Jesus on Faith and Seeds.

#biblestudy #matthew #gospel #whatjesussaid #greeknewtestament

MATTHEW 17: 17 -, 20-21.

After the Transfiguration Jesus was approached by a man who son was having seizures due to epilepsy or some other neurological disorder. Whatever.

Answerd and the Jesus said

O generation faithless and perverse
note that diestrammenee could be translated as perverse distorted twisted orcrooked as it is a perfect passive participle from the verb diastrephoo
how long then with you I will be!
how long then i will endure of you / how much more will i have to put up with
Note that anexomai is future of anekhomai  kh=s > ks / x
you plural bring / carry / bear to me him here !
Bring him over here to me!

The disciples approached him afterwards in private and asked when their own (limited) gifts did not work on the boy.

Jesus tells them

Dia why because the little /few /limited faith of you
truly for i say to you
whenever / if (nb ean) you have faith so /like / as much as mustard seed
you will say to the mountain this MOVE from here to there
and the mountain it will move
and nothing will be impossible or literally beyond your abilities what you can do dunamai !

Now some people take this verse as support for faith healing or proof there are demons but Jesus says nothing about demons Matthew just presumes it was a demon or spirit. He rebukes them for their lack of faith. Perhaps because he wanted them to fix problems themselves instead of relying on him too much when he would be leaving them soon.

Note how he links faith to ability in his final statement.

kai ouden adunateesei humin

and nothing you will be unable to do

How do we join faith to action?

Or perhaps he's simply teasing them because its been a long stressful day?

Which could also explain the contrast of mountain and mustard seed.

Faith works yet faith is variable?

Personally I think its a good thing we have modern medicine and techniques to treat neurological disorders or whatever was wrong with that boy.

I rather fear most of us have  a level of faith closer to the mustard seed.

However one tiny seed can produce a plant that has more seeds and a larger crop in the future! I can have faith in that from growing my own lettuce and greens and herbs.

Maybe thats the real point since many of them would have been more familiar than farming and seed planting with a modern apartment dweller or home owner.

Gardening is faith building?

Careless Words Can Condemn

Matthew 12. 36 - 37  #biblestudy #greek #greeknewtestament

#Jesus continues his rebuking of the Pharisees.

I say and to you that every word careless / casual/idle see note which they say the people they will give back yield be judged by implied by their own word in / on day of judgement

argon is a+ergos not shining or white  careless idle unworked lazy casual

out of for of the words of you you will be judged / justified
and out of the words of you condemned

readers please think and speak with wisdom compassion and carefully

Matthew 12 1 - 14

#Bible study #gospel #sassyJesus #Greek  #ethics
oh and maybe Jesus being sassy to those pharisees ... AGAIN

Really All 14 verses in this first section of Chapter 12 of Matthew  revolve around verse 12

So its possible on the Sabbath days to do good things!

Yeah I know most translations go for "lawful" but this is one verse where the greek meaning is wider.

Jesus is about to heal a man inside a synagogue on a Sabbath day when he makes this statement and points out if people might  "break" the Sabbath doing farm work and tending to stock  and if a man is more important than a sheep ...

The actual verb is eksestin which  Grammar and Lexicons call an impersonal form but consider the verb ek - out of / from + being.

Despite the "impersonal" form its not just a lawful action but something you do personally hence the verb being translated as lawful permitted allowed possible, an action within one's power.

Practical Action doing good comes before Law - Nomos and tradition.

Note also kaloos poiein to do well to do finely something both beautiful and good.

Healing not sitting in or running a cafe or other business and complaining about how you have to pay penalty rates.

Respect people especially health workers or anyone running essential services who has to work Sundays !

And if you think work people shouldn't work on Sundays bear in mind they may have such a low wage its the only way they can cover their living expenses and don't go shopping or out yourself unless you have to or have no other day off to do essential shopping for food!

Jesus about John the Baptist 3

#Jesu about John the Baptist 3
#biblestudy #greeknewtestament #gospel
Matthew Chapter 11 verses 11 - 15

Now this section seems quite straightforward
Jesus is praising John and linking him to a prophecy about the return of Elijah.

