Jesus Can Make Anyone Clean: Matthew 8:1-4

Since we didn’t finish this discussion the last time we were in these verses, we continue to fill out more details today. Paul’s warning to the Ephesian elders about wolves from their own midst who would arise proved itself valid as seen by Paul’s later letter to Timothy in Ephesus.

Timothy was to forthrightly tell certain men not to teach “strange doctrines.” Some people in the church began to promote teaching and ideas that are in keeping with myths and fables rather than sound doctrine. Elders in the local church must always be ready to intervene when this happens. The church must be grounded in the pure teaching of the Word of God.

Myths are stories, which circulated in the ancient world and still do today, about spiritual beings interacted with humans and causing certain outcomes. We discuss the myths from pagan sources which rivaled the truth about Creation and the flood as revealed in the Bible. The Bible keeps being proven true. When compared to the Bible the pagan versions are clearly deficient. Likewise, pagan fables tickle the ears of many.

Some teachers in the church love to portray themselves as privy to secret events or causes which the rest of us have been in the dark about. When that happens, sound doctrine is rarely discussed. Timothy was to intervene and refute false teachers. Speculation about what cannot be known harms the church and pushes the truth to the side. We discuss the intrusion of genealogies into Christian teaching to prove spiritual status. What matters is whether one is in Christ or in Adam.