GCI Update
Connecting Members & Friends of GCI
Header Banner

Jesus: embodiment of the law

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

joeandtammyLast week I noted that on the day of Pentecost following Jesus’ ascension, God fulfilled the many Old Testament promises to send the Holy Spirit to humanity in a new way. You’ll recall that Ezekiel prophesied that God would give his people “a new heart” and put within them “a new spirit” (Ezekiel 36:26, NRSV translation throughout). He also proclaimed that the “breath” or “spirit” of God (either translation is correct) would make the dry bones of “a vast multitude” come to life (Ezekiel 37:10). Joel quoted God as saying, “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh” (Joel 2:28). Prophesying concerning this time, Jeremiah gave this declaration from God: “This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel… I will put my law [torah] within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jeremiah 31:33).

Sermon on teh Mo
Sermon on the Mount by Carl Heinrich Bloch
(Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons)

What other prophets implied, Jeremiah made explicit: the deep connection between God’s Spirit and Torah (meaning law, way or instruction). But what is the nature of that connection? The answer is found in the New Testament where Jesus spoke of himself as not abolishing the law but fulfilling it (Matthew 5:17). In like manner, Paul spoke of Jesus in this way: “For Christ is the end [telos] of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes” (Romans 10:4). Telos, which means “end” or “purpose,” speaks to the fulfillment of the goal to which a thing is related. For Paul, the Torah is fulfilled in Jesus because he is the embodiment of the law.

John addressed this same truth when he referred to Jesus as “the Word” who “became flesh” (John 1:14). Jesus embodied the ways of God—following them and then teaching them to others. For John, as the Word of God in himself, Jesus perfectly fulfilled the Torah.

In connecting Jesus with the Torah, John drew from the Old Testament scriptures and from Jewish tradition of his day (oral tradition that later was recorded in various Jewish writings). These sources present Moses as the one who brings the Word of God (the Torah) to God’s people. The correlation of Moses with God and with God’s instruction (the Torah) was deeply ingrained in Jewish thought.

Jewish tradition associated the Torah with the presence of God. The Rabbis taught that the tablets of stone on which were written the law were made of blue sapphire as a symbol of the heavens and God’s throne to which Moses was said to have ascended to receive the Torah written by the “finger of God.” The Torah itself makes a similar point: “Then Moses and Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel went up [on the Mountain of God], and they saw the God of Israel. Under his feet there was something like a pavement of sapphire stone, like the very heaven for clearness” (Exodus 24:9-10). In John’s day and beyond the Rabbis referred to the Torah as life and light. But for John, Jesus is the eschatological life and light promised and expected in the Torah. Rabbis also referred to the Torah as the bread of life and truth. As you know, John attributed both to Jesus.

Some Jewish teachers taught that God first created the Torah, then used it as a tool in creating the cosmos. One Jewish commentary notes that when the Torah declares, “In the beginning when God created…” (Genesis 1:1), the word in can be translated “by,” and beginning understood as meaning the Torah. Thus they read the verse this way: “By the Torah when God created…” In like manner, they taught that God, working through the Torah, gave creation its order and moral structure. In contrast, John taught that God created the cosmos through Jesus (John 1:3). Thus the glorious things ascribed by the Rabbis to the Torah, were ascribed by John to Jesus, the Word of God incarnate.

In similar (and rather startling) fashion, John contrasted Moses (the mediator of the law/Torah) and Jesus. In John 1:17, he wrote: “The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” In understanding this and similar statements, it’s important to remember that John was interpreting the Old Testament through a Christocentric lens—reading it in light of the person, ministry, death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus as being the promised Messiah. With that perspective, John wrote that Jesus, the one who came from the presence of God in heaven, is, in himself, the Word of God who then gave God’s instruction (word) to others. When Jewish religious authorities of John’s day marveled at Jesus’ teaching in the temple, Jesus chided them: “My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me” (John 7:16). In speaking of the final judgment for those who reject God, Jesus claimed that, “the word that I have spoken will serve as judge” (John 12:48). Then Jesus explained why: “I have not spoken on my own, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment about what to say and what to speak” (John 12:49). Jesus himself is the life and light of the world because he is the Word of God who perfectly fulfills God’s will, ways and instructions [God’s torah].