There is a problem with one verb though and a phrase.
11
truly i say to you not has risen in those born of women more greater of genitive marks comparative John the baptist
the and least in the realm of the heavens more than him is
12 from and the days of john Baptist until now the realm of the heavens forces?
see my note below is forced and violent men ravage it.
13 all for the prophets and the law until  John prophesied
14 and if you  wish to receive this same person is Elijah the one future to come.
15 he who has ears let him hear

Why is biazetai a problem ? It seems plainly to be the middle form of biazoo and it could be that it is  just a reference to a persecution of John and his followers but here we see it being used  in the the same sentence as the words realm of the heavens ... this is of historical interest and seems to support the argument that Jesus and John had links to the Essenes ?

They too contrasted a divine just heavenly realm with secular ones and why Jesus usually seems to be talking about Heaven given that he's just finished talking about John and what happened to John ...?

Jesus is saying the the realm of heaven is currently being attacked not in the future but right now. Perhaps as well as what happened to John and the verbal attacks and criticism by various jewish factions Jesus and John's followers were also being harassed and hassled by various local secular authorities?

I don't normally give much time or regard to theories about secret messages or code so I don't think we should read too much into this but it does seem to be a significant reference to events happening during Jesus' ministry that only seems obscure to us because they were so long ago few details survive?

Jesus about John the Baptist part 2

#jesus #johnthebaptist #biblestudy part 2 #Matthew 11 7 - 10

#matthew #gospel #greeknewtestament

word for word translation

verse 7

they and going begun the Jesus to speak to the crowd about John

What did you come out into the wilderness to see ?
(see as a spectator watching an event )
(a) reed by wind shaken ?

verse 8
but why /what did you come out to see?
a man in soft robes draped ?

malakos here means soft rather than perverse a meaning supported by the next word which is a participle form a verb meaning vested draped clothes around

he is referring perhaps to hellenized jews wearing wraps but more likely to  temple priests / prophets wearing heavy soft expensive wool robes or over wraps / capes  that wrap and drape themselves around the body

behold the ones soft things wearing in the houses of rulers are!

Jesus is critizicing the established priesthood who served and supported the elite or perhaps the prophets at the temple who wore elaborate robes of the finest wool

verse 9

What did you come out to see? a prophet

Yes I  say to you and more than a prophet

He then cites an old testament prophecy.

John the Baptist was not just a prophet but a messenger announcing an arrival

Perhaps judging from the next verse both Jesu and John dressed simply

remember jesus commanded his disciples to do so ?

a religious rally or meeting shouldnt be theatre and costume but focus on teaching

there are some preachers who seem to think dressing up is the best way to attract an audience?

As well as linking himself and John to various prophecies he's also defending himself and John again their establishment critics ... read on ...

more next week

Jesus to John - One

#Matthew matthew 11 4 - 6 #bible study #greeknewtestament

#Jesus had a cousin called #John. John the Baptist.
His response to a group of John's disciples was this:

I'm just going to do a loose translation since there's no unusual words or syntax in this section

"Go back Proclaim to John what things you hear and see!
blind see again cripples walk
lepers are cleansed and deaf hear
 (possibly deafmutes not merely hearing impaired no cochlear implants or hearing aids back then so most deaf people if deaf from birth  would have been mute as well and had no choice but to use some sign of sign language)
and dead raise up (see story of  synagouge officials daughter and lazarus)
and the poor receive good news.
and blessed are who ever should - its ean and an aorist passive subjunctive in Greek -  not be offended / shocked / caused to sin / angered by me !

Note what comes last in this list ! Evangelising.
 Helping and helping comes First!

We can't perform miracles but we can support having a decent low cost health care system or welfare for the disabled.

None of that The Poor are Lazy and Don't Deserve help nonsense.

FAITH AND WORKS

You may be noticed I post at different times of the day depending on what i'm doing on Sunday mornings or afternoons.

If you're reading this on Google Plus please remember if you follow the blog directly you can get an message about new posts?

