Anti-Ecclesiastes
Only conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ; so that whether I come and see you or remain absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel; Philippians 1:27 NASB
Striving – Koheleth, the Teacher, thought that life was striving after wind. Paul has a different opinion. But that’s because Paul doesn’t make the same mistakes that Koheleth makes. Unless we recognize the opposing assumptions of Paul, we too will strive after wind and end up with Koheleth in a life of pointless effort.
What differences does Paul employ? Well, the first thing we notice is that Paul sets a standard for conduct based on revealed truth. “Worthy of the good news” isn’t whatever I happen to think is important. Yeshua revealed God’s care and God’s expectations. Those become the measures of our lives. We are to conduct ourselves (the Greek is politeuesthe – did you notice that it is a political word?) as citizens of God’s Kingdom. That means we live according to His rules. There is no debate about what God wants. He has spelled it out for us. This is a verb about behavior, not intellectual assent. It’s also important to notice that in the Greek text the phrase “worthy of the gospel of Christ” comes first in the sentence. The standard comes first. The conduct follows. What Yeshua taught is the measure of our lives as citizens.
The second important assumption is Paul’s use of the plural “you.” Koheleth took on the task of understanding the world as an individual. Paul knows that is bound to fail. We, not I, is the center of the gospel. No man stands on his own in the Kingdom. “Striving together with one mind” is God’s way. Koheleth’s individual effort led him to striving after wind, but together we are able to strive after God. Paul chooses a verb that incorporates community right into its structure. It isn’t striving (athleo – think of “athletic”). It is sunathleo – to exert oneself with another, to help, to aid. It is teamwork, not individual achievement.
Finally, we should notice Paul’s goal. It isn’t insight. It isn’t understanding. It is faith. And for rabbi Paul, faith can mean only one thing – obedience. Doing what God asks when God asks it. Hinneni. To be ready as a servant to do the Master’s bidding. The “faith of the gospel” isn’t a list of correct beliefs. And it isn’t figuring out what it means to live like a Christian. It is plain and simple obedience to what God revealed and what Yeshua portrayed – the Word of the Lord manifest visibly in the life of Yeshua. Paul’s goal isn’t like Koheleth’s. Koheleth wants to understand the world by himself. Paul wants to follow the King with others.
Which camp are you in today?
Topical Index: striving, Koheleth, obedience, faith, sunathleo, Philippians 1:27
well of course i want to follow the King but with the apostate church rising all around us the way it is – it is hard to find an organized church that is actually in/following the TRUTH…
Jesus wasn’t in an organized church – he was constantly travelling & teaching others – He was alone other than the small band of disciples that followed him learning to teach as He was teaching – none of this mega church deception going on & shouldn’t be today. i will stick to my small band of brothers/sisters in the Lord that know & practice the TRUTH of JESUS… jan
While I agree with your assessment of the mega-church movement (which seems to be more about recruiting and getting souls saved for heaven than it is about actually following God’s instructions for living), I would point out that Yeshua participated regularly in Shabbat wherever he was. Since this provided a uniform worship community, we should not think that he operated alone. We often forget the cohesive nature of the Jewish community in Israel, even if it was distributed over many villages. They read, discussed and taught the same material in every synagogue on any particular Sabbath. Also, it is clear that there were (at least for some time) quite a few more followers than just the 12.
Skip, i agree with what you are saying above but he did not have his own organized church like pastors today that truly think they own their church. i do feel Jesus was alone other than His father/God – did he not say he really had nowhere to lay his head – did he not ask others – his beloveds/his followers to just pray with him a little while – it was He & His Father when it came right down to it but at least He promised us the Holy Spirit when He left us for a while & i understand about community but there are not a lot in my community but at least i have some/a little… that are up close & personal – i think the idea/ideal of Jesus was to create community & to a point it has been successful but when He comes again it will be ideal for awhile… at least for a 1,000 years… jan
Dear Jan,
Your position is understandable. It is important to have intimate fellowship with like minded believers. However it was in the Temple that the Holy Spirit fell. They were all sitting together in one accord in the congregation of thousands. To abandon the larger congregation is to hide our light under a bushel. We are the menorah so to speak. We continue to try to fellowship with the visible Church and Messianic Congregations. To our surprise and delight we found a very small Torah pursuant, long time Messianic fellowship in Colorado Springs who are in the process of shedding their rabbinic trappings as YHVH leads.
