Olives and Grapes, Oil and Wine: Rejoicing in Tribulation

"I would suggest to you, then, three steps to joy. First, to have oil and wine you must have olives and grapes. The unsaved man can have no true joy because he has no fruit from which joy can be produced. Be sure, therefore, that you are rooted and grounded in Christ so that the Holy Spirit may bring forth His fruit. If you are unsaved, you can have no joy because you have nothing but thorns and thistles. Crush them and you get thorn juice and thistle milk which never make the face shine or the heart rejoice. The unsaved can have the wildness of revelry and the froth of mirth, but never the shining of gladness and the depths of joy. These come only from God's oil and wine; and these, in turn, are pressed only from God's olives and grapes."

"You answer me that you are certain on this score. You know that you are saved and even take some pride in the olives and grapes in the garden of your life. You have digged in the earth and pruned the trees and vines; you have watered them with care and have even gathered fruit. I recognize the truth of what you say. You are, in comparison with the wild trees and weedy fields of your unsaved neighbors, a fruitful bough and a fertile garden."

"You are correct in believing that neither oil nor wine can be produced without the fruit which you have grown; but you seem unaware that no small skill is demanded to make oil and wine, and that such skill must be accompanied by patient labor and wise attention to details. Stop pointing to your work for the Lord, as though the presence of fruit could give you the oil of the shining face or the wine of the gladdened heart. The second step to possession of the oil and wine is to become dissatisfied with mere production of olives and grapes. If you are satisfied with grapes, you will never know the wine of joy."

"The third and final step to fullness of joy is for olives and grapes to be crushed. For this the Lord has many different processes. In all vintage countries proprietors of great vineyards have their own secrets for making wines. Connoisseurs tell the difference between the products of one vineyard and another by their tastes. Soil, sun, method of preparation, all enter into the final product."

"So the Lord works in all of us to bring forth a particular brand of joy that He and we may share. Each of us will have a new name, which no man knows saving him that receives it (Revelation2:17); to that end our Lord now works, first growing choice olives and grapes within us, and then pressing them out so that there may be oil and wine and our lives may be shining and glad for Him."

"In the measure that we welcome infirmities and tribulations, we shall glory in them and realize afresh the power of Christ to transmute the suffering into glory and distill joy from pain. Shall we not be willing to glory in tribulation if it produces joy, and opens a fountain of blessing to others?"

"For this the Lord works in our lives, and we are confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in us will keep on perfecting it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6). He will grow His fruit - olives and grapes - and He will press out His oil and His wine. He will give us the shining face and a heart so filled with His joy that nothing else in the world - no, not even the work of the Lord - can charm us like the knowledge that we are the sons of His oil, sons of His joy, and that we shall be occupied with Him and His joy forever."

"It is evident that this type of living is miraculous, for it is not natural for us to undergo suffering and endure it patiently. It is natural to whine and sigh and cry in adversity. The worldling often lives such a life of failure, and, alas, too many Christians settle down to the same level. Nevertheless, provision has been made for us to glory in tribulation, if we will appropriate the resources that are ours for moment-by-moment living in Christ."

"The Christian does not go out of his way to seek trouble. But when the crushing load of life comes down on him, the true believer faces it with calmness and equanimity, knowing that God means it for good and that out of it will come rejoicing and the possibility of glorying afresh in God."

Barnhouse, Donald Grey. God's River Romans 5:1-11 Expositions of Bible Doctrines Epistles to the Romans.Philadelphia: The Evangelical Foundation, inc., 1959. 75-76

Born to Trouble: Pressed for Joy

"And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;" ~ Romans 5:3

"Tribulations are the common lot of humanity, and only the Christian, as captive to the will of God, can triumph over them in utter glory. One of Job's comforters expressed a truth that has become proverbial: 'Affliction comes not forth of the dust, neither does trouble spring out of the ground; yet man is born to trouble, as the sparks fly upward" (Job 5:6,7). Trial and suffering are the common lot of man, and no one will escape this heritage. The Hebrew of this passage in Job is very beautiful, for the comparison between the trouble of mankind and the flying sparks is couched in most poetic language. The two Hebrew words translated by our one word "sparks" are literally "the sons of flame." The fire on the hearth produces an offspring of sparks. Life is a similar fire, and each generation is placed upon the burning embers of the past. Coming from fallen Adam as we all do, there is nothing for us but the trials and sorrows, adversities and afflictions common to all men."

