IMITATING THE VOICE OF THE JEWISH PROPHETS, HENRI NOUWEN ONCE BEGAN ONE OF HIS ARTICLES WITH THESE WORDS: MOURN PEOPLE MOURN, LET YOUR PAIN RISE UP IN YOUR HEART AND BURST FORTH IN YOU WITH SOBS AND CRIES. ONCE AGAIN THERE WAS A PAUSE. THE PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE BEFORE US IS KNOWN AS THE OLIVET DISCOURSE. JESUS DELIVERED THIS SERMON, WHICH IS ALSO RECORDED IN MATT.24-25 AND ALSO RECORDED IN LUKE 21. IN THIS MESSAGE JESUS TALKS ABOUT THE END OF TIME AND THE EVENTS WHICH SURROUND THE END OF THE WORLD. WHAT I SAY TO YOU (DISCIPLES, AND TO US "WATCH". THIS PASSAGE IS ONE OF THE MOST DIFFICULT TO INTERPRET IN THE NEW TESTAMENT. BECAUSE OF THIS FACT, VARIOUS FALSE TEACHINGS ABOUT END TIMES, " THE SECOND COMING OF CHRIST, AND EVEN ABOUT SALVATION HAVE ARISEN. WE WANT TO TAKE OUR TIME AS WE MOVE THROUGH THESE VERSES. WE WANT TO GET A CORRECT UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT OUR LORD JESUS IS TRYING TO TEACH US. IN ORDER TO PROPERLY UNDERSTAND "PROPHECY," WE NEED TO KEEP A FEW TRUTHS IN MIND.
FIRST, THIS PASSAGE NEVER MENTIONS THE CHURCH OR RAPTURE . WHY? IT DOESN'T MENTION THESE THINGS BECAUSE THIS PASSAGE WAS NOT WRITTEN TO THE CHURCH, IT WAS WRITTEN TO THE NATION OF ISRAEL. THIS IS PRIMARILY A JEWISH PROPHECY. STILL, THERE ARE MANY TRUTHS WE CAN GLEAN FROM THESE VERSES. SECOND, THIS PROPHECY COVERS A TREMENDOUS EXPANSE OF TIME OVER 3,OOO YEARS OF HUMAN HISTORY ARE IN VIEW HERE. THESE VERSES CONTAIN PROPHECIES THAT HAVE BEEN PARTIALLY FULFILLED. AND THAT WILL BE COMPLETELY FULFILLED IN THE FUTURE. SO, WE WILL BE LOOKING BACKWARDS AND FORWARD AT THE SAME TIME. THIRD, AS WITH ANY PROPHETIC PASSAGE OF SCRIPTURE, WE NEED TO MOVE CAUTIOUSLY AND WITH THE KNOWLEDGE THAT NO ONE HAS ALL THE ANSWERS. NO BIBLE SCHOLAR HAS EVER BEEN ABLE TO SOLVE ALL THE THEOLOGICAL RIDDLES WITHIN IN THE OLIVET DISCOURSE. THUS WE MUST APPROACH THESE GREAT VERSES WITH A HUMBLE HEART, KNOWING THAT NONE OF US KNOWS IT ALL. WITH THESE THOUGHTS IN MIND ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES, LET US LISTEN IN ON THIS CONVERSATION BETWEEN JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES, AS HE TEACHES THEM ABOUT THE EVENTS THAT WILL CHARACTERIZE
THE END OF TIME. LET'S LOOK AT THESE TRUTHS AND THINK ABOUT THE "BEGINNING OF THE END." [lUKE 12:49-56] THIS GOSPEL CALL CONTAINS HARSH WORDS CONCERNING THE PURIFYING AND POTENTIALLY DIVISIVE EFFECTS OF GOD'S CALL.. PEOPLE WHO FOLLOW THE WAY OF CHRIST OFTEN ENCOUNTER HOSTILITY AND REJECTION, EVEN FROM THOSE THEY LOVE. LISTEN TO OUR TEXT:
" I CAME TO BRING FIRE TO THE EARTH, AND HOW I WISHED IT WAS ALREADY KINDLED! I HAVE A BAPTISM WITH WHICH TO BE BAPTIZED, AND WHAT STRESS I AM UNDER UNIL IT IS COMPLETED! DO YOU THINK I HAVE COME TO BRING PEACE TO THE EARTH? NO I TELL YOU, BUT RATHER DIVISION! FROM NOW ON FIVE IN ONE HOUSEHOLD WILL BE DIVIDED, THREE AGAINST TWO AGAINST THREE; THEY WILL BE DIVIDED. FATHER AGAINST SON AND SON AGAINST FATHER, MOTHER AGAINST DAUGHTER, DAUGHTER AGAINST MOTHER, MOTHER IN-LAW AGAINST DAUGHTER-IN-LAW AGAINST MOTHER-IN LAW. HE ALSO SAID TO THE CROWD'S, WHEN YOU SEE A CLOUD RISING IN THE WEST, YOU IMMEDIATELY SAY," IT'S GOING TO RAIN;" AND SO IT HAPPENS. WHEN YOU SEE A SOUTH WIND BLOWING, YOU SAY. " THERE WILL BE SCORCHING HEAT; AND IT HAPPENS.." YOU HYPOCRITES! YOU KNOW HOW TO INTERPRET THE APPEARANCE OF EARTH AND SKY., BUT WHY DO YOU NOT KNOW HOW TO INTERPRET THE PRESENT TIME? WINDS FROM THE WEST BLEW OFF THE MEDITERRANEAN; THOSE FROM THE SOUTH OFF THE DESERT. JESUS SAYS THERE ARE MANY SIGNS OF SPIRITUAL CRISIS THAT HUMAN BEINGS NEGLECT. WHEN WE SPEAK OF JESUS, THE SON OF GOD, WE SPEAK OF THE "MYSTERY" OF JESUS IN ST.PAUL'S SENSE, WE ARE THINKING OF HIM AS A SACRAMENT-A "SIGN THROUGH THE SIGN OF A HUMAN BODY. HE IS A MYSTERY IN ANOTHER WAY ALSO, IN THAT THERE IS SOMETHING BEYOND UNDERSTANDING HIS MAKE-UP.
HE IS TRULY GOD.
HE IS TRULY MAN.
HE IS ONE PERSON.
JESUS IS NOT TWO PERSONS COOPERATING IN HARMONY. HE IS NOT GOD WITH A HUMAN FACADE, AND HE IS NOT MERELY HUMAN BEING WITH A VERY CLOSE RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
AS A TRUE HUMAN BEING JESUS IS PSYCHOLOGICALLY A "PERSON" IN A WAY WE UNDERSTAND THAT WORD TODAY. THE COUNCIL OF CHALCEDON (451 A.D) AFTER CENTURIES OF WRESTLING WITH THE PROBLEM OF JUST WHO JESUS WAS ADOPTED THE FOLLOWING WAY OF TALKING ABOUT JESUS IN THE COUNCIL:
WE UNANIMOUSLY TEACH THAT THE SON, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST IS ONE AND THE SAME, THE SAME PERFECT IN DIVINITY, THE SAME PERFECT IN HUMANITY... IN TWO NATURES: TRUE GOD AND TRUE MAN, CONSISTING IN A RATIONAL SOUL AND BODY, CONSUBSTANTIAL WITH THE FATHER IN DIVINITY AND CONSUBSTANTIAL ( HAVING
THE SAME SUBSTANCE) WITH US IN HUMANITY... IN TWO NATURES UNCONFUSED,
UNCHANGEABLE, UNDIVIDED, AND INSEPARABLE. THE DIFFERENCE OF NATURES WILL NEVER BE ABOLISHED BY THEIR BEING UNITED, BUT RATHER THE PROPERTIES OF EACH REMAIN UNIMPAIRED, BOTH COMING TOGETHER IN ONE PERSON AND SUBSTANCE, NOT PARTED OR DIVIDED AMONG TWO PERSONS, BUT IN ONE AND THE SAME ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THE DIVINE WORD, THE LORD JESUS CHRIST.
WE HAVE TO BE A LITTLE PHILOSOPHICAL FOR A MOMENT.
TWO NATURES OF CHRIST, "NATURE" IN THIS SENSE IS THE BASIC CONSTITUTION OF ANYTHING OR ANYONE. WHEN WE ASK ,"WHAT IS THAT?" WE ARE ASKING ABOUT ITS NATURE. "WHAT IS A PENCIL?" MEANS "WHAT MAKES A PENCIL A PENCIL AND NOT SOMETHING ELSE?" " WHAT IS A HUMAN BEING?" MEANS "WHAT MAKES A CERTAIN CLASS OF HUMAN BEING?" WE ANSWER THAT TO BE HUMAN IS TO HAVE A SPIRITUAL, PHYSICAL WAY OF BEING. WE ARE NEITHER ANGELS NOR ANIMALS, BUT EM-BODIED SPIRITS" OR SPIRITUALIZED BODIES. WHEN WE SAY WHAT MAKES JESUS JESUS?" WE ANSWER THAT HE IS A BEING WHO HAS A NATURE OF BEING HUMAN AND THE NATURE OF BEING DIVINE, BUT HE IS ONLY ONE PERSON. HE IS ONLY UNIQUE. ONE PERSON IN CHRIST. WHEN WE SAY, " WHO IS THAT?" WE ARE NO LONGER ASKING WHAT MAKES SOMETHING TO BE WHAT IT IS. RATHER, WE ARE NOW IN THE AREA OF PERSONS. WE WANT TO KNOW THE PARTICULAR IDENTITY- THE NAME-OF- SOME PARTICULAR BEING.
NOW HERE IS THE MYSTERY OF JESUS. EVERY INDIVIDUAL HUMAN NATURE WE KNOW OF IS A HUMAN PERSON.
JOE SMITH IS A HUMAN PERSON, WITH A HUMAN NATURE. BUT JESUS IS NOT TWO PEOPLE MORE OR LESS INTIMATELY TIED TOGETHER., GOD AND MAN; HE IS ONE PERSON WITH A DIVINE NATURE, WHO HAS ASSUMED A HUMAN NATURE INTO HIS ONE PERSON. THERE IS ONLY ONE WHO IS JESUS, BUT TWO WHAT'S. BUT WHAT HE DOES IS TRULY DIVINE; IT IS ALSO ENTIRELY HUMAN. THERE IS NO MIXING OF NATURES, HOWEVER. HE IS THE WISDOM AND POWER OF GOD, THE ETERNAL AND INFINITE LOVE OF GOD; AND HE IS THIS MAN WITH FULLY HUMAN EMOTIONS, MAKING HUMAN DECISIONS THE WAY ALL HIS BROTHERS AND SISTERS MAKE THEM. SUFFERING THE PAINS OF HUMAN LIMITATIONS AND THE JOYS OF A FULL HUMAN LIFE. HOW DO WWE PUT THESE TWO THINGS TOGETHER? WE MUST SIMPLY SAY WE DON'T KNOW. WE LET THE TRUTH'S EXIST SIDE BY SIDE, AND WE BELIEVE THE MYSTERY. JESUS OF NAZARETH WAS A REAL HUMAN INDIVIDUAL, A PERSON OF FLESH AND BLOOD WHO LIVED FOR THIRTY-SOME YEARS IN PALESTINE DURING A TIME THAT CAN BE HISTORICALLY VERIFIED. AS A HUMAN BEING HE SHARED THE SAME EMOTIONS, PHYSICAL PLEASURES, THOUGHT PROCESSES, AND ABILITY TO CHOOSE THAT ARE COMMON TO ALL PEOPLE. HE HAD HUMAN LIMITATIONS OF INTELLIGENCE, AND HE EXPERIENCED THE STRUGGLE TO LEARN AND DISCOVER TRUTH. HE ALSO STRUGGLED WITH CONFUSION, DOUBT, AND EVEN ERROR. ALL OF THESE HUMAN CHARACTERISTICS ARE REFLECTED IN THE GOSPEL STORIES ABOUT WHAT JESUS SAID AND DID. UNDERLYING THE MYTHS, THEOLOGY, TITLES, LITURGICAL PRAYERS, AND OTHER FORMS, THERE EXIST ACTUAL MEMORIES OF JESUS AS A REAL PERSON. JESUS WAS A JEW WHO ACCEPTED AND CHERISHED THE RELIGION OF ISRAEL AND ITS TRADITION AS THE WILL OF GOD FOR HIM. AND FOR HIS PEOPLE. HE TOOK PART IN THE RELIGIOUS LIFE OF HIS TIME, WHICH INCLUDED LEARNING THE TORAH, ATTENDING SYNAGOGUE, MAKING PILGRIMAGES TO THE TEMPLE, LEARNING FROM THE PRIESTS AND TEACHERS OF HIS TIME AND FOLLOWING THE LAWS AND RELIGIOUS CUSTOMS OF THE JEWS. JESUS LIFE WAS SHAPED BY THE JEWISH CULTURE, BY HIS FAMILY, BY HIS LIFE IN NAZARETH AND OTHER AREAS OF GALILEE, AND BY HIS WORK AS A CRAFTSMAN'S IN WOOD.
HE ENTERED PUBLIC LIFE FOR YEAR OR MORE AS A TEACHER AND A PREACHER. HIS TRAINING FOR THIS MUST HAVE BEEN THE STUDY OF THE TORAH IN THE LOCAL SYNAGOGUE AND THROUGH THE USUAL RELIGIOUS DISCUSSION THAT WENT ON WITH ADULTS IN THE VILLAGES OF GALILEE. JESUS BEGAN HIS PUBLIC LIFE AS A FOLLOWER OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. AFTER JOHN WAS EXECUTED, JESUS WENT ON HIS OWN INDIVIDUAL MISSION. INSTEAD OF THE TRADITIONAL MANNER WHEREBY FOLLOWERS CHOOSE A LEADER, HE PICKED HIS OWN FOLLOWERS, BOTH WOMEN AND MEN, RATHER THAN HAVE A SCHOOL, JESUS CHOSE TO BE AN ITINERANT PREACHER, DELIVERING HIS MESSAGE IN OPEN FIELDS AND BY THE LAKESIDE, AND A TABLE. HE TAUGHT WITH AUTHORITY THAT WAS DISTINCTIVE, YET CONFINED HIS TEACHING MOSTLY TO SMALL TOWNS OF GALILEE. THE CENTRAL MESSAGE OF JESUS CONCERNED THE REIGN OF GOD, THIS WAS A COMMON THEME IN ISRAEL , BUT HIS VERSION WAS UNCOMMON, FOR HE APPARENTLY XPERIENCE AN UNPRECEDENTED INTIMACY WITH HIM, WHOM HE CALLED "ABBA." AND HE CALLED OTHERS TO SHARE THIS INTIMACY WITH HIM. JESUS PERCEIVED THE WORLD ABOUT HIM, BOTH NATURAL AND HUMAN AS THE CREATION
I LIKE THAT STORY ABOUT THE FELLOW WHO WENT TO THE PET STORE IN SEARCH OF A SINGING PARAKEET. SEEMS HE WAS A BACHELOR AND HE HOUSE WAS TO QUIET. THE STORE OWNER HAD JUST THE BIRD FOR HIM, SO THE MAN BOUGHT IT. THE NEXT DAY THE BACHELOR CAME HOME FROM WORK TO A HOUSE FULL OF MUSIC. HE WENT TO THE CAGE TO FEED IT AND NOTICED FOR THE FIRST TIME THAT THE PARAKEET HAD ONLY ONE LEG. HE FELT CHEATED THAT HE HAD BEEN SOLD A ONE-LEGGED BIRD, SO HE CALLED AND COMPLAINED " WHAT DO YOU WANT," THE STORE OWNER RESPONDED, " A BIRD WHO CAN SING OR A BIRD WHO CAN DANCE?"
WE NEED TO HEAR THAT GOD IS STILL IN CONTROL. WE NEED TO HEAR THAT IT'S NOT OVER UNTIL HE SAYS SO. WE NEED TO HEAR THAT LIFE'S MISHAPS AND TRAGEDIES ARE NOT A REASON TO BAIL OUT. THEY ARE A REASON TO SIT TIGHT.
SO WE PRAY THE SCRIPTURES WITH JOY AND ADMIRATION RATHER THAN WITH QUESTIONS AND CONCERN AND THERE IS NO BETTER PLACE TO START THAN THE
'MAGNIFICENT PROLOGUE OF JOHN'S GOSPEL: (Jn 1: 1-5, 10,14,18)
IN THE BEGINNING WAS THE WORD, AND THE WORD, WAS WITH GOD, AND THE WORD WAS GOD.
Friday, August 31, 2018
Monday, August 27, 2018
JESUS THE SON OF MAN [JOHN 2:1-11].
JOHN'S MAJESTIC GOSPEL SERVES AS A MAGNIFICENT GALLERY WHICH DISPLAY THE GLORY OF JESUS AS NO OTHER LITERATURE ON EARTH CAN. AS YOU ENTER IN CHAPTER 1, JOHN GIVES CONVINCING EVIDENCE OF THE DEITY OF JESUS AND PROVES HIM TO BE THE GOD\ MAN. JESUS IS SHOWN IN ALL THE MAJESTY OF HIS PLACE IN THE GODHEAD. CHAPTER 2 GIVE US 2 SNAPSHOTS FROM THE LIFE OF JESUS. IM VERSES 1-11, HE IS SHOWN AT A WEDDING AND IN VERSES 12-25, JESUS IS SHOWN AT THE HOUSE OF WORSHIP. IN THE LATTER SCENE JESUS EXERTED HIS AUTHORITY AS THE SON OF GOD TO CLEANSE THE FILTH FROM HIS FATHER'S HOUSE! BY THE WAY, GOD HAS NOT CHANGED HIS MIND! HIS HOUSE IS STILL TO BE A HOUSE OF PRAYER, PRAISE AND WORSHIP. MANY IN OUR DAY HAVE TRIED TO MAKE GOD'S HOUSE A PLACE OF MERCHANDISE, POWER AND POLITICS. JESUS STILL STANDS OPPOSED TO SUCH PRACTICES. HERE WE LOOK AT A WEDDING JESUS IS TO ATTEND, BEING CONCERNED WITH AND GETS INVOLVED IN, THE PROBLEMS AND SITUATIONS OF ORDINARY, EVERYDAY LIFE. IN THIS PASSAGE, WE ENCOUNTER A CHRIST WHO CARES, WHO CAN AND ONE WHO CARRY'S THROUGH ON HIS OWN! NOW LET'S DROP IN ON THIS LITTLE SCENE IN CANA OF GALILEE AND WITNESS JOHN'S PORTRAIT OF JESUS. THE CIRCUMSTANCES A WEDDING IS GOING TO TAKE PLACE, WHICH IS ALWAYS A HUGE SOCIAL EVENT THOSE DAYS. THE CELEBRATION COULD LAST FOR AS LONG AS A WEEK.. WE ARE NOT TOLD WHO IS GETTING MARRIED, BUT IT IS A CLOSE KINSMAN TO JESUS. IT MAY BE A BROTHER, A SISTER A COUSIN, ETC. I SAY THAT BECAUSE IT SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN SOMEONE OF CLOSE RELATION BECAUSE MARY IS INVOLVED IN THE FESTIVITIES,V.1,3,5. IF THIS SCENE
TEACHES US ANYTHING, IT TELLS US THAT JESUS CHOSE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS COMMON, ROUTINE, EVERYDAY EVENT. JESUS ISN'T JUST FOR SUNDAY! HE DESIRES AND DESERVES TO BE INCLUDED IN ALL LIFE! YOU SEE, HE IS EITHER LORD OF ALL,
OR HE ISN'T LORD AT ALL IN YOUR LIFE-ACTS 10:36). JESUS IS HERE BY INVITATION!
SOMEONE POSSESSED THE FORETHOUGHT AND THOUGHTFULNESS TO CALL JESUS TO THIS EVENT. NEVER BE GUILTY OF ATTEMPTING TO EXCLUDE JESUS FROM ANY AREAS OF YOUR LIFE. BY VIRTUE OF HIS SACRIFICE FOR US AT CALVARY, HE DESERVES INCLUSION IN ALL WE ARE. AND IN ALL WE DO.). REMEMBER [ 1COR. 6: 19-20]- WHAT? KNOW YE NOT THAT YOUR BODY IS A TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GHOST WHICH IS IN YOU, WHICH YE HAVE OF GOD, AND YE ARE NOT YOUR OWN. FOR YE ARE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE: THEREFORE GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR BODY, AND IN YOUR SPIRIT, WHICH ARE GOD'S. FOR JESUS AT THE WEDDING IN OUR TEXT, A PROBLEM, SOMETIME, DURING THESE FESTIVITIES , THEY RAN OUT OF WINE. DOESN'T SOUND LIKE MUCH OF A PROBLEM TO US, BUT TO THE JEWS, IT COULD BE RUINOUS! FIRST, IT WAS A MANNER OF HONOR. THE BRIDEGROOM WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING ADEQUATE SUPPLIES. IF SOMETHING RAN OUT BEFORE THE PARTY WAS CONCLUDED, IT SIMPLY MEANT THAT HE HADN'T PLANNED WELL. IT SIMPLY MEANT HE HADN'T PROVIDED FOR ALL HIS GUESTS. SECONDLY TO RUN OUT OF WINE WOULD CAUSE PUBLIC EMBARRASSMENT, AND THE OFFENDING FAMILY COULD BE FINED, THEREFORE THIS WAS A PROBLEM OF CONSIDERABLE SIZE TO THESE PEOPLE. LIFE DOESN'T ALWAYS GO AS WE PLANNED IT! THERE ARE TIMES WHEN PROBLEMS ARISE AND TROUBLES COME OUR WAY. THIS IS A COMMON THING- [ JOB 14:1; JOHN 16:33' ECCL.2: 23, 'FOR ALL HIS DAYS ARE SORROWS, AND TRAVAIL, GRIEF; YEA, HIS HEART TAKETH NOT REST IN THE NIGHT". THIS IS ALSO VANITY. IT IS GOOD TO KNOW THAT WHEN OUR"ALL" BELIEVED ON HIM. " YOUR FAITH IN JESUS IS NEVER MISPLACED! IF YOU DISPLAY, "MUSTARD SEED" FAITH IN YOUR HOUR OF TRIAL, JESUS WILL ENTER INTO THAT NEED AND REMOVE THAT MOUNTAIN. HE WILL NEVER FAIL HIS CHILDREN. TWO DAYS LATER, JESUS MOTHER, WAS A GUEST AT A WEDDING IN THE VILLAGE OF CANA IN GALILEE., AND JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES WERE INVITED TOO. THE WINE SUPPLY RAN OUT. DURING THEIR FESTIVITIES AND JESUS MOTHER CAME TO HIM WITH THE PROBLEM. "I CAN'T HELP YOU NOW" HE SAID. REMEMBER, THE MIRACLES IN THE FOURTH GOSPEL ARE ALWAYS "SIGNS" RATHER THAN 'ACTS OF POWER OR WORKS. THEY ARE RELATED TO JESUS MANIFESTING FORTH HIS GLORY AS THE MESSIAH HAD NOT YET COME. " MY HOUR" HAS ALSO A DEEPER MEANING OF HIS DEATH AND GLORFICIATION. [cf 8:20; 7:30.] MARY IS PERSISTENT IN HER FAITH AND DOES NOT GIVE UP HER HOPE. JESUS THEN COMMANDS THE SERVANTS TO FILL TO THE BRIM WITH WATER THE SIX LARGE STONE JARS WHICH WERE STANDING BY. THE JARS WHEN FULL WOULD CONTAIN OVER 1OO GALLONS, A CHANGE TAKES PLACE IN THE WATER, THE GOVERNOR OF THE FEAST i.e. the steward OR HEAD WAITER, TASTES THE WINE, AND CALLING THE BRIDEGROOM, EXPRESSES SURPRISE AT ITS EXCELLENT QUALITY AND ASSERTS THAT THE NEW WINE IS BETTER THAN THE OLD. " THIS WAS THE FIRST OF THE MIRACLES; "SIGNS." THAT JESUS DID. THE MIRACLES OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL ARE ALWAYS "SIGNS." RATHER THAN ACTS OF POWER. JESUS HAD MANIFESTED HIS GLORY AND BORNE WITNESS TO THE NEW MESSIANIC AGE,
AND HE APPEARED IN THE FLESH WILL INTRODUCE A NEW ORDER INTO THE WORLD
.
