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Matej 10

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1 Dozva dvanaestoricu svojih učenika i dade im vlast nad nečistim dusima: da ih izgone i da liječe svaku bolest i svaku nemoć.

2 A ovo su imena dvanaestorice apostola: prvi Šimun, zvani Petar, i Andrija, brat njegov; i Jakov, sin Zebedejev, i Ivan brat njegov;

3 Filip i Bartolomej; Toma i Matej carinik; Jakov Alfejev i Tadej;

4 Šimun Kananaj i Juda Iškariotski, koji ga izda.

5 Tu dvanaestoricu posla Isus uputivši ih: "K poganima ne idite i ni u koji samarijski grad ne ulazite!

6 Pođite radije k izgubljenim ovcama doma Izraelova!

7 Putom propovijedajte: 'Približilo se kraljevstvo nebesko!'

8 Bolesne liječite, mrtve uskrisujte, gubave čistite, zloduhe izgonite! Besplatno primiste, besplatno dajte!

9 Ne stječite zlata, ni srebra, ni mjedi sebi u pojase,

10 ni putne torbe, ni dviju haljina, ni obuće, ni štapa. Ta vrijedan je radnik hrane svoje."

11 "U koji god grad ili selo uđete, razvidite tko je u njemu dostojan: ondje ostanite sve dok ne odete.

12 Ulazeći u kuću, zaželite joj mir.

13 Bude li kuća dostojna, neka mir vaš siđe na nju. Ne bude li dostojna, neka se mir vaš k vama vrati.

14 Gdje vas ne prime i ne poslušaju riječi vaših, iziđite iz kuće ili grada toga i prašinu otresite sa svojih nogu.

15 Zaista, kažem vam, lakše će biti zemlji sodomskoj i gomorskoj na Dan sudnji negoli gradu tomu."

16 "Evo, ja vas šaljem kao ovce među vukove. Budite dakle mudri kao zmije, a bezazleni kao golubovi!

17 Čuvajte se ljudi, jer će vas predavati vijećima i po svojim će vas sinagogama bičevati.

18 Pred upravitelje i kraljeve vodit će vas poradi mene, za svjedočanstvo njima i poganima.

19 Kad vas predadu, ne budite zabrinuti kako ili što ćete govoriti. Dat će vam se u onaj čas što ćete govoriti.

20 Ta ne govorite to vi, nego Duh Oca vašega govori u vama!"

21 "Brat će brata predavati na smrt i otac dijete. Djeca će ustajati na roditelje i ubijati ih.

22 Svi će vas zamrziti zbog imena moga. Ali tko ustraje do svršetka, bit će spašen."

23 "Kad vas stanu progoniti u jednom gradu, bježite u drugi. Zaista, kažem vam, nećete obići gradova izraelskih prije nego što dođe Sin Čovječji."

24 "Nije učenik nad učiteljem niti sluga nad gospodarom svojim.

25 Dosta je da učenik bude kao njegov učitelj i sluga kao njegov gospodar. Ako su domaćina Beelzebulom nazvali, koliko će više njegove ukućane?"

26 "Ne bojte ih se dakle. Ta ništa nije skriveno što se neće otkriti ni tajno što se neće doznati.

27 Što vam govorim u tami, recite na svjetlu; i što na uho čujete, propovijedajte na krovovima."

28 "Ne bojte se onih koji ubijaju tijelo, ali duše ne mogu ubiti. Bojte se više onoga koji može i dušu i tijelo pogubiti u paklu."

29 "Ne prodaju li se dva vrapca za novčić? Pa ipak ni jedan od njih ne pada na zemlju bez Oca vašega.

30 A vama su i vlasi na glavi sve izbrojene.

31 Ne bojte se dakle! Vredniji ste nego mnogo vrabaca."

32 "Tko god se, dakle, prizna mojim pred ljudima, priznat ću se i ja njegovim pred Ocem, koji je na nebesima.

33 A tko se odreče mene pred ljudima, odreći ću se i ja njega pred svojim Ocem, koji je na nebesima."

34 "Ne mislite da sam došao mir donijeti na zemlju. Ne, nisam došao donijeti mir, nego mač.

35 Ta došao sam rastaviti čovjeka od oca njegova i kćer od majke njezine i snahu od svekrve njezine;

36 i neprijatelji će čovjeku biti ukućani njegovi.

37 "Tko ljubi oca ili majku više nego mene, nije mene dostojan. Tko ljubi sina ili kćer više nego mene, nije mene dostojan.

38 Tko ne uzme svoga križa i ne pođe za mnom, nije mene dostojan.

39 Tko nađe život svoj, izgubit će ga, a tko izgubi svoj život poradi mene, naći će ga."

40 "Tko vas prima, mene prima; a tko prima mene, prima onoga koji je mene poslao.

41 Tko prima proroka jer je prorok, primit će plaću proročku; tko prima pravednika jer je pravednik, primit će plaću pravedničku.

42 Tko napoji jednoga od ovih najmanjih samo čašom hladne vode zato što je moj učenik, zaista, kažem vam, neće mu propasti plaća."

   

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From David to Solomon: From War to Peace

Napsal(a) Bill Woofenden

"And the days that David reigned over Israel were forty years: seven years reigned he in Hebron, and thirty and three years reigned he in Jerusalem. Then sat Solomon upon the throne of David his father; and his kingdom was established greatly." 1 Kings 1:11-12

Just before the giving of the Commandments, Moses was told to say to the people, "Now therefore if ye will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people, for all the earth is Mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation" (Exodus 19:5-6).

