“And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. And Saul took him that day, and would let him go no more home to his father’s house. Then Jonathan and David made a covenant, because he loved him as his own soul. And Jonathan stripped himself of the robe that was upon him, and gave it to David, and his garments, even to his sword, and to his bow, and to his girdle” (1Sa 18:1-4 KJV).

Tom Horner follows this passage with the following conclusion:

“Jonathan was obviously smitten. ‘But cannot two men be good friends,’ someone said to me recently, ‘without the issue of homosexuality being raised?’ Yes, they can. But when the two men come from a society that for two hundred years had lived in the shadow of the Philistine culture, which accepted homosexuality…when one of them—who is a social superior of the two—publically makes a display of his love; when the two of them make a lifetime pact openly; when they meet secretly and kiss each other and shed copious tears at parting; when one of them proclaims that his love for the other surpassed his love of women—and all this is present in the David-Jonathan liaison—we have every reason to believe that a homosexual relationship existed.”

Toshio Tsumura, the author of The First Book of Samuel (New International Commentary) explains that the Hebrew attachment phrase in verse 1 refers to an “inseparable devotion,” which is the same as that used in Genesis 14:33, “’So now, if the boy is not with us when I go back to your servant my father and if my father, whose life is closely bound up (or ’knit’) with the boy’s life,’” NIV). Surely Jacob was not “in love” with his son, Benjamin, as this phrase to Horner would imply. Tsumura goes on to explain that the theme of chapter 18 is the love and hate toward David. Saul’s hate grows stronger and stronger (see vv.10-11), while Jonathan’s devotion, like that of Jacob’s toward Benjamin, is equally strong. Also, Saul (like Joseph) would not let David (like Benjamin) return to his father.

Biblical phraseology is not Western, nor is it filled with Philistine idioms. The Hebrew language of First Samuel is that of the Eastern, Semitic people of Israel. Forcing Western idiomatic phraseology upon the writings of ancient Hebrew authors is irresponsible and reeks of eisegesis.

The two expressions of love and hate for David, like the same two expressions toward Jesus in the first century, are seen in extreme measure. And it’s important to note that love in the Near Eastern world was used as a political term of loyalty (Woodhouse and Hughes, p. 349). Jesus expects this same kind of passionate and committed love from his disciples. Jesus said to Simon, “…’Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?’ ‘Yes, Lord,’ he said, ‘you know that I love you’” (John 21:15b NIV).

The beauty of David is also used as a confirmation of David’s attraction as a homosexual or to homosexuals. But the mention of male attractiveness is not completely uncommon among Jewish writers. “Rabbi Yohanan said, ‘I have survived from the beautiful of Jerusalem.’ One who wishes to see the beauty of R. Yohanan should bring a brand new silver cup and fill it with the red seeds of a pomegranate and place around its rim a garland of roses, and let him place it where the sun meets the shade, and that vision is the beauty of R. Yohanan” (reference found in Wrestling with God and Men: Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition, p. 106.).

The kiss between David and Jonathan is not a foreign concept between heterosexual men in the East (see 1 Samuel 20:41). Isaac asked his son to kiss him in Genesis 27:26. It is said of Absalom, David’s son, that anyone who approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand and kiss them. And even more insinuating for anyone looking for evidence of homosexuality among the men of the Bible, Absalom is said to have “stole the hearts of the men of Israel.” Like father, like son?

Finally, David also kissed his old friend, Barzillai. “Then all the people went over the Jordan, and the king went over. And the king kissed Barzillai and blessed him, and he returned to his own home” (2Sa 19:39 ESV).

Kissing, male beauty, and love—these are all concepts that can lead the biased mind to find what it looks for, if he or she is searching for homosexuality between David and Jonathan. But a proper historical, sociological, and contextual study reveals that the Eastern writer of First Samuel neither leaves any such clues nor insinuates even the slightest of innuendos.

Jonathan’s loyalty toward David as the up-and-coming king of Israel was recorded in the Hebrew texts as a powerful expression of love and commitment. Any assumptions of homosexuality are nothing more than the presumptions of modern readers seeking to justify homosexuality in our day, and in the Church.

In His dust,
Johnny

Works Cited:
Tom Horner Jonathan Loved David: Homosexuality in Biblical Times (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: The Westminster Press ®, 1978) pp. 27-8.

Toshio Tsumura The First Book of Samuel: New International Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2007) p. 471.

John R. Woodhouse and Kent Hughes 1 Samuel: Looking for a Leader (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 2008) p. 349.

Steven Greenberg Wrestling with God and Men: Homosexuality in the Jewish Tradition (Madison, Wisconsin: The University of Wisconsin Press, 2004) p. 106.

© 2009 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved

A difficult passage to interpret is that of 1 Timothy 2:8. At first, it appears to be a clear-cut directive from the desires of Paul that worshipers are to be holy. But a closer look into Paul’s first century context and social nuances reveals that there is much to be learned behind our English translations.

My own translation reveals some details of the original intent, and commentary is required to hear the passage as Paul would have meant it and as his original audience would have received it.

“Therefore, I want men in every place to prepare themselves for ministry without impurities in their hearts or minds.”

Philip Towner brings up a significant understanding from Paul’s first century world that is required by modern readers, if we are to correctly interpret his message to the Christian worshipers in Ephesus. In his commentary, New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Letters to Timothy and Titus, Towner shares that “ἐν παντὶ τόπῳ” (Engl. In every place) was heard as an echo of Malachi 1:11 by the ancient Jews of Paul’s first century world.

In their ancient Jewish tradition, Malachi 1:11 and 14 go together to form one cohesive thought as a quote from God that quarrels were to be settled before one begins to pray. That teaching was based on the ancient practice of the Israelite priests who were required to purify themselves with water before they could enter the Temple and minister to God’s people (see Leviticus 16). The ritual hand washing of a priest was a public act that symbolized the purifying of the priest’s inner self, giving the message to the worshipers that the priest was purified of any emotional or mental strains including anger or feelings of dissension toward another child of God. 

Further insight to this passage includes the historical understanding that the citation of Malachi 1:11 and 14 specifically symbolized God’s turning toward the nations with mercy, and the pronouncing of his judgment upon impure worship in the temple, thus teaching the importance of how men and women are to conduct themselves, not simply as worshipers, but as ministers in worship.