Like the words (Torah) given to Moses (though far better), the authoritative Word (Jesus) came from a heavenly origin. We note this in Jesus’ high-priestly prayer: “The words that you gave to me I have given to them…. I have given them your word” (John 17:8, 14). John taught that Jesus not only brings the Word of God to people, he is the Word of God come down from heaven to give life to the world. Whereas Moses shared the word (Torah) from God, Jesus is the Word. Only Jesus is the Word personified, the one who includes us in the very life of the Trinity.

But what about the Holy Spirit? How does he fit in? As we learn from John’s further teaching, along with other New Testament witnesses, Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to work out in us and among us what Jesus, the Word of God, accomplished for us in his earthly life. The law written on our hearts, and the new life given to us by the Spirit are none other than Jesus the Word of God indwelling us by his Spirit.

Evermore realizing the real life we have in Christ,
Joseph Tkach

Death of Perc Burrows

Burrows
Shirley and Perc Burrows

On March 25, we reported on GCI-Canada elder Perc Burrows’ struggle with severe health problems. About six weeks ago he entered the hospital, and several days ago his body began to shut down. Early this week, he died peacefully from pneumonia.

Perc and his wife Shirley were pillars in GCI’s Toronto-area congregations. For several decades they were fondly known as genuine servant-leaders. Perc will be greatly missed.

Please join us in offering condolences to Shirley and the whole family.

Cards may be sent to:

Shirley Burrows
115 Bonis Ave #208
North York, ON M1T 3S4
CANADA

Graham Mitchell

Your prayers are requested for Dr. Graham Mitchell, GCI elder in Northampton, England. Graham fell on a stairway and had to be taken to the hospital, where he had surgery for serious injuries. His wife sent this report:

Graham is able to communicate some, with a little nod or shake of the head. It must be incredibly frustrating for him. Yesterday, he told me he loved me, and I managed to lip read that. We are not looking beyond the present, at the moment. I am frightened, and in the dark waking moments at night, find myself considering the worst. Your prayers are of great comfort.

Cards may be sent to:

Dr. Graham Mitchell
11 Kettering Road
Broughton
Kettering, Northants NN14 1NL
UNITED KINGDOM

A kingdom perspective on the church

Several Christian authors are helpfully calling for a recapturing of a kingdom perspective on the church. Here are some examples that you may find helpful in your teaching:

  • A Leadership Network interview with Reggie McNeal:

  • An article on the kingdom of God from GCI theologian Gary Deddo at https://www.gci.org/bible/kingdom (this article, which appeared previously as a series of posts in Weekly Update, is now posted on GCI’s website as a single article).

Death of Dave Gilbert’s father

We were saddened to learn of the recent death of David Samuel Gilbert, Jr., father of GCI Pastor David Gilbert III. Here is the death announcement:

David Gilbert
David Samuel Gilbert, Jr.

David Samuel Gilbert, Jr., 86, of Elizabeth Twp, passed away peacefully Monday, May 11, 2015 at home surrounded by his loving family. He was born July 7, 1928 in Christy Park and was the son of the late David S. Gilbert, Sr. and the late Elizabeth Vaughn Gilbert. He was a retired carpenter, builder, construction manager and consultant, as well as a real estate broker. He built homes and several churches. He also was an inventor, holding a patent on Drain Nut Pliers which he developed for the plumbing industry.

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Dorothy Rudd Gilbert, four sons, a daughter, five grandchildren, two great grandchildren, a brother and two sisters. He was preceded in death by three sisters and a brother. His funeral was held at the Greenock United Methodist Church on Friday, May 15. Pastor David S. Gilbert, III, officiated

Cards may be sent to:

Mr. David S. Gilbert, III
249 Frogtown Rd
Kintnersville, PA 18930-9644

Arlen Bryant

We noted last week Pastor Arlen Bryant’s surgery to remove a brain tumor. Here is a more recent Update from Arlen:

My surgeon called recently with the pathologist’s report. He said I have a very aggressive type of cancer and we need to move quickly to slow or get rid of it. He wasn’t able to remove all of the tumor during surgery because it could have damaged my speech or ability to walk. I go next week to get the staples removed and set up a schedule for further treatment. My daughter wants me to go over to Vanderbilt for further treatment and I am considering that option, though I’m not worrying about this because I know my life is in the hands of the GREAT PHYSICIAN. My thanks for everyone’s prayers, cards and phone calls. I love all our folks and appreciate their concern for me and Jean.

