Clergy/Leaders’ Mail-list No. 1-099 (Theology)

Living Words of the New Testament, by Rev Dr Leon Morris

THANKSGIVING

Thanksgiving is very important in the New Testament; the verb ‘to give thanks’ occurs thirty-eight times and the noun ‘thanksgiving’ another fifteen times. Clearly those who wrote our sacred books thought that it is very important to give thanks.

Sometimes there is the thought of thanks for religious blessings. Thus we find that when Jesus began the service of Holy Communion he gave thanks for the bread and the wine (Matt. 26:27; Luke 22:17,19). Paul gave thanks for religious blessing (Rom. 7:25; for what blessing did he thank God?). What religious blessings do you have for which you should give God thanks?

But we should also be thankful for blessings concerning the things of this life. Jesus gave thanks before a meal (Matt. 15:36). And when he healed ten men who had leprosy and only one came back to thank him, Jesus asked where the others were (look up Luke 17:15- 18). He expected people to be thankful for good things. Paul spoke of some foolish people who among other things did not give thanks to God (see Rom. 1:21). He himself was ready to see God’s hand in all sorts of happenings and he thanked God when he came to Rome as a prisoner and some Christians met him (Acts 28:15).

We should beware of thanks that are not real, like the hypocritical man in the parable who thanked God he was not like other men (Luke 18:11). But if we are sincere we can find all sorts of things to give thanks for. When Paul was writing letters to churches he often began with thanks to God (Rom. 1:8; 1 Cor. 1:4). How many such thanksgivings can you find near the beginning of Paul’s letters? And look at the way thanks can always be given (Eph. 1:16; 5:20; Col. 3:17. 1 Thess. 1:2; 2:13; 5:18; 2 Thess. 1:3; 2:13). Even troubles can teach good lessons and we thank God for this.

What are some of the things for which you should have given thanks lately? Have you done so? Now is a good time for it.

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Rev Dr Leon Morris is an internationally recognised New Testament scholar, theologian and author, from Melbourne Australia.

This feature series of ‘Living Words of the New Testament’ appeared in ‘Daily Notes’, published by Scripture Union.