Like the Jewish priests, if a Christian minster’s behavior was carried out with a backdrop of negative thoughts and resentment, the negative effect would impact those inside and outside the place of worship. 

One final important note: Pauline worship gatherings were primarily done in house churches. And, because the atrium of a house, where the worship was done, was considered a public domain, house-worship was considered a public activity. Any negativity in worship, which was a public event, would have posed a problem for Paul, as he was concerned, not only with the effective and God-honoring worship of Christians, but also with the public perception of Christians. 

The intention of Paul’s words in 1 Timothy 2:8 are to remind the leaders of Christian worship to forgive and be forgiven (to present themselves pure) before they attempt to lead God’s people in worship.

In His dust,
Johnny

Works Cited:

Philip H. Towner, New International Commentary on the New Testament: The Letters to Timothy and Titus(Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2006), p. 203.

Carolyn Osiek and David L. Balch Families in the New Testament World: Households and House Churches (Louisville, Kentucky:Westminster John Knox Press), pp. 16-7.

© 2009 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved

In Luke’s gospel, Jesus tells us to get ready for a dramatic, life changing, universe altering experience. “Be dressed ready for service, and keep your lamps burning” (12v35a NIV).

My favorite version of the first half of this verse comes from the ESV, “Stay dressed ready for action…” And a more literal translation is found in the KJV, “Let your loins be girded about…” In other words, “Tighten up your robes with a belt around your waste.”

The first verse of this passage is an important key to understanding the kind of event the return of Jesus will be. Jesus’ words are a reference to another passage of Scripture from the book of Exodus and Deuteronomy. “This is how you are to eat it: with your cloak tucked into your belt, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. Eat it in haste; it is the Lord’s Passover” (Exodus 12:11).

During the Passover in Egypt, the Hebrews were told to eat their meal in “haste.” The Hebrew word for haste is חִפָּזוֹן (transliterated khip-paw-zone) and it means “to hurry with anxiety. It’s a word that is associated only with the Exodus.

Eastern garb was like a long skirt that must be drawn up and belted when a person had to move quickly. This is the instruction from God to the Hebrews when they were preparing to leave Egypt: “Dress like you are ready to run. Get excited and be ready for your lives to completely change.”

It is the khip-paw-zone of leaving Egypt that Jesus refers to when he tells his followers to “Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning.”

No longer will you be in bondage, but you will be free and live in a land that has been specifically prepared for you—the Promised Land.

A clue to going to the place Jesus has prepared (see John 14:2) is also found in the message of the Passover. The Hebrews were to “eat bread without yeast.” This bread is called matzah or (matzot plural).

The matzah is made without yeast, which is understood to have been left out because it would take time to rise, and they didn’t have enough time to wait. This understanding (which may be a misunderstanding) comes from a reading of Exodus 12:39, “With the dough they had brought from Egypt, they baked cakes of unleavened bread. The dough was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt and did not have time to prepare food for themselves.”

The removal of yeast may also have something to do with a pagan use of yeast in Egypt and its ability to cause fermentation. Because fermentation happens during the decay of certain grains, it was taken figuratively to represent moral corruption and sin. This would be important in understanding why the Israelites were told to remove this symbol of paganism or sin from their entire homes and were not to take it into their bodies or into the Promised Land. The Hebrews loaded their dough without yeast into kneading troughs and carried it out of Egypt (Exodus 12:34).

Paul said to the Corinthians, “…a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough…Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with…the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with…the bread of sincerity and truth” (portions of 1Co 5:6-8).

Too many of us are not prepared for the King’s return. We are carrying around sins that will keep us from running with khip-paw-zone into the Promised Land when Christ returns.

Sir James Barrie said, “One of the most dangerous days in a man’s life is when he discovers the word ‘tomorrow.’”

Get rid of the agents of decay in your life. Jesus could return today!

In His dust,

Johnny

© 2009 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved

Some of us never grow out of that attitude of wanting big responses for little deeds, and no responsibility for the things that really matter to others.

During one particularly long road trip, I remember listening to a talk radio show, when a woman who was very upset called the host with a complaint. This woman said to the host, “I cannot believe that my husband forgot my birthday. We have been married for years. How could he have been so insensitive to such an important day of my life?”

The response from the host was powerful.

“You were born. You had no part in it, and now you want to hold everyone responsible for remembering it, as if somehow your birthday was a great personal accomplishment. The truth is, the only person that should be remembered is your mother, and the only person who should be held responsible for remembering is you. If anything, you should be the one to give your mother a present for all the pain she went through in giving birth to you, and the hardships she dealt with in raising you. Stop holding people accountable for celebrating something for you that you had almost nothing to do with and you will stop being so upset when they forget to give you a present you don’t deserve anyway” (my paraphrase).

We also like to give a lot to the little things and very little to the things that really matter.

Zig Zigglar said, “Most people a lot of time, money and effort planning th wedding and very little on the marriage.”

Jesus said, “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices–mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice (fairness in how people are treated), mercy (to be kind and forgiving) and faithfulness (being consistent and having the ability to inspire faith in others). You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. 24 You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel” (Matthew 23:23-24 NIV).

In Matthew 23:23-24, Jesus uses a kal v’chomer (English – light and heavy argument) to prove a point about the sinfulness of religious people.

The Torah teachers and the Pharisees were considered very godly people among the first-century Jews. They were those who spent their lives doing and teaching the Word of God. But, like many religious people, some of them have become devoted to their religion rather than the God of their religion.

Jesus calls them actors. The word “hypocrite” is the Greek word for stage actor. The goal of the actors was to please the audience in order to receive their reward of applause and appreciation.

And he cut at the hearts of these people of God when he said to them, “You actors. You tithe on these tiny things, but the big things that involve caring for others you ignore.”

Using a couple of familiar passages in Leviticus 11, Jesus brings to these Jewish leaders’ attention, God’s instruction for what they can and can’t eat. God tells the Jews that, among the living creatures of the world, he has declared some clean and some unclean. The Jews go to great lengths to make sure that they do not ingest any of the unclean creatures.

In Leviticus 11:4 and 20 there are two creatures which God specifically points out that are not to be eaten.

“There are some that only chew the cud or only have a split hoof, but you must not eat them. The camel, though it chews the cud, does not have a split hoof; it is ceremonially unclean for you…All flying insects that walk on all fours are to be detestable to you.”

