Luke continues on with the account of this passage with the apostles and Jesus arriving in Gerasenes, across the lake from Galilee. Thanks to a wonderful website called Walking in Their Sandals located on the web at http://www.ancientsandals.com I am reprinting their information regarding this location so as to give the reader some geographic references.
Gadara is located on a steep hill, six miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee and two miles above the Yarmuk River Valley.
Gadara was one of the Decapolis cities' Greek-styled city-states founded as a result of Alexander the Great's extension of his empire into the region. Predominantly Gentile, they reflected Greek and Roman culture and religious practices.
In Matthew's account (8:28), the demon-possessed men Jesus delivered were "of the country of the Gadarenes." The exact location of this miracle is questioned because Mark and Luke refer to them as being "of the country of the Gerasenes" (Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26).
The Decapolis region was not clearly defined politically. Individual cities controlled their immediate areas, and sometimes these overlapped. The audiences for which Mark and Luke wrote would be familiar with Gerasa (Jerash) with its impressive temples, its theaters, and its hippodrome and elegant public buildings. Gerasa controlled considerable territory, extending even to the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Matthew's reference to the men as coming from Gadara is consistent with the discovery of coins of that city that depict a ship and contain the word "Gadara." Further, Josephus mentions that Gadara possessed territory on the shores of the Sea of Galilee. It is therefore possible to conclude.
Known as "the Athens of the East," Gadara required access to the lake for purposes of transportation and trade. Assuming that the deductions made above concerning the use of the names in the three Gospels are correct, the deliverance would have occurred near the present Ha'On campground on the southeastern shore of the lake.
The high ridge of the Lower Golan Heights that rises above the harbor of Gadara would account for the destructive descent of the swine when the demons entered into them. Further, the groves of oak trees on the plateau above would have provided the acorns they favored.
All three Gospel writers, then, are referring to the same event and the same participants. While Mark and Luke apparently identify the scene in a general way, locating the miracle in the extended region of the better-known city of Gerasa, Matthew, a Galilean, seems to be the more precise in his reference to Gadara.
NOTE: Most commentators have located the healing of the demoniacs and the pigs drowning in the sea at Kursi, about the mid-point along the eastern shore of the Lake. Support for this site includes the obvious high hill nearby (for the pigs to run down) and the discovery of tombs in the area, which Mark mentions. The connection between the words "Kursi" (used in the Babylonian Talmud) and "Geresenes" would seem to offer an attractive alternative to the more remote Gadara, perched on a cliff above the Yarmuk Valley. However, Mendel Nun, a long time resident of the area and student of the literature and terrain, concludes: "Thus, for one reason or another, because of the influence of the Gospels and travelers' accounts, Kursi is known in Christian circles by the names of Gergesa and – with no justification – Gerasa. Local residents preserved the name, Kursi from antiquity to our day." (Nun, 1989, 15).
The discussion here is intended to explore geographically and linguistically the problem of the variation of the place names as they appear in the text. Whether Jesus' restoration of these two men took place at Kursi or near the harbor of Gadara farther along the shore, is not of primary importance for our understanding of the event. Both locations lie within the predominantly Gentile Decapolis region. (An interesting consideration of the question can be found in the works listed below which reflect the contribution of recent research and discoveries not previously available.)
Historical and Biblical Significance
Jesus and His disciples crossed the lake, apparently from the "Sower's Cove" near Capernaum, to the southeastern shore of the lake, presumably landing at or near the harbor for the city of Gadara (Matt 13:53; 8:24-27; Mark 4:35-41; Luke 8:22-25).
In contrast to the deliverance of the demon-controlled Jews in Capernaum the same day, here in the Decapolis, a Gentile context, Jesus restored two Gentile men to normal lives. This miracle further demonstrated His person and power for His disciples, who earlier had been faced with the Pharisees' charge that the deliverance from demons in Capernaum depended on Satan's power (Matt 12:24).
Redirecting the man whom He had restored to witness to his own people, Jesus initiated the penetration of the whole Gentile region by one of their own. It may be significant that Damascus was also a Decapolis city, a city where a few years later there was a church strong enough to draw the Pharisee, Saul, to attack it.
Bibliography
Laney, J. Carl. "Geographical Aspects of the Life of Christ." Doctoral Dissertation, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1980.
Bimson, John J., ed. Baker Encyclopedia of Bible Places. Leicester: Inter-Varsity Press, 1995.
Nun, Mendel. Gergesa (Kursi). Kibbutz Ein Gev: Kinnereth Sailing Co., 1989. that Jesus met these two citizens of Gadara in Gadarene territory on the southeastern shore of the lake.
I believe it to be important and necessary to point out geographic and historical links between the bible and our modern world. One of the excuses used to deny God and His word is to speak of Jesus and the places where He lived as not being real. They are in fact real and can be visited today.
Going on with Luke’s account, Jesus and the apostles were met by a man who Luke describes as homeless, naked and living in the local cemetery for a long time. This man had a history of violence and in the past had broken chains that restrained him and showed super human strength in other situations. As soon as he saw Jesus, he shrieked and fell to the ground screaming. Luke tells us that Jesus already told the evil spirits to come out of the man and as they did, they recognized that Jesus was the son of God and they knew they were in deep trouble.
My pastor always says that acknowledgment of who Jesus is (son of God) is not enough for salvation because evil spirits acknowledge who He is and they aren’t saved. This account in Luke simply makes that point.
Jesus asks the name of the demon inside the man. “Legion” he replied. He stated that he had multiple demons in him and they all asked that Jesus not send them to the bottomless pit and instead asked to be placed into a nearby herd of pigs nearby that numbered about 2,000 head. Jesus honored their request and after that was done, the whole herd ran down the hill and drowned.
