BY DAN BAKER
Greetings, Brethren!
Hello to everyone here in the hall and to all those behind the camera
and to anyone who might be listening in by telephone hook-up or from the tape
later on. Very thankful to be here! It's always too far in between our
get-togethers up here in
I've given three messages on camera since the Feast last fall. And all three of them have been centered on this concept that God and Jesus Christ consider each of us as individual temples, temples for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as well as Their own habitation through the Spirit.
It could be said that all three of those messages were somewhat idealistic in that they laid out what should be in the way that we look at one another as sanctuaries of God, how we should view the ever faithful operation of God within ourselves and within our Brethren, and the value that we should place on the actual treasure as we talked about the last time that God wishes to place within the Temple Treasury in each of us in the form of the One that He has sent to this earth with all truth. We talked about John 3:16 last time and how God had given the world the greatest treasure of all times in Jesus Christ and how eager God is for us to desire above all else to have that treasure indwelling us. So there it all is in a nice, neat little package!
God wants to indwell us.
We all want God living in us and we want to reverence God's sanctuary in
both ourselves and our Brethren and to aid and comfort one another in our
journey into the
As it turns out in the real world, there's great opposition to that process. And in Matthew 7, if you'll turn there, we can see just how great that opposition is as we'll begin reading in verse 13. Matthew 7 verse 13,
Matthew 7:13. "Enter by the narrow gate [is the advise that He gives to us]; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. (NKJ)
That's the road that everyone in this world readily travels.
Verse 14,
Matthew 7:14. "Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. (NKJ)
Going on in verse 15,
Matthew 7:15. "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. (NKJ)
They are among those who make the gate narrower and the way more difficult through their deceptions.
Matthew 7:16. "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17) "Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18) "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. 19) "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20) "Therefore by their fruits you will know them. (NKJ)
So it is possible to recognize those who make the gate more narrow and the way more difficult.
Verse 21,
Matthew 7:21. "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. 22) "Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' 23) "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' (NKJ)
So we see it's not as simple as it seems. There are many distractions, many obstacles, much opposition thrown in our way both from the world around us and from our own nature. So great are those distractions and the opposition that Christ Himself said here,
"Few there be that find it."
Let's turn to Romans 8 and look into this little more deeply. Romans 8 and we'll begin in verse 5.
Romans 8:5. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6) For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. 7) Because the carnal mind is enmity [enemies] against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. (NKJ)
Here again we see great opposition to what we want to do.
Ephesians 6, if you'll turn there, Ephesians 6 and verse 12,
Ephesians 6:12. For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. (NKJ)
And lastly let's turn to Ephesians 2:2. Ephesians 2:2,
Ephesians 2:2. In which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, (NKJ)
So we see that there's great opposition from many sources, spiritual sources outside of our control and from our own human nature that should be within our control.
Turn to Matthew 19 where Christ will provide a spark of hope for us. Matthew 19 verse 23.
Matthew 19:23. Then Jesus said to His disciples,
"Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the
kingdom of heaven. 24) "And again I
say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for
a rich man to enter the
All things! There are
things we cannot do on our own, Brethren, "but with God all things
are possible."
Verse 27,
Matthew 19:27. Then Peter answered and said to Him,
"See, we have left all and followed You.
Therefore what shall we have?"
28) So Jesus said to them, "Assuredly I say to you, that in the
regeneration, when the Son of Man sits on the throne of His glory, you who
have followed Me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes
of
Christ holds out this hope for those who follow Him, who follow Him.
Turn to Matthew 11. Matthew 11 and verse 12,
Matthew 11:12. "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. (NKJ)
You see, Brethren, there's a battle enjoined when we strive
for the
If we look in Matthew 4 and we don't have to go there. We all know that there was an incredible confrontation between Christ and the Adversary in Matthew 4, but we see that Christ Himself suffered violence. And He took His Kingdom by violence, mental, emotional, spiritual, and physical violence and struggle against the cunning, conniving, subtle opposition of the Adversary Satan the devil.
One such example of the things that He did suffer is found in Luke 11, if you'd like to turn there next, where we find Jesus Christ in a confrontation with the scribes and the Pharisees. Luke 11 and we'll begin reading in verse 45.
