The windows of the Scriptures are widening in our day. Teachings that we have received over the years are given new insights and added meaning as we invite the writings of antiquity and God’s beloved Jewish people to invest in our understanding of the words of the Messiah.

Recently, my studies have led me to the doctrine of man. This doctrine has brought me to the subject of Jesus’ teaching about lust and adultery. Having teenage boys gives many of us a renewed interest in this subject. 

I think we would all agree that adultery is a pretty serious issue. The ancient Jews also considered adultery among the four cardinal sins: idolatry, unchastity, bloodshed, and slander.

Jesus stated, “You have heard it said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ but I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5:27-28).

There is an interesting twist to this command of Jesus when placed within its first century context.

The Talmud records that the adulterer is a practical atheist by alluding to Job 24:15 which says, “The eye of the adulterer watches for dusk; he thinks, No eye will see me,’ and he keeps his face concealed.” The ancient sages taught that this passage of Scriptures points to the fact that the adulterer does not say, “No man will see me,” but, “No eye shall see me, ” neither the eye of one below nor the eye of Him above’ (Num. R. 23:12).

The person who believes that no eye will see him or her is accused of denying the existence of the God who sees all things. Therefore, that person not only commits the sin of adultery, but of atheism.

This has opened a new window into the Scriptures for me. I pray that others are also enlightened.

Forever learning,

Johnny

© 2007 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved

I am enjoying Rob Bell’s new book, Sex God. In his book, Bell discusses the connections between sexuality and spirituality.

Rob Bell points out that human beings are neither angels nor mere animals.

Animals are controlled by their DNA and environment. They are purely physical with very little if any ability to deny their impulses for mating, eating, et cetera. Angels, according to the Bible, were created before human beings and are said to be spiritual beings lacking a physical dimension.

 Human beings are given both a spiritual and physical body with which to use when making decisions for every situation of life. Angels do not mate or have other physical desires. Animals cannot resist mating except by a force of their environment. Animals merely respond to their genetic propensities to mate, nurture their young, hunt, eat, release waste, and sleep. Even animals with amazing abilities are simply responding to genetic codes that have predetermined those extraordinary abilities.

Most human beings would agree that hunger does not force us to eat, nor does the need to populate force females to perform mating rituals in front of males or males to violently ward off other male competition for the right to mate. We can choose when, with whom, how often, and where we will eat and mate despite the intensity of our genetic urges.

Those who believe that sex is something that should be avoided for life in order to live closer to God are attempting to be angels. By doing so, they deny one of the most beautiful gifts that make us human. While those who believe that sex should not be denied for any reason, such as waiting for marriage, are giving up their humanity to become mere creatures of basic instinct. When we respond to our physical desires with complete celibacy or indulgence, we are choosing to live a non-human existence.

Rob reminds his readers that celibacy before marriage is often mocked and ridiculed by those who claim that sex is a natural act and should not be restrained, nor should we expect young people to have the ability to resist the urge to have sex. Those who believe this are saying, in essence, that humans are nothing more than beasts who can no more deny their urges than a monkey in the jungle.

Are we to believe that people are not capable of having a standard of behavior, and that human beings are nothing more than a flashier form of DNA?

I would suggest that whether we believe God created men and women as we appear today or we are the result of millions of years of natural, genetic enhancement that, as the prime species of our planet, we do have the ability to choose standards for our behavior.

 Forever learning,
Johnny

© 2007 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved

Reading the Scriptures as the Word of God without recognizing the historical and cultural nuances that are recorded in the texts can allow readers to miss wonderful truths.

In the birth narrative of Jesus, Luke records, “And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night” (2:8).

Before the fall harvest season, shepherds begin moving their flocks into the fields to wait for the end of the harvest season. After every family has harvested their garden and have left their corners and whatever has fallen (Leviticus 19:9-10) for the poor, the shepherds are then to lead their flocks into the gardens to clean up whatever has been left by the poor. Over a month’s time, the sheep and goats will completely clean the gardens and leave their droppings to fertilize them for the next harvest season.

The Shepherds arrive just before the fall harvest season, which begins at the end of September/beginning of October, and ends before the next rainy season which begins at the beginning of November. During this entire season, the shepherds live in the fields with their flocks. The fields are a very specific area of land that runs between the ganim (Hebrew for “gardens”) and the green pastures, which are actually the very dry hills that are scattered with small patches of vegetation.

With the knowledge that the shepherds “live in the fields” every year just before the fall harvest season and are to be gone by the beginning of the rainy season (early November), we can very confidently suggest that Jesus was born in the month of October, while “there were shepherds living out in the fields.”

This is not any real news to many. However, the historical setting of Luke’s words give us a better understanding for why shepherds were living in the fields during the birth of Jesus, and clarify the actual timing of Christmas.

The date of December 25 was the birthday of Mithra, the sun god, also known as Sol Invicto, (Invincible Sun). Mithraism was celebrated every year on December 25th and was known as “the Day of the Lord.” Jesus, “the Sun of Righteousness,” was honored by Constantine after he became ruler of the Roman Empire, and following the Edict of Milan, as he named December 25th the birthday of Jesus.

Be blessed and be a blessing,
Johnny

© 2007 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved

The responsibility to be generous was very important for the Jews of Jesus’ day. In an earlier article, I wrote that not all people were farmers, therefore, not all people tithed. Tithing was a gift of food to the Temple for the purposes of feeding everyone who came to the festivals in Jerusalem. Those who did not have farms did not tithe.

With more information, I should make it known that according to Ray Vander Laan; every family had a small farm that provided certain foods for the home. Jews did not farm to make a living, such as American farmers. To make a living, they would work as brick masons, tanners, et cetera.

Leviticus 23:22 instructs Israel that they are not to reap the edges of their fields or pick up what they drop, but they are to leave that for the poor.

Every family had a small farm in which they grew crops on their home’s terrace. The first crop to be produced is barley. The first ripe barley heads are to be harvested in late March and presented at the Festival of First Fruits. When the fall harvest comes in late September/ early October, the people of God are to leave the corners of their farm and anything they drop while harvesting to be left for the poor. The poor were those whose farms were not successful on a particular harvesting year. This was a welfare system. However, there were no handouts. Those whose farms did not produce were responsible for going into their neighbor’s farms to harvest what they needed. Another point is that there was no dishonor in this because though a family was poor this year and would have to go to another family to harvest what they needed, it could very likely be that the roles are switched next year.

After the poor harvest what they need, the shepherds are then required to allow the sheep and goats into the farms to clean up whatever is left and to leave their droppings, which provide fertilizer for the next farming season. If a sheep or goat gets into the field before the “poor” are able to glean, the sheep or goat is to be killed. The shepherds live in the fields while waiting to send in their flocks. (Remember the Christmas story which tells us that there were “shepherds living in the fields.” This is a clue as to the time of year that Jesus was born. The Shepherds begin living in the fields two Sabbath’s after the harvest season—Late June until the rainy season, which begins around November 1.)

Why is this important for us today?

The generosity of God’s people is to be public. It was up to the one who was in charge of the family crops (blessings) to decide on how large the corners of the field would be. Everyone who walked by the family farms could see whether you were generous or stingy.

In His dust,
Johnny

© 2007 Jonathan P. Gainey and Flock’s Diner.
All Rights Reserved