Bible Share – The Core of the Bible

“Be merciful to those who doubt.”

This verse from the NIV seems to be encouraging believers to a noble aspect of respecting those among themselves who may have doubts about certain aspects of the faith. If we bear with them in kindness and gentleness, they may be more thoroughly convinced after further consideration of the facts.

To me, this is a very appealing application of this ideal. It can be likened to Paul’s admonition to Timothy:

2 Timothy 2:24-25 RSV – And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kindly to everyone, an apt teacher, forbearing, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant that they will repent and come to know the truth…

While this may be a pleasing and not untrue application of that sentiment, it glosses over the context and the more likely application that the author of the little epistle may have intended.

You see, this verse will give you differing interpretations based on which English translation you are using. Here are some indications of the same passage in varying English translations below:

Good News Translation – Show mercy toward those who have doubts;
- International Standard Version – Show mercy to those who have doubts.
Majority Standard Bible – And indeed, have mercy on some, making a distinction;
NET Bible – And have mercy on those who waver;
New Heart English Bible – And be merciful on those who doubt,
Webster’s Bible Translation – And of some have compassion, making a difference:
Weymouth New Testament – Some, when they argue with you, you must endeavor to convince;
World English Bible – On some have compassion, making a distinction,

Notice how interpretations can vary by translation. The idea of having compassion or mercy remains constant, but is it to have compassion for those who doubt, or have compassion by making a difference (Webster) or to have compassion by making some sort of a distinction (World English Bible)?

Looking at some of the older literal versions (those English versions that try to carry word for word meaning across into the language), they carry a slightly different meaning than having compassion on those who doubt:

Young’s Literal Translation – and to some be kind, judging thoroughly,
Smith’s Literal Translation – And truly compassionate some, discriminating:

These imply there is some type of discrimination or judgment that needs to be taking place, albeit with compassion. I think these are getting closer to the real meaning of the verse. This becomes more obvious when we look at the verse in its larger surrounding context:

Jude 1:17-23: “But you, beloved, remember the words which have been spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you that “In the last time there will be mockers, walking after their own ungodly lusts.” These are they who cause divisions, and are sensual, not having the Spirit. But you, beloved, keep building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Spirit. Keep yourselves in God’s love, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. On some have compassion, making a distinction, and some save, snatching them out of the fire with fear, hating even the clothing stained by the flesh.”

This larger context provides us a little more guidance in how this verse can be righty understood. The “some” upon whom the believers were to “have compassion” appear to be those among the “mockers” who were only viewing things with their senses. These people, most likely from among the Jews who did not believe in Yeshua as Messiah, were causing divisions among the believers. These were the ones upon whom the believers were to have compassion, all the while “keeping themselves in God’s love.”

So, even though we should be caring and encouraging to those among the believers who may be having difficulties with the outworking of their faith, this verse appears to be more evangelistic in nature. We should always exhibit God’s love toward others; but in another sense, we constantly need to exercise godly discernment, “making a distinction,” to ensure we are not simply casting our pearls before swine, as Yeshua taught.

Core of the Bible podcast #132 – Understanding the parable of the mustard seed

Luke 13:18-19 RSV – He said therefore, “What is the kingdom of God like? And to what shall I compare it? It is like a grain of mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his garden; and it grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”

Messiah taught about the Kingdom of God using many different parables or brief, symbolic representations. In this instance, he compares the Kingdom of God to the life cycle of a mustard seed. It is one of the smallest seeds that exist, yet mustard seeds can grow to be large enough for people to sit under for shade or for birds to come and make nests within its branches.

Parables were designed to share spiritual truths but in symbolic ways. Even in the gospel narratives, not everyone understood all of the parables, but many times in private, Messiah would reveal the meaning of the symbolism to his disciples.

I believe the imagery Messiah uses here is drawn from the prophets, specifically Daniel. In one instance, Daniel was asked to interpret the dream of Nebuchadnezzar, who, at that time, was the dominant leader of the known world. King Nebuchadnezzar had dreamt of a large tree and shared the details with Daniel. Daniel replied:

Daniel 4:20-22 RSV – The tree you saw, which grew and became strong, so that its top reached to heaven, and it was visible to the end of the whole earth; whose leaves were fair and its fruit abundant, and in which was food for all; under which beasts of the field found shade, and in whose branches the birds of the air dwelt— it is you, O king, who have grown and become strong. Your greatness has grown and reaches to heaven, and your dominion to the ends of the earth.

This great tree, i.e., Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom, had grown to have dominion over the known world. Messiah uses almost the exact same imagery in his parable of the Kingdom of God: “it grew and became a tree,” and “the birds of the air made nests in its branches.”

One of the early church fathers (that is, one of the early Christian leaders and thinkers) had this to say regarding this parable:

“The seed of the Gospel is the least of seeds, because the disciples were weaker than the whole of mankind; yet forasmuch as there was great might in them, their preaching spread throughout the whole world…” –John Chrysostom (347-407 AD).

The original parable, while having many different interpretations assigned to various parts of the word picture, essentially explains itself when simply taken at face value. We know it is about the Kingdom of God because that is the comparison being made. It was explained as beginning as a very small seed. Consider that the movement began with Messiah and his twelve disciples. Yet, through their teaching and traveling in response to the Great Commission, they were able to spread the teaching of the Kingdom throughout the known world in less than forty years under the bitterest of persecution. As a result, the “greatness [of God’s Kingdom] has grown and reaches to heaven, and [God’s] dominion to the ends of the earth.”

Matthew 28:18-20 RSV – And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”

Due to their faithfulness, the parable of the mustard seed became a reality in their generation. It is now up to each successive generation, with the abilities provided by God, to continue to work to reach the farthest limits of their own generations with the truths of the Kingdom of God.