"The believer who has entered into the redemption that is in Christ has been introduced to the endless supply of grace provided among the spiritual blessings which are ours in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 1:3) rejoices in the hope of the glory of God and glories in tribulations. That this is a supernatural experience is evident from the meaning of the words that describe the suffering which purchases for us rejoicing and glory. "Tribulation" has been taken over from the Latin. The verb tribulare, which means, "to press, to oppress, to afflict."

The Greek word brings us the same thought, couched under a slightly different imagery. The word is thlipsis, and originally conveyed the idea of "pressing together, pressure." It is interesting to note from the lexicons and dictionaries of the ancient language that the application of this word to human suffering was first employed in the New Testament. The Christians were the first to think of themselves as being in the vat like grapes or olives, and being pressed to the point where their joy ran out like wine or oil. How can we press joy from sorrow as one presses wine from grapes or oil from olives?"

"Oil and wine are biblical symbols of joy. (Psalms 104:15; Numbers 6:24,25; Psalms 45:7; Psalms 104:15). The Lord has told us that He wants our joy to be full. In spite of this, many of His children come short of the great grace that He has for us in this life. They are fundamental and know the doctrines; they are instructed and know the vocabulary; they are saved and have the potentialities, but do they have fullness of joy? They have olives but no oil, grapes but no wine."

"Olives and grapes are fruits which produce oil and wine but they are not oil and wine themselves. In Palestine we find olives and grapes that have never fulfilled their true destiny. The olive shrinks and is wrinkled. A hungry man will eat such olives, and the poor people put them in their food; but the richness has evaporated. Grapes that remain on the vine harden, and after a time are pulpy and dry. They will keep for months, dry all the time, and will still be nourishing, but the wine is gone, and the raisins excite a thirst for the juice that is not there. Such olives and grapes are better than nothing, but they are not substitutes for oil and wine."

"Are you satisfied with olives and grapes? Be sure they will dry up in your storehouse and will never furnish the shining face or the merry heart. Oil and wine bring joy, not olives and grapes. And surely you can see that it is not possible to have oil and wine unless olives are pressed and grapes are crushed. Even the finest fruit will not yield its essence without this process. Indeed, the finer the fruit the firmer the skin, and the heavier pressure that must be put upon it to burst its surface that the juices may spurt. If you are to be splashed with joy, you must be crushed."

Barnhouse, Donald Grey. God's River Romans 5:1-11 Expositions of Bible Doctrines Epistles to the Romans.Philadelphia: The Evangelical Foundation, inc., 1959. 72-74

John Owen on Justification Controversies

“The truth is, so far as I can discern, the real difference that is at this day amongst us, about the doctrine of our justification before God, is the same that was between the apostle and the Jews, and no other.  But controversies in religion make a great appearance of being new, when they are only varied and made different by the new terms and expressions that are introduced into the handling of them.  So hath it fallen out in the controversy about nature and grace; for as unto the true nature of it  it is the same in these days as it was between the apostle Paul and the Pharisees; between Austin and Pelagius afterward.  But it hath now passed through so many forms and dresses of words, as that it can scarce be known to be what it was. Many at this day will condemn both Pelagius and the doctrine he taught, in the words wherein he taught it, and yet embrace and approve of the things themselves which he intended.  The introduction of every change in philosophical learning gives an appearance of change in the controversies which are managed thereby; but take off the covering of philosophical expressions, distinctions, metaphysical notions, and futilous terms of art, which some of the ancient schoolmen and later disputants have cast upon it, and the difference about grace and nature is amongst us the same that it was of old.”

Christ Our Surety

“In the first covenant made with Adam there was no surety, but God and men were the immediate covenanters; and although we were in a state and condition able to perform and answer all the terms of the covenant, yet was it broken and disannulled. It was man alone who failed and broke that covenant: wherefore it was necessary, that upon the making of the new covenant, and that with a design and purpose that it should never be disannulled, as the former was, we should have a surety and undertaker for us; for if that first covenant was not firm and stable, because there was no surety to undertake for us, notwithstanding all that ability which we had to answer the terms of it, how much less can any other be so, now [that] our natures are become depraved and sinful! Wherefore we alone were capable of a surety, properly so called, for us; we alone stood in need of him; and without him the covenant could not be firm and inviolate on our part. The surety, therefore of this covenant, is so with God for us.”