I will tell you honestly, that I will ask God to explain that one to me when I get the chance. However, this is what I learned from this account, so far:
1. Demons are real. They existed in the past and exist today. According to a bible study website located at http://www.biblestudents.com/htdbv5/r5058.htm Scriptures intimate that demons will have considerable to do with stirring up the great "time of trouble" and discontent with which this Age will close and Messiah's Kingdom be established. The Bible's explanation of how some angels fell from their original perfection and harmony with God, and of why they seek to gain control of humanity and commune with them through mediums, and why they personate the dead, we have not the space to present in this study; but as there are many today more or less under the influence of demonism...
Jesus gave the demons the privilege they requested, of passing from the man into the swine, of which there were about 2,000. The swine, like the man, were crazed by the strange outside influence which took possession of their brains. They ran violently down a steep place into the sea and were drowned. Meantime, the man, released from his obsession, was again in his right mind, and praised God for his deliverance. He desired to go with Jesus to become one of his disciples. He wanted to preach to others of the great deliverance which he had experienced and to tell them of this further proof that Jesus was the Messiah. But this was not in harmony with the Lord's judgment of the Father's will, and He refused his company, instructing him to go unto his own house and to tell his friends what great things the Lord had done for him.
He did so, and the people from all the region around who had known him as a crazy and obsessed man, marveled at his recovery and took note of the fact that Jesus had healed him. Those familiar with such matters claim that probably one-half of all the inmates of our insane asylums are persons obsessed by evil spirits, demons, without any organic disease of the brain. And alas! we see evidences on every hand that these evil spirits are paving the way for a great onslaught upon humanity.
Under the title of Psychic Phenomena spiritism is being examined by some of the prominent college professors of our day. They, like other spiritists, are deceived in [R5059 : page 217] supposing that the manifestations which come to them are from their dead human friends. The Bible alone makes the matter perfectly clear. It assures us that the dead have no power to thus communicate, and that all such communications come from the demons, who do not dare to tell who they are, for if they did, humanity would be on guard against them; and they, desiring to come closely in contact with humanity, personate and represent variously the dead.
Hypnotism, mesmerism, clairaudient power and clairvoyant power are all part and parcel of the same great deception.
We have television shows where the host claims to talk to the dead relatives of the invited guest. They and we, marvel at the intimate details that are revealed during the “conversation”. On another television show we watch a couple of fellows that are plumbers during the day and ghost hunters at night. I am a fan of this show as they set up their cameras and audio recording devices and manage to have me and other viewers watch them spend the night in some creepy, haunted building, recording their movements and activities around them during their vigil and then spend the remainder of the show sharing a few brief sounds or visions with the building resident.
These ghost shows and the aforementioned show that communes with your dead relatives and friends are all designed to convince us that a spirit world exists. They can save their breath, the bible confirms that we are at war spiritually, just read the following bible verses:
(Eph 6:12) "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."
(2 Cor 6:6-7) "By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned, {7} By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,"
(John 18:36) "Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence."
(2 Cor 10:3-5) "For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: {4} (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) {5} Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
The last point that I want to make is that, like in the example in Luke, the only thing that an evil spirit will respond to is the name of Jesus Christ. I don’t care if you do this during a complicated church exorcist rite or simply just call on the name of Jesus, these spirits will listen and depart your presence. Because of the power associated with calling on the name of God, the seventh commandment says, You shall not make wrongful use of the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not acquit anyone who misuses his name. Up until now, you may have thought it was blasphemy or bad taste to curse, using God’s name. The real sin, according to this commandment is the improper and misuse of the powerful name of God and is an actual offense against Him in that regard.
There is an interesting website that you should go to at http://www.billbean.net/index.html. Billy Bean is a fellow who has an interesting story and testimony in the power of God in a situation where he faced terrifying demons and his personal account is worth reading.
Friday, March 28, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
Brothers and Sisters - Chapter Eight Continued
Whether these men and women were actually brothers, sisters, cousins etc... The amazing thing is that those placed very close to Jesus in life, missed Him and who He was. That makes me, a total knucklehead, feel better that it took only 47 years for me to know who He is and I know that it is only three verses (Luke 8:19-21) but it is interesting to contemplate and reflect on the fact that we, as believers, in Jesus Christ, are His family.
Moving on to verse 22, Jesus talked the disciples into taking Him to the other side of the lake. Now, there doesn’t seem to be a purpose to the trip and Jesus went to take a nap. You know, it was a nice day for sailing, beautiful weather, hanging out with His bud’s etc... The next line says it all, using words like fierce storm, swamped and danger. These experienced sailors thought they were going to drown and they woke Jesus up to tell Him that they were in deep do-do and He responded by speaking to the wind and the waves and after they calmed down, He asked them where their faith was? They then mumbled to each other, asking who is this man that even the winds and waves obey Him?
Again, we have an example of how the people around Jesus really didn’t have a clue as to who He really was. Before He was transfigured after the resurrection, the people who hung out with Him probably sensed that He was special but maybe not God incarnate special. They saw Him heal people from a distance, raise people from the dead and teach wisdom to crowds of people but on that day in that boat, they wondered who this man is?
One of the reasons that Thomas Jefferson rejected a belief in Jesus Christ as God was because of the unspectacular nature of the apostles that followed Jesus. Jefferson said that he thought Jesus was all right, on the order of other great prophets and philosophers, but because He hung around such knuckleheads like the apostles, He couldn’t possibly be God. Jefferson rejected this idea so much, that he wrote his own account of scripture calling it the Jefferson Bible.
It is interesting to me that this famous humanist, a brave patriot and founding father of this great country, would allow the humanity of the apostles to blind him as to who Jesus was and is, while those very human qualities helped me to make my final decision towards salvation in Jesus Christ.
These obviously incomplete men who lived every day with Jesus, watching Him perform miracle after miracle, ran and hid when He was murdered. They were so frightened that they hid in a room thinking that they were going to be killed next because of their association to Him. They sent women to the grave site because they didn’t want to bring attention to themselves.
It was only after Jesus appeared to them in His resurrected body that they knew who Jesus was. After they realized, history tells us that they then became emboldened and went out to preach the gospel and watch thousands accept Christ through their testimony.
