Excellent commentary
https://bible.usccb.org/bible
This commentary takes great pains to discuss Scripture in accordance with the best modern scholarship. I say this as a born-again person who is not a Catholic.
Sunday, January 24, 2021
Appendix D: Jesus' purity vs. original sin
As we know from the extreme example of abused children themselves becoming abusive to others, sin is contagious. In fact, sin spreads very much like physical disease. The domino effect is so pervasive that no one avoids it during the course of his or her life.
Yet, I suggest, sin is also transmitted via spirits, and in particular via the spirits of people during the sex act. This theory has had many adherents, from Augustine (354-430), to Ambrose (340-397) to Barth (1886-1968), though it has fallen into disfavor in modern times. Yet I do not mean to say that sex during marriage is not ordained by God. On the other hand, pair-bond marriage is for the fallen, not the risen who are admitted to paradise, as we see from MT 22.
Similarly, when Martha was grieving over her brother Lazarus's death, Jesus says that those who trust him will never die, not that they will die and be resurrected. They already have life, whatever the condition of the body.
Recall that Jesus told us that if a person even looks at another person with lust, the heart is stained by sin. Yes, I realize that such feelings are natural -- in this fallen world. During the sex act the male at least is experiencing some sort of intensity, and perhaps the female. At the point of conception, the soul is imparted to the new being. Whatever sin is staining each person may also stamp the new creation.
In fact, in some cases "lower" souls enter humanity this way; or possibly one of the biological parents already has a "lower" soul, thus tending to unconsciously "believe" a lower soul into existence. I am referring here to the souls of the "children of perdition" who, though human, are not truly made after the image of God. These are the tares that will be sifted out and destroyed when the time comes. They were never meant to be.
But even for those not born as tares, the imprint of sin is passed from one generation to the next in the human race.
These observations lead us to realize why Jesus was born of a virgin. The natural seed of Adam was spiritually tainted. Jesus, as the new Adam, must begin life without taint. His mother Mary, pure in heart, did not experience lust during the act of conception. She was a meek vessel. The Holy Spirit assured that conception was indeed immaculate. Thus, a new beginning for humanity could occur, with a man who was born with no sin becoming a "man of sorrows, acquainted with grief" (IS 53:3). In this conception, we have the Son of God becoming a son of humanity (Son of Man). God mercifully made his utterly innocent son into sin for our sakes. By taking the sin of humanity upon himself, he actually became a cesspool of sin on the cross. The "man of sorrows" was a "man of sin" for our sakes.
Of course, we may wonder: how is it that Mary was not tainted by the sin of Adam? But the point is that Mary experienced no carnal desire during a sex act, because there was no sex act. She did transmit her human nature to her son. Another point is that "God does not look upon sin" (paraphrase of HAB 1:13 and of Paul's theology), so that whatever problems she may have had God overlooked, declining to see them as sinful. All this is speculation. The issue is that it was necessary, for our sakes, that a sinless man come into our fallen world so as to pay off the devil by submitting to a total injustice.
Christ's sacrifice would have been worthless had he not been utterly blameless. Sin cannot save. Sin cannot heal. Sin can only make you sick and kill you. By suffering the outrageous injustice of judicial murder, Jesus was able to renew and revive humanity.
Yes, he was a man born of the Spirit. But his and the Father's gift to us is that we can also be born of the Spirit with no taint of sin. On account of Jesus, God does not look upon the "old man of sin" -- our animalistic or carnal nature. So when the Father and Son send the Holy Spirit to remake our lowly spirits into a new creation, there is no sin during the process of being born again! We are now in with the In Crowd. No worries.
Though a born-again person should put Jesus first in his or her life, we all know that one may be truly born again and yet unable to tolerate the idea of not marrying. Jesus leaves the believer free to decide. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed (JN 8:36).
In I COR 7, we observe that it is Paul's personal opinion that if one partner in a marriage is born again but the other not, the other partner is nevertheless sanctified. God honors the marriage. That doesn't mean the non-believing partner will be saved; maybe not. In any case, we see that if God did not bless the marriage bond on behalf of the born-again partner, the children would be, according to Paul, "unclean." Implicitly, this suggests that children receive the imprint of the sin of parents who have yet to avail themselves of God's gracious forgiveness.
Plus, would not any siblings born in the usual way be tainted with sex-transmitted original sin?
But the fact is that the gospels refer to Jesus' brothers and sisters, including James, the brother of Jesus, who led the Jerusalem church after the resurrection. The standard answer is that these were cousins or close neighbors who had grown up with him. So the conclusion is that we do not know whether Mary gave birth to other children by Joseph. I would say that I do not see a strong theological reason for denying that she bore other children.
Yet, I suggest, sin is also transmitted via spirits, and in particular via the spirits of people during the sex act. This theory has had many adherents, from Augustine (354-430), to Ambrose (340-397) to Barth (1886-1968), though it has fallen into disfavor in modern times. Yet I do not mean to say that sex during marriage is not ordained by God. On the other hand, pair-bond marriage is for the fallen, not the risen who are admitted to paradise, as we see from MT 22.
MT 22: 23-33
Notice that Jesus is implying that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were already resurrected. The "day" of resurrection is Jesus himself.23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:
26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.
27 And last of all the woman died also.
28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
33 And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.
Similarly, when Martha was grieving over her brother Lazarus's death, Jesus says that those who trust him will never die, not that they will die and be resurrected. They already have life, whatever the condition of the body.
JN 11::24-26
In order for God to ransom us from our terrible captivity and from the grim fate of death, it was necessary that a deadly injustice be done to a sinless person. Who would God choose for that role other than someone with whom he was on very intimate terms? And yet no man who had Adam's spiritual seed in him could qualify. Why? Because sin is transmitted during the sex act between two people.24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Recall that Jesus told us that if a person even looks at another person with lust, the heart is stained by sin. Yes, I realize that such feelings are natural -- in this fallen world. During the sex act the male at least is experiencing some sort of intensity, and perhaps the female. At the point of conception, the soul is imparted to the new being. Whatever sin is staining each person may also stamp the new creation.
In fact, in some cases "lower" souls enter humanity this way; or possibly one of the biological parents already has a "lower" soul, thus tending to unconsciously "believe" a lower soul into existence. I am referring here to the souls of the "children of perdition" who, though human, are not truly made after the image of God. These are the tares that will be sifted out and destroyed when the time comes. They were never meant to be.
But even for those not born as tares, the imprint of sin is passed from one generation to the next in the human race.
These observations lead us to realize why Jesus was born of a virgin. The natural seed of Adam was spiritually tainted. Jesus, as the new Adam, must begin life without taint. His mother Mary, pure in heart, did not experience lust during the act of conception. She was a meek vessel. The Holy Spirit assured that conception was indeed immaculate. Thus, a new beginning for humanity could occur, with a man who was born with no sin becoming a "man of sorrows, acquainted with grief" (IS 53:3). In this conception, we have the Son of God becoming a son of humanity (Son of Man). God mercifully made his utterly innocent son into sin for our sakes. By taking the sin of humanity upon himself, he actually became a cesspool of sin on the cross. The "man of sorrows" was a "man of sin" for our sakes.
Of course, we may wonder: how is it that Mary was not tainted by the sin of Adam? But the point is that Mary experienced no carnal desire during a sex act, because there was no sex act. She did transmit her human nature to her son. Another point is that "God does not look upon sin" (paraphrase of HAB 1:13 and of Paul's theology), so that whatever problems she may have had God overlooked, declining to see them as sinful. All this is speculation. The issue is that it was necessary, for our sakes, that a sinless man come into our fallen world so as to pay off the devil by submitting to a total injustice.
Christ's sacrifice would have been worthless had he not been utterly blameless. Sin cannot save. Sin cannot heal. Sin can only make you sick and kill you. By suffering the outrageous injustice of judicial murder, Jesus was able to renew and revive humanity.
Yes, he was a man born of the Spirit. But his and the Father's gift to us is that we can also be born of the Spirit with no taint of sin. On account of Jesus, God does not look upon the "old man of sin" -- our animalistic or carnal nature. So when the Father and Son send the Holy Spirit to remake our lowly spirits into a new creation, there is no sin during the process of being born again! We are now in with the In Crowd. No worries.