Receiving the Righteous

Matthew 10 40 - 42 #biblestudy #gospel #jesus #christian #greeknewtestament

We're almost at the end of a major section !
Fairly straightforward in this section but there are a couple of things ...

but first the word for word so you get some idea of what the greek is like

40

he who receives you pl me receives
dekhomai is the verb receive accept take welcome
and he who receives me receives the one who sent me (as a messenger)

41

he who receives a prophet in name (= equals in english for being a or because)
what we see here is what Goodwin's Grammar 1207 d calls an accusative of Purpose or Reference it could also be translated as for or for being but because works best in modern English ... there's another example further on
so he who receives prophet in name of prophet reward of prophet will receive
the verb changes here from dekhomai to the future form of lambanoo but both have very similar meanings

42

and who ever will provide / give a drink of water
this is one verb in greek the future form potiseei of potizoo
(to) one of the small these  (to any) of these small ones

possibly a joke .. there is an oral tradition jesus was very tall?
a drink cold alone in name for a student / disciple (of mine)

there are old testament stories about people giving prophets cold water a symbol of hospitality and dangerous if that prophet was currently being escaped by which ever courtier king or religious official he had offended

also cold water was a precious commodity no fridges water had to be filtered and cooled since you lived next to a mountain spring of cold water !

truly i say to you not in the least will be lost the reward of him.

so he's asking people to treat his students and followers as if they are prophets for his sake and the sake of the divine

you don't have to give religious leaders private jets or palaces but show respect and concern and good manners if they are genuine followers of Jesus is how I read that

A final note on that accusative ... why use because ? think of a syntax you sometimes see I am doing this for the sake of him or I do this for him or I do this for the name of so and so however saying for the name of is perhaps too formal in the 21st century and has a slightly archaic flavour so changing this to because reflects the simpler Greek syntax and the meaning and intent?

You may be getting a mid week metousia on the links between greek and yezidi mythology

See you then but people please remember I don't get free wifi so any paypal donations towards my wifi or other bills  would be helpful?

Whatever you think is the equivalent of a cup of water ?

Swords and Peace

Matthew 10: 34 - 37 #biblestudy #gospel #guns

It really worries me that these verses especially 34 are often cited to support things like concealed carry and the right to bear arms etc

I notice that people who cite these verses rarely if ever mention Jesus appears to be quoting from the Prophet Micah 7:6

Furthermore in parallel passages in Luke and Mark as with this one Jesus seems  be  prophesying the persecutions of later centuries and perhaps even the religious wars of Catholic versus Protestant ?

People seem to over look the possibility the guy capable of overturning tables at the Temple might have been doing irony as well?

So time to look at the original or as close to the original as we can get ...

not think that i have come to cast throw bring peace upon the earth
not i have come to bring peace but a sword

is casting down a sword a gesture of peace or surrender?

remember the verb is balloo?

verses 35 and 36 are a quote from Micah 7:6 so he is talking about prophecies !

note that dikhasai is an aorist infinitive form of the verb dikhazoo split differ

37 he who is loving a father or mater over me not is of me worthy
and he who is loving a son or daughter over me not is of me worthy

38  and whoever not takes the cross of his him and follows behind me / after me not is of me worthy

39 he who is finding  the life / spirit of him will lose it
and he who is destroying the life / spirit of him for the sake of me he will

auteen is literally her and refers back to psykheen the word often transcribed as psyche in English.

I think when reading this verse bear in mind the next section about rewards.

You are not ... well so it seems to me .. being called on to take violent action but to beware sometimes violence and dissent is evitable?

There is certainly nothing about guns or encouragement to personally take violent actions!

This is on my mind cos last week I saw some one cite this verse in a discussion about concealed carry and some Catholic priest in the US supporting using his church hall for teaching classes in it.

Make sure when you study this section and verses you read or reread the verses before and after!

Please think about Content and Context!

as St Paul said in his letter to the Thessalonians

PANTA DOKIMAZEI  Examine Everything !

Acknowledging Christ

Acknowledging Christ #matthew 10: 32 - 33 #biblestudy #gospel

32
all therefore whoever homologeoo confess / admit/ declare say plainly acknowledge / claim in me before people ... everyone who speaks for me
i will speak for in self equals same way here ? before the father of me in heavens

33

whoever and / but should deny / disown me before the people
i will disown him before the father me the in heavens

The problem nowadays seems to me to be people claiming to be Christian or to speak for Christ regardless of whether they are or not ?

But thats one of the reasons I do this blog. I'm lucky enough to have been able to study Greek and while we have no proof Christ spoke Greek  though it is possible given all the greek colonies in the area the people who translated early Aramaic  gospels or their precursors into greek were often bilingual in both languages

I hope these literal word for word translations are of some help to those who do not know Greek ?

Have no fear

Have NO fear
 #Matthew 10:26 -31 #biblestudy #jesus #greeknewtestament #gospel

First the literal word for word
26 : not there be afraid them
 (note the greek has passives  and imperatives in this passage that are best translated as active forms in English)
nothing for is covered which not will be revealed.
(note the use of apokaluptoo the verb from which apocalypse is derived and the reason we have a book of Revelations ... the Apocalypse is not merely a catastrophe despite its shift of meaning in English)
and hidden which not become known

Y es I know the English uses that but the Greek uses relative forms

27 : what i say to you in the dark tell / speak off in the light
and what into the ears you hear herald upon the dwellings
(remember flat roofed buildings so a person could spread a message from one roof top to another and I have read accounts of women and men still doing this in in modern times.

I have used the word herald to stress these are public proclamations.

A greek herald or keruks was a public official !

28 and not be afraid about those who kill the body
the but soul not they are able to kill

be afraid but rather of the one  being able and / both the soul and  body to destroy in gehenna.

note the contrast between merely killing and destruction ?

29 (are) not 2 sparrows (for) one ass  sold
( a type of low value coin use cents ?
and one of them any one out of them (sparrows flock) w
will not fall upon the earth without father yof ours (knowing )

30 from our and but the hairs of the head all are counted / numbered

31 not therefore be afraid many sparrows ... but its a genitive plural of comparison so not be afraid (for) many / much more (than) sparrows differ = are of more value you you are of more value to god than sparrows yet god values both sparrows and humans

be not afraid is repeated and verse 31 reminds us of why we should not be afraid

god values us  ! 

Staying with the Worthy

#biblestudy #jesus #greeknewtestament

Matthew Chapter 10 11 - 15

and when into a city or village you enter search for who worthy is
and there stay until you depart
and when coming into the house make respectful greetings
and and if the house is worthy let your peace come upon it
and if it is not worthy your peace turn back / withdraw
and whoever not receives you nor hears the words of you go out of that house or city shaking the dust of the feet of you
truly  i say to you more tolerable it would be for earth of sodom and Gomorrah on day of judgement than that city

AXIOS usually means worthy deserving or valuable  but here it seems to be used as we might when saying a person is respected or respectable.

he's asking his disciples to show good manners ask if they can enter and offer their blessings and to leave if it turns out they are not welcome

the comparison to Sodom and Gomorrah seems very severe to us but remember the ancient tradition of guest rights in Greece and the Near East.

To mistreat a guest after you have accepted them into your house and they have offered their blessings was regarded as not just rude but almost blasphemous!

Bless who ever is hosting you as a visitor in response to their hospitality!

Mission Statement

#whatjesussaid  # bible #christ 3gospel
#Mission  Statement #GospelofMatthew Chapter 10 1 - 10
#biblestudy #Greek #greeknewtestament

At the beginning of Matthew Chapter 10 #Jesus give his students ... yes students matheetas ... is the actual Greek Word ... EXOUSIA power / authority to HEAL.

A list of the names of the 12 is given and then more of the "Mission statement"
he sent the 12 away ordering to them saying

Note eis by itself as a preposition as well as a prefix can also mean into or onto NOT just IN or AT  ... Position and Motion !

