Daily Writing

Thursday, 23 January 2025

“Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ Matthew 6:31

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“Therefore, not you shall be disquieted, saying, ‘What we shall eat?’ or ‘What we shall drink?’ or ‘What we shall don?’” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus spoke of how God enrobes man. Because of what He does, Jesus next says, “Therefore, not you shall be disquieted.”

God has ordained how things are. He has invested man with ability, and He has provided the earth with abundance. Taking these things together, man can feel confident that he has what he needs to have sufficiency. Fretting about what might be is pointless.

Those things that we cannot change are not going to change through anxiety attacks. Therefore, there should be no reason to get disquieted, and there is no reason for us to be “saying, ‘What we shall eat?’ or ‘What we shall drink?’ or ‘What we shall don?’”

This takes the reader right back to verse 6:25 –

“Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?”

Rather than focusing on these earthly, temporary things, man should consider the Source and Giver of these things first. Having faith in His provision and how He has orchestrated things should be where our trust lies. The birds go out each day and find what they need. When they find it, they use what He has provided, a beak, for example, to obtain it.

Flowers are sown into the earth. They come up according to His plan and adorn it with beauty. The flower doesn’t consider what is coming tomorrow. It simply exists as a beautiful adornment of the earth.

As God has placed man on the earth, based on how He has orchestrated everything else, surely He must have given man what he needs to exist as well. As we are a part of this ongoing cycle, we should accept that this is so, trust Him to continue to provide, and not fret about what lies ahead.

Life application: There are people all over the world. Man is found in the hottest, driest places, the most barren and cold areas, sweaty heated sauna-like places, along coasts, and in the mountains.

Wherever man has gone, someone in the traveling party has said, “This would be a great place to live!” And so, he settled in and became accustomed to the area and what it provides. Others said, “No way, Jose! I am moving on. Who would ever want to live here?” And so, onward he went until he found a place suitable to his desires.

From there, the earth was fully inhabited. But everywhere people have settled, they have adapted to the location because God set up the earth to give them what they need. Some things are more abundant in one place but lacking in another. However, the things that are necessary for man to survive have been found and exploited.

This is how God has provided and continues to provide. We adapt because God has given us the ability to do so. When a place is too inhospitable, man moves on. In this manner, the earth is filled with humanity.

There is always one thing that is truly necessary but which is initially lacking except when it is brought into man’s various places of dwelling. Shouldn’t we be willing to get it out to others. What is this thing? It is the gospel of Jesus found in the word of God.

Man exists around the globe because God has made it possible for him to do so. But man exists without salvation unless we are willing to share what God has done. Let us help turn the temporary existence of each man on earth into an eternal existence in the presence of God. May we be a part of filling this otherwise unfilled necessity.

Glorious God, You have provided life and abundance for us to dwell in Your presence. You have also provided the way that we can do so for all eternity. However, that way will not be available to others unless we are willing to make it happen. Help us, Lord, to share the message of Jesus to those who so desperately need it. Amen.

Wednesday, 22 January 2025

Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? Matthew 6:30

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And if the herbage of the field, today being and tomorrow throwing into the furnace, God thus enrobes, not much more you – little-faithed?” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus made the comparison between the lilies and Solomon, stating that the lilies exceed Solomon in how they are arrayed. Now, to explain why that is important to consider, He next says, “And if the herbage of the field.”

The word is new, chortos. It literally signifies a court, garden, field, etc. where grass grows. Thus, by implication, it refers to that which grows in such a place. This would be inclusive of grass, but not limited to it.

In this case, saying grass is insufficient because Jesus has just been speaking of lilies. Switching to grass confuses the analogy. Rather, using herbage allows for the inclusion of whatever has grown in the field, including any lilies that pop up to adorn it. Understanding this, He continues with, “today being and tomorrow throwing into the furnace.”

Here is another new word, klibanos. It refers to an earthen pot which is used for baking. As such, it is a furnace or oven. It corresponds to the Hebrew word tanur. Today, because of the popular nature of Indian food, many people know of their tandoor which is quite similar.

Depending on the style of pot, it is either heated from the inside and then bread is slapped onto the outside to be baked, or it is heated from the outside and bread is slapped onto the inside to be baked. Either way, the flat bread adheres to the side until removed by the baker when it is turned and heated on the other side.

In the case of Jesus’ words, it would be one heated from the inside. This is because the herbage is thrown into it. The point so far is that Jesus has spoken of the immensely intricate and beautiful nature of the lily, outshining the beauty of Solomon.