Gnats were easily removed from wine by running the fermented drink through a strainer. A camel would be ridiculous to have in your cup of wine, which is why Jesus brings this up. He is basically saying, “You remove the tiny little gnat, but the giant camel, you leave in your cup and drink it down like it’s not even there.”

“You put on a great wedding, but your marriage is a disaster!”

Jesus compares removing a gnat from a cup of whine to the tiny requirement of tithing on spices. And he compares the giant, filthy camel to the destructive sins of neglecting justice, mercy, and faithfulness.

The Torah teachers and Pharisees, to whom Jesus is speaking, are aware that Jesus is referring to words of the prophet, Micah.

“… And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8 NIV).

These three requirements of God are not acts that are personally beneficial, they are beneficial to an entire community.

Walt Emerson said, “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

Everything you care about enough to act upon is a reflection of what you are truly about. If you only focus on tiny things, it’s because, inside, you are tiny Christians. And a tiny Christian is only an actor. He or she is only pretending to be a Christian.

If you don’t care that everyone receives fair justice and mercy, and if you are not consistent in your desire to see that justice and mercy are equally given, then you are just dressing up for a show on Sunday. People will tell you how wonderful you look, and they will brag about the chores you do for the church. But if you ignore the things that really matter to God…Justice, Mercy and faithfulness, you are just an over-dressed sinner who strains out the gnat and swallows a camel.

In His dust,
Johnny

© 2009 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved

The background of The Parable of the Tenants in Luke 20 has a sinister history which is very often unknown by the majority of those of us who read the Bible.

Often this parable is taught with the understanding that the “tenants/farmers” are the Jews, the “servants” are the prophets, and “others” refers to the Gentiles, non-Jews, or Christians. However, a closer look at the history of the Temple reveals that this parable is more likely a direct reference to the corruption among the Temple authorities and God’s ability to remove and re-staff His Temple with new leadership, such as the case after the destruction of the first Temple.

According to important and reliable writings of antiquity, the background of the parable has to do with some Levite families. One particular family is that of the high priest, Ananias, who was a wealthy landowner. By the time of the Second Temple period, in Jesus day, it is well documented that many Levites were wealthy landowners, though they were not supposed to own land. Realizing that these wealthy worship leaders no longer required the sharing of their crops and herds, many Jews discontinued their tithes.

Ironically, Levites who were wealthy landowners were given great honor by the Jews because of their wealth and prestige. Unfortunately, this wealth led to oppression by some Levite families. When the priests (servants) came to receive from the tithes (fruit) provided at the Temple (vineyard), the Levites (tenant/farmers) would not give them their food and the priests would even be physically beaten and or killed by the slaves who were owned by the Levite and his family. Many of these priests simply starved to death.

The high priest, Ananias (tenant), would not give to the priests (servants) who came for food, which he was required to provide to the servants of the temple when they came to the owner’s vineyard (God’s Temple) for their fruit (food to feed their families).

Ananias is spoken of by the first century historian, Josephus, as “a supplier of money.” “Supplier” is another name for “robber,” which is the title that robbers would call themselves. Josephus also says of the Levite family of Ananias: “Such was the shamelessness and effrontery which possessed the high priests that they were so brazen as to send servants to the threshing floors to receive the tithes that were due to the priests, with the result that the poorer priests starved to death” (Jesus’ Last Week, 69).

Ananias and his family are characterized as a “mafia” who bullied the priests of the temple in Jesus’ day and began making a lucrative living off of the tithes of the people.

It is worth noting that purchasing sacrificial animals from the temple would not have been a reason for Jesus’ aggressive behavior since Deuteronomy 14:25-26 makes provision for purchasing offerings.

Jesus’ rampage through the Temple was a result of his unyielding tolerance for the Temple leaders’ gross neglect of reaching the lost and their lawless brutality as organized criminals. Anyone in earshot of Jesus telling The Parable of the Talents knows exactly to whom he’s referring. After all, all of Jerusalem is frustrated and disgusted by corruption of the Temple authorities.

Imagine everyone’s surprise when Jesus takes on the Mob. This historical information could reveal a hint at an explanation to the illegal trial and the fact that no one tried to stop Jesus in the Temple.

In His dust,
Johnny

© 2009 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved

Bibliography:

Notley, Steven R., Turnage, Marc. and Becker, Brian. Jesus’ Last Week. The Netherlands: Brill Academic Publishers, Martinus Nijhoff Publishers and VSP, 2006.

There is a connection between the giving of the Law on Mt. Sinai and the giving of the Spirit on Mt. Zion. Both are associated with Pentecost, or the biblical Feast called Shavu’ot or Weeks (e.g., Deut 16:9-10).

In studying the Scriptures, the Jewish Sages of old concluded that the Torah (Law) was given to Israel seven weeks (shavu’ot) or the fiftieth day (pentecostos) following the Exodus from Egypt. At Sinai, Israel’s Redeemer became Israel’s Teacher. Through His servant Moses, the Almighty conveyed divine instruction to His beloved children when the fiery radiance of His Spirit came down on the mountain and wrote upon Tablets of Stone.

Ancient Jewish commentary suggests that the Divine Voice at Sinai separated into tongues of flame that went throughout the earth, so that all nations could hear: “I am the LORD your God … you shall have no other gods before me” (Ex 20:2-3).

Not surprisingly, echoes of Sinai reverberate behind the Acts account of the historic events on Mt. Zion “when the day of Pentecost had fully come” (Ac 2:1ff).

Fifty days after the sacrifice of the Passover Lamb, the disciples of Yeshua, along with the people of Israel and Jewish pilgrims from the nations, assembled at the House of the Lord to commemorate the Festival of Shavu’ot. Once again, to a newly redeemed people, the Almighty came to rest upon a mountain by the fire of His Spirit.

This time He wrote the Torah upon the tablets of the believers’ hearts – in accord with Jeremiah’s promise of a “new covenant” (31:33). As tongues of flame came to rest upon them, the Divine Voice once again gave utterance to the nations. Many heard the good news. Even as three thousand perished at Sinai due to rebellion, at Zion three thousand were added due to faith (Ex 32:28; Ac 2:41).

