Diving Into Freedom
Since we’re celebrating freedom today, I thought I’d share today’s Bible Diving Expedition email about freedom with everyone. I hope you enjoy exploring these three passages from Scripture.
Find out more about the weekly emails on the Series Info page.
I’m going in a different direction with this week’s edition, given that it’s Independence Day and all. I thought I’d take the liberty (ha ha) of changing the schedule. So in honor of the holiday, this edition is all about practicing our Bible Diving skills in some Scriptures that talk about freedom. We’ll return to our regularly scheduled programming with proverbs next week.
I’ve prepared three guided expeditions for you below. Each one pulls from our previous discussions and gives you a chance to practice the tips and techniques we’ve talked about. As your Bible Diving Expedition Guide, I’ve also pointed out some things I think are important for you to see. But mostly, this edition prompts you to do your own explorations. Do as many as you like, go as deep as you like, it’s all here for you.
Guided Expedition: Poetry and Psalms
Out of my distress I called on the LORD; the LORD answered me and set me free. (Psalm 118:5 ESV)
Pray for the Holy Spirit to be your Teacher and Guide, and then read Psalm 118 out loud.
What’s the overall tone and emotion of this psalm?
What are some of the images that the psalmist uses to express his ideas and feelings?
What poetic structures does the psalmist use to make his point? (Inclusio, repetition and refrain, acrostic, or chiasm).
In light of the structures you find, what is the psalmist’s big point?
Using a lexicon or the tools at BlueLetterBible.org, what Hebrew word translates to the phrase “set me free” or “set me in a large place?” How is this word defined? (members: watch this video for a refresher on this skill)
Skim other verses where this Hebrew word appears in the Old Testament. How do these verses help you think about the freedom the psalmist has in mind in Psalm 118?
Read this psalm in another Bible translation or two. What’s different and how does that help you think about this passage in new ways? (members: video refresher)
Zooming in on verse 5, what has the psalmist been set free from? How does he respond to this freedom?
What other observations or questions do you have about this Psalm? Take the time to write them down, and chase as many answers as you can using your Bible Diving gear like lexicons and commentaries.
From your Expedition Guide
We touched on Psalm 118 briefly in Edition 021: The Poetry of Emotion (members access) as an example of the inclusio structure. This psalm begins and ends with exactly the same words, and then repeats a phrase in the first four verses to make sure we get the point: give thanks to God because His love endures forever.
We’ve also got a lot of “victory in battle” kinds of imagery. We see triumph over enemies (verse 7), nations surrounding our hero and as he fears for his life but then they all die off (verses 10-14), and then shouts of joy as city gates open invoking the image of a victory parade (verses 19-20, 27). God gets all the credit, but it’s clear that the battle was intense and fierce for our psalmist.
Verse 22 (“the stone that the builders rejected...”) might sound familiar if you’ve explored the gospels before. Jesus cites this verse at the end of the Parable of the Tenants (Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10, Luke 20:17). It’s a rebuke and a warning for religious leaders who think they’re entitled to the “vineyard” and its goodies (the privileges of caring for God’s people) without giving the “owner” (God) his proper due and becoming criminals, even killing the owner’s son (Jesus).
That’s a pretty vast oversimplification, but you get the point. For now, it’s enough to know that Jesus applied Psalm 118:22 as “builders” (religious leaders) going completely wrong and ultimately rejecting God. I think there’s a stark contrast here worth pondering. How does that relate to the psalmist’s call to give thanks to God for His enduring love? Something to talk to God about.
Since we’re talking about freedom today, let’s go back to verse 5. In this context, God takes our hero out of anguish and despair to set him “in a large, broad space” according to the original Hebrew word. Have you ever felt bound up by trouble, like you can’t move or even make a decision under the crushing weight of anxiety and distress? I have. The psalmist has, too.
Through this poem, God invites us to cry out to Him and take refuge in Him. Easier said than done, and this Scripture openly acknowledges the intensity and struggle of the battle. But when God does set us free, He invites us to throw a victory parade giving thanks to Him for demonstrating His enduring and faithful love.
Here’s the thing about parades: they’re very public. That’s probably the biggest challenge to me from this psalm. It calls me to give God public credit, to openly testify about what He’s done for me. I’m pretty good at giving thanks in my private prayers. I’m far less bold around those who may or may not have the same relationship with God that I do. And even among my brothers and sisters in faith, I rarely shout it from the rooftops with a “festal procession” (verse 27). Why is that? Hmmm…I’m gonna have to ponder that, too.
