Category: Articles-Bible-Smart-Why (Page 1 of 2)

Articles on Bible-Smart.com featuring “Why” questions.

Jesus clearly promises “you will receive what you ask for” in prayer. So why do so many prayers go unanswered?

Scripture: Matthew 7:7–11

Christ’s exhortation to “keep on asking … seeking … knocking” in prayer appears to be a carte blanche promise that God will give anything you or I ask for. The normal Christian life, on the other hand, seems to discredit this promise on a daily basis.

So what gives? Was Jesus lying, or mistaken, or exaggerating for effect when he made his promises? Are we doing something wrong in the ways we “ask, seek, and knock”?

Perhaps the problem lies in a twenty-first-century perception that we’re entitled to immediate gratification, and in our assumption that God will override his good, eternal desires for us in response to the selfish, shortsighted desires we have for ourselves. Here’s how theologian Lawrence O. Richards explains it:

Jesus describes prayer as asking, seeking, and knocking. “Ask” is the act of prayer in its simplest form. “Seek” conveys intensity, and “earnest sincerity.” And “knock” pictures persistence. We knock on the door of heaven and keep on knocking!

It is important not to mistake what Jesus is saying as laying down conditions which, if met, will move God to respond to us. Jesus is not saying if you ask ardently enough, then God will answer your prayer. He is simply saying that when we feel a need so intensely that it drives us to the Lord again and again, we need not be discouraged even if the answer is delayed. God really does care about those things that matter to His children. And God responds to our requests by giving us good gifts.

Jesus promised that if we “keep on asking … seeking … knocking” then our heavenly Father will respond with “good gifts” (verse 11). Our job, then, is to keep asking with sincerity and persistence—and let him worry about when he answers and which good gifts he delivers in response.

Source:

NTL 41

“Jesus clearly promises ‘you will receive what you ask for’ in prayer. So why do so many prayers go unanswered?” is reprinted from Bible-Smart: Matthew © 2023 Nappaland Communications Inc. Published Tyndale House Publishers/Rose Publishing. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission.


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Why do people disbelieve Jesus raised from the dead?

Scripture: Matthew 28:1–10.

Well, the core reason that people disbelieve Jesus raised from the dead is that they disbelieve (or, more often, dislike) the Christian religion. That’s understandable given the hateful reputation that Christians have sometimes earned throughout history (even today), and our human need to attempt to disprove that with which we disagree.

However, it should be noted that virtually no one disputes that Jesus’ tomb is empty—the dead body of Christ simply is not there. Even the Jewish religious leaders of that time acknowledged this fact (Matthew 28:12–15). If the body of Jesus had been there, it would’ve been simple work to discredit Christ’s disciples just by going to the tomb and producing the corpse.

Regardless of that, there are a few popular conspiracy theories that attempt to justify disbelief in Jesus’ resurrection. They include:

Conspiracy #1. Christ’s disciples stole his body while the guards slept, then perpetrated a lie that Jesus raised from the dead, and started a new religion based on this lie (the Jewish theory).

To my mind, this is the most plausible of all the conspiracy theories about the resurrection. It’s the oldest, dating all the way back to the time of the disciples, and if you’re willing to overlook some relevant circumstances, I suppose it could’ve happened. There are many problems with this theory under scrutiny, though.

First, there was the issue of the armed guard protecting Jesus’ tomb. Remember, these guards were placed there with one job only, and a very specific one at that: to prevent Jesus’ disciples from stealing the body. And, on the Friday of Jesus’ execution, his disciples were scattered and terrified that they’d be next in line for death. That those cowards could come up with a successful plan to quickly confront, outwit, and overcome professional Roman soldiers by Sunday morning strains the imagination.

Additionally, this theory depends not only on the guards being grossly derelict in their duty, but also being able to (1) sleep through the noise of a large stone being rolled away right beside them, and (2) adeptly identify nighttime grave robbers while they sleep. Honestly, given Jesus’ reputation as a miracle worker, a miraculous resurrection is more plausible than that.

Second, Jesus’ disciples gained nothing of significance from this supposed lie. “It’s not as though there were a mansion awaiting them on the Mediterranean,” says scholar J. P. Moreland. “They faced a life of hardship. They often went without food, slept exposed to the elements, were ridiculed, beaten, imprisoned. And finally, most of them were executed in torturous ways. For what? For good intentions? No, because they were convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that they had seen Jesus Christ alive from the dead.”

Conspiracy #2. Jesus was never crucified, and so was never resurrected (the Muslim theory).

