REPROOF AND REBUKE – SIMILARITIES & DIFFERENCES [MONDAY MANNA 167]

Dear saints,

In our modern day religious system we seem to have two extremes along the continuum of life. At one end is the ishy squishy mud-between-the-toes anything goes crowd which thinks it unkind, not nice, and a sin to say anything negative. At the other end is the mean-spirited group that seem to practice being pugnacious and stonewalling and make it a point to put down everyone since exhortation to build up the body of Christ is foreign to their habitual and chosen manner of living.

But what says the Word of God?

Instinctively in our spirit, we know that reproof and rebuke is needed in life. From early childhood until we go home to be with the Lord Jesus and Father God, those two doctrines need to be central all our days. The Scripture confirms it.

This is the method used to help us stay on or return to the holy course of action.

Here are a few facts we can glean from the Holy Bible on their similarities.

1. Reproof and rebuke is a command for everyone in the body of Christ.
2. Everyone is subject to reproof and rebuke.
3. This good work helps preserve the unity and holiness of the body.
4. Jesus rebuked most often, but also reproved.
5. Jesus also rebuked demons, sickness, and storms.
6. People in great sin will reject your reproof and rebuke and you personally.
7. Every Christian must be reproved to be fully equipped, no exceptions.

At the 30,000 foot view we can safely say that the broad brush main difference is that reproof is gentler, and is to correct and convince whereby rebuke is a censure, a disapproval of the person’s actions, and at times the person themselves.

Let’s take a brief look at the underlying words and uses. Most of us are familiar with the main passage from the apostle Paul to his beloved son in the faith Timothy. Here he concisely unfolds the role of holy writ, also including reproof:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.

Here reproof means to correct, to convince. The main Greek Word used is elegmos.

The verb form of that Greek Word, elegcho, renders several English words, although here we will just look at the word reprove. But you can get a keen sense by carefully scrutinizing the other English words like conviction, exposed, reprimand, show fault.

elegchô: verb, to expose, convict, reprove: convict (2), convicted (2), convicts (1), expose (1), exposed (2), rebuke (1), refute (1), reprimanded (1), reprove (4), reproved (1), show…fault (1).

2 Timothy 4:2 …preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.

Titus 1:13 This testimony is true. For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith,

Titus 2:15 These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you.

Revelation 3:19 ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline; therefore be zealous and repent.

We then turn to rebuke, the much stronger of the two terms. It denotes censure, or the expression of formal disapproval, of denunciation. Following the example of Jesus, we can see that at times we skip the reproof stage and go right to rebuke as He did with the dangerous stumbling ways of the false religious leaders.

We then also see that in the end times, since the writing of this passage below by Paul, that we’re all as believers in Christ to participate in this type of preaching of the Word, although many will just not heed us:

2 Timothy 4:1-5 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke (epitimao), exhort, with great patience and instruction.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths.

But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.

The rebuke also has the element of punishment, or penalty. It’s that serious, for the danger is real and the person is already in deep trouble. They most likely have ignored the earlier reproof by a loving party whether it be a concerned individual or God Himself.

Here we see Paul’s response to the Corinthians when they rightly followed his admonition in his first letter to them and subsequently turned the sinful man over to Satan to destroy the flesh to save his soul.

2 Corinthians 2:6 …sufficient for such a one is this punishment (epitimia) which was inflicted by the majority…

This form of disciplinary action, the punishment or penalty if you will, is part of overall admonishment, which also can be defined as shaping the will with warning. This is the only way we can be perfectly mature. So states the Scripture.

Colossians 1:28-29 We proclaim Him (Christ), admonishing (noutheteô) every man and teaching every man with all wisdom, so that we may present every man complete in Christ. For this purpose also I labor, striving according to His power, which mightily works within me.

An extremely interesting fact of rebuke (epitimao) is that in the Mideast this is a form of honor, i.e. a Greek word for honor is timao. And the full Greek word here also adds the prefix epi which adds maximum intensity. In other words, you lovingly honor the person by employing a rebuke against something in their life when they are willfully approaching or in terrible danger.

This verb form here below, epitimaô, means to honor, to mete out due measure, hence to censure: renders several English words rebuke (6), rebuked (13), rebuking (3), sternly telling (2), sternly told (1), warned (5).

A sample of the passages using this particular Greek word, an honoring rebuke:

Matthew 8:26 He said to them, “Why are you afraid, you men of little faith?” Then He got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and it became perfectly calm.

Matthew 12:16 …and warned them not to tell who He was.

Matthew 16:20 Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.

Matthew 17:18 And Jesus rebuked him, and the demon came out of him, and the boy was cured at once.

Matthew 19:13 Then some children were brought to Him so that He might lay His hands on them and pray; and the disciples rebuked them.

Matthew 20:31 The crowd sternly told them to be quiet, but they cried out all the more, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!”

Mark 1:25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet, and come out of him!”

Mark 3:12 And He earnestly warned them not to tell who He was.

Mark 8:32 And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him.

Mark 8:33 But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.”

Mark 9:25 When Jesus saw that a crowd was rapidly gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, “You deaf and mute spirit, I command you, come out of him and do not enter him again.”

Mark 10:13 And they were bringing children to Him so that He might touch them; but the disciples rebuked them.

Luke 4:35 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet and come out of him!” And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst of the people, he came out of him without doing him any harm.

Luke 4:39 And standing over her, He rebuked the fever, and it left her; and she immediately got up and waited on them.

Luke 4:41 Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, “You are the Son of God!” But rebuking them, He would not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ.

Luke 8:24 They came to Jesus and woke Him up, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!” And He got up and rebuked the wind and the surging waves, and they stopped, and it became calm.

Luke 9:21 But He warned them and instructed them not to tell this to anyone,

Luke 9:42 While he was still approaching, the demon slammed him to the ground and threw him into a convulsion. But Jesus rebuked the unclean spirit, and healed the boy and gave him back to his father.

Luke 9:55 But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of;

Luke 17:3 “Be on your guard! If your brother sins, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him.

Luke 18:15 And they were bringing even their babies to Him so that He would touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they began rebuking them.

Luke 18:39 Those who led the way were sternly telling him to be quiet; but he kept crying out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!”

Luke 19:39 Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Him, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”

Luke 23:40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?

2 Timothy 4:2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.

Jude 1:9 But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

This is a convincing report of the necessity of reproof and rebuke, is it not?

Now, there is a limit to all this. And that limit is reached quickly. In years past, I used to plead and exhort and rebuke a person over and over and over until it actually began to endanger my physical health with the emotional catharsis of it all.

Titus 3:10-11 Reject a factious man after a first and second warning, knowing that such a man is perverted and is sinning, being self-condemned.

Luke 10:10-12 “But whatever city you enter and they do not receive you, go out into its streets and say, ‘Even the dust of your city which clings to our feet we wipe off in protest against you; yet be sure of this, that the kingdom of God has come near.’ I (Jesus) say to you, it will be more tolerable in that day for Sodom than for that city…”

But then I began to actually obey what I already knew. The disobedient saints or tares get one or two warnings only as the Scripture commands. Then I shake the dust off my feet. In some cases, the Holy Spirit tells me not even to do that for the person is a dog, or pig, and they will turn on me if I give them what is holy, the pearls of wisdom from God. Like you, I can’t even count the number of times that people in the body have turned to rend me over the last thirty years after a wise reproof or rebuke.

Matthew 7:6 “Do not give what is holy to dogs, and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces…”

Do you really love God and His people? Enough to put yourself in harm’s way to help them on to perfectly mature Christian living? In our days of rampant arrogant, irreconcilable stonewalling, we may certainly be annihilated at times like the Pharisees did to Jesus. Or Stephen. Or Peter.

But nothing is too great for Him who died, rose again, and lives in us.

Nothing.

And for us too as little Christ’s walking in all ways as He walked so as to bring Him pleasure.

Amen.

Please comment on this post right below. Feel free to write and proclaim your leadings in the Spirit in an honorable fashion.

Your friend and brother in fighting the good fight,

Marc

+++

Saints, we’re one day closer to Home, and Him! Love Him wholeheartedly!

Marc and Walk Worthy are supported in part by the body of Jesus Christ. Please consider donating on a regular basis:

www.WalkWorthy.org/donate

You may view our Archives here: MONDAY MANNA – ARCHIVES; Complete Archives. May our Father richly bless you with His grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord, in order to walk worthy of His name.

Please comment on this post right below. Feel free to write and proclaim your leadings in the Spirit in an honorable fashion.

Marc White, Director, Walk Worthy Ministries, www.WalkWorthy.org