Jesus is the Touchstone:
Luke 16:23 And in Hades he lifts up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
1) Hades is defined as "The Grave"
2) Torment is defined as "The Touchstone"
The Rich Man dies and is in torment. Is the torment a literal painful experience? It seems to be in the parable. However, this is a parable, so what can this torment mean? Torments is the Greek word basanos {bas’-an-os}. Basanos has a meaning that is unfamiliar to most. It actually means touchstone. The Greek dictionary defines basanos as: to test (metals) by the touchstone, which is a black siliceous stone used to test the purity of gold or silver by the colour of the streak produced on it by rubbing it with either metal or even to question by applying torture.
A touchstone is used in an assayer’s office. It is used to determine if a rock is either gold or fools gold. The rock is struck on the touchstone, If it makes a mark, it is gold. If it does not, then it is fools gold. In other words, the touchstone proves whether something is true or false.
If one was to study the root of this word torment, they would discover that it came into use in the 1300s. During the times of the Bastille, it came to be defined as the inflicting of pain. As when one was tormented by the rack and other punishments. If one was innocent, they could die. Generally because the tormentor could not get a confession out of the individual. Their back might break, but at least they were proved innocent. That is where, this word gets the mean inflicting pain. The rack was the touchstone.
In scripture, a touchstone proves the validity of God. The Jewish religious leaders had the touchstone applied to them and there was no mark. They did not believe, so they were pictured in torment. Touchstone, the religious leaders did not leave the mark of Messiah.
Jesus does not torture us, but does test us.
1 Thessalonians 2:4 NKJV
But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.
Matthew 3:11-12 NKJV
Jesus will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. [12] His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
Mark 9:49 NKJV
"For everyone will be seasoned with fire.
James 1:2-3 NKJV
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, [3] knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
1 Corinthians 3:11 NKJV
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the Cornerstone.
1 Peter 1:7-9 NKJV
That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, [8] whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, [9] receiving the end of your faith-the salvation of your souls.
Another perspective on Jesus as our Touchstone:
Mark 9:8 NKJV
Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.
Jesus, our Touchstone.
We are living in an increasingly difficult and complex world. Sometimes it is difficult to know how we should frame our relationships with people. The way to get our relationships with people right is to see Jesus clearly because that puts everything else in perspective.
In Mark 9, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John to a high mountain by themselves where He is transfigured before them. In verse 4 it says, “And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.” This was amazing! They saw Jesus in a way they had never seen Him before. They also saw two figures who were just as historical to them and they are to us.
The disciples were startled by all this, and whenever Peter was at a lack of words, he opened his mouth. Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah". Not knowing what to say did not keep Peter from saying it.
Peter profoundly misunderstood and mischaracterized Jesus. Jesus isn’t just one of many. He is singular, the only begotten Son of God. Verse 7 says, “And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.” Verse 8 defines the entire story, “And suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no man any more, but only Jesus with themselves.”
They got a perspective of Jesus that helped clarify their perspective of other people. Jesus is our touchstone, our standard, by which we judge our relationship to all others.
Jesus is the touchstone that keeps us from worshipping others or dismissing them as inferior. It is so easy to be so taken with people we consider great that we nearly worship them. We give them a place that belongs only to the Lord Jesus. On the other hand, it is easy to dismiss people if we think they are not up to our standard, inferior to us, or not a benefit to us.
The Bible tells us that when we serve others, we serve Him. Our estimation of others needs to be defined by our relationship to the Lord Jesus. When you see Jesus clearly, you will see everyone else as you should, neither worshipping them nor dismissing them.
Clouds-of-heaven.com
Luke 16:23 And in Hades he lifts up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.
1) Hades is defined as "The Grave"
2) Torment is defined as "The Touchstone"
The Rich Man dies and is in torment. Is the torment a literal painful experience? It seems to be in the parable. However, this is a parable, so what can this torment mean? Torments is the Greek word basanos {bas’-an-os}. Basanos has a meaning that is unfamiliar to most. It actually means touchstone. The Greek dictionary defines basanos as: to test (metals) by the touchstone, which is a black siliceous stone used to test the purity of gold or silver by the colour of the streak produced on it by rubbing it with either metal or even to question by applying torture.
A touchstone is used in an assayer’s office. It is used to determine if a rock is either gold or fools gold. The rock is struck on the touchstone, If it makes a mark, it is gold. If it does not, then it is fools gold. In other words, the touchstone proves whether something is true or false.
If one was to study the root of this word torment, they would discover that it came into use in the 1300s. During the times of the Bastille, it came to be defined as the inflicting of pain. As when one was tormented by the rack and other punishments. If one was innocent, they could die. Generally because the tormentor could not get a confession out of the individual. Their back might break, but at least they were proved innocent. That is where, this word gets the mean inflicting pain. The rack was the touchstone.
In scripture, a touchstone proves the validity of God. The Jewish religious leaders had the touchstone applied to them and there was no mark. They did not believe, so they were pictured in torment. Touchstone, the religious leaders did not leave the mark of Messiah.
Jesus does not torture us, but does test us.
1 Thessalonians 2:4 NKJV
But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts.
Matthew 3:11-12 NKJV
Jesus will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. [12] His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
Mark 9:49 NKJV
"For everyone will be seasoned with fire.
James 1:2-3 NKJV
My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, [3] knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
1 Corinthians 3:11 NKJV
For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Jesus is the Cornerstone.
1 Peter 1:7-9 NKJV
That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, [8] whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, [9] receiving the end of your faith-the salvation of your souls.
Another perspective on Jesus as our Touchstone:
Mark 9:8 NKJV
Suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no one anymore, but only Jesus with themselves.
Jesus, our Touchstone.
We are living in an increasingly difficult and complex world. Sometimes it is difficult to know how we should frame our relationships with people. The way to get our relationships with people right is to see Jesus clearly because that puts everything else in perspective.
In Mark 9, Jesus takes Peter, James, and John to a high mountain by themselves where He is transfigured before them. In verse 4 it says, “And there appeared unto them Elias with Moses: and they were talking with Jesus.” This was amazing! They saw Jesus in a way they had never seen Him before. They also saw two figures who were just as historical to them and they are to us.
The disciples were startled by all this, and whenever Peter was at a lack of words, he opened his mouth. Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah". Not knowing what to say did not keep Peter from saying it.
Peter profoundly misunderstood and mischaracterized Jesus. Jesus isn’t just one of many. He is singular, the only begotten Son of God. Verse 7 says, “And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.” Verse 8 defines the entire story, “And suddenly, when they had looked around, they saw no man any more, but only Jesus with themselves.”
They got a perspective of Jesus that helped clarify their perspective of other people. Jesus is our touchstone, our standard, by which we judge our relationship to all others.
Jesus is the touchstone that keeps us from worshipping others or dismissing them as inferior. It is so easy to be so taken with people we consider great that we nearly worship them. We give them a place that belongs only to the Lord Jesus. On the other hand, it is easy to dismiss people if we think they are not up to our standard, inferior to us, or not a benefit to us.
The Bible tells us that when we serve others, we serve Him. Our estimation of others needs to be defined by our relationship to the Lord Jesus. When you see Jesus clearly, you will see everyone else as you should, neither worshipping them nor dismissing them.
Clouds-of-heaven.com
