Follow after?
V23 n30
It is amazing how often people will say that they are a
Christian, say that they believe the Bible, yet follow the world and it’s
opinions and ways, before they will believe God and His Word. As we saw last
week, many followed after Jesus Christ because their bellies were filled; others
followed because of the miracles; but only a few followed in search of the
truth.
To follow after love! For God so loved the world, that He gave! His love was manifest by and through His Son, Christ Jesus our Lord. Yet, how did the world receive this love? How did the world reciprocate Father’s love? How have you returned God’s love for you?
2Cor 12:14 This is now the third time that I am ready to come to you; and I will not be a trouble to you: my desire is for you, not for your property: for it is not the children's business to make store for their fathers, but the fathers for the children. 15 And I will gladly give all I have for your souls. If I have the more love for you, am I to be loved the less? (Weymouth translation)
Paul was consumed with showing the
people that which had been made available to them by and through Christ Jesus.
Can we say the same for ourselves? What exactly is it that you are following
after?
Let’s look at a few of Adam Clarke’s comments of these verses.
[And
I will very gladly spend and be spent for you] I will continue to act as a
loving father who spends all he has upon his children, and expends his own
strength and life in providing for them the things necessary for their
preservation and comfort.
[Though the more abundantly I love you] I will even act
toward you with the most affectionate tenderness, though it happen to me, as it
often does to loving fathers, that their disobedient children love them less,
in proportion as their love to them is increased. Does it not frequently happen
that the most disobedient child in the family is that one on which the parents'
tenderness is more especially placed? See the parable of the prodigal son. It
is in the order of God that it should be so, else the case of every prodigal would
be utterly deplorable. The shepherd feels more for the lost sheep than for the
ninety-nine that have not gone astray.
If I be asked, "Should Christian parents lay up
money for their children?" I answer: It is the duty of every parent who
can, to lay up what is necessary to put every child in a condition to earn its
bread. If he neglect this, he undoubtedly sins against God and nature.
"But should not a man lay up, besides this, a fortune for his children, if
he can honestly? "I answer: Yes, if there be no poor within his reach; no
good work which he can assist; no pagan region on the earth to which he can
contribute to send the Gospel of Jesus; but not otherwise. God shows, in the
course of his providence, that this laying up of fortunes for children is not
right; for there is scarcely ever a case where money has been saved up to make
the children independent and gentlemen, in which God has not cursed the
blessing. It was saved from the poor, from the ignorant, from the cause of God;
and the canker of his displeasure consumed this ill-saved property. (from Adam Clarke
Commentary)
Let us look at a few of Barnes
notes on these verses.
[And I will very gladly spend] I am willing to spend my
strength, and time, and life, and all that I have, for your welfare, as a
father cheerfully does for his children. Any expense which may be necessary to
promote your salvation I am willing to submit to. The labor of a father for his
children is cheerful and pleasant. Such is his love for them that he delights
in toil for their sake, and that he may make them happy. The toil of a pastor
for his flock should be cheerful. He should be willing to engage in unremitted
efforts for their welfare; and if he has any right feeling he will find a
pleasure in that toil He will not grudge the time demanded; he will not be
grieved that it exhausts his strength, or his life, anymore than a father will
who toils for his family. And as the pleasures of a father who is laboring for
his children are among the purest and most pleasant which people ever enjoy, so
it is with a pastor. Perhaps, on the whole, the pleasantest employment in life
is that connected with the pastoral office; the happiest moments known on earth
are the duties, arduous as they are, of the pastoral relation. God thus, as in
the relation of a father, tempers toil and pleasure together; and accompanies
most arduous labors with present and abundant reward.
[Be spent] Be exhausted and worn out in my labors. So the
Greek word means. Paul was willing that his powers should be entirely exhausted
and his life consumed in this service.
[For you] Margin, as in the Greek, for your souls. So it
should have been rendered. So Tyndale renders it. The sense is, that he was
willing to become wholly exhausted if by it he might secure the salvation of
their souls.