Luke 11:45. Then one of the lawyers answered and said to Him, "Teacher, by saying these things You reproach us also." (NKJ)
Now these lawyers were the Bible scholars of their day, Bible scholars, excellent and experts in Mosaic Law. And these are Christ's words to them,
Luke 11:46. And He said, "Woe to you also, [you] lawyers! For you load men with burdens hard to bear, and you yourselves do not touch the burdens with one of your fingers. (NKJ)
So they were putting obstacles in the way of people who were striving for a relationship with God.
Verse 47,
Luke 11:47. "Woe to you! For you build the tombs of the prophets, and your fathers killed them. 48) "In fact, you bear witness that you approve the deeds of your fathers; for they indeed killed them, and you build their tombs. 49) "Therefore the wisdom of God also said, 'I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they will kill and persecute,' 50) "That the blood of all the prophets which was shed from the foundation of the world may be required of this generation, 51) "From the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah who perished between the altar and the temple. Yes, I say to you, it shall be required of this generation. (NKJ)
Verse 52,
Luke 11:52. "Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. (NKJ)
Think about that phrase because that phrase is going to be our title for today. "You have taken away the key of knowledge." Christ said that they had taken it away. Just what is this key that He's speaking of here? How did they take it away? What was the effect of them taking it away? How can we gain access to the key of knowledge and avoid the snares that are provided by those who would take the key of knowledge away?
Now think about this!
It would seem that it's an amazingly heavy burden for anyone to lay on a
group of human beings to tell them that they have taken away the key of
knowledge, but Christ did it nonetheless, right here in the Scriptures. He did it in person with these lawyers, these
scribes who were experts in Mosaic Law.
He knew whereof He was speaking.
And we'll see as we go on that these lawyers were guilty of some
grievous sins against God and against God's people. They are among the elite, the leadership in
the Church and the State of ancient
Now I'm going to do something that I seldom do during and that's to read extensively from an outside source. I'd like to read from Matthew Henry's Commentary on this section, and later on, on a section in Matthew 23. Matthew Henry died in 1714. So these are the words of a three hundred year old man who was a Bible scholar in his own time and in his own right and no computers. He was a Bible scholar that studied the Scriptures every day. That's what he did. So let's just take what he says for what it's worth. It seems to ring true to me, but you'll have to make up your own decision.
Speaking about Luke 11 and verse 52,
Luke 11:37-54 PP23
(3.) they are reproved for opposing the gospel of Christ, and doing all they could to obstruct the progress and success of it, v. 52.
[1.] They had not, according to the duty of their place, faithfully expounded to the people those scriptures of the Old Testament which pointed at the Messiah,
(from Matthew Henry's Commentary)
There were Scriptures!
They were experts in the Old Testament Law. There were Scriptures that pointed to the
Messiah as the Messiah came as Jesus Christ was presented to the nation of
Going on in Matthew Henry's Commentary,
Luke 11:37-54 PP23
[1
cont.] which if they had been led into the right understanding of by the
lawyers, they would readily have embraced him and his doctrine: but, instead of that, they had perverted
those texts, and had cast a mist before the eyes of the people, by their
corrupt glosses upon them, and this is called taking away the key of knowledge;
instead of using that key for the people, and helping them to use it aright,
they hid it from them; this is called, in Matthew [which we'll read shortly],
shutting up the kingdom of heaven against men, <Mt.
[2.] they themselves did not embrace the gospel of Christ, though by their acquaintance with the Old Testament they could not but know that the time was fulfilled, and the kingdom of God was at hand; they saw the prophecies accomplished in that kingdom which our Lord Jesus was about to set up, and yet would not themselves enter into it. Nay,
[3.] Them that without any guidance or assistance of theirs were entering in they did all they could to hinder and discourage, by threatening to cast them out of the synagogue, and otherwise terrifying them.
(from Matthew Henry's Commentary)
Now that's a pretty heavy burden for those people to have to bear, but that's what Christ laid upon them.
Repeating verse 52,
Luke 11:52. "Woe to you lawyers! For you have taken away the key of knowledge. You did not enter in yourselves, and those who were entering in you hindered." 53) And as He said these things to them, the scribes and the Pharisees began to assail Him vehemently, and to cross-examine Him about many things, 54) lying in wait for Him, and seeking to catch Him in something He might say, that they might accuse Him. (NKJ)
So they didn't take their correction very well. Did they?
