Definitions – Page 5 – What Does This Mean?

He Descended into Hell

Encore Post:

[Twenty-Nineth in a series of posts on Martin Luther’s Small Catechism]

In the Apostles’ Creed, all the teachings we confess are pretty straightforward, so much so that we can explain them to children — except for one. “He descended into hell.” Most Christians have a hard time figuring out what it means. Was this a part of Christ’s suffering? Was he visiting the dead to preach the good news to them? The first doesn’t seem right, since Jesus’ last words were “it is finished” and “commit your soul to the Father.” The second seems off because Scripture says no one can come to faith after death.

These instincts are correct. Scripture tells us that after Jesus rose from the dead, he went to hell to announce his victory over sin and death to Satan, his demons, and the lost. (1 Peter 3:18-20) He defeated the devil and broke the power of sin and death over us. (Colossians 2:13-15) What this means for us is that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can stand up to the devil. “Scowl fierce as he will, he can harm us none.” (Martin Luther, “A Mighty Fortress“) In Jesus, we are more than conquerors, because he descended into hell.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

And He Suffered Under Pontius Pilate

Encore Post:

[Twenty-Eighth in a series of posts on Martin Luther’s Small Catechism]

You say it every time you confess the Apostles’ Creed, “And He suffered under Pontius Pilate,” but what does saying it convey?

Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor who had authority over the use of the death penalty. That is a historical fact. And it is important to show that faith in Jesus Christ, as recorded in Holy Scripture, is historical. We can look at the historical record and see a governor named Pilate who served in Judea, and it was this man who gave the Jews the go-ahead to crucify Jesus. This is extremely important to acknowledge, but there are some important theological implications of reciting Pilate’s name as well in the Creed.

We remember from Holy Scripture that Pilate desired to release Jesus because Jesus had done nothing wrong. Certainly, Jesus did nothing that required the judgment of death by crucifixion. Pilate judged rightly that the Jews were bringing Jesus to him because they were jealous of him and how the people chased after him.

However, Jesus was before him, and he had to pass judgment. Because of his position as governor, his judgment was as if God spoke the judgment: “I find no fault in him at all.” And that right there is of great theological importance. Pilate, as governor, goes on record to say that an innocent man dies for the sins of the people. That is the Gospel proclamation. The innocent man receives the punishment of death while the sinner goes free. While Pilate wanted to release Jesus, he was getting nowhere with the people. The priests and scribes had caused a riot to break out. Pilate, being afraid, gave Jesus over to them that they might crucify him.

And in so doing, Pilate allowed the Chief Priests and the Scribes of the Jews to actually fulfill their duties as those who would sacrifice the “Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Yet, Christ is the Victim and the Priest on this Good Friday at the altar of the Cross.

Jesus suffered under Pontius Pilate. He was handed over to the ruthless Priests and Scribes for crucifixion, but facing the cross, Jesus did not blink, nor did he complain. But rather suffered under Pontius Pilate that we might be set free from the punishment of our sins and live with Him in everlasting life.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Jacob Hercamp
Christ Lutheran Church
Noblesville, Indiana

God Can Do Anything He Wants to Do

Encore Post:

[Twenty-Second in a series of posts on Martin Luther’s Small Catechism]

When we say that God is almighty, it seems simple enough. We can even explain it to a three-year-old: God can do anything he wants to do. Yet the more we think about it, that God is omnipotent, παντοκράτορ — all-powerful, the more we have trouble taking it all in. We get a sense of this when a child asks the snarky question, “Can God make a rock that he can’t lift?” or when an opponent of the faith asks the classic question, “What did God do before he made the world?” The questions normally get the answer they deserve: an equally silly response like: “he made hell, so he has a place to send people who ask such questions!”

Such questions point out that there is a limit to how much we can understand about our maker. They show what happens when we try to pit one quality (attribute) of God against another. So … For God, who is eternal, time does not exist. There is no before or after creation for him. He makes all the rules, so he doesn’t have to follow them. That’s what makes a miracle possible.