Though a born-again person should put Jesus first in his or her life, we all know that one may be truly born again and yet unable to tolerate the idea of not marrying. Jesus leaves the believer free to decide. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed (JN 8:36).
In I COR 7, we observe that it is Paul's personal opinion that if one partner in a marriage is born again but the other not, the other partner is nevertheless sanctified. God honors the marriage. That doesn't mean the non-believing partner will be saved; maybe not. In any case, we see that if God did not bless the marriage bond on behalf of the born-again partner, the children would be, according to Paul, "unclean." Implicitly, this suggests that children receive the imprint of the sin of parents who have yet to avail themselves of God's gracious forgiveness.
MT 19:3-11
We can understand why some Christian thinkers concluded that Mary must have remained a virgin after the birth of Jesus. As the "Mother of God," they thought it inappropriate that she would have ever had carnal relations. And certainly one can point to NT references in which Jesus indicates that paradise's pleasures are better than sex, which is why people who have been deprived of sex have nothing to worry about.3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?ICOR 7:1-16
4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.
11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.
1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:
11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
Plus, would not any siblings born in the usual way be tainted with sex-transmitted original sin?
But the fact is that the gospels refer to Jesus' brothers and sisters, including James, the brother of Jesus, who led the Jerusalem church after the resurrection. The standard answer is that these were cousins or close neighbors who had grown up with him. So the conclusion is that we do not know whether Mary gave birth to other children by Joseph. I would say that I do not see a strong theological reason for denying that she bore other children.
Appendix C: Why speak in parables?
Accompanies the commentary on MT 7:6
Table of Content and Links
https://newziondays.blogspot.com/2020/01/content-of-commentary-on-sermon-on-mount.html
Please see Notes to Readers here:
https://zioncallingyou.blogspot.com/2019/12/on-writing-of-sermon-draft-3-include.html
Draft 5
Table of Content and Links
https://newziondays.blogspot.com/2020/01/content-of-commentary-on-sermon-on-mount.html
Please see Notes to Readers here:
https://zioncallingyou.blogspot.com/2019/12/on-writing-of-sermon-draft-3-include.html
The "pearls before swine" saying fits with Jesus telling the disciples that he teaches in parables -- dark sayings -- so that only some will understand. The parables make sense to the disciples, perhaps with explanation, because they are earnestly seeking the things of God. But others, with no such interest, will blow off such teaching as "crazy talk" and go their way, as we see when many followers turned away from Jesus when he told them he was the bread of life and they should consume him (JN 6:44-66).
Not everyone is ready to receive God's kingdom. Some never will be. So a "strong delusion" is sent to them, blinding them to the way out.
MK doesn't explain why some people must be excluded, but notes it. MT seems to have amplified MK, quoting Isaiah to establish what Jesus was saying. Possibly the additional information attributed to Jesus came from an independent source because the amplification tells the truth about the difference between the born-again believer and the unregenerate disbeliever. The born-again person has everything already, and he is going to get a lot more. The person not born again has nothing, and, if he doesn't turn to God. will lose what he has.
According to MT, many are not selected to receive the gospel because they are too hard-hearted. God can't get through to them right now, and perhaps does not even try -- although the call still goes out to them, but, again, they cannot really hear it.
It makes sense that metaphorical teaching stories reach only those who are interested. This "hide in plain sight" aspect actually protects those who are not ready to awaken, and allows them to slumber on. The use of "dark sayings" is akin to Moses wearing a veil to shield the people from the shekinah glory radiating from his face (EXODUS 34:34-35), a point made by the apostle in 2 COR (see below).
The Purpose of Jesus' Parables
Not everyone is ready to receive God's kingdom. Some never will be. So a "strong delusion" is sent to them, blinding them to the way out.
MK doesn't explain why some people must be excluded, but notes it. MT seems to have amplified MK, quoting Isaiah to establish what Jesus was saying. Possibly the additional information attributed to Jesus came from an independent source because the amplification tells the truth about the difference between the born-again believer and the unregenerate disbeliever. The born-again person has everything already, and he is going to get a lot more. The person not born again has nothing, and, if he doesn't turn to God. will lose what he has.
According to MT, many are not selected to receive the gospel because they are too hard-hearted. God can't get through to them right now, and perhaps does not even try -- although the call still goes out to them, but, again, they cannot really hear it.
It makes sense that metaphorical teaching stories reach only those who are interested. This "hide in plain sight" aspect actually protects those who are not ready to awaken, and allows them to slumber on. The use of "dark sayings" is akin to Moses wearing a veil to shield the people from the shekinah glory radiating from his face (EXODUS 34:34-35), a point made by the apostle in 2 COR (see below).
ISAIAH 6:9-10
9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.2 COR 3:12-18
10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 13And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
The Purpose of Jesus' Parables
MK 4:10-12
10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
MT 13:10-16
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
JN 6:44-66 (with some verses skipped)
44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Draft 5
Appendix B: Concerning the kingdom of heaven
Accompanies commentary on MT 6:19-34
Table of Content and Links
https://newziondays.blogspot.com/2020/01/content-of-commentary-on-sermon-on-mount.html
Please see Notes to Readers here:
https://zioncallingyou.blogspot.com/2019/12/on-writing-of-sermon-draft-3-include.html
Table of Content and Links
https://newziondays.blogspot.com/2020/01/content-of-commentary-on-sermon-on-mount.html
Please see Notes to Readers here:
https://zioncallingyou.blogspot.com/2019/12/on-writing-of-sermon-draft-3-include.html
Some have questioned whether heaven's kingdom has really arrived on earth, as Jesus predicted it would. But those who could see, as well as hear, certainly witnessed the son of man coming "on the clouds of heaven" at the feast of Pentecost1a, when the church was born. Does not heaven come down to earth with the Spirit's powerful inrush, with tongues of fire burning on Mary, the apostles and other disciples? Was not a nation, the New Israel, born on that one day? Did not God's kingdom right here on earth begin then in Jerusalem -- in a brand new way that no one could have anticipated?
In an important sense, the apostles saw Jesus sitting at the right hand of power. That is, when the Spirit struck them they began to speak with "new tongues" in great power, and so they realized that their teacher, Jesus, was the source of this astonishing miracle. So when they realized that it was Jesus who had come, they in effect understood that he had come from heaven at the "right hand" of power, the power of the Holy Spirit as sent by the Father. "Right hand" as used here is similar to our idiom "right-hand man" -- an indispensable person, such as the boss's son.
Moreover, when Peter and the other apostles began their divine preaching, each was a son of man who was situated at the right hand of power. Each of these sons of men had been transformed into a son of God who was fulfilling a messianic role, being "junior partners" in Christ.1b
And even though some of Jesus' accusers did not really see what had happened, they saw enough so that one could say that they had seen the son of man arrive on the clouds of heaven at the right hand of power, even though they had "eyes to see, but could not see."
Moreover, as son of man was an Aramaic expression for a man or the man, we can take it to applying to the apostles and others on whom the Spirit fell in power. Witnesses indeed saw mere humans going from the former "kingdom" or dispensation into the New World. We don't exaggerate by saying that, because they received the Spirit, they were sitting at the right hand of Power. Weren't they Jesus' best friends?. Did they not come into this New World on "the clouds of heaven"? There is nothing wrong with using the phrase "divine clouds" as a metaphor for the Holy Spirit and his action in this case.
When Jesus at his trial answered the question as to whether he was the son of God, he replied, "I AM. And you will see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven" (MK 14:16).1 We know that the Father was speaking through Jesus, so that the I AM may be read as "yes" or it may be read as God asserting his presence. By using the third person "son of man," Jesus avoids testifying about himself, though he certainly was and is the preeminent son of God. In addition, Jesus here is making a strong allusion to DAN 7:13.
Also consider
None of the foregoing should be taken to mean that I deny Paul's prophecy that Jesus will "descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first" (1 THESS 4:16).