According to this view, Jesus was too holy to endure the indignity of crucifixion. Instead, God miraculously made someone else to look like Jesus who was then crucified in his place. Afterward, Jesus rose to heaven alive, like Elijah. As the Koran reads in surah 4:157, “but they killed Him not, nor crucified him. Only a likeness of that was shown to them … for a surety they killed him not.”

Muslim tradition declares that none of Christ’s followers actually saw his death, and so instead offers random conjecture about who actually died on the cross. Some theorize Jesus hid while one of his disciples died in his place. Others say Judas was punished by being made to look like Jesus and then crucified. Some believe that Simon of Cyrene took Jesus’ place for the execution. Some even say Satan was actually crucified as punishment for his opposition to Christ.

To my mind, there are a lot of problems with this theory. The biggest (and most obvious) is that it portrays God as a liar, a deceiver, and callously unconcerned about the fate of anyone else. And it contradicts Christ’s own teaching about morality and about his death and resurrection. For me, this falls very short of truth.

Conspiracy #3. Jesus raised as pure spirit, not in a physical body (the Jehovah’s Witnesses theory).

According to the Jehovah’s Witness Watchtower organization: “the King Christ Jesus was put to death in the flesh and was resurrected an invisible spirit creature.”

There are many who believe this theory, but for me the only way it can be true is if the Gospels and the book of Acts reported untruth. (For examples, see Luke 24:36–43; John 20:24–29; Acts 3:15; Acts 10:40, among others). I find the New Testament to be a more reliable source on first-century events than the historically recent Watchtower organization.

More random conspiracy theories.

There are other attempts to disprove Christ’s resurrection, but they are wholly inventive fictions and surprisingly insubstantial. For instance, some say that Jesus must’ve had a long-lost twin, separated at birth, who impersonated him after the crucifixion [insert eye roll here]. Others say that Jesus—after being severely disfigured from beatings, tortured on the cross, and having a spear shoved deep into his side—simply fainted … briefly. Then he woke up all better and pretended to be resurrected. Some are at least honest about their skepticism, saying they simply disbelieve—even though they can’t think of any plausible explanation for Jesus’ empty tomb.

The basic fact is, no conspiracy theory about Christ’s resurrection is fully supportable. This is hard for non-believers to accept because, as Lee Strobel points out, “The empty tomb, as an enduring symbol of the Resurrection, is the ultimate representation of Jesus’ claim to being God.” Dr. Timothy Keller, pastor and author, also likes to say, “The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like [Jesus’] teaching but whether or not he rose from the dead.”

The apostle Paul agrees, writing in the first century:

And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! (1 Corinthians 15:14–18)

Sources:

RES 6–7, 9, 34; CFC 205, 246–247; UI 220; RFG 210

“Why do people disbelieve Jesus raised from the dead?” is reprinted from Bible-Smart: Matthew © 2023 Nappaland Communications Inc. Published Tyndale House Publishers/Rose Publishing. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission.


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Why does Jesus say it’s wrong to pray publicly?

Scripture: Matthew 6:5–18

Jesus’ reference to public prayer was not the same as what you and I might consider it to be today. “When you pray,” he said, “don’t be like the hypocrites who love to pray publicly on street corners and in the synagogues where everyone can see them.” He describes flamboyant, hypocritical praying that sounds a bit like grand theatre—because it probably was.

Although some Jewish prayers (such as the Amidah) included standing, most did not. Thus, Bible scholar Craig Evans tells us that this word picture of Christ likely hearkens to Greek-influenced performance art of the time. The Greek word we translate as “hypocrite” in verse 5 is one that was typically associated with a career actor, or more literally, a “play-actor.” In Greek culture it also carried the meaning of “pretender.”

This play-actor theme continued Christ’s earlier sentiments about “acts of righteousness” done as performance art (see Matthew 6:1–2), and it would’ve been readily familiar to Jesus’ audience. Only a few miles north of Nazareth, in nearby Sepphoris, Herod Antipas had built a large, Greco-Roman style theatre with seating for a whopping 2,500 people. Antipas’ father, Herod the Great, had also built similar theatres in Jerusalem and Jericho.

Jesus labeled religious narcissists who stood and made their private prayers in public settings as hypocrites. His hearers would likely have pictured the theatre in Sepphoris (or Jerusalem or Jericho), and seen a vain, preening actor, standing center stage, delivering a sloppy soliloquy in hopes of applause. Prayer, according to Christ, was never meant to be that.

Sources:

BKB 121–122

“Why does Jesus say it’s wrong to pray publicly?” is reprinted from Bible-Smart: Matthew © 2023 Nappaland Communications Inc. Published Tyndale House Publishers/Rose Publishing. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission.


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Why was Peter so afraid of a little servant girl that he would deny even knowing Jesus?

