The Working Word

THE WORKING WORD

Phil Scovell

JOHN 15:1-3 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

INTRODUCTION

Our Lord was the Master Teacher. He employed many teaching methods to enable His hearers to understand. He taught by contrast; comparing a mustard seed to a distant mountain (Matt. 17:20). He likewise taught by example when he fed the multitudes; later making reference to the miracle in order to emphasize truth (Matt. 16:5-12). He often illustrated… Placing a small child before Him, He said, we all must become as little children to inherit the kingdom of God (Matt. 18:2-6). He, of course, likewise taught symbolically as we see in John’s Gospel.

As Jesus and His disciples walked through the narrow streets of Jerusalem, John records our Lord’s words: “I am the true vine.” Perhaps questions the disciples were asking as they walked along prompted Jesus to point to a nearby vineyard when he spoke these words. Their conversation undoubtedly focused on the fruitfulness of the Christian life. In another words, how does the Word work?

STRIP

As our Lord addressed the question of the Word and how fruitfulness is achieved, he began by saying, “Every branch that bears not fruit He takes away.” Fruitfulness in the Christian life, therefore, is intrinsic. In fact, one might say that the lack of fruit in one’s relationship with the Lord is dangerous. God expects His own to be fruitful. He even expands the importance of spiritual fruitfulness by saying, “But every branch that bears fruit, He purges it, that it may bring forth more fruit.”

The Greek term used for “purge” in this passage is rendered (prune). The dictionary defines pruning as (a lopping off of superfluous branches, to trim, to cut off or out, as useless parts). Such connotes a process.

ROD

The rod, or staff, of a shepherd was perhaps his most important implement. It was used for balance over rocky terrain, for prodding sheep, and rescuing those sheep which had fallen into deep crevasses; hence the hooked top on some rods or staffs. It mostly certainly was used as a weapon when needed. Such implements were symbols of personal identity. The rod of Moses, Aaron’s rod, and David’s references to the rod and staff of God in the twenty-third Psalm: “Thy rod and Thy staff; they comfort me” all indicate personal identity.

These rods were carefully and expertly made. The proper wood was carefully chosen and the branches stripped from its shaft. It was sanded until perfectly smooth, thus allowing the user to handle the instrument quickly without injury. The manufacturing of these rods was meticulous and arduous as well as personal. They were often carved with intricate detail. Jewels, precious stones, and colorful ribbons likewise would adorn those rods possessed by the wealthy. Each owner sought to individualize his rod which identified him and his position in life.

The rod symbolizes the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Believer. God’s Word, Jesus said, strips, prunes, lops off, cuts out, trims, smoothes down our lives in order that we might become more conformable to His Son Jesus Christ. The process is long, meticulous, and arduous. The stripping away is, and can, often be emotionally painful, physically unbearable, and spiritually trying. Keep in mind that the circumstances themselves are not necessarily of God. The Word, however, is always available and if employed properly, will afford spiritual identity in our relationship with God. These times of difficulties, and what may even seem as impossibilities, are all times when we are quick to give up and confess, “It isn’t worth it.” Such is temptation. As the Devil attempts to break and severe our relationship with God through trials, the Christian needs to remain sensitive to God’s Word. Such implementation of God’s eternal Word will cause us, as the rod in the hand of the shepherd, to become a productive tool and weapon. Jesus said, “In the world you will have tribulation/troubles; but be of good cheer: I have overcome the world,” (John 16:33).

SEVER

The working process of God’s eternal Word does not only strip away but severs. Jesus said, “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit.” When a tree is pruned, it is cut, deadness severed, and then comes the joy of fruit. When a rod was made by the shepherd, all of the excess was stripped away, severed, so that it could be a useful and active part of his employ. As the Word of God is lived in the life of a Believer, this severing process is evident as well. The old, the unwanted, the unproductive is severed from the Christian life in order that fruition can once again be experienced. Such a severing can indeed be painful. John the baptizer had something to say along these lines: And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. (Mat. 3:11- 12).

John’s message was not pleasant. His message revealed the Word to be one which brought a severing and separation from deadness. The unfruitful were separated, cut, from the fruit bearing productive trees. Furthermore, those which remained would be baptized with the Holy Ghost and with fire; flaming, burning, scorching, consuming, blazing examples of Christ. If that wasn’t enough, Jesus was going to fan them into greater, more powerful, more consuming flames. This Word, therefore, is one of separation from what once was and anything which is unproductive, that is; deadness, must be removed in order that fruit may be produced.