Many things in Scripture that seem to be mutually exclusive are not really so.
In addition, let us consider that the arrival of God's kingdom is something like the dawning of a new day. Even before the dawn, bits of sunlight may reflect off clouds. The glory of the day begins as a crack on the horizon and bursts into magnificence as the world turns. Similarly, God's kingdom was evident in the miracles of Jesus -- indeed in his very presence -- before his crucifixion. At and after his resurrection, God's kingdom was expressed in manifold ways here on earth, as it still is.In an important sense, the apostles saw Jesus sitting at the right hand of power. That is, when the Spirit struck them they began to speak with "new tongues" in great power, and so they realized that their teacher, Jesus, was the source of this astonishing miracle. So when they realized that it was Jesus who had come, they in effect understood that he had come from heaven at the "right hand" of power, the power of the Holy Spirit as sent by the Father. "Right hand" as used here is similar to our idiom "right-hand man" -- an indispensable person, such as the boss's son.
Moreover, when Peter and the other apostles began their divine preaching, each was a son of man who was situated at the right hand of power. Each of these sons of men had been transformed into a son of God who was fulfilling a messianic role, being "junior partners" in Christ.1b
And even though some of Jesus' accusers did not really see what had happened, they saw enough so that one could say that they had seen the son of man arrive on the clouds of heaven at the right hand of power, even though they had "eyes to see, but could not see."
Moreover, as son of man was an Aramaic expression for a man or the man, we can take it to applying to the apostles and others on whom the Spirit fell in power. Witnesses indeed saw mere humans going from the former "kingdom" or dispensation into the New World. We don't exaggerate by saying that, because they received the Spirit, they were sitting at the right hand of Power. Weren't they Jesus' best friends?. Did they not come into this New World on "the clouds of heaven"? There is nothing wrong with using the phrase "divine clouds" as a metaphor for the Holy Spirit and his action in this case.
When Jesus at his trial answered the question as to whether he was the son of God, he replied, "I AM. And you will see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven" (MK 14:16).1 We know that the Father was speaking through Jesus, so that the I AM may be read as "yes" or it may be read as God asserting his presence. By using the third person "son of man," Jesus avoids testifying about himself, though he certainly was and is the preeminent son of God. In addition, Jesus here is making a strong allusion to DAN 7:13.
DAN 7:13
As we go along in our Christian walk, we find that God fulfills and interprets OT scripture in surprising ways. And I think one can safely say that he did so and will do so with the respect to DAN 7:13. That Scripture was, in my view, fulfilled at the Feast of Pentecost, which is not to say that it cannot be fulfilled again in some other surprising way. People who worry that MK 14:16 doesn't seem to have been fulfilled should remember Jesus' admonition that what counts is the spirit. If you look with the eyes of flesh, you can't see. You're blind (JN 6:63). (We should acknowledge that even very early Christians were confused by this saying, having interpreted it too rigidly.)I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.
Also consider
MK 9:1
All three synoptic writers follow this statement with an account of the Transfiguration, which no doubt does fulfill Jesus' prophetic assertion. But, under our line of reasoning, this statement also applies to the Pentecost event.And he said unto them, Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power. (Parallel passages found at MT 16:28 and LK 9:27.)
None of the foregoing should be taken to mean that I deny Paul's prophecy that Jesus will "descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first" (1 THESS 4:16).
Many things in Scripture that seem to be mutually exclusive are not really so.
ACTS 1:13-14
13 ... they went up into an upper room, where Peter and James were staying, along with John, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew. Also there were James the son of Alphaeus, Simon Zelotes and Judas the brother of James.ACTS 2:1-8
14 All of them continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, along with the women -- including Mary the mother of Jesus (and his brothers).
1 And after dawn on Pentecost day as everyone was sitting together,ACTS 2:22-24
2 suddenly there came a sound from heaven like a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting.
3 There appeared to them pronged fiery tongues that rested on each of them.
4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them voice.
5 There were at the time in Jerusalem devout Jews from every nation on earth [many Jews, who spoke a variety of languages, lived outside Judea but visited that city on business and for other reasons, as did various proselytes].
6 Now when people began to hear about this event, a crowd arrived and people were confounded, because everyone heard the men speak in his own language.
7 They were all amazed. To each other they marveled, "Look here! Aren't all these who are speaking Galilaeans?
8 "So how can we each hear every one of these men in our native tongue?"
22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles, wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know,ACTS 2:41
23 "was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. The one you have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain,
24 "God has raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible for death to hold him."
People from all over the world, Jews and proselytes, were astonished and were converted.
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. That day the group of believers grew by about three thousand souls.
LK 17:20-21
Consider that a born-again person has within him God's Spirit. He or she is lit up with the kingdom of heaven! And for the truly born again, God's presence shows! The light of God's kingdom shines from their eyes. Similarly, when two or three people are focused on Jesus, he is right there among them. Thus, God's kingdom is present.20 And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation:
21 Neither shall they say, Lo here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you.
MT 4:17
From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
MT 18:20
20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Footnotes
1a. We take note of the fact Karl Barth, the theologian, suggested that the parousia (arrival or presence) includes not only Resurrection Sunday but Pentecost as well. That is, Barth concluded that the New Testament notion of parousia covers more than Christ's final return.
1. MTp and LKp have Jesus reply, "As you say," or "Your words." They favored this standard means of answering a direct question with a polite indirect response because, no doubt, they wished to avoid the idea that Jesus testified about himself. But, if the Father was speaking through Jesus -- as he was -- then it was the Father who was testifying about Jesus and himself.
From this, we can rationally decide that MTp and LKp were probably incorporating the Marcan text, rather than MKp summarizing MT or LK. That is, the Marcan reading being the more difficult, we see that it is more likely that others would correct it or tweak it than that MT or LK would have been changed, as there would have been little motive for doing so.
Interestingly, MT and LK copy MK precisely (MT 27:11, LK 23:3) as to Jesus' reply to Pilate:
MK 15:2
In any case, let us consider what JN says on the topic of bearing witness.And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said unto them, Thou sayest it.
JN 5:31-43
31 If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.
32 There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
33 Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
34 But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved.
35 He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.
36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.
37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape.
38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
39 Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.
41 I receive not honour from men.
42 But I know you, that ye have not the love of God in you.
43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.
1b. Son of God is a phrase carrying several meanings. Among them is the meaning: Directly created, without being born of a woman. Hence, once a person is born again of the Spirit (and not of the flesh), he or she is on the same level as an angel, having been given the right to be called a son of God.
Just as, for our sake, Jesus was made a little lower than the angels, his victory over death resulted in the Father subjecting everything -- including the devil, death and evil spirits -- under the Son, though defiance is permitted to continue for a period while souls are still being harvested.
And in verse 2:11 we see that born-again believers are now one with the Son, meaning we are no longer lower than the angels. But, we should nevertheless keep a low profile and, while here on earth, take a meek and lowly attitude toward our fellow humans.
HEB 2:7-11
7 You made him a little lower than the angels; you crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of your hands:
8 You have put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.
9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.
10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.
11 For both he that sanctifies and they who are sanctified are all one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brothers...
Draft 5
Personal asides that are included in the commentary
What follows are personal anecdotes that are sprinkled through the commentary. I have not included many other wonderful experiences that have occurred during my walk with the Lord.
Bolt from the blue
When I was fairly young and poor, I was driving along Route 22 one sunny day in New Jersey on my way to work. In that time before the global positioning system and smart phones, I was trying to pick out a sign for a particular auto dealer among a large jungle of signs on a stretch of road just outside Newark. I had strained to find the dealer on several previous commutes but my brain could not sort the data fast enough, even though I slowed some, though too much of a slowdown would have been dangerous.
I needed a gas cap for my fuel tank and reasoned that a dealer would be most likely to have one that fit.
Having been frustrated previously, I asked God to please help me find this place.
As my car neared the area:
Boom! A lightning bolt suddenly struck a sign amid the jumble. Yes, it was a sign for the dealer.
I do not know that anyone else saw the bolt or thought much of it.
