Character Studies - ElectronicGospel

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. later in life, we see Herod Antipas forging a truce with Pilate as they allow Christ to bekilled; both Pilate and this Herod later die in exileB. Preaching Divorce and Remarriage1. lest we think that preaching on divorce and remarriage is new or that the dangers involved arenew, we are given this account of John’s work with Heroda. John was not afraid to preach the truth, even to people in authority who could kill himb. why is that no preacher in our day fears execution but so many still are afraid to declareGod’s will?; perhaps they think the esteem of men more important than anything else2. John proves to us that there are some unions which God does not create or sanction; it ispossible for a marriage to exist lawfully on earth but unlawfully according to God’s willa. Josephus tells us that Herodias had divorced Philip as Antipas had divorced his wife; bothdid so that they could marry each otherb. this marriage was deemed unlawful by John and he told them so3. very few outposts of Christianity will condemn any heterosexual marriage these days; suchinconsistency and failure to teach the whole counsel of God leads to more illicit unions and not a fewchurches of Christ are falling into the same shamea. the doctrine of Christ on divorce and remarriage is clear (Mark 10:1-12)1. doing what Antipas and Herodias did is sinful; ending a marriage and starting anotherone is sinful and tantamount to adultery2. adultery is committed when a person forsakes one marriage and begins a new onewithout divine sanctionb. Matthew’s account of this lesson adds that there is one exception (a divorce due to oneparty’s adultery allows the innocent spouse to remarry “in the Lord”4. preaching this today closes some doors that might have led to conversion, but avoiding thesubject to secure the conversion only taints it; is it really conversion if no change has been effected?5. it also has the potential to land the preacher in trouble, but none greater than John’sC. Herod Was Always Learning1. apparently Herod Antipas had a bizarre fascination with John whom he had imprisoned toappease his wife; he kept John alive because the people esteemed him as a prophet2. but Herod also went to John to listen to his preaching, although it condemned his sin andperplexed him greatly3. with no other audience, John kept preaching; Herod kept listening but was never converteda. sometimes people fall into a form of religion much like Herod’s (they consider themselvesChristians and make regular appearances in assemblies, but their lives are not greatly affected by thegospel commands and prohibitions (Second Timothy 3:1-7)b. in Christians, it is complacency and flagging zeal; they become content with imperfectionc. in visitors, it is a problem becoming convinced to make the break and be converted4. test yourselves regularly to make certain you do not fall into this rutD. Herodias Was Heartless1. if Antipas was immoral, Herodias was without conscience; she did not feel at all the guilt Johntried to instill in her, but rather sought to silence his rebuke forever2. she was the wicked queen, the heartless persecutor, the type of person for whom opportunedays are created and the kind who would proudly display the head of a preacher on her mantle3. she would not hold up the hands of a Moses, but criticize him behind his back; the brotherhoodof believers has plenty like her, holding up the hands of error and bringing derision on teachers of truth4. the pressure was always great on the Bible’s two Elijahs and it is heavy upon all preachers whobuck the trend and teach the truth without accommodation for error (Second Timothy 4:1-5)5. hold up their hands (Second Timothy 1:8)E. Salome Was Impudent1. Josephus tells us that Herodias’s daughter was named Salome; she was both the niece andgreat-niece of Herod Antipas who watched her dance2. one can only imagine what Salome’s dance must have been like, so great was its effect uponher weak-willed uncle who foolishly risked half his kingdom to appease his lust82! Jeff S. Smith
3. I participated in dances when I was a teenager and have observed since being converted thetrue appeal and power of dancing like Salome’s to ignite lust in spectators and participants alikea. modern dancing could not be any better than what Herod saw that day; modern dancing islittle more than sexual motions put to musicb. modern dancing fits the very definition of lewdness (cf. Galatians 5:19, indecent bodilymovements)c. and although the whole world refuses to see the danger, we are compelled to expose it4. dancing was the very thing that made Herod’s birthday an opportune day for the devil tosilence John forever; dancing can make any day opportune for the devil to entice you into sexualimmorality, even if it is confined to a lustful heart (cf. Matthew 5:27)F. Herod’s Oaths1. Herod Antipas was a proud man and could not bear to take back a foolish and lustful promise2. when before all his cronies, Salome asked for John’s head, he could not refuse3. a promise is important and should not be broken; a man’s word should be his bond; still apromise that can only be fulfilled by sin should neither be made nor kept4. like Jephthah the judge, Herod Antipas was caught in a web of his own makinga. John’s head was severed and brought to Herodias who even now is paying for her sinb. Jesus and his disciples sorrowed over John’s death and gave his body a proper burialc. Christ continued on the work of the messiah, though the forerunner was gone a victorConclusion<strong>Character</strong> <strong>Studies</strong>! 83
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CharacterStudiesby Jeff S. Smith
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Character StudiesThe goal of these
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2. she points backward to his defea
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2. Jesus knew he was not an oversiz
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6! Jeff S. Smith
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2. when the local church is involve
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10! Jeff S. Smith
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D. No Luther1. it fell to the apost
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c. is the antithesis of Diotrephes
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2. and then he rebukes him for his
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20! Jeff S. Smith
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2. before gaining his victory over
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II. Practical ApplicationA. A Lesso
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a. we are all bending over so easil
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ConclusionJoseph was faithful to Go
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a. that, I think, is the great maje
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Page 42 and 43: 3. when Isaac became old and blind,
Page 44 and 45: II. Man’s New BeginningA. The Old
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Page 52 and 53: a. we, like they, are strangers and
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Page 68 and 69: C. The Pleasures of Sin Are Passing
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C. Pointing at The Antichrist1. a f
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134! Jeff S. Smith
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Sufficient cause for the unpopulari
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2. and so the wisdom of the magi wa
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courier it to Paul and it became to
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illions of souls from benefiting is
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17:15-21)2. the birth was announced
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. Thomas insisted that he would onl
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2. first, he becomes the epitome of
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esteem, wondering what we will do w
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its soothing aroma and pain-relievi
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3. this is the last that we hear of
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and both began to return once he wa
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led to the execution of innocent Na
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government or of an occupying power
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to cooperate with her scheme; how c
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1. literal slavery like the kind th
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3. when Lot chose to live in Sodom,
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Christ3. they have the mission to t
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a. he is frequently described as a
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II. Some ApplicationsA. Prodigies a
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a. the other bureaucrats turned him
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21:20-25)a. it is safe to say that
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Ittai)b. as much as he hated what h
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II. Some ApplicationsA. Decisive Th
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or friendship at all (First John 3:
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c. Antipas was part of the tennis m
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3. Silas begins and ends his Bible
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26Brown, Driver, Briggs and Geseniu
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