TEACHES US ANYTHING, IT TELLS US THAT JESUS CHOSE TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS COMMON, ROUTINE, EVERYDAY EVENT. JESUS ISN'T JUST FOR SUNDAY! HE DESIRES AND DESERVES TO BE INCLUDED IN ALL LIFE! YOU SEE, HE IS EITHER LORD OF ALL,
OR HE ISN'T LORD AT ALL IN YOUR LIFE-ACTS 10:36). JESUS IS HERE BY INVITATION!
SOMEONE POSSESSED THE FORETHOUGHT AND THOUGHTFULNESS TO CALL JESUS TO THIS EVENT. NEVER BE GUILTY OF ATTEMPTING TO EXCLUDE JESUS FROM ANY AREAS OF YOUR LIFE. BY VIRTUE OF HIS SACRIFICE FOR US AT CALVARY, HE DESERVES INCLUSION IN ALL WE ARE. AND IN ALL WE DO.). REMEMBER [ 1COR. 6: 19-20]- WHAT? KNOW YE NOT THAT YOUR BODY IS A TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GHOST WHICH IS IN YOU, WHICH YE HAVE OF GOD, AND YE ARE NOT YOUR OWN. FOR YE ARE BOUGHT WITH A PRICE: THEREFORE GLORIFY GOD IN YOUR BODY, AND IN YOUR SPIRIT, WHICH ARE GOD'S. FOR JESUS AT THE WEDDING IN OUR TEXT, A PROBLEM, SOMETIME, DURING THESE FESTIVITIES , THEY RAN OUT OF WINE. DOESN'T SOUND LIKE MUCH OF A PROBLEM TO US, BUT TO THE JEWS, IT COULD BE RUINOUS! FIRST, IT WAS A MANNER OF HONOR. THE BRIDEGROOM WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR PROVIDING ADEQUATE SUPPLIES. IF SOMETHING RAN OUT BEFORE THE PARTY WAS CONCLUDED, IT SIMPLY MEANT THAT HE HADN'T PLANNED WELL. IT SIMPLY MEANT HE HADN'T PROVIDED FOR ALL HIS GUESTS. SECONDLY TO RUN OUT OF WINE WOULD CAUSE PUBLIC EMBARRASSMENT, AND THE OFFENDING FAMILY COULD BE FINED, THEREFORE THIS WAS A PROBLEM OF CONSIDERABLE SIZE TO THESE PEOPLE. LIFE DOESN'T ALWAYS GO AS WE PLANNED IT! THERE ARE TIMES WHEN PROBLEMS ARISE AND TROUBLES COME OUR WAY. THIS IS A COMMON THING- [ JOB 14:1; JOHN 16:33' ECCL.2: 23, 'FOR ALL HIS DAYS ARE SORROWS, AND TRAVAIL, GRIEF; YEA, HIS HEART TAKETH NOT REST IN THE NIGHT". THIS IS ALSO VANITY. IT IS GOOD TO KNOW THAT WHEN OUR"ALL" BELIEVED ON HIM. " YOUR FAITH IN JESUS IS NEVER MISPLACED! IF YOU DISPLAY, "MUSTARD SEED" FAITH IN YOUR HOUR OF TRIAL, JESUS WILL ENTER INTO THAT NEED AND REMOVE THAT MOUNTAIN. HE WILL NEVER FAIL HIS CHILDREN. TWO DAYS LATER, JESUS MOTHER, WAS A GUEST AT A WEDDING IN THE VILLAGE OF CANA IN GALILEE., AND JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES WERE INVITED TOO. THE WINE SUPPLY RAN OUT. DURING THEIR FESTIVITIES AND JESUS MOTHER CAME TO HIM WITH THE PROBLEM. "I CAN'T HELP YOU NOW" HE SAID. REMEMBER, THE MIRACLES IN THE FOURTH GOSPEL ARE ALWAYS "SIGNS" RATHER THAN 'ACTS OF POWER OR WORKS. THEY ARE RELATED TO JESUS MANIFESTING FORTH HIS GLORY AS THE MESSIAH HAD NOT YET COME. " MY HOUR" HAS ALSO A DEEPER MEANING OF HIS DEATH AND GLORFICIATION. [cf 8:20; 7:30.] MARY IS PERSISTENT IN HER FAITH AND DOES NOT GIVE UP HER HOPE. JESUS THEN COMMANDS THE SERVANTS TO FILL TO THE BRIM WITH WATER THE SIX LARGE STONE JARS WHICH WERE STANDING BY. THE JARS WHEN FULL WOULD CONTAIN OVER 1OO GALLONS, A CHANGE TAKES PLACE IN THE WATER, THE GOVERNOR OF THE FEAST i.e. the steward OR HEAD WAITER, TASTES THE WINE, AND CALLING THE BRIDEGROOM, EXPRESSES SURPRISE AT ITS EXCELLENT QUALITY AND ASSERTS THAT THE NEW WINE IS BETTER THAN THE OLD. " THIS WAS THE FIRST OF THE MIRACLES; "SIGNS." THAT JESUS DID. THE MIRACLES OF THE FOURTH GOSPEL ARE ALWAYS "SIGNS." RATHER THAN ACTS OF POWER. JESUS HAD MANIFESTED HIS GLORY AND BORNE WITNESS TO THE NEW MESSIANIC AGE,
AND HE APPEARED IN THE FLESH WILL INTRODUCE A NEW ORDER INTO THE WORLD
.
Thursday, August 23, 2018
ADDITIONS TO THE BOOK OF DANIEL "A TALE
THE GREEK AND LATIN BIBLES IN THE BOOKS OF DANIEL AND ESTHER CONTAIN NARRATIVES AND POEMS MISSING FROM THE HEBREW BIBLE; IN THE MODERN EDITIONS OF THE ENGLISH BIBLE ARE TAKEN OUT OF THEIR CONTACTS AND PRINTED AMONG THE APOCRYPHA. THE ADDITIONS TO DANIEL HAVE COME DOWN TO US IN TWO QUITE DIFFERENT GREEK RECENSIONS: THE SO CALLED "SEPTUAGINT" (LXX) TEXT HAS SURVIVED IN A SINGLE MANUSCRIPT OF THE NINTH CENTURY. NEBUCHADNEZZAR THE KING UNTO ALL PEOPLE, NATIONS, LANGUAGES, THAT DWELL IN ALL THE EARTH.:
PEACE BE MULTIPLIED UNTO YOU. I THOUGHT IT GOOD TO SHOW THE SIGNS AND WONDERS THAT THE HIGH GOD HATH WROUGHT TOWARDS ME. HOW GREAT ARE HIS SIGNS! AND HOW MIGHTY HIS WONDERS! HIS KINGDOM IS AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM, AND HIS DOMINION IS FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.
I NEBUCHADNEZZAR WAS AT REST IN MINE HOUSE AND FLOURISHING IN MY PALACE. I SAW A DREAM WHICH MADE ME AFRAID, AND THE THOUGHTS UPON MY BED AND THE VISIONS IN MY HEAD TROUBLED ME. THEREFORE I MADE A DECREE TO BRING IN ALL THE WISE MEN OF BABYLON BEFORE ME, THAT THEY MIGHT MAKE KNOWN UNTO ME THE INTERPRETATION OF THE DREAM. THEN CAME IN THE MAGICIANS, THE ASTROLOGERS, THE CHALDEANS, AND SOOTHSAYERS: AND I TOLD THE DREAM BEFORE THEM; BUT THEY DID NOT MAKE KNOWN UNTO ME THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF.
BUT AT LAST DANIEL CAME IN BEFORE ME, WHOSE NAME WAS BELTESHAZZAR , ACCORDING TO THE NAME OF MY GOD, AND IN WHOM IS THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY gods: AND BEFORE HIM AND I TOLD THE DREAM, SAYING: O BELTESHAZZAR, A ACCORDING TO THE NAME OF MY GOD, AND IN WHOM IS THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY GODS: AND BEFORE HIM I TOLD THE DREAM., SAYING, O BELTESHAZZAR, MASTER OF THE MAGICIANS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY gods IS IN THEE, AND, AND NO SECRET TROUBLES THEE, TELL ME THE VISIONS OF MY DREAM THAT I HAVE SEEN, AND THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF. THUS WERE THE VISIONS OF MY HEAD IN MY BED: I SAW, AND BEHELD A TREE IN THE MIDST OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEIGHT THEREOF WAS GREAT. THE TREE GREW, AND WAS STRONG, AND THE HEIGHT THEREOF REACHED INTO HEAVEN , AND THE SIGHT THEREOF TO THE END OF ALL THE EARTH. THE LEAVES THEREOF WERE FAIR, AND THE FRUIT THEREOF MUCH, AND IN IT WAS MEAT FOR ALL: THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD HAD SHADOW UNDER IT., AND THE FOWLS OF HEAVEN DWELT IN THE BOUGHS THEREOF, AND ALL FLESH WAS FED OF IT. I SAW THE VISIONS IN MY HEAD UPON MY BED,
AND , BEHOLD, A WATCHER AND A HOLY ONE CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN. HE CRIED ALOUD, AND SAID THUS, '"HEW DOWN THE TREE, CUT OFF HIS BRANCHES,
SHAKE OFF HIS LEAVES, AND SCATTER HIS FRUIT: LET THE BEASTS GET AWAY FROM UNDER IT. AND THE FOWLS FROM HIS BRANCHES: NEVERTHELESS LEAVE THE STUMP OF HIS ROOTS IN THE EARTH., EVEN WITH A BAND OF IRON AND BRASS, IN THE TENDER GRASS OF THE FIELD AND LET IT BE WET WITH THE DEW OF HEAVEN, AND LET HIS PORTION BE WITH THE BEASTS IN THE GREEN OF THE EARTH: LET HIS HEART BE CHANGED FROM MAN'S. AND LET A BEAST'S HEART BE GIVEN UNTO HIM;
LET SEVEN TIMES PASS OVER HIM. THIS MATTER I BY THE DECREE OF THE WATCHERS AND THE DEMAND OF OF THE HOLY ONES: TO THE INTENT THAT THE LIVING MAY KNOW THAT THE MOST HIGH RULETH IN THE KINGDOM OF MEN, AND GIVETH IT TO WHOMSOEVER HE WILL, AND SETTETH UP OVER IT THE BASEST OF MEN. THIS DREAM I KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAVE SEEN NOW THOU, O BELTESHAZZAR, DECLARE THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF, FORASMUCH AS ALL THE WISE MEN OF MINE KINGDOM ARE NOT ABLE TO MAKE KNOWN UNTO ME THE INTERPRETATION: BUT THOU ARE ART ABLE; FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY gods IS IN THEE."
THEN DANIEL, WHOSE NAME WAS BELTESHAZZAR, WAS ASTONISHED FOR ONE HOUR, AND HIS THOUGHTS TROUBLED HIM. THE KING SPOKE, AND SAID, BELTESHAZZAR LET NOT THE DREAM, OR THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF, TROUBLE THEE. BELTESHAZZAR ANSWERED AND SAID, " MY LORD, THE DREAM BE TO THEM THAT HATE THEE, AND THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF TO THINE ENEMIES. THE TREE THOU SAWEST, WHICH GREW, AND WAS STRONG, WHOSE HEIGHT REACHED UNTO THE HEAVEN, AND THE SIGHT THEREOF TO ALL THE EARTH, WHOSE LEAVES WERE FAIR, AND THE FIRST FRUIT THEREOF MUCH, AND IN WAS MEAT FOR ALL.; UNDER WHICH THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD, AND UPON WHOSE BRANCHES THE FOWLS OF THE HEAVEN HAD THEIR HABITATION: IT IS THOU O KING, THOU ART GROWN AND BECOME STRONG: FOR THY GREATNESS IS GROWN, AND REACHETH INTO HEAVEN AND THY DOMINION TO THE END OF THY EARTH. AND WHEREAS THE KING SAW A WATCHER AND A HOLY ONE COMING DOWN FROM HEAVEN, AND SAYING, 'HEW THE TREE DOWN, AND DESTROY IT; YET LEAVE THE STUMP OF THE ROOTS THEREOF IN THE EARTH, EVEN WITH A BAND OF IRON AND BRASS, IN THE TENDER GRASS OF THE FIELD; AND LET IT BE WET WITH THE DEW OF HEAVEN, AND LET HIS PORTION BE WITH THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD, TILL SEVEN TIMES PASS OVER HIM.': THIS IS THE INTERPRETATION, O : KING AND THIS IS THE DECREE OF THE MOST HIGH, WHICH IS COME UPON MY LORD THE KING: THAT THEY SHALL DRIVE THEE FROM MEN, AND THY DWELLING SHALL BE WITH THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD, AND THEY SHALL MAKE THEE TO EAT GRASS AS OXEN, AND THEY SHALL WET THEE WITH THE DEW OF HEAVEN, AND SEVEN TIMES SHALL PASS OVER THEE, TILL THOU KNOW THAT THE MOST HIGH RULETH IN THE KINGDOM OF MEN, GIVETH IT TO MEN TO WHOMSOEVER HE WILL. AND WHEREAS THEY COMMANDED TO LEAVE THE STUMP OF THE TREE ROOTS; THY KINGDOM SHALL BE SURE UNTO THEE, AFTER THAT THOU SHALL HAVE KNOWN THAT THE HEAVENS DO RULE. WHEREFORE, O KING, LET MY COUNSEL BE ACCEPTABLE UNTO THEE, AND BREAK OFF THY SINS BY RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND THINE INIQUITIES BY SHOWING MERCY TO THE POOR, IF IT MAY BE A LENGTHENING OF THY TRANQUILLITY." ALL THIS CAME UPON THE KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR. AT THE END OF TWELVE MONTHS HE WALKED IN THE PALACE OF THE KINGDOM OF BABYLON. THE KING SPOKE, AND SAID, " IS NOT THIS GREAT BABYLON, THAT I HAVE BUILT FOR THE HOUSE OF THE KINGDOM BY THE MIGHT OF MY POWER, AND FOR THE HONOR OF MY MAJESTY? " WHILE THE WORD WAS IN THE KING'S MOUTH, THERE FELL A VOICE FROM HEAVEN SAYING, 'O KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR TO THEE IT IS SPOKEN: " THE KINGDOM IS DEPARTED FROM THEE AND THEY SHALL DRIVE THEE FROM MEN, AND THY DWELLING SHALL BE WITH THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD: THEY SHALL MAKE THEE TO EAT GRASS AS OXEN, AND SEVEN TIMES SHALL PASS OVER THEE, UNTIL THOU KNOW THE MOST HIGH RULETH IN THE KINGDOM OF MEN, AND GIVETH IT TO WHOMSOEVER HE WILL."
THE SAME HOUR WAS THE THING FULFILLED UPON NEBUCHADNEZZAR: AND HE WAS DRIVEN FROM MEN AND DID EAT GRASS AS OXEN, AND HIS BODY WAS WET WITH THE DEW FROM HEAVEN, TILL HIS HAIRS WERE GROWN LIKE EAGLES FEATHERS, AND HIS NAILS LIKE BIRDS CLAWS. AT THE END OF THE DAYS I NEBUCHADNEZZAR LIFTED P MY EYES UNTO HEAVEN, MINE UNDERSTANDING RETURNED TO ME, AND I BLESSED THE MOST HIGH, AND I PRAISED AND HONOURED HIM THAT LIVETH FOR EVER, WHOSE DOMINION IS AN EVERLASTING DOMINION, AND HIS KINGDOM IS FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION. BELSHAZZAR THE KING MADE A GREAT FEAST TO A THOUSAND OF HIS LORDS, AND DRANK WINE BEFORE THE THOUSAND. BELSHAZZAR, WHILE HE TASTED THE WINE, COMMANDED TO BRING THE GOLDEN AND SILVER VESSELS WHICH HIS FATHER NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAD TAKEN OUT OF THE TEMPLE WHICH WAS IN JERUSALEM; THAT THE KING,AND HIS PRINCES, HIS WIVES, AND HIS CONCUBINES, AND PRAISED THE GODS OF GOLD AND SILVER, OF BRASS, OF IRON, OF WOOD, AND OF STONE, BIG MISTAKE!
IN THE SAME HOUR CAME FORTH FINGERS OF A MAN'S HAND, AND WROTE OVER AGAINST THE CANDLE STICK UPON THE PLASTER OF THE WALL OF THE KING'S PALACE: AND THE KING SAW THE PART OF THE HAND THAT WROTE. THEN THE KING'S COUNTENANCE WAS CHANGED, AND IS THOUGHTS TROUBLED HIM, SO THAT THE JOINTS OF HIS LOINS WERE LOOSED, AND HIS KNEES SMOTE ONE AGAINST ANOTHER. THE KING CRIED ALOUD TO BRING ASTROLOGERS, THE CHALDEANS, AND THE SOOTHSAYERS. AND THE KING SPOKE, AND SAID TO THE WISE MEN OF BABYLON, " WHOSOEVER SHALL READ THIS WRITING, AND SHOW ME THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF, SHALL BE CLOTHED WITH SCARLET, AND HAVE A GOLD CHAIN ABOUT HIS NECK, AND SHALL BE THE THIRD RULER IN THE KINGDOM. NO ONE WAS FOUND TO READ THE WRITING ON THE WALL NOR MAKE KNOWN TO THE KING THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF. HIS COUNTENANCE WAS CHANGED IN HIM. AND HIS LORDS WERE ASTONISHED. NOW THE QUEEN BY REASON OF THE KINGS WORDS, SPOKE " O LORD LIVE FOREVER; AND LET THY THOUGHTS NOT TROUBLE THEE, NOR LET THY COUNTENANCE BE CHANGED. THERE IS A MAN IN THE KINGDOM, IN WHOM THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY gods; IN YOUR FATHER'S TIME GAVE WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING FOUND IN DANIEL.DANIEL WAS BROUGHT FORTH TO THE KING WHO SAID :" ART THOU THAT DANIEL, WHICH ART OF THE CHILDREN OF THE CAPTIVITY OF JUDAH. NOW THE WISE MEN , ASTROLOGERS, HAVE BEEN BROUGHT INTO ME COULD NOT SHOW THE INTERPRETATION OF THIS THING AND DANIEL IF YOU CAN, YOU SHALL BE CLOTHED IN SCARLET, HAVE A CHAIN OF GOLD ABOUT THY NECK AND SHALL BE THE THIRD RULER. THE WRITING!
" AND THOU HIS SON, O BELSHAZZAR, HAS NOT HUMBLED THINE HEART, THOUGH THOU KNOWEST ALL THIS HAS BROUGHT THE VESSELS OF HIS HOUSE BEFORE THEE, AND THOU, AND THY LORDS, THY WIVES, AND THY CONCUBINES,, HAVE DRUNK WINE IN THEM, AND THOU HAS PRAISED THE gods OF SILVER, AND GOLD, OF BRASS, IRON, WOOD, AND STONE, WHICH SEE NOT, NOR HEAR, NOR KNOW; AND THE GOD IN WHOSE HAND THY BREATH IS, AND WHOSE ARE ALL THY WAYS, HAST THOU NOT GLORIFIED: " THEN WAS THE PART OF THE HAND SENT FROM HIM AND THIS WRITING WAS WRITTEN. "MENE, MENE, TEKEL,, UPHARSIN. THIS IS THE INTERPRETATION OF THE THING: "MENE": GOD HAS NUMBERED THY KINGDOM, AND FINISHED IT. "TEKEL" THOU ART WEIGHTED IN BALANCES, AND ART FOUND WANTING. "PERES": THY KINGDOM IS DIVIDED, AND GIVEN TO THE MEDES AND PERSIANS, BELSHAZZAR CLOTHED DANIEL IN SCARLET, AND PUT A CHAIN OF GOLD AROUND HIS NECK AND MADE A PROCLAMATION CONCERNING HIM, THAT HE SHOULD BE THE THIRD RULER. BELSHAZZAR IN THAT NIGHT WAS SLAIN, AND DARIUS THE MEDIAN TOOK THE KINGDOM, BEING ABOUT THREE-SCORE AND TWO YEARS OLD.