Wheeling around, I located the establishment, which was hidden from the road behind a screen of buildings and signs for other businesses.
When I went to buy the cap – it wasn't in stock!
And so I wound up getting one the next day from an auto parts store, which is where I should have gone in the first place.
On reflection, I could only think that this was a bit of humor on God's part. After all, he did answer my prayer!
Poor input
Yes, I suppose there was something to be gained from awareness of the sort of poison the early church was fighting. Yet, I breathed a sigh of relief when I ceased that line of study. Of course, I am not being critical of scholars whose job it is to analyze such materials. But again, the canonical gospels are very clearly much better reading, bringing spiritual refreshment, light and hope, unlike many of their early competitors.
Hide in plain sight?
A few years ago I became friendly with a fellow. A former computer programer in his fifties, he was out of work and on the dole. Though a very cheerful, friendly sort, when the subject of God would come up, he would demur, saying that that subject was something he did not know much about. Yet, his behavior, looked at objectively, was solid-gold Christian: always willing to help, to act the friend. Often he would chat with me about some little project or other that he was doing to help someone, which serendipitously might lead to small money-making gigs. He walked everywhere, often quite a few miles at a clip, and he was always busy, much like the Apostle Paul in the sense that he "redeemed the time." I suppose that what I am getting at is that Christ cannot really hide. He is proclaimed even by those who don't proclaim him!
Bad side effects
A hard-learned lesson about anger: As a younger man, I could not contain my rage against a particular group of people outside my family. Nevertheless, my boys heard my frequent outbursts and internalized some of that hurt, even though they well knew I loved them dearly. They paid a price for my intemperance in that regard.
An imprudent donation
Quite a few years ago, when I was the breadwinner of my little family, I gave someone $10 that I actually needed in order put gas in my car so that the next day I could get to work and back. Somehow I could sense that I did not have the Spirit in this. I was acting on my own, of my own will only. I don't know why, but I brushed past that intuition, thinking, "God will provide." Yes God will provide what I needed to do his will. But he had already provided that ten spot. My casting it aside was folly.
The next day I was very embarrassed. I had to call in sick. I learned a lesson. That lesson does not imply that stinginess is a good idea. Only that we should avoid putting God to the test improperly, even in rather small matters.
Thank God, nothing too terrible came of this lapse. And my little stumble did work for my good, as I obtained a deepening of my walk with God.
A strong rebuke
I was walking along in Nashville, Tennessee. I had a bit of money, not a lot. And lately, panhandlers had proved an annoyance, so that when a friendly young man approached me for a bit of money for coffee or some such on this fine morning, I demurred. Though remaining friendly, he was clearly disappointed; his need was real.
Just at that point a bearded fellow strolled across the parking lot and declared loudly: "He's done it again!" I think he repeated that assertion once or twice more.
In any case, I got his meaning immediately. God had provided us another day! It was a vast, incomprehensible gift to me and my needful brother and all the rest of us.
And yet, I am embarrassed to say, I did not give that young man any money. It took me quite a while to realize that God was pointing out that I receive so much from him and yet I was being outrageously cheap with my brother.
How to know when to give and when not to? I had the Spirit! That's who I should have relied on, rather than leaning to my own understanding.
Led astray -- a bitSome years back, as a born-again Christian who attended a good Bible-studying church, I somehow fell into the error of saying the Hail Mary, often repeatedly. This occurred, I think, because of a misunderstanding of God's leading coupled with my good feeling for people of Roman Catholic tradition. Eventually God specifically told me about my mistake (and one or two others, as well). He did not hold it against me. Had I stayed firmly grounded in Scripture, however, I would not have made that error. Everything should be tested against Scripture.
I also heard that the Roman Catholic Church was "the wrong church," which should not be taken to mean that the Lord cannot reach people there. What he meant, I believe, is that the real church is not that particular organization but is rather the brotherhood and sisterhood of born-again believers, and that those churches that preach the doctrine that I have been conveying are the prime places for seeking the Lord.
But, I add a caution: I am quite sure that God led me to enroll my boys in a neighborhood Roman Catholic school when they were very young -- a decision I have never regretted. As things worked out, they were unable to continue their education there, an outcome that saddened me.
Another blind alley concerned the Shroud of Turin. Had I kept focused on Scripture, it is unlikely I could have accepted that hoax for so long
Personal note
I have never had an experience of the type that is often associated with the Spirit coming in power (in a visible way), such as being slain in the Spirit (made limp by the Spirit's infusion), speaking in tongues, touching people to bring healing, and other things mentioned by Paul and others in the NT.
I have from time to time told God that I am completely willing -- as best I am able -- to receive any spiritual gift he wants to give. Yet, I know that the Spirit often comes pouring through me. He does give me a "gift of tongues" in the sense that I sometimes am able to communicate about Jesus to others with a flow of ideas that I would have never thought of on my own.
In fact, even when I am not talking or writing about Jesus, but seemingly about mundane things, the Spirit still illuminates my mind so that I get a lot of help seeing things clearly. I am not here claiming to be some super saint. I mean that, back in my old godless days, my inner light was dark indeed!
So I feel that the main gift is the Spirit himself -- and friendship with the triune God.
And the fruit of the Spirit is love, both in emotion and behavior. God's love is with me always. What's better than that!?
As Paul said (ICor13), various spiritual gifts will eventually vanish (no longer needed), but not love. God's love, which we who have been reborn eternally share, never fades.
Nevertheless, any spiritual gift God might want to give me, I am willing to accept it -- even if such a gift makes me uncomfotable!
After all, God not only gives us gifts of the Spirit, he gives us -- perhaps by deputizing the devil -- problems, hassles, even persecution. We are to pick up our crosses daily and do as he shows. I admit to more than once ducking my cross and laying up in bed all day and night. But, then -- unless I am physically ill -- I am lacking in spirit and dodging Jesus. Instead of hearing, "That's the spirit!" I may hear, "Why are you listening to the wrong spirit?"
Faith
I recall driving on a lonely stretch of a two-lane Texas highway over rolling, but sparsely vegetated hills, on a very dark night. I could not see past the occasional car in front of me, because any opposing headlights were overwhelmed by the lights of the car in front of me. Texans in that area had a custom, I soon learned, of flashing their lights to signal the car behind that it was safe to pass. I had to absolutely trust the judgment of the driver ahead of me! I had to put faith in that driver's ability.
Just keep going
On a pleasant day some years ago, I was sitting near the end of a path alongside the stream in Rock Creek Park in Washington, D.C. Nearby was a place where the stream went under the adjacent road. I had taken a look and knew that around the bend the dirt came to an end. You couldn't reach the bank on the other side without wading through the water, something that would have not been all that easy.
As I sat reading, a fellow came up the path from behind and proceeded forward. I greeted him, but told him, "You can't get through there. It's washed out."
He kept going, however, but paused to say, intently, "I believe I can."
He then went around the bend, under the roadway and all I heard was -- silence. No splashing, or noise from wading. Nothing. I arose and went to take a look. He wasn't there!
I was startled. (See JN 6:21.)
Not long after that, I had to make my way from Washington to New Jersey for an important family function. So, being short of funds, I walked from D.C. to Baltimore, but then had the problem of getting across the harbor there. I tried hitchhiking, but was getting nowhere. I suppose my belief faltered and so I gave up and had my mother wire me bus fare. But, as I waited in the station, my wallet was picked from my pocket, with the thief long gone before I realized it was missing. By God's grace, I had enough in another pocket to cover fare back to D.C. and then to Philadelphia, as the fare from Baltimore north cost more than from D.C. north.
I arrived in Philadelphia flat broke, with 60 miles still to go. But I was able to walk up Route 1 as far as Princeton. Once there I was cold and tired, but, led by the Spirit, I mentioned my plight to a kindly woman who was about to board the bus I needed to take. She gave me money for my fare, which permitted me to get the rest of the way home.
God provides
As a young husband and father during a severe recession, I was having a tough time paying for baby formula, diapers, groceries, rent, etc. But I was confident in God, as he had carried us through some real difficulties.