Guided Expedition: Gospels
[Jesus says] “…and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." (John 8:32 ESV)
Pray for the Holy Spirit to be your Teacher and Guide, then read John 8:31-38 out loud.
What do we know about the author of this gospel? Why did he write it, what was the point he was trying to make about Jesus, and who did he write to?
What comes right before this passage? Who is Jesus saying these words to, and what’s the overall conversation about?
Since all of the gospels have something to say about the nature of the Kingdom of God, what does this section of Scripture reveal?
What is the original Greek word for “free” in these verses, and what does it mean?
Skim through other New Testament passages that use this same word. How do these help you understand what Jesus says?
Use your Bible Diving gear (lexicon and concordance at BlueLetterBible.org) to see if there are other Greek words that can be translated as “free” or “freedom” in the New Testament. How is the word that Jesus uses in John 8 different from these other Greek words? (members: watch this video for a refresher on this skill)
What is the original Greek word for “truth” in this passage, and what does it mean?
Skim through the other New Testament passages that use this same word. How do these help you understand what Jesus says?
Read this passage in another Bible translation or two. What’s different and how does that help you think about this passage in new ways? (members: video refresher)
What kind of freedom does Jesus offer in this passage? What kind of slavery does He have in mind?
Who does Jesus claim as His Father, and who does he say is the father of those who argue with him? Read John 8:39-45 as the conversation continues.
How do those who hear Jesus’ words respond to what He says? Continue reading the rest of John 8 to find out.
What other observations or questions do you have about this passage? Take the time to write them down, and chase as many answers as you can using your Bible Diving gear like lexicons and commentaries.
From your Expedition Guide
Whew…there’s an awful lot here to explore. Much more than we have time for, so I encourage you to dive deeper on your own. Still, let me remind you of the importance of the Abrahamic Covenant (Edition 012: Promises to Abraham (members access)) to understanding Jewish culture and thinking.
This might be the strongest confrontation between the Jewish religious leaders and Jesus that we have recorded in the gospels. Things get real heated real quick and end with the Pharisees picking up stones to kill the Son of God.
But again, we’re talking about freedom today (focus, focus, focus), so let’s keep our sights there.
We’re in the overall context of John’s big gospel point that Jesus has the power over sin and death. I’d be hard-pressed to find a more clear passage on the matter. John organizes the rest of his writing around seven miracles to validate THIS EXACT POINT. Jesus openly claims power and authority that only God has, and the Pharisees in His audience know it. Jesus goes on to invoke the covenant name of God “I AM” (John 8:58) which sends our Pharisee friends into a homicidal rage. They believe He commits the ultimate heresy. Jesus is telling them the truth.
Speaking of truth, Jesus doesn’t just claim to tell and teach the truth. He says He IS truth (John 14:6).
So the whole thing hinges on how we understand “truth” and what Jesus means to be “free.” These are ambiguous concepts in our culture, but John 8 makes it pretty clear what Jesus and the Jews have in mind. In their day, truth was not relative. It was verifiable, pretty much universally accepted, and God’s people said it could only come from God. Which means that when Jesus later says He IS truth…
To the Jews, freedom wasn’t the right or ability to do whatever no matter what. In this context, Jesus specifically had in mind freedom from slavery to sin. The Apostle Paul riffed on this for quite some time in Romans 6-8 which would be another great diving expedition for another time. In short, the Bible talks about freedom as having the ability to make godly choices instead of being bound to our corruption and brokenness.
We might try to define freedom as an ability to exercise our will without consequence. That definition has never worked for anyone ever. There are always consequences for ourselves and others for the choices we make.
Instead, Jesus (and Paul) insist that true freedom can only be found when He rescues us from the sin and corruption that inevitably leads to death (Romans 6:23 plus Genesis 3 plus the entire Old Testament sacrificial system and a whole bunch of other Scripture). Allow me to point out the obvious — when you’re dead, you can’t do ANYTHING. Freedom is only available to the living. If sin equals death, then sin has to be dealt with for us to have freedom.
That’s why we need Jesus. He not only teaches us truth, but He IS truth and He alone sets us free.
In short, John 8:32 is the good news of the gospel. The real question then is whether or not we believe it.
But there’s more here. How do I define truth? Do I subscribe to the notion of relative or personal truths in the plural? If the Bible is right and real truth comes from God, then, I may have as many “gods” as I have “truths.” By entering the context of this passage and hearing God say through John that truth is personified in Jesus, then I need to take that seriously.