And yet, in a day, it is dried up and dead, becoming stubble, useful only for burning in an oven. Understanding this, how the next words are applied varies based on the translation, “God thus enrobes, not much more you.”

Most translations apply these words to the lilies –

“Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven” (NKJV).

However, some apply them to the hearer in the final clause –

“…God so clothes much rather you, ye of little faith!” (SLT).

Without the dogmatic nature of other translations, the ambiguous nature of the CG translation allows the reader to come to his own conclusion –

“And if the herbage of the field, … God thus enrobes,” or “God thus enrobes, not much more you?”

Either way, if God has ordained it to be this way, the point is understandable because of what Jesus has already said previously about the lilies. However, another complication arises because of how translations are rendered.

There are different ways of interpreting what Jesus is saying concerning being clothed. One is that man is more important than the lily, and so God will tend to our needs in a way that is commensurate with the honor and dignity that man has been bestowed as the pinnacle of His creation.

This is how most translations express the thought. They do this by either shuffling the words around and/or inserting words to fit this presupposition, such as “will He not much more clothe you” (NKJV, et al). The SLT omits the negation (not) and comes to the same general thought, “God so clothes much rather you.”

The word amphiennumi, to clothe or enrobe, is used. It signifies to put on clothes or to enrobe. In this case, God is the One who is performing the action. The way the words are structured it seems more likely to point to the state of the clothing, not a later granting of it, “God thus enrobes, not much more you.”

The verb is present tense, not future, as the NKJV and others imply. As such, Jesus is not saying God is going to give us garments to enrobe us, but that He has given us garments that enrobe us – meaning the dignity and honor of being a human.

The comparison is to the beauty of the lily, which didn’t labor or spin. It was simply enrobed with beauty. Unlike the lily, man is enrobed with intelligence and ability. Therefore, he has the necessary basics to provide himself with garments.

Therefore, why should we worry about what we will wear? When the time for garments is needed, we will obtain what we need because we have already been enrobed with the garments of humanity by God. Understanding this, Jesus next uses an adjective to describe those who are anxious about such things, calling them “little-faithed?”

The word is also new, oligopistos, coming from two separate words that indicate little in number or low in quantity and faith. He is saying that humans who worry about such things are little-faithed. They walk around constantly worried about what might be. Instead, they should trust that God has given them the wisdom and ability to take care of themselves. In turn, they should be grateful to Him for such blessings.

Life application: The basic intent of Jesus’ words, regardless of some of the pointless or obscuring changes in translations, is that man has importance to God. He is the highest point of God’s creation, and we should conduct our lives in a manner that demonstrates that we believe it is so. Not in arrogance or boasting, but in humility that God has given us such wisdom and ability.

We should provide for our needs as humans because we are human. We shouldn’t fret about what lies ahead when we are fully capable of using what God has given us to provide for ourselves because He has and continues to provide for us.

Let us do so at all times. And as we do, may we remember to thank and praise Him for allowing us the honor of existing in His presence for all eternity because of what He has done to reconcile us to Himself through Jesus Christ – the One enrobed in humanity and yet fully God. Thank God for Jesus Christ our Lord.

Glorious God, because of Jesus, we are granted greater and eternal garments of righteousness so that we can stand in Your presence for all eternity. Why You have so favored us is hard to imagine, but we accept that it is so. We have faith that what Jesus has done is sufficient to carry us through to behold Your glory forever. Amen.

Tuesday, 21 January 2025

and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Matthew 6:29

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And I say to you that neither Solomon in all his glory, he was arrayed like one of these” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus told His disciples that the lilies of the field neither toil nor spin. These are the things man does to obtain clothing. He may labor growing and harvesting flax, he may labor in the shearing of his flocks, and so forth.

From there, the material is processed and eventually ready for spinning into useable strands that can be woven into garments. The lilies don’t do this, but Jesus says, “And I say to you that neither Solomon in all his glory.”

He begins a comparative statement using Solomon as His point of comparison. Solomon was the richest king ever –

“And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. ¹⁴ So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.” 1 Kings 3:13, 14

Along with kingly wealth, there will obviously come kingly garments, the finest that can be obtained. He would have stood out among all who came into his presence because of them. And yet, Jesus next says, “he was arrayed like one of these.”

Having said “neither” in the previous clause, Jesus is saying that despite the amazingly beautiful garments worn by Solomon, garments that took an immense amount of skill and effort to make, Solomon was not arrayed as beautifully as the lilies of the field.

Jesus uses the word periballó, to clothe, enrobe, etc. It comes from two words signifying around and to throw. It is that which covers around a person, and thus his garments. In this case, because of the beauty of the subject, the lilies, using the word arrayed conveys the idea. They are radiantly beautiful in their time of blooming.

Life application: If you pick up a common lily or other flower and start studying it, the more you look, the more intricate and beautiful it is. We normally just take in flowers from a distance or in a setting with other things. But taken alone, it is hard to understand how anyone cannot see God’s handiwork in the construction of the flower.

Each is unique and yet recognizable within the type. They carry smells that are a part of their makeup, something Solomon’s garments wouldn’t have. Rather, he had to get his perfumes elsewhere and apply them.

The lily will have sweetness for insects to come and enjoy. In the process, they will then be pollinated by the insects as they travel to other lilies. There is an entire system of wonder and intricate beauty found in them.

The people that fashioned Solomon’s garments probably did an amazing job. But compared to the work that God placed into the creation of the flowers, their work doesn’t even compare. Take time to think about the wisdom and beauty of what God has done. And then, be sure to give Him the praise that He is due for having provided us with such wonder.

Heavenly Father, nothing compares to You. You are the Source of all wisdom, goodness, wonder, and delight. Thus, You far excel those things. How can we not adore and praise You for who You are. Help us, O God, to remember You in every step we take along this path of life. Amen.

Monday, 20 January 2025

“So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; Matthew 6:28

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And about apparel, why are you disquieted? Fathom the lilies of the field, how it grows. Not it labors, nor it spins.” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus spoke about the inability of anyone to add a single forearm to his maturity. Because this is so, He next asks an obvious question, “And about apparel, why are you disquieted?”

The words refer back to verse 25 –

“Through this, I say to you, not you disquiet your soul – what you may eat and what you may drink, nor your body – what you may don. Not more, it is, the soul the food and the body the apparel?”

Apparel for protection is essentially a basic human need in most parts of the world. In very few places are there natives who do not cover a sizeable portion of their body. It is also something intended for an individual’s privacy. So basic is this understanding, that it goes back to the very first thing ever recorded as having been fashioned by man –

“So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate. ⁷ Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves coverings.” Genesis 3:6, 7

And more, until the historically recent industrial age, clothing took a lot more effort to make. Thus, it was expensive, even being considered as a part of one’s wealth. Because of this, people would get anxious or bent out of shape when something interfered with their possessing or retaining their apparel. In response to such an occasion, He next says, “Fathom the lilies of the field.”

Here is a word found only once in Scripture, katamanthanó. It signifies more than learning, but grasping “something conclusively by considering it carefully” (HELPS Word Studies). Most translations use the word consider or observe. But it is more than that. The idea is to plumb the depths of what is being considered. Thus, the word fathom hits the nail on the head. The word signifies to penetrate to the truth of something or comprehend it fully.

Jesus is telling His disciples to stop and look at the lilies in a way that brings forth an understanding of how majestic God’s handiwork is. And the lily, or krinon, is truly majestic. The Greek word is found only here and in the comparable passage in Luke 12. It is equivalent to the Hebrew word shushan, lily, which is especially highlighted in the Song of Solomon. Of the lilies of the field, He asks them to fathom “how it grows.”

The word in Greek, auxanó, grows, refers to becoming greater in size. He wants them to fully consider how lilies come to maturity, explaining, “Not it labors, nor it spins.”

The verbs kopiaó, to feel fatigued and thus to labor, and néthó, to spin, are first found here. The word néthó will also only be found again in the comparable passage in Luke 12. Such lilies are found in many places in Israel in great abundance. They come up without any tending to or care, and they brilliantly adorn wherever they appear. Jesus will continue with His words about the lily in the next verses.

It should be noted that in some texts, the last three verbs are singular: it grows, it labors, and it spins. In other texts, the verbs are plural, they. The verbs in Luke 12 are singular, as they are here. Jesus has gone from the plural, lilies, to the singular, it. This is a way of saying that all lilies are identical in this manner. They were created by God and they are one example of the many amazing workings of God found in the creation.

Life application: When walking down a concrete sidewalk, you can often see life growing up in any crack that occurs. Life is working its way out of the most inhospitable places. First, there is not a lot of soil in such a place. There may be less water, more heat, or other disadvantages in such a place as well. And more, there is often a constant pounding of feet and rolling of skates down sidewalks.