Let's turn back to Matthew 23 now. Matthew 23 and we'll look at that verse, verse 13. Christ says to them,
Matthew 23:13. "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. (NKJ)
That's leadership!
Imagine that! They were being
spoken to by the One sent, the One who was sent here to open the way. And what does a key do? A key is designed to open a way, to open a
door. It gives entrance to those who
desire to enter in to the
I'd like to read from Matthew Henry's Commentary on
this section now. And this is rather
lengthy. So please bear with me. Matthew 23:13,
Matthew 23:13-33
I. They were sworn enemies to the gospel of Christ, and consequently to the salvation of the souls of men (v. 13); They shut up the kingdom of heaven against men, that is, they did all they could to keep people from believing in Christ, and so entering into his kingdom. Christ came to open the kingdom of heaven, that is, to lay open for us a new and living way into it, to bring men to be subjects of that kingdom. Now the scribes and Pharisees, who sat in Moses's seat, and pretended to the key of knowledge, ought to have contributed their assistance herein, by opening those scriptures of the Old Testament which pointed at the Messiah and his kingdom, in their true and proper sense; they that undertook to expound Moses and the prophets should have showed the people how they testified of Christ; that Daniel's weeks were expiring, the sceptre was departed from Judah, and therefore now was the time for the Messiah's appearing. Thus they might have facilitated that great work, and have helped thousands to [salvation]; but, instead of this, they shut up the kingdom of heaven; they made it their business to press the ceremonial law, which was now in the vanishing, to suppress the prophecies, which were now in the accomplishing, and to beget and nourish up in the minds of the people prejudices against Christ and his doctrine.
1. They would not go in themselves; Have any of the rulers, or of the Pharisees, believed on him? <Jn. 7:48>. No; they were to proud to stoop to his meanness, too formal to be reconciled to his plainness;
(from Matthew Henry's Commentary)
Remember Isaiah 53? "He had no form or comeliness that we should desire Him."
Matthew 23:13-33
1 cont. they did not like a religion which insisted so much on humility, self-denial, contempt of the world, and spiritual worship. Repentance was the door of admission into this kingdom, and nothing could be more disagreeable to the Pharisees, who justified and admired themselves, than to repent, that is, to accuse and abase and abhor themselves; therefore they went not in themselves; but that was not all.
(from Matthew Henry's Commentary)
You see they had their own little society of social snobbism set up. Their own little religion set up. And when Christ came, it was the exact opposite of what they had in mind.
Going on,
Matthew 23:13-33
2.
They would not suffer them that were entering to go in. It is bad to keep away from Christ ourselves,
but it is worse to keep others from him; yet that is commonly the way of
hypocrites [which is called "the leaven of the Pharisees—hypocrisy]; they
do not love that any should go beyond them in religion, or be better than
they. Their not going in themselves was
a hindrance to many; for, they having so great an interest in the people,
multitudes rejected the gospel only because their leaders did; but, besides
that, they opposed both Christ's entertaining of sinners <Lu. 7:39>, and
sinners' entertaining of Christ; they perverted his doctrine, confronted his
miracles, quarrelled with his disciples, and represented him, and [the]
institutes and economy [of Him], to the people in the most disingenuous,
disadvantageous manner imaginable; they thundered out their excommunications
against those that confessed him, and used all their wit and power to serve
their malice against him; and thus they shut up the kingdom of heaven, so that
they who would enter into it must suffer violence <Mt 11:12> [We just
talked about that in Matthew 11], and press into it <Lu.
(from Matthew Henry's Commentary)
I don't know what your reaction is to those words, Brethren, but three hundred years ago those things were written about the Scriptures that we read today. And, I might add, Scriptures that I feel the same way about, because I've seen men in our modern society trying to do the same thing.
Let's read on for a little bit in Matthew 23. Verse 14,
Matthew 23:14. "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you devour widows' houses, (NKJ)
They were in it for profit!