We are staying here for several months and were lamenting having to leave our home fellowship. But Avinu has comforted us with fresh teaching and solid friendships that we’ve been able to share with the ones back home.
If anyone is in the vicinity we heartily recommend (and this is a first for us) “Yeshua light of the World Sabbath Fellowship.” you can check them out online.
http://www.messianicinfo.org/www.messianicinfo.org/Home.html
Had we not continued to pursue fellowship with YHVH’s larger body we would never have found these precious folks. Hang in there baby! );
😉
Over the past few years, I have come to see how important these two points are, thanks to this site – Skip and the other members.
“IT IS WRITTEN,” is now crucial to my understanding, as I turn back to those things that can actually be seen, so as to be followed in behavior, not just in mental assent. Also, the more I pay attention to the design of the Creator, it is clear that nothing (physical or spiritual) can produce fruit without interaction with others. Always was the case, but I did not have that perspective.
I am now noticing how many of the Jewish non-believers in Yeshua will come together with Christians in order to share the views of each one, to contribute to the understanding of all. I am so grateful for this, as it has really opened my heart to those who have been guarding the Torah all these centuries!
By regularly studying the Torah portions, we are being changed in unexpected ways. Though we are currently beyond the story of Lot, that one has impacted how I interact in my community, and here is why:
We know that the city leaders sat at the city gate, and that is where Lot is found in the story of Sodom and Gommorah. It would seem by the wording a few verses later, that he had become a ‘judge’ during his time of residence there. I began to wonder if (once Lot had moved to the place that he had thought would provide for his fame and fortune) he might have discovered that he had not made such a wise choice. What to do? He could not go back to Abraham and say, “I was greedy and naive about choosing what appeared to be the most lucrative area. I want out of this arrangement.” Maybe he thought his only option was to make the best of it, gain political power, and thereby save himself. Maybe he thought that if he sat at the city gate with the other elders, he would be able to ‘limit’ the amount of evil that would come through the city gate. What kinds of compromises had he made, in order to try and save his ‘investment’ in that community?
This story ‘hits home’ with me, because a prison has been built IN THE MIDST (yes, middle) of the town where I live. As an elected City Council member, I will be called upon to vote YES or NO to allow the opening of the prison. Since the investors did not ask for our input BEFORE they invested a great deal of money, they are now very vocal, claiming that this is the answer to the need for JOBS in our community. One of the most disturbing things I have recently heard was the statement, “Well, if we do allow them to put the prison there, we will have to insist on rules.” I was stunned by this statement, because the person who said this to me (a professional with a degree in psychology) is someone who I thought understood wisdom. It took me a moment, but I replied, “You know, I think humans have a misperception that evil can somehow be contained, if we just make enough rules. Evil does not follow the rules, and its growth is ever-expanding.”
I have a different understanding of what is GOOD than I used to have. It is not popular. But, I am ever hopeful that it will bear GOOD FRUIT in my community, and especially in the lives of those who depend on my ‘judgment.’
And you hang in there too Gayle. 🙁
“I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel Philippinas 1:27”
“I said to myself, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure. So enjoy yourself.” And behold, it too was futility. Ecclesiastes 2:1”
Hmmm
Well I must admit that although I became very attracted to Paul in my old age
For me, Ecclesiastes 2:1 definitely resonates more deeply with my “inner self”
But when you write that “We are to conduct ourselves (the Greek is politeuesthe…)”
I notice that the Greek “politeuesthe” must be the key to “political correctness” in the Kingdom
Because “politeuesthe” is an anagram for “use the polite”
And I would add “form of behavior in the community” to create the following command:
“Use the polite form of behavior in the community” to be of one mind
And when you say “It is sunathleo – to exert oneself with another, to help, to aid.”
I would add that the Greek word “sunathleo” can be seen as an anagram for “the Leo sun”
And my horoscope today says:
“Then, on November 22, the Sun swoops into Sagittarius for a month of adventure and big dreams.”
And that sounds good to me 🙂
After all it is “teamwork, not individual achievement,” that “I’m looking for” (to quote Bono)
WOW – that is only 2 days before Thanksgiving Michael – if that comes true you may have lots to be thankful for… ♥
“Then, on November 22, the Sun swoops into Sagittarius for a month of adventure and big dreams.”
