SHARING BREAD
15 Now it was the governor's custom at the Feast to
release a prisoner chosen by the crowd. 16 At that time they had a notorious prisoner, called
Barabbas. 17 So
when the crowd had gathered, Pilate asked them, “Which one do you want me to
release to you: Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?” 18 For he knew it was out of envy that they had handed
Jesus over to him.
Matt
27:15-18 (NIV)
To be sure, in our walk of faith – in our being conformed into
the image of the Lord Jesus - envy is not a sought after character trait. Indeed, Scripture says it rots the bones:
30 A
heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. Prov 14:30 (NIV)
James
also tells us that where we find envy we will also find disorder and every evil
practice – sounds a lot like Satan’s handiwork does it not? That was exactly what we read in our
Scripture for today. We discover, out of
envy, the Pharisees seeking the life of our Lord Jesus. Pilate was convinced of His innocence and
that the prosecution against was malicious and envious yet he did not have the
courage to acquit Him as he ought to. True
wisdom makes no room for bitter envy and selfish ambition:
13 Who
is wise and understanding among you? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds
done in the humility that comes from wisdom. 14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in
your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. 15 Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven but is
earthly, unspiritual, of the devil. 16 For
where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every
evil practice. James 3:13-16 (NIV)
“Many
aspects of the flesh are disarmed and eliminated by a deep apprehension of our
justification by faith. Faith in Christ cures unbelief, anxiety, and
insecurity, and in so doing it cuts the roots of envy, jealousy and a host of
related egocentric fleshly patterns.” Richard Lovelace
In
the simplest of terms, envy is dissatisfaction with God’s provision. We perhaps want someone’s brown eyes instead
of our blue or their small nose instead of our large one! We may be disgruntled with the size of our
house or our bank accounts in comparison with another’s or the high powered job
one has when we dwell on our minimum wage one.
It is easy to become discontent and disgruntled. Yet envy can go even further still and finds
us wallowing in hatred over the excellence or happiness of others. The Pharisees were not provoked with Christ’s
guilt rather with His goodness. The word
translated “envy” in our verses for
today is from the Greek word “Phthonos”
meaning: “envy, jealousy, pain felt and
malignity conceived at the sight of excellence or happiness; it is incapable of
good and is used always with an evil meaning.”
Hebrew-Greek Key Word Study
Bible – New Testament Lexical Aids.
“Envy is a
denial of providence.” Stephen Charnock
“Envy of another man’s calling can work havoc in our own.” Watchman Nee
Paul
writes his beloved Timothy the following:
3 If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree
to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, 4 he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an
unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in
envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions 5 and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who
have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to
financial gain. 1 Tim 6:3-5 (NIV)
There is most always some degree of culpability when doctrinal
error occurs. It is rarely innocently
mistaken. In these religious leaders case, they were consumed with pride and place
and despised and envious over Jesus’ growing popularity among the people. They were diseased with controversies and
arguments as well. They could not stop
His miracles and therefore decided to stop His life – or so they thought. John writes in the gospel that bears his
name:
45 Therefore many of the Jews who had come to visit Mary,
and had seen what Jesus did, put their faith in him. 46 But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them
what Jesus had done. 47 Then
the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the Sanhedrin. “What
are we accomplishing?” they asked. “Here is this man performing many miraculous
signs. 48 If
we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and then the Romans
will come and take away both our place and our nation.” John 11:45-48 (NIV)
“Let us note how far from satisfactory is the
state of those who are content with sound doctrinal opinions, and orthodox
correct views of the Gospel, while in their daily life they give way to
ill-temper, ill-nature, malice, envy, quarrelling, squabbling, bickering,
surliness, passion, snappish language, and crossness of word and manner. Such persons, whether they know it or not,
are daily proclaiming that they are not Christ’s disciples. It is nonsense to talk about justification,
and regeneration, and election, and conversion, and the uselessness of works,
unless people can see in us practical Christian love.” John Charles Ryle
What I glean from this:
· Envy rots
the bones.
· In its
worst sense, envy is wallowing in hatred and maliciousness over the excellence
and happiness in others.
· Biblical
love is not envious rather patient and kind.
4 Love
is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
1 Cor 13:4 (NIV)