CHRISTIANS WHO WANT to develop the Hebraic mind of the Messiah will find it helpful to rethink the Torah (Law) in the light of the Spirit. We tend to overlook the baseline biblical truth that “the Torah (Law) is spiritual” (Romans 7:14); that our true selves delight in it (7:22); and that when we walk by the Spirit we will fulfill its righteous requirements (8:4), as did our Lord.

Historically, Christian polemics against Judaism have stressed negative aspects of the Law as that which identifies and condemns sin and brings curse instead of blessing upon the rebellious and disobedient. Here are some Hebraic principles that will help you develop a more positive attitude toward the Torah (Law).

1] The Torah is a loving Father’s teaching. The Hebrew word torah fundamentally connotes guidance and instruction – that which aims you so that you hit the mark. And the mark for the Torah always is life. The English word Law (from the Greek nomos) seldom has such a positive connotation; so you may find it helpful instead to use the Hebrew term that Jesus used, Torah.

2] The Torah is a treasure. Only in light of the above can we appreciate the Psalmist’s attitude: “O how I love your Torah!” (Ps 119:97). Psalm 119 consists of 8 verses for each of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, and every one of the 176 verses extols the wisdom and will of God found in the multifaceted Torah.

3] The Torah is a gift of the Spirit. The Torah was written by “the finger of God” (Ex 31:18; Deut 9:10). This Hebrew idiom is found also in Luke 11:20 and explained in the parallel of Matthew 12:28. It means “the Spirit of God”. Truly the Torah – the foundational “Scripture” to which the Apostle Paul alludes in 2 Timothy 3:16 – is “inspired”, i.e., in-Spirited. It is God breathed.

4] The Torah is guidance for a redeemed people. The Law was given to Israel after they had been saved out of Egypt, not as the basis or means of their salvation. It was meant to guide the covenant people in paths of righteousness that would bring them to the appointed place of promise and productivity. As followers of Jesus of Nazareth, it is good to be reminded that these things “were written for our instruction” (1 Cor 10:11) as well.

God’s Word is truth (Ps 119:160; Jn 17:17), and Yeshua reminds us that the Holy Spirit is a Spirit of Truth (Jn 15:26). We would do well this Pentecost season to study the spiritual connection between Sinai and Zion.

Dr. Pryor is Founder and President of the
Center for Judaic-Christian Studies.
www.jcstudies.com

© 2009 Dr. Dwight Pryor and The Center for Judaic-Christian Studies. All Rights Reserved.

“What’s in a name?” Juliet assures Romeo. “That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet.”

Shakespeare notwithstanding, names in the Bible are important and meaningful. They convey character and calling, purpose and promise.

Significant life transformations are sometimes demarcated by name changes. Abram becomes Abraham. Jacob’s higher nature is called forth by his new name Israel, and Moses renames Hoshea, his young lieutenant, Joshua.

Behind the name Joshua or Y’hoshua in Hebrew is the assurance that YAH (the LORD) yoshia (will deliver or save) His people – a timely reminder, when ten of the men sent with Joshua to spy out Canaan see it as “a land that devours its inhabitants” and is filled with giants (Numbers 13:32).

Plays on words also are commonplace with Hebrew names.

At the angel’s announcement of a son, Abraham like Sarah was incredulous, and he laughed (va’yitzchak). So the son of promise was named Yitzchak (Isaac). Because God heard (ki-shama) Hagar’s afflictions, she was given a son named Yishma’el (Ishmael). Jacob grasped his first-born twin brother Esau by the heel (ba’akev); so he was called Ya’akov.

WE SEE THIS WORD-PLAY phenomenon in the Gospels with the name Jesus. An angel appears to Mary (Luke 1:31) and to Joseph (Matthew 1:21) announcing the divinely ordained birth of a son. Then he adds, “And you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”

This is classic Hebraic expression and word play. In English we normally would say, “You shall name him…” or “Call him…” But the biblical pattern is “You shall call his name …” (cf. Genesis 16:11 and 17:19).

The significant name play is lost to English readers but clear in Hebrew: “You shall call his name Yeshua (Jesus) for he yoshia (will save) his people from their sins.”

The name Yeshua (Jeshua) is found thirty times in the Hebrew Bible. But what is seldom appreciated by Christians is that the name was a common one in the first century. My colleague David Bivin of the Jerusalem School of Synoptic Research has identified it as one of the five most common male Hebrew names of the Second Temple period, along with Shim’on (Simon), Yosef (Joseph), Y’hudah (Judah) and Yochanan (John).

In accordance with Jewish custom, Jesus was given his Hebrew name at his circumcision on the eighth day (Luke 2:21). In this case, it was a common name that held uncommon significance for the identity and mission of Yeshua MiNatzeret (Jesus of Nazareth).

The name, properly pronounced, consists of three syllables: Ye (the e sounding like ei in neighbor); shu (the u sounding like oo in shoot); and a (like the a in father). The accent is on the second or middle syllable.

Why wasn’t the name Yeshua transliterated as Jeshua in the New Testament as it is in English versions of the Old Testament? Because New Testament scriptures were preserved in Greek, not Hebrew, Yeshua was transliterated into the equivalent Greek letters as Iesous (with the addition of a final s for a male name). The iota (I) subsequently was rendered by the letter J in Old English, pronounced as a Y (as in hallelujah). Thus we have the English name Jesus, which in its current pronunciation seems far removed from the original sounding Yeshua.

Christ was not Jesus’ surname. He wasn’t listed in the Nazareth phone directory as “Christ, Jesus”! Christ is the Greek translation of the meaning of the Hebrew title Mashiach, the anointed one. Messiah is its English transliteration.

Christ is a title, therefore, not a second or last name. This is clear from Simon Peter’s response to Yeshua’s question, “Who do you say that I am?” He replies, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16).

The early community of faith called upon the name of Jesus (Yeshua) for salvation (y’shuah). Whether in prayer or baptism or healings, everything was done b’shem Yeshua. “In the name of” is a Hebraic figure of speech that means “with reference to” or “in association with” the person of Jesus.

His name is extraordinarily meaningful to us but it is not a magic formula. How one says it is not as important as how one carries it. To walk in obedience to Christ’s commands and to conduct ourselves in ways that sanctify the name of his Father in heaven is the biblical way to honor the name, Jesus.