PEACE BE MULTIPLIED UNTO YOU. I THOUGHT IT GOOD TO SHOW THE SIGNS AND WONDERS THAT THE HIGH GOD HATH WROUGHT TOWARDS ME. HOW GREAT ARE HIS SIGNS! AND HOW MIGHTY HIS WONDERS! HIS KINGDOM IS AN EVERLASTING KINGDOM, AND HIS DOMINION IS FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION.
I NEBUCHADNEZZAR WAS AT REST IN MINE HOUSE AND FLOURISHING IN MY PALACE. I SAW A DREAM WHICH MADE ME AFRAID, AND THE THOUGHTS UPON MY BED AND THE VISIONS IN MY HEAD TROUBLED ME. THEREFORE I MADE A DECREE TO BRING IN ALL THE WISE MEN OF BABYLON BEFORE ME, THAT THEY MIGHT MAKE KNOWN UNTO ME THE INTERPRETATION OF THE DREAM. THEN CAME IN THE MAGICIANS, THE ASTROLOGERS, THE CHALDEANS, AND SOOTHSAYERS: AND I TOLD THE DREAM BEFORE THEM; BUT THEY DID NOT MAKE KNOWN UNTO ME THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF.
BUT AT LAST DANIEL CAME IN BEFORE ME, WHOSE NAME WAS BELTESHAZZAR , ACCORDING TO THE NAME OF MY GOD, AND IN WHOM IS THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY gods: AND BEFORE HIM AND I TOLD THE DREAM, SAYING: O BELTESHAZZAR, A ACCORDING TO THE NAME OF MY GOD, AND IN WHOM IS THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY GODS: AND BEFORE HIM I TOLD THE DREAM., SAYING, O BELTESHAZZAR, MASTER OF THE MAGICIANS, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY gods IS IN THEE, AND, AND NO SECRET TROUBLES THEE, TELL ME THE VISIONS OF MY DREAM THAT I HAVE SEEN, AND THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF. THUS WERE THE VISIONS OF MY HEAD IN MY BED: I SAW, AND BEHELD A TREE IN THE MIDST OF THE EARTH, AND THE HEIGHT THEREOF WAS GREAT. THE TREE GREW, AND WAS STRONG, AND THE HEIGHT THEREOF REACHED INTO HEAVEN , AND THE SIGHT THEREOF TO THE END OF ALL THE EARTH. THE LEAVES THEREOF WERE FAIR, AND THE FRUIT THEREOF MUCH, AND IN IT WAS MEAT FOR ALL: THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD HAD SHADOW UNDER IT., AND THE FOWLS OF HEAVEN DWELT IN THE BOUGHS THEREOF, AND ALL FLESH WAS FED OF IT. I SAW THE VISIONS IN MY HEAD UPON MY BED,
AND , BEHOLD, A WATCHER AND A HOLY ONE CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN. HE CRIED ALOUD, AND SAID THUS, '"HEW DOWN THE TREE, CUT OFF HIS BRANCHES,
SHAKE OFF HIS LEAVES, AND SCATTER HIS FRUIT: LET THE BEASTS GET AWAY FROM UNDER IT. AND THE FOWLS FROM HIS BRANCHES: NEVERTHELESS LEAVE THE STUMP OF HIS ROOTS IN THE EARTH., EVEN WITH A BAND OF IRON AND BRASS, IN THE TENDER GRASS OF THE FIELD AND LET IT BE WET WITH THE DEW OF HEAVEN, AND LET HIS PORTION BE WITH THE BEASTS IN THE GREEN OF THE EARTH: LET HIS HEART BE CHANGED FROM MAN'S. AND LET A BEAST'S HEART BE GIVEN UNTO HIM;
LET SEVEN TIMES PASS OVER HIM. THIS MATTER I BY THE DECREE OF THE WATCHERS AND THE DEMAND OF OF THE HOLY ONES: TO THE INTENT THAT THE LIVING MAY KNOW THAT THE MOST HIGH RULETH IN THE KINGDOM OF MEN, AND GIVETH IT TO WHOMSOEVER HE WILL, AND SETTETH UP OVER IT THE BASEST OF MEN. THIS DREAM I KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAVE SEEN NOW THOU, O BELTESHAZZAR, DECLARE THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF, FORASMUCH AS ALL THE WISE MEN OF MINE KINGDOM ARE NOT ABLE TO MAKE KNOWN UNTO ME THE INTERPRETATION: BUT THOU ARE ART ABLE; FOR THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY gods IS IN THEE."
THEN DANIEL, WHOSE NAME WAS BELTESHAZZAR, WAS ASTONISHED FOR ONE HOUR, AND HIS THOUGHTS TROUBLED HIM. THE KING SPOKE, AND SAID, BELTESHAZZAR LET NOT THE DREAM, OR THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF, TROUBLE THEE. BELTESHAZZAR ANSWERED AND SAID, " MY LORD, THE DREAM BE TO THEM THAT HATE THEE, AND THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF TO THINE ENEMIES. THE TREE THOU SAWEST, WHICH GREW, AND WAS STRONG, WHOSE HEIGHT REACHED UNTO THE HEAVEN, AND THE SIGHT THEREOF TO ALL THE EARTH, WHOSE LEAVES WERE FAIR, AND THE FIRST FRUIT THEREOF MUCH, AND IN WAS MEAT FOR ALL.; UNDER WHICH THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD, AND UPON WHOSE BRANCHES THE FOWLS OF THE HEAVEN HAD THEIR HABITATION: IT IS THOU O KING, THOU ART GROWN AND BECOME STRONG: FOR THY GREATNESS IS GROWN, AND REACHETH INTO HEAVEN AND THY DOMINION TO THE END OF THY EARTH. AND WHEREAS THE KING SAW A WATCHER AND A HOLY ONE COMING DOWN FROM HEAVEN, AND SAYING, 'HEW THE TREE DOWN, AND DESTROY IT; YET LEAVE THE STUMP OF THE ROOTS THEREOF IN THE EARTH, EVEN WITH A BAND OF IRON AND BRASS, IN THE TENDER GRASS OF THE FIELD; AND LET IT BE WET WITH THE DEW OF HEAVEN, AND LET HIS PORTION BE WITH THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD, TILL SEVEN TIMES PASS OVER HIM.': THIS IS THE INTERPRETATION, O : KING AND THIS IS THE DECREE OF THE MOST HIGH, WHICH IS COME UPON MY LORD THE KING: THAT THEY SHALL DRIVE THEE FROM MEN, AND THY DWELLING SHALL BE WITH THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD, AND THEY SHALL MAKE THEE TO EAT GRASS AS OXEN, AND THEY SHALL WET THEE WITH THE DEW OF HEAVEN, AND SEVEN TIMES SHALL PASS OVER THEE, TILL THOU KNOW THAT THE MOST HIGH RULETH IN THE KINGDOM OF MEN, GIVETH IT TO MEN TO WHOMSOEVER HE WILL. AND WHEREAS THEY COMMANDED TO LEAVE THE STUMP OF THE TREE ROOTS; THY KINGDOM SHALL BE SURE UNTO THEE, AFTER THAT THOU SHALL HAVE KNOWN THAT THE HEAVENS DO RULE. WHEREFORE, O KING, LET MY COUNSEL BE ACCEPTABLE UNTO THEE, AND BREAK OFF THY SINS BY RIGHTEOUSNESS, AND THINE INIQUITIES BY SHOWING MERCY TO THE POOR, IF IT MAY BE A LENGTHENING OF THY TRANQUILLITY." ALL THIS CAME UPON THE KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR. AT THE END OF TWELVE MONTHS HE WALKED IN THE PALACE OF THE KINGDOM OF BABYLON. THE KING SPOKE, AND SAID, " IS NOT THIS GREAT BABYLON, THAT I HAVE BUILT FOR THE HOUSE OF THE KINGDOM BY THE MIGHT OF MY POWER, AND FOR THE HONOR OF MY MAJESTY? " WHILE THE WORD WAS IN THE KING'S MOUTH, THERE FELL A VOICE FROM HEAVEN SAYING, 'O KING NEBUCHADNEZZAR TO THEE IT IS SPOKEN: " THE KINGDOM IS DEPARTED FROM THEE AND THEY SHALL DRIVE THEE FROM MEN, AND THY DWELLING SHALL BE WITH THE BEASTS OF THE FIELD: THEY SHALL MAKE THEE TO EAT GRASS AS OXEN, AND SEVEN TIMES SHALL PASS OVER THEE, UNTIL THOU KNOW THE MOST HIGH RULETH IN THE KINGDOM OF MEN, AND GIVETH IT TO WHOMSOEVER HE WILL."
THE SAME HOUR WAS THE THING FULFILLED UPON NEBUCHADNEZZAR: AND HE WAS DRIVEN FROM MEN AND DID EAT GRASS AS OXEN, AND HIS BODY WAS WET WITH THE DEW FROM HEAVEN, TILL HIS HAIRS WERE GROWN LIKE EAGLES FEATHERS, AND HIS NAILS LIKE BIRDS CLAWS. AT THE END OF THE DAYS I NEBUCHADNEZZAR LIFTED P MY EYES UNTO HEAVEN, MINE UNDERSTANDING RETURNED TO ME, AND I BLESSED THE MOST HIGH, AND I PRAISED AND HONOURED HIM THAT LIVETH FOR EVER, WHOSE DOMINION IS AN EVERLASTING DOMINION, AND HIS KINGDOM IS FROM GENERATION TO GENERATION. BELSHAZZAR THE KING MADE A GREAT FEAST TO A THOUSAND OF HIS LORDS, AND DRANK WINE BEFORE THE THOUSAND. BELSHAZZAR, WHILE HE TASTED THE WINE, COMMANDED TO BRING THE GOLDEN AND SILVER VESSELS WHICH HIS FATHER NEBUCHADNEZZAR HAD TAKEN OUT OF THE TEMPLE WHICH WAS IN JERUSALEM; THAT THE KING,AND HIS PRINCES, HIS WIVES, AND HIS CONCUBINES, AND PRAISED THE GODS OF GOLD AND SILVER, OF BRASS, OF IRON, OF WOOD, AND OF STONE, BIG MISTAKE!
IN THE SAME HOUR CAME FORTH FINGERS OF A MAN'S HAND, AND WROTE OVER AGAINST THE CANDLE STICK UPON THE PLASTER OF THE WALL OF THE KING'S PALACE: AND THE KING SAW THE PART OF THE HAND THAT WROTE. THEN THE KING'S COUNTENANCE WAS CHANGED, AND IS THOUGHTS TROUBLED HIM, SO THAT THE JOINTS OF HIS LOINS WERE LOOSED, AND HIS KNEES SMOTE ONE AGAINST ANOTHER. THE KING CRIED ALOUD TO BRING ASTROLOGERS, THE CHALDEANS, AND THE SOOTHSAYERS. AND THE KING SPOKE, AND SAID TO THE WISE MEN OF BABYLON, " WHOSOEVER SHALL READ THIS WRITING, AND SHOW ME THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF, SHALL BE CLOTHED WITH SCARLET, AND HAVE A GOLD CHAIN ABOUT HIS NECK, AND SHALL BE THE THIRD RULER IN THE KINGDOM. NO ONE WAS FOUND TO READ THE WRITING ON THE WALL NOR MAKE KNOWN TO THE KING THE INTERPRETATION THEREOF. HIS COUNTENANCE WAS CHANGED IN HIM. AND HIS LORDS WERE ASTONISHED. NOW THE QUEEN BY REASON OF THE KINGS WORDS, SPOKE " O LORD LIVE FOREVER; AND LET THY THOUGHTS NOT TROUBLE THEE, NOR LET THY COUNTENANCE BE CHANGED. THERE IS A MAN IN THE KINGDOM, IN WHOM THE SPIRIT OF THE HOLY gods; IN YOUR FATHER'S TIME GAVE WISDOM AND UNDERSTANDING FOUND IN DANIEL.DANIEL WAS BROUGHT FORTH TO THE KING WHO SAID :" ART THOU THAT DANIEL, WHICH ART OF THE CHILDREN OF THE CAPTIVITY OF JUDAH. NOW THE WISE MEN , ASTROLOGERS, HAVE BEEN BROUGHT INTO ME COULD NOT SHOW THE INTERPRETATION OF THIS THING AND DANIEL IF YOU CAN, YOU SHALL BE CLOTHED IN SCARLET, HAVE A CHAIN OF GOLD ABOUT THY NECK AND SHALL BE THE THIRD RULER. THE WRITING!
" AND THOU HIS SON, O BELSHAZZAR, HAS NOT HUMBLED THINE HEART, THOUGH THOU KNOWEST ALL THIS HAS BROUGHT THE VESSELS OF HIS HOUSE BEFORE THEE, AND THOU, AND THY LORDS, THY WIVES, AND THY CONCUBINES,, HAVE DRUNK WINE IN THEM, AND THOU HAS PRAISED THE gods OF SILVER, AND GOLD, OF BRASS, IRON, WOOD, AND STONE, WHICH SEE NOT, NOR HEAR, NOR KNOW; AND THE GOD IN WHOSE HAND THY BREATH IS, AND WHOSE ARE ALL THY WAYS, HAST THOU NOT GLORIFIED: " THEN WAS THE PART OF THE HAND SENT FROM HIM AND THIS WRITING WAS WRITTEN. "MENE, MENE, TEKEL,, UPHARSIN. THIS IS THE INTERPRETATION OF THE THING: "MENE": GOD HAS NUMBERED THY KINGDOM, AND FINISHED IT. "TEKEL" THOU ART WEIGHTED IN BALANCES, AND ART FOUND WANTING. "PERES": THY KINGDOM IS DIVIDED, AND GIVEN TO THE MEDES AND PERSIANS, BELSHAZZAR CLOTHED DANIEL IN SCARLET, AND PUT A CHAIN OF GOLD AROUND HIS NECK AND MADE A PROCLAMATION CONCERNING HIM, THAT HE SHOULD BE THE THIRD RULER. BELSHAZZAR IN THAT NIGHT WAS SLAIN, AND DARIUS THE MEDIAN TOOK THE KINGDOM, BEING ABOUT THREE-SCORE AND TWO YEARS OLD.
Tuesday, August 21, 2018
TETRAGRAMMATON {THE EXCITEMENT LASTS}
THE "TETRAGRAMMATON ", LETTER HEBREW NAME OF GOD, OFTEN PRONOUNCED YAHWEH', WHICH THE SCRIBE DID NOT WANT TO WRITE- " IT WAS TO HOLY." IN HIS AUDACIOUS WORK, THESE TWO YALE JEWISH SCHOLARS, HAROLD BLOOM AND DAVID ROSENBERG RECOVER A LOST MASTERPIECE BY A NAMELESS WRITER KNOWN AS J, AUTHOR OF THE OLDEST MOST POWERFUL STORIES IN THE BIBLE. RELIGIOUS TRADITION ASCRIBES AUTHORSHIP OF THE PENTATEUCH--- THE FIRST FIVE BOOKS OF THE HEBREW BIBLE, OR CALLED TO THE THE CHRISTIAN, THE OLD TESTAMENT---TO MOSES, BUT SCHOLARS AGREE THAT IT IS IN FACT A COMPOSITE WORK CONSISTING OF TEXTS BY SEVERAL DIFFERENT AUTHORS, WOVEN TOGETHER AROUND 400 B.C.E. BY A MASTER EDITOR KNOWN AS THE REDACTOR R. THE OLDEST OF THESE TEXTS, RUNNING THROUGH GENESIS, EXODUS, AND NUMBERS, WAS WRITTEN BY THE AUTHOR WHOM SCHOLARS CALL 'J.'
BLOOM ARGUES IS A WRITER OF OF THE STATURE OF HOMER, SHAKESPEARE, AND TOLSTOY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL GROUNDS, THAT 'J' WAS A WOMAN OF THE RO
YAL HOUSE LIVING AT KING SOLOMON'S COURT,IN JERUSALEM , NEARLY THREE THOUSAND YEARS AGO, AN UNKNOWN AUTHOR COMPOSED A WORK THAT HAS FORMED THE SPIRITUAL CONSCIOUSNESS OF MUCH OF THE WORLD EVER SINCE. THIS TEXT EMBEDDED WITHIN WHAT WE CALL GENESIS; EXODUS, AND NUMBERS, THREE OF THE DIVISIONS OF TORAH, OR THE FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES. THEY DON'T KNOW THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH THE WORK WAS COMPOSED, OR FOR WHAT PURPOSES, ULTIMATELY WE MUST RELY UPON OUR EXPERIENCE AS READERS TO JUSTIFY OUR SURMISES AS TO WHAT IT IS THAT WE ARE READING. SCHOLARSHIP, HOWEVER DEEPLY GROUNDED, CANNOT REACH AGREEMENT ON DATE. THE AUTHORS ASSUMED THAT "J" LIVED IN THE NEARBY COURT OF SOLOMON SON AND SUCCESSOR, KING REHOBOAM OF JUDAH
WHOM HIS FATHER'S KINGDOM FELL APART SOON AFTER tHE DEATH SOLOMON IN 922 b.c.e. TO TAKE GENESIS ALONE, TEXT ACTUALLY CONTAINS NOT HREE EPICS BUT THREE VERY DISTINCT LITERARY FORMS: A CREATION-FLOOD EPIC, A COLLECTION OF ORAL SAGA AND SAGA CYCLES, WISDOM- ORIENTED NOVELLA. TO UNITE THESE MATERIALS WOULD HAVE SEEMED EVEN STRANGER TO A TENTH CENTURY AUDIENCE. SOMEBODY WROTE THE BOOK OF "J" "J" MIXES EVERYTHING AVAILABLE TO HER AND PRODUCES A WORK SO COMPREHENSIVE AND SO UNIVERSAL THAT THE ENTIRE HEBREW BIBLE, GREEK, NEW TESTAMENT, AND ARABIC KORAN, COULD BE FOUNDED UPON IT. SCHOLARS HAVE AWAY
BLOOM ARGUES IS A WRITER OF OF THE STATURE OF HOMER, SHAKESPEARE, AND TOLSTOY AND PSYCHOLOGICAL GROUNDS, THAT 'J' WAS A WOMAN OF THE RO
YAL HOUSE LIVING AT KING SOLOMON'S COURT,IN JERUSALEM , NEARLY THREE THOUSAND YEARS AGO, AN UNKNOWN AUTHOR COMPOSED A WORK THAT HAS FORMED THE SPIRITUAL CONSCIOUSNESS OF MUCH OF THE WORLD EVER SINCE. THIS TEXT EMBEDDED WITHIN WHAT WE CALL GENESIS; EXODUS, AND NUMBERS, THREE OF THE DIVISIONS OF TORAH, OR THE FIVE BOOKS OF MOSES. THEY DON'T KNOW THE CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH THE WORK WAS COMPOSED, OR FOR WHAT PURPOSES, ULTIMATELY WE MUST RELY UPON OUR EXPERIENCE AS READERS TO JUSTIFY OUR SURMISES AS TO WHAT IT IS THAT WE ARE READING. SCHOLARSHIP, HOWEVER DEEPLY GROUNDED, CANNOT REACH AGREEMENT ON DATE. THE AUTHORS ASSUMED THAT "J" LIVED IN THE NEARBY COURT OF SOLOMON SON AND SUCCESSOR, KING REHOBOAM OF JUDAH
WHOM HIS FATHER'S KINGDOM FELL APART SOON AFTER tHE DEATH SOLOMON IN 922 b.c.e. TO TAKE GENESIS ALONE, TEXT ACTUALLY CONTAINS NOT HREE EPICS BUT THREE VERY DISTINCT LITERARY FORMS: A CREATION-FLOOD EPIC, A COLLECTION OF ORAL SAGA AND SAGA CYCLES, WISDOM- ORIENTED NOVELLA. TO UNITE THESE MATERIALS WOULD HAVE SEEMED EVEN STRANGER TO A TENTH CENTURY AUDIENCE. SOMEBODY WROTE THE BOOK OF "J" "J" MIXES EVERYTHING AVAILABLE TO HER AND PRODUCES A WORK SO COMPREHENSIVE AND SO UNIVERSAL THAT THE ENTIRE HEBREW BIBLE, GREEK, NEW TESTAMENT, AND ARABIC KORAN, COULD BE FOUNDED UPON IT. SCHOLARS HAVE AWAY
LEAVES OF GOLD XXV POSSESSIONS FOR RUTH. .
VAINGLORY- A LITTLE WHILE AGO I STOOD BY THE GRAVE OF THE OLD NAPOLEON- A MAGNIFICENT TOMB OF GILT AND GOLD, FIT ALMOST FOR A DEAD DEITY AND GAZED UPON THE SARCOPHAGUS OF RARE AND NAMELESS MARBLE, WHERE REST AT LAST THE ASHES OF THAT RESTLESS MAN. I LEANED OVER THE BALUSTRADE AND THOUGHT ABOUT THE CAREER OF THE GREATEST SOLDIER OF THE MODERN WORLD. I SAW HIM WALKING UPON THE BANKS OF THE SEINE, CONTEMPLATING SUICIDE, I SAW HIM AT TOULON- I SAW HIM PUTTING DOWN THE MOB IN THE STREETS OF PARIS--I SAW HIM AT THE HEAD OF THE ARMY IN ITALY--I SAW HIM CROSSING THE BRIDGE OF LODI WITH TRICOLOR IN HIS HAND-- I SAW HIM IN EGYPT IN THE SHADOWS OF THE PYRAMIDS-- I SAW HIM CONQUER THE ALPS AND MINGLE THE EAGLE OF FRANCE WITH THE EAGLES OF THE CRAGS. I SAW HIM AT MARENGO-- AT ULM AND AUSTERLITZ. I SAW HIM IN RUSSIA, WHERE THE INFANTRY OF THE SNOW AND THE VALVERY OF THE WILD BLASS SCATTERED HIS LEGIONS LIKE WINTER'S WITHERED LEAVES. I SAW HIM AT LEIPSIC IN DEFEAT AND DISASTER--- DRIVEN BACK UPON PARIS--- LIKE A WILD BEAST-- BANISHED TO ELBA. I SAW HIM ESCAPE AND RETAKE AN EMPIRE BY THE FORCE OF HIS GENIUS. I SAW HIM UPON THE FRIGHTFUL FIELD OF WATERLOO, WHERE CHANCE AND FATE COMBINED TO WRECK THE FORTUNES OF THEIR FORMER KING. AND I SAW HIM AT ST. HELENA, WITH HIS HANDS CROSSED BEHIND HIM, GAZING OUT UPON THE SAD SOLEMN SEA.
