#InterVarsity Press

[officialyourdailyinspiration]

Creator Set's Free's (Jesus') Tribal Ancestry

1 Here is the record of the ancestry of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) the Chosen One, a descendant of Much Loved One (David) and of Father of Many Nations (Abraham). From Father of Many Nations (Abraham) to Much Loved One (David), his ancestors were: 2 Father of Many Nations (Abraham), He Made Us Laugh (Isaac), Heel Grabber (Jacob), Give Him Praise (Judah) and his brothers, 3 He Breaks Through (Perez) and his brother First Light (Zerah), whose mother was Fruit of Palm Tree (Tamar), Circle of Tipis (Hezron), Lifted Up (Ram), 4 Noble Relative (Amminadab), Talks with Snakes (Nahshon), He Makes Peace (Salmon), 5 Moves with Strength (Boaz), whose mother was Boastful Woman (Rahab), He Works Hard (Obed), whose mother was Beautiful Friend (Ruth), Original Man (Jesse), 6 who was the father of the great chief Much Loved One (David). From Much Loved One (David) to the removal to Village of Confusion (Babylon), the ancestors of Creator Sets Free (Jesus) were: Much Loved One (David), Stands in Peace (Solomon), whose mother, Daughter of Seven (Bathsheba), was the wife of Fire from Creator (Uriah), 7 Big People Maker (Rehoboam), He Is My Father (Abijah), Gathers the People (Asa), 8 He Makes Wrongs Right Again (Jehoshaphat), Creator Is Above (Jehoram), My Great Power (Uzziah), 9 Creator Has No Equal (Jotham), Held by Creator (Ahaz), He Will Be Strong (Hezekiah), 10 He Made Them Forget (Manasseh), Burden Bearer (Amon), Good Medicine (Josiah), 11 and Chosen by Creator (Jeconiah) and his brothers at the time of the removal to Village of Confusion (Babylon).

12 From the removal to Village of Confusion (Babylon) to the birth of Creator Sets Free (Jesus), his ancestors were: Chosen by Creator (Jeconiah), Ask Creator (Shealtiel), Born in Village of Confusion (Zerubbabel), 13 Father Boasts in Him (Abihud), He Builds Up (Eliakim), He Helps (Azor), 14 Stands with a Good Heart (Zadok), Stands Firm (Achim), Power of Creator (Eliud), 15 Creator Helps Him (Eleazar), Gifted by Creator (Matthan), Heel Grabber (Jacob), 16 and He Gives Sons (Joseph), who was the husband of Bitter Tears (Mary), who gave birth to Creator Sets Free (Jesus), who is the Chosen One.

17 And so there were fourteen generations from Father of Many Nations (Abraham) to Much Loved One (David), fourteen more generations from Much Loved One (David) until the removal to Village of Confusion (Babylon), and then fourteen more from the removal to Creator Sets Free (Jesus), the Chosen One.

Birth of the Chosen One

18 Here is the story of how the Chosen One was born: His mother, Bitter Tears (Mary), had been promised in marriage to He Gives Sons (Joseph). But before they came together in marriage, while still a virgin, she found out that she was carrying a baby in her womb from the Holy Spirit. 19 He Gives Sons (Joseph) was a man of honor. He did not want to bring her trouble and open shame, so he thought about secretly releasing her from the marriage promise.

20 As he wondered about these things, a messenger from the Great Spirit appeared to him in a dream and said, “He Gives Sons (Joseph), descendant of Much Loved One (David), do not be afraid to take Bitter Tears (Mary) to be your wife, because the Holy Spirit has given her this child. 21 She will give birth to a son. You will name him Creator Sets Free (Jesus), because he will set his people free from their bad hearts and broken ways.”

22 This gave full meaning to the words of Creator spoken long ago by the prophet, 23 “A young virgin will be with child and give birth to a son. They will call his name Immanuel, which in our tribal language means Creator Is with Us.”

24 When He Gives Sons (Joseph) woke up, he followed the guidance given him in the dream and took Bitter Tears (Mary) to be his wife. 25 But he did not have sexual relations with her until after the child was born, and he named the child Creator Sets Free (Jesus). — Gift From Creator Tells The Good Story 1 (Matthew 1) | First Nations Version (FNV) First Nations Version Bible Copyright ©2023 InterVarsity Press. Cross References: Genesis 22:18; Genesis 25:19; Deuteronomy 22:23; Deuteronomy 24:1; Ruth 4:18; Ruth 4:20; 1 Samuel 1:20; 2 Samuel 7:12; 2 Samuel 11:27; 1 Kings 3:5; 1 Kings 11:43; 1 Kings 15:24; 2 Kings 24:14; 1 Chronicles 2:12; 1 Chronicles 3:14; Isaiah 7:14; Jeremiah 22:30; Jeremiah 27:20; Haggai 1:1; Matthew 16:16; Matthew 16:20; Matthew 27:17; Luke 1:31; Luke 2:7; Acts 5:19; Romans 1:2

[basicallyanotherwitchesthing]

Sharon Fish & Judith Allen Shelly - Spiritual Care: The Nurse's Role - InterVarsity Press - 1978

[tom4jc]

Hidden Worldviews (book review)

Title: Hidden WorldviewAuthor: Steve Wilkens and Mark L. SanfordPublisher: InterVarsity PressPages: 218 Hidden Worldviews The authors, Steven Wilkens and Mark L. Sandford, of this book begin by describing what makes a worldview a worldview. They state the often people look at certain major worldviews, but miss what the common worldviews are that are very seldom seen as a worldview, though held…

[jamaalw]

The Enneagram Exposed (Yeah, It's Demonic)

“Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;…” – Tim. 4:1 What is the Enneagram? “This is the original Enneagram — no numbers, no types. It was never intended to be used the way it is now. It developed from occultist Oscar Ichazo who started adding in meanings (though not personality…

[vw-tb0]

“Of all the types of waiting, the waiting of pregnancy is like the waiting we do for God”-Wendy M. Wright, The Vigil: Keeping Watch in the Season of Christ’s Coming. Qtd. in Living the Christian Year by Bobby Gross, page 37 (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2009)

“All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it’s not only around us. It’s within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We’re also feeling the birth pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course, don’t see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become, and the more joyful our expectancy.” Romans 8:22-25, paraphrased by Eