“A good tree doesn’t produce rotten fruit, and a rotten tree doesn’t produce good fruit. For every tree is known by its own fruit. People don’t gather figs from thorny plants or pick grapes from a thorn bush. A good person produces good from the good treasure of his heart, and an evil person produces evil from an evil treasure. For it is out of the abundance of the heart that the mouth speaks.”
“Why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord,’ but don’t do what I tell you?” I will show you what everyone is like who comes to me, hears my words, and acts on them. He is like a person building a house, who dug a deep hole to lay the foundation on rock. When a flood came, the floodwaters pushed against that house but couldn’t shake it, because it had been founded on the rock. But the person who hears what I say but doesn’t act on it is like someone who built a house on the ground without any foundation. When the floodwaters pushed against it, that house quickly collapsed, and the ruin of that house was devastating.”
Luke 6:43-49
Notice how Luke cuts down Matthew’s version – Not all who say “Lord Lord . . . [Matt 7: 21-23 – to just one verse to heighten its impact. All the absurdities which abound in this section which I commented on yesterday are paralleled with the response of those who call Jesus Lord, Lord but fail to do what He says. It is absurd. No one in their right mind would seek to gather figs or grapes from thorn bushes or build a house on sand or fail to dig foundations for the house they are building. It makes no sense. Neither does it make sense to call Him Lord (twice over) and yet fail to carry out His command or advice. The reduplication of “Lord” emphasizes the so called relationship. In Greek and Hebrew the reduplication adds emphasis to the repeated element. It’s like saying Oh my love my love. Note how the next verse picks up the intent and continues it. I will show you what it is like when someone hears my words and acts on them. Note how they are made more positive than Matthew’s version. It you refer to Him as Lord then at least do what He says.
The other inference that is hidden behind this passage in the use of the word Kurios – Lord (or the vocative Kurie in this case). Kurios is the New Testament substitute for Adonai in the Old Testament, which in turn was the substitute for YHWH. The name of God was considered so holy by the Jews that they would not say it. Instead of those four letters [Technically known as the Tetragrammaton (the Four Letters)] the God-honouring Jews would use the word Adonai meaning lord or LORD as a substitute. It was the term used for the lord of the house but it could also mean the LORD of all lords. Hence in many English versions the name of God signified by YHWH was written as LORD, all letters capitalized. In Hebrew the vowels of the word Adonai were put on to YHWH forming a word which was impossible to say because two vowels coalesce on one consonant which is impossible to say in Hebrew resulting in an unsayable or mentionable word. That was supposed to remind the reader not to say THAT word. I can’t show you all in Hebrew because I don’t how to type Hebrew with this new Apple computer. You will just have to believe me.
What is interesting is that Lord (Kurios or Adonai) is used as the word to substitute for the unmentionable name of God. When used of God it is synonymous with YHWH. This is what Paul is meaning when he writes in Philippians 2
“Therefore, God elevated Him to the place of highest honour and gave Him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father.”
Philippiqans 2:9-11
Many Christians misunderstand what is being said here. “Jesus” is not the name above every name. LORD is the name that is above every name. LORD is the representation of YHWH. LORD. Jesus is LORD, God Almighty. He has been given the unmentionable name. The NAME that is above every name on the planet. At that name the temple guards fell flat on their backs in John 18:6. Here in Luke 6:46 the inference is, you call Me LORD but you don’t do what I tell you to do. What sort of LORDship is that you are practicing? It is absurd to call me LORD and not do what I tell you to do. You wouldn’t do that with the Lord of the household, the kurios of the villa or the manor. But you dare to do it with Me, the LORD of all lords. Don’t you see it is like building your house on the sand; without foundations. It is empty and vain. You prove yourselves to be bad worthless trees if that is the case. All of this segment is tied tightly together. It reduces the use of “Lord, Lord to mere lip service. It has no meaning; it is just simply form without function. Hypocrisy, it has no meaning.
And of course this applies to all that has been said in the Sermon on the Plat’ain because this is the close to the sermon. I think it would be wise to go back and read the sermon again in the light of the challenge at the end. See what has to be obeyed and go do it. Don’t get caught short on THAT DAY!
There is much more to comment on but I am packing up the gear and moving on in the next Gem. It’s time to move on into chapter 7.
The LORD of the galaxies is the LORD of your Mondays. You have a friend in high places.
Max Lucado
Your confession that Christ is Lord on Sundays will always be tested on Mondays.
Ian Vail
The question in salvation is not whether Jesus is Lord, but whether we are submissive to His lordship.
John MacArthur
Delayed obedience is disobedience.
Ian Vail
We Must Learn To Make Obedience Non-Negotiable.
Robb Thompson
If You Think Being Obedient Is Too Hard.. Just Try Disobedience For A While And See What It Brings You.
Robb Thompson