Matthew 23:14b. and for a pretense make long prayers. Therefore you will receive greater condemnation. 15) "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves. (NKJ)
What a legacy for the leaders of the Church of that day!
Turn to Revelation 1 and verse 5.
Revelation 1:5. And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth. To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, (NKJ)
The faithful Witness!
How do we take that phrase? He
was the faithful Witness. He bore witness
against the leaders of the nation and
Let's go over to verse 17 and 18, Revelation 1.
Revelation 1:18. "I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. (NKJ)
You see, Brethren, He's the one who has the keys. He's the one who is the key.
Revelation 1:18b. I have the keys of Hades and of Death. 19) "Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this. (NKJ)
Brethren, in every age, every nation, and every society, there are people out there who covet positions of power and of authority. They want to lead the way for all of those whom they consider to be "their inferiors." What they don't seem to realize in the midst of all this lust for power is that there is a great responsibility that comes along with any leadership role.
Let's turn to Matthew 18 and verse 1.
Matthew 18:1. At that time the disciples came to Jesus, saying, "Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" (NKJ)
That is such a part of human nature to worry about
greatness. Who's going to be the
greatest? Who's the greatest in the
Matthew 18:2. Then Jesus called a little child to Him, set him in the midst of them, 3) and said, "Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. 4) "Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5) "Whoever receives one little child like this in My name receives Me. (NKJ)
Quite a bit different from the boisterous braggartism of the Pharisees and scribes wanting to be the greatest instead of humbling themselves as a little child!
Going on verse 6,
Matthew 18:6. "But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, (NKJ)
Notice that!
Matthew 18:6b. one of these little ones who believe in Me to sin, it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were drowned in the depth of the sea. 7) "Woe to the world because of offenses! For offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes! (NKJ)
Those who offend "one of the little ones who believe in Me," He said. The Key of knowledge! This is something God gets very upset about, Brethren. A person would be much better off doing nothing at all with his life than to do what these lawyers and Pharisees were trying to do in opposition to Christ's ministry. When you assume a teaching role in the Church, your job is to lead others to the Key of knowledge. There are no substitutions for that Key. There should be no obstacles thrown in the way of that key. And no one should ever try to supplant that Key.
In John 14 and verse 6, let's turn there. The Messiah, Jesus the Christ lays it right on the line for us just who He is as the Key to knowledge.
John 14:6. Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. (NKJ)
"Through Me! I am the way, the truth, and the life." He is the Key through which we can enjoy a relationship with the Father, our God in heaven.
Let's turn to 1 John 2. 1 John 2 and we'll begin reading in verse 18.
I John 2:18. Little children, it is the last hour; and as you have heard that the Antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come, by which we know that it is the last hour. 19) They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us. 20) But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things. 21) I have not written to you because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. (NKJ)
Notice verse 22.
I John 2:22. Who is a liar but he who denies that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist who denies the Father and the Son. 23) Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father either; he who acknowledges the Son has the Father also. (NKJ)
What does a man have to do to be an antichrist today? Just what the lawyers did in Christ' day: attempt to take away the Key of knowledge.
Turn to John 10. John 10 and we'll begin reading in verse 1 and notice the opposition here.
John 10:1. "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. 2) "But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3) "To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4) "And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5) "Yet they will by no means follow a stranger, but will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers." 6) Jesus used this illustration, but they did not understand the things which He spoke to them. 7) Then Jesus said to them again, "Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. (NKJ)
What does a door do?
A door gives entrance, access. He
said, "I am the door of the sheep."
Matthew Henry said, "Luke 11 was talking about Jesus Christ as the Key
of knowledge." A key gives
entrance. A door gives entrance.
John 10:8. "All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. (NKJ)
So there is a certain category of sheep that will not hear a thief and a robber, but they will hear Jesus Christ and they will enter through the door.
Verse 9,
John 10:9. "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10) "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (NKJ)
This is the One sent, the One who was sent to open the way
to the
Verse 11,
John 10:11. "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. 12) "But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. 13) "The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. 14) "I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own. (NKJ)
So the key to having this key of knowledge is to know Jesus Christ, to have a personal relationship with Him. "I am the door," He said. "I am the Shepherd."
John 14:6.
