Right Thought, Wrong Verse

It has been said that if you tell a lie often enough people will think it is true. Misinterpretation of Scripture holds the same reality. We often quote verses and apply them in ways that has nothing to do with the context and ignores the culture and audience. It is not that the phrase is not true, it is just not true in the context of the passage it is lifted from. Much of the time there is little damage done, however, just because we recite the verse often does not make it true. Let me share two examples that you are likely familiar with. Trust me there are WAY more than just these two. Hmmmmm maybe I could turn this into a series? But, I digress. We will just start with these two.

First, has any one ever quoted Psalm 118:24 to you? Most likely, you just may not know where it came from. It says, "This is the day the LORD has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it." I have even heard it put into a lively little tune. One that has a nice sort of echo thing going for it when you sing it in a group. "This is the day, (This is the day) That the Lord has made, (That the Lord has made) We will rejoice, (We will rejoice)" .... Perhaps it is playing in your head as you read the words. I have been in lots of services and to a number of conferences that have the introduction to the event use this verse. "Welcome to our service, "This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!" And all God's children say, "Amen". Nice thought. And it is true that the Lord makes every day. However, this is not David's inspired thought.

Bounce back to David's Psalm and we find these verses, "The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.This was the LORD’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes" (Psalm 118:22-23). The day David is speaking of is the day Messiah comes. It is the time when Messiah who was rejected is exalted. This event does not become fully realized until Messiah establishes His kingdom. When He becomes the Chief Cornerstone. Jesus quotes these two verses in Matthew 21:42, as does Mark 12:10, and Luke 20:17, and Peter in Acts 4:11. All are clear references to Jesus, Yeshua as Messiah. The one who has come to deliver His people. Peter uses this verse to explain that we are living stones making up His temple with Christ as the Chief Cornerstone (1 Peter 2:5-7), The day we "rejoice in" is when the "Rejected Stone" becomes the Chief Cornerstone. Not just any day. Not every day. But, that day when Messiah takes His place to rule and to reign. Believe me, that will be a day to rejoice and be glad in. I am also positive it has not come yet. As I said before, we should be glad and rejoicing every day. However, that is not the day David was calling us to rejoice in. That day is when Messiah comes to reign, Rejoicing every day is that right thought, just the wrong verse.

The second verse is from the Beatitudes. Matthew 5:5, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth."  Many evangelical commentaries and a variety of messages I have heard tie inheriting the earth to the church ruling with Messiah when He comes and reigns over the earth. This is based upon Revelation 20:6, "Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years." Obviously the two blessings are tied together. After all everything in Scripture is about me and the church. Right? Just for fun let's give this a little context. The People who first heard this were Jews. They were just outside Galilee. The have come to hear a new Jewish Rabbi, name Yeshua, talk. He speaks their Jewish language and has been reared in their Jewish culture and customs. Everyone there is either Jewish or well familiar with everything Hebraic. Yeshua, Jesus, tells them, "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." You and I think Matthew 5:5. All of them think Psalm 37:11, "But the meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." Now who are the meek in Psalm 37? They trust in the Lord, do good, commit their way to Him and rest patiently as they wait for Him, They are humble, upright, and obedient. You might want to go read the whole Psalm. I will still be here when you get back. ............ Okay, now you know that the entire Psalm is how the  righteous shall live and their reward, in contrast to the wicked and their coming judgement. Let's continue. Those who inherit are the righteous. The Jews on the hillside know this. They also know about inheritance. For a Jew at the time of Jesus it was still all about the land. The land promised to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The land that was each tribes inheritance when they conquered it under Joshua. It was divided by tribe, clan and family. The promised land inheritance was vital to them, their culture and their history.

As they listen on the hillside, Rabbi Yeshua reminds them that the meek, the humble, the trusting and obedient, will inherit the land. Earth and land are the same word. Perhaps the reminder is that even though they are under Rome's power and control Yahweh's promise still holds true. No one on that hillside ever thought abut a thousand year reign or something called the church. The message was very practical and meaningful to an oppressed people. God had nor forgotten them. His promises are true. Be patient and trust in the Lord. Do good and walk uprightly as you rest in the promises He gave that never fail.

