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96pack
Joined: 27 Mar 2004
Posts: 955
Location: Clyman, WI
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 Posted: Thu Sep 23, 2004 2:09 pm Post subject: Matthew 7:9-10 comments |
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Okay folks... I just completed an expository outline on Matthew 7:7-12.
My particular emphasis was on passages 9 and 10 because I saw something in these that I never really saw before.
Matthew 7
7:9
Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
7:10
Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
I see stone being to bread the obvious physical or spriritual danger that is encouraged or allowed. You can tell a stone from bread whether it is dark or light by the touch, sight or even taste. This as represented in the the physical, would be the equivalent of giving a child a can of gasoline and a match to play with. To apply to the spiritual, any implication that would deny these words of Christ among others...
Joh 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
To apply in the intended context of our prayer life, this represents God's answer as a definite "no".
I see the serpent being to the fish far less disernable. When submerged in water, you would have to look very carefully to distinguish the difference. In the dark, could you identify by touch or by sight? This calls for further review. Physically, it could represent giving solid food to a newborn. It may be a fish to you and I, but it would be a snake to the child. Spiritually, the word of Paul ring out....
1Co 3:2
I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.
As we apply in context to God's response in our prayer life, this represents God's answer as "wait... not just yet".
Thoughts, comments???
Rebuttals??? 
_________________
Philippians 2:13
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. |
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Helen
Asst Site Administrator
Joined: 27 Mar 2004
Posts: 778
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| Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 3:36 pm Post subject: Re: Matthew 7:9-10 comments |
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| 96pack wrote: |
Matthew 7
7:9
Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
7:10
Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
I see stone being to bread the obvious physical or spriritual danger that is encouraged or allowed. You can tell a stone from bread whether it is dark or light by the touch, sight or even taste. This as represented in the the physical, would be the equivalent of giving a child a can of gasoline and a match to play with. To apply to the spiritual, any implication that would deny these words of Christ among others...
: |
96 Pack as usual Im motoring through here! but my initial thoughts are that bread will nourish and feed a child, there is no nourishment in a stone, it cannot be put in the mouth, chewed or swallowed it is not changeable. This is echoed in the phrase 'hearts of stone' too. It can be used as a weapon too, and was a means to executing people during Biblical times.
This is completely off the top of my head, but I think prehaps your inference, is correct, when we are asked for Spiritual Nourishment, we must not deliver a poisoned Gospel that provides no nourishment to the hungry Christian or worse still leads him away from Christ.
The difference between the fish and the serpent is a similar thing, one is useful and nourishing the other bites, maims, tempts and in some cases kills. Your probably right too about the difficulty in discerning between the two and this is often seen in modern Christianity.
Im not sure I see the connection to our prayer life in truth, my prayer tends to be led almost entirely by God and its unusual for me to set out to pray for something in particular without being distracted and led in a different direction.
Likewise Im not sure I see the connection with the meat and milk Paul talks about in Corinthians, niether meat or milk are harmful to us, we progress from one to the other naturally. Paul is telling us that we need Spiritual milk before we are ready for some meat. We do well to remember that as adults, we need both for sustinence.
Helen
_________________
?Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved; How precious did that grace appear, The hour I first believed! |
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96pack
Joined: 27 Mar 2004
Posts: 955
Location: Clyman, WI
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| Posted: Fri Sep 24, 2004 4:05 pm Post subject: Re: Matthew 7:9-10 comments |
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| Helen wrote: | | 96pack wrote: |
Matthew 7
7:9
Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone?
7:10
Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent?
I see stone being to bread the obvious physical or spriritual danger that is encouraged or allowed. You can tell a stone from bread whether it is dark or light by the touch, sight or even taste. This as represented in the the physical, would be the equivalent of giving a child a can of gasoline and a match to play with. To apply to the spiritual, any implication that would deny these words of Christ among others...
: |
96 Pack as usual Im motoring through here! but my initial thoughts are that bread will nourish and feed a child, there is no nourishment in a stone, it cannot be put in the mouth, chewed or swallowed it is not changeable. This is echoed in the phrase 'hearts of stone' too. It can be used as a weapon too, and was a means to executing people during Biblical times.
This is completely off the top of my head, but I think prehaps your inference, is correct, when we are asked for Spiritual Nourishment, we must not deliver a poisoned Gospel that provides no nourishment to the hungry Christian or worse still leads him away from Christ.
The difference between the fish and the serpent is a similar thing, one is useful and nourishing the other bites, maims, tempts and in some cases kills. Your probably right too about the difficulty in discerning between the two and this is often seen in modern Christianity.
Im not sure I see the connection to our prayer life in truth, my prayer tends to be led almost entirely by God and its unusual for me to set out to pray for something in particular without being distracted and led in a different direction.
Likewise Im not sure I see the connection with the meat and milk Paul talks about in Corinthians, niether meat or milk are harmful to us, we progress from one to the other naturally. Paul is telling us that we need Spiritual milk before we are ready for some meat. We do well to remember that as adults, we need both for sustinence.
Helen |
Helen, in the full contextual foundation of these verses, prayer is the subject matter. Knock, seek, ask...etc. Persistence in prayer, to be specific, as these surrounding passages indicate.
Matthew:
7:7
Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: (literally in the Greek... keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking)
7:8
For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
7:11 If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?
Now, aside from persistence of prayer asserted in cerse 7, we also know God is not a "cosmic genie" so this cannot be the implication of verse 8. So, to connect verse 9 and 10 to prayer life, it is not in what we pray for but how to discern God's answer.
If I ask God metaphorically for bread and all I see is a stone... then the answer to my prayer is "no". If I ask God for a fish, but I think I see a serpent, I have to look a little deeper or wait a little longer.
Thanks for the comments Helen. I can't wait to see what my prof thought of it. I'll let you know. 
_________________
Philippians 2:13
13 For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. |
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