At this point the reader may be thinking the fire is terribly destructive. Certainly this is true. We must keep in mind, however, that such teaching is metaphorical. This power to which John referred is spiritual and likewise the fire. The stripping and severing is likewise spiritual. God isn’t going to kill your children, trash your house, bring physical plagues upon you, crash your car, rot your teeth, or smite you with boils to get your attention and make you a better witness for Him. He promised to give you the Holy Spirit as your teacher to bring you into a more fruitful, more productive, more powerful life. My point is, the process may seem painful.

There is another aspect of fire which is often over looked; it can be protective in nature. In early days when the west was being settled, it was not uncommon for wagon trains to encounter prairie fires. As the smoke from the approaching brush fires rose in the distance, these hardy settlers would deliberately set fire to the brush immediately behind them. As the winds drove that fire away from them – from whence they came – it created a dead zone. Moving their wagons back within the newly burned area, the approaching fire would burn out and they would be spared. Perhaps this is where the cliche “fighting fire with fire” came. Similar tactics are practiced by fire fighters in attempting to extinguish forest fires today.

As the Holy Spirit ministers the Word of God, sometimes it burns, creating spiritual friction and eventually, heat. Certainly such is uncomfortable but necessary as the Spirit of God creates a “dead zone” of safety where, not only are we protected, but able to produce the will of God prolifically. For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (Heb. 4:12).

The Word of God likewise may pierce us in order to divide, separate, those things which hinder the Believer from spiritual fruitfulness. The word “quick” in this passage – The Word is (quick) and powerful – means (alive). The pruning process quickens, makes alive, and is not intended to kill but to bring life more abundantly. We either accept it or reject; we either embrace it or rebel; we either face it or flee.

SCOURGE

HEBREWS 12:5-11 5 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: 6 For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. 7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

The Scriptures are filled with symbolic language. The reason for such is obvious: we are simply unable to comprehend God. Jesus taught largely by parables to enable hearers to understand spiritual truth. The writer of Hebrews uses a metaphor in order that we might clearly understand the nature of God and His eternal Word.

GREEK TERMS

There are several interesting Greek terms used in this passage that are worthy of our observation. Verse (11) uses the word “exercised” when attempting to explain how the “chastening” of the Lord works: Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. The word “exercised” is an unusual word employed by the inspired writer

and was very likely in reference to the olympian games in Rome. It’s root means (in the nude). olympian participants generally stripped themselves of all clothing during training in order that they would be uninhibited. This writer used such metaphorical language in his teaching throughout the letter; including liking the spiritual to the olympian games: [See Hebrews 11 and 12]. There is, of course, a more obvious comparison in this verse and that is God’s Word strips – exercises – us for “scourging.”

This passage of Scripture is generally misinterpreted by those who wish us to believe that bad things, wrong things, painful things happen to the Christian to teach us a lesson or to punish sin. Jesus said the Holy Spirit was sent to be our Teacher, thus, immediately eliminating such an interpretative fallacy. We must remember that the writer of Hebrews was using a child’s relationship with his father to teach a spiritual truth. Jesus, of course, taught symbolically as was already mentioned. Regardless of what we have been taught, one need not be a theologian to observe this passage is not literally teaching that God “scourges” His own children; stripping them naked and lacerating their exposed back with a whip.

CHASTENED

The word for “chastened” in this text is rendered (tutor). This immediately brings the correct interpretation into spiritual focus. “My son, despise not the “chastening/tutoring” of the Lord…” With this correct interpretation, we can then view God’s Word in its proper prospective I.E. for our spiritual benefit.

REBUKED

“Nor faith when you are rebuked of Him.”

When we use the word “rebuke” today, we generally mean (to call down), or (to criticize). The word used by the King James translators, however, was appropriate in their day. It meant (correction). The Greek term used is translated (to confute). This word isn’t commonly employed today but it means (to overwhelm with argument, to bring to naught, to prove to be wrong). Job immediately comes to mind when considering this interpretation because he was proven wrong by the dozens of questions God asked of him. In another words, God’s own words overwhelmed Job’s incorrect reasoning; His words brought him to naught; His words proved him wrong. Could we thus conclude Job received tutelage of God? Most certainly he was corrected by God’s Word because repentance followed. God’s written Word is our personal tutor and we are instructed not to despise such tutelage – have little regard for it. In another words, we should consider it, the tutoring, of great importance. Furthermore, we are told “not to faint when rebuked of Him.” The word “faint” literally means (not to relax). We could say that the tutoring of God’s Word should be embraced as personally beneficial and not wilt or shrink from it’s teaching. What did Job do? He repented – changed is mind – literally, he conformed to it. Such is the nature and purpose of God’s tutelage by His Word; it is that we might change, repent, become more conformable to His eternal Word; Christ Jesus the Lord. The Hebrews passage additionally confirms that such instruction is out of love and identifies us as the sons and daughters of God.