Not a bad application for us either. It is also far closer to the culture and context of the verse and the message that Psalm 37 brings us. The passage from which Jesus quotes,  Will we rule and reign with Messiah? Indeed. Can we get that promise from Matthew 5:5? Not if you want to see it the way that Jesus taught it to the multitude of Jews on the hillside. It is a right thought, just the wrong verse.

Maybe it doesn't really matter as long as it is true somewhere in the Bible. I guess the question is whether we want to know what Jesus said and meant or what Christians make it say. It seems to me that it is pretty important to know what He said more than what I want it to mean. Then again, if I go with what it means to me and what tradition has made it to be, I can pretty much get Scripture to say anything I want. I am pretty sure that is not what the Apostle Paul meant when he told me to study to show myself approved unto God, correctly understanding the Word of truth. But, that is just what I think. You can make your own choice.  

Which Day?

You may have memorized Psalm 118:24 without realizing it. I remember it from my early days as a believer when we sang it at youth group. Had that nice guy - girl echo thing. Perhaps you did as well, "This is the day, This is the day, That the LORD has made, That the LORD has made, We will rejoice, We will rejoice, And be glad in it, And be glad in it, etc. A verse to remind us of the presence of the Lord and His involvement in every day of our lives. How often I have heard a worship begin the service with this verse calling us all to rise and sing praise for "This is the day that the LORD has made so let us rejoice and be glad in it!". Not a bad thought, but have you ever put the verse in context? The previous verses, 22 and 23 are quoted by Jesus in Matt. 21:42, Mk 12:10, Lk 20:17 and found in Acts 4:11 in Peter's message and again in Peter's First Epistle 2:7. These are also verses you may be familiar with but never tied them to the previous verses. Psalm 118:22 & 23 read, "The stone the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the LORD'S doing; it is marvelous in our eyes." The day we rejoice in is not just any day; it is the day the Chief Cornerstone is exalted and His Kingdom is established. It is the day Jesus, Yeshua, Messiah conquered death and made life possible for all of us. In confronting the Pharisees and the Scribes, Jesus knows that they have rejected him. He tells the parable of the vineyard owner who goes away and leases His vineyard out to other caretakers. At harvest time he sends a series of servants to collect what is His due and these servants are mistreated and killed. The understanding is that these are God's Prophets. Check out Jeremiah if you miss the abuse point. As a final gesture the Lord sends His own Son to collect saying, "Surely they will respect My Son." But He is also abused and killed. From this story Jesus quotes Psalm 118:22 & 23. The clear inference is that He, Jesus, is the rejected stone who will become the Chief Cornerstone. And as we approach the celebration of His resurrection, it is indeed "Marvelous in our eyes".

Now the little chorus and the quote to begin a Worship Service is not wrong, per-se, but is, perhaps misleading or at least is inadequate in our understanding. WOW! This is the day that the Stone the builders rejected became the Chief Cornerstone! And it is marvelous in our eyes! This phrase, this verse has eschatological implications about the Kingdom of God. It is not just any day, it is THE day that the Lord has made for Messiah to be accepted after being rejected. 1 Peter 2 ties this to Isaiah 28:16 to remind those who follow Christ that we will not be put to shame and those who believe in the Chief Cornerstone, in Messiah, "Are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, That you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His Marvelous light" (2:9). The day of His resurrection shows that death is done, it has no hold over those who believe, it has no sting, it has no victory. Because of the victory of the rejected stone we have the opportunity to begin Kingdom living now with the expectation of its fullness to be yet realized. Popping Psalm 118:24 out of context makes for a nice little jingle, but it robs us of the rich meaning of the call to rejoice in Messiah's victory. Perhaps Resurrection Sunday is the one day we can quote this verse with great joy. But perhaps we need to quote verses 22 &23 with it for "The Stone the builders rejected has become the Chief Cornerstone. This is the LORD'S doing and it is marvelous in our eyes. This is the day that the LORD has made and we will rejoice and be glad in it."