THE GREAT DISCLAIMER

Monday 21 October

He did not tell them anything without a parable; but privately to His disciples those who were peculiarly His own) He explained everything [fully]. John 4:34 AMPC

I have still many things to say to you, but you are not able to bear them or to take them upon you or to grasp them now. John 16:12 AMPC

Here is an example of a disclaimer for a writer. "[The author] assumes no responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions in the content of this material. The information contained therein is provided on an "as is" basis with no guarantees of completeness, accuracy, usefulness or timeliness”...

You may be wondering what relevance this has to our two opening scriptures. As always, let’s dig a little deeper.

Firstly, Jesus spoke in parables to the crowds. A parable is a story that has three elements. Facts, fiction and a lesson. They were for people of low intelligence. Heavily watered down truths were presented so they could be understood. Jesus was communicating to people of the senses. Parables can still be used today with those who are not believers. Parables are not supposed to be used as doctrine.

Secondly, Jesus tells us that throughout all the parables in the gospels, He hadn’t actually said what He wanted to say. The reason is clear. Because the Holy Spirit had not yet come.

However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; (John 16:13a)

Until people were born again and received the Spirit of God, they weren’t able to understand more than parables or the interpretation of parables like the disciples.

Thirdly, is the element of man’s assumption, sin consciousness and therefore error in the Old Testament scriptures. Generically speaking, we refer to the Bible as the infallible Word of God. Specifically, it is only the scriptures concerning Christ and what God said he would do in Christ through the prophets that are infallible.

What we need to comprehend is that certain Old Testament scriptures have aspects of misrepresentation of the character of God. It can be likened to a junkyard laced with treasure. People of all persuasions and walks of life are recorded so not everything is a true statement but it is truly stated. The treasures are the things spoken of concerning Christ.

In Luke 24:27 On the road to Emmaus Jesus starting at Moses (Genesis) and all the prophets (to Malachi) ‘expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.’ That must have been an amazing sermon. He unearthed the treasure in the Old Testament, revealing only Christ. Nothing else.

This exegesis was never recorded but those disciples said ‘didn’t our hearts burn within us when He met us on the road and opened to us the scriptures.’ The author showing you Himself throughout His entire book; talk about an unforgettable Bible study!

Here is the point. Jesus first sermon after His resurrection was not in a parable it was the revelation of Himself concealed in the Old Testament. Another way of saying it is He separated the accusation of Moses meaning the law (John 5:45) from the message of Christ.

Jesus teaching ministry in essence began after He left to come back again in the Holy Ghost. The New Testament is the message of what Jesus really wanted to say. John 14:28 establishes this:

You heard Me tell you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming back to you.’ If you [really] loved Me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going [back] to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

The reason Jesus put a disclaimer on what He spoke about in the gospels, was because the Holy Ghost had not come and so there was nobody to reveal Christ to the hearers. Now that He lives in the believer, He can reveal Himself to us through the scriptures i.e. the Old Testament and the revelation of the scriptures i.e. the New Testament.

As the saying goes, The new is in the old concealed and the old is in the new revealed. Can I offer you a suggestion? If you’re a Christian, don’t base your life on parables. Truth be told, they were not intended for you.

Build your life on the revelation of the scriptures in the New Testament to have a balanced spiritual diet.

APPLICATION

To gain a greater understanding of your life in Christ, start reading your Bible from Romans to Revelation so that you can have a good grasp of of the New Testament.