Dr Paul Allen

On its own, it’s hard to make sense of Jesus’ eye-lamp metaphor. However, the ambiguity fades when our interpretation of “the eye is the lamp of the body” involves reading Jesus’ words in context. He’s using imagery from the Hebrew Bible to say that one's spiritual health can be assessed in part by observing the way one uses material possessions. First, this single sentence belongs to a large body of teaching found in Matthew 5-7, known as the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus talks about the body’s eye-lamp in a section of the sermon that focuses on the dangers involved with wealth. This context helps us see that his metaphor specifically speaks to our relationship with money and possessions. Second, as a Jewish teacher, Jesus appeals to common idioms in the Hebrew Bible. Seeing how biblical authors use the metaphorical language of “light-filled” versus “dim” eyes—or “good” versus “bad” eyes—can help us gain a deeper understanding of Jesus’ intended message. For Jesus, the eye becomes an...

Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil.  But one of His disciples, Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, who would betray Him, said, “Why was this fragrant oil not sold for three hundred denarii and given to the poor?” This he said, not that he cared for the poor, but because he was a thief, and had the money box; and he used to take what was put in it. - John 12:3-6 OUTWARD FOCUSED PEOPLE ARE GENEROUS PEOPLE This is a powerful story, for many reasons. One of those reasons is because it illustrates very clearly one of the differences between the nature of God and the nature of the devil: God’s nature is generosity; Satan’s nature is selfishness. God wants to give to us, to love us, and to bless us. He gave us the ultimate gift, His only son. Satan wants to take. His nature is to steal, kill, and destroy. We have to realize that a battle rages with...

A widespread cynicism toward giving exists in our culture. Some nonprofit organizations have mismanaged funds. Thus, many people are reluctant to support these organizations with their donations.  But the cynicism extends even to the Christian community . Some unscrupulous televangelists have given tithing a bad name, so many believers do not contribute to the work of the church. This, I believe, is a significant error, for the Bible commands Christians to be good stewards of their resources for the sake of the kingdom of God . The whole concept of stewardship begins with creation. Creation is celebrated not only in Genesis but throughout Scripture, especially in the Psalms , where Israel celebrated God’s ownership of the whole universe. “The earth is the LORD’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein” ( Ps. 24:1 ). God is the author of all things, the Creator of all things, and the owner of all things. Whatever God makes, He owns. What we own, we ow...

What we really love and trust aren’t truly seen until we are tested by loss.  This is essentially the point that Satan made when talking to God about Job. In that odd scene in the first chapter of Job, when Satan presented himself before God, God said to him, “Have you considered my servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, who fears God and turns away from evil?” (Job 1:8). Satan’s response was, Does Job fear God for no reason? Have you not put a hedge around him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face. (Job 1:9–11) Yeah, God, of course Job “fears” you when his life is full of blessings. But take away the blessings and his trust will turn to cursing. Note the irony here. In this manipulative moment, Satan inadvertently pointed out the core e...

“Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.” ( Philippians 4:15 ) As Paul went on his missionary journeys, he never asked for money for himself from the people to whom he preached. He later wrote to the Thessalonians “because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God ” ( 1 Thessalonians 2:9 ). He did stress the teaching of Christ that “the labourer is worthy of his reward” ( 1 Timothy 5:18 ; Luke 10:7 ) and that “even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel” ( 1 Corinthians 9:14 ). But he himself said: “I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me” ( 1 Corinthians 9:15 ). Thus, he was especially moved when the impoverished Christians at Philippi , without being asked, “sent once and again unto my neces...

Jesus and Saint Peter, Gospel of Matthew 4.18-20 Français : Jésus et Saint Pierre, Évangile selon Matthieu 4.18-20 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) Matthew 6:1 –4 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them, for then you will have no reward from your Father who is in heaven” (v. 1). Society is apt to take notice whenever the wealthy establish a foundation for the sake of charitable giving. Such persons are lauded for their generosity and good work in giving to those in need. More often than not, these people seek this publicity, wanting us to know how open-handed they truly are. The world pursues the accolades of men, but God’s people are not to do the same. In fact, if we practice righteousness for the accolades of other people, Jesus tells us we have no reward from our Father in heaven ( Matt. 6:1). He applies this general principle to the three chief acts of Jewish piety —  almsgiving , prayer, and fas...