“A surety, for us, the Lord Jesus Christ was, by his voluntary undertaking, out of his rich grace and love, to do, answer, and perform all that is required on our part, that we may enjoy the benefits of the covenant, the grace and glory prepared, proposed, and promised in it, in the way and manner determined on by divine wisdom.”

“(1) He undertook, as the surety of the covenant, to answer for all the sins of those who are to be, and are, made partakers of the benefits of it; that is, to undergo the punishment due unto their sins; to make atonement for them by offering himself as a propitiatory sacrifice for the expiation of their sins, redeeming them, by the price of his blood, from their state of misery and bondage under the law, and the curse of it, Isaiah 53:4-6,10; Matthew 20:28; 1 Timothy 2:6; 1 Corinthians 6:20; Romans 3:25-26; Hebrews 10:5-8; Romans 8:2-3; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; Galatians 3:13: and this was absolutely necessary, that the grace and glory prepared in the covenant might be communicated unto us. Without this undertaking of his, and performance of it, the righteousness and faithfulness of God would not permit that sinners, - such as had apostatized from him, despised his authority and rebelled against him, falling thereby under the sentence and curse of the law, - should again be received unto his favor, and made partakers of grace and glory; this, therefore, the Lord Christ took upon himself, as the surety of the covenant.”

“(2) That those who were to be taken into this covenant should receive grace enabling them to comply with the terms of it, fulfill its conditions, and yield the obedience which God required therein; for, by ordination of God, he was to procure, and did merit and procure for them, the Holy Spirit, and all needful supplies of grace, to make the new creatures, and enable them to yield obedience unto God from a new principle of spiritual life, and that faithfully unto the end: so was he the surety of this better testament.”

“For the declaration of the righteousness of God in this setting forth of Christ to be a propitiation, and to bear our iniquities, the guilt of our sins was transferred unto him in an act of the righteous judgment of God accepting and esteeming of him as the guilty person.”

“The righteousness of Christ (in his obedience and suffering for us) imputed unto believers, as they are united unto him by his Spirit, is that righteousness whereon they are justified before God, on the account whereof their sins are pardoned, and a right is granted them unto the heavenly inheritance.”

“These things, therefore, are consistent, - namely, that the satisfaction of Christ should be imputed unto us for the pardon of sin, and the obedience of Christ be imputed unto us to render us righteous before God; and they are not only consistent, but neither of them singly were sufficient unto our justification.”


Owen, John. The Doctrine of Justification by Faith. sixth. V. East Peoria: Versa Press, Inc., 2007. 186-212. Print.

All Benefits Any Have Leading to Eternal Life, are the Fruit of Christ’s soul-travail

“He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.” ~ Isaiah 53:11

“Doctrine: That all the benefits and advantages, that any ever have gotten, or shall get, that lead to life eternal, and which concur to advance the work of their salvation, are the fruits of Christ’s purchase, by his soul-travail.  Is a sinner brought to believe? It is the fruit of his suffering. Is a sinner glorified? It is the fruit of the same. And therefore when in the one word it is said He shall see his seed; it is said in the next word He shall see of the fruit of the travail of his soul; to show that a soul’s engaging to Christ by faith, whereby the person becomes one of his seed, flows from his suffering, and is a fruit of the travail of his soul, as it is in Corinthians 5:21, He was made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God through him, or in him; where our righteousness, and what conduces to our justification, is derived from his being made sin, or a sin-offering for us.  And in Galatians 3:13, it is said that, Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, that the blessing of Abraham might come on us Gentiles; whatever is accomplished under that blessing, as taking in both the end and the means by which we come by it, flows from his being a curse for us, and from his being brought under sad suffering, and sore soul-travail for us.”

“1. Then, when we speak of the fruit of Christ’s sufferings, we mean not only that our justification, the pardon of our sins, and our entry into heaven, are fruits of it; but that our believing, repentance, holiness, and everything that leads thereunto, are fruits of it also.  Therefore it is promised to Christ (Psalms 110:3) Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power. And that these that are given to Christ shall come, is a promise; as well as it is a promise that these that come shall be justified.  And the one follows upon Christ’s engaging, and performing of the engagement, as well as the other.”