"On the road to the nations (gentiles pagans non jews) and the city of the Samaritans not go / enter but rather towards the lost sheep of  the house of Israel
and approaching you will announce
 (literally herald  keerussoo not preach that meaning came later)
saying NEAR the realm of heaven (is)
weak heal / attend to / serve, note use of therapeuoo again,
 dead arouse / rise up / wake  egeiroo,
lepers cleanse / purify,

 (note that with hansens and other skin infections and disorders cleaning the affection areas can reduce or limit the problem getting worse and for centuries before modern antibiotics were discovered lepers were masked and bandaged  not just to hide their disfigurements but also to to try to reduce further infection so not just spiritual healing? )

 again he states  (evil) spiritual powers / entities are to be cast out,

and why

 because (free) gifts DOOREA you did receive elabete   (so) gifts give DOTE !

or to use a modern phrase Pass it on!

Note again the emphasis on HEALING rather just than preaching!

Verse 9 - 10

Not acquire gold nor silver or copper (coins) in your belt

 the greek verb used is ktaomai get obtain acquire things

also note NO POCKETS BACK THEN!
purses or coins were rolled into belts or attached to !
again eis can mean onto as well as into )

no bag for journey nor 2 tunics / under robes nor shoes / sandals nor staff

TRAVEL LIGHT

however

worthy for the worker of food / support (is)

So should modern ministers be paid for work for by donations ?

Note the use of ergatees laborer worker something like a hired hand or builders labourer  or factory hand not even a tradesman ?

There are probably people who would justify this to pay minimal wages to their workers forgetting jesus is addressing and TESTING his disciples?

Also trophee is not just food but what sustains life so maybe food and rent and clothing basic ways and means?  Health care? A few little luxuries?

That first ministry tour was rough!

He may have made them get an UNPAID internship but he didn't say future ministers and workers should never be paid just NOT ACQUIRE wealth.

However once again the most important thing he calls on them to do is

HEAL and HELP !

More on this next week ... its a long chapter

and on the topic on LABETE and  DOTE receiving and giving

I'm doing for NEW / MORE CASUAL  or PART time work

Anyone in Sydney need a Greek or Classics tutor ?

No one's using the Paypal and I have utility bills due next week!

a little help please?

Matthew 9:37 Workers Wanted

#biblestudy #gospel #gospelofmatthew #what jesussaid #jesus

Matthew 9:37 is often cited to support mission work but if we read it in context its as much a support of ministry in general.

Lets look at the proceeding verses 35 n 36

and Jesus went about all the cities and villages teaching in their synagogues and heralding /announcing the message/ good news of the realm (of god) and healing all illnesses and weaknesses / disabilities

seeing the crows he had compassion for them that / as being harassed and helpless like sheep without a herder
then he said to to his  students / disciples  
from here I'm translating literally to show the original syntax!

the harvest great but the workers few
ask / pray therefore of the lord of the harvest hence to send out workers into his harvest

now note the beginning of chapter 10

what does he ask the disciples to do ?

cast out spirits  impure  heal  all disease and malakia again weakness chronic conditions disabilities ?

The mission is not just to convert and reap souls buy to work for the Lord perhaps not just to harvest souls but even maybe to reap the harvest to feed souls ?

We don't have to be missionaries or miracle workers !

We can be healers doctors nurses first aid volunteers paramedics therapists or teachers religious or secular

Two  language notes
 the word used for pray originally meant need or want!
malakia means soft or weak sometimes perverse and seems to refer to moral mental and physical conditions so in this passage I have suggested disability as a possible MODERN equivalent?

A request from me?

I just lost another casual job due to a funding cut . If I published some of these notes as an ebook or print book would anyone be interested in purchasing?
I am job hunting and creating paintings and ceramics but until they sell ... please consider using paypal to support this blog? Thank You

Healing and Salvation

#biblestudy #greeknewtestament #whatjesussaid

A common theme though Chapters 8 and 9 of the #gospel of #matthew is healing by faith but not just of physical illnesses.

Chapter 8 A leper is healed and notice Jesus says not to boast about the miracle

then the centurion's servant and Peter's mother in law and various mentally ill "demoniacs"

Chapter 9 the paralytic is healed physically and spiritually.

Then he rebukes the Pharisees after meeting with tax collectors and sinners.