© 2009 Dr. Dwight Pryor and The Center for Judaic-Christian Studies. All Rights Reserved.

How much can we really know about the Jewishness of Jesus? That’s a pretty fundamental question, since the goal of this website is to understand the Jewish background of Christianity. I’ve found some pretty important news in my recent reading, and wanted to share it here.

A common approach to studying Jesus is to use two major Jewish sources that are from slightly after his time.* The Mishnah is a record of the oral debates and decisions of the rabbinic teachers that was written down around 200 AD, but supposedly preserves sayings back to 200 BC. The Talmud (in two editions) contains the Mishnah along with an expansive commentary that was published between 200-300 years later. Many who write about Jesus’ Jewish context quote the Mishnah and the Talmud extensively. Their assumption is that oral traditions from Jesus’ day were very long lived, and that even though they were written down later, they are still useful.

Others have protested for quite good reason, because the documents came along much after Jesus’ time. Can they be used? For several decades since the 1960s, the answer of many scholars was a resounding “no.” This was especially the feeling in the mid 1970’s, when a well known scholar, Jacob Neusner, put forth the theory that Judaism completely reinvented itself after the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD. He suggested that everything written in the Mishnah was very late—all the quotes from rabbinic teachers who were supposed to have lived before the time of Jesus, like Hillel and Shammai, were fabricated later. Any scholar who tried to publish something that compared Jesus to other Jewish teachers was laughed out the door.

But in the past decades more and more research has been done to ask the question, how trustworthy is the Mishnah? Can it tell us about Jesus’ time period? And more and more are saying that with care, it actually is. In fact, Neusner himself is one of the researchers who says so. Some parts seem to be very early and very reliable, and some things appear to be added or edited later. For instance, moral tales about the rabbis contain some fanciful elaborations, but sayings attributed to them are thought to be fairly reliable. Since we know when rabbinic teachers lived, we can determine the date of a saying.

This can be really interesting. For instance, one saying that you might have heard is, “Let your house be a meeting place for the sages, cover yourself with the dust of their feet, and drink in their words thirstily.” (Mishnah, Pirke Avot 1:4) It’s attributed to a sage named Yose ben Yoezer, who lived about 200 years before Jesus’ time. If you’ve ever heard Ray Vander Laan or Rob Bell talk about “walking in your rabbi’s dust,” this is where that line comes from. It describes the tradition of teachers wandering the land, staying in people’s homes, and having disciples follow after them and sit at their feet when they taught.

In the 1970’s, scholars would say, “You can’t trust that saying — it’s from 200 AD. That describes the rabbis of then, not Jesus’ time.” (Even though it sounds a lot like what we read in the gospels.) Now, they are concluding that this saying is really from the time of the sage to whom it is attributed — 200 years before Jesus’ ministry. The conclusion is now quite different — that Jesus was taking part in a tradition known for generations before his time. This makes all the difference in the world in terms of painting the Jewish reality around him.

Another thing that scholars have decided are fairly reliable in the Mishnah are the debates between the disciples of Shammai and the disciples of Hillel, which date to sometime between 10 and 70 AD. This is also quite interesting, because their debates come up in Jesus’ ministry. The question Jesus was asked about divorce was about which side he took between the camp of Shammai and Hillel. Their debates over Sabbath observance and making vows are also recorded, and Jesus took a side on these issues too. Often the Mishnah is very helpful in understanding Jesus’ context.

This might be too scholarly of a subject for some readers, but it really is fundamental to the study of Jesus’ Jewishness. And it is true that you have to be very careful about your dating, and not assume something said hundreds of years later describes Jesus’ reality. It’s really not a good idea to assume Jesus and Rashi, who lived a thousand years later, had much in common. Or even to quote the Babylonian Talmud (500 AD) and assume it is what Jesus knew. Unfortunately, plenty of people have done that.

My reference for this is Traditions of the Rabbis from the Era of the New Testament, by David Instone-Brewer, published by Eerdmans in 2004. It’s the first in a series of six volumes that will seek to date saying from the Mishnah and some other early Jewish writings that are relevant to the New Testament era. Dr. Instone-Brewer also wrote a book called Divorce and Remarriage in the Bible: The Social and Literary Context. It examines Jesus’ words on the subject in light of the debates between Hillel and Shammai. He makes some interesting conclusions on how to interpret Jesus’ words about divorce based on his Jewish context.

*It should be said that there are other good sources for studying first-century Judaism, like the Dead Sea Scrolls and the writings of Josephus. My discussion here is just whether the Mishnah and Talmud, the traditional texts of Judaism, are admissible in discussions about Jesus.

© 2009 Lois A. Tverberg, Our Rabbi Jesus: His Jewish Life and Teaching , all rights reserved.

THE FEAST OF SHAVUOT

Leviticus 23:15-22; Deuteronomy 16:9-12; Numbers 28:26-31; Exodus 23:16
Three times a year, all God’s people were to appear before him at the place he chose. The Jewish people determined that place to be the Temple in Jerusalem, where God’s presence lived among the cherubim in the Holy of Holies. At Pesach (Passover), Shavuot (Pentecost), and Sukkot (Tabernacles), the Jews from around the world who were faithful to Yahweh went to the holy city on pilgrimage. The joyful crowd, speaking the languages of the countries from which they had come, crowded into the city. Throngs of people singing, celebrating, making arrangements for their religious obligations, and finding places for their families. The city was alive with the passion and joy that only a religious festival could provide. The modern celebrations of Christmas and Easter pale in comparison to the magnitude of those great religious festivals. Their meaning and ceremony were deeply rooted in the past, but they also provided hope for the future as people were assured of God’s continued care for them. It was no accident that those feast days were the times God selected for the great redemptive acts of Jesus, the Jewish Messiah. On the festival of Shavuot, he revealed his presence in a whole new way.