These men were all tortured to death (with the exception of John) and faced that death in a solitary and lonely manner. As they were being stoned, burned, beaten or crucified, all they would have had to say was, “stop, it was just a joke”, and their torturers would have stopped and cleaned them up and paraded them around the whole known world telling all who would listen that Jesus was not real. Historians would have recorded their testimony and the devil himself would have made sure that generation after generation would know of the testimony that came from the follower of the “false” messiah.
It is the very human nature and level of confusion as to who Jesus was, when He was with them, compared to the clarity of who He was in His resurrection, that gives us a true reflection of our faith through the lives and testimony of these men. Without their testimony and example, we would have no faith.
There is a very good set of videos on the internet that illustrate this point. The speaker is the late Dr. Gene Scott who was a legendary television preacher who had a loyal following for over twenty years. As outrageous as he could be, he did a very credible job teaching on this and other subjects. You may click on the following links to see this inspiring Easter message of salvation through Jesus Christ.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDTj-tK8MA4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HhQJfFM99o&feature=related
Happy Easter!
Moving on to verse 22, Jesus talked the disciples into taking Him to the other side of the lake. Now, there doesn’t seem to be a purpose to the trip and Jesus went to take a nap. You know, it was a nice day for sailing, beautiful weather, hanging out with His bud’s etc... The next line says it all, using words like fierce storm, swamped and danger. These experienced sailors thought they were going to drown and they woke Jesus up to tell Him that they were in deep do-do and He responded by speaking to the wind and the waves and after they calmed down, He asked them where their faith was? They then mumbled to each other, asking who is this man that even the winds and waves obey Him?
Again, we have an example of how the people around Jesus really didn’t have a clue as to who He really was. Before He was transfigured after the resurrection, the people who hung out with Him probably sensed that He was special but maybe not God incarnate special. They saw Him heal people from a distance, raise people from the dead and teach wisdom to crowds of people but on that day in that boat, they wondered who this man is?
One of the reasons that Thomas Jefferson rejected a belief in Jesus Christ as God was because of the unspectacular nature of the apostles that followed Jesus. Jefferson said that he thought Jesus was all right, on the order of other great prophets and philosophers, but because He hung around such knuckleheads like the apostles, He couldn’t possibly be God. Jefferson rejected this idea so much, that he wrote his own account of scripture calling it the Jefferson Bible.
It is interesting to me that this famous humanist, a brave patriot and founding father of this great country, would allow the humanity of the apostles to blind him as to who Jesus was and is, while those very human qualities helped me to make my final decision towards salvation in Jesus Christ.
These obviously incomplete men who lived every day with Jesus, watching Him perform miracle after miracle, ran and hid when He was murdered. They were so frightened that they hid in a room thinking that they were going to be killed next because of their association to Him. They sent women to the grave site because they didn’t want to bring attention to themselves.
It was only after Jesus appeared to them in His resurrected body that they knew who Jesus was. After they realized, history tells us that they then became emboldened and went out to preach the gospel and watch thousands accept Christ through their testimony.
These men were all tortured to death (with the exception of John) and faced that death in a solitary and lonely manner. As they were being stoned, burned, beaten or crucified, all they would have had to say was, “stop, it was just a joke”, and their torturers would have stopped and cleaned them up and paraded them around the whole known world telling all who would listen that Jesus was not real. Historians would have recorded their testimony and the devil himself would have made sure that generation after generation would know of the testimony that came from the follower of the “false” messiah.
It is the very human nature and level of confusion as to who Jesus was, when He was with them, compared to the clarity of who He was in His resurrection, that gives us a true reflection of our faith through the lives and testimony of these men. Without their testimony and example, we would have no faith.
There is a very good set of videos on the internet that illustrate this point. The speaker is the late Dr. Gene Scott who was a legendary television preacher who had a loyal following for over twenty years. As outrageous as he could be, he did a very credible job teaching on this and other subjects. You may click on the following links to see this inspiring Easter message of salvation through Jesus Christ.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDTj-tK8MA4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HhQJfFM99o&feature=related
Happy Easter!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
Chapter Eight Continued
"The Brothers of Jesus"
Luke goes on to write that Jesus’s mother and brothers came to see him and there were so many people crowded around Him, they couldn’t get close enough to talk to Him. Someone told Jesus that His family was outside, wanting to see Him and He replied that all who hear the word of God and act on it are His family.
Now, I can’t help but to think what it would be like to be in the earthly family of Jesus. After all, we know that Mary certainly knew who Jesus was, but what about His brothers? Surely, if they knew without a doubt that Jesus was the Son of God, they would have been trying to be part of His inner circle. As Luke points out, they were on the outside of the crowds surrounding Jesus, probably wondering what all the commotion is about? After all, this was their little or older brother who they played with as a child and now I can’t even talk to Him without an appointment and I hear His answer telling me that I have no special favor with Him?
Mary probably had to drag her sons to go see their brother. It is very likely that one or all of them did not believe who Jesus was and proof of that may be demonstrated by their absence in His ministry. What a shame if the brothers of Jesus never knew who He was and if their closeness to Him kept them apart from Him. All of this is conjecture because nothing is told to us other than a few brief glimpses that the bible allows us regarding the earthly family of Jesus.
I did find and interesting website http://www.aboutcatholics.com/faith_beliefs/brothers_jesus/ and an article written by Deacon Paul Carlson. I have left the link to the actual page on the website that contains the specific website. However, if you don’t want to go to the website right now, I have highlighted the pages that pertain to this subject.
Mr. Carlson writes:
Recently an archeological find of great importance to Bible scholars was announced in the press. An ossuary (bone box) surfaced as part of a private collection with the inscription “James the son of Joseph, the brother of Jesus.” In June 2003 the Israel Antiquities Authority declared it a forgery.
In the New Testament there are passages referring to Jesus’ brothers and sisters.
“Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, a brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not his sisters our neighbors here? (Mk. 6: 3, 3: 21, 31, Mt. 13: 56, Jn. 7: 5, Gal. 1: 19).