“2. There is nothing that a sinner gets that leads to life and salvation but it is a fruit of Christ’s purchase; we get neither repentance, nor faith, nor holiness, nor any other such thing, but on the account of Christ’s satisfaction.”

“3. Whatever is needful for completing of them that are Christ’s seed, whom he purchased, whatever they lack or stand in need of, whether righteousness, holiness, repentance, faith, hope, etc., all are purchased by him, and are the fruits of his death and soul-travail; this rises clearly from the words, He shall see the fruit of the travail of his soul. That is, he shall see sinners believing on him, and repenting for sin, as well as he shall see them glorified.  Which will be clear, if we consider these two reasons:

(1)    The nature of the covenant, wherein all the promises concerning sinners’ salvation are comprehended.  There being but one covenant of redemption, and that being a promise of this covenant (Deuteronomy 30:6; Jeremiah 31:33), to circumcise the heart to love God, and to write the law in it, as well as to pardon sin; and all the promises of the covenant depending on Christ’s stipulation, and these things in the promises flowing from the covenant between God and the Mediator, sinners can have no right to anything that is promised, but by a covenant; neither can they have any access to them, but through Christ’s suffering.

(2)    It is clear from the end of the covenant, that whatever sinners stand in need of, they must be in Christ’s debt for it.  Now, if we had faith, or repentance, or any other grace, from ourselves, or on our own account, we should not be in debt or common for all that we need, as indeed we are, according to that in 1 Corinthians 1:30-31, He is made of God unto us Wisdom, to be our guide and teacher; Righteousness, to be our justifier, and the meritorious cause of it; Sanctification,  to be the worker and procurer of it; and in a word, complete Redemption.  And this is subjoined as the reason of all, That he that glories, or rejoices, may glory, or rejoice in the Lord;  that is, whether there be a looking to faith or repentance, or any other grace, there may be no cause to be vain or proud of it.  But that knowing these to be from Christ, and fruits of his purchase, all the praise of them may be to him alone.”

“The use of this is large; it speaks something more generally to them that are strangers to Christ, and who think that they would be at him; and something to them that are in him; and something to both.”

“And the first thing that it speaks is this (which we have often heard, but cannot hear of it too often), even the great and glad tidings, and very good news, which we have to speak of through Jesus Christ, that redemption is purchased by him to poor sinners; and that through him there is access to life, and peace and reconciliation with God, from which through sin we had fallen, and run ourselves under a forfeiture of, and from which we had been barred up eternally, except he had suffered. There was a wall of separation and partition standing between God and us; which by his sufferings was demolished and broken down, and thereby a door of access to God struck up, even through the veil of his flesh (Hebrews 10:20).  Theses should be refreshing and fresh news to us every day, as indeed they would be, if we rightly knew and believed the benefit of God’s friendship, and what were our hazard in lying still in nature, and what was the price that Christ laid down to purchase for sinners friendship with God, and delivery from this curse; that is behooved to cost him sore soul-travail, ere any special grace could be bestowed on sinners, and that this same gospel that is preached to you, is a fruit of the travail of his soul; and that, in making the covenant of redemption, this same was a part of the indenture (so to speak), that these good news might be published in the same place, and these glad tidings spoken of among you.”


“And therefore, secondly, put a great price on the means that may further your salvation; on repentance, faith, holiness, peace with God, etc; for they are the fruits of a very dear purchase, and the results of a great and sore conflict, which the Mediator had with the justice of God, ere there could be access for a sinner to any of them.  There was not so much paid to get the world created, as was to by faith, repentance, access to God, and an entry to heaven, to runaway sinners; nothing was paid for the one, but, a mighty great price for the other.”


“And therefore, thirdly, we would expostulate with many of you, how it comes to pass that you think so little of these things that Christ has purchased, and that you think so little of faith in him; and that so many of you take a counterfeit for it, try not if you have it, trouble not yourselves though you lack it; and that other things of little value are much esteemed of, and over valued by you.  Is there anything comparable to that, which Christ has put such a price on, that he gave his own life for it; and that God has put such a price on, that he promised it to Christ, as a part of the satisfaction for the travail of his soul?  And yet it is lightly valued by many; yea, by most men and women. The day will come, when you will think faith to be of more value, and will think the pardon of sin, and an interest in Christ’s blood, to be valuable above the whole world, though you had it, when you shall be brought to reckon with God for the slighting thereof.”