I THOUGHT OF THE ORPHANS AND WIDOWS HE HAD MADE-- OF THE TEARS THAT HAD BEEN SHED FOR HIS GLORY-- AND OF THE ONLY WOMAN WHO EVER LOVED HIM. AND PUSHED FROM HIS HEART BY THE COLD HAND OF AMBITION. AND I SAID I WOULD RATHER BE A FRENCH PEASANT AND WEAR WORN WOODEN SHOES. I WOULD OF RATHER HAVE LIVED IN A HUT WITH A VINE GROWING OVER THE DOOR, AND THE GRAPES GROWING PURPLE IN THE KISSES OF THE AUTUMN SUN. I WOULD RATHER HAVE BEEN THAT POOR PEASANT WITH MY LOVING WIFE BY MY SIDE, KNITTING AS THE DAY DIED OUT OF THE SKY-- WITH MY CHILDREN SITTING UPON MY KNEES AND THEIR ARMS ABOUT ME. I WOULD HAVE RATHER BEEN THAT MAN AND GONE DOWN TO THE TONGUE--LESS SILENCE OF THE DREAMLESS DUST, THAN TO HAVE BEEN THAT IMPERIAL IMPERSONATION OF FORCE AND MURDER, KNOWN AS "NAPOLEON THE GREAT." ROBERT G. INGERSOLL.
MARTIN- LUTHER USED TO SAY EACH ONE NEEDED A THREE- FOLD CONVERSION, THAT OF HIS HEART, HIS HEAD AND HIS POCKET-BOOK. WE NEED TO FEEL THAT EVERY. DOLLAR IN OUR KEEPING BELONGS TO GOD AND MUST BE USED TO FURTHER THE INTEREST OF HIS KINGDOM. SOMEONE HAS SAID THAT THE BOOK WITH THE SEVEN SEALS THAT NO ONE COULD OPEN WAS THE POCKET BOOK. THE GREATEST THING YOU CAN DO FOR GOD AND YOURSELF TODAY, IS TO CONSECRATE EVERYTHING TO THE LORD.
WHEN GOD SHUTS A DOOR HE OPENS A WINDOW.
THE TRUE CALLING OF A CHRISTIAN IS NOT TO DO EXTRAORDINARY WAY-DEAN STANLEY.
HITCHHIKERS: IF YOU WANT TO SUCCEED IN THE WORLD, YOU MUST MAKE YOUR OWN OPPORTUNITIES AS YOU GO ON. THE MAN WHO WAITS FOR SOME SEVENTH WAVE TO TOSS HIM ON DRY LAND WILL FIND THE SEVENTH WAVE WILL FIND THE SEVENTH WAVE IS A LONG TIME COMING. YOU CAN COMMIT NO GREATER FOLLY THAN TO SIT BY ROADSIDE UNTIL SOME WITH WEALTH COMES ALONG . AND INVITES YOU TO RIDE WITH HIM.
I THOUGHT OF THE ORPHANS AND WIDOWS HE HAD MADE-- OF THE TEARS THAT HAD BEEN SHED FOR HIS GLORY-- AND OF THE ONLY WOMAN WHO EVER LOVED HIM. AND PUSHED FROM HIS HEART BY THE COLD HAND OF AMBITION. AND I SAID I WOULD RATHER BE A FRENCH PEASANT AND WEAR WORN WOODEN SHOES. I WOULD OF RATHER HAVE LIVED IN A HUT WITH A VINE GROWING OVER THE DOOR, AND THE GRAPES GROWING PURPLE IN THE KISSES OF THE AUTUMN SUN. I WOULD RATHER HAVE BEEN THAT POOR PEASANT WITH MY LOVING WIFE BY MY SIDE, KNITTING AS THE DAY DIED OUT OF THE SKY-- WITH MY CHILDREN SITTING UPON MY KNEES AND THEIR ARMS ABOUT ME. I WOULD HAVE RATHER BEEN THAT MAN AND GONE DOWN TO THE TONGUE--LESS SILENCE OF THE DREAMLESS DUST, THAN TO HAVE BEEN THAT IMPERIAL IMPERSONATION OF FORCE AND MURDER, KNOWN AS "NAPOLEON THE GREAT." ROBERT G. INGERSOLL.
MARTIN- LUTHER USED TO SAY EACH ONE NEEDED A THREE- FOLD CONVERSION, THAT OF HIS HEART, HIS HEAD AND HIS POCKET-BOOK. WE NEED TO FEEL THAT EVERY. DOLLAR IN OUR KEEPING BELONGS TO GOD AND MUST BE USED TO FURTHER THE INTEREST OF HIS KINGDOM. SOMEONE HAS SAID THAT THE BOOK WITH THE SEVEN SEALS THAT NO ONE COULD OPEN WAS THE POCKET BOOK. THE GREATEST THING YOU CAN DO FOR GOD AND YOURSELF TODAY, IS TO CONSECRATE EVERYTHING TO THE LORD.
WHEN GOD SHUTS A DOOR HE OPENS A WINDOW.
THE TRUE CALLING OF A CHRISTIAN IS NOT TO DO EXTRAORDINARY WAY-DEAN STANLEY.
HITCHHIKERS: IF YOU WANT TO SUCCEED IN THE WORLD, YOU MUST MAKE YOUR OWN OPPORTUNITIES AS YOU GO ON. THE MAN WHO WAITS FOR SOME SEVENTH WAVE TO TOSS HIM ON DRY LAND WILL FIND THE SEVENTH WAVE WILL FIND THE SEVENTH WAVE IS A LONG TIME COMING. YOU CAN COMMIT NO GREATER FOLLY THAN TO SIT BY ROADSIDE UNTIL SOME WITH WEALTH COMES ALONG . AND INVITES YOU TO RIDE WITH HIM.
BOOK OF GENESIS
' IF YOU STEAL FROM, ONE AUTHOR, ITS PLAGIARISM; IF YOU STEAL FROM MANY IT'S CALLED USING A LIBRARY FOR RESEARCH.
THUS THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH WERE FINISHED, AND ALL THE HOST OF THEM. AND GOD BLESSED THE SEVENTH DAY AND SANCTIFIED IT: AND HE RESTED. BUT BEFORE A PLANT OF THE FIELD WAS IN THE EARTH, BEFORE A GRAIN SPROUTED
- YAHWEH HAD NOT SPILLED RAIN. ON EARTH, NOR WAS THERE A MAN TO WORK THE LAND YET FROM THE DAY YAHWEH MADE EARTH AND SKY, A MIST FROM WOULD RISE TO MOISTEN THE SURFACE YAHWEH SHAPED AN EARTHLING FROM THE CLAY OF THIS EARTH, BLEW INTO HIS NOSTRILS THE WIND OF LIFE. NOW LOOK : MAN BECOME A CREATURE OF FLESH. (GEN 2.) NOW YAHWEH PLANTED A GARDEN IN EDEN, EASTWARD THERE HE PLANTED,THE MAN WHOM HE HAD FORMED AND OUT OF THE GROUND MADE THE LORD GOD TO GROW EVERY TREE THAT IS PLEASANT TO THE SIGHT AND GOOOOD FOR FOOD; THE TREE OF LIFE ALSO IN THE MIDST OF THE GARDEN AND THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL. AND A RIVER WENT OUT OF EDEN TO WATER THE GARDEN, AND FROM THENCE IT WAS PARTED, AND BECAME FOUR HEADS. THE NAME OF THE FIRST PISON THAT IS WHICH COMPASSETH THE WHOLE LAND OF HAVILAH, WHERE THERE IS GOLD, AND THE GOLD OF THAT LAND IS GOOD, WHERE THERE IS BDELLIUM AND ONYX STONE AND THE NAME OF THE SECOND RIVER IS GIHON : THE SAME IS IT THAT COMPASSETH THE WHOLE LAND OF ETHIOPIA. AND THE NAME OF THE THIRD RIVER IS HIDDEKEL
THAT IS IT WHICH GOETH TOWARD THE EAST OF ASSYRIA AND THE FOURTH RIVER IS EUPHRATES. AND THE LORD GOD TOOK THE MAN, AND PUT HIM INTO THE GARDEN OF EDEN TO DRESS IT AND TO KEEP IT. AND THE LORD GOD COMMANDED THE MAN SAYING, " OF EVERY TREE OF THE GARDEN THOU MAY FREELY EAT: BUT OF THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, THOU SHALL NOT EAT OF IT SAID YAHWEH, FOR IN THE DAY THAT THOU EATEST,THEREOF THOU SHALL SURELY DIE.
"IT IS NOT GOOD THAT MAN SHOULD BE ALONE; I WILL MAKE HIM A HELP MEET FOR HIM." AND OUT OF GROUND THE LORD GOD FORMED EVERY BEAST OF THE FIELD, AND EVERY FOWL OF THE AIR; AND BROUGHT THEM TO ADAM TO SEE WHAT HE WOULD CALL THEM AND WHATSOEVER ADAM GAVE TO THE CATTLE AND THE FOWL OF THE AIR. AND TO EVERY BEAST OT THE FIELD. AND THE LORD GOD CAUSED A DEEP SLEEP TO FALL OVER ADAM, AND HE TOOK ONE OF HIS RIBS AND CLOSED UP THE FLESH INSTEAD THEREOF; AND THE RIB, WHICH THE LORD GOD HAD TAKEN FROM MAN MADE HE A WOMEN AND BROUGHT HER UNTO THE MAN.
AND ADAM SAID,
" THIS IS BONES OF MY BONES,
FLESH OF MY FLESH
SHE SHALL BE CALLED WOMEN
BECAUSE SHE WAS TAKEN OUT OF MAN."
THEREFORE SHALL A MAN LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, AND SHALL CLEAVE TO HIS WIFE. AND THEY SHALL BE ONE FLESH AND THEY WERE BOTH NAKED, THE MAN AND HIS WIFE AND WERE NOT ASHAMED.NOW THE SERPENT (DEVIL) WAS MORE SUBTIL THAN ANY BEAST OF THE FIELD WHICH THE LORD GOD HAD MADE. AND HE SAID UNTO THE WOMEN, YEA, HATH GOD SAID, YE SHALL EAT OF EVERY TREE OF THE GARDEN? AND THE WOMEN SAID UNTO THE SERPENT, (DEVIL) " WE MAY EAT OF THE FRUIT OF THE TREES OF THE GARDEN: BUT OF THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WHICH IS IN THE MIDST OF THE GARDEN, GOD HAS SAID, "YE SHALL NOT EAT OF IT, NEITHER SHALL YOU TOUCH IT, LEST YOU DIE." AND THE SERPENT SAID UNTO THE WOMEN, " YE SHALL NOT SURELY DIE: FOR GOD DOTH KNOW THAT IN THE DAY YE EAT THEREOF, THEN SHALL YOUR EYES SHALL BE OPEN AND YE SHALL BE AS GODS, KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL. AND WHEN THE WOMEN SAW THAT THE TREES WAS GOOD FOR FOOD, AND IT WAS PLEASANT TO THE EYES, AND A TREE TO BE DESIRED TO MAKE ONE WISE, SHE TOOK OF THE FRUIT THEREOF, AND DID EAT, AND GAVE ALSO UNTO HER HUSBAND WITH HER; AND HE DID EAT AND THE EYES OF THEM BOTH WERE OPENED, AND THEY KNEW THAT THEY WERE NAKED; AND THEY SEWED FIG LEAVES TOGETHER, AND MADE THEMSELVES APRONS.AND THEY HEARD THE VOICE OF THE LORD GOD AMONGST THE TREES OF THE GARDEN. AND THE LORD GOD CALLED UNTO ADAM, AND SAID UNTO HIM "WHERE ART THOU?" AND HE SAID, "I HEARD THY VOICE IN THE GARDEN, AND I WAS AFRAID, BECAUSE I WAS NAKED; AND I HID MYSELF." AND HE SAID, " WHO TOLD THEE THOU WAST NAKED? HAST THOU EATEN OF THE TREE, WHERE OF I COMMANDED THEE THAT THOU SHOULDST NOT EAT?" AND THE MAN SAID " THE WOMEN WHOM THOU GAVEST TO BE WITH ME, SHE GAVE ME OF THE TREE, AND I DID EAT." AND THE LORD GOD SAID UNTO THE WOMEN, " WHAT IS THIS THAT THOU HAST DONE.?" AND "THE SERPENT (DEVIL) BEGUILED ME, AND I DID EAT." AND THE LORD GOD SAID UNTO THE WOMAN. " WHAT IS THIS THAT THOU HAST DONE?" THE SERPENT THAT WAS CREATED IN THE GARDEN IN THE GUISE OF A "SNAKE" CALLED ,SATAN, DEVIL,THAT YOU CREATED IN THE GARDEN HAS BEGUILED ME, AND I DID EAT." AND THE LORD GOD SAID UNTO THE SERPENT, : BECAUSE THOU HAST DONE THIS, THOU ART CURSED ABOVE ALL CATTLE. AND ABOVE EVERY BEAST OF THE FIELD; UPON THY BELLY SHALT THOU GO, AND DUST SHALT THOU EAT ALL THE DAYS OF THY LIFE: TO THE WOMEN HE SAID: PAIN INCREASING, SPREAD INTO GROANS: HAVING CHILDREN WILL BE LABOR TO YOUR MAN'S BODY YOUR BELLY WILL RISE, FOR HE WILL BE EAGER ABOVE YOU.
THE MAN NAMED HIS WIFE HAVA. NOW YAHWEH MADE CLOTHES FROM SKINS OF THE WILD ANIMALS FOR THE MAN AND WOMAN. " LOOK," SAID YAHWEH, THE EARTHLING SEES LIKE ONE OF US, KNOWING GOOD AND BAD. AND NOW HE MAY
BLINDLY REACH OUT HIS HAND, GRASP THE TREE OF LIFE AS WELL, EAT AND LIVE FOREVER. NOW YAHWEH TOOK HIM OUT OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN TO TOIL- IN THE SOIL FROM WHICH HE WAS TAKEN AND DRIVEN FORWARD NOW SETTLED THERE EAST OF EDEN- THE WINGED SPHINXES AND THE WAVING SWORD, BOTH SIDES FLASHING, TO WATCH THE WAY TO THE TREE OF LIFE NOW THE MAN KNEW HAVA, IN THE FLESH; SHE CONCEIVED CAIN. "I HAVE CREATED A MAN AS YAHWEH HAS" SHE SAID WHEN HE WAS BORN. SHE CONCEIVED AGAIN: ABEL HIS BROTHER WAS BORN ABEL, IT TURNED OUT, WAS A WATCHER OF SHEEP, CAIN A TILLER O THE SOIL.
THE MAN STOOD SILENT AND YAHWEH PROVED HIS JOURNEY FERTILE.
SON
THUS THE HEAVENS AND THE EARTH WERE FINISHED, AND ALL THE HOST OF THEM. AND GOD BLESSED THE SEVENTH DAY AND SANCTIFIED IT: AND HE RESTED. BUT BEFORE A PLANT OF THE FIELD WAS IN THE EARTH, BEFORE A GRAIN SPROUTED
- YAHWEH HAD NOT SPILLED RAIN. ON EARTH, NOR WAS THERE A MAN TO WORK THE LAND YET FROM THE DAY YAHWEH MADE EARTH AND SKY, A MIST FROM WOULD RISE TO MOISTEN THE SURFACE YAHWEH SHAPED AN EARTHLING FROM THE CLAY OF THIS EARTH, BLEW INTO HIS NOSTRILS THE WIND OF LIFE. NOW LOOK : MAN BECOME A CREATURE OF FLESH. (GEN 2.) NOW YAHWEH PLANTED A GARDEN IN EDEN, EASTWARD THERE HE PLANTED,THE MAN WHOM HE HAD FORMED AND OUT OF THE GROUND MADE THE LORD GOD TO GROW EVERY TREE THAT IS PLEASANT TO THE SIGHT AND GOOOOD FOR FOOD; THE TREE OF LIFE ALSO IN THE MIDST OF THE GARDEN AND THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL. AND A RIVER WENT OUT OF EDEN TO WATER THE GARDEN, AND FROM THENCE IT WAS PARTED, AND BECAME FOUR HEADS. THE NAME OF THE FIRST PISON THAT IS WHICH COMPASSETH THE WHOLE LAND OF HAVILAH, WHERE THERE IS GOLD, AND THE GOLD OF THAT LAND IS GOOD, WHERE THERE IS BDELLIUM AND ONYX STONE AND THE NAME OF THE SECOND RIVER IS GIHON : THE SAME IS IT THAT COMPASSETH THE WHOLE LAND OF ETHIOPIA. AND THE NAME OF THE THIRD RIVER IS HIDDEKEL
THAT IS IT WHICH GOETH TOWARD THE EAST OF ASSYRIA AND THE FOURTH RIVER IS EUPHRATES. AND THE LORD GOD TOOK THE MAN, AND PUT HIM INTO THE GARDEN OF EDEN TO DRESS IT AND TO KEEP IT. AND THE LORD GOD COMMANDED THE MAN SAYING, " OF EVERY TREE OF THE GARDEN THOU MAY FREELY EAT: BUT OF THE TREE OF KNOWLEDGE OF GOOD AND EVIL, THOU SHALL NOT EAT OF IT SAID YAHWEH, FOR IN THE DAY THAT THOU EATEST,THEREOF THOU SHALL SURELY DIE.
"IT IS NOT GOOD THAT MAN SHOULD BE ALONE; I WILL MAKE HIM A HELP MEET FOR HIM." AND OUT OF GROUND THE LORD GOD FORMED EVERY BEAST OF THE FIELD, AND EVERY FOWL OF THE AIR; AND BROUGHT THEM TO ADAM TO SEE WHAT HE WOULD CALL THEM AND WHATSOEVER ADAM GAVE TO THE CATTLE AND THE FOWL OF THE AIR. AND TO EVERY BEAST OT THE FIELD. AND THE LORD GOD CAUSED A DEEP SLEEP TO FALL OVER ADAM, AND HE TOOK ONE OF HIS RIBS AND CLOSED UP THE FLESH INSTEAD THEREOF; AND THE RIB, WHICH THE LORD GOD HAD TAKEN FROM MAN MADE HE A WOMEN AND BROUGHT HER UNTO THE MAN.
AND ADAM SAID,
" THIS IS BONES OF MY BONES,
FLESH OF MY FLESH
SHE SHALL BE CALLED WOMEN
BECAUSE SHE WAS TAKEN OUT OF MAN."
THEREFORE SHALL A MAN LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, AND SHALL CLEAVE TO HIS WIFE. AND THEY SHALL BE ONE FLESH AND THEY WERE BOTH NAKED, THE MAN AND HIS WIFE AND WERE NOT ASHAMED.NOW THE SERPENT (DEVIL) WAS MORE SUBTIL THAN ANY BEAST OF THE FIELD WHICH THE LORD GOD HAD MADE. AND HE SAID UNTO THE WOMEN, YEA, HATH GOD SAID, YE SHALL EAT OF EVERY TREE OF THE GARDEN? AND THE WOMEN SAID UNTO THE SERPENT, (DEVIL) " WE MAY EAT OF THE FRUIT OF THE TREES OF THE GARDEN: BUT OF THE FRUIT OF THE TREE WHICH IS IN THE MIDST OF THE GARDEN, GOD HAS SAID, "YE SHALL NOT EAT OF IT, NEITHER SHALL YOU TOUCH IT, LEST YOU DIE." AND THE SERPENT SAID UNTO THE WOMEN, " YE SHALL NOT SURELY DIE: FOR GOD DOTH KNOW THAT IN THE DAY YE EAT THEREOF, THEN SHALL YOUR EYES SHALL BE OPEN AND YE SHALL BE AS GODS, KNOWING GOOD AND EVIL. AND WHEN THE WOMEN SAW THAT THE TREES WAS GOOD FOR FOOD, AND IT WAS PLEASANT TO THE EYES, AND A TREE TO BE DESIRED TO MAKE ONE WISE, SHE TOOK OF THE FRUIT THEREOF, AND DID EAT, AND GAVE ALSO UNTO HER HUSBAND WITH HER; AND HE DID EAT AND THE EYES OF THEM BOTH WERE OPENED, AND THEY KNEW THAT THEY WERE NAKED; AND THEY SEWED FIG LEAVES TOGETHER, AND MADE THEMSELVES APRONS.AND THEY HEARD THE VOICE OF THE LORD GOD AMONGST THE TREES OF THE GARDEN. AND THE LORD GOD CALLED UNTO ADAM, AND SAID UNTO HIM "WHERE ART THOU?" AND HE SAID, "I HEARD THY VOICE IN THE GARDEN, AND I WAS AFRAID, BECAUSE I WAS NAKED; AND I HID MYSELF." AND HE SAID, " WHO TOLD THEE THOU WAST NAKED? HAST THOU EATEN OF THE TREE, WHERE OF I COMMANDED THEE THAT THOU SHOULDST NOT EAT?" AND THE MAN SAID " THE WOMEN WHOM THOU GAVEST TO BE WITH ME, SHE GAVE ME OF THE TREE, AND I DID EAT." AND THE LORD GOD SAID UNTO THE WOMEN, " WHAT IS THIS THAT THOU HAST DONE.?" AND "THE SERPENT (DEVIL) BEGUILED ME, AND I DID EAT." AND THE LORD GOD SAID UNTO THE WOMAN. " WHAT IS THIS THAT THOU HAST DONE?" THE SERPENT THAT WAS CREATED IN THE GARDEN IN THE GUISE OF A "SNAKE" CALLED ,SATAN, DEVIL,THAT YOU CREATED IN THE GARDEN HAS BEGUILED ME, AND I DID EAT." AND THE LORD GOD SAID UNTO THE SERPENT, : BECAUSE THOU HAST DONE THIS, THOU ART CURSED ABOVE ALL CATTLE. AND ABOVE EVERY BEAST OF THE FIELD; UPON THY BELLY SHALT THOU GO, AND DUST SHALT THOU EAT ALL THE DAYS OF THY LIFE: TO THE WOMEN HE SAID: PAIN INCREASING, SPREAD INTO GROANS: HAVING CHILDREN WILL BE LABOR TO YOUR MAN'S BODY YOUR BELLY WILL RISE, FOR HE WILL BE EAGER ABOVE YOU.