Most main line churches support the doctrine of the virgin birth which is presented in the Gospels and handed down in the Nicene Creed. However in Roman Catholic theology we also describe the Blessed Mother as “ever virgin” which arose early in Christianity. It was very much part of theology in the Middle Ages. It appeared in the reformers confessional writings (Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli; Book of Concord, Smalcald Articles).
Who then were these so called “brothers and sisters of Jesus?”
The setting in which the family of Jesus lived was Hebrew-Aramaic. In those languages there were limited words for relationships. On the male side there is only father, son, or brother. On the female side there is only mother, sister, or daughter. There are no words for cousin, uncle, aunt, etc.
Thus when the Greek New Testament was written, the Aramaic relationship of brother and sister was handed down. It is not far fetched to assume that Jesus and his family were remembered according to the view presented in the original Hebrew-Aramaic setting.
If they weren’t brothers and sisters (adelphos/adelphe in Greek), who were they?
Some who accepted the ancient tradition that Mary was “ever virgin” believed that these “brothers” were actually half-brothers of Jesus; sons of Joseph by a previous marriage. He was therefore a widower with children when he took Mary who was with child into his home. There were no subsequent marital demands since Joseph was elderly. Joseph made no appearances during Jesus’ ministry since he was already deceased. Mary raised Joseph’s children. This was the theory of Epiphanius, an Eastern Church father.
The eminent Scripture scholar, Jerome, taught that these brothers were actually cousins, sons of Joseph’s brother or Mary’s sister. There is one additional factor that is of greatest importance in evaluating this issue. It seems highly unlikely that the doctrine of perpetual virginity would have gained acceptance in the early second century in view of the fact that these four so-called brothers became prominent movers in the early Church and one of them, James, became bishop of Jerusalem.
Did these "brothers" believe in Jesus and his vision of the kingdom?
There is another most interesting development in the history of these men called “the brothers of the Lord.” It is clear that they did not participate in or give any support to Jesus during his public ministry. In fact at the very beginning when he was gaining acceptance as a prophet and teacher of the people but had also antagonized the leading Pharisees, they revealed their disbelief if not their opposition.
“When his family heard of this they came to take charge of him saying he is out of his mind” (Mk. 3: 21).
It is most significant that this negative attitude is also recorded in John’s Gospel which was written about twenty years later in Asia Minor. He had stopped in to visit the family home in Galilee.
“His brothers had this to say: ‘you ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples there might see the works that you are performing. No one who wishes to be known publicly keeps his actions hidden. If you are going to do things like this, you may as well display yourself to the world at large.’ As a matter of fact, not even his brothers had much confidence in him” (Jn. 7: 3-5).
What happened to change them?
Obviously something earthshaking had to occur to change the thinking of these men. The Apostle Paul in the first account of the resurrection tells us what happened.
“He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve...then by James, then by all the apostles. Last of all he was seen by me” (1 Cor. 15: 5, 7).
This James was the “brother of the Lord.” His next appearance was at the “upper room” in prayer after the ascension. “There were some women in their company, and Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers” (Acts 1: 14).
It is here that the power of that first Pentecost filled the lives of these followers of Jesus and the Church was born. He was the leader in Jerusalem (Acts 15: 13). Eusebius writes that he was called James the righteous because of his great virtue and he became the first bishop of Jerusalem. Ancient tradition states that he was thrown from the parapet of the temple but survived and then was stoned to death.
In any case, the writer points out that there was a time of disbelief in who Jesus was, even by those closest to Him. Later, they understood who he was and they believed. We share this predicament with our Lord. Those closest to us know so much about us that they have a hard time seeing Christ in us, but in time they will.
Luke goes on to write that Jesus’s mother and brothers came to see him and there were so many people crowded around Him, they couldn’t get close enough to talk to Him. Someone told Jesus that His family was outside, wanting to see Him and He replied that all who hear the word of God and act on it are His family.
Now, I can’t help but to think what it would be like to be in the earthly family of Jesus. After all, we know that Mary certainly knew who Jesus was, but what about His brothers? Surely, if they knew without a doubt that Jesus was the Son of God, they would have been trying to be part of His inner circle. As Luke points out, they were on the outside of the crowds surrounding Jesus, probably wondering what all the commotion is about? After all, this was their little or older brother who they played with as a child and now I can’t even talk to Him without an appointment and I hear His answer telling me that I have no special favor with Him?
Mary probably had to drag her sons to go see their brother. It is very likely that one or all of them did not believe who Jesus was and proof of that may be demonstrated by their absence in His ministry. What a shame if the brothers of Jesus never knew who He was and if their closeness to Him kept them apart from Him. All of this is conjecture because nothing is told to us other than a few brief glimpses that the bible allows us regarding the earthly family of Jesus.
I did find and interesting website http://www.aboutcatholics.com/faith_beliefs/brothers_jesus/ and an article written by Deacon Paul Carlson. I have left the link to the actual page on the website that contains the specific website. However, if you don’t want to go to the website right now, I have highlighted the pages that pertain to this subject.
Mr. Carlson writes:
Recently an archeological find of great importance to Bible scholars was announced in the press. An ossuary (bone box) surfaced as part of a private collection with the inscription “James the son of Joseph, the brother of Jesus.” In June 2003 the Israel Antiquities Authority declared it a forgery.
In the New Testament there are passages referring to Jesus’ brothers and sisters.
“Is this not the carpenter, the son of Mary, a brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon? Are not his sisters our neighbors here? (Mk. 6: 3, 3: 21, 31, Mt. 13: 56, Jn. 7: 5, Gal. 1: 19).
Most main line churches support the doctrine of the virgin birth which is presented in the Gospels and handed down in the Nicene Creed. However in Roman Catholic theology we also describe the Blessed Mother as “ever virgin” which arose early in Christianity. It was very much part of theology in the Middle Ages. It appeared in the reformers confessional writings (Luther, Calvin, and Zwingli; Book of Concord, Smalcald Articles).