When it comes to what God cannot do, we are inclined to answer “Nothing.” After all, Jesus said, What is impossible with man is possible with God” (Lk 18:27). Yet the Book of Hebrews tells us, “it is impossible for God to lie” (Heb 6:18), and St. Paul states that God “cannot deny himself” (2 Timothy 2:13), in short, God cannot act contrary to his nature. So, God does not want to do any of these things.

Why it is important that God is almighty is that he can—and does—keep his promises. To save those who rebelled against him, ruined and still ruins his perfect world. He did so by being born of a virgin, dying to pay for their sins, and rising again from the dead. On the day he chooses, he will call his children to rise from the dust to live with him forever. It means that he saves us and will bring an end to sin, death, and the devil. So we confess: “I believe in God, the Father almighty” and marvel at all he can do, wants to do, and will do for us.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

Calling God our Father and Meaning it

Encore Post:

[Twenty-First in a series of posts on Martin Luther’s Small Catechism]

Calling God our father is second nature to Christians. After all, Jesus invites us to do so. We teach the Lord’s Prayer to our youngest children as their first prayer. So it may come as a surprise that it is unique among the world’s religions. Most religions hold their gods at a distance. The high god of native religions makes the world and goes away, leaving it to lesser spirits and humans. For Muslims, Allah is a strict, distant god. You must toe the line to please him. In Judaism, while God is seen as having a warm relationship with them, even to pronounce his name is considered disrespectful. For Hindus, Buddhists, and other Eastern religions, god is not a person at all. The universe is their god, and they see humans as gods in a real sense.

For Christians, however, God is very much a Father who loves us and is a part of our daily lives. The Father adopted us as his sons and heirs with Christ. He invites us to call him abba — daddy — and approach us the way a little child approaches her father.

When we confess God as Father, we claim he loves us, cares for us, wants to be with us now and forever. It is incarnational — a statement that God cares for us so much that in the person of his Son, he became a flesh-and-blood man, lived with us as one of us, suffered and died for us, and rose again for us. By doing so, he restored the relationship between himself and us. He is indeed our father and a model of what fatherhood is.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor
Emeritus Fort Wayne, Indiana

What’s a Creed, Anyway?

Encore Post:

[Nineteenth in a series of posts on Martin Luther’s Small Catechism]

We say creeds together every time we worship together. We study them in confirmation and memorize two of them. They contain the basic teachings of Scripture that all Christians believe. Even Protestant churches that reject formal creeds cheerfully confess what they confess. But what are they, anyway?

The word creed comes from the Latin word credo, which means “I believe.” They are statements of what we know about God, especially the gospel. In one sense, they are salvation history — a statement of how God saved us and where we fit in his plan. They are short and sweet — something we can take with us forever.

While the Apostles did not write the creeds, the words and phrases reflect how the Bible proclaims the Gospel. When new Christians were taught the faith in the early Church, their teachers had them memorize short sentences and phrases that summed up what they believed. When they were baptized, they would recite them. Some of these are in the Bible. Here are a few:

“Hear, O Israel…” (Deuteronomy 6:4-5)
“There is one God… one Lord…” (1 Corinthians 8:6)
“Christ died for our sins…” (1 Corinthians 15:3-8)
“Jesus Christ is Lord…” (1 Corinthians 12:3), (Philippians 2:11)

Over the past three hundred years, these statements have grown in size. Christians began to use the same words. In the 4th century, they developed into the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds. They became ways for all Christians to know Jesus’ story and their place in it. When we recite the Creed, it reminds us of who we are and whose we are.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

The Two Greatest Commandments

Encore Post:

[Sixth post in a series of posts on Martin Luther’s Small Catechism]

