• When we recognise who Jesus is and receive Him as Lord, our eyes are opened to see God as He is, and ourselves as He sees us
This is The Living Word Bible Study for Sunday, August 27, 2023. It uses the Bible readings recommended by the Revised Common Lectionary, an interdenominational scheme used by a cross-section of churches and chapels.
Bible readings this week:
Exodus 1:8-2:10 — A new ruler leads to hardship for the Israelites
Matthew 16:13-20 — Who is Jesus? The answer also defines who we are
Romans 12:1-8 — Seeing ourselves in the renewed way of the Spirit
Theme: Who is Jesus? And who does that make me?
Psalm 124
1-3 If the Lord had not been on our side — let Israel say —if the Lord had not been on our side when people attacked us, they would have swallowed us alive when their anger flared against us;
4-5 the flood would have engulfed us, the torrent would have swept over us, the raging waters would have swept us away.
6-7 Praise be to the Lord, who has not let us be torn by their teeth. We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped.
8 Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
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Exodus 1:8-2:10 — A new ruler leads to hardship for the Israelites
• The Egyptians, resenting the Israelite presence, worked them relentlessly
8 Then a new king, to whom Joseph meant nothing, came to power in Egypt.
“A new king” — who did not acknowledge the gift of Joseph to the country earlier.
9-10 “Look,” he said to his people, “the Israelites have become far too numerous for us. Come, we must deal shrewdly with them or they will become even more numerous and, if war breaks out, will join our enemies, fight against us and leave the country.”
“Join our enemies… and leave the country” — in an early ‘ethnic cleansing’ the Hyksos delta dwellers were expelled, but the Egyptians needed the Israelites to remain.
11 So they put slave masters over them to oppress them with forced labour, and they built Pithom and Rameses as store cities for Pharaoh.
“Store cities” — archaeology reveals Late Bronze period origins, 1550-1250 BC, when the Israelites were present.
12-14 But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly. They made their lives bitter with harsh labour in brick and mortar and with all kinds of work in the fields; in all their harsh labour the Egyptians worked them ruthlessly.
“Made their lives bitter” — commemorated in the Passover meal eaten “with bitter herbs”, Exodus 12:8.
“Harsh labour in brick” — the area lacked stone; building projects required millions of sun-baked bricks.
15-16 The king of Egypt said to the Hebrew midwives, whose names were Shiphrah and Puah, “When you are helping the Hebrew women during childbirth on the delivery stool, if you see that the baby is a boy, kill him; but if it is a girl, let her live.”
“Hebrew midwives” — representing midwives generally. In a narrative that has few names, naming them is significant.
17 The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.
“Feared God” — showing that Israel is called to honour God above any ruler or circumstance, a central theme of this book.
18 Then the king of Egypt summoned the midwives and asked them, “Why have you done this? Why have you let the boys live?”
19 The midwives answered Pharaoh, “Hebrew women are not like Egyptian women; they are vigorous and give birth before the midwives arrive.”
“The midwives answered” — less than candidly, but absolute faithfulness to God is His priority.
20-21 So God was kind to the midwives and the people increased and became even more numerous. And because the midwives feared God, He gave them families of their own.
22 Then Pharaoh gave this order to all his people: “Every Hebrew boy that is born you must throw into the Nile, but let every girl live.”
2:1 Now a man of the tribe of Levi married a Levite woman, and she became pregnant and gave birth to a son. When she saw that he was a fine child, she hid him for three months.
“Tribe of Levi” —third son of Jacob, Genesis 29:34.
3-4 But when she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him and coated it with tar and pitch. Then she placed the child in it and put it among the reeds along the bank of the Nile. His sister stood at a distance to see what would happen to him.
5-6 Then Pharaoh’s daughter went down to the Nile to bathe, and her attendants were walking along the riverbank. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her female slave to get it. She opened it and saw the baby. He was crying, and she felt sorry for him. “This is one of the Hebrew babies,” she said.
“Pharaoh’s daughter” — all Pharaoh’s attempts to suppress Israel are thwarted by women.
7 Then his sister asked Pharaoh’s daughter, “Shall I go and get one of the Hebrew women to nurse the baby for you?”
8-10 “Yes, go,” she answered. So the girl went and got the baby’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, “Take this baby and nurse him for me, and I will pay you.” So the woman took the baby and nursed him. When the child grew older, she took him to Pharaoh’s daughter and he became her son. She named him Moses, saying, “I drew him out of the water.”
“Moses” — also in royal Egyptian names Ahmose, Thutmose and Rameses.
Reflection
SUMMARY From the honour accorded to Joseph, the Israelites have become despised and oppressed. Into this dangerous environment Israel’s future leader was born and concealed.
APPLICATION This is a story of people who knew their call and identity, and honoured God above all else — foundation principles for Christian faith to be built on.
QUESTION Where do we find a tension between being faithful to the God we relate to, and complying with religious requirements?
