Week 32, The Unjust

August 6th to 12th

Discussion Questions

Old Testament

In Ezra 4:12-13, the enemies of the Jews told the King that the people from Jerusalem were troublemakers. They would refuse to pay taxes, and cause more trouble if they were allowed to rebuild. How truthful was this claim?

New Testament

Does Paul really say that believers should take their disputes to be resolved between themselves, or within the church, rather than being adjudicated in the courts, before unbelievers. Does this principle apply today? If so, why is it so widely disregarded? 1 Corinthians 6:1

Notes and Commentary

Old Testament

In Ezra 4:12-13 the enemies of the Jews told the King that the people from Jerusalem were troublemakers. They would refuse to pay taxes, and cause more trouble if they were allowed to rebuild. How truthful was this claim?
Whether the Jews owed any loyalty to Persia, or moral obligation to pay taxes is a separate question. The New Testament writer, Paul, said there was a duty to obey the government. [A]  [A] See Romans 13:1-2 (WEB). [1] Let every soul be in subjection to the higher authorities, for there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are ordained by God.  [2] Therefore he who resists the authority, withstands the ordinance of God; and those who withstand will receive to themselves judgment.  Even Jesus Christ said we ought to pay taxes to the government. [B]  [B] Matthew 22:21 (WEB). “Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s. But in the days of Ezra, more than 500 years before Christ, did the Jews observe such niceties?
The Jews, on occasion did cooperate with their foreign leaders:
Examples:
  1. Joseph and Pharaoh. Pharaoh put Joseph in charge of the administration of all of Egypt. Genesis 41:41.
  2. Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar. Nebuchadnezzar made Daniel governor over all of Babylon. Daniel 2:48.
  3. Queen Esther and Ahasuerus. Esther, was queen of the Persian King.
But look no further than the above list to find examples of the Jews in hostile relationships with their foreign leaders:
  1. Joseph and Pharaoh: The Israelites fled Egypt in the middle of the night, leaving ten horrible plagues as a remembrance.
  2. Daniel and Nebuchadnezzar. In fact, a short review of the historical record would have shown the Jews had rebelled against their Babylonian rulers as well. For example, King Zedekiah rebelled against both God and king Nebuchadnezzar. A bad combination. Nebuchadnezzar replied by killing the people of Jerusalem, young and old; robbing and burning the temple; smashing the city walls: and wrecking most of what was left. 2 Chronicles 36:13. From historical sources outside the Bible, we know the Persians defeated Babylon after the death of Nebuchadnezzar. The Jews had no great love for Babylon. In fact the Jews received a greater degree of freedom under the Persians, and a return to Jerusalem from exile.
So the short answer to the original question is that the Jews had no history of loyal service to foreign overlords. They served God. When they strayed from God, then God permitted pagan leaders to conquer them. Throwing off the shackles from foreign rulers was sedition to the foreigners who ruled Israel. To the Jews, they were returning to God.

New Testament

Does Paul really say that believers should take their disputes to be resolved between themselves, or within the church, rather than being adjudicated in the courts, before unbelievers. Does this principle apply today? If so, why is it so widely disregarded?
1 Corinthians 6:1 (WEB). Dare any of you, having a matter against his neighbor, go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?
The “unrighteous” refers to the “heathen tribunals.” [C]  [C] John S. C. Abbott and Jacob Abbott Illustrated New Testament (1878)
Barnes’ New Testament Notes: The main design of this chapter is to reprove the Corinthians for the practice of going to law before heathen courts or magistrates, instead of settling their differences among themselves. It seems that after their conversion they were still in the habit of carrying their causes before heathen tribunals, and this the apostle regarded as contrary to the genius and spirit of the Christian religion, and as tending to expose religion to contempt in the eyes of the men of the world. He, therefore, 1Cor 6:1-7, reproves this practice, and shows them that their differences should be settled among themselves. It seems also that the spirit of litigation and of covetousness had led them in some instances to practise fraud and oppression of each other; and he therefore takes occasion 1Cor 6:8-11 to show that this was wholly inconsistent with the hope of heaven and the nature of Christianity.
The New John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible: ...this evil of commencing law suits in Heathen courts of judicature, is aggravated by its being done, not between Christians and heathens, but between one Christian brother and another, and that before men that were infidels, 1Co 6:6 and which to do, showed a great deficiency of love, wisdom, and care; and much better it was to take and suffer wrong, than to be guilty of such criminal conduct, 1Co 6:7 yea, those, that drew their brethren before such judgment seats, did them wrong, both by bringing them thither, and by getting their cause in an unjust manner.
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871): Though all Gentiles were not altogether unjust, yet in the highest view of justice which has regard to God as the Supreme Judge, they are so: Christians, on the other hand, as regarding God as the only Fountain of justice, should not expect justice from them.
John Wesley’s Notes on the Bible. The unjust - The heathens. A Christian could expect no justice from these. The saints - Who might easily decide these smaller differences in a private and friendly manner.

Random Quotes, from Great Americans

Kin Hubbard:
Clint Eastwood:

Notes:

© Tom Truex 2014, Davie, FL