One day I brought home my meager paycheck only to find that a significant expense had accosted us. I told my wife to pay it. Though she agreed to do so, she was quite worried. She could see we only had enough to last until Tuesday. "How are we going to get through the week?" she fretted.
Yet I was cheerful, telling her that as the expense was an honest one, God would provide. Don't even worry about it, I told her.
As a matter of fact, in the following week I even forgot about the fact that we were just about out of grocery money.
Then, out of the blue, my mother rapped at our door. She gave me a money order that I had sent her years before while in the Army. She had filed it away and forgotten about it. Hence, it was now worth $78 and change. At that time, $78 was more than enough to meet our deficit for the week.
I was jubilant, because God had provided -- without me worrying at all.
I wish I could say I have always been that trusting. Many years later, single now and living in somewhat straitened circumstances, a homeless friend asked to borrow $20. I was better situated than him, driving a car and having a roof over my head. So of course I lent him the twenty. BUT, I was worried about some expense that was coming up on Friday and I admonished him to be sure to return that money by then.
When I ran into him, he was hyped up with anxiety, as he wanted to be sure to return the money, which he did. Yet, later in the day, something came up -- I don't recall exactly what -- that out of the blue put a twenty in my hand! The point? God provided. I never needed to put the arm on my friend to pay me back, and God made sure I got that message.
Another story
I was hitch-hiking across America in 1991, when I arrived in Lincoln, Nebraska, without a penny in my pocket. I was walking along Interstate 80 in 90-degree-plus heat when I noticed that one of my feet was hurting. I took my shoe off and saw a nail peeking through the heel's inner sole. As those old shoes were the only thing between the bottom of my feet and blazing hot gravel and asphalt, I was in quite a bind. But I recalled noticing on the roadside a piece of old automobile carpet and near it an old rusty razor blade. Picking up that little blade, I sat down and cut two pieces from the carpet, using them to line my shoes. Man, were those shoes comfortable! I wore those carpet-lined shoes for another year. Jehovah jireh!
A personal aside
When my boys were quite young, we were on the boardwalk at the beach. I was amused by the five-year-old and seven-year-old cheerfully showing off their biceps to each other. As I chuckled I could sense God's presence as he let me know that that is how he views many human vanities. Silly pride. Fine for children, but not really suitable for men. Many things by which people compare each other are just as silly, if not sillier. But, even worse, in our own strength we are all mucking around in the moral pigpen. Thank God that Jesus has cleaned us up.
Not my hand on the wheel
I recall that a few years back I was practicing a rather mild form of asceticism, following with little variation the same routine over the course of a year. Then one day, I found myself blocked by a rather assertive, but unpleasant, person. There was nothing for it, but to flee. I was compelled by circumstances to break my pattern and do something different. It was at that point that the Lord kindly told me that I had reached the limit of that particular ascetic choice and needed a change. The unpleasant person had been sent by God in order to redirect my steps. God had approved my self-imposed regimen; he likes acts of faith. Yet, he would not let me go too far and corrected me -- the point of this anecdote being that Christians must beware willfulness even in self-denial (but Jesus saves us from our missteps).
Wednesday, June 24, 2020
Appendix D: Jesus' purity vs. original sin
As we know from the extreme example of abused children themselves becoming abusive to others, sin is contagious. In fact, sin spreads very much like physical disease. The domino effect is so pervasive that no one avoids it during the course of his or her life.
Yet, I suggest, sin is also transmitted via spirits, and in particular via the spirits of people during the sex act. This theory has had many adherents, from Augustine (354-430), to Ambrose (340-397) to Barth (1886-1968), though it has fallen into disfavor in modern times. Yet I do not mean to say that sex during marriage is not ordained by God. On the other hand, pair-bond marriage is for the fallen, not the risen who are admitted to paradise, as we see from MT 22.
Similarly, when Martha was grieving over her brother Lazarus's death, Jesus says that those who trust him will never die, not that they will die and be resurrected. They already have life, whatever the condition of the body.
Recall that Jesus told us that if a person even looks at another person with lust, the heart is stained by sin. Yes, I realize that such feelings are natural -- in this fallen world. During the sex act the male at least is experiencing some sort of intensity, and perhaps the female. At the point of conception, the soul is imparted to the new being. Whatever sin is staining each person may also stamp the new creation.
In fact, in some cases "lower" souls enter humanity this way; or possibly one of the biological parents already has a "lower" soul, thus tending to unconsciously "believe" a lower soul into existence. I am referring here to the souls of the "children of perdition" who, though human, are not truly made after the image of God. These are the tares that will be sifted out and destroyed when the time comes. They were never meant to be.
But even for those not born as tares, the imprint of sin is passed from one generation to the next in the human race.
These observations lead us to realize why Jesus was born of a virgin. The natural seed of Adam was spiritually tainted. Jesus, as the new Adam, must begin life without taint. His mother Mary, pure in heart, did not experience lust during the act of conception. She was a meek vessel. The Holy Spirit assured that conception was indeed immaculate. Thus, a new beginning for humanity could occur, with a man who was born with no sin becoming a "man of sorrows, acquainted with grief" (IS 53:3). In this conception, we have the Son of God becoming a son of humanity (Son of Man). God mercifully made his utterly innocent son into sin for our sakes. By taking the sin of humanity upon himself, he actually became a cesspool of sin on the cross. The "man of sorrows" was a "man of sin" for our sakes.
Of course, we may wonder: how is it that Mary was not tainted by the sin of Adam? But the point is that Mary experienced no carnal desire during a sex act, because there was no sex act. She did transmit her human nature to her son. Another point is that "God does not look upon sin" (paraphrase of HAB 1:13 and of Paul's theology), so that whatever problems she may have had God overlooked, declining to see them as sinful. All this is speculation. The issue is that it was necessary, for our sakes, that a sinless man come into our fallen world so as to pay off the devil by submitting to a total injustice.
Christ's sacrifice would have been worthless had he not been utterly blameless. Sin cannot save. Sin cannot heal. Sin can only make you sick and kill you. By suffering the outrageous injustice of judicial murder, Jesus was able to renew and revive humanity.
Yes, he was a man born of the Spirit. But his and the Father's gift to us is that we can also be born of the Spirit with no taint of sin. On account of Jesus, God does not look upon the "old man of sin" -- our animalistic or carnal nature. So when the Father and Son send the Holy Spirit to remake our lowly spirits into a new creation, there is no sin during the process of being born again! We are now in with the In Crowd. No worries.
Though a born-again person should put Jesus first in his or her life, we all know that one may be truly born again and yet unable to tolerate the idea of not marrying. Jesus leaves the believer free to decide. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed (JN 8:36).
In I COR 7, we observe that it is Paul's personal opinion that if one partner in a marriage is born again but the other not, the other partner is nevertheless sanctified. God honors the marriage. That doesn't mean the non-believing partner will be saved; maybe not. In any case, we see that if God did not bless the marriage bond on behalf of the born-again partner, the children would be, according to Paul, "unclean." Implicitly, this suggests that children receive the imprint of the sin of parents who have yet to avail themselves of God's gracious forgiveness.
Plus, would not any siblings born in the usual way be tainted with sex-transmitted original sin?
But the fact is that the gospels refer to Jesus' brothers and sisters, including James, the brother of Jesus, who led the Jerusalem church after the resurrection. The standard answer is that these were cousins or close neighbors who had grown up with him. So the conclusion is that we do not know whether Mary gave birth to other children by Joseph. I would say that I do not see a strong theological reason for denying that she bore other children.
Yet, I suggest, sin is also transmitted via spirits, and in particular via the spirits of people during the sex act. This theory has had many adherents, from Augustine (354-430), to Ambrose (340-397) to Barth (1886-1968), though it has fallen into disfavor in modern times. Yet I do not mean to say that sex during marriage is not ordained by God. On the other hand, pair-bond marriage is for the fallen, not the risen who are admitted to paradise, as we see from MT 22.