Cards may be sent to:

Arlen and Jean Bryant
2054 Benton Young Rd
Cookville, TN 38501

Linda Dick in hospice care

Here is a prayer request from Ron Dick, retired GCI pastor, concerning his wife Linda.

Linda has had so much trouble with her health over the last 20 years that we would have been guilty of news overload to report all the issues. Suffice it to say that she was physically unable to participate like she desired in the ministry and in society in general. After years of medical tests with no name to put on her condition, she learned to manage her situation the best she could. There were tests and scans by the scores even as recently as February this year. None revealed anything more than a peptic ulcer.

On April 15 while entering a sleep clinic, she caught her toe on the threshold and fell face-first breaking her nose and raising large bumps on her head. At the ER they found no serious damage but she was very sore. About ten days after the fall, her back began to hurt causing catches in her breathing. The pain persisted so her doctor ordered more scans that revealed anomalies in her lungs. Unable to be sure what they saw, a biopsy was ordered. The result was severe bleeding. A breathing tube and drain tube were inserted. Several days of observation brought the conclusion that the scans were showing hundreds of cancerous tumors. The danger of further biopsies left them not knowing the source of the cancers but that they were serious and her condition was terminal.

Linda is now in hospice care. She requires regular pain control and sleeps continuously. The situation has gone from an unknown back pain to terminal hospice care in one week. Our daughters arrived to see their mother and Linda was able to tell them goodbye and assure them that everything will be all right. Through the fog of the narcotics she remains cheerful and encouraging in the few words she is able to say.

Linda loved her many close friends in the church all over the world. She began attending in Seattle Washington with her mother at age 11. She was baptized at 16, attended Ambassador College in England where she graduated in 1969, was married and spent the next 42 years supporting her husband and family as they were involved in numerous departments in our denomination. She is grateful for a full productive life in the church and with her family.

Those few who are aware of Linda’s situation have offered encouragement and prayers for her peace and comfort. Those prayers are being answered daily and we are grateful to you all.

Cards can be sent to:

Ron and Linda Dick
63 Loren Drive
Sarasota, FL 34238-5157

Death of Gladys Dudley

William and Gladys Dudley
Willie and Gladys Dudley

We were saddened to learn of the May 14 death of deaconess Gladys Etta Dudley, wife of GCI elder Willie Dudley, members in GCI’s Manhattan, New York congregation. Her funeral was held on May 18. Here are excerpts from her obituary.

Gladys was born in 1924 in Dinwiddie, Virginia. Her family moved to New York City where she grew up with a strong belief in the Lord and a commitment to helping those in need.

DudleysGladys and her first husband were among the founding members of the Manhattan Congregation of the Worldwide Church of God. Gladys became the mother of hospitality for the congregation and would regularly host traveling pastors and evangelists. She was well known for her culinary talents, including her delicious meals and famous rum balls. Gladys also became well known as a seamstress for a bride’s wedding dress, den mother to the girls in the church, and adviser to young people due to her beautiful, but firm motherly personality to everyone.

After the tragic death of her first husband, Gladys married Willie Dudley in 1968. Together they served tirelessly and passionately in the Manhattan congregation. They were known as the first to arrive at every church event or activity and among the last to leave. Gladys typically took charge of the kitchen or organizing an event.

Gladys is survived by her husband, Willie Dudley, two daughters, two grandchildren, two great-grandchildren, one great great-grandchild, three sisters, and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

Cards may be sent to:

Mr. Willie C. Dudley
3736 10th Avenue, Apt 13M
New York, NY 10034-1814

Death of Bill Stenger’s daughter

We were saddened to learn of the recent death of Yasmin Naomi Plummer, daughter of Dr. Bill Stenger, an assistant pastor in the GCI congregation in Big Sandy, Texas. Here is the death announcement Bill sent us.

Jasmine Stenger
Yasmin Naomi Plummer

Yasmin, my firstborn daughter, died recently, leaving behind her 13-year old son, Cameron William Stenger. My younger daughter, Serena Joy Seifreid, has graciously accepted the responsibility of caring for Cameron.

Yasmin’s faith in Jesus remained strong to the end. I know Yasmin rests secure in her salvation. I appreciate your prayers for Cameron and Serena through this difficult time.

Cards may be sent to:

Dr. William Stenger
104 Shady Grove St # A
Big Sandy, TX 75755-2108