THE NAME OF THE FESTIVAL

This feast had several designations in the Bible. In Hebrew it was called Shavuot, meaning “weeks” (Ex. 34:22; Deut. 16:9,10), from which the English “Feast of Weeks” was derived. This designation was taken from God’s command to celebrate “seven full weeks” after the Sabbath of Passover week (Lev. 23:15), placing the festival in the third month of the religious year, the month Sivan. Greek-speaking Jews referred to the feast as Pentecoste, meaning “50 days” (Acts 2:1), from which the English “Pentecost” was derived. This name was based on God’s command that a special offering of new grain was to be made on the fiftieth day after the Passover Sabbath (Lev. 23:16). It was also called “the day of firstfruits” (Num. 28:26). (This is to be distinguished from the Feast of Firstfruits, which celebrated the beginning of the barley harvest (Lev. 23:9?14.) This name was based on the offering of new grain and two loaves of bread baked from new grain as thanks for the wheat harvest. The name Feast of Harvest (Ex. 23:16) was based on the same harvest season.

CELEBRATION IN THE TEMPLE

The people observed Shavuot by bringing gifts to the temple in Jerusalem and presenting them to the priests. An offering of new grain was presented as a gift of thanksgiving, along with two loaves of bread, baked from the finest flour made from new wheat grown in the land of Israel (1). According to tradition, each loaf was about 10 inches wide and about 16 inches long. In addition, a basket of the seven species of the fruit of the land was brought to the Lord by each family (Deut. 8:8).

Special sacrifices were made on the fiftieth day after Passover Sabbath. These included seven male lambs, one young bull, and two rams (Lev. 23:18) as burnt offerings. One male goat was offered for a sin offering and two lambs for a fellowship offering. Even the best thank offerings (the grain, the two loaves, and the baskets of the seven species) were affected by sin and required a sin offering seeking atonement and a fellowship offering seeking renewed relationship with God. These symbols and their meaning form the background to the events of the Pentecost on which God sent his Spirit

Following the ceremony of offerings, the Jewish people spent the afternoon and evening in a great festive meal, to which they were to invite the poor. This was both to rejoice in the renewed fellowship with God and to keep God’s commandment to provide for the poor. Since true thanksgiving was demonstrated by a generous spirit toward those in need, God commanded the Israelites, “When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and the alien” (Lev. 23:22; see also 19:9,10).

These special ceremonies took place after the normal morning sacrifice and worship service in the temple, which began at dawn and ended in midmorning. A great crowd of pilgrims would gather in the Temple courts, filling the massive courtyard, during the morning prayers. As the offerings were presented and the sacrifices were made, portions of the Bible were read. According to Jewish history, those portions were Exodus 19:20 (the story of God’s presentation of the Torah, including the Ten Commandments to Moses on Mount Sinai) and Ezekiel 1:2 (Ezekiel’s vision of God appearing in fire and wind). The fact that these activities occurred around 9:00 in the morning had great significance for the celebration the year Jesus died and was raised. As God had met the Israelites on the “mountain of God” (Ex. 24:13), on Shavuot he met them on the Temple Mount, “the mountain of the Lord” (Isa. 2:3, 66:20).

SHAVUOT AND MOUNT SINAI

Sometime before Jesus’ birth, a new emphasis was added to the harvest festival of Shavuot. The rabbis determined that this feast was the time when the Law (the Torah, including the Ten Commandments) (2) had been given to Moses on Mount Sinai. Though the Bible does not specify the time of God’s appearance to Moses, there are biblical reasons that indicate the rabbis’ decision was probably right.

Shavuot, celebrated 50 days after Passover, is in the month Sivan, the third month. The children of Israel reached Mount Sinai “in the third month” (Ex. 19:1). Since Passover and Sukkot were linked to the Exodus experience of Israel, it seemed right that the third pilgrim festival must be as well. At the very least, the giving of the Torah occurred in the third month, the month of Shavuot (3).

Torah taught that “man does not live on bread alone” (Deut. 8:3), so it was appropriate to celebrate Torah on Shavuot, which emphasized God’s gift of bread (the grain harvest symbolized by the two loaves).

King Asa and the people of Judah assembled for a covenant (Torah) renewal in Jerusalem in the third month, which was the season of Shavuot, making another connection with Torah and the feast of the harvest.

The Essenes of Qumran, though they celebrated Shavuot on a different day than did the temple authorities in Jerusalem, apparently had a covenant renewal celebration that day. The book of Jubilees, written well before Jesus’ time, referred specifically to the Torah being given on Shavuot. It is clear that the people of the first century celebrated this feast to thank God for the harvest and to praise him for the gift of Torah, which had been given in that same season. Though it is impossible to know whether the giving of the Law happened on the same day as Shavuot, the Bible clearly puts them in the same season at least. The Jewish people remembered them on the same day, a fact that had startling ramifications for the events of a certain Shavuot in New Testament times.

A CHRISTIAN SHAVUOT

Jesus returned to heaven 40 days after his resurrection (Acts 1:3). He told his disciples to return to Jerusalem to wait for the Holy Spirit and the power it would bring. The belief in the Spirit of God was not new for the disciples, for the Old Testament spoke of the Ruach HaKodesh (literally the “Holy Wind”), which empowered God’s people (Isa. 63:10,11; Ps. 51:11). The disciples remained faithful as Jews, meeting continually in the courts of the Temple (Luke 24:50-53). They must have had great expectations for the upcoming Shavuot. After all, Jesus had made this an unusual feast season he had died on Passover, had been buried on the Feast of Unleavened Bread, and had been raised on the Feast of Firstfruits.

When the day of Pentecost (Shavuot) came, the disciples were together in “one place.” (4) Many Christians assume that the place was the Upper Room, where the disciples had been staying. Instead, the evidence indicates that the place was in or near the temple, possibly on the Temple Mount itself. Some scholars believe they were on the great staircase south of the temple, where the pilgrims entered the Temple Mount (probably more man 1 million pilgrims during a feast). Though it is impossible to pinpoint an exact location for these events, there is significant support for placing this Pentecost event in an area of the Temple.

It was Shavuot. All pilgrims gathered in the temple for the service on this festive and holy day. Certainly, the disciples, who were “continually” in the temple courts (Luke 24:53), would have been in the temple on that day also.

Great crowds from everywhere garnered to listen to Peter and the other disciples. Where would great crowds have garnered on a holy feast day at the time of temple service. Clearly, they would have been in the temple somewhere (Acts 2:6?12).

The disciples were all in one place. The sound of a great wind filled “the whole house” (Acts 2:2) where they were. The temple is still called “the house” by Jewish people, referring to God’s house. Even in Acts, it is called “the house” (Acts 7:47) (5).

