Sometimes as I'm reading, I just wish I had a Bible scholar around whose mind I could probe... "What in the world does this mean? Why is that significant?" or "What about this law and ceremony?" But I don't... so I turn to my trusty commentaries on E-Sword, EGW writings, etc.
There were a few things in today's reading that I found a bit perplexing. But for my comments, I shall only focus on the 40 stripes in the first part of Deuteronomy 25. "Why does the Bible say up to 40 stripes and no more?"
This is what I found in my commentary reading:
"Forty signifies the full measure of judgment (compare Gen 7:12; Num 14:33-34); but the son of Israel was not to be lashed like a slave at the mercy of another. The judge was always to be present to see that the Law in this particular was not overpassed." From Albert Barnes CommentaryCan you imagine being taken before a tribunal for a crime you committed and being prepared to receive your beating... but then someone steps in front of you and tells the judge, "I will take their place." We would love that person forever, wouldn't we? We would want to honor and serve that person forever... and that is a small glimpse of what Christ has done to us. Thus, as we are reading about in Romans 6 today... becoming a voluntary "slave of righteousness" to Christ is the natural result of what will happen when we recognize what our Master has done for us. He took the hit, He took the blow that we deserved that we could be free. Was it so we could be free to sin some more? No, so we could be free to live for Him!
"According to God’s institution a criminal may receive forty stripes; not one more! This number forty the Scripture uses sundry times in cases of humiliation, affliction, and punishment. As Moses twice humbled himself in fasting and prayer forty days and forty nights, Deu 9:9, Deu 9:18. Elijah fasted forty days, 1Ki 19:8; and our Savior, Mat 4:2. Forty years Israel was afflicted in the wilderness for their sins, Num 14:33, Num 14:34. And forty years Egypt was desolate for treacherous dealing with Israel, Eze 29:11-13. Forty days every woman was in purification for her uncleanness for a man-child that she bare, and twice forty days for a woman-child, Lev 12:4, Lev 12:5. Forty days and forty nights it rained at Noah’s flood, Gen 7:12. Forty days did Ezekiel bear the iniquity of the house of Judah, Eze 4:6. Jonah preached, Yet forty days and Nineveh shall be overthrown, Jon 3:4. Forty years’ space the Canaanites had to repent after Israel came out of Egypt, and wandered so many years in the wilderness, Num 14:33. And thrice forty years the old world had Noah preaching unto them repentance, Gen 6:3. It was forty days ere Christ ascended into heaven after his resurrection, Act 1:3, Act 1:9. And forty years’ space he gave unto the Jews, from the time that they killed him, before he destroyed their city and temple by the Romans. By the Hebrews this law is expounded thus: How many stripes do they beat (an offender) with? With forty, lacking one: as it is written, (Deu 25:2, Deu 25:3), by number forty, that is, the number which is next to forty, Talmud Bab, in Maccoth, chap. 3. This their understanding is very ancient, for so they practiced in the apostles’ days; as Paul testified: Of the Jews five times received I forty (stripes) save one; 2Co 11:24." From Adam Clark Commentary
As I'm writing these thoughts, I'm reminded of the beautiful video, "The Gospel" by Eric Ludy.
I have to share it here, as I think it fits with today's message. Please take a few minutes to watch!
Tomorrow's Reading: Deut 27-28 and Romans 7
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