MT 22: 23-33
Notice that Jesus is implying that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were already resurrected. The "day" of resurrection is Jesus himself.23 The same day came to him the Sadducees, which say that there is no resurrection, and asked him,
24 Saying, Master, Moses said, If a man die, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed unto his brother.
25 Now there were with us seven brethren: and the first, when he had married a wife, deceased, and, having no issue, left his wife unto his brother:
26 Likewise the second also, and the third, unto the seventh.
27 And last of all the woman died also.
28 Therefore in the resurrection whose wife shall she be of the seven? for they all had her.
29 Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.
30 For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.
31 But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,
32 I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.
33 And when the multitude heard this, they were astonished at his doctrine.
Similarly, when Martha was grieving over her brother Lazarus's death, Jesus says that those who trust him will never die, not that they will die and be resurrected. They already have life, whatever the condition of the body.
JN 11::24-26
In order for God to ransom us from our terrible captivity and from the grim fate of death, it was necessary that a deadly injustice be done to a sinless person. Who would God choose for that role other than someone with whom he was on very intimate terms? And yet no man who had Adam's spiritual seed in him could qualify. Why? Because sin is transmitted during the sex act between two people.24 Martha saith unto him, I know that he shall rise again in the resurrection at the last day.
25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
Recall that Jesus told us that if a person even looks at another person with lust, the heart is stained by sin. Yes, I realize that such feelings are natural -- in this fallen world. During the sex act the male at least is experiencing some sort of intensity, and perhaps the female. At the point of conception, the soul is imparted to the new being. Whatever sin is staining each person may also stamp the new creation.
In fact, in some cases "lower" souls enter humanity this way; or possibly one of the biological parents already has a "lower" soul, thus tending to unconsciously "believe" a lower soul into existence. I am referring here to the souls of the "children of perdition" who, though human, are not truly made after the image of God. These are the tares that will be sifted out and destroyed when the time comes. They were never meant to be.
But even for those not born as tares, the imprint of sin is passed from one generation to the next in the human race.
These observations lead us to realize why Jesus was born of a virgin. The natural seed of Adam was spiritually tainted. Jesus, as the new Adam, must begin life without taint. His mother Mary, pure in heart, did not experience lust during the act of conception. She was a meek vessel. The Holy Spirit assured that conception was indeed immaculate. Thus, a new beginning for humanity could occur, with a man who was born with no sin becoming a "man of sorrows, acquainted with grief" (IS 53:3). In this conception, we have the Son of God becoming a son of humanity (Son of Man). God mercifully made his utterly innocent son into sin for our sakes. By taking the sin of humanity upon himself, he actually became a cesspool of sin on the cross. The "man of sorrows" was a "man of sin" for our sakes.
Of course, we may wonder: how is it that Mary was not tainted by the sin of Adam? But the point is that Mary experienced no carnal desire during a sex act, because there was no sex act. She did transmit her human nature to her son. Another point is that "God does not look upon sin" (paraphrase of HAB 1:13 and of Paul's theology), so that whatever problems she may have had God overlooked, declining to see them as sinful. All this is speculation. The issue is that it was necessary, for our sakes, that a sinless man come into our fallen world so as to pay off the devil by submitting to a total injustice.
Christ's sacrifice would have been worthless had he not been utterly blameless. Sin cannot save. Sin cannot heal. Sin can only make you sick and kill you. By suffering the outrageous injustice of judicial murder, Jesus was able to renew and revive humanity.
Yes, he was a man born of the Spirit. But his and the Father's gift to us is that we can also be born of the Spirit with no taint of sin. On account of Jesus, God does not look upon the "old man of sin" -- our animalistic or carnal nature. So when the Father and Son send the Holy Spirit to remake our lowly spirits into a new creation, there is no sin during the process of being born again! We are now in with the In Crowd. No worries.
Though a born-again person should put Jesus first in his or her life, we all know that one may be truly born again and yet unable to tolerate the idea of not marrying. Jesus leaves the believer free to decide. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed (JN 8:36).
In I COR 7, we observe that it is Paul's personal opinion that if one partner in a marriage is born again but the other not, the other partner is nevertheless sanctified. God honors the marriage. That doesn't mean the non-believing partner will be saved; maybe not. In any case, we see that if God did not bless the marriage bond on behalf of the born-again partner, the children would be, according to Paul, "unclean." Implicitly, this suggests that children receive the imprint of the sin of parents who have yet to avail themselves of God's gracious forgiveness.
MT 19:3-11
We can understand why some Christian thinkers concluded that Mary must have remained a virgin after the birth of Jesus. As the "Mother of God," they thought it inappropriate that she would have ever had carnal relations. And certainly one can point to NT references in which Jesus indicates that paradise's pleasures are better than sex, which is why people who have been deprived of sex have nothing to worry about.3 The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause?ICOR 7:1-16
4 And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female,
5 And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh?
6 Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
7 They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away?
8 He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so.
9 And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery.
10 His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry.
11 But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given.
1 Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman.
2 Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.
3 Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband.
4 The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife.
5 Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency.
6 But I speak this by permission, and not of commandment.
7 For I would that all men were even as I myself. But every man hath his proper gift of God, one after this manner, and another after that.
8 I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I.
9 But if they cannot contain, let them marry: for it is better to marry than to burn.
10 And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband:
11 But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.
12 But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away.
13 And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him.
14 For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.
15 But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace.
16 For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife?
Plus, would not any siblings born in the usual way be tainted with sex-transmitted original sin?
But the fact is that the gospels refer to Jesus' brothers and sisters, including James, the brother of Jesus, who led the Jerusalem church after the resurrection. The standard answer is that these were cousins or close neighbors who had grown up with him. So the conclusion is that we do not know whether Mary gave birth to other children by Joseph. I would say that I do not see a strong theological reason for denying that she bore other children.
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Appendix C: Why speak in parables?
Accompanies the commentary on MT 7:6
Table of Content and Links
https://newziondays.blogspot.com/2020/01/content-of-commentary-on-sermon-on-mount.html
Please see Notes to Readers here:
https://zioncallingyou.blogspot.com/2019/12/on-writing-of-sermon-draft-3-include.html
Draft 5
Table of Content and Links
https://newziondays.blogspot.com/2020/01/content-of-commentary-on-sermon-on-mount.html
Please see Notes to Readers here:
https://zioncallingyou.blogspot.com/2019/12/on-writing-of-sermon-draft-3-include.html
The "pearls before swine" saying fits with Jesus telling the disciples that he teaches in parables -- dark sayings -- so that only some will understand. The parables make sense to the disciples, perhaps with explanation, because they are earnestly seeking the things of God. But others, with no such interest, will blow off such teaching as "crazy talk" and go their way, as we see when many followers turned away from Jesus when he told them he was the bread of life and they should consume him (JN 6:44-66).
Not everyone is ready to receive God's kingdom. Some never will be. So a "strong delusion" is sent to them, blinding them to the way out.
MK doesn't explain why some people must be excluded, but notes it. MT seems to have amplified MK, quoting Isaiah to establish what Jesus was saying. Possibly the additional information attributed to Jesus came from an independent source because the amplification tells the truth about the difference between the born-again believer and the unregenerate disbeliever. The born-again person has everything already, and he is going to get a lot more. The person not born again has nothing, and, if he doesn't turn to God. will lose what he has.
According to MT, many are not selected to receive the gospel because they are too hard-hearted. God can't get through to them right now, and perhaps does not even try -- although the call still goes out to them, but, again, they cannot really hear it.
It makes sense that metaphorical teaching stories reach only those who are interested. This "hide in plain sight" aspect actually protects those who are not ready to awaken, and allows them to slumber on. The use of "dark sayings" is akin to Moses wearing a veil to shield the people from the shekinah glory radiating from his face (EXODUS 34:34-35), a point made by the apostle in 2 COR (see below).
The Purpose of Jesus' Parables
Not everyone is ready to receive God's kingdom. Some never will be. So a "strong delusion" is sent to them, blinding them to the way out.
MK doesn't explain why some people must be excluded, but notes it. MT seems to have amplified MK, quoting Isaiah to establish what Jesus was saying. Possibly the additional information attributed to Jesus came from an independent source because the amplification tells the truth about the difference between the born-again believer and the unregenerate disbeliever. The born-again person has everything already, and he is going to get a lot more. The person not born again has nothing, and, if he doesn't turn to God. will lose what he has.