Who then were these so called “brothers and sisters of Jesus?”
The setting in which the family of Jesus lived was Hebrew-Aramaic. In those languages there were limited words for relationships. On the male side there is only father, son, or brother. On the female side there is only mother, sister, or daughter. There are no words for cousin, uncle, aunt, etc.
Thus when the Greek New Testament was written, the Aramaic relationship of brother and sister was handed down. It is not far fetched to assume that Jesus and his family were remembered according to the view presented in the original Hebrew-Aramaic setting.
If they weren’t brothers and sisters (adelphos/adelphe in Greek), who were they?
Some who accepted the ancient tradition that Mary was “ever virgin” believed that these “brothers” were actually half-brothers of Jesus; sons of Joseph by a previous marriage. He was therefore a widower with children when he took Mary who was with child into his home. There were no subsequent marital demands since Joseph was elderly. Joseph made no appearances during Jesus’ ministry since he was already deceased. Mary raised Joseph’s children. This was the theory of Epiphanius, an Eastern Church father.
The eminent Scripture scholar, Jerome, taught that these brothers were actually cousins, sons of Joseph’s brother or Mary’s sister. There is one additional factor that is of greatest importance in evaluating this issue. It seems highly unlikely that the doctrine of perpetual virginity would have gained acceptance in the early second century in view of the fact that these four so-called brothers became prominent movers in the early Church and one of them, James, became bishop of Jerusalem.
Did these "brothers" believe in Jesus and his vision of the kingdom?
There is another most interesting development in the history of these men called “the brothers of the Lord.” It is clear that they did not participate in or give any support to Jesus during his public ministry. In fact at the very beginning when he was gaining acceptance as a prophet and teacher of the people but had also antagonized the leading Pharisees, they revealed their disbelief if not their opposition.
“When his family heard of this they came to take charge of him saying he is out of his mind” (Mk. 3: 21).
It is most significant that this negative attitude is also recorded in John’s Gospel which was written about twenty years later in Asia Minor. He had stopped in to visit the family home in Galilee.
“His brothers had this to say: ‘you ought to leave here and go to Judea, so that your disciples there might see the works that you are performing. No one who wishes to be known publicly keeps his actions hidden. If you are going to do things like this, you may as well display yourself to the world at large.’ As a matter of fact, not even his brothers had much confidence in him” (Jn. 7: 3-5).
What happened to change them?
Obviously something earthshaking had to occur to change the thinking of these men. The Apostle Paul in the first account of the resurrection tells us what happened.
“He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve...then by James, then by all the apostles. Last of all he was seen by me” (1 Cor. 15: 5, 7).
This James was the “brother of the Lord.” His next appearance was at the “upper room” in prayer after the ascension. “There were some women in their company, and Mary the mother of Jesus and his brothers” (Acts 1: 14).
It is here that the power of that first Pentecost filled the lives of these followers of Jesus and the Church was born. He was the leader in Jerusalem (Acts 15: 13). Eusebius writes that he was called James the righteous because of his great virtue and he became the first bishop of Jerusalem. Ancient tradition states that he was thrown from the parapet of the temple but survived and then was stoned to death.
In any case, the writer points out that there was a time of disbelief in who Jesus was, even by those closest to Him. Later, they understood who he was and they believed. We share this predicament with our Lord. Those closest to us know so much about us that they have a hard time seeing Christ in us, but in time they will.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Chapter Eight Continued
In the next words written by Luke, Jesus quotes Isaiah 6:9. And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see yee indeed, but perceive not. A loose interpretation of this passage is that Jesus is telling us that even though people could see and hear what He was doing and saying at the time, they just didn’t understand because He spoke in parables so that believers could get the message but those who were spying on Him would miss the meaning.
It is important to note that Jesus says in Matthew 5:17 that He came, so as to fulfill the old testament and the prophecies that were outlined there. Jesus, throughout His ministry, referred to those prophecies and prophets before Him on a constant basis. He assures us further on, in the same chapter, that the smallest detail outlined in God’s word will be attended to before the end of time. I don’t know about you but that seems pretty clear to me. It is too bad that it isn’t very clear to others who claim to walk in faith.
The majority of the American church (60%) subscribes to the belief that the prophetic word of the old testament is no longer valid. Some of these Churches go so far as to say that we no longer live in a time of miracles and spiritual healing. Belief in these premises that have been negotiated by councils of men trying to make God fit within the confines of their spiritual expectations, diminishes the power of who Jesus was and is. We don’t have to understand all that went before us and we may have many questions regarding things that happened earlier in the bible but we are obligated to keep the message whole for those who will follow us and are described in Luke as honest and good hearted people who cling to His message.
Finishing the narrative attributed to Jesus, He tells us that it would be ridiculous to light a lamp and then hide it under a bed. The purpose of a lighted lamp is to allow others to see in darkness and that lamp would be placed strategically so as to best do that. He then tells us that our secrets will be exposed before everyone and eventually non believers who refuse to listen, will not retain any of the things of this world that they cherish.
In these words we get to a basic premise of our current society. If we can keep a straight face, we will lie to protect our life and careers and if we can do it well enough, our modern world will reward us with position and riches. The advertisement shows a hamburger in picture perfect form and the one that they put in the sack looks nothing like it, the gas mileage projections promised by the government and the manufacturer hardly resemble reality, the politician who claims to be a great moral crusader is caught with a prostitute, the pastors of large Christian church’s claim to be representatives of the Prince of Peace but instead help to divide society with hateful speech that is judgmental and absent of the message of Christ, the church member who uses their congregation to promote some multi level marketing program that they know will not work but will promote anyway ending in the destruction of that church and congregation and lastly a government in league with the most vial of murderers kill the innocent unborn under the guise of a woman’s right to do what she wants with her body all of the while covering up their true war against the poor, the unfortunate and the helpless fueled by their laziness to insist that we reduce the value of life (both young and old) instead of holding our society to a higher moral standard.
