20160809 Tuesday, August 9 2016
2 Corinthians 09: What Was Biblical About The Messiah's Clothing?

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and stood up for to read ... And He began to say unto them, This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears"

Many people believe that somehow Christianity (see also Where Believers Were First Called Christians) was a new, or even a rebel, religion that was founded by human philosophy. But if you happen to have a Bible that provides the listing of direct Bible quotes that were the basis of the teachings of the Messiah Himself, and everyone who truly followed Him, you know that Christianity was a fulfillment of all that was written and prophesied in the Holy Scriptures. They weren't rebels.

When the Messiah began His Ministry, He did so, not with a rebel proclamation, but with a humble and obedient reading of the Holy Scriptures that He was at that moment being faithful to - to which most of those who heard Him became the violent rebels against the Truth ("when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, And rose up, and thrust him out of the city"; see also Why Was The South A Dangerous Place?).

"4:14 And Jesus returned in the power of the Spirit into Galilee: and there went out a fame of him through all the region round about. 4:15 And he taught in their synagogues, being glorified of all.

4:16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up: and, as his custom was, he went into the synagogue on the sabbath day, and stood up for to read. 4:17 And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,

4:18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, 4:19 To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.

4:20 And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him. 4:21 And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears.

4:22 And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth. And they said, Is not this Joseph's son?

4:23 And he said unto them, Ye will surely say unto me this proverb, Physician, heal thyself: whatsoever we have heard done in Capernaum, do also here in thy country.

4:24 And he said, Verily I say unto you, No prophet is accepted in his own country. 4:25 But I tell you of a truth, many widows were in Israel in the days of Elias, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, when great famine was throughout all the land; 4:26 But unto none of them was Elias sent, save unto Sarepta, a city of Sidon, unto a woman that was a widow. 4:27 And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Eliseus the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, saving Naaman the Syrian.

4:28 And all they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, 4:29 And rose up, and thrust him out of the city, and led him unto the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. 4:30 But he passing through the midst of them went his way, 4:31 And came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and taught them on the sabbath days." (Luke 4:14-31 KJV)

Throughout His Ministry, right up to the moment of His Sacrifice (see What Really Happened At Passover? and The Day That The LORD Was Crucified), the Messiah taught the Holy Scriptures - nothing more, nothing less.

The apostle Paul, and all the others, were also wholly obedient and faithful to what was written. They were not rebels. Those who opposed the Truth were the rebels.

In this chapter, Paul's teaching was based upon a quote of Psalm 112:9 (verse 9 below), but all of 2 Corinthians, as well as all of his other epistles are based upon the Word of God. In 2 Corinthians alone, Paul quoted and taught from Genesis 1:3, Psalm 116:10, Isaiah 49:8, Leviticus 26:12, Jeremiah 32:38, Ezekiel 37:27, Isaiah 52:11, Ezekiel 20:34 and 41, 2 Samuel 7:14 and 18, Exodus 16:18, Psalm 112:9, Jeremiah 9:24 and Deuteronomy 19:15.

"9:1 For as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me to write to you: 9:2 For I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them of Macedonia, that Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal hath provoked very many. 9:3 Yet have I sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain in this behalf; that, as I said, ye may be ready: 9:4 Lest haply if they of Macedonia come with me, and find you unprepared, we (that we say not, ye) should be ashamed in this same confident boasting. 9:5 Therefore I thought it necessary to exhort the brethren, that they would go before unto you, and make up beforehand your bounty, whereof ye had notice before, that the same might be ready, as a matter of bounty, and not as of covetousness.

9:6 But this I say, He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. 9:7 Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. 9:8 And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: 9:9 (As it is written,

He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever.

9:10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;) 9:11 Being enriched in every thing to all bountifulness, which causeth through us thanksgiving to God.

9:12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings unto God; 9:13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal distribution unto them, and unto all men; 9:14 And by their prayer for you, which long after you for the exceeding grace of God in you. 9:15 Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift." (2 Corinthians 9:1-15 KJV)

Fact Finder: What was Biblical about the Messiah's clothing?
See The Faithful Of The Fringes