Digging Deeper – Wisdom from Old Commentaries

When I get ready to write the Digging Deeper for the week, I like to pull out my old books, especially some of the commentaries in my library. Some of my favorite resources are H. A. Ironside’s commentaries.

Why are commentaries written in the 1940s high on my list? It is for sentimental reasons. These are hand-me-downs from my grandmother. She faithfully taught her Sunday School class for many years at Bible Center Church, and I know these commentaries were a ready resource for her. I love it when I go to read a passage and come across her underlines and margin notes. As I turn to “Address 21” in the commentary on Luke, I find a lot of marking, and I want to share some great wisdom with you.

First, on page 201, there is this quote underlined in red: “To obey these precepts is to manifest the spirit of Christ. This is love in activity. It was fully displayed in our blessed Lord, who laid down His life for those who were His enemies and hated Him without cause.” Ironside wants us to understand that there is activity in love. Love doesn’t just talk a good game; it acts on behalf of the one who is loved. I once heard a sermon by Martin Luther King Jr. in which he said that the difference between “like” and “love” is that “like” is sentimental and “love” is active; we don’t need to “like” someone to love them. Loving our enemies means we are acting more like Jesus.

Another amazing quote from the commentary is: “When someone has been very unkind, instead of meeting him in the same way, get down on your knees and plead for his blessing, and when the Spirit of God speaks to him, his attitude will change… Go alone into the presence of God and ask Him to speak to those hearts in divine love.” Praying for those who are against us is not easy. We must love with intentionality. People we love may come to mind throughout the day, and it is a blessing to lift them up in prayer. But praying for people we would rather not think about at all is something else. Loving our enemies means intentionally praying for them.

Finally, there is this gem: “The Lord ridicules those who pretend to be the children of God when they have not reached any higher, so far as practical behavior goes, than those who make no profession at all.” God expects more from us. I like the way the commentator phrases the statement: “The Lord ridicules.” Jesus is pointing out that it would not make sense for followers of God to act like the rest of humanity. The first five books of the Bible focus on God setting His people apart so they will look different from the world around them. So the Jews hearing the comparison phrase, “For even sinners love those who love them,” would understand that they had a responsibility, as the children of the Most High God, to be set apart like priests are set apart: “And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.” This is the message you must give to the people of Israel (Exodus 19:6, NLT). And Peter applies this same standard to us as a church: “But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for He called you out of the darkness into His wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9, NLT).

Priests show who God is to the people. They live their lives to a higher standard. Take a moment to evaluate yourself and your actions. Do you live a life that looks like everyone else, or do you live a life that puts God on display? What can you do today to point people around you to God by how you live your life?

• Quotes from Addresses on the Gospel of Luke by H. A. Ironside, Litt.D. Published by Loizeaux Brothers, New York, 1947.