Peter declared that it was 9:00 in the morning, the time of the Pentecost service in the temple. Certainly, the crowds, to say nothing of the disciples, would have been in the temple at the time Shavuot ceremonies were conducted. Some believe that 9:00 was the time during which the selected passages were read, describing the appearance of God on Mount Sinai (in thunder, lightning, fire, and smoke) and Ezekiel’s vision of his appearance (with the sound of wind and with fire).

Peter spoke of the tomb of David as being there (Acts 2:29). The Bible recorded that David was buried in the “City of David” (1 Kings 2:10), the part of Jerusalem located near the temple Mount.

Three thousand people were baptized in response to the teaching of the disciples (Acts 2:41). Near the Southern Stairs, the pilgrim entrance to the Temple Mount, were mikvoth, ritual baths used by the worshipers before they entered the temple grounds. There were not many places in Jerusalem with enough water for that many baptisms. The proximity of these many pools, already believed to symbolize the removal of the uncleanness of sin, is evidence that this location was near the temple.

The events that occurred that Shavuot morning must have exceeded all the disciples’ expectations. God’s Spirit filled them with power and gave them abilities and gifts they could not have imagined possible. That same Spirit opened the hearts and minds of thousands so the community of Jesus grew from around 100 to more than 3,000 within a few hours. And the 3,000 came from every nation in the world. When they returned to their own cultures, they were eager missionaries who had to spend no time getting to know new cultures or languages. God’s plan for the descendants of the survivors of the destruction of Israel (2 Kings 17) and the captivity of Judah (2 Chron. 36) had been made thousands of years before. Now here they were, free under the government of Rome to return to Jerusalem and their temple for Shavuot. When they arrived, God acted, and they became the first members of a great community of people. All Jews knew their Scriptures and the ways of God. At Pentecost they could add the final chapter the coming of his Messiah.

THE MEANING OF SHAVUOT FOR CHRISTIANS

No event has been more significant for the ministry of the church than what happened on Shavuot that year. So much has been written over the centuries seeking to explain the meaning and significance of being “filled with the Spirit.” We as Christians can learn from the Jewish setting of Shavuot in which these events took place.

There are remarkable parallels between the fulfillment of Pentecost and the events that occurred on Mount Sinai more than 1,200 years earlier. Since the Jews of Jesus’ day believed that Pentecost celebrated the gift of Torah to Moses, these parallels would have been powerful to those Jewish believers. Note the following:

Both events occurred on mountains known as “the mountain of God” (Ex. 24:13; Isa. 2:3).
Both involved similar sounds and symbols, such as wind, fire, and voices (Ex. 19:16?19; Acts 2:1-3). Note that the Hebrew for “thunder” (kolot) means “voices” (Acts 2:4). Jewish tradition said that the Israelites heard God speak in 70 languages.

Both events involved the presence of God (Ex. 19:18,20; Acts 2:4).
About 3,000 people died because of their sin when Moses received the Torah (Ex. 32:28). About 3,000 people believed (were born again into new life) when the Spirit came (Acts 2:41) (6).
At Mount Sinai, God wrote his revelation on stone tablets (Ex. 31:18). On the fulfillment of Pentecost, God wrote his law on people’s hearts as he had promised He would (2 Cor. 3:3; Jer. 31:33).

Torah means “teaching.” The Spirit, given on Shavuot, also became the “Teacher” of the new community of Jesus’ followers (John 14:26) (7)

These parallels are amazing evidence of God’s careful planning, ensuring that the coming of the Spirit occurred in a context in which it was understood. The followers of Jesus were to be God’s community. Their teacher, applying Torah in light of Jesus’ work, was to be the Spirit of God. When the Spirit applies God’s teaching to the hearts of people, there will always be life. Shavuot for the believers was as foundational and formative as Sinai had been for God’s congregation, Israel. As Christians, we are in the tradition of Sinai, but Shavuot declares that God’s Spirit brings us life.

The fulfillment of Pentecost provided another image that explains the Spirit’s work. As noted above, Shavuot was the feast that celebrated the end of the wheat harvest. Jesus had frequently talked of the “harvest” of people who were to join his community (Matt. 9:37-38,13:24-29,36-43; Luke 10:1-2; John 4:34-38). On Shavuot, the day of celebrating the harvest, his promise came true. Thousands believed and were brought to God (probably in the temple).

There is another image of Shavuot that can help us understand the meaning of the events that year. God’s presence had always been symbolized in the temple since Solomon had built the First Temple. That was God’s way of living among his people.

Exodus 25:17-22, 40:34-38. God had agreed to meet his people on the cover of the ark. The ark was placed in the Tabernacle, where God’s presence was symbolized by cloud and fire.
2 Chronicles 5:1-14, 7:1-3. The ark and God’s presence, symbolized by fire, moved into the temple.

Ezekiel 1:4-28. Ezekiel’s vision of God’s presence in the temple included fire and wind.
Acts 2:1-3. The Spirit of God came to “the house” where the disciples were. God’s presence was symbolized by wind and fire.

The symbolism seems clear. God’s presence was in the temple. It had been accessible to the people only through the high priest once a year (Heb. 9:25). When Jesus died, the veil that blocked the people’s access to God was ripped (Matt. 27:51), showing that through Jesus’ blood, God can be approached at any time, by anyone.

On Pentecost, God moved out of “the house” (temple) where he had revealed himself and moved into a new temple, the community of the followers of Jesus (1 Cor. 3:16-17, 6:19). They became God’s new dwelling, his temple.

The implications of this change are staggering. As the temple had demonstrated God’s presence to the world, the Christian community must demonstrate God’s presence to our hurting world. We must bring his love, his truth, and his redemption to our culture, our communities, and our families. If the people around us are to see and know God, they will see him through us. We have received the power to be his witnesses (Acts 1:8).

It is hard to comprehend why God would choose flawed human beings to be his temple, representing his presence. Of course, it is not easy to understand why God would dwell in a temple made with human hands, either (2 Chron. 2:6). It is the infinite wisdom of God that led him to choose to be present in our world through his people.

The question we must face is simple: How well do we represent God’s presence? His love? His healing touch? If we believe in his Son, we have been empowered. Now we must be faithful as the Spirit writes his Torah (Law) on our hearts so that the world may know that he is God.