[Though the more abundantly I love you ...] This is
designed doubtless as a gentle reproof. It refers to the fact that
notwithstanding the tender attachment which he had evinced for them, they had
not manifested the love in return which he had a right to expect. It is
possible that there may be an allusion to the case of a fond, doting parent. It
sometimes happens that a parent fixes his affections with undue degree on some
one of his children; and in such cases it is not uncommon that the child
evinces special ingratitude and lack of love. Such may be the allusion here--
that Paul had fixed his affections on them like a fond, doting father, and that
he had met with a return by no means corresponding with the fervour of his attachment;
yet still he was willing, like such a father, to exhaust his time and strength
for their welfare. The doctrine is, that we should be willing to labor and toil
for the good of others, even when they evince great ingratitude. The proper end
of laboring for their welfare is not to excite their gratitude, but to obey the
will of God; and no matter whether others are grateful or not; whether they
love us or not; whether we can promote our popularity with them or not, let us
do them good always. It better shows the firmness of our Christian principle to
endeavor to benefit others when they love us the less for all our attempts,
than it does to attempt to do good on the swelling tide of popular favor. (from Barnes' Notes)
[Literally:
But I, I will most gladly spend and be utterly spent out for your souls. If
more abundantly you I am loving, the less am I being loved?] Paul went beyond
the love of parents for their children; but his love was reciprocated in
inverse proportion to its intensity! (from Wycliffe Commentary)
Let’s
look at a few of Matthew Henry’s observations of these verses.
He would gladly spend and be spent for them (v. 15); that is, he was willing to take pains and to suffer loss for their good. He would spend his time, his parts, his strength, his interest, his all, to do them service; nay, so spend as to be spent, and be like a candle, which consumes itself to give light to others.
He did not
abate in his love to them, notwithstanding their unkindness and ingratitude to
him; and therefore was contented and glad to take pains with them, though the
more abundantly he loved them the less he was loved, v. 15. This is applicable
to other relations: if others be wanting in their duty to us it does not follow
therefore that we may neglect our duty to them. (from Matthew Henry's
Commentary)
1 Pet 2:21-23, 21 For even hereunto were
ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye
should follow his steps: 22 Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his
mouth: 23 Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he
threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously: (KJV)
Let’s
look at Adam Clarke’s comments of these verses in 1Peter.
[Hereunto were ye called] Ye were called to a state of suffering when ye were called to be Christians; for the world cannot endure the yoke of Christ, and they that will live godly in Christ must suffer persecution; they will meet with it in one form or other.
[Christ also suffered for us] And left us the example of his meekness and gentleness; for when he was reviled, he reviled not again. Ye cannot expect to fare better than your master; imitate his example, and his Spirit shall comfort and sustain you. Many MSS. and most of the versions, instead of Christ also suffered for us, leaving us, etc., read, suffered for YOU, leaving YOU, etc. This reading, which I think is genuine, is noticed in the margin.
[Who did no sin] He suffered, but not on account of any evil he had either done or said. In deed and word he was immaculate, and yet he was exposed to suffering; expect the same, and when it comes bear it in the same spirit. It is very likely that the apostle mentions guile, because those who do wrong generally strive to screen themselves by prevarication and lies. These words appear to be a quotation from <Isa. 53:9>
[But
committed himself] Though he could have inflicted any kind of punishment on his
persecutors, yet to give us, in this respect also, an example that we should
follow his steps, he committed his cause to him who is the righteous judge. To
avoid evil tempers, and the uneasiness and danger of avenging ourselves, it is
a great advantage in all such cases to be able to refer our cause to God, and
to be assured that the Judge of all the earth will do right. (from Adam Clarke Commentary)
Will
you follow His example? Will you follow in His footsteps?
That you may know Him,
In the service of Jesus Christ.
From Australia,
Larry Gazelka
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