Scripture: Matthew 26:69–75

Well, the situation encompassed more than just an idle accusation by a “little” servant girl. We must remember that, at this moment, Peter was standing among enemies in the courtyard of the high priest. This was in March or early April, so it was a cold night. Rather than shiver alone, he had to seek warmth around a fire where armed guards were also standing (John 18:18).

Moments before this, Peter had attacked the high priest’s servant and cut off that man’s ear (John 18:10). If these guards identified him as that attacker, how would they respond? They’d most certainly arrest him. Would they also exact “an ear for an ear” justice? There’s no telling, but those guards certainly wouldn’t have treated him kindly.

Meanwhile, Jesus’ trial was going badly. If these enemies surrounding him knew Peter was a follower of Christ, would they make him suffer the same fate as his master? Add to that the emotional upheaval of the betrayal by his close friend, Judas, and the surprise militia that tore them all from the garden at Gethsemane, and you can see why Peter might have been frayed enough to say, “A curse on me if I’m lying—I don’t know the man!” (Matthew 26:74).

And, just for the record, Peter wasn’t the only one to turn away from Jesus that terrible night. Matthew 26:56 reports that at the moment of his arrest, “all the disciples deserted him and fled”—including even the gospel writer himself.

Personally, although it breaks my heart to hear Peter’s denial and to witness his sorrow afterward, I agree with the late, great theologian Paul Tillich who said that “If the disciples had suppressed the truth about their own profound weakness, our gospels would not be what they are.” The church at times, Tillich continues, “has tried to conceal what the disciples openly admitted—that we all forsook him and fled. But this is the truth about all men, including followers of Jesus today.”

Sources:

WWC 263; TEN 102–103

“Why was Peter so afraid of a little servant girl that he would deny even knowing Jesus?” is reprinted from Bible-Smart: Matthew © 2023 Nappaland Communications Inc. Published Tyndale House Publishers/Rose Publishing. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission.


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According to Matthew, Jesus healed everybody back then. Why doesn’t Jesus heal everybody now?

Scripture: Matthew 15:29–31

“They laid them before Jesus, and he healed them all.”

I’ve heard these words from Matthew 15:30 preached many times as proof that God always wants to heal the sick. You’ve probably heard that a time or two as well. And yet, our churches overflow with sick people, despite our prayers of faith and fervent teachings.

Jesus does still heal people in this day and age. I’ve seen it happen, and even experienced a miraculous healing myself once (carpal tunnel syndrome anyone?). Jesus also declines to heal many people today—something else I’ve seen and experienced. Why?

The discomfort we feel when we compare Christ’s ancient healing ministry to our experience today could be a problem of misdirected application. We read Bible verses like Matthew 10:30 and assume that what Jesus did in a specific situation should apply in any situation for us now. That leap of logic seems unwise.

Jesus pointed to his miraculous healings then as physical evidence that he, in the flesh, was divine in nature—proof that he is the Son of God and the Messiah that he claimed to be (Matthew 11:2–6; John 10:36–38). He also indicated that when he was no longer among us in the flesh, this kind of miraculous physical evidence wouldn’t be so readily available. Recall that after his resurrection he said to doubtful Thomas: “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me” (John 20:29).

John’s gospel immediately follows that statement of Christ with this commentary: “The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God” (John 20:30–31, italics mine). John’s point here seems to be that we can take faith in Jesus because of the testimony of his past miracles, not because we are entitled to future miracles.

We also know that there were times Jesus simply didn’t heal everyone. For instance, John 5:1–15 tells of a scene at the pool of Bethesda where “crowds of sick people—blind, lame, or paralyzed—lay on the porches” waiting for miraculous healing (John 5:3). Jesus healed only one man out of that crowd. Apparently, he left all the others untouched in their suffering.

The late Vineyard pastor, John Wimber, wrote of specific times in Scripture when God simply refused to heal his followers (2 Corinthians 12:7–10; Galatians 4:13–14; Philippians 2:25–27; 1 Timothy 5:23; 2 Timothy 4:20). “These exceptions,” Wimber wrote, “indicate that one does not control God: prayer is answered by faith, not magic or human reward.… We have no right to presume that unless God heals in every instance there is something wrong with our faith or his faithfulness.”

So why did Jesus heal everybody then and not everybody now? The answer, it seems, is because he wanted to then, and doesn’t want to now. Healing was, and always is, in his hands alone—not in our presumptive demands.

Sources:

EDB 330–331; KS 26–28

“According to Matthew, Jesus healed everybody back then. Why doesn’t Jesus heal everybody now?” is reprinted from Bible-Smart: Matthew © 2023 Nappaland Communications Inc. Published Tyndale House Publishers/Rose Publishing. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission.


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