I would not like to have every lie, sin and untruth in my life on display before the whole world. I am thankful for my salvation through Jesus Christ that eliminates that embarrassment.
It is important to note that Jesus says in Matthew 5:17 that He came, so as to fulfill the old testament and the prophecies that were outlined there. Jesus, throughout His ministry, referred to those prophecies and prophets before Him on a constant basis. He assures us further on, in the same chapter, that the smallest detail outlined in God’s word will be attended to before the end of time. I don’t know about you but that seems pretty clear to me. It is too bad that it isn’t very clear to others who claim to walk in faith.
The majority of the American church (60%) subscribes to the belief that the prophetic word of the old testament is no longer valid. Some of these Churches go so far as to say that we no longer live in a time of miracles and spiritual healing. Belief in these premises that have been negotiated by councils of men trying to make God fit within the confines of their spiritual expectations, diminishes the power of who Jesus was and is. We don’t have to understand all that went before us and we may have many questions regarding things that happened earlier in the bible but we are obligated to keep the message whole for those who will follow us and are described in Luke as honest and good hearted people who cling to His message.
Finishing the narrative attributed to Jesus, He tells us that it would be ridiculous to light a lamp and then hide it under a bed. The purpose of a lighted lamp is to allow others to see in darkness and that lamp would be placed strategically so as to best do that. He then tells us that our secrets will be exposed before everyone and eventually non believers who refuse to listen, will not retain any of the things of this world that they cherish.
In these words we get to a basic premise of our current society. If we can keep a straight face, we will lie to protect our life and careers and if we can do it well enough, our modern world will reward us with position and riches. The advertisement shows a hamburger in picture perfect form and the one that they put in the sack looks nothing like it, the gas mileage projections promised by the government and the manufacturer hardly resemble reality, the politician who claims to be a great moral crusader is caught with a prostitute, the pastors of large Christian church’s claim to be representatives of the Prince of Peace but instead help to divide society with hateful speech that is judgmental and absent of the message of Christ, the church member who uses their congregation to promote some multi level marketing program that they know will not work but will promote anyway ending in the destruction of that church and congregation and lastly a government in league with the most vial of murderers kill the innocent unborn under the guise of a woman’s right to do what she wants with her body all of the while covering up their true war against the poor, the unfortunate and the helpless fueled by their laziness to insist that we reduce the value of life (both young and old) instead of holding our society to a higher moral standard.
I would not like to have every lie, sin and untruth in my life on display before the whole world. I am thankful for my salvation through Jesus Christ that eliminates that embarrassment.
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Chapter Eight Cont....
As we continue on in chapter eight, we read the parable of the farmer scattering seed. As the farmer went out to plant seed, some of it fell on a footpath where it was stepped on and the birds came and ate it. Other seed fell on rocks and shallow soil and when it grew it was killed off because there was no water, more seed fell among thorns and was choked off and finally some of the seed was planted in fertile ground where it produced one hundred times the amount planted.
As Christians, we are called to share the “seed” of our faith with others. We speak to everyone regarding who Jesus is and about the salvation through Him, that is offered to all. We are distributors of His word and that word will be scattered just like the example of the farmer in Luke.
I recently tried to help a person who’s life was a mess. Even though this person is middle aged, they lived with their parents. As a result of a failed marriage and a separate sexual relationship, this person was estranged from their children that were a result of these unions and didn’t have a drivers license because they owed back child support for all three children and for all intents and purposes were bound up and unable to move on with their life as a result of their past actions. I helped them find work and make a deal with the authorities so that they could make payments on their back child support so as to obtain a drivers license and promised to give them my older Volkswagen van once they retained those driving privileges.
I spoke to them about what God had to say about them, their life and their future. I bought this person a bible and took them to church where they dedicated their life to Jesus Christ. I could see the flicker of faith in their eyes and watched that flicker extinguish in a short period of time afterwards.
When I would talk to this person, they would be truly interested in the word of God but because they had failed so many time previously, those that knew their failures best would tell this person that they would fail with God too. In fact, the uncle of this person told everyone that he was starting a family betting pool as to when this young Christian would “fall off the wagon” and openly mocked their faith at family gatherings. Over one year later, this person still lives at the home of their parents, doesn’t go to church but I hear from others that they are still working. This young Christian didn’t have a chance to develop Godly knowledge so as to answer the uncle in faith. The word of God must be learned, where as the skepticism of the world comes naturally.
This is an example of the seed falling on barren soil that when it tried to grow, the weeds around it choked it off. On the surface, my efforts appear to have failed. I believe that this person could hold that seed in storage and someday be in a position to revisit their salvation and again pick up the mantle of faith and plant good seed themselves and possibly start to change the minds of those family members who, on the surface any way, wish them spiritual harm .
My pastor tells a story of how a lifetime drug addict who had stolen from his family and ruined his relationships with everyone he knew because of his drug addiction, accepted Jesus Christ as his savior and made an immediate change for the better in his life. He went to everyone he had hurt to make amends and to tell them about how Jesus had changed his life. Free of drugs for the first time in his whole life, the young man went to see his mother, thinking how pleased she would be to see her son whole again. When he explained to her what a change that God had made in his life, his mother told him that she would rather see him be a drug addict than a “Jesus freak”.
It is hurtful to believe that sometimes those who know us the best have the hardest time seeing the goodness that Jesus brings into our lives and how much our life can change. Our closest family members know our weaknesses and past sins. My own sisters and brother, who I know love me and I them, have a hard time accepting me as a faithful person. I asked one of them to read this book/blog and they told me that they didn’t like to read “religious” things. I think that they only see the flawed man that I am and the change in my life is viewed as temporary insanity. I meet friends from my past who have known me for years and their reaction to my testimony of Jesus Christ is, “not you, you have got to be kidding me, I never thought ...” all of the time remembering an experience that we had together in my sinful past.