“And therefore, fourthly, seeing this is a truth, that everything that leads to life eternal, is a fruit of Christ’s purchase; take the right way to attain it.  The exhortation implies these two: 1. That you make a right choice of, and put a just value on these things, that you should choose and value.  2. That you take the right way for attaining of these things.”

1.       Then, would you know what is to be valued and chosen? It is certainly these things that God and the Mediator esteem of, and the congregation of the first-born esteem of.  The things that Christ has purchased, and which are the fruit of the travail of his soul, are most excellent; and therefore, mind, study, and seek after these things, that they may lead your souls into eternal life; seek after faith and repentance, to have your peace made with God, to have the heart purified, to be of a meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of God are of great price, as the apostle Peter speaks [1 Peter 3:4]; to have pardon of sin, and holiness, for adorning the gospel of God; and to have glory, that you may see God and enjoy him.  These things are the best things; this is undoubtedly the better part, which will never be taken from them [Luke 10:42], whose choice through grace it is.

2.       What way may folk labor to come to make this choice, and to attain these best and most valuable things?  No other way but that the doctrine holds out.  If all things that lead to life and salvation be fruits of Christ’s purchase, then surely it is by virtue of Christ’s purchase alone, that you must come by them; pardon of sin comes by the blood of sprinkling; peace with God, grace, and more grace, the exercise of grace, and growth in  holiness, faith in all its exercises and advances, and every other grace, comes by his sufferings; as also does glory, because he has purchased these graces of the Spirit, as well as pardon of sin, and heaven.  Often Christ is overlooked, and passed by here; many think that they shall obtain pardon of sin, and go to heaven without him; others, though they will not own that, yet fall in the second, and would make use of him for pardon of sin, and for paying of their debt, if they could repent and believe in him; but till they find these in themselves, they are frightened to come unto him. Whereas the sinner that is convinced of sin, and of his hazard, would lay down this as the first step of his way in coming to Christ: Any repentance, and believing, and the making of the heart willing to close with, and to cleave to him, is the fruit of Christ’s purchase, and he must be in his debt for it, for there is no other possible way to get it. The first point (to speak so), that a wakened and sensible sinner should look unto for pardon and peace, for repentance, faith and all things, would be to Christ, and his sufferings, whence all these come.  Sinners at first are disposed to take too far a look, and so mistake in the order of things; therefore, when he sense of sin pinches them, and they set out to believe, and find that their hearts are very averse from believing, and can hardly be brought to it, then they are fainted, when they consider, and find, that if it stood but on this, even to consent to take Christ, they cannot do it.  But then, and in that case, the Lord minds that they should be much in his debt, for faith, and repentance, and for a soft and tender heart, that they should seek these from him, as well as pardon of sin, considering that all this is Christ’s purchase, and that there is a possibility to come to it this way, when they can come to it no other way; if you would take this way even to eye and look to Christ as the Author and Finisher of faith, and be in his debt for it, through his grace it should go better with you.  This is that which the apostle has in Hebrews 12:1-2, where he calls, to lay aside every weight and the sin that easily besets us, and to run the race with patience that is set before us. And if it should be said, ‘How shall that be done?’ even by looking unto Jesus the Author an Finisher of our faith; and then follows, Who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, and despised the shame; thus leading folk unto his sufferings as the solid foundation of their faith.”

Durham, James. Christ Crucified: The Marrow of the Gospel in 72 Sermons on Isaiah 53, Dallas: Naphtali Press, 2007, p458-461

Hypocrite or Ambassador?

“For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.” ~ Romans 2:24

 “The name of the true God was blasphemed among the Gentiles because the people that should have been growing in the image of the holiness of God were walking in sin behind a mask of hypocrisy.  Even if man is unaware of it, God knows that it is a monstrous thing that those who derive their glory from God should disgrace His holy name.”