Because God loved us before he made the world (Ephesians 1:3-4), we love God and want to keep his commandments. But where do we start? The rabbis count 613 commandments in the Torah (the first five books of the Bible, written by Moses) alone! While they kept track of each one in great detail and invented traditions to be sure and keep them, they found it helpful to ask each rabbi for his opinion. “Which commandment is the greatest of them all?” became a common question disciples asked their teacher. So it is not a surprise that people discussed this question with Jesus several times. (Matthew 22:36, Mark 12:28, Luke 10:25-28)

Jesus taught that two commandments summarize the whole of God’s Law — “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength” (Deuteronomy 6:45 ESV) and “you shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18) In a sense, the second of the two commandments is contained in the first. Every command in the whole of the Scripture will be kept if you love God with your whole heart.

As sinners, we cannot do this perfectly, of course. But we can do some good works because God loved us first, sending Jesus to die so that we might be forgiven. By His Holy Spirit, God has created faith in our hearts, so that we can truly love Him. So, then, because God loves us, we also love our neighbor as ourselves and in the same way that we have been loved by God. (1 John 4:7-12)

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith

Pastor Emeritus

Fort Wayne, Indiana

To you is Born the Savior — the Lord Christ

Encore Post: Shepherds were hardworking everyday people. To some extent, they even looked down on a bit. If you were a king, you wouldn’t send a herald to them. And yet, that was exactly what God did. He sent his Angel — his messenger — with an εὐαγγέλιον (evangelion; Gospel) to, of all people, shepherds.

Royal proclamations of Good News announced the victory over enemies, the birth of a royal heir, and the beginning of the reign of a new king. Often the messenger is also a legatus — an ambassador — with the authority of the ruler to organize a grand celebration. He could free captives, cancel debts, suspend taxes, sponsor games, and the like. This Gospel is unlike any other. “Good news of great joy for all the people,” the angel announced the birth of God’s own son in David’s hometown of Bethlehem. He is the Lord Christ, who would save his people from their sins.

The Christmas gospel is very good news indeed. God the Father, our Savior, reveals his kindness and love for people in it. He sent Jesus, our Savior, to save us because of his mercy, not because of the good deeds we have done. Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit, our Savior, on us, who washed away our sins in Holy Baptism and regenerated our hearts. We are justified by the grace of the Holy Trinity, so that we may be made heirs of eternal life, being justified by his grace.

So, great joy comes to us at Christmas. Not only the song of a legion of angels, but eager shepherds also rushed to see the Savior and the mother who treasured it all in her heart. God has broken into our world and changed things forever. We have an inexpressible joy, for we know God keeps his promises. And so it is our hope. Many blessings are awaiting us in Heaven, where Jesus is preparing a place for us. We have seen a great light and nothing can ever take that from us.

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana

O Dayspring

Encore Post: O Dayspring, splendor of light everlasting, come and enlighten those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

O Oriens, splendor lucis aeternae, et sol justitiae, veni, et illumina sedentis in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

In the Northern Hemisphere, December is the darkest month of the year — and December 21st the darkest day of the year. The winter solstice occurs in the early evening. On that date, dawn occurs at the latest time in the morning, and sunset comes at the earliest time. It reminds us of the dark times in which we live — where sin is not restrained, evil seems to rule unhindered, and death casts its shadow over us.

Into this darkness, the Daystar shines. The Sun of Righteousness rises to heal us. (Malachi 4:2) We see his great light, and it gives us great joy. He breaks the power of sin and death over us. The child born in Bethlehem is now our Lord. (Isaiah 9:2-7) He will guide us in the way of peace.

Our antiphon today calls for Christ, our Dawn, to shine on us in our dark times, to dispel its gloom, bring joy to us, and remind us of the last day, soon to come, when the King shall come. On that day, all shadows will disappear, and he will dry every tear from our eyes.

O come, Thou Dayspring from on high,
And cheer us by Thy drawing nigh,
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel!

Lutheran Service Book, 357, Stanza Six

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana

O Key of David

Encore Post: O Key of David, and Scepter of the House of Israel, You open and no one can close, You close and no one can open. Come and rescue the prisoners who are in darkness and the shadow of death.