Matthew 16:13-20 — Who is Jesus? The answer also defines who we are
• Among pagan shrines the disciples declare Jesus Son of the real, live God
13 When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”
“Caesarea Philippi” — notoriously pagan northern Galilee offered contrasts to discuss Jesus’ identity.
14 They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
“One of the prophets” — people who were expecting what the prophets foretold, saw similarities with Elijah and Jeremiah, Deut. 18:15-18; Malachi 4:5.
15-16 “But what about you?” He asked. “Who do you say I am?”
Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”
“Who do you say” — Simon Peter declares that Jesus is the Son of the God who is alive, unlike the pagan gods.
17 Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by My Father in heaven.
“Revealed” — perceived spiritually.
• Faith makes the connection, Matt 11:25-27; 14:33; 27:54
18 “And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
“You are Peter… on this rock” — the name Petros, stone, becoming petra, bedrock, with the backdrop of a massive stone facade used for pagan worship.
“On this rock I will build” — on Peter’s grasp of the truth, like the house built on rock, Matthew 7:24-25, also Psalm 18:2, Isaiah 26:4, 30:29.
“I will build” — Jesus’ work of word and Spirit in every age, in which Peter participated.
“Church” — literally ‘assembly of those called’, only used here in the gospels and Matt. 18:17. No hint of office, institution, infallibility or apostolic succession. Ephesians 2:17-20 teaches that Christ is the cornerstone rock foundation, anchoring the good news of the kingdom.
19 “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”
“Keys of the kingdom of heaven” — alluding to Isaiah 22:22, what is permitted. Peter was a key person in opening the kingdom to Jews, then Samaritans and Gentiles. Later all the disciples received spiritual authority to pray and teach, Matthew 18:18.
• For further study, see Acts 2:3; Acts 8:14-17; Acts 10.
20 Then He ordered His disciples not to tell anyone that He was the Messiah.
“Not to tell” — the name Messiah was widely misunderstood in a political sense.
Reflection
SUMMARY A visit to Caesarea Philippi, a notoriously pagan ‘new town’ on the northern edge of Galilee, prompts a discussion about who Jesus is — and His divine origins.
APPLICATION Jesus’ question to Peter, “Who do you say I am?” is echoed back to him as Jesus telling him that he is now Peter the Rock, who will provide a reliable human foundation for the church to come.
QUESTION Who and what is Jesus to you? A historic figure or a part of your life? And who are you to Him?
Romans 12:1-8 — Seeing ourselves in the renewed way of the Spirit
• New life and spiritual gifts are shared among the whole body of Christ
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship.
“In view of God’s mercy” — the gospel, merciful salvation and the power to live changed lives.
“True and proper worship” — not ritual, but readiness to serve God and His mission.
2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — His good, pleasing and perfect will.
“Be transformed” — a process of the Holy Spirit. Receiving Christ as Saviour and Lord is a new start with a renewal of perception and spiritual discernment of God’s will.
3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.
“Grace given me… faith God has distributed” — the danger of viewing empowerment to share in the ministry of Jesus as a mark of spirituality, rather than spiritual gifting used for Him.
4-5 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.
“One body with many members” — in the church fellowship all the different gifting is needed and works together, as arms, legs, eyes and balance all enable us to walk. Also 1 Corinthians 12:12-31.
6-8 We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.
“Different gifts” — have several mentions in the letters, with differences in context, and a representative 17 or so listed. Here in Romans gifts are spiritual attributes that go with character, e.g. proclaimers, or those who get the job done, or the ability to explain and disciple others, to build people up, use God’s provision generously, enable others with good leadership, or bring God’s comfort. Spiritual gifts discussed elsewhere arise with an intensity of the Holy Spirit in worship, or describe a mature ministry that equips others.
• For comparison , see 1 Cor. 12:12-28; Ephesians 4:11-13, 16.
Reflection
SUMMARY We see ourselves and the world around us differently with minds renewed and lives empowered by the Holy Spirit.
APPLICATION In particular, this passage explains how the body of Christ comprises men and women who represent diverse foundational gifting — as those with a bias towards speaking or encouraging or explaining or caring, etc
QUESTION From the standpoint of this spread of gifts, what sort of person has God made you — your default way of responding?
PRAYER Lord God, we are so grateful that we don’t have to have the right family name, or a certificate of knowledge, to know You. We thank You that it’s about “who you know” and knowing Jesus is how we, in fact anybody, can come into Your presence.
We acknowledge You, Jesus, to be Lord of the church and we say it is Yours. We release any ownership we feel, that You may build Your church, Your way.
We thank You for new life, for new understanding, and for vision to see Your gifts and kingdom touching others. All for Your glory, Amen.
• The full Bible readings (NIV) are all together on this page and links to Bible Gateway are below so you can find the version you prefer.
• See the article post linked to this Bible study which uses storytelling to draw out the application
• You can listen to The Living Word Podcast with Ian & Alison Greig, episode for August 27, which tells the story as a broadcast — available on all the major podcast platforms or here on Substack The Living Word Podcast
• There’s an audiogram podcast version (audio + captions) on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and here Audiogram Aug 27
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