And yet, in the morning, when a little dew has been on the area overnight, beautiful flowers will pop out of these cracks. Some have dazzling colors or shapes. But you have to get close to notice all the details. Imagine that. God has organized the world where life will pop up and grace our eyes with beauty in the most unexpected places if we are just willing to stop and look.

Consider how good God is to have woven such intimate beauty into His creation. What a wonderful, loving, and tender God to have done this for people like us.

Lord God, we praise You for Your goodness to us. How blessed we are to be in Your presence and to share in Your wisdom as it is displayed in an infinite number of ways in Your creation. Thank You for allowing our eyes to behold and our minds to grasp Your amazing works. Amen.

Sunday, 19 January 2025

Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature? Matthew 6:27

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, scrolling with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

“And who from you, disquieting, he can add upon his maturity one forearm?” (CG).

In the previous verse, Jesus spoke of the birds of the air and how our heavenly Father tends to them. He then noted that man excels the birds. Therefore, it is to be understood that man should be able to rely on the gifts from our heavenly Father in a manner greater than the birds. Understanding this, He next says, “And who from you, disquieting.”

He uses the same word found in verse 6:25, translated here as disquieting. The Greek signifies to be anxious. A single English word to meet that intent is disquiet. In this case, it is a present participle. The person wasn’t just anxious, but he is and continues to be so. He is a worrywart who sits and frets over every issue of his life which is beyond his control.

“What will I have for dinner? What if I don’t have food? What if a snake crawls into the house? What will happen when my children grow up and move out? Who will take care of me? Will the sun rise tomorrow? What if the sun doesn’t rise tomorrow?”

Such a person can never live joyfully in the present because the cares and worries of the world around him mentally hem him in. He is trapped in a cycle of pointless fretting over things he has absolutely no control over. He tosses on his bed at night, and he sits and shuffles his feet during the day, pondering whatever disaster his mind suddenly brings forward. Of such a person, Jesus says as an interrogative, “he can add upon his maturity one forearm?”

The word translated as add is first found here in Scripture, prostithémi. Depending on the context, it can signify to increase, proceed, add, etc. One can see the etymological root of our modern word prosthesis. A prosthetic device is something added to a person, like Steve Austin’s bionic arm.

The next word, translated as maturity, is hélikia. It is derived from hēlix, an adult comrade. Each of these is akin to hēlios, the sun, because the sun is the great marker of time for humanity. Day by day, it arises, counting man’s days into years as he develops into maturity. The word hélikos, therefore, is rightly translated as maturity, but it signifies in size, years, stature, etc.

The last word of note is péchus. It signifies the length of the forearm, from the elbow to the end of the fingers. This corresponds to the Hebrew word ammah, the mother measurement, meaning a cubit. Jesus is saying that a person has no ability to add a single forearm of length to his stature.

As he cannot do this basic thing that God has genetically instilled into the aging process of man, then should he be fretting about the other things God has control over but which we have no ability to control?

Life application: People get illnesses, cancers, and other afflictions. People get into car accidents. Car accidents can affect people who are not even on the road. An out-of-control car can veer right into someone’s house while the family is having dinner. Meteorites have been known to land in people’s houses.

There is nothing we can do about such things. To worry about what “might” happen is a giant waste of time. And more, it demonstrates a lack of faith in God for those who are saved. If Jesus has truly saved us, then whether in life or in death, we will be brought home to Him someday. This is a promise in His word.

To worry about all the what-ifs of life reveals a lack of faith that everything will be ok in the end. It is damaging to one’s life, it is annoying to the people who have to hear such things, and it takes our eyes off of Jesus. If we have our eyes fixed on Jesus, as the Bible instructs, why should we worry one iota about the things we cannot control?

This doesn’t mean we cannot grieve over getting cancer. The thought of going through the treatment process is unappealing at best. To see someone we love going through it can be almost debilitating because we mourn for their trials. God has given us the ability to mourn and be grieved for a reason. But to worry and fret is pointless. Let’s heed the word of the Lord through Paul –

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; ⁷ and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6, 7

Lord God, help us to not be worrywarts, anxious Annies, or fretting Franks. Instead, may we live calmly in Your presence, understanding that we just have to trust You with the things we cannot control. You are God, and You have saved us through Jesus’ shed blood. He didn’t worry about the process of His passion. Rather, He entrusted Himself to Your care. May we do likewise. Amen.