Quote:
Originally Posted by OBW
There is a difference between our general "commission" to live the gospel, and be ready to speak if asked, etc., and the commission in Matthew 28. That was my point there. I think you made some statement that Jesus had said those things to everybody, but it turns out that of all the possible followers at that time, only the 11 were taken aside and told this.
So the commission to go make it your primary task to spread the gospel was not given to everyone. In other words, Jesus didn't tell everyone to go out. Most of us are asked to live the gospel life (that we learn as the result of that commission) right where we are. And we sill get the opportunity to "preach" as it were.
But we were not put on earth to preach the gospel. We were put here to be the image bearers of Christ.
We were not saved to become the modern equivalent of the 11 in Matthew 28. We were saved as the outgrowth of those who took that commission and spread out over the earth. That does not mean we don't "preach/proclaim the gospel." But we do it more in our lives than in our words. More as part of living than as a "primary task" as was given to those guys.
That is what I was talking about.
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Who was the book of Matthew written to? Surely the gospel wasn't written for the 12. What is the purpose of sharing something the Lord spoke to the 12, as a concluding word to the Gospel, if that word is not for all that are reading the book?
I am mystified by this interpretation. Could you elaborate a little on what this does to the reading of the book of Matthew? It seems it turns it into a novel, not really written to us, but we are allowed, like spectators, to learn about what makes the apostles tick.
I will say this, it is absolutely diametrically opposed to what WL taught, so if that is your goal, congratulations.
I read the Bible with the thought that this book is for me. That Jesus was the author and perfector of my faith. Or, if you take issue with that, that He was the author and perfector of "the" faith, which I now hope to appropriate and make my faith.
The fact that this word was spoken to a number of people and then recorded in the Gospel of Matthew is hardly supporting a case that it was not intended for anyone other than the ones who heard it. Because, you haven't explained the purpose of Matthew in writing it if it is not for us. Do you have other examples of NT scripture that are recorded for posterity, but not for us? This to me is a very extreme view of scripture which you haven't made much, if any, of a case for. Also, what about Paul? He wasn't at that meeting yet it seems this word was spoken as much to him as anyone recorded in the NT.