THE MAN NAMED HIS WIFE HAVA. NOW YAHWEH MADE CLOTHES FROM SKINS OF THE WILD ANIMALS FOR THE MAN AND WOMAN. " LOOK," SAID YAHWEH, THE EARTHLING SEES LIKE ONE OF US, KNOWING GOOD AND BAD. AND NOW HE MAY
BLINDLY REACH OUT HIS HAND, GRASP THE TREE OF LIFE AS WELL, EAT AND LIVE FOREVER. NOW YAHWEH TOOK HIM OUT OF THE GARDEN OF EDEN TO TOIL- IN THE SOIL FROM WHICH HE WAS TAKEN AND DRIVEN FORWARD NOW SETTLED THERE EAST OF EDEN- THE WINGED SPHINXES AND THE WAVING SWORD, BOTH SIDES FLASHING, TO WATCH THE WAY TO THE TREE OF LIFE NOW THE MAN KNEW HAVA, IN THE FLESH; SHE CONCEIVED CAIN. "I HAVE CREATED A MAN AS YAHWEH HAS" SHE SAID WHEN HE WAS BORN. SHE CONCEIVED AGAIN: ABEL HIS BROTHER WAS BORN ABEL, IT TURNED OUT, WAS A WATCHER OF SHEEP, CAIN A TILLER O THE SOIL.
THE MAN STOOD SILENT AND YAHWEH PROVED HIS JOURNEY FERTILE.
SON
Saturday, August 11, 2018
THE BOOK OF JOB. BOOKS OF POETRY!
IN JOB 1;1 WE ARE INTRODUCED TO TO JOB, A MAN BLAMELESS AND UPRIGHT.. HE FEARED GOD AND ESCHEWED EVIL. HE HAD SEVEN SONS AND THREE DAUGHTERS AND WAS VERY WEALTHY. IN MATERIAL THINGS HE LACKED NOTHING AFTER INTRODUCING US TO JOB AND HIS VARIOUS RELIGIOUS PRACTICES , THE HOLY SPIRIT PULLS BACK THE CURTAIN OF HEAVEN AND ALLOWS US TO LISTEN TO A CONVERSATION WHICH TAKES PLACE BETWEEN GOD AND SATAN. IN REPLY TO GOD'S QUESTION AS TO WHERE HE HAS BEEN, SATAN RESPONDS THAT HE HAS BEEN WALKING THROUGHOUT THE EARTH (vs.7). GOD THREW DOWN THE GAUNTLET OF
CHALLENGE: "HAST THOU CONSIDERED MY SERVANT JOB, THERE IS NONE LIKE HIM TO THE EARTH." SATAN'S RESPONSE REPRESENTS THE GREATEST CALUMNY AGAINST GOD THAT HAD EVER BEEN DELIVERED . ITS GIST WAS THAT A PERSON WHO SERVED AND LOVED GOD WAS INTERESTED ONLY IN HIS REWARDS. ACCORDING TO SATAN, NO ONE WOULD LOVE GOD FOR WHO HE IS, IF YOU WERE NOT SO GOOD TO HIM, SATAN INTIMATED TO GOD, JOB WOULD CURSE YOU TO YOUR FACE. TO PROVE HIM WRONG, GOD THREW DOWN THE GAUNTLET: ALL THAT HE HATH IS IN THY POWER; ONLY UPON HIMSELF PUT NOT FORTH THY HAND"
SATAN DEPARTED AND TRAGEDY BEGAN TO FALL UPON JOB LIKE A TRIP HAMMER IN RAPID STACCO BLOWS. THE SABIANS ATTACKED (v15), FIRE FELL (vs16), THE CHALDEANS RAIDED (vs (17), THE HOUSE WAS BLOWN DOWN AND KILLED ALL HIS CHILDREN (vs,18). EACH REPORT CAME ON THE HEELS OF THE PRECEDING ONE. IN A FEW MINUTES TIME, JOB LEARNED OF THE LOSS OF ALL HE VALUED; POSSESSIONS, CROPS, ANIMALS, SERVANTS, CHILDREN. YET HE DID NOT CURSE GOD OR SHAKE HIS FIST AT HIM. INSTEAD, HE TORE HIS ROBE, SHAVED HIS HEAD, AND FELL DOWN TO THE GROUND; AND WORSHIPPED. HIS STATEMENT IN Vs. 21) IS THE ANSWER TO THE MOST PROFOUND ISSUE OF HUMAN EXISTENCE: "AND SAID, NAKED CAME I OUT OF MY MOTHER'S WOMB, AND NAKED SHALL I RETURN THITHER: THE LORD GAVE AND THE LORD HAS TAKEN AWAY; BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD. IN ALL JOB SINNED NOT, NOR CHARGED ( ACCUSED) GOD FOOLISHLY. WE WILL FIND THAT MUCH OF THE CONTENT OF THE BOOK OF JOB REVOLVED AROUND THE CONCEPT OF "THEODICY" THEODICY COMES FROM TWO GREEK WORDS, THEOS, MEANING GOD, AN DICE MEANING JUSTICE. IN OTHER WORDS, HOW CAN WE VINDICATE THE JUSTICE OF GOD IN RELATION TO EVIL? HOW CAN WE JUSTIFY HOLINESS AND THE EXISTENCE OF GOD IN RELATION TO EVIL? IT IS THE CONTINUING THEME OF THE BOOK. JOB HAD LOST ALL OF HIS POSSESSIONS BUT STILL HAD HIS HEALTH. CHAPTER 2 PULLS BACK THE CURTAIN ONCE AGAIN AND WE ARE NOW LISTENING TO ANOTHER MEETINGS IN THE HEAVENLIES. GOD POINTED OUT THAT
JOB "HOLDETH FAST HIS INTEGRITY, ALTHOUGH THOU MOVEST ME AGAINST HIM, TO DESTROY HIM WITHOUT CAUSE. (vs.3). NO WONDER, " IS SATAN 'S REPLY, YOU HAVE NOT TOUCHED HIM PHYSICALLY," PUT FORTH THINE HAND NOW. AND TOUCH HIS BONE AND HIS FLESH.AFTER THIS JOB OPENED HIS MOUTH, AND CURSED HIS DAY, AND JOB SPAKE, AND SAID, LET THE DAY PERISH WHEREIN I WAS BORN, AND THE NIGHT IN WHICH IT WAS SAID, THERE IS A MAN CHILD RECEIVED. LET THAT DAY BE DARKNESS WHERE IN I WAS BORN.LET THE SHADOW OF DEATH STAIN IT, LET A CLOUD DWELL UPON IT: LET THE BLACKNESS OF THE DAY TERRIFY IT. AGAIN GOD GAVE SATAN LIMITED POWER: BEHOLD HE IS IN THINE HAND, BUT SAVE HIS LIFE."
(VERSE (6). AS FOR THAT NIGHT, LET DARKNESS SEIZE UPON IT: LET IT NOT BE JOINED UNTO THE DAYS OF THE YEAR, LET IT NOT COME INTO THE NUMBER OF THE MONTHS. LO, LET THAT NIGHT BE SOLITARY, LET NO JOYFUL VOICE COME THEREIN. (VS:7). SATAN THEN AFFLICTED JOB WITH BOILS FROM THE SOULS OF HIS FEET TO THE CROWN OF HIS HEAD. JOB SET OUT ON AN ASH HEAP AND SCRAPED HIMSELF WITH A POTSHERD ( A PIECE OF BROKEN POTTERY.), THE ONLY THING AVAILABLE AT THAT TIME TO SCRAPE THES CABS FROM HIS BODY. BY THIS TIME EVEN HIS WIFE HAD EXPERIENCED TOO MUCH, AND SAID, " DOST THOU STILL RETAIN THINE INTEGRITY? CURSE GOD AND DIE." LATER ON WE WILL SEE JOB BEGINNING TO QUESTION AND CHALLENGE GOD, AND TO VACILLATE BETWEEN DESPAIR AND TRUST. BUT AT THIS POINT, HIS INTEGRITY IS INTACT. HE RESPONDED TO HIS WIFE: " THOU SPEAKEST AS ONE FOOLISH WOMEN SPEAKETH. " AND VERSE 10 ADDS, "JOB DID NOT SIN WITH HIS LIPS. " JOB HAD THREE FRIENDS WHO HEARD OF HIS CALAMITY. I BELIEVE THEY WERE ALSO RIGHTEOUS MEN. THEIR POSITION AND THEIR THEOLOGY WERE SHAKEN TO THE CORE BECAUSE THEY BELIEVED THAT IF JOB WAS RIGHTEOUS AND ALL THIS HAD BEFALLEN HIM, THEY ALSO MIGHT EXPERIENCE SUDDEN CALAMITY. THEY HAD TO PROVE THAT THERE WAS SIN IN JOB'S LIFE IN ORDER TO VINDICATE THEIR EASTERN THEOLOGY. AT FIRST BECAUSE OF THE BOILS AND DUST, THEY DID NOT RECOGNIZE HIM. THEY WEPT AND TORE THEIR ROBES AND THREW DUST ON THEIR HEADS IN TYPICAL ORIENTAL MOURNING. THEY SAT ON THE GROUND FOR SEVEN DAYS AND SEVEN NIGHTS, NOT SAYING A WORD. DO YOU KNOW OF ANYONE WHO WOULD SIT WITH YOU A FULL WEEK BECAUSE HE GRIEVED WITH AND FOR YOU? I CANNOT RECALL THIS EVER HAPPENING IN MY LIFETIME. IN THEIR OWN WAY JOB'S FRIENDS CARED ABOUT HIM. THEIR UNSELFISH BEHAVIOR CONCERN AND COMPASSION... DEMONSTRATED THEIR
THEIR GENUINE CONCERN FOR HIM
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
PARABLES. HERMENEUTICS CLASS.
OUR WORD "PARABLE" IS RELATED TO THE GREEK WORD "PARABALLO" WHICH MEANS "TO THROW OR PLACE ALONGSIDE." THUS, A PARABLE IS SOMETHING PLACED ALONGSIDE SOMETHING ELSE FOR THE PURPOSE OF COMPARISON. THE TYPICAL PARABLE USES A COMMON EVENT OF NATURAL LIFE TO EMPHASIZE OR
CLARIFY AN IMPORTANT SPIRITUAL TRUTH. JESUS THE MASTER TEACHER, USED PARABLES REGULARLY AS HE TAUGHT. THE GREEK WORD FOR PARABLE OCCURS NEARLY FIFTY TIMES IN THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS IN CONNECTION WITH HIS MINISTRY, SUGGESTING THAT PARABLES WERE ONE O HIS FAVORITE TEACHING DEVICES. SCRIPTURE REVEALS TWO BASIC PURPOSES OF PARABLES. THE FIRST OF THESE IS TO REVEAL THE TRUTH TO BELIEVER (MATT. 13:-12; MARK 4:11). PARABLES CAN CAUSE A LASTING IMPRESSION OFTEN FAR MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN ORDINARY DISCOURSE. FOR EXAMPLE CHIST COULD HAVE SAID, " YOU SHOULD BE MORE PERSISTENT IN YOUR PRAYER LIFE." A STATEMENT THAT HIS HEARERS WOULD PROBABLY SHRUGGED OFF AND QUICKLY FORGOTTEN. INSTEAD HE TOLD THEM OF A "WIDOW " WHO KEPT BEGGING AN UNJUST JUDGE TO HELP HER, UNTIL THE JUDGE FINALLY DECIDED TO ANSWER HER PETITIONS TO STOP HER COMPLAINING. CHRIST THEN TAUGHT THE LESSON OF THE PARABLE; IF AN UNJUST JUDGE WHO CARES NOTHING ABOUT A WIDOW CAN BE SWAYED BY PERSISTENT BEGGING, HOW MUCH MORE WILL A LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER ANSWER THOSE WHO CONSISTENTLY PRAY TO HIM. SIMILARLY, CHRIST COULD OF SAID, " YOU SHOULD BE HUMBLE WHEN YOU PRAY." INSTEAD HE TOLD HIS AUDIENCE OF THE PHARISEE AND THE TAX COLLECTOR WHO WENT UP TO THE TEMPLE TO PRAY (LUKE 18:9-14). THE RIDICULOUSNESS OF THE PHARISEE'S PRIDE AND THE TAX COLLECTOR'S HUMILITY TEACH CHRIST'S LESSON IN A SIMPLE BUT UNFORGETTABLE WAY. THEN HE TOLD THIS STORY TO SOME WHO BOASTED OF THEIR VIRTUE AND SCORNED EVERYONE ELSE: TWO MEN WENT UP TO THE TEMPLE TO PRAY. ONE WAS A PROUD, SELF RIGHTEOUS PHARISEE, AND THE OTHER A CHEATING TAX COLLECTOR OVER THERE! THE PROUD PHARISEE PRAYED THIS PRAYER: " THANK GOD I AM NOT A SINNER LIKE EVERYONE EL, ESPECIALLY LIKE THAT TAX COLLECTOR OVER THERE!" " FOR I NEVER CHEAT, I DON'T COMMIT ADULTERY, I GO WITHOUT FOOD TWICE A WEEK, AND I GIVE TO GOD A TENTH OF EVERYTHING I EARN. BUT THE CORRUPT TAX COLLECTOR STOOD AT A DISTANCE AND DARED NOT LIFT HIS EYES TO HEAVEN AS HE PRAYED, BUT BEAT UPON HIS CHEST IN SORROW, EXCLAIMING, "GOD BE MERCIFUL TO ME A SINNER," I TELL YOU THIS SINNER NOT THE PHARISEE, RETURNED HOME FOR GIVEN." FOR THE PROUD SHALL BE HUMBLE! BUT THE HUMBLE SHALL BE HONORED. ONE DAY SOME MOTHERS BROUGHT THEIR BABIES TO HIM TO TOUCH AND BLESS. BUT THE DISCIPLES TOLD THEM TO GO AWAY. THEN JESUS CALLED THE CHILDREN OVER TO HIM AND SAID TO THE DISCIPLES, " LET THE LITTLE CHILDREN COME TO ME! NEVER SEND THEM AWAY! FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD BELONGS TO MEN WHO HAVE HEARTS AS TRUSTING AS THESE LITTLE CHILDREN'S. AND ANYONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE THEIR KIND OF FAITH WILL NEVER GET WITHIN THE KINGDOM'S GATES."
(18;16-17). ONCE A JEWISH LEADER ASKED HIM THIS QUESTION: "GOOD SIR, WHAT SHALL I DO TO GET TO HEAVEN?" IN REVEALING TRUTH "PARABLES" ARE ALSO USED EFFECTIVELY IN SCRIPTURES TO CONFRONT BELIEVERS WITH WRONGDOING IN THEIR LIVES. IF A BELIEVER POSSESSES BASICALLY SOUND MORAL STANDARDS COGNITIVELY, AND FAILS TO LIVE UP TO THOSE STANDARDS IN SOME AREA OF HIS LIFE, EFFECTUAL MEANS OF POINTING OUT THIS CAN BE AN EFFECTUAL MEANS OF POINTING OUT THIS DISCREPANCY. CONSIDER THE CASE OF DAVID AND NATHAN AS TOLD IN (2 SAMUEL 12: 1-7). CONTEXT OF THIS INCIDENT IS THAT DAVID JUST HAD URIAH KILLED IN ORDER THAT HE MIGHT MARRY URIAH'S WIFE BATHSHEBA THE TEXT READS: THE LORD SENT NATHAN TO DAVID. WHEN HE CAME TO HIM , HE SAID,
"THERE WERE TWO MEN IN A CERTAIN TOWN, ONE RICH, AND THE OTHER POOR.
THE RICH MAN HAD A LARGE NUMBER OF SHEEP AND CATTLE, BUT THE POOR MAN HAD NOTHING EXCEPT ONE LITTLE EWE LAMB HE HAD BOUGHT. HE RAISED IT, AND IT GREW UP WITH HIM AND HIS CHILDREN. IT SHARED HIS FOOD, DRANK FROM HIS CUP AND EVEN SLEPT IN HIS ARMS. IT WAS LIKE A DAUGHTER TO HIM. " NOW A TRAVELER CAME TO THE RICH MAN, BUT THE RICH MAN REFRAINED FROM TAKING ONE OF HIS OWN SHEEP OR CATTLE TO PREPARE A MEAL FOR THE TRAVELER WHO HAD COME TO HIM." INSTEAD, HE TOOK HE EWE LAMB THAT BELONG TO HE POOR MAN AND PREPARED IT FOR THE ONE WHO HAD COME TO HIM." DAVID BURNED WITH ANGER AGAINST THE MAN AND SAID TO NATHAN, " AS SURELY AS THE LORD LIVES, THE MAN WHO DID THIS DESERVES TO DIE! HE MUST PAY FOR THE LAMB FOUR TIMES OVER, BECAUSE HE DID SUCH A THING "AND HAD NO PITY."
THAN NATHAN SAID TO DAVID, " YOU ARE THE MAN!" DAVID A MAN OF GREAT MORAL PRINCIPAL EASILY IDENTIFIED WITH THE GREAT WRONG THAT HAD BEEN DONE TO THE POOR MAN IN THE STORY, AND WHEN THE PARABLE WAS APPLIED TO HIS OWN BEHAVIOR., HE QUICKLY REPENTED OF HIS WRONG. IN ADDITION TO CLARIFYING AND EMPHASIZING SPIRITUAL TRUTHS, PARABLES HAVE A SECOND PURPOSE- ONE THAT SEEMS DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED TO THE FIRST. A PARABLE HIDES TRUTH FROM THOSE WHO HAVE HARDEN THEIR HEARTS AGAINST IT (MATT.13:10-15; MARK 4: 11-12; LUKE 8:9-10) IT MAY SEEM DIFFICULT TO RECONCILE THIS PURPOSE WITH OUR CONCEPTION OF GOD AS A LOVING BEING WHO ANNOUNCES TRUTH RATHER THAN HIDES IT. PERHAPS THE ANSWER TO THIS APPARENT DILEMMA CAN BE FOUND IN THE SPIRITUAL PASSAGES DISCUSSED IN CONNECTION WITH SPIRITUAL FACTORS IN CHAPTER 1). ( IT MAY BE THAT AS MAN RESISTS TRUTH AND YIELDS TO SIN, HE BECOMES LESS AND LESS TO UNDERSTAND "SPIRITUAL TRUTH." THUS THE SAME PARABLES THAT BROUGHT INSIGHT TO FAITHFUL BELIEVERS WERE WITHOUT MEANING TO THOSE WHO WERE HARDENING THEIR HEARTS AGAINST THE TRUTH. SUCH AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE ABOVE-MENTIONED VERSES IS COMPATIBLE WITH A CAREFUL EXEGESIS OF THEM, AND REMOVES FROM GOD ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PHARISEES SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS. FOR EXAMPLE, IT MAY BE THAT AS A MAN RESIST TRUTH AND YIELDS TO SIN, HE BECOMES LESS AND LESS ABLE TO UNDERSTAND "SPIRITUAL TRUTH."
THUS THE SAME PARABLES THAT BROUGHT INSIGHT TO FAITHFUL BELIEVERS WERE WITHOUT MEANING TO THOSE WHO WERE "HARDENING THEIR HEARTS" AGAINST THE TRUTH. SUCH AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE ABOVE-MENTION VERSES IN COMPATIBLE WITH A EXEGESIS (UNDERSTANDING) OF THEM, REMOVES FROM GOD ANY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE PHARISEES SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS. THE SAME TYPE OF ANALYSIS THAT IS USED IN INTERPRETING AND EXPOSITORY PASSAGES. SINCE PARABLES WERE USED TO CLARIFY. OR EMPHASIZE A TRUTH, THAT REMOVES FROM GOD ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PHARISEES SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE PARABLE OF THE LABORS IN THE VINEYARD (MATT 20 1-16) HAS BEEN GIVEN A NUMBER OF INTERPRETATIONS , MANY OF WHICH HAS LITTLE OR NO RELATIONSHIP TO THE CONTEXT WITHIN WHICH THIS PARABLE, WAS SPOKEN. THE RICH YOUNG RULER HAD COME TO JESUS AND ASKED HIM WHAT HE MUST DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE. JESUS PERCEIVED THAT THE GREATEST OBSTACLE THAT PREVENTED THIS YOUNG MAN FROM TOTAL COMMITMENT TO GOD WAS HIS RICHES,
AND TOLD HIM TO GIVE AWAY WHAT HE POSSESSED AND BECOME A DISCIPLE. THE YOUNG MAN WENT AWAY SORROWFUL, UNWILLING TO PART WITH HIS RICHES.