The history of Israel, their journeys and battles, victories and defeats, is a drama representative of Christian life. It is the story of progress until the Lord reigns in the souls of men and in His Church.

This government of the Lord, however, is different at different stages of the regenerating life. It is at first the discipline of the outer man, the government of obedience, directed almost entirely to our words and actions. This is like the government of Saul. In due time our religion becomes deeper and enters into more interior states. It is much engaged in the search for intelligence and truth. It has many conflicts, and it struggles hard for self-conquest. There are hard struggles within for purity of thought and feeling, of which the world takes no note, but which are very real to one who is seeking the Kingdom of God. The love of truth is increasing, and the love of the world decreasing. It is the spiritual state of man. This is the rule of David. Then the celestial state follows. The ideal is clear. The aim is to do good, to seek peace and pursue it. There is little desire for argument, but there is deep concern for charity and justice, a desire for rest and peace, for perfection. This is represented by the government of Solomon, the peaceful king, whose name signifies peace. David's reign was a very warlike one; yet it was a necessary one. It prepared the way for Solomon.

The human mind, when deep thought has been awakened and somewhat of the Divine Light has penetrated, discovers a host of views, feelings, and prejudices in itself that need to be corrected. This entails trial, and sometimes severe distress of soul. "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword" (Matthew 10:34). This the Lord says to every regenerating man. He who makes no change makes no improvement.

The period of spiritual conflict was represented by the reign of David, which, as is said in our text, continued forty years. Forty is used in the Word when a full state of temptation is represented. The rain that caused the flood is said to have descended for forty days and nights. The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for forty years. The Lord was in the desert tempted of the devil for forty days. So David's reign lasted forty years to represent the many varied conflicts of mind and heart before the kingdom is brought under the steady government of Divine Truth.

He reigned seven years in Hebron, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem. The seven years in Hebron (which means friendship) pictures coming into a state of love for the neighbor, for unless this is established there can be no progress. The thirty-three years in Jerusalem is the establishment of heavenly truth in the mind.

That David's warlike reign would represent that part of Christian life which is a warfare is easily seen. To avoid sins which are not respectable in the sight of our friends, to observe the requirements of public worship, to read good books, and to support religion may be accompanied inwardly by pride, self-seeking, and the love of self. To fight against these evils within is what the rule of David means in its application to the individual Christian.

In its highest application it refers to the Lord as our Redeemer from the powers of darkness. For though His outward life had little appearance of violent strife until its close, yet the Gospels contain sufficient indications of fearful struggles in the world of spirit against the powers of darkness during His whole career, as pictured especially in the Prophets and Psalms.

The redemption of the world, and the necessity of Jehovah Himself coming into the world to be our Redeemer are little understood, unless we are aware of how closely the spiritual world is connected with ours, and how the two worlds act and react upon one another.

When a church becomes corrupt, "darkness covers the earth, and gross darkness the people" (Isaiah 60:2). Century after century passes on, the darkness becomes deeper, and the lights one after another go out. Then in the fullness of time the Lord comes and executes a judgment. The good welcome Him; the evil hate Him and resist, but in vain. They who have loved darkness rather than light cannot stand the light, and are overthrown, as all the foes of Israel were overthrown by David.

Throughout the Prophets the Lord is pictured as our Redeemer, waging a terrible conflict. No such awful combat took place in the outer world. It took place in the world of spirit. "I have trodden the winepress alone, and of the people there was none with me, for I will tread them in mine anger and trample them in my fury; and their blood shall be sprinkled upon my garments, and I will stain all my raiment; for the way of vengeance is in mine heart, and the year of my redeemed is come" (Isaiah 63:3-4).

Redemption, the overthrow of the powers of darkness, the deliverance of the good from bondage to evil and falsity, is what the reign of David portrays; this is represented by David's reigning forty years; seven years in Hebron, the protection of goodness, and thirty-three years in Jerusalem, deliverance from error, and the filling of the mind with an abundance of Divine Truth.

David's growing old and dying and the accession of Solomon to the throne tells us that the period of struggle will come to an end. We should become loving, good, and established in truth, after the evils and falsities are overcome and cast out.

To think that we cannot overcome wrong desires and false thoughts is to deny the Lord. He overcomes by giving us power to overcome. We must be faithful and believing. When we are faithful and steadfast, the foe falls. To him that overcometh the Lord gives light and love in ever-increasing measure. We may not be able to succeed in many of our plans, but there is one in which everyone can succeed, that is in his conflict with evil. This is the one conflict in which we are certain to conquer, if we are faithful. We cannot fail if we are true.

First we must overcome in ourselves uncharitable feelings — David in Hebron. Without good will there can be no hope of peace. We must exercise good will until it becomes established in us, until it becomes our abiding nature. This is to reign in Hebron seven years.

Divine Truth will then open to us the perception that our thoughts are not in harmony with the truth. We are prone to think as the world thinks, and to vire by worldly maxims. These are opposed to heavenly life and thought. "The kingdoms of this world shall become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever" (Revelation 11:15). We can walk safely only as we are guided by the light of truth. The mind and the heart will then be in accord.

Then Solomon will begin to sit on the throne of David his father, and his kingdom will be established greatly. In other words, the rule of the Lord will no longer be a struggle against evils and errors but the development and establishment of goodness and truth. The Lord will become for us the Prince of Peace, and of His government there shall be no end.