Depart From Me / Return To Me – Brad Jersak

Bradley Jersak with Robert Hinds –

I recently received an email from a fellow by name of Robert Hinds. He had done a little digging into the background of Jesus’ jarring words from Matthew 7:23, “Depart from me…” His insights were so helpful that I thought I’d share them here, with all due credit to him.

“Depart from Me” in Context – Matthew 7

I think it’s important to read these words in context, so let’s start by citing the section in which they are embedded. The words of Jesus in Matthew 7:15-27, part of his Sermon on the Mount (emphasis mine):

¹⁵ “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. ¹⁶ You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns or figs from thistles? ¹⁷ In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. ¹⁸ A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. ¹⁹ Every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. ²⁰ Thus you will know them by their fruits.

²¹ “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven. ²² On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ ²³ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me [depart from me], you who behave lawlessly.’

²⁴ “Everyone, then, who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. ²⁵ The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall because it had been founded on rock. ²⁶ And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. ²⁷ The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!”

Who Will Be Told to Depart

Stern words, indeed. Even ominous. Meant to rattle. And taken seriously, can be discouraging to believers. That’s an important point: these are not warnings to those outside the camp. They are addressed to Jesus-followers.

Then again, the warnings are not direct threats to Jesus’ disciples. They are a heads-up about false prophets, ravenous wolves, bad trees—those who claim Jesus as Lord but in practice, are opposed to the Jesus Way. Jesus cautions his listeners away from listening to or following their example. The consequences mentioned here include:

• bad trees will be cut down and thrown into the fire
• they will not enter the kingdom of heaven
• they will be told to depart from the Lord’s presence
• the floods that come will knock down their house

Can we agree that these are dire warnings, not to be dismissed as empty rhetoric? Whatever Jesus is up to, those who listen are meant to beware and be aware, examining themselves and those whose words they absorb. At least the criteria is clear: we measure against the standard of Jesus’ words in this sermon (so, at the least, Matthew 5-7 warrants regular and rigorous review).

But Robert Hinds took me further. He asks us to consider:

• Is he talking about eternal torment?
• Is he citing his Scriptures? Which ones?
• Is there a biblical backstory that might inform our reading of Jesus?

Depart and Return in Psalm 6

Robert says, “What most people overlook is that in verse 23, Jesus is quoting a messianic Psalm [Jesus IS ‘the chief musician’ or ‘telos’ (LXX) in the superscription]. Then Psalm 6:8 uses these same words, “Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity.”

But the Psalmist (prefiguring Christ’s Passion) does not stop there. He continues,

⁸ Depart from me, all you workers of iniquity;
For the Lord has heard the voice of my weeping.
⁹ The Lord has heard my supplication;
The Lord will receive my prayer.
¹⁰ Let all my enemies be ashamed and greatly troubled;
Let them turn back [return] and be ashamed.

Seeing this, Robert sees how a Christian reading of the Psalm may discern of fascinating double meaning. See how verses 8-10 are bracketed by the phrases “Depart from me” and “Let them turn back”? The word, ‘turn back’ [Hebrew – yāšūbū / LXX – apostrepho] can be translated either ‘turn back’ or ‘return.’ Is the Psalmist simply repeating himself, as if depart and turn back both mean ‘go away’? OR, should we see the Psalmist envisioning a reversal where the text begins with depart [‘go away’] but then calls them to return [‘come back’].

Depart and Return in the Joseph Story

Robert Hinds then asks, “Is there any passage in the Old Testament recalls this reversal—where God’s people are told to ‘depart’ then invited to ‘return’? In fact, yes there is. Remember the story of Joseph [a type of Christ] and his brothers [the founding tribes]? Having long abandoned Joseph and assuming he is dead, Israel’s sons come to Egypt to buy grain. As the story plays out, Joseph puts most of them in prison for three days [!], then sends them away.

Robert asks,

“Is this forever? Not at all. He makes a way for the brothers to return. And then Joseph reveals himself. Now comes my favorite line in the entire book of Genesis (45:4-5): ‘Come closer to me. Be not angry with yourselves’.”

Robert then transposes the Joseph narrative to Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus must warn them of the terrible consequences facing his opponents in the Temple Establishment who will do to him what the brothers had done to Joseph. Their house [the Temple] will fall and great will be the fall of it! (cf. A.D. 70). But even then, Robert’s reading of Psalm 6 and Genesis 45 speak hope to those who face judgment.

He foresees the eventual welcome: “This is tremendous! Jesus is saying this to his people every day: Return! Come closer to Me. Abide in my love this very day.”

Well, thank you, Robert! I think you’re onto something, and I’ll just leave readers with these parallel passages connecting the Joseph story and the earliest gospel sermons:

Genesis 50 – Joseph to His Brothers

¹⁹ But Joseph said to them, “Don’t be afraid. Am I in the place of God? ²⁰ You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. ²¹ So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And he reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

Acts 3 – Peter to Those Who Conspired to Murder Jesus

¹⁷ “Now, fellow Israelites, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. ¹⁸ But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Messiah would suffer. ¹⁹ Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, ²⁰ and that he may send the Messiah, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus. ²¹ Heaven must receive him until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.

PUNCHLINE: What if for EVERY depart from me, there is a forthcoming return to me?

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