Actually the Greek word used means sinful and may refer to people who had trouble keeping all of the many points of mosaic law however minor.

Jesus states literally

Not need they have the strong of a healer but those who are in a bad condition / state

Again the concern for the anxious and troubled the lowly and poor and children.

Then comes the archon perhaps a Hellenized Jew given his title - archon can mean ruler or magistrate  secular not religious.

By his way to the ruler's house he encounters the woman who had a flowing of blood for 12 years whatever that means ... most people presume a disorder of the uterus or vagina but equally it could be a skin disease or something else?

Like others she asked and prayed to be healed. Literally to be made safe or saved and protected from a recurrence of her illness. Soozoo. Save keep protect

After waking the girl form a deep coma or near death condition Jesus heals two blind men. Now he had recently rebuked the Pharisees by quoting a verse from Hosea about " I desire mercy and not sacrifice" and the blind men called on him to have mercy on them.

The RSV translates the Hosea verse 6:6 as

For I desire steadfast love and not sacrifice,
the knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings.

Salvation is healing. For those of us who can not work miracles by practical acts of compassion not rituals only. Healing has to be for mind body and soul.
For a rich man's daughter or disabled street beggars or the sinful.

Healing Faith and Forgiveness

#Matthew Matt 9:1-7
#gospel #biblestudy #jesus #healing

After descending from the Mountain Jesus performed several acts of healing of the mentally ill and physically disabled. I want to focus on one particular one in chapter 9 the healing of the paralytic.

Now whatever the disability or illness of this young man actually was the first thing Jesus tells him is this

Tharsei teknon aphientai sou hai hamartai.

Be brave / positive / confident young one forgiven  to be free let go  of you  the errors / sins.

His first concern is the boy or young man's mental state.
Perhaps he was depressed or had what we might call post traumatic stress.
Perhaps he'd done or felt he had done something that caused or contributed to whatever accident or illness had made him a paralytic?

Notice this is not just faith healing. Jesus is not saying his sins caused the paralysis but focusing on tending to the boys spiritual and emotional well being? Then finally he tells him after rebuking the scribes to rise up take your bed and go home.

Faith can contribute to healing but a confident attitude helps.
however that doesn't mean we should rely ONLY and SOLELY on miracles of healing!

Tharsei has been translated as Be of Good cheer but the word also means be confident brave courage bold or to have a positive attitude in Modern English?

Note also the forms of the verb aphieemi  let go free release send away an important "irregular" verb you should learn.

Judge NOT Matthew 7 : 1-2

MEE KRINETE
are the opening words of #matthew #gospel 7:1-2
#biblestudy #jesus

Krinoo the verb which appears 4 times in these 2 verses is a cognate of latin Cerno

So  Not you plural judge so that or in order that as a consequence or result cos the secondary clause has a subjunctive verb form

Judge not lest you are judged!

For by the judgements you make you will be judged!

And in what measure you made you will be judged in turn.

Note Anti as a prefix appears in  Greek and its not just meaning against but in response the payback or balance of one action leading to another.

He's not saying to not judge  but to bear in mind as we may make decisions and judgements about others like judgement is made about us.

This leads in to the next passage which makes it clear he's talking about human sins and how humans judge each other in an unbalanced way.

One of the symbol for justice are scales for a good reason and perhaps while visiting one of the Greek cities in the area Jesus had seen a depiction of blind Justice holding scales?

krima krimati is a cognate of Latin crimen but means judgement not crime.

Metreoo is a contract verb related to metrov measure.

Next week Spots and Blocks!

mee merinate no anxiety

#biblestudy #beatitudes  #gospelofmatthew 

Matthew 6 : 25 - 34 is a long paragraph about faith and anxiety.

I'm going to intro it by talking about the main verb in the passage.

MERIMNAOO 

appears several times in present and participle and aorist subjunctive and future forms 

Now the reason I am giving special attention to just one word is because it can be translated several ways as be anxious fret worry be concerned care about.

Look at what it is a compound of !

meri - part portion divide of and the *mn stem that appears in many other words nouns and verbs that describe memory mind and consciousness.