I also recognize the challenge Jesus offers to us all to give up other truths (gods), and how hard - or even offensive - that may be. It was offensive enough in His day for people to kill Him as a heretic. What do I expect to happen when I say Jesus is the Truth in my culture today, and how does that impact my conversations for better or for worse? Yup…plenty to ponder.
Guided Expedition: New Testament letter
Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but living as servants of God. (1 Peter 2:16 ESV)
Pray for the Holy Spirit to be your Teacher and Guide, then read 1 Peter 2:13-17 out loud.
What do we know about Peter, the writer of this letter? Who did he write to and why? The introduction at the beginning of this book in your Bible may help.
Read the entire letter all the way through. What issues does Peter bring up? What is he concerned about?
What are the topics right before and right after this passage? How does it fit in Peter’s flow of thought and logic?
What are the original Greek words for “free” and “freedom” in this passage? How are they defined? (members: watch this video for a refresher on this skill)
Skim the other New Testament verses where these words appear. How do these help you think about the freedom that Peter talks about?
Read this passage in another Bible translation or two. What’s different and how does that help you think about this passage in new ways? (members: video refresher)
Peter brings up the king a couple of times in these few verses. Who was the king at the time of this letter, and what do we know about him?
What’s the point that Peter makes in this passage? Put it in your own words.
From your Expedition Guide
Welp…I think this passage means we have to go there.
We’re diving into one of the New Testament letters now, which means we have to be really intentional to leave our cultural baggage on the shore. We need to let God speak through this passage from its own culture on its own terms. Easier said than done, especially as Americans talking about freedom.
I hope it’s obvious that our ideas of “unalienable rights” and “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness” were completely foreign to the Apostle Peter and the early Christians who received his letter. No one in the world lived with the concept of democracy that we have today. And even though the foundations of our republic find their roots in the Roman Empire, we’ve got a really big gap of time, culture, and practice to bridge.
That begs the question: what does Peter mean by “freedom?” It can’t be what we enjoy today as United States citizens. Instead, it’s in contrast to the servitude that some found themselves in because of debts or war. That servitude (or slavery) looked like living with, depending on, and serving the needs of their master.
Apart from that, we should know that Peter writes to Christians living in the time of Emperor Nero. Yes, THAT guy who tortured and executed believers by crucifixion, letting wild animals eat them to the delight of Colosseum crowds, or using their bodies as torches at his parties. This is no freely elected government official. The Roman Emperor usually insisted that he was supreme authority (see verse 13) or even a god. How could anyone consider themselves free under such a government, especially believers?
This is where Peter’s teaching gets messy.
Our passage falls right after Peter tells the church to “live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.” (1 Peter 2:12). In their context, the “wrong” they would have been accused of was following Christ. Peter tells them to face that accusation with submission and honor for the authorities, even Nero. This attitude extends out of love for other believers and a reverent fear for God (verse 17).
That’s the principle we need to bring back to our time and culture, as divisive and political as it is right now.
No matter what our political leanings are, there’s one thing Peter makes clear. Even if we believe the very worst of the political leaders we oppose, Peter says we still should submit to their authority. Why? Because those who don’t believe in Jesus (the pagans) are watching. We have the opportunity to give them a reason to believe He is who we say He is by our good deeds, submission, and respect for others, even those who are literally killing us. Their opportunity to know Jesus through us is more important than our freedom and even our lives.
I’m just going to let that sit there for a bit.
This passage doesn’t mean we don’t exercise the freedom we enjoy today to influence our government leaders toward God and His ways. I will never say that on Independence Day or any other day of the year. Instead, I agree with Peter that we can’t use that freedom “as a cover-up for evil” that violates Jesus’ command under the New Covenant to love one another. (John 13:34-35, John 15:12-17, and plenty of others). If we are tempted to engage politics in unloving ways, then we’ve broken Jesus’ command and Peter’s teaching.
That goes for our words, our actions, and our attitudes. We certainly are free citizens in America. But more importantly, we are servants of God (1 Peter 2:16). Peter contrasts freedom and servitude here in a way that eliminates any attempt to justify bad behavior because of bad government leaders.
What that means for you in this highly charged political season will be up to you and God.
I would love to know what you found as you did your own Bible Diving this week. Drop me a line or comment below and let me know so we can learn from each other.