1 June 2010
Psalm 45; Eccles. 2:16-26; Gal. 1:18-2:10; Matt. 13:53-58

You can’t take it with you, so eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die. Solomon sees that even working to build wealth is ultimately nothing more than vanity as who can tell whether the generations to come will squander what they have inherited. As it happens, his son squandered the good will he had built up in his lifetime as king. For all of Solomon’s wisdom, his son, Rehoboam, proved to be a foolish man from the beginning of his reign and the kingdom was divided into two pieces. Solomon sees that ultimately everything, food to eat or enjoyment, is from the Lord and that labor is simply labor, not an end in itself nor does it necessarily produce a desirable result.

They have the evidence of the deeds and the extraordinary teaching Jesus is doing and then suddenly they revert to, we know this guy, how can he be anything special. They don’t know, however, what they think they know. The answer to the question, “Isn’t this the carpenter’s son?” is actually, no. Jesus does not bother to set that record straight, they have the evidence of what He is doing and what He has taught, and have asked the right first question, “Where did this man get this wisdom and these deeds of power?” If they had focused on that question they could have made a right judgment concerning Him but the other questions overwhelmed the primary question. Keeping first things first is always important.

Paul has kept the main thing the main thing. He has preached Christ and Him crucified and has not adulterated the Gospel with other things in spite of his upbringing and his advancement in Judaism. He says he has let go of the former things in order to hold onto the Gospel of grace. He is defending his rights as an apostle and that the church in Jerusalem has acknowledge the gifts and graces given to him among the Gentiles and have affirmed him in his message and work. His other defense is that they added nothing to the Gospel he has proclaimed other than to remember the poor which he was eager to do anyway. He is fully credentialed and accepted by the leaders although his only concern is to be acceptable to God. He is not much interested in church hierarchy.

In your majesty ride on victoriously
for the cause of truth and to defend the right;
let your right hand teach you dread deeds.
Your throne, O God, endures for ever and ever.
Your royal sceptre is a sceptre of equity;
you love righteousness and hate wickedness.
I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations;
therefore the peoples will praise you for ever and ever.