John 14:6b. "I am the way, [I am] the truth, [I am] the life. No [man can come] to the Father except through Me. (NKJ)
Turn to Matthew 24. We've been through this before and quite a few times, but Matthew 24 and verse 3.
Matthew 24:3. Now as He sat on the
Teaching, deceiving false concepts about Christ, about who and what He is and misrepresenting Him!
Turn over to verse 21.
Matthew 24:21. "For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. 22) "And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened. 23) "Then if anyone says to you, 'Look, here is the Christ!' or 'There!' do not believe it. 24) "For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders [so as] to deceive, if possible, even the elect. 25) "See, I have told you beforehand. 26) "Therefore if they say to you, 'Look, He is in the desert!' do not go out; or 'Look, He is in the inner rooms!' do not believe it. 27) "For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. 28)"For wherever the carcass is, there the eagles will be gathered together. (NKJ)
Right down to the end of the age, there is going to be a mentality among leaders of nation and church who misrepresent Jesus Christ to say that He's something He is not, to say that He's somewhere where He is not. That He's doing something that He is not.
Turn to Hosea 4 and verse 1,
Hosea 4:1. Hear the word of the Lord, you children of
Lack of knowledge!
Hosea 4:6b. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priests for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. (NKJ)
As we look around us at the society at large, we see many
outspoken elites today—even in the Halls of Congress—expressing open hatred for
Jesus Christ, passing laws to forbid the use of His name in public
prayers. We see politicians, actors, and
actresses misrepresenting and abusing the name of Jesus Christ in modern day
Turn to 1 Corinthians 3 and verse 18.
1 Corinthians 3:18. Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. 19) For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their own craftiness"; 20) and again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile." 21) Therefore let no one [glory] in men. For all things are yours: (NKJ)
These wonderful great politicians and actresses and actors that insult the name of our Savior openly and brazenly! The wise of this world are just plain ignorant in the eyes of God.
Turn to 2 Peter. 2 Peter 2 and we'll begin in verse 18.
2 Peter 2:18. For when they speak great swelling words of emptiness, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through [licentiousness], the ones who have actually escaped from those who live in error. 19) While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. 20) For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world (NKJ)
And listen to this!
2 Peter 2:20b. through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. 21) For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. (NKJ)
Turn to Revelation 3 now, Revelation 3 and verse 7, message
to the
Revelation 3:7. "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, 'These things says He who is holy, He who is true, "He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens": (NKJ)
That's the One that we look to. He shuts and no one opens. He opens and no one shuts. And He can open our minds to exactly what we need to know in these end times.
Turn to 1 Timothy 2 and verse 1, 1 Timothy 2 and verse 1.
1 Timothy 2:1. Therefore I exhort first of all that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, 2) for kings and all who are in authority, that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. 3) For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, (NKJ)
And it is right, Brethren, to pray for the leaders of the nations that they may gain a little bit of sanity for our sake, but we can't depend on that.
1 Timothy 2:3. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, [Notice this!] 4) Who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (NKJ)
He wants all of us to have the key that was taken away. God the Father wants that for us, Brethren.
Let's turn to Ephesians 4, Ephesians 4 and verse 7.
Ephesians 4:7. But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. 8) Therefore He says: "When He ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave gifts to men." 9) (Now this, "He ascended"—what does it mean but that He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth? 10) He who descended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He might fill all things.) (NKJ)
"That He might fill all things!
Ephesians 4:11. And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, (NKJ)
So He could dispense knowledge to them. This is the Key of knowledge dispensing gifts and giving and imparting knowledge to human beings for a purpose.
Verse 12,
Ephesians 4:12. For the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13) Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; (NKJ)
What the opposition is trying to take away, God is giving freely through the knowledge of the Son of God, the Key of knowledge that the scribes and Pharisees were trying to suppress as satanic sources have been trying to suppress that throughout the age.
Turn to 2 Peter 3:18, start reading in verse 17.
2 Peter 3:17. You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand, beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness, being led away with the error of the wicked; 18) But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory both now and forever. Amen. (NKJ)
Brethren, as we go through the times ahead of us, we need to
be able to recognize the true knowledge of God and the Key to the true
knowledge of God and hang on to it for dear life! And we'll all be able to enter the
Transcribed by kb