Spiritual reasoning is then employed by the inspired writer of this letter to the Hebrews. If we have earthly fathers who correct us, why not God? If we reverence, or respect them, for such, why not God. In fact, we have the promise that such Godly chastening insures life: “Shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live?” (Heb. 12:9). Similarly, Jesus said He purges every branch and those unfruitful branches are cut out and discarded; burned; destroyed. The promise of life lived within this relationship with God implies a fruitful existence; such is the nature of God’s Word.

SEPARATE

God’s Word also has a separating, or dividing, characteristic. By its own nature, it divides light from dark, right from wrong, good from bad, holy from unholy. We are told that our Lord cast out unclean spirits and healed the sick by His Word (Matt. 8:16-17). John’s Gospel records that the teaching of Jesus brought division among the Jews (John 10:19). We likewise have the account of the disciples coming to Jesus to inform Him of the effects His teaching was having on the religious community. He responded by telling His disciples that those plants which are not planted by the Heavenly Father must be up rooted (Matt. 15:12-13).

Following salvation, the devil will attempt to sow bad seed in our lives through difficult circumstances, situations beyond our control, and perhaps even by sin committed. If the plants which the Heavenly Father has not planted must be rooted up, so must these which are attempting to take ground in our lives again. The tree must be pruned, the deadness separated from the life giving branches, in order that fruit may be produced once again. Such is the nature of God’s working Word.

INVALIDATION

Jesus was often rejected as He taught the Scriptures because He preached against religious traditions. Mark records Jesus preaching on the subject of traditions in chapter 7 of his Gospel. Jesus told the hearers that their traditions cause the Word of God to be of “none effect). The Greek word used for (none effect) literally means (to invalidate). Its root means to nullify the authority. This is a shocking statement by our Lord! If we examine this statement carefully, we can begin to gain insight to reasons why God’s Word looses effectiveness in our lives as Christians. If we revert to living our relationship with God by rule and regulation, His Word is no longer valid; it has lost its effectiveness. No wonder our prayers go unanswered. In short, living by traditions, by rule and regulation, by things we think makes us more favorable to God, such conduct causes the authority of God’s Word to loose effectiveness. In short, God’s Word looses ability to separate and divide; it’s pruning nature no longer able to up root. Fortunately, this can be reversed by simple repentance; mind and heart changing, and once again walking in agreement with God’s eternal Word.

STRENGTH

LUKE 6:47-48 Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock.

As we have seen, the purging of God’s Word strips away the deadness; the unwanted or needed; that which gets in the way of fruitfulness. The Word likewise severs in order for the fruit of the Holy Spirit to manifest. Then we are scourged/tutored by God’s Word in order that we might learn His ways. We are even separated – set a part – in order that we might be pressed into service for Him. Finally we experience strength. This does not mean, however, that our problems are over and we can lean back and watch the world go by. Jesus reminded us that our foundation be set deep and that we in fact should be prepared for the coming storms. If we have done our part by allowing God’s Word to do its part, the storms can rage all they wish; they will have no effect against the Rock Christ Jesus. To yield, therefore, to the working of the eternal Word of God is strength in His name.

There is a price to pay, however, if we reject, or otherwise fail to embrace the working of God’s Word: “But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great” Luke 6:49).

CONCLUSION

Behind our house grew an apple orchard. Every kid in the neighborhood played within its boundaries summer and winter. We of course at the apples uninhibitedly. The orchard, unfortunately, was never taken care of by anyone. Yes, it produced hundreds of apples without personal care but they were wild apples I.E. marred, disfigured, blemished. Although the trees produced many eatable apples, the orchard was infested with insects, the grass grew wild along with the weeds, and most tragically, most of the fruit fell to the ground where it rotted. In short, the orchard never produced to its full potential because no one cared. How much more could it have done, how much more beautiful, how much more fruit could have been harvested if only someone would have cared enough to prune, and otherwise dress, the orchard. As Christians, we will bear fruit because we have the Spirit of God living within us. How much more would we produce if we were to allow God’s Word to dress and prune our relationship with him.