O Clavis David, et sceptrum domus Israel, qui aperis, et nemo claudit; claudis, et nemo aperit, veni et educ vinctum de domo carceris, sedentem in tenebris, et umbra mortis.

Even in monarchies, kings cannot rule by themselves. They need quite a few officials to carry out their will and control access to the throne, so that royal time is not wasted on trivial matters or those not on the King’s agenda. Isaiah announces God’s appointment of such an officer for King Hezekiah. He was the former Chief of Staff. The symbol of his authority was the Key of David, so that he would open doors no one could close and close doors no one could open. (Isaiah 22:22)

In the letters to the seven churches of Asia in the Book of Revelation, Jesus announces he has the Key of David and opens the door to the Kingdom of Heaven, which no one can shut. (Revelation 3:7) Many try to place burdens on God’s people, restrict those who can come to the Father, and block the way to Heaven.

But Jesus is the Key of David, who opened the kingdom of Heaven by his sacrificial death and by breaking the seal of the grave when he rose from the dead. For those who believe in him, heaven is always open and is never shut. He removes the sin that blocks our way and bars the door to hell forever.

Now, through pastors whom he sends to his people, the keys to open heaven unlock doors for us, remove the chains of our sin and shame, and provide bread and drink for the journey — His holy body and his precious blood. These sustain us until we arrive home at last and enter its open door forever.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heav’nly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!

Lutheran Service Book, 357, Stanza Five

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Concordia Theological Seminary
Fort Wayne, Indiana

O Root of Jesse

Encore Post: O Root of Jesse, standing as an ensign before the peoples, before whom all kings are mute, to whom they will do homage, come quickly to deliver us.

O Radix Jesse, qui stas in signum populorum, super quem continebunt reges os suum, quem gentes deprecabuntur, veni ad liberandum nos, iam noli tardere.

The title in today’s antiphon comes from Isaiah 11. The people of Israel had been unfaithful to God, worshiping the idols of the surrounding Gentiles. He had already destroyed the northern kingdom with the Assyrian Empire. Isaiah predicted that eventually the same would happen to the southern kingdom. The house of David would eventually be destroyed as well. Isaiah prophesied that the root of this tree would sprout again. The messiah would come to be that branch from the root of Jesse, King David’s father. His will be an everlasting kingdom.

Isaiah then switches images. The Root of Jesse was to be a flag to which the Gentiles would rally. Before electronic communication, armies used trumpets and flags to keep their forces together and is send orders to every unit. An old proverb says that even the most thorough battle plan does not survive the beginning of conflict. Loud sounds, explosions, the clash of weapons, and, in modern times, the smoke of firearms cause chaos impossible to shout over. When soldiers lose track of where they are, they look for their unit flag and the national flag. They make their way to the flag, and the forces reassemble.

The Messiah will be, Isaiah tells us, the flag to which the people of Israel and the Gentiles will gather. He will bring people together in peace. The antiphon focuses on the absolute power the Messiah will have over all kings. It calls on him to free us from their control and not to be late.

When the Messiah came, the freedom he granted was over Satan, sin, and our flesh. He did this with the sacrifice of his own life in our place. When he rose from the grave, he broke its seal and opened the kingdom to all believers. When he comes again, he will complete that liberation, when we, free from sin, will live for him and with him forever.

O come, Thou Branch of Jesse’s tree,
Free them from Satan’s tyranny
That trust Thy mighty pow’r to save,
And give them vict’ry o’er the grave.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to you, O Israel!
Lutheran Service Book, 357, Stanza Four

Originally posted at What does this Mean? Blog: https://whatdoesthismean.blog

The posts in the blog What does this Mean? are now available at What does this Mean? | Rev. Robert E. Smith | Substack

Rev. Robert E. Smith
Pastor Emeritus
Fort Wayne, Indiana