“And when they entered unto the heathen, whither they went, they profaned my holy name, when they said to them, These are the people of the LORD, and are gone forth out of his land. But I had pity for mine holy name, which the house of Israel had profaned among the heathen, whither they went. Therefore say unto the house of Israel, thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake, which ye have profaned among the heathen, whither ye went. And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes.” ~ Ezekiel 36:23

 “Finally, a word to you who have named the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and who seek to follow Him, do not be downcast because of the failures of some believers.  You are not to be critical of those who, like Peter, have moments when they follow afar off.  It is true that men are going to judge your God by you.  They will blaspheme Him if you betray His holiness and righteousness.  But they will glorify Him if they see your honest effort to follow after Him, believing in Him, and giving Him the glory for all of the triumphs of your life, accepting in yourself the responsibility for all of the failures and defeats.”

“It is a wonderful thing to be an ambassador, but it carries with it high responsibilities as well as great privileges.  To every Christian, therefore, comes the bold challenge of the Word of God. The Lord tells us that He has placed His interests in our hands.  Paul writes to the Corinthians: “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20).

“The function of ambassador carries with it all of the honor and dignity of the homeland.  If we have the smile of God, we do not need to be concerned if we have the frown of the world.  But the smile of the world will be of no value whatsoever if we have the frown of God.”

“ God has told us that we are to live so that men will not blaspheme Him but that they will glorify Him. The Lord Jesus told His own that they were the salt of the earth.  Not only does salt give flavor to food and preserve it from rotting but it still has another function that is important. As the Chinese girl in a Bible study discussion group pointed out, salt makes one thirsty.  This should be the quality of the Christian as the salt of the earth. Men should see the way that he lives, the evident joy of his being, the manifest power at work in his life, and should say, “There is a person who has something that I do not have. I want it.”  Take heed lest you as a Christian so live that you become savorless salt, thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out and trodden under the foot of men (Matthew 5:13).”

“Again the Lord Jesus told His followers that they were the light of the world. He desires His own to be in the world as a city set on a hill.  He pointed out that men do not light a candle and put it under a bushel basket, but on a candlestick where its light can banish the surrounding darkness. So, said Christ, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:16).”

“There is the great alternative that is set before us as Christians today.  We can live in such a way that men will blaspheme the name of the Lord because of us. We can live in such a way that men will see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven.  In this world where man stands in size about middle distance between an atom and a planet, he may count for much or little in the measurements of men. But when we see that the believer has been placed in this world as an ambassador with the possibility of bringing glory to the Lord of Hosts, then the function of being a Christian becomes more important than life itself.  Living as a Christian is seen to be the chief purpose of man’s existence; and, if we enter into the divine purpose, He will give us Himself that we may enjoy Him forever.”

Barnhouse, Donald Gray. Expositions of Bible Doctrines Taking the Epistle to the Romans as a Point of Departure. Vol. 1. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, n.d. 119-122,129-131. 4 vols. Print.

Moses May Be More Important To Your Faith Than You Know

^“And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not. Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me. And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.”

“Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me; for he wrote of me. But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?” ~ John 5:37-40; 45-47

“The Lord Jesus appealed to the Old Testament.  He said (v39), “ Ye search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.” In other words, Jesus was saying, “The Old Testament was written about Me.” He continues, “And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.” A few verses further on He completes the argument with a devastating comparison: “Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. For had ye believed Moses [that is, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy] ye would have believed me; for he [Moses] wrote of me.” Thus again He makes the claim to be the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies.  But now He goes much further and says, “But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?”

“Let us understand clearly what this means. We will paraphrase it: If you do not believe the writings of Moses, Genesis to Deuteronomy, Christ says that you never will be able to believe Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, the four gospels.”

“It is an astounding claim and one that explains many things.  The Lord says that faith cannot pick and choose within the Word of God.  You have to take the whole of the revelation of God or you cannot have any of it.  The Lord says that failure to believe the earlier books of the Bible would make it impossible to believe the gospel story.  It is a tremendous revelation of the nature of the evil heart of unbelief.  It is also a most revealing comment on why Satan levels so many attacks upon the book of Genesis.  The Devil knows that if he can create unbelief in the beginning of the Word of God, he has made it impossible for any man to trust in the heart and center of the Word of God, for Jesus Christ, the living Word, and the Bible, all of it, the written Word are one.  It is impossible to separate them.”

Barnhouse, Donald Gray. Expositions of Bible Doctrines Taking the Epistle to the Romans as a Point of Departure. Vol. 1. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, n.d. 34-35. 4 vols. Print.