CONCLUSION

A final connection to the Jewish festival of Shavuot concerns the care for the poor. The feast provided opportunity for the people to give thanks to God and to bring gifts, expressing this gratitude. But true thankfulness involves not only thanking God the provider, but also sharing with others. In God’s original instruction for this feast, he concluded by commanding the farmers to leave some of their crops in the field so the poor could harvest with dignity and also experience God’s provision (Lev. 19:9-10; 23:22). In a sense, God was saying, “Don’t come to say thanks to me if you have no concern for those in need.”

If the New Testament Pentecost is to be understood on the basis of the Old Testament feast of Shavuot, fulfillment must include concern for those in need. Many of the gifts of the Spirit described by Paul (Gal. 5:16-26) involve concern for others. But the clearest sign that the Spirit’s coming was a fulfillment of the spirit of Shavuot is found in the event itself. The early believers, who were filled with the Spirit, held everything in common and shared with everyone who had need. This was a true Pentecost. As the new temple of God’s presence, these people could not help but be concerned for others, who learned of God and his love through their acts of generosity.

Christians today are called to the same mission. Jesus’ community and its members are his temple, his presence in our world. The Spirit teaches us (and others through us) that God is alive and real. We can share his love and his ways with others so they can know him, too. People in need become the litmus test of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. If we claim to have experienced Shavuot but have no concern for others, we are wrong. The Spirit leads his people to bring the presence and power of God to bear on all who need his healing, caring, correcting touch.

NOTES
1. The Mishnah (Menahoth 11:4) indicates that the loaves were seven handbreadths long and four wide. These loaves had protrusions of dough in each comer to represent the horns, or protrusions, on the comers of the altar.
2. Torah means “teaching,” not “law” in the sense that Christians might think. This designation stressed a vibrant message for life, for it was to be continually taught and applied to all situations. Though it did provide “laws,” or rules for life, it was not simply an organized collection of rules. It was much more, it was life itself.
3. Passover commemorated the deliverance the Israelites experienced when they became a nation. Sukkot celebrated the end of the 40 years of wandering, which resulted in the possession of the land God had promised. Shavuot celebrated the covenant God had made with Israel, which provided the life his people were to live.
4. The story is told in Acts 2.
5. The Old Testament frequently used this designation for the temple. See Ezek. 40:5, 42:15, 43:10; 2 Chron. 3:4, 5:7, 6:9, 7:1, 7:3. See the King James Version, which translated the Hebrew as “house” rather than “temple,” the structure referred to as “the house” or “the house of the Lord.”
6. Paul spoke of the comparison between the Torah for Israel and the Spirit for the church. He pointed out that the letter kills, but the Spirit (which did not negate Torah) brings life as the Torah is written on the heart (2 Cor. 3:3?6).
7. I am indebted to David Stem for this point. His work Jewish New Testament Commentary is an excellent study of the Jewish context of the New Testament. His treatment of Acts 2 is exceptional in providing understanding of Shavuot as it was described in the New Testament.

© 2009 by Ray Vander Laan and Follow the Rabbi. All Rights Reserved.

W

hen I was growing up, we had a specific name for those aluminum, compartmentalized trays that were filled with some kind of cheap food, sealed in a plastic top and frozen. We called them T.V. dinners.

I liked the Salisbury steak and baked apples the best.

One problem with those dinners was that the compartments usually weren’t all that great at keeping the gravy out of the apples and visa versa. Most of us don’t want our food all mixed together.

There are lots of people who treat life like a T.V. dinner. We separate everything, being sure to keep each part in its own compartment. This includes our Christian lives and what some of us may refer to as our secular lives.

For the Jews of Jesus’ time and today, prayer has always been the method used to remind them that everything in the world belongs to God and is for His purposes.

Every prayer begins with the phrase, Barukh attah Adonai, which means “Blessed are you, O Lord.”

The Jews have a prayer or a benediction for everything. And the prayers are generally very short, due to the fact that they pray all day long and for every part of life. These prayers or benedictions are called berakhot, translated in English as “blessings.” And there is a blessing for literally everything. A blessing is a prayer of thanksgiving to God. It is not a prayer of power or effectiveness upon an item, situation, or place. In other words, we don’t bless food, but rather we bless God for the food.

Most Christian prayers in the Western world include a blessing for a meal, travel, family and rest, but the Jews pray a blessing over everything. They bless God for food and wine. They bless God when they smell a flower. They pray a blessing when they see a person who has a birth defect, lightning, or when they hear thunder and even when they go to the bathroom.

In fact the bathroom prayer is recited, “Blessed is He who has formed man in wisdom and created in him many cavities. It is fully known before the throne of Thy glory that if one of them should be [improperly] opened or one of them closed it would be impossible for a man to stand before Thee” (Marvin Wilson, Our Father Abraham, page 157).

The people of God in Jesus’ day saw all of life as belonging to God. There was no part of life, work, or the world, good or bad, sacred or secular, that did not fall under the purposes and sovereignty of The Almighty. There were no T.V. believers.

It should be no mystery to those of us who study God’s Word that everything belongs to and is provided by God.

There is an ancient rabbinic story called “The Rabbi and the Exceedingly Ugly Man”, which helps to affirm the understanding that God is to be blessed for everything.

“On one occasion Rabbi Eleazer son of Rabbi Simeon was coming from Midgal Gedor, from the house of his teacher. He was riding leisurely on his donkey by the riverside and was feeling happy and elated because he had studied much Torah. There he chanced to meet an exceedingly ugly man who greeted him, ‘Peace be upon you, rabbi.’ He, however, did not return his greeting but instead said to him, ‘Raca [‘Empty one’ or ‘Good for nothing’] how ugly you are! Is everyone in your town as ugly as you are?’ The man replied; “I do not know, but go and tell the craftsman who made me, ‘How ugly is the vessel which you have made.’ When R. Eleazer realized that he had sinned he dismounted from the donkey and prostrated himself before the man and said to him, ‘I submit myself to you, forgive me” (Brad H. Young, The Parables, page 9).

Though there may be moments, days, events, places, and even people that we do not thank God for, all things are a part of God’s creation, all circumstances belong to God, and in all things God is to be blessed by you and me.

The life of a faithful follower of Jesus is not a T.V. Christian, but every part of a true Christian’s life belongs to God.

In His dust,
Johnny

© 2009 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved