Jesus says, that the life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment (Luke 12:23).
There are two things that are talked about in this verse, first one is life and the second one is body. It is said that life is more than meat (or food) and that the body is more than raiment (or clothes).
So there are two questions that are to be probed here…
- What is more than meat?
- What is more than raiment?
But before attempting to answer these questions, let us first talk about what meat is for life and what raiment is for body. We all know that food is necessary for sustenance of life and likewise raiment is needed to cover up our nakedness. Both are basic necessities for humans.
Here it is imperitive to emphasise that though food is necessary for sustenance of life, it is a well-known fact that food cannot guarantee continuance of life. No matter how good food one may have throughout his life, one day his life will surely cease or simply put; death is inevitable.
Likewise it is beyond debate that no matter how sumptuously one may array himself in sophisticated fabrics, they sure will be soiled within a day just like the body itself. We need to wash our bodies every while or else we will start to stink.
So both food and clothes are only temporary solutions to perennial issues. That is why Jesus has come up with permanent solutions to these basic necessities of mankind. Now let us examine the above two questions.
- What is more than meat? Jesus Christ or the Word of God (Matt 4:4). Jesus says in John 6:51, I am the living bread which came down from heaven; if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. So the Word of God is more than meat.
- What is more than raiment? Righteousness of God is given as white robes t0 the Church- believers (Rev 7:9). It was shown to Apostle John, ‘… to her (Church) was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white; for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints (Revelation 19:8).
Conclusion: If we only rely on the natural food of the world system and feed our minds with its information, and try to cover up our unrighteousness with the self-righteous raiment, ignoring the day of Judgement, our puffed up knowledge and unrighteous ways will lay bare before Him and draw the fury of God on the day of Vengeance of the Lord.
It is only when we nourish ourselves with the ‘Word of God’ that we can have everlasting life. Jesus (the Word of God) is the bread of life (John 6:48), that a man may eat thereof and not die (John 6:50). It is only the robes of righteousness given to us believers that can cover up the nakedness of our sins before the throne of Judgement that we may be spared to enter the Glorious Eternity with Him.
Amen.
Comments are closed