wrongdoer. Did they over time forget the true meaning of the Law? Had it been skewed from the original understanding when it was given? Were their lists in error?
These Pharisees put themselves in a position of authority over the whole nation of Hebrews. They became the ruling class because they believed they were given it by their occupation or birth right. It became men judging men. A stark contrast from God judging men.
Let us look at a story in Mark 2:23-28, a story where people are behaving as they do today, judging the actions of another when they feel they are on the moral high ground or feel they have the right to make judgments upon a violator. We will encounter a few old British terms in which we may have difficulty remembering their proper definitions as translated. Let us read. Mark 2:23, 24. 23 And it came to pass, that he went through the corn fields on the sabbath day; and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of corn. 24 And the Pharisees said unto him, Behold, why do they on the sabbath day that which is not lawful? Many holy convocation days the Jews were commanded not to do any servile work. These days were remembered as Sabbath Days–the seventh day.
Immediately we see the mistaken judgment upon others by a group of self-righteous Pharisees. They thought they knew the law concerning the Sabbath. Let us read more. Vs. 25 And he said unto them, Have ye never read what David did, when he had need, and was an hungred, he, and they that were with him? 26 How he went into the house of God in the days of Abiathar the high priest, and did eat the shewbread, which is not lawful to eat but for the priests, and gave also to them which were with him? (1 Sam. 21:1-6)
To the self-righteous, a grave violation of the Law of God was performed. The Pharisees, in their high moral ground, believed they were to point out everyone’s wrong, if not publicly. To them they were in the absolute right. Jesus begins to clarify their attitude and self-righteousness. Jesus has to correct their judgmentalism. Vs. 27 And he said unto them, The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the sabbath: 28 Therefore the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath.
Jesus has the authority to judge his children. He has the authority to determine what is allowed and not allowed to do on the Sabbath. Mt. 28:18. 18 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. John 17:1-2. 17 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. All power (authority) over all flesh–on earth–and over all heavenly things was given by God the Father unto Jesus the son.
How does the term ‘Lord’ explain our position under Jesus’s authority and judgment? To be The Lord, he must have authority over his servants. To be Lord of the Sabbath, Jesus must have authority as ownership of the Sabbath as well as all days.
Let us look at the dictionary definition for Lord. LORD; DICTIONARY.COM: 1. a person who has authority, control, or power over others; a master, chief, or ruler.
8. Lord, the Supreme Being; God.
9. Lord, Christianity. the Savior, Jesus Christ.
Jesus has authority and control over all things on earth because he was there when the world was made. (John 1:1-3) He has the power over all things; especially the righteous and their discipline. (Romans 14:4)
A Biblical definition from Strong’s Lexicon is: Strong’s G2962; Lord: I. he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has the power of deciding; master, lord; a. universally, of the possessor and disposer of a thing, the owner, possessed of the power to determine what is suitable to the sabbath, and of releasing himself and others from its obligations, (Mark 2:28); with the genitive of a person, one who has control of the person, the master. To a Christian, Jesus is our Master; Lord.
All the children of Christ’s, all disciples belong to Jesus. To understand we belong to Jesus Christ, let us read all of John 17; the prayer Jesus prayed to God the Father. John 17. 17 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:
2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.
3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee.
8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me.
9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine.
10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are.
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves.
14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.
16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.
Jesus is Lord, Master, and Ruler. He is the possessor and disposer of a thing, the owner, possessed of the power to determine what is suitable to the sabbath, and of releasing himself and others from its obligations.
Are we possessing attitudes like the Pharisees? Are we trying to judge where we do not have authority? A servant is only subject unto his master who has authority over their being. If I belong to Jesus, Jesus only is my Lord; the possessor of power to determine my fate.
Let us learn our place in guiding others to righteousness. James 4:10-12. 10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. 11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. 12 There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?
Jesus is the Lord of all our days. Let him judge the righteous and unrighteous. Let us learn and lovingly guide as we have knowledge. Let us never stop trying to learn and perfect our faith to share properly with others.
