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of the faith, and the perfect man. "Examine yourselves", said the apostle. Are we carried
about by every wind of doctrine? Do we not know many who seem to have a new
doctrine every time we meet them? Such are infants, for such the mystery remains a
"mystery".
This "wind of doctrine" blows not by chance. Just as surely as the purpose of God
moves towards the goal, the pleroma, so Satan is ever seeking his own travesty of truth.
The winds of doctrine that bring such confusion are part of a tremendous system of
wickedness. Men may throw the loaded dice, but the wiles are the wiles of the Devil.
"The sleight of men" is kubeia, "to play at dice", and so "to cheat". "Cunning craftiness"
is en panourgia:--
"He perceived their craftiness, and said unto them, Why tempt ye Me?" (Luke 20: 23).
Here is the first occurrence of the word, and the context should be studied as a
warning and a lesson. Notice how the craftiness is veiled:--
"And they sent forth spies, which should feign themselves just men, that they might
take hold of His words, that so they might deliver Him unto the power and authority of
the Governor . . . . . Master, we know that Thou sayest and teachest rightly, neither
acceptest Thou the person of any man, but teachest the way of God truly. Is it lawful for
us to give tribute unto Caesar, or no?" (Luke 20: 20-22).
It was a deeply-laid plot. The way in which they had been caught on the horns of a
dilemma in the matter of John the Baptist rankled, and at last the Chief Priests and
Scribes thought to use His own weapon against the Lord Himself. They would make
Him impale Himself upon the horns of a dilemma, for see, if He said "Yes", His
reputation as a leader and deliverer, to say nothing of His claim to be the Messiah, would
be shattered, for how could the Deliverer of Israel teach them to pay tribute to the Pagan?
If He should say "No", they would immediately charge Him before the Roman Governor
as a stirrer up of sedition. They evidently expected "No" for an answer, for they sent the
spies "that so they might deliver Him unto the power and authority of the governor".
They reckoned however without the Lord. He takes the wise in their own craftiness.
What was His reply?
"Shew Me a penny. Whose image and superscription hath it? Render therefore to
Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and unto God the things that are God's. And they
could not take hold of His words before the people, and they marveled at His answer, and
held their peace" (Luke 20: 24-26).
We must be on our guard against those who feign themselves "just men", who
profess to agree with the Word of truth, who flatter us that we are not partial or
hold men's persons in respect. The parallels and the contrast to "craftiness" are given in
II Cor. 4: 2:--
"We have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor
handling the Word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending
ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God."