So if you merimnate you have a divided mind your focus is scattered often in a negative way? 

Its not just severe neurotic anxiety of the type that might need some therapy and drugs combined or simple fretting but the whole range the manner of concern and focus? 

Something to consider as you read that passage. 

Most of the rest of the passage has no words that need special notes but I willl comment on a couple of aspects next sunday. 

Do read the whole passage! 

A medical note: if any readers have severe anxiety problems it is not a sin to get professional help! 

The Light and the Dark

#Matthew 6. 22 - 23 #bible study #greek #whatjesussaid

see also #Luke 11. 33 - 36

word for word translation

the lamp of the body is the eye
if therefore is (note subjunctive / conditional ) the eye of you open/ sincere/ simple (2nd declension adjective with multiple meanings) whole the body of you bright /shining will be.

if but the eye of you evil is whole the body of you dark will be.
if therefore the light to you dark is the dark how much !?


Note the parallelism and the subjunctives.

Lamp often gets translates as Light but the greek is luknos!

Here is the ancient concept of the eye being a gate or link to the soul.

I think however given the subjunctives our Lord is talking as much about spiritual as physical perception. Letting in the light? He is not linking physical disability to sin as a cause or effect!

This is light as an energizing force as much spiritual as physical?

Think of those verses in which he or others spoke of the Light of the World?


A note for fellow Whovians.  Last week the Doctor spoke of never seeing paradise and this week he's into the darkness! We joke What would the Doctor do?

It would seem this season our favorite Gallifreyan is seeking redemption and healing for himself and others.

We don't need a Tardis for that and have a Companion and Friend to call on for help!

Where's your Treasure?

#Gospel of Matthew 6: 19 - 21.

Where's Your Treasure ?

Word for word translation

not make treasure for you plural treasures upon the earth
where moth and corrosion / rust "eating" spoil
and where thieves dig through and steal
make treasure and / but for you plural treasures in heaven
where neither moth nor rust spoil
and where thieves not dig through nor steal
where for is the treasure of you
there will be and / also the heart of you.

Why did I type make treasure ?
the greek verb has a izoo suffix  its theesaurizoo

note also what digging through means ... many of the people listening would have had homes made of sun dried brick or stucco or clay over a wooden frame or stone loosely packed

for them no gold just coins of metal that might tarnish or a valuable item might be a chest full of high quality linen or wool or an embroidered festival robe

again consider making treasure

we attribute value to various material objects  but we need to invest in spiritual treasures as well ?!

Jesus on Fasting

Matthew 6: 16 - 18

#Jesus on #Fasting #Biblestudy #greeknewtestament #gospel

Neesteuoo fast or abstain

Judging from the pair of verses here jesus is talking from ritual fasting perhaps for funerals?

Word for word

whenever and you plural are fasting not become like the hypocrites adjective sullen angry sad faces they hide for the faces of them so that they appear / are obviously to humans / people to be fasting.

So do not "make a song and dance" of fasting.

Note the use of ginesthe in Greek this verb ginomai  in late greek seems to be used in a way that overlaps or replaces more classical poieoo or prassoo. Its like the English usage of do particularly here.

Do not become / be / act like / behave like ...

Notice how Jesus focuses on actions ? !

skuthroopoi to look sullen angry sad resentful

aphanizoo may refer to covering one's face making it unseen unclear by covering it with ashes or dirt or letting your face hang loose

In verse 17 Jesus asks us to instead when fasting to do it in private

you and when fasting anoint of you the head and the face of you wash ...

if you're doing it for god and not appearances sake  then god will see !

notice the emphasis and contrast once again between public and private rituals and behaviour a theme throughout this chapter.

What are modern parallels?

Perhaps the person who insists on telling everyone about their new "healthy" diet or the vegetarian or vegan who thinks dieting makes them spiritually or ethically superior?

You don't fast to be superior or get praised?

Yes you can encourage people to try a limited fast for health reasons but don't make a performance of it!

Finally and off topic don't forget to pray for peace and healing for everyone in gaza israel iraq or syria Christian Muslim Yazidi or Jew !