PETER ASKED THE LORD, " WE HAVE LEFT EVERYTHING TO FOLLOW YOU! WHAT THEN WILL THERE BE FOR US?" JESUS ASSURED PETER THAT THEY WILL BE AMPLY REWARDED FOR THEIR SERVICE, BUT THEN WENT ON TO TELL THE PARABLE OF THE LABORERS. IN THIS CONTEXT IT CAN BE SEEN THAT JESUS STORY WAS A GENTLE REBUKE TO PETER, A REBUKE OF THE SELF-RIGHTEOUS ATTITUDE WHICH SAYS, " SEE HOW MUCH I HAVE DONE. (I WAS NOT UNWILLING TO GIVE UP ALL AND FOLLOW YOU AS THIS YOUNG MAN WAS). I SHOULD CERTAINLY GET A LARGE REWARD FOR MY GREAT SACRIFICE. JESUS WAS GENTLY REBUKING PETER FOR POSSESSING THE ATTITUDE OF A HIRELING. IF YOU HAVE THIS ATTITUDE- " WHAT AM I GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS?" WE MUST REMEMBER THAT THE MOTIVE FOR SERVICE IN THE KINGDOM IS STATED EXPLICITLY IN THE INTRODUCTION TO THE PARABLE EITHER BY JESUS OR BY THE BIBLICAL AUTHOR. OTHER TIMES THE INTENDED MEANING IS CONVEYED THAT IS MADE OF THE PARABLE. AT OTHER TIMES, PLACEMENT OF THE PARABLES WITHIN THE CHRONOLOGY OF JESUS LIFE
ADDS " FURTHER MEANING" THE INTENDED PURPOSE OF THE PARABLE OF THE "WICKED TENANTS" (LUKE 20: 9-18 IS FAIRLY OBVIOUS.). BUT IT CERTAINLY MUST HAVE POSSESSED GREATER POIGNANCY AS JESUS TOLD IT SHORTLY BEFORE HIS CRUCIFIXION! FOR EXAMPLE, HARVESTS, WEDDINGS, AND WINE WERE JEWISH SYMBOLS OF THE END OF THE AGE. THE FIG TREE WAS A SYMBOL OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD. LAMPS WERE PUT UNDER BASKETS TO EXTINGUISH THEM; THUS TO LIGHT A LAMP AND PUT IT UNDER A BUSHEL MEANT TO LIGHT IT AND IMMEDIATELY PUT IT OUT. JEREMIAS. THERE ARE THREE MAIN THEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS AN EXPOSITOR MUST ANSWER BEFORE HE CAN INTERPRET MOST OF THE PARABLES JESUS USED. FIRST HE MUST DEFINE, ON THE BASIS OF AVAILABLE EVIDENCE, THE TERMS THE "KINGDOM OF HEAVEN" AND "KINGDOM OF GOD" THEN DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT
THESE TERMS ARE SYN0NYMS. SINCE A VERY LARGE PERCENTAGE OF JESUS TEACHING, INCLUDING HIS PARABLES, REFERS TO THESES KINGDOMS, THEIR
PROPER IDENTIFICATION IS AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.. (MODERN SCHOLARSHIP IS QUITE UNANIMOUS IN THE OPINION THAT THE "KINGDOM OF GOD" WAS THE CENTRAL MESSAGE OF JESUS. MATTHEW, WRITING PRIMARILY TO JEWS, PREFERRED THE TERM "KINGDOM OF HEAVEN" AS A RESPECTFUL TERM EQUIVALENT TO "KINGDOM OF GOD," DUE TO THE TENDENCY WITHIN JUDAISM TO AVOID THE DIRECT USE OF THE NAME GOD. MARK AND LUKE, WRITING TO GENTILES, USED THE TERM "KINGDOM OF GOD" BECAUSE IT WOULD CONVEY THE IDEA BETTER TO THEIR AUDIENCES, SEVERAL PARALLEL PASSAGES WITHIN SYNOPTICS USE THE TERM "KINGDOM OF GOD" WHEN REFERRING TO A PARTICULAR INCIDENT AND THE TERM " KINGDOM OF HEAVEN" WHEN REFERRING TO A VERY SIMILAR INCIDENT MENTIONED IN ONE OF THE OTHER GOSPELS. THIS LIST GIVES EXAMPLES.
REASON FOR PARABLES (MATT 13:10-15) cf MARK 4:10-12) LUKE; 8;9-10).
MUSTARD SEED: MATT 13:31-32 cf MARK; 4: 30-32 AND LUKE; 13:18-19.),
LEAVEN: MATT 13:33: cf. LUKE; 13:20-21
BEATITUDES MATT; 5:3; cf. LUKE 6:20.
IF THESE TWO ARE ACTUALLY SEPARATE KINGDOMS THEN JESUS WOULD HAVE BEEN ASCRIBING TWO ENTIRELY DIFFERENT MEANINGS TO HIGHLY SIMILAR PARABLES TOLD ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT IT HARDLY SEEMS LIKELY, PARTICULARLY IN THE FIRST SET OF COMPARISONS. THE PARALLELISM OF MATTHEW 19-23-24 ALSO SUPPORTS THE HYPOTHESIS THAT JESUS MEANT THESE TWO TERMS TO BE UNDERSTOOD AS THE SAME KINGDOM. HERE HE IS RECORDED AS SAYING: I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, IT IS HARD FOR A RICH MAN TO ENTER THE "KINGDOM OF HEAVEN." AGAIN I TELL YOU, IT IS EASIER FOR A CAMEL TO GO THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE THAN FOR A RICH MAN TO ENTER the kingdom of God. FOR THESE AND OTHER REASONS THE MAJORITY OF EVANGELICAL SCHOLARS HAVE UNDERSTOOD THESES TERMS AS SYNONYMS. THIS IS THAT IN SOME SENSES
IT WILL NOT ULTIMATELY COME UNTIL THE " (ESCHATOLOGICAL" COMPLETION OF THIS AGE (END TIME). CHRIST TAUGHT AT ONE SENSE THE KINGDOM WAS ALREADY PRESENT DURING HIS SOJOURN ON EARTH. (MATT. 12:28 AND PARALLELS; LUKE 17:20-21) THAT IT COULD BE ENTERED BY THE NEW BIRTH (JOHN 3:3) AND THAT IT WAS BEING ENTERED BY TAX COLLECTORS AND HARLOTS BECAUSE THEY WERE REPENTING AND BELIEVING (MATT 21:31). PARABLES ALSO SPEAK OF THE CONTINUING MINISTRY OF THE KINGDOM. THEY TELL OF SOWING AND REAPING, SMALL SEEDS GROWING INTO MAGNIFICENT TREES, A GREAT NET BEING LET DOWN INTO THE SEA AND NOT PULLED UP UNTIL THE END OF THE AGE, AND GRAIN AND TARES GROWING TOGETHER. THEY SPEAK OF WISE AND FOOLISH COMMITMENTS, AND OF INDUSTRIOUS VERSUS SLOTHFUL USE OF ABILITIES. IN THE THIRD SENSE, MANY PARABLES LOOK FORWARD TO THEIR ULTIMATE FULFILLMENT WHEN GOD'S KINGDOM RULE WILL BE REALIZED FULLY, NOT ONLY IN THE HEARTS OF BELIEVERS , BUT IN HIS COMPLETE TRIUMPH OVER EVIL. NO LONGER WILL APPROACH MAN IN THE FORM OF A SERVANT, BUT AS THE RULER, THE ULTIMATE JUDGE, THE FINAL DIVIDER.
A THIRD THEOLOGICAL ISSUE THAT AFFECTS ONE'S INTERPRETATION OF PARABLES RELATES TO THE postponed-kingdom theory. THIS THEORY SUGGESTS THAT JESUS ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO INSTITUTE AN EARTHLY KINGDOM, AND THAT HIS EARLY TEACHINGS (e.g., MATT.1-12) WERE INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING THIS KINGDOM. ACCORDING TO THE POSTPONED THEORY , IT WAS ONLY MIDWAY THROUGH HIS TEACHING MINISTRY THAT JESUS RECOGNIZED THAT HE WOULD BE REJECTED AND EVENTUALLY GO TO THE CROSS!
"PARABLES" CAN SERVE THE IMPORTANT PURPOSE OF FIXING DOCTRINE IN OUR MEMORIES IN A PARTICULARLY STRIKING FASHION.
CLARIFY AN IMPORTANT SPIRITUAL TRUTH. JESUS THE MASTER TEACHER, USED PARABLES REGULARLY AS HE TAUGHT. THE GREEK WORD FOR PARABLE OCCURS NEARLY FIFTY TIMES IN THE SYNOPTIC GOSPELS IN CONNECTION WITH HIS MINISTRY, SUGGESTING THAT PARABLES WERE ONE O HIS FAVORITE TEACHING DEVICES. SCRIPTURE REVEALS TWO BASIC PURPOSES OF PARABLES. THE FIRST OF THESE IS TO REVEAL THE TRUTH TO BELIEVER (MATT. 13:-12; MARK 4:11). PARABLES CAN CAUSE A LASTING IMPRESSION OFTEN FAR MORE EFFECTIVELY THAN ORDINARY DISCOURSE. FOR EXAMPLE CHIST COULD HAVE SAID, " YOU SHOULD BE MORE PERSISTENT IN YOUR PRAYER LIFE." A STATEMENT THAT HIS HEARERS WOULD PROBABLY SHRUGGED OFF AND QUICKLY FORGOTTEN. INSTEAD HE TOLD THEM OF A "WIDOW " WHO KEPT BEGGING AN UNJUST JUDGE TO HELP HER, UNTIL THE JUDGE FINALLY DECIDED TO ANSWER HER PETITIONS TO STOP HER COMPLAINING. CHRIST THEN TAUGHT THE LESSON OF THE PARABLE; IF AN UNJUST JUDGE WHO CARES NOTHING ABOUT A WIDOW CAN BE SWAYED BY PERSISTENT BEGGING, HOW MUCH MORE WILL A LOVING HEAVENLY FATHER ANSWER THOSE WHO CONSISTENTLY PRAY TO HIM. SIMILARLY, CHRIST COULD OF SAID, " YOU SHOULD BE HUMBLE WHEN YOU PRAY." INSTEAD HE TOLD HIS AUDIENCE OF THE PHARISEE AND THE TAX COLLECTOR WHO WENT UP TO THE TEMPLE TO PRAY (LUKE 18:9-14). THE RIDICULOUSNESS OF THE PHARISEE'S PRIDE AND THE TAX COLLECTOR'S HUMILITY TEACH CHRIST'S LESSON IN A SIMPLE BUT UNFORGETTABLE WAY. THEN HE TOLD THIS STORY TO SOME WHO BOASTED OF THEIR VIRTUE AND SCORNED EVERYONE ELSE: TWO MEN WENT UP TO THE TEMPLE TO PRAY. ONE WAS A PROUD, SELF RIGHTEOUS PHARISEE, AND THE OTHER A CHEATING TAX COLLECTOR OVER THERE! THE PROUD PHARISEE PRAYED THIS PRAYER: " THANK GOD I AM NOT A SINNER LIKE EVERYONE EL, ESPECIALLY LIKE THAT TAX COLLECTOR OVER THERE!" " FOR I NEVER CHEAT, I DON'T COMMIT ADULTERY, I GO WITHOUT FOOD TWICE A WEEK, AND I GIVE TO GOD A TENTH OF EVERYTHING I EARN. BUT THE CORRUPT TAX COLLECTOR STOOD AT A DISTANCE AND DARED NOT LIFT HIS EYES TO HEAVEN AS HE PRAYED, BUT BEAT UPON HIS CHEST IN SORROW, EXCLAIMING, "GOD BE MERCIFUL TO ME A SINNER," I TELL YOU THIS SINNER NOT THE PHARISEE, RETURNED HOME FOR GIVEN." FOR THE PROUD SHALL BE HUMBLE! BUT THE HUMBLE SHALL BE HONORED. ONE DAY SOME MOTHERS BROUGHT THEIR BABIES TO HIM TO TOUCH AND BLESS. BUT THE DISCIPLES TOLD THEM TO GO AWAY. THEN JESUS CALLED THE CHILDREN OVER TO HIM AND SAID TO THE DISCIPLES, " LET THE LITTLE CHILDREN COME TO ME! NEVER SEND THEM AWAY! FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD BELONGS TO MEN WHO HAVE HEARTS AS TRUSTING AS THESE LITTLE CHILDREN'S. AND ANYONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE THEIR KIND OF FAITH WILL NEVER GET WITHIN THE KINGDOM'S GATES."
(18;16-17). ONCE A JEWISH LEADER ASKED HIM THIS QUESTION: "GOOD SIR, WHAT SHALL I DO TO GET TO HEAVEN?" IN REVEALING TRUTH "PARABLES" ARE ALSO USED EFFECTIVELY IN SCRIPTURES TO CONFRONT BELIEVERS WITH WRONGDOING IN THEIR LIVES. IF A BELIEVER POSSESSES BASICALLY SOUND MORAL STANDARDS COGNITIVELY, AND FAILS TO LIVE UP TO THOSE STANDARDS IN SOME AREA OF HIS LIFE, EFFECTUAL MEANS OF POINTING OUT THIS CAN BE AN EFFECTUAL MEANS OF POINTING OUT THIS DISCREPANCY. CONSIDER THE CASE OF DAVID AND NATHAN AS TOLD IN (2 SAMUEL 12: 1-7). CONTEXT OF THIS INCIDENT IS THAT DAVID JUST HAD URIAH KILLED IN ORDER THAT HE MIGHT MARRY URIAH'S WIFE BATHSHEBA THE TEXT READS: THE LORD SENT NATHAN TO DAVID. WHEN HE CAME TO HIM , HE SAID,
"THERE WERE TWO MEN IN A CERTAIN TOWN, ONE RICH, AND THE OTHER POOR.
THE RICH MAN HAD A LARGE NUMBER OF SHEEP AND CATTLE, BUT THE POOR MAN HAD NOTHING EXCEPT ONE LITTLE EWE LAMB HE HAD BOUGHT. HE RAISED IT, AND IT GREW UP WITH HIM AND HIS CHILDREN. IT SHARED HIS FOOD, DRANK FROM HIS CUP AND EVEN SLEPT IN HIS ARMS. IT WAS LIKE A DAUGHTER TO HIM. " NOW A TRAVELER CAME TO THE RICH MAN, BUT THE RICH MAN REFRAINED FROM TAKING ONE OF HIS OWN SHEEP OR CATTLE TO PREPARE A MEAL FOR THE TRAVELER WHO HAD COME TO HIM." INSTEAD, HE TOOK HE EWE LAMB THAT BELONG TO HE POOR MAN AND PREPARED IT FOR THE ONE WHO HAD COME TO HIM." DAVID BURNED WITH ANGER AGAINST THE MAN AND SAID TO NATHAN, " AS SURELY AS THE LORD LIVES, THE MAN WHO DID THIS DESERVES TO DIE! HE MUST PAY FOR THE LAMB FOUR TIMES OVER, BECAUSE HE DID SUCH A THING "AND HAD NO PITY."
THAN NATHAN SAID TO DAVID, " YOU ARE THE MAN!" DAVID A MAN OF GREAT MORAL PRINCIPAL EASILY IDENTIFIED WITH THE GREAT WRONG THAT HAD BEEN DONE TO THE POOR MAN IN THE STORY, AND WHEN THE PARABLE WAS APPLIED TO HIS OWN BEHAVIOR., HE QUICKLY REPENTED OF HIS WRONG. IN ADDITION TO CLARIFYING AND EMPHASIZING SPIRITUAL TRUTHS, PARABLES HAVE A SECOND PURPOSE- ONE THAT SEEMS DIAMETRICALLY OPPOSED TO THE FIRST. A PARABLE HIDES TRUTH FROM THOSE WHO HAVE HARDEN THEIR HEARTS AGAINST IT (MATT.13:10-15; MARK 4: 11-12; LUKE 8:9-10) IT MAY SEEM DIFFICULT TO RECONCILE THIS PURPOSE WITH OUR CONCEPTION OF GOD AS A LOVING BEING WHO ANNOUNCES TRUTH RATHER THAN HIDES IT. PERHAPS THE ANSWER TO THIS APPARENT DILEMMA CAN BE FOUND IN THE SPIRITUAL PASSAGES DISCUSSED IN CONNECTION WITH SPIRITUAL FACTORS IN CHAPTER 1). ( IT MAY BE THAT AS MAN RESISTS TRUTH AND YIELDS TO SIN, HE BECOMES LESS AND LESS TO UNDERSTAND "SPIRITUAL TRUTH." THUS THE SAME PARABLES THAT BROUGHT INSIGHT TO FAITHFUL BELIEVERS WERE WITHOUT MEANING TO THOSE WHO WERE HARDENING THEIR HEARTS AGAINST THE TRUTH. SUCH AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE ABOVE-MENTIONED VERSES IS COMPATIBLE WITH A CAREFUL EXEGESIS OF THEM, AND REMOVES FROM GOD ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PHARISEES SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS. FOR EXAMPLE, IT MAY BE THAT AS A MAN RESIST TRUTH AND YIELDS TO SIN, HE BECOMES LESS AND LESS ABLE TO UNDERSTAND "SPIRITUAL TRUTH."
THUS THE SAME PARABLES THAT BROUGHT INSIGHT TO FAITHFUL BELIEVERS WERE WITHOUT MEANING TO THOSE WHO WERE "HARDENING THEIR HEARTS" AGAINST THE TRUTH. SUCH AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE ABOVE-MENTION VERSES IN COMPATIBLE WITH A EXEGESIS (UNDERSTANDING) OF THEM, REMOVES FROM GOD ANY RESPONSIBILITIES FOR THE PHARISEES SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS. THE SAME TYPE OF ANALYSIS THAT IS USED IN INTERPRETING AND EXPOSITORY PASSAGES. SINCE PARABLES WERE USED TO CLARIFY. OR EMPHASIZE A TRUTH, THAT REMOVES FROM GOD ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PHARISEES SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE PARABLE OF THE LABORS IN THE VINEYARD (MATT 20 1-16) HAS BEEN GIVEN A NUMBER OF INTERPRETATIONS , MANY OF WHICH HAS LITTLE OR NO RELATIONSHIP TO THE CONTEXT WITHIN WHICH THIS PARABLE, WAS SPOKEN. THE RICH YOUNG RULER HAD COME TO JESUS AND ASKED HIM WHAT HE MUST DO TO INHERIT ETERNAL LIFE. JESUS PERCEIVED THAT THE GREATEST OBSTACLE THAT PREVENTED THIS YOUNG MAN FROM TOTAL COMMITMENT TO GOD WAS HIS RICHES,
AND TOLD HIM TO GIVE AWAY WHAT HE POSSESSED AND BECOME A DISCIPLE. THE YOUNG MAN WENT AWAY SORROWFUL, UNWILLING TO PART WITH HIS RICHES.
PETER ASKED THE LORD, " WE HAVE LEFT EVERYTHING TO FOLLOW YOU! WHAT THEN WILL THERE BE FOR US?" JESUS ASSURED PETER THAT THEY WILL BE AMPLY REWARDED FOR THEIR SERVICE, BUT THEN WENT ON TO TELL THE PARABLE OF THE LABORERS. IN THIS CONTEXT IT CAN BE SEEN THAT JESUS STORY WAS A GENTLE REBUKE TO PETER, A REBUKE OF THE SELF-RIGHTEOUS ATTITUDE WHICH SAYS, " SEE HOW MUCH I HAVE DONE. (I WAS NOT UNWILLING TO GIVE UP ALL AND FOLLOW YOU AS THIS YOUNG MAN WAS). I SHOULD CERTAINLY GET A LARGE REWARD FOR MY GREAT SACRIFICE. JESUS WAS GENTLY REBUKING PETER FOR POSSESSING THE ATTITUDE OF A HIRELING. IF YOU HAVE THIS ATTITUDE- " WHAT AM I GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS?" WE MUST REMEMBER THAT THE MOTIVE FOR SERVICE IN THE KINGDOM IS STATED EXPLICITLY IN THE INTRODUCTION TO THE PARABLE EITHER BY JESUS OR BY THE BIBLICAL AUTHOR. OTHER TIMES THE INTENDED MEANING IS CONVEYED THAT IS MADE OF THE PARABLE. AT OTHER TIMES, PLACEMENT OF THE PARABLES WITHIN THE CHRONOLOGY OF JESUS LIFE
ADDS " FURTHER MEANING" THE INTENDED PURPOSE OF THE PARABLE OF THE "WICKED TENANTS" (LUKE 20: 9-18 IS FAIRLY OBVIOUS.). BUT IT CERTAINLY MUST HAVE POSSESSED GREATER POIGNANCY AS JESUS TOLD IT SHORTLY BEFORE HIS CRUCIFIXION! FOR EXAMPLE, HARVESTS, WEDDINGS, AND WINE WERE JEWISH SYMBOLS OF THE END OF THE AGE. THE FIG TREE WAS A SYMBOL OF THE PEOPLE OF GOD. LAMPS WERE PUT UNDER BASKETS TO EXTINGUISH THEM; THUS TO LIGHT A LAMP AND PUT IT UNDER A BUSHEL MEANT TO LIGHT IT AND IMMEDIATELY PUT IT OUT. JEREMIAS. THERE ARE THREE MAIN THEOLOGICAL QUESTIONS AN EXPOSITOR MUST ANSWER BEFORE HE CAN INTERPRET MOST OF THE PARABLES JESUS USED. FIRST HE MUST DEFINE, ON THE BASIS OF AVAILABLE EVIDENCE, THE TERMS THE "KINGDOM OF HEAVEN" AND "KINGDOM OF GOD" THEN DECIDE WHETHER OR NOT
THESE TERMS ARE SYN0NYMS. SINCE A VERY LARGE PERCENTAGE OF JESUS TEACHING, INCLUDING HIS PARABLES, REFERS TO THESES KINGDOMS, THEIR
PROPER IDENTIFICATION IS AN IMPORTANT QUESTION.. (MODERN SCHOLARSHIP IS QUITE UNANIMOUS IN THE OPINION THAT THE "KINGDOM OF GOD" WAS THE CENTRAL MESSAGE OF JESUS. MATTHEW, WRITING PRIMARILY TO JEWS, PREFERRED THE TERM "KINGDOM OF HEAVEN" AS A RESPECTFUL TERM EQUIVALENT TO "KINGDOM OF GOD," DUE TO THE TENDENCY WITHIN JUDAISM TO AVOID THE DIRECT USE OF THE NAME GOD. MARK AND LUKE, WRITING TO GENTILES, USED THE TERM "KINGDOM OF GOD" BECAUSE IT WOULD CONVEY THE IDEA BETTER TO THEIR AUDIENCES, SEVERAL PARALLEL PASSAGES WITHIN SYNOPTICS USE THE TERM "KINGDOM OF GOD" WHEN REFERRING TO A PARTICULAR INCIDENT AND THE TERM " KINGDOM OF HEAVEN" WHEN REFERRING TO A VERY SIMILAR INCIDENT MENTIONED IN ONE OF THE OTHER GOSPELS. THIS LIST GIVES EXAMPLES.
REASON FOR PARABLES (MATT 13:10-15) cf MARK 4:10-12) LUKE; 8;9-10).
MUSTARD SEED: MATT 13:31-32 cf MARK; 4: 30-32 AND LUKE; 13:18-19.),
LEAVEN: MATT 13:33: cf. LUKE; 13:20-21
BEATITUDES MATT; 5:3; cf. LUKE 6:20.
IF THESE TWO ARE ACTUALLY SEPARATE KINGDOMS THEN JESUS WOULD HAVE BEEN ASCRIBING TWO ENTIRELY DIFFERENT MEANINGS TO HIGHLY SIMILAR PARABLES TOLD ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS, BUT IT HARDLY SEEMS LIKELY, PARTICULARLY IN THE FIRST SET OF COMPARISONS. THE PARALLELISM OF MATTHEW 19-23-24 ALSO SUPPORTS THE HYPOTHESIS THAT JESUS MEANT THESE TWO TERMS TO BE UNDERSTOOD AS THE SAME KINGDOM. HERE HE IS RECORDED AS SAYING: I TELL YOU THE TRUTH, IT IS HARD FOR A RICH MAN TO ENTER THE "KINGDOM OF HEAVEN." AGAIN I TELL YOU, IT IS EASIER FOR A CAMEL TO GO THROUGH THE EYE OF A NEEDLE THAN FOR A RICH MAN TO ENTER the kingdom of God. FOR THESE AND OTHER REASONS THE MAJORITY OF EVANGELICAL SCHOLARS HAVE UNDERSTOOD THESES TERMS AS SYNONYMS. THIS IS THAT IN SOME SENSES
IT WILL NOT ULTIMATELY COME UNTIL THE " (ESCHATOLOGICAL" COMPLETION OF THIS AGE (END TIME). CHRIST TAUGHT AT ONE SENSE THE KINGDOM WAS ALREADY PRESENT DURING HIS SOJOURN ON EARTH. (MATT. 12:28 AND PARALLELS; LUKE 17:20-21) THAT IT COULD BE ENTERED BY THE NEW BIRTH (JOHN 3:3) AND THAT IT WAS BEING ENTERED BY TAX COLLECTORS AND HARLOTS BECAUSE THEY WERE REPENTING AND BELIEVING (MATT 21:31). PARABLES ALSO SPEAK OF THE CONTINUING MINISTRY OF THE KINGDOM. THEY TELL OF SOWING AND REAPING, SMALL SEEDS GROWING INTO MAGNIFICENT TREES, A GREAT NET BEING LET DOWN INTO THE SEA AND NOT PULLED UP UNTIL THE END OF THE AGE, AND GRAIN AND TARES GROWING TOGETHER. THEY SPEAK OF WISE AND FOOLISH COMMITMENTS, AND OF INDUSTRIOUS VERSUS SLOTHFUL USE OF ABILITIES. IN THE THIRD SENSE, MANY PARABLES LOOK FORWARD TO THEIR ULTIMATE FULFILLMENT WHEN GOD'S KINGDOM RULE WILL BE REALIZED FULLY, NOT ONLY IN THE HEARTS OF BELIEVERS , BUT IN HIS COMPLETE TRIUMPH OVER EVIL. NO LONGER WILL APPROACH MAN IN THE FORM OF A SERVANT, BUT AS THE RULER, THE ULTIMATE JUDGE, THE FINAL DIVIDER.
A THIRD THEOLOGICAL ISSUE THAT AFFECTS ONE'S INTERPRETATION OF PARABLES RELATES TO THE postponed-kingdom theory. THIS THEORY SUGGESTS THAT JESUS ORIGINALLY INTENDED TO INSTITUTE AN EARTHLY KINGDOM, AND THAT HIS EARLY TEACHINGS (e.g., MATT.1-12) WERE INSTRUCTIONS REGARDING THIS KINGDOM. ACCORDING TO THE POSTPONED THEORY , IT WAS ONLY MIDWAY THROUGH HIS TEACHING MINISTRY THAT JESUS RECOGNIZED THAT HE WOULD BE REJECTED AND EVENTUALLY GO TO THE CROSS!
"PARABLES" CAN SERVE THE IMPORTANT PURPOSE OF FIXING DOCTRINE IN OUR MEMORIES IN A PARTICULARLY STRIKING FASHION.
Friday, August 3, 2018
CERTAINTY OF THE RESURRECTION CORINTHIANS 15:5-8
THE OLDEST TEXT TO MENTION THE RESURRECTION, WRITTEN LONG BEFORE THE GOSPELS., IS PAUL'S FIRST LETTER TO THE CORINTHIANS, WRITTEN AROUND 56 C.E.
THE TWELVE DELEGATES, FIVE HUNDRED "BRETHREN" OF JESUS, JAMES, OTHER APOSTLES, AND PAUL HIMSELF. ARE LISTED ALONG WITH PETER AS HAVING EXPERIENCES OF THE RISEN JESUS. (1 CORINTHIANS 15:5-8). PAUL'S OWN RESURRECTION VISION OCCURRED IN 32 WHEN HE WAS A YOUNG ZEALOT IN JERUSALEM-STILL NAMED SAUL.- ON A MISSION FROM CAIAPHAS TO DENOUNCE JESUS FOLLOWERS IN DAMASCUS BOTH IN SYNAGOGUES IN ANTIOCH TO ROMAN OFFICIALS. ON ROUTE, SAUL WAS SURROUNDED BY LIGHT AND A HEAVENLY ECHO SUCH AS AQIBA HEARD, WHICH IDENTIFIED ITSELF AS JESUS OF NAZARETH (ACTS 9:1-20; 223:-21; 26:9-20). THIS WAS IN NO SENSE A PHYSICAL ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS, THERE IS NOT EVEN AN INDICATION THAT SAUL EVER MET JESUS PERSONALLY PRIOR TO HIS CRUCIFIXION. BUT IT IS AN APPEARANCE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT PETER AND HIS COMPANIONS EXPERIENCED, COMPLETE WITH PROPHETIC COMMISSIONING AND THE SYMBOLISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE SURROUNDING LIGHT.
SAUL TURNED AROUND AND, AFTER A RETREAT INTO SOLITUDE FOR THREE YEARS,
WENT BACK TO JERUSALEM: HE KNEW EXACTLY WHERE TO HAVE HIS VISION EXPLAINED TO HIM. HE SPOKE ABOUT IT ONLY TO PETER AND JAMES (GALATIANS 1: 18-20). HE UNDERSTOOD THAT HIS EXPERIENCE WAS MORE VISIONARY THAN PHYSICAL, AS HE CAREFULLY SAYS IN A PASSAGE OF STRAIGHTFORWARD GREEK THAT HAS BEEN PERENNIALLY MISTRANSLATED: GOD, WROTE PAUL (AS HE CAME TO CALL HIMSELF), "TOOK PLEASURE TO UNCOVER HIS SON IN ME" (GALATIANS 1:16). FOR I DELIVERED UNTO YOU FIRST OF ALL THAT WHICH I ALSO RECEIVED, HOW THAT CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES: AND THAT HE WAS BURIED, AND THAT HE ROSE AGAIN THE THIRD DAY ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES: THEN HE WAS SEEN OF CEPHAS, THEN OF THE TWELVE: AFTER THAT, HE WAS SEEN OF ABOVE FIVE HUNDRED BRETHREN AT ONCE: OF WHOM THE GREATER PART REMAIN UNTO THIS PRESENT, BUT SOME HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP.
AFTER THAT, HE WAS SEEN OF JAMES: THEN OF ALL THE APOSTLES. AND LAST OF ALL HE WAS SEEN OF ME ALSO, AS OF ONE BORN OUT OF DUE TIME. TRADITIONAL CHRISTIANITY HAS HAS FALSIFIED ITS PREMIER APOSTLES OWN VISIONARY EXPERIENCE OF WHAT HE EXPLICITLY (1 CORINTHIANS 15:8 UNDERSTOOD TO BE THE RESURRECTED JESUS. IN JERUSALEM, PETER AND HIS CIRCLE WERE CONSTANT ANNOYANCE TO CAIAPHAS , WHO TRIED TIME AND AGAIN TO PERSUADE THE SANHEDRIN TO DENOUNCE THEM TO PILATE. BUT THE DISCIPLES NEVER AGAIN MOUNTED THE KIND OF RAID ON THE TEMPLE JESUS ATTEMPTED, AND THEY LEARNED TO PRACTICE THEIR RABBI'S BLASPHEMOUS MEALS IN PRIVATE. CAIAPHAS COULD NEVER COUNT ON THE COUNCIL'S SUPPORT AGAIN AFTER JESUS EXECUTION. THE NAME CHRISTIAN WAS NOT EVEN USED COMMONLY BEFORE THE YEAR 45: IT WAS COINED IN THE HELLENISTIC CITY OF ANTIOCH TO MOCK THE RIDICULOUS, DELUDED CONGREGATIONS OF DOMESTIC SERVANTS AND FORMER SLAVES WHO WORSHIPED JESUS AS MESSIAH, THE KRISTOS WHO WOULD COME FROM HEAVEN TO RULE IN A WORLD WHERE THE FIRST WOULD BE LAST AND THE LAST FIRST. THEY STOOD WITH HANDS UPLIFTED, WAITING FOR HIM TO DESCEND WITH ALL THE SPLENDOR OF A GREEK GOD OR A ROMAN STATESMAN. CHRISTIANS CAME TO THE WIDE NOTICE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 64 C.E. WHEN NERO ACCUSED THEM OF SETTING FIRE TO ROME AND ENCOURAGED THE SADISTIC POGROM OF TORTURE AND CRUCIFIXION THAT ENSUED. NOT UNTIL THE SECOND CENTURY DID CHRISTIANITY BEGAN TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY; IT COMPETED IN THE MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS WITH OTHER POPULAR PHILOSOPHIES SUCH AS STOICISM, PLATONISM, THE DIONYSIAN AND MITHRAIC MYSTERIES- AND JUDAISM.
A FAILURE ON THE WORLD STAGE IN HIS OWN TIME, RABBI JESUS ALSO FELL SHORT OF MAKING A LASTING MARK WITHIN JUDAISM. DEAD AT THIRTY, HE HAD NOT FRAMED HIS MISHNAH, THE FORMALLY CRAFTED PUBLIC TEACHING THAT A RABBI TYPICALLY TRANSMITTED TO HIS STUDENTS BY AROUND THE AGE OF FORTY. NONE THE LESS, HE GENERATED A NEW RELIGION. HE NEVER ARTICULATED A DOCTRINAL NORM OR A CONFESSIONAL REQUIREMENT, BUT THE EVENTS OF HIS LIFE, HIS PUBLIC TEACHING, AND HIS "KABBALAH" GAVE RISE TO DISTINCTIVE, EMOTIONALLY RESONANT RITUALS SUCH AS BAPTISM, PRAYER, ANOINTING OF THE SICK, AND THE EUCHARIST. JESUS TAUGHT OTHERS TO SEE AS HE SAW, TO SHARE HIS VISION OF GOD, SO THAT EVEN AFTER HIS DEATH HE APPEARED TO HIS DISCIPLES AS ALIVE, A HUMAN PRESENCE WITHIN THE SWIRLING ENERGY OF THE THRONE.
THAT VISION PERSISTS AMONG THOSE WHO HOPE THAT THE PURE OF HEART WILL INDEED SEE GOD, BECOME INTIMATE WITH HIM, STAND AT HIS SIDE THROUGH ETERNITY AS JESUS DOES WITH MOSES AND ELIJAH. THE DESCENDANTS OF ADAM MAY YET BE RESTORED TO THEIR LOST PARADISE. WE CANNOT PHYSICALLY MOUNT THE TEMPLE STEPS WITH JESUS TO REALIZE HIS HOPE OF A SUKKOTH THAT WILL TRANSFORM THE WORLD. NO BUILDING ANYWHERE COULD ACCOMMODATE HIS FOLLOWERS TODAY, NOR COULD HE OR ANY TEACHER REACH THEM ALL WITH HIS HEALING TOUCH. IN ANY CASE, THE TEMPLE HE REVERED WAS DEMOLISHED AS SURELY AS HE OWN BODY WAS BROKEN. YET HE REMAINS A MEASURE OF HOW MUCH WE DARE TO SEE AND FEEL THE DIVINE IN OUR LIVES. THE JOINING OF OUR LIVES TO GOD WAS WHAT WAS AWAKENED IN ME WHEN THE CALL THAT LED ME TO CHRIST AND THE LOVE WE FEEL FOR ONE ANOTHER CAN ENABLE US TO REALIZE WHO WE ARE IN GOD'S PRESENCE. JESUS FORCE RESIDES IN HIS VULNERABILITY
NOT ONLY ON THE CROSS BUT THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE. HE ENTICES EACH OF US TO MEET HIM IN THAT DANGEROUS PLACE WHERE AN AWARENESS OF OUR OWN WEAKNESS AN FRAGILITY SHATTERS THE SELF AND BLOSSOMS INTO AN IMAGE OF GOD WITHIN US. THAT IS THE GIFT THAT HIS BIOGRAPHY AND DEATH HAVE LEFT US., AND IT IS WHAT MAKES RABBI JESUS THE TREASURE OF THE CHURCH AND THE UNIQUE POSSESSION OF NO INSTITUTION, NO PERSON ON EARTH. NEARLY TWO MILLENNIA OF CHRISTIANITY HAVE SEEN JESUS VISION INTERPRETED WITHIN HUMAN LIVES DEBATED AND DISPUTED, THE CENTER OF THE CENTRAL VISION HAS BEEN PRESERVED, A VITAL TRUTH OF HOW JESUS TAUGHT IT. THE RABBI FROM NAZARETH NEVER CLAIMED TO BE UNIQUE. HIS ABBA (FATHER) WAS ABBA TO ALL.
HIS TEACHING, PURIFYING, EXORCISM, HEALING, PRAYERS, SIGNS, MEALS, AND SACRIFICES WERE NOT FOR HIMSELF ALONE, NOR WERE THEY INTENDED TO DEMONSTRATE HIS PERSONAL POWER OR BRING HIM ADULATION FOR HIS ATTRIBUTES OR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. ALL HIS WORK WAS UNDERTAKEN TO OPEN THE GATE OF HEAVEN SO THAT ISRAEL MIGHT ENTER BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD. FAR TO MUCH THEOLOGY HAS BEEN PREOCCUPIED WITH CLOSING THE GATE. ITS GOD'S CHOICE WHO GOES IN NOT MINE. BY EXALTING JESUS AS THE ONLY HUMAN BEING TO SIT ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, MANY THEOLOGIANS HAVE DENIED HEAVEN TO OTHERS. THEY REMIND ME OF JESUS COMPLAINT ABOUT SOME PHARISEES, WHO USED THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE TO SHUT GOD'S KINGDOM TO THOSE OF LESSER LEARNING (MATTHEW 23;13; LUKE 11:52). JESUS MESSAGE WAS NOT FOR THE FAINTHEARTED OR THE CYNICAL. HE SPOKE TO ALL OF THOSE WHO WERE WILLING TO OPEN THEIR EYES TO SEE AND THEIR EARS TO HEAR. TO REFINE THEIR SENSES AND ATTUNE THEIR MINDS AND HEARTS TO THE DIVINE KINGDOM IN THEIR MIDST. NOW AS RABBI JESUS MOVEMENT ENTERS ITS THIRD MILLENNIUM, ITS GREAT GOAL HAS YET TO BE ACHIEVED, TO SHARE JESUS VISION WITH ALL HUMANITY, THAT IT MAY ENTER THROUGH THE GATES OF HEAVEN AND BE TRANSFORMED BY THE ENERGY O GOD.
THE TWELVE DELEGATES, FIVE HUNDRED "BRETHREN" OF JESUS, JAMES, OTHER APOSTLES, AND PAUL HIMSELF. ARE LISTED ALONG WITH PETER AS HAVING EXPERIENCES OF THE RISEN JESUS. (1 CORINTHIANS 15:5-8). PAUL'S OWN RESURRECTION VISION OCCURRED IN 32 WHEN HE WAS A YOUNG ZEALOT IN JERUSALEM-STILL NAMED SAUL.- ON A MISSION FROM CAIAPHAS TO DENOUNCE JESUS FOLLOWERS IN DAMASCUS BOTH IN SYNAGOGUES IN ANTIOCH TO ROMAN OFFICIALS. ON ROUTE, SAUL WAS SURROUNDED BY LIGHT AND A HEAVENLY ECHO SUCH AS AQIBA HEARD, WHICH IDENTIFIED ITSELF AS JESUS OF NAZARETH (ACTS 9:1-20; 223:-21; 26:9-20). THIS WAS IN NO SENSE A PHYSICAL ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS, THERE IS NOT EVEN AN INDICATION THAT SAUL EVER MET JESUS PERSONALLY PRIOR TO HIS CRUCIFIXION. BUT IT IS AN APPEARANCE VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT PETER AND HIS COMPANIONS EXPERIENCED, COMPLETE WITH PROPHETIC COMMISSIONING AND THE SYMBOLISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE SURROUNDING LIGHT.
SAUL TURNED AROUND AND, AFTER A RETREAT INTO SOLITUDE FOR THREE YEARS,
WENT BACK TO JERUSALEM: HE KNEW EXACTLY WHERE TO HAVE HIS VISION EXPLAINED TO HIM. HE SPOKE ABOUT IT ONLY TO PETER AND JAMES (GALATIANS 1: 18-20). HE UNDERSTOOD THAT HIS EXPERIENCE WAS MORE VISIONARY THAN PHYSICAL, AS HE CAREFULLY SAYS IN A PASSAGE OF STRAIGHTFORWARD GREEK THAT HAS BEEN PERENNIALLY MISTRANSLATED: GOD, WROTE PAUL (AS HE CAME TO CALL HIMSELF), "TOOK PLEASURE TO UNCOVER HIS SON IN ME" (GALATIANS 1:16). FOR I DELIVERED UNTO YOU FIRST OF ALL THAT WHICH I ALSO RECEIVED, HOW THAT CHRIST DIED FOR OUR SINS ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES: AND THAT HE WAS BURIED, AND THAT HE ROSE AGAIN THE THIRD DAY ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES: THEN HE WAS SEEN OF CEPHAS, THEN OF THE TWELVE: AFTER THAT, HE WAS SEEN OF ABOVE FIVE HUNDRED BRETHREN AT ONCE: OF WHOM THE GREATER PART REMAIN UNTO THIS PRESENT, BUT SOME HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP.
AFTER THAT, HE WAS SEEN OF JAMES: THEN OF ALL THE APOSTLES. AND LAST OF ALL HE WAS SEEN OF ME ALSO, AS OF ONE BORN OUT OF DUE TIME. TRADITIONAL CHRISTIANITY HAS HAS FALSIFIED ITS PREMIER APOSTLES OWN VISIONARY EXPERIENCE OF WHAT HE EXPLICITLY (1 CORINTHIANS 15:8 UNDERSTOOD TO BE THE RESURRECTED JESUS. IN JERUSALEM, PETER AND HIS CIRCLE WERE CONSTANT ANNOYANCE TO CAIAPHAS , WHO TRIED TIME AND AGAIN TO PERSUADE THE SANHEDRIN TO DENOUNCE THEM TO PILATE. BUT THE DISCIPLES NEVER AGAIN MOUNTED THE KIND OF RAID ON THE TEMPLE JESUS ATTEMPTED, AND THEY LEARNED TO PRACTICE THEIR RABBI'S BLASPHEMOUS MEALS IN PRIVATE. CAIAPHAS COULD NEVER COUNT ON THE COUNCIL'S SUPPORT AGAIN AFTER JESUS EXECUTION. THE NAME CHRISTIAN WAS NOT EVEN USED COMMONLY BEFORE THE YEAR 45: IT WAS COINED IN THE HELLENISTIC CITY OF ANTIOCH TO MOCK THE RIDICULOUS, DELUDED CONGREGATIONS OF DOMESTIC SERVANTS AND FORMER SLAVES WHO WORSHIPED JESUS AS MESSIAH, THE KRISTOS WHO WOULD COME FROM HEAVEN TO RULE IN A WORLD WHERE THE FIRST WOULD BE LAST AND THE LAST FIRST. THEY STOOD WITH HANDS UPLIFTED, WAITING FOR HIM TO DESCEND WITH ALL THE SPLENDOR OF A GREEK GOD OR A ROMAN STATESMAN. CHRISTIANS CAME TO THE WIDE NOTICE OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE 64 C.E. WHEN NERO ACCUSED THEM OF SETTING FIRE TO ROME AND ENCOURAGED THE SADISTIC POGROM OF TORTURE AND CRUCIFIXION THAT ENSUED. NOT UNTIL THE SECOND CENTURY DID CHRISTIANITY BEGAN TO BE TAKEN SERIOUSLY; IT COMPETED IN THE MARKETPLACE OF IDEAS WITH OTHER POPULAR PHILOSOPHIES SUCH AS STOICISM, PLATONISM, THE DIONYSIAN AND MITHRAIC MYSTERIES- AND JUDAISM.
A FAILURE ON THE WORLD STAGE IN HIS OWN TIME, RABBI JESUS ALSO FELL SHORT OF MAKING A LASTING MARK WITHIN JUDAISM. DEAD AT THIRTY, HE HAD NOT FRAMED HIS MISHNAH, THE FORMALLY CRAFTED PUBLIC TEACHING THAT A RABBI TYPICALLY TRANSMITTED TO HIS STUDENTS BY AROUND THE AGE OF FORTY. NONE THE LESS, HE GENERATED A NEW RELIGION. HE NEVER ARTICULATED A DOCTRINAL NORM OR A CONFESSIONAL REQUIREMENT, BUT THE EVENTS OF HIS LIFE, HIS PUBLIC TEACHING, AND HIS "KABBALAH" GAVE RISE TO DISTINCTIVE, EMOTIONALLY RESONANT RITUALS SUCH AS BAPTISM, PRAYER, ANOINTING OF THE SICK, AND THE EUCHARIST. JESUS TAUGHT OTHERS TO SEE AS HE SAW, TO SHARE HIS VISION OF GOD, SO THAT EVEN AFTER HIS DEATH HE APPEARED TO HIS DISCIPLES AS ALIVE, A HUMAN PRESENCE WITHIN THE SWIRLING ENERGY OF THE THRONE.
THAT VISION PERSISTS AMONG THOSE WHO HOPE THAT THE PURE OF HEART WILL INDEED SEE GOD, BECOME INTIMATE WITH HIM, STAND AT HIS SIDE THROUGH ETERNITY AS JESUS DOES WITH MOSES AND ELIJAH. THE DESCENDANTS OF ADAM MAY YET BE RESTORED TO THEIR LOST PARADISE. WE CANNOT PHYSICALLY MOUNT THE TEMPLE STEPS WITH JESUS TO REALIZE HIS HOPE OF A SUKKOTH THAT WILL TRANSFORM THE WORLD. NO BUILDING ANYWHERE COULD ACCOMMODATE HIS FOLLOWERS TODAY, NOR COULD HE OR ANY TEACHER REACH THEM ALL WITH HIS HEALING TOUCH. IN ANY CASE, THE TEMPLE HE REVERED WAS DEMOLISHED AS SURELY AS HE OWN BODY WAS BROKEN. YET HE REMAINS A MEASURE OF HOW MUCH WE DARE TO SEE AND FEEL THE DIVINE IN OUR LIVES. THE JOINING OF OUR LIVES TO GOD WAS WHAT WAS AWAKENED IN ME WHEN THE CALL THAT LED ME TO CHRIST AND THE LOVE WE FEEL FOR ONE ANOTHER CAN ENABLE US TO REALIZE WHO WE ARE IN GOD'S PRESENCE. JESUS FORCE RESIDES IN HIS VULNERABILITY
NOT ONLY ON THE CROSS BUT THROUGHOUT HIS LIFE. HE ENTICES EACH OF US TO MEET HIM IN THAT DANGEROUS PLACE WHERE AN AWARENESS OF OUR OWN WEAKNESS AN FRAGILITY SHATTERS THE SELF AND BLOSSOMS INTO AN IMAGE OF GOD WITHIN US. THAT IS THE GIFT THAT HIS BIOGRAPHY AND DEATH HAVE LEFT US., AND IT IS WHAT MAKES RABBI JESUS THE TREASURE OF THE CHURCH AND THE UNIQUE POSSESSION OF NO INSTITUTION, NO PERSON ON EARTH. NEARLY TWO MILLENNIA OF CHRISTIANITY HAVE SEEN JESUS VISION INTERPRETED WITHIN HUMAN LIVES DEBATED AND DISPUTED, THE CENTER OF THE CENTRAL VISION HAS BEEN PRESERVED, A VITAL TRUTH OF HOW JESUS TAUGHT IT. THE RABBI FROM NAZARETH NEVER CLAIMED TO BE UNIQUE. HIS ABBA (FATHER) WAS ABBA TO ALL.
HIS TEACHING, PURIFYING, EXORCISM, HEALING, PRAYERS, SIGNS, MEALS, AND SACRIFICES WERE NOT FOR HIMSELF ALONE, NOR WERE THEY INTENDED TO DEMONSTRATE HIS PERSONAL POWER OR BRING HIM ADULATION FOR HIS ATTRIBUTES OR ACCOMPLISHMENTS. ALL HIS WORK WAS UNDERTAKEN TO OPEN THE GATE OF HEAVEN SO THAT ISRAEL MIGHT ENTER BEFORE THE THRONE OF GOD. FAR TO MUCH THEOLOGY HAS BEEN PREOCCUPIED WITH CLOSING THE GATE. ITS GOD'S CHOICE WHO GOES IN NOT MINE. BY EXALTING JESUS AS THE ONLY HUMAN BEING TO SIT ON THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, MANY THEOLOGIANS HAVE DENIED HEAVEN TO OTHERS. THEY REMIND ME OF JESUS COMPLAINT ABOUT SOME PHARISEES, WHO USED THE KEY OF KNOWLEDGE TO SHUT GOD'S KINGDOM TO THOSE OF LESSER LEARNING (MATTHEW 23;13; LUKE 11:52). JESUS MESSAGE WAS NOT FOR THE FAINTHEARTED OR THE CYNICAL. HE SPOKE TO ALL OF THOSE WHO WERE WILLING TO OPEN THEIR EYES TO SEE AND THEIR EARS TO HEAR. TO REFINE THEIR SENSES AND ATTUNE THEIR MINDS AND HEARTS TO THE DIVINE KINGDOM IN THEIR MIDST. NOW AS RABBI JESUS MOVEMENT ENTERS ITS THIRD MILLENNIUM, ITS GREAT GOAL HAS YET TO BE ACHIEVED, TO SHARE JESUS VISION WITH ALL HUMANITY, THAT IT MAY ENTER THROUGH THE GATES OF HEAVEN AND BE TRANSFORMED BY THE ENERGY O GOD.
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
RABBI JESUS.
RABBI JESUS INSISTED THAT HIS FOLLOWERS BE READY TO SUFFER AS HE DID, IF THEY TRULY WANTED TO SERVE GOD AND WALK ALONG THE PATH HE WALKED, TO ANGELIC STATUS AND EVERLASTING LIFE (MATTHEW 10:37-38; LUKE 14: 26-27):
"the one who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and the one who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever does not take his cross and follow behind me is not worthy of me".
JESUS TEACHING ABOUT SUFFERING CAME TO BE FUSED WITH FINAL EVENTS LEADING UP TO HIS DEATH THAT THE GOSPELS PRESENT HIS CRUCIFIXION, STEP BY STEP., AS DIVINELY ORDAINED. BUT WHAT WAS PROVIDENTIAL IN JESUS EXECUTION WAS NOT THAT IT WAS PREDETERMINED, BUT THAT IT BECAME THE VEHICLE FOR AN UNCONQUERABLE VISION. THE "CROSS" HE EXPECTED TO CARRY, AND EXPECTED HIS FOLLOWERS TO CARRY, DID NOT REFER TO THE PARTICULAR SEQUENCE OF EVENTS THAT BROUGHT HIM TO HIS DEATH. IN LOSING HIS LIFE HE SAVED IT, CONSUMMATED HIS ANGELIC IDENTITY, WAS RESURRECTED, AND TOOK HIS PLACE BY THE THRONE WITH MOSES AND ELIJAH AT GOD'S SIDE.
HE WAS HEADED THAT WAY AS CAIAPHAS BAITED HIM AFTER HIS ARREST IN GETHSEMANE. "ARE YOU THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF THE BLESSED?" THE HIGH PRIEST ASKED. INSTEAD OF ANY DEMURRAL OR SILENCE, THERE CAME THE WORDS, "I AM, AND YOU WILL SEE THE ONE LIKE THE PERSON SITTING AT THE RIGHT OF THE POWER AN COMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF THE HEAVEN. JESUS REPLY SEALED HIS FATE. ( A LESSON TO REMEMBER: HE ENDED HIS LIFE BY REMAINING FAITHFUL TO WHAT HE KNEW TO BE THE REALITY OF HIS VISION. THE FINAL CHOICE HE MADE, AFTER WHICH HE HAD NO CHOICES TO MAKE, REACHED DEEP INTO THE VISIONARY WORLD THAT HAD LONG SUSTAINED HIM. IN JEWISH THEOLOGY OF MARTYRDOM THAT SAW JESUS THROUGH HIS LAST HOURS, SUFFERING ENDURED FOR TRUTH:
RABBI AQIBA DIED IN 135 C.E. UNDER ROMAN TORTURE WITH THE ANCIENT WORDS ON HIS LIPS, "HEAR, ISRAEL, THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE" (DEUTERONOMY 6:4). THE TALMUD DEPICTS BOTH OF HIS AGONY AND OF HIS PROPHETIC REWARD: HE HELD ON THE WORD, "ONE," UNTIL HIS SOUL EXPIRED AS HE SAID THE WORD "ONE." AN ECHO CAME FROM HEAVEN:
he held on to the word, "one," until his soul expired as he said the word one." an echo from heaven came forth and said, "happy are you, Rabbi Aqiba THAT YOUR SOUL EXPIRED WITH THE WORD 'ONE' "THE SERVING ANGELS SAID BEFORE THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE,
IS THIS TORAH AND THAT THE REWARD...? HE SAID TO THEM, THEIR PORTION IS IN LIFE." AN ECHO WENT FORTH AND PROCLAIMED, HAPPY ARE YOU, R .Aqiba, FOR YOU ARE SELECTED FOR THE "LIFE OF THE WORLD TO COME".
THE PRINCIPAL OF PROPHETIC MARTYRDOM NEITHER BEGAN WITH NOR ENDED WITH RABBI JESUS.
THE APOCALYPTIC SACRIFICE OF ZECHARIAH WAS UNFINISHED, INCOMPLETE. BUT IN THE END HE HAD ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING MORE PROFOUND. HE HAD OPENED THE WAY FROM THIS WORLD TO THE REALM OF GOD FOR ALL WHO CHOSE TO TAKE UP THEIR DAILY CROSSES AND FOLLOW HIM. IN HIS FINAL HOURS, HE HAD CRIED OUT WITH HIS HEARTBREAKING PLEA (TAKEN FROM PSALM 22): "MY GOD MY GOD WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" (MATTHEW 27:46; MARK 15:34). BUT PEOPLE ALSO REMEMBER HIS SAYING, "AMEN I SAY TO YOU, TODAY YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE!" (LUKE 23:43), THE GARDEN WITHIN WHICH ACCORDING TO JEWISH THEOLOGY, THOSE WHO HAD ACCESS TO THE CHARIOT REJOICED. THE SAME PSALM THAT JESUS BEGAN TO RECITE ON THE CROSS CULMINATES IN ANTICIPATION OF ALL PEOPLE, IN A TRANSFORMED WORLD OFFERING SACRIFICE IN GOD'S KINGDOM PSALM 22:27-28). IT WAS WITH THAT TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF THE MYSTICAL GARDEN IN VIEW, THE PARADISE THAT ONCE HELD ADAM AND EVE AND NOW AWAITED THE ENLIGHTENED JUST, THAT JESUS BREATHED OUT THE LAST OF HIS SPIRIT WITH WHAT SOME GOSPELS PORTRAY AS A WORDLESS SHOUT (MATTHEW 27:50; MARK 15:37) AND WHICH LUKE AND JOHN WISELY INTERPRET AS THE RETURN
OF JESUS SPIRIT TO ITS SOURCE (LUKE 23:46; JOHN 19:30). THE PROGRESSION O VISIONS OF JESUS AFTER HIS DEATH FOLLOWED THE PATTERN SUGGESTED BY THE WHITE-ROBE ANGEL THE TWO MIRIAM'S ENCOUNTERED WITH THEIR COMPANION WITH THEIR BALM TO THE MOUTH OF JESUS TOMB ON T MORNING SHABBATH. " YOU SEEK YESHUA. THE CRUCIFIED NAZIRITE. HE IS RAISED, HE IS NOT HERE...DEPART, TELL HIS STUDENTS AND ROCK FOR PETER, THE SPIRIT THAT HAD ONCE BEEN ACTIVE IN JESUS ALONE, AS GOD'S SON WAS POURED OUT ON HIS FOLLOWERS, COMMISSIONING THEM TO FORGIVE AND HEAL ON HIS BEHALF. BUT FOR JAMES, JESUS SPECIALLY BECAME THE SAME ONE LIKE THE PERSON IN HEAVEN, ENVISAGED BY EZEKIEL AND DANIEL, OF WHOM JESUS HIMSELF HAD SO OFTEN SPOKEN.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PETER WITHIN THE EARLY CHURCH, PARTICULARLY AS A SOURCE OF FAITH IN JESUS RESURRECTION, HAS LEAD TO THE UNDERSTANDABLE BUT CARELESS CONCLUSION THAT SIMON PETER'S VISION IS THE ONLY REAL SOURCE OF THE BELIEF THAT JESUS WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD. BUT IT WAS JAMES WHO TOOK OVER JESUS MOVEMENT IN JERUSALEM. JAMES - ALWAYS MORE ASCETIC THAN HIS FAMOUSLY CAROUSING BROTHER- PRACTICED NAZARITE VOWS OF PURITY IN A DEDICATION TO WORSHIP IN THE TEMPLE THAT MADE HIM A PARAGON AMONG JEWS AS A WHOLE, NOT ONLY IN THE LITTLE MOVEMENT THAT CAME TO BE CALLED "CHRISTIANITY". HEGESIPPUS, A SECOND-CENTURY HISTORIAN, RECOUNTS THAT JAMES "DRANK NO WINE OR STRONG DRINK, NOR DID HE EAT FLESH; NO RAZOR WENT UPON HIS HEAD; HE DID NOT ANOINT HIMSELF WITH OIL, HE DID NOT GO TO THE BATHS,"OI VEY.".. HE USED TO ENTER THE TEMPLE
"ALONE, I WONDER WHY? AND BE FOUND KNEELING AND PRAYING FOR FORGIVENESS FOR THE PEOPLE, SO HIS KNEES GREW SO HARD LIKE A CAMEL'S. IT WAS JAMES WITH CAMEL KNEES WHO PROMOTED WORSHIP IN THE TEMPLE AND REGULATED THE LIFE OF THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY IN THE HOLY CITY BEFORE HE WAS KILLED BY THE HIGH PRIEST ANANUS IN 62 c.e. FOR PROCLAIMING THAT JESUS WAS BOTH THE ONE LIKE THE AND THE GATE WAY INTO HEAVEN. PERSON
"the one who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and the one who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever does not take his cross and follow behind me is not worthy of me".
JESUS TEACHING ABOUT SUFFERING CAME TO BE FUSED WITH FINAL EVENTS LEADING UP TO HIS DEATH THAT THE GOSPELS PRESENT HIS CRUCIFIXION, STEP BY STEP., AS DIVINELY ORDAINED. BUT WHAT WAS PROVIDENTIAL IN JESUS EXECUTION WAS NOT THAT IT WAS PREDETERMINED, BUT THAT IT BECAME THE VEHICLE FOR AN UNCONQUERABLE VISION. THE "CROSS" HE EXPECTED TO CARRY, AND EXPECTED HIS FOLLOWERS TO CARRY, DID NOT REFER TO THE PARTICULAR SEQUENCE OF EVENTS THAT BROUGHT HIM TO HIS DEATH. IN LOSING HIS LIFE HE SAVED IT, CONSUMMATED HIS ANGELIC IDENTITY, WAS RESURRECTED, AND TOOK HIS PLACE BY THE THRONE WITH MOSES AND ELIJAH AT GOD'S SIDE.
HE WAS HEADED THAT WAY AS CAIAPHAS BAITED HIM AFTER HIS ARREST IN GETHSEMANE. "ARE YOU THE MESSIAH, THE SON OF THE BLESSED?" THE HIGH PRIEST ASKED. INSTEAD OF ANY DEMURRAL OR SILENCE, THERE CAME THE WORDS, "I AM, AND YOU WILL SEE THE ONE LIKE THE PERSON SITTING AT THE RIGHT OF THE POWER AN COMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF THE HEAVEN. JESUS REPLY SEALED HIS FATE. ( A LESSON TO REMEMBER: HE ENDED HIS LIFE BY REMAINING FAITHFUL TO WHAT HE KNEW TO BE THE REALITY OF HIS VISION. THE FINAL CHOICE HE MADE, AFTER WHICH HE HAD NO CHOICES TO MAKE, REACHED DEEP INTO THE VISIONARY WORLD THAT HAD LONG SUSTAINED HIM. IN JEWISH THEOLOGY OF MARTYRDOM THAT SAW JESUS THROUGH HIS LAST HOURS, SUFFERING ENDURED FOR TRUTH:
RABBI AQIBA DIED IN 135 C.E. UNDER ROMAN TORTURE WITH THE ANCIENT WORDS ON HIS LIPS, "HEAR, ISRAEL, THE LORD OUR GOD IS ONE" (DEUTERONOMY 6:4). THE TALMUD DEPICTS BOTH OF HIS AGONY AND OF HIS PROPHETIC REWARD: HE HELD ON THE WORD, "ONE," UNTIL HIS SOUL EXPIRED AS HE SAID THE WORD "ONE." AN ECHO CAME FROM HEAVEN:
he held on to the word, "one," until his soul expired as he said the word one." an echo from heaven came forth and said, "happy are you, Rabbi Aqiba THAT YOUR SOUL EXPIRED WITH THE WORD 'ONE' "THE SERVING ANGELS SAID BEFORE THE HOLY ONE, BLESSED BE HE,
IS THIS TORAH AND THAT THE REWARD...? HE SAID TO THEM, THEIR PORTION IS IN LIFE." AN ECHO WENT FORTH AND PROCLAIMED, HAPPY ARE YOU, R .Aqiba, FOR YOU ARE SELECTED FOR THE "LIFE OF THE WORLD TO COME".
THE PRINCIPAL OF PROPHETIC MARTYRDOM NEITHER BEGAN WITH NOR ENDED WITH RABBI JESUS.
THE APOCALYPTIC SACRIFICE OF ZECHARIAH WAS UNFINISHED, INCOMPLETE. BUT IN THE END HE HAD ACCOMPLISHED SOMETHING MORE PROFOUND. HE HAD OPENED THE WAY FROM THIS WORLD TO THE REALM OF GOD FOR ALL WHO CHOSE TO TAKE UP THEIR DAILY CROSSES AND FOLLOW HIM. IN HIS FINAL HOURS, HE HAD CRIED OUT WITH HIS HEARTBREAKING PLEA (TAKEN FROM PSALM 22): "MY GOD MY GOD WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?" (MATTHEW 27:46; MARK 15:34). BUT PEOPLE ALSO REMEMBER HIS SAYING, "AMEN I SAY TO YOU, TODAY YOU WILL BE WITH ME IN PARADISE!" (LUKE 23:43), THE GARDEN WITHIN WHICH ACCORDING TO JEWISH THEOLOGY, THOSE WHO HAD ACCESS TO THE CHARIOT REJOICED. THE SAME PSALM THAT JESUS BEGAN TO RECITE ON THE CROSS CULMINATES IN ANTICIPATION OF ALL PEOPLE, IN A TRANSFORMED WORLD OFFERING SACRIFICE IN GOD'S KINGDOM PSALM 22:27-28). IT WAS WITH THAT TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF THE MYSTICAL GARDEN IN VIEW, THE PARADISE THAT ONCE HELD ADAM AND EVE AND NOW AWAITED THE ENLIGHTENED JUST, THAT JESUS BREATHED OUT THE LAST OF HIS SPIRIT WITH WHAT SOME GOSPELS PORTRAY AS A WORDLESS SHOUT (MATTHEW 27:50; MARK 15:37) AND WHICH LUKE AND JOHN WISELY INTERPRET AS THE RETURN
OF JESUS SPIRIT TO ITS SOURCE (LUKE 23:46; JOHN 19:30). THE PROGRESSION O VISIONS OF JESUS AFTER HIS DEATH FOLLOWED THE PATTERN SUGGESTED BY THE WHITE-ROBE ANGEL THE TWO MIRIAM'S ENCOUNTERED WITH THEIR COMPANION WITH THEIR BALM TO THE MOUTH OF JESUS TOMB ON T MORNING SHABBATH. " YOU SEEK YESHUA. THE CRUCIFIED NAZIRITE. HE IS RAISED, HE IS NOT HERE...DEPART, TELL HIS STUDENTS AND ROCK FOR PETER, THE SPIRIT THAT HAD ONCE BEEN ACTIVE IN JESUS ALONE, AS GOD'S SON WAS POURED OUT ON HIS FOLLOWERS, COMMISSIONING THEM TO FORGIVE AND HEAL ON HIS BEHALF. BUT FOR JAMES, JESUS SPECIALLY BECAME THE SAME ONE LIKE THE PERSON IN HEAVEN, ENVISAGED BY EZEKIEL AND DANIEL, OF WHOM JESUS HIMSELF HAD SO OFTEN SPOKEN.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PETER WITHIN THE EARLY CHURCH, PARTICULARLY AS A SOURCE OF FAITH IN JESUS RESURRECTION, HAS LEAD TO THE UNDERSTANDABLE BUT CARELESS CONCLUSION THAT SIMON PETER'S VISION IS THE ONLY REAL SOURCE OF THE BELIEF THAT JESUS WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD. BUT IT WAS JAMES WHO TOOK OVER JESUS MOVEMENT IN JERUSALEM. JAMES - ALWAYS MORE ASCETIC THAN HIS FAMOUSLY CAROUSING BROTHER- PRACTICED NAZARITE VOWS OF PURITY IN A DEDICATION TO WORSHIP IN THE TEMPLE THAT MADE HIM A PARAGON AMONG JEWS AS A WHOLE, NOT ONLY IN THE LITTLE MOVEMENT THAT CAME TO BE CALLED "CHRISTIANITY". HEGESIPPUS, A SECOND-CENTURY HISTORIAN, RECOUNTS THAT JAMES "DRANK NO WINE OR STRONG DRINK, NOR DID HE EAT FLESH; NO RAZOR WENT UPON HIS HEAD; HE DID NOT ANOINT HIMSELF WITH OIL, HE DID NOT GO TO THE BATHS,"OI VEY.".. HE USED TO ENTER THE TEMPLE
"ALONE, I WONDER WHY? AND BE FOUND KNEELING AND PRAYING FOR FORGIVENESS FOR THE PEOPLE, SO HIS KNEES GREW SO HARD LIKE A CAMEL'S. IT WAS JAMES WITH CAMEL KNEES WHO PROMOTED WORSHIP IN THE TEMPLE AND REGULATED THE LIFE OF THE CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY IN THE HOLY CITY BEFORE HE WAS KILLED BY THE HIGH PRIEST ANANUS IN 62 c.e. FOR PROCLAIMING THAT JESUS WAS BOTH THE ONE LIKE THE AND THE GATE WAY INTO HEAVEN. PERSON
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