According to MT, many are not selected to receive the gospel because they are too hard-hearted. God can't get through to them right now, and perhaps does not even try -- although the call still goes out to them, but, again, they cannot really hear it.
It makes sense that metaphorical teaching stories reach only those who are interested. This "hide in plain sight" aspect actually protects those who are not ready to awaken, and allows them to slumber on. The use of "dark sayings" is akin to Moses wearing a veil to shield the people from the shekinah glory radiating from his face (EXODUS 34:34-35), a point made by the apostle in 2 COR (see below).
ISAIAH 6:9-10
9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.2 COR 3:12-18
10 Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.
12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 13And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.
The Purpose of Jesus' Parables
MK 4:10-12
10 And when he was alone, they that were about him with the twelve asked of him the parable.
11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.
MT 13:10-16
10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?
11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
13 Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.
14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
15 For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.
16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
JN 6:44-66 (with some verses skipped)
44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.
45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.
53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.
55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.
58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever.
60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
Draft 5
Appendix A: Comparing MT to LK on Lord's prayer
Accompanies commentary on MT 6:9-15
Table of Content and Links
https://newziondays.blogspot.com/2020/01/content-of-commentary-on-sermon-on-mount.html
Please see Notes to Readers here:
https://zioncallingyou.blogspot.com/2019/12/on-writing-of-sermon-draft-3-include.html
Comparing MT with LK
Draft 5
Table of Content and Links
https://newziondays.blogspot.com/2020/01/content-of-commentary-on-sermon-on-mount.html
Please see Notes to Readers here:
https://zioncallingyou.blogspot.com/2019/12/on-writing-of-sermon-draft-3-include.html
Comparing MT with LK
Some scholars think MT's Lord's prayer is an amplified version of the shorter version that is found in LK. The shorter version, they believe, may be what the Lord actually said.
The best manuscripts of LK give the model prayer in what to us looks like abbreviated form. The matter in square braces is what appears in MT but not in the early LK manuscripts. The matter in curly braces is my commentary.
My take is not that two different versions were known, but that MT added explanatory matter to make clear the intended meaning. He did not feel obliged to give a verbatim report on what he found in Q or some other source. He was giving what he considered to be a fair representation of what Jesus told his disciples. MT wanted to make sure his account related to first century Jews. But he, or a scribal editor prior to the third century, also thought it important to put Jesus' spare words into context. This is very similar to the way in which a modern newspaper reporter paraphrases someone's words in order to make the meaning clear to the reader. We must remember that there was no convention of placing verbatim words within quotation marks.
Our Father
MTSerm or MTp doubtless wanted to make crystal clear to newcomers that Father = God, and not some mortal human. And we have the probability that the prayer was amplified for purposes of group recitation. Whose Father? Our Father. This is a WE church.
Now though it is evident that Jesus was looking forward to the day, not far off, when his disciples would be born again in spirit and in truth and become true sons of God, we should not think un-Jewish those who regarded God as a Father. Consider that OT Scripture calls him a Father to the fatherless.
Indeed MTSerm may have been thinking of the verse from PS 68.
I conjecture that Jesus did not usually qualify "Father" with the modifier "heavenly" or "in heaven." That modifier looks like something the writer or an editor decided upon in order to distinguish between God as father and one's earthly father. But, in any case, as JNp would have been quick to note, only those who have been born again (or, possibly, who are destined to be born again) can rightly call God our Father. And once he becomes our Father, that is it! He is the Father. One's earthly father may deserve respect, but he is father of the old, unregenerate man. The new man has only one father, God.
Though many of us were fashioned in the image of God, we soon, as a result of growing up in this world, died to God. By Christ's sacrifice, the original image of God in us -- hopefully -- has been and is being restored. This is an important point. God chose us in advance for salvation, for restoration. In a sense, we were always sons of God. But that relationship (which tends to elude our memories) was destroyed by sin. Now it is restored, better than ever. By this reasoning, we can draw a parallel with the idea that Jesus was always the son of God, but events in his human life correspond to a renewal of that sonship.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
MT has added this thought, I suggest, in order to make plain that the unfolding of the divine kingdom implies that God's will is to be done in the here and now. Again, we can see this in the context of the born-again believers. God's kingdom has come into their hearts and minds through trust in Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit. So these folks are much more inclined to do God's will, although most still have battles to fight against the flesh. When the kingdom arrives in its full splendor, those battles against the flesh will presumably be at an end and only the will of God will be done.
But deliver us from the evil one1
I suggest these words were included in order to bolster the faith and understanding of new believers. These words are certainly implied by the previous words: "Lead us not into temptation." MTSerm wished to assure the readers that Jesus really saves.
1. The ancient Greek makes no distinction between evil and the evil one.
The best manuscripts of LK give the model prayer in what to us looks like abbreviated form. The matter in square braces is what appears in MT but not in the early LK manuscripts. The matter in curly braces is my commentary.
LK 11:2-4
There are various conjectures as to why what seems to be the original LK version (not found in the King James version and other Bible translations) is a slimmed down version of what appears in MT. Of course, nearly everyone knows that the last verse in MT's version of the prayer is very likely a pious addition, perhaps a bit of a hymn.2 He said to them, "When you pray, say:[Our] Father [in heaven], hallowed be your name, your kingdom come. [Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.]
3 Give us each day our daily bread.
4 Forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who sins against us {literally, in Greek, "is indebted to us"}. And lead us not into temptation [but deliver us from the evil one]."
My take is not that two different versions were known, but that MT added explanatory matter to make clear the intended meaning. He did not feel obliged to give a verbatim report on what he found in Q or some other source. He was giving what he considered to be a fair representation of what Jesus told his disciples. MT wanted to make sure his account related to first century Jews. But he, or a scribal editor prior to the third century, also thought it important to put Jesus' spare words into context. This is very similar to the way in which a modern newspaper reporter paraphrases someone's words in order to make the meaning clear to the reader. We must remember that there was no convention of placing verbatim words within quotation marks.
Our Father
MTSerm or MTp doubtless wanted to make crystal clear to newcomers that Father = God, and not some mortal human. And we have the probability that the prayer was amplified for purposes of group recitation. Whose Father? Our Father. This is a WE church.
Now though it is evident that Jesus was looking forward to the day, not far off, when his disciples would be born again in spirit and in truth and become true sons of God, we should not think un-Jewish those who regarded God as a Father. Consider that OT Scripture calls him a Father to the fatherless.
Indeed MTSerm may have been thinking of the verse from PS 68.
PS 68:5-6
Father in heaven5 A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation.
6 God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land.
I conjecture that Jesus did not usually qualify "Father" with the modifier "heavenly" or "in heaven." That modifier looks like something the writer or an editor decided upon in order to distinguish between God as father and one's earthly father. But, in any case, as JNp would have been quick to note, only those who have been born again (or, possibly, who are destined to be born again) can rightly call God our Father. And once he becomes our Father, that is it! He is the Father. One's earthly father may deserve respect, but he is father of the old, unregenerate man. The new man has only one father, God.
Though many of us were fashioned in the image of God, we soon, as a result of growing up in this world, died to God. By Christ's sacrifice, the original image of God in us -- hopefully -- has been and is being restored. This is an important point. God chose us in advance for salvation, for restoration. In a sense, we were always sons of God. But that relationship (which tends to elude our memories) was destroyed by sin. Now it is restored, better than ever. By this reasoning, we can draw a parallel with the idea that Jesus was always the son of God, but events in his human life correspond to a renewal of that sonship.
Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven
MT has added this thought, I suggest, in order to make plain that the unfolding of the divine kingdom implies that God's will is to be done in the here and now. Again, we can see this in the context of the born-again believers. God's kingdom has come into their hearts and minds through trust in Jesus and the gift of the Holy Spirit. So these folks are much more inclined to do God's will, although most still have battles to fight against the flesh. When the kingdom arrives in its full splendor, those battles against the flesh will presumably be at an end and only the will of God will be done.