Even other Christians can be the proverbial “stony” or “weed infested” planting ground. Your own pastor may not be very nurturing and judgmental regarding your sincerity or fellow church members may be a more sterile than the secular world. Our job is to move forward and plant seed and even though we may not reach those around us, God will send another behind us and the former rocky and weed infested landscape will be a fertile opportunity for the word to grow.
As Christians, we are called to share the “seed” of our faith with others. We speak to everyone regarding who Jesus is and about the salvation through Him, that is offered to all. We are distributors of His word and that word will be scattered just like the example of the farmer in Luke.
I recently tried to help a person who’s life was a mess. Even though this person is middle aged, they lived with their parents. As a result of a failed marriage and a separate sexual relationship, this person was estranged from their children that were a result of these unions and didn’t have a drivers license because they owed back child support for all three children and for all intents and purposes were bound up and unable to move on with their life as a result of their past actions. I helped them find work and make a deal with the authorities so that they could make payments on their back child support so as to obtain a drivers license and promised to give them my older Volkswagen van once they retained those driving privileges.
I spoke to them about what God had to say about them, their life and their future. I bought this person a bible and took them to church where they dedicated their life to Jesus Christ. I could see the flicker of faith in their eyes and watched that flicker extinguish in a short period of time afterwards.
When I would talk to this person, they would be truly interested in the word of God but because they had failed so many time previously, those that knew their failures best would tell this person that they would fail with God too. In fact, the uncle of this person told everyone that he was starting a family betting pool as to when this young Christian would “fall off the wagon” and openly mocked their faith at family gatherings. Over one year later, this person still lives at the home of their parents, doesn’t go to church but I hear from others that they are still working. This young Christian didn’t have a chance to develop Godly knowledge so as to answer the uncle in faith. The word of God must be learned, where as the skepticism of the world comes naturally.
This is an example of the seed falling on barren soil that when it tried to grow, the weeds around it choked it off. On the surface, my efforts appear to have failed. I believe that this person could hold that seed in storage and someday be in a position to revisit their salvation and again pick up the mantle of faith and plant good seed themselves and possibly start to change the minds of those family members who, on the surface any way, wish them spiritual harm .
My pastor tells a story of how a lifetime drug addict who had stolen from his family and ruined his relationships with everyone he knew because of his drug addiction, accepted Jesus Christ as his savior and made an immediate change for the better in his life. He went to everyone he had hurt to make amends and to tell them about how Jesus had changed his life. Free of drugs for the first time in his whole life, the young man went to see his mother, thinking how pleased she would be to see her son whole again. When he explained to her what a change that God had made in his life, his mother told him that she would rather see him be a drug addict than a “Jesus freak”.
It is hurtful to believe that sometimes those who know us the best have the hardest time seeing the goodness that Jesus brings into our lives and how much our life can change. Our closest family members know our weaknesses and past sins. My own sisters and brother, who I know love me and I them, have a hard time accepting me as a faithful person. I asked one of them to read this book/blog and they told me that they didn’t like to read “religious” things. I think that they only see the flawed man that I am and the change in my life is viewed as temporary insanity. I meet friends from my past who have known me for years and their reaction to my testimony of Jesus Christ is, “not you, you have got to be kidding me, I never thought ...” all of the time remembering an experience that we had together in my sinful past.
Even other Christians can be the proverbial “stony” or “weed infested” planting ground. Your own pastor may not be very nurturing and judgmental regarding your sincerity or fellow church members may be a more sterile than the secular world. Our job is to move forward and plant seed and even though we may not reach those around us, God will send another behind us and the former rocky and weed infested landscape will be a fertile opportunity for the word to grow.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
Women and Jesus
At the beginning of chapter eight, Luke describes a “Good News” tour taken by Jesus and His followers. It is in this description that you can find the veracity of the bible. If this account was written by a person who was trying to make Jesus politically correct or in some way was trying to “clean” up the storyline of Christ, they would have done it here.
Luke says that Jesus brought with Him, on this trip, the twelve apostles and some women that He had healed and had cast out evil spirits from. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Joanna the wife of Herod’s business manager and a group of other women who used their own resources to support the ministry of Jesus.
It is with this passage that idiots like the guy who wrote “The Da Vinci Code” seem to want to bring Jesus down to a human level and fantasize that He was fooling around with these women or married to one of them and had children by her. When this is done, it challenges the written word of God and undermines the ministry of Jesus, who according to that word and that ministry, was a sinless human being and the perfect sacrifice for the sins of man. If you can get people to be sidetracked to believe that Jesus was involved in little sins or shenanigans (after all, everybody does them), then you can launch a discussion that He was a good guy who fooled around just like every other guy, and not God who became man. Once you manufacture a crack in the foundational belief that Jesus Christ was and is, God, who became man and lived a sinless perfect life and at the end of that human life was murdered on a cross for our sins, we start to lose the essence of God’s plan for our salvation.
There is a lot at stake here. Movie directors and writers may have no idea the role that they play in the spiritual war that, according to God’s word, goes on around us. When politicians and public figures twist bible verses to prove their worldly points on sinful behavior, they are unwittingly or consciously aiding evil in the aforementioned war for the spiritual well being of mankind.
It is believed by some biblical historians that Joanna was the wife of a man named Chuza who was the steward of Herod and it is also believed that he was the officer with the dying son in Capernaum. (John 4:46) It is probably as a result of this event that Chuza allowed his wife to travel with Jesus as this action was highly unusual from a societal standpoint.
The roll that the women like Joanna played was probably that of an organizer, in charge of meals and expenses, much of which they paid out of their own pocket. With this thought in mind, the antiseptic view of who Jesus was, is challenged. If you are traveling with a large group of dedicated friends, you are going to meet your obligations and do your collective job and you are going to have down time together. In those periods of relaxation, around the camp fire, these friends probably gave each other a bad time, pulled a few jokes on each other, told stories and planned the next day activities over a meal. It is likely that they all helped clean up the campsite, hit the sack and got up the next day starting the whole routine over again. I bring this up because we sometimes have such an austere view of our Redeemer as He lived His life among people. He certainly prayed a lot by himself and with His friends, He was certainly pious and respectful in worship but a great deal of this time was spent being with those that He enjoyed being with, in friendship.