And that sounds good to me… me 2 – never had big adventure(s) or big dreams come true… ♥
After all it is “teamwork, not individual achievement,” that “I’m looking for” (to quote Bono) 2 heads are better than 1 & 1 can keep the other warm when cold – is there a music video that goes with Bono words here??? if there is i’m surprised you didn’t post it – i would like to hear it if such exists… jan
Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
New International Version (NIV)
9 Two are better than one,
because they have a good return for their labor:
10 If either of them falls down,
one can help the other up.
But pity anyone who falls
and has no one to help them up.
11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm.
But how can one keep warm alone?
12 Though one may be overpowered,
two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
“if that comes true”
Hi Jan,
Well I think it is highly unlikely that anything is going to happen on November 22 🙂
Frankly, I was just “playing with words” and having pleasant thoughts
My dog Max is the only one who will be keeping me warm in bed and I’m grateful for him 🙂
I’m sorry but I can’t find a decent YouTube of U2 playing that song
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”
It always sounds much better on the radio and they play it all the time
Frankly I have found most of what I’m looking for and am grateful to have it
And I do tend to think of my life, which is pretty ordinary in most ways, as a great adventure 🙂
Kind of like Walter Mitty http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Mitty
Thanks for the passage from Ecclesiastes 4:9-12
I always enjoy reading Ecclesiastes
Well I think it is highly unlikely that anything is going to happen on November 22 [PARTY POOPER]… ♥
Frankly, I was just “playing with words” and having pleasant thoughts [I CALL THOSE IMAGININGS]
My dog Max is the only one who will be keeping me warm in bed and I’m grateful for him [YES I LOVE MY 2 SWEET DOXIES & WE ALL KEEP EACH OTHER WARM AT NIGHT & IT IS COLD TONIGHT – I KEEP THE THERMOSTAT AT 67 & PUT ON THE COMFORTER & BLANKETS & WE ALL SNUGGLE TOGETHER – THEY HAVE THEIR SIDE & I HAVE MINE]
I’m sorry but I can’t find a decent YouTube of U2 playing that song
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” [I GAVE THAT UP A LONG TIME AGO ME LOOKING FOR ANYTHING – I GAVE THAT JOB TO HIM A LONG TIME AGO SO I WOULD NOT BE IN CHARGE OF MAKING THE WRONG DECISION AGAIN]
It always sounds much better on the radio and they play it all the time
Frankly I have found most of what I’m looking for and am grateful to have it [I HAVEN’T FOUND ANYTHING BUT WHAT I HAVE IS FROM HIM & AM THANKFUL FOR WHAT HE HAS GIVEN ME IN LIFE BUT STILL LOOKING FORWARD TO HIS PROVISION IN ALL THINGS]
And I do tend to think of my life, which is pretty ordinary in most ways, as a great adventure [I MAY NOT THINK OF MY LIFE AS A GREAT ADVENTURE BUT IT IS]
Kind of like Walter Mitty http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_Mitty [THANKS FOR THE LINK – THERE USED TO BE A BAR A LONG TIME AGO IN NORMAN, OK BY THIS NAME BUT NEVER WENT THERE BUT KNEW PEOPLE WHO HUNG OUT THERE ALL THE TIME]
Thanks for the passage from Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 [WELCOME – MY PLEASURE]… ♥
I always enjoy reading Ecclesiastes [NOT MY FAVORITE – I AM THE ROMANTIC WITH SONG OF SOLOMON]… BEAUTIFUL POETRY… ♥ J
“I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For” [I GAVE THAT UP A LONG TIME AGO ME LOOKING FOR ANYTHING – I GAVE THAT JOB TO HIM A LONG TIME AGO SO I WOULD NOT BE IN CHARGE OF MAKING THE WRONG DECISION AGAIN]”
Hi Jan,
I understand what you are saying and don’t disagree
But for me something in that song resonates with the lyric “still haven’t found”
It is pre-rational, like an emotion, and maybe it corresponds to our “eternal” lack
Seems to me that to the extent that we desire God, we lack God
Or we would not desire God because we would be “full” of Him
I also think the lyric corresponds to our feeling of not having what we want
For example, I would rather have my children with me eight days a week
Than four days a month
But apparently that is not what God wants