But deliver us from the evil one1
I suggest these words were included in order to bolster the faith and understanding of new believers. These words are certainly implied by the previous words: "Lead us not into temptation." MTSerm wished to assure the readers that Jesus really saves.
1. The ancient Greek makes no distinction between evil and the evil one.
Draft 5
Takeaways from the Sermon on the Mount
Table of Content and Links
https://newziondays.blogspot.com/2020/01/content-of-commentary-on-sermon-on-mount.html
Please see Notes to Readers here:
https://zioncallingyou.blogspot.com/2019/12/on-writing-of-sermon-draft-3-include.html
Have you noticed that all of Christ's teachings, as recorded in the Sermon (and throughout the NT), make up a seamless robe? Despite coming from a hodgepodge of sources and having been massaged by a number of scribes with sharply divergent points of view, the teachings all fit together. Even if a point here or there seems to clash, those contradictions are just so much static in a message that comes through loud and clear. The unity of the message that collectively comes through these disparate sources is itself a miracle.
Again, the new way of life to which Jesus points implies real faith, real trust in God, reliance on God to provide our routine needs. If you are focused on doing things God wants done, God will back you up. If you are no longer chasing earthly wants, you are able to put your energy into serving him and hence spreading God's kingdom. But in truth many of us are, sad to say, lukewarm Christians, the type that aren't worth spit in service of the kingdom, as we unsuccessfully try to serve two masters, if we even do that much, "ye of little faith."
A theory has long been afloat that draws a distinction between "professional Christians" (such as clergy) and the Christian masses. Yet if you read Jesus' words, nothing of the sort is taught. In fact he admonishes his followers not to adopt honorifics, such as "Father," in order that they relate to one another as true brothers.
For many of us, of course, learning to let go and let God -- i.e., to deny the self -- is a process, often a painfully slow process. Maybe Rome wasn't built in a day, but the Allies hit the beaches in a day as they struggled toward total victory. When one is born anew, he "hits the beach" on a hard journey toward total victory. He is more than a conqueror through him who loved us (ROM 8:37).
The self must decrease that he may increase in our hearts (JN 3:30).
The theme of self-denial runs through the Sermon and, indeed, through the four gospels and generally through the NT. Some verses in the Sermon where this theme is evident are MT 5:27-28, 5:38-45, 6:1-3, 6:19-21, 6:24-31, 7:1-5.
Yet though the oath of Hippocrates shows that abortion was an issue in the Hellenistic world,1 there is nothing on it in the Sermon or, in fact, anywhere in the NT. That is because such a thing was UNTHINKABLE among Jews of that era.
A fervent, effectual prayer that availed much
http://tiny.cc/2f0roz
(If that link is inoperable, look for Sheila Walsh's testimony in her book2 or elsewhere on the net.)
But the self-denial issue is found not only in major crises. It crops up even in low-key matters.
We have
1. Part of the Hippocratic oath reads:
2. Praying Women: How to Pray When You Don't Know What to Say by Sheila Walsh (Baker Books 2020).
Again, the new way of life to which Jesus points implies real faith, real trust in God, reliance on God to provide our routine needs. If you are focused on doing things God wants done, God will back you up. If you are no longer chasing earthly wants, you are able to put your energy into serving him and hence spreading God's kingdom. But in truth many of us are, sad to say, lukewarm Christians, the type that aren't worth spit in service of the kingdom, as we unsuccessfully try to serve two masters, if we even do that much, "ye of little faith."
A theory has long been afloat that draws a distinction between "professional Christians" (such as clergy) and the Christian masses. Yet if you read Jesus' words, nothing of the sort is taught. In fact he admonishes his followers not to adopt honorifics, such as "Father," in order that they relate to one another as true brothers.
MT 23:7-10
What Jesus is calling for, as he addresses his students and anyone else who cares to listen, is earnest commitment to God, full reliance on God, and a love of God's righteousness (= rightness). We can do anything through Christ who strengthens us (PHILIPPIANS 4:13).7 And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi, Rabbi.
8 But be not ye called Rabbi: for one is your Master, even Christ; and all ye are brethren.
9 And call no man your father upon the earth: for one is your Father, which is in heaven.
10 Neither be ye called masters: for one is your Master, even Christ.
For many of us, of course, learning to let go and let God -- i.e., to deny the self -- is a process, often a painfully slow process. Maybe Rome wasn't built in a day, but the Allies hit the beaches in a day as they struggled toward total victory. When one is born anew, he "hits the beach" on a hard journey toward total victory. He is more than a conqueror through him who loved us (ROM 8:37).
The self must decrease that he may increase in our hearts (JN 3:30).
The theme of self-denial runs through the Sermon and, indeed, through the four gospels and generally through the NT. Some verses in the Sermon where this theme is evident are MT 5:27-28, 5:38-45, 6:1-3, 6:19-21, 6:24-31, 7:1-5.
¶ Self-denial means putting someone else's needs ahead of your own needs. This applies not only to family and friends but even to strangers, or people you don't like. By this you can love another, even though you may not like (strongly identify with) the other person. God knows you are acting this way for love of him. But that counts as love of the unlovable one.
¶ Self-denial means cheerfully relying on God to meet your needs, spiritual and material, which he is happy to do for all those who know Jesus. Even though God sends his kindness on the just and the unjust, those made just in God's eyes by faith in Jesus are given very special, personal help.
¶ Self-denial means being able and willing -- though perhaps reluctantly -- to on occasion fast for God, because eating up God's mission for you today is better than rushing aboard the "6 o'clock express" for chow time. If you choose, it is a good thing to fast (and pray) on some schedule. Yet, let us be cautious. One thing the Sermon does not do, despite first impressions, is to lay down some kind of "law." It is so that very early in the Christian era, some thought that Jesus' disciples should live in communes in which extreme asceticism was practiced. Such regimens may have been good for a few, but let us not forget that strict routines can inhibit the Spirit. Recall Jesus saying that his true disciples blow this way and that, with no one able to predict how they will move.
JN 3:
Self-denial can be a difficult subject. When a young (or older) woman is pregnant but is stressed about having the baby, she may feel a strong need to put her own interests ahead of the unborn child's. But she is not the only one who might not favor self-denial. The girl's parents or other relatives may want to get rid of the problem, more out of concern for their own peace of mind than for the girl or the unborn child. And, of course, the boy often breathes a sigh of relief if the girl aborts his child -- which is the very antithesis of self-denial. (I pass no judgment on any particular person; my past is not exactly unblemished in this regard.)The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
Yet though the oath of Hippocrates shows that abortion was an issue in the Hellenistic world,1 there is nothing on it in the Sermon or, in fact, anywhere in the NT. That is because such a thing was UNTHINKABLE among Jews of that era.
A fervent, effectual prayer that availed much
http://tiny.cc/2f0roz
(If that link is inoperable, look for Sheila Walsh's testimony in her book2 or elsewhere on the net.)
But the self-denial issue is found not only in major crises. It crops up even in low-key matters.
I recall that a few years back I was practicing a rather mild form of asceticism, following with little variation the same routine over the course of a year. Then one day, I found myself blocked by a rather assertive, but unpleasant, person. There was nothing for it, but to flee. I was compelled by circumstances to break my pattern and do something different. It was at that point that the Lord kindly told me that I had reached the limit of that particular ascetic choice and needed a change. The unpleasant person had been sent by God in order to redirect my steps. God had approved my self-imposed regimen; he likes acts of faith. Yet, he would not let me go too far and corrected me -- the point of this anecdote being that Christians must beware willfulness even in self-denial (but Jesus saves us from our missteps).
LK 9:23
23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
MT 16:23-25
23 But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.
25 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it.
1. Part of the Hippocratic oath reads:
I will use treatment to help the sick according to my ability and judgment, but never with a view to injury and wrongdoing. Neither will I administer a poison to anybody when asked to do so, nor will I suggest such a course. Similarly I will not give to a woman a pessary to cause abortion.
2. Praying Women: How to Pray When You Don't Know What to Say by Sheila Walsh (Baker Books 2020).
Draft 5
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