In regards to Chuza, who was a man of substance and position who managed the wealth of the royal court and household, to allow his wife to travel the countryside with Jesus was really something worth mentioning. The culture of that time not only discouraged this type of action but undoubtably put this man and his family at risk, at the very least from a social and societal standpoint. He worked for the man who’s father (Herod the Great) attempted to have Christ killed as an infant and he himself (the son, Herod Antipas) lived to see the deaths of both Jesus and John the Baptist. Chuza risked much to support Jesus in His ministry.
Women were legally held just slightly higher than farm animals during this period of time and yet they played a pivotal role in the ministry of Jesus. In the case of Joanna, she not only supported the ministry of Jesus with time and money, she was with Mary Magdalene and Mary (the mother of James) when they discovered the empty tomb on the morning of Christ’s resurrection.
In the early days of Christianity women were allowed more freedom and played these important roles in Christ’s ministry because they were allowed to and because they were needed. Later on in the second century when the church became a more formal institution, women were limited in their leadership rolls and if a Christian group advocated female leadership they were regarded as heretics. It is ironic that the “church” seems to have constantly made changes to the original message of Jesus Christ so as to accommodate its current sociological and societal beliefs.
In the Jewish culture women were not allowed to testify in court trials, Jesus empowered them to testify on His behalf. Women were also given limitations concerning their going out in public and talking to strangers. In their roles within the ministry of Jesus they were very involved in going out to meet strangers and traveling to distant places to share the “Good News”. Lastly, Jewish law placed women under the direct authority of men and were largely confined to the homes of their fathers and husbands. If Luke wanted to clean up his written accounts and edit them so as to appeal to his current audience, he would have been wise to keep the fact that the women in the ministry of Jesus played important leadership roles in that ministry.
Luke says that Jesus brought with Him, on this trip, the twelve apostles and some women that He had healed and had cast out evil spirits from. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Joanna the wife of Herod’s business manager and a group of other women who used their own resources to support the ministry of Jesus.
It is with this passage that idiots like the guy who wrote “The Da Vinci Code” seem to want to bring Jesus down to a human level and fantasize that He was fooling around with these women or married to one of them and had children by her. When this is done, it challenges the written word of God and undermines the ministry of Jesus, who according to that word and that ministry, was a sinless human being and the perfect sacrifice for the sins of man. If you can get people to be sidetracked to believe that Jesus was involved in little sins or shenanigans (after all, everybody does them), then you can launch a discussion that He was a good guy who fooled around just like every other guy, and not God who became man. Once you manufacture a crack in the foundational belief that Jesus Christ was and is, God, who became man and lived a sinless perfect life and at the end of that human life was murdered on a cross for our sins, we start to lose the essence of God’s plan for our salvation.
There is a lot at stake here. Movie directors and writers may have no idea the role that they play in the spiritual war that, according to God’s word, goes on around us. When politicians and public figures twist bible verses to prove their worldly points on sinful behavior, they are unwittingly or consciously aiding evil in the aforementioned war for the spiritual well being of mankind.
It is believed by some biblical historians that Joanna was the wife of a man named Chuza who was the steward of Herod and it is also believed that he was the officer with the dying son in Capernaum. (John 4:46) It is probably as a result of this event that Chuza allowed his wife to travel with Jesus as this action was highly unusual from a societal standpoint.
The roll that the women like Joanna played was probably that of an organizer, in charge of meals and expenses, much of which they paid out of their own pocket. With this thought in mind, the antiseptic view of who Jesus was, is challenged. If you are traveling with a large group of dedicated friends, you are going to meet your obligations and do your collective job and you are going to have down time together. In those periods of relaxation, around the camp fire, these friends probably gave each other a bad time, pulled a few jokes on each other, told stories and planned the next day activities over a meal. It is likely that they all helped clean up the campsite, hit the sack and got up the next day starting the whole routine over again. I bring this up because we sometimes have such an austere view of our Redeemer as He lived His life among people. He certainly prayed a lot by himself and with His friends, He was certainly pious and respectful in worship but a great deal of this time was spent being with those that He enjoyed being with, in friendship.
In regards to Chuza, who was a man of substance and position who managed the wealth of the royal court and household, to allow his wife to travel the countryside with Jesus was really something worth mentioning. The culture of that time not only discouraged this type of action but undoubtably put this man and his family at risk, at the very least from a social and societal standpoint. He worked for the man who’s father (Herod the Great) attempted to have Christ killed as an infant and he himself (the son, Herod Antipas) lived to see the deaths of both Jesus and John the Baptist. Chuza risked much to support Jesus in His ministry.
Women were legally held just slightly higher than farm animals during this period of time and yet they played a pivotal role in the ministry of Jesus. In the case of Joanna, she not only supported the ministry of Jesus with time and money, she was with Mary Magdalene and Mary (the mother of James) when they discovered the empty tomb on the morning of Christ’s resurrection.
In the early days of Christianity women were allowed more freedom and played these important roles in Christ’s ministry because they were allowed to and because they were needed. Later on in the second century when the church became a more formal institution, women were limited in their leadership rolls and if a Christian group advocated female leadership they were regarded as heretics. It is ironic that the “church” seems to have constantly made changes to the original message of Jesus Christ so as to accommodate its current sociological and societal beliefs.
In the Jewish culture women were not allowed to testify in court trials, Jesus empowered them to testify on His behalf. Women were also given limitations concerning their going out in public and talking to strangers. In their roles within the ministry of Jesus they were very involved in going out to meet strangers and traveling to distant places to share the “Good News”. Lastly, Jewish law placed women under the direct authority of men and were largely confined to the homes of their fathers and husbands. If Luke wanted to clean up his written accounts and edit them so as to appeal to his current audience, he would have been wise to keep the fact that the women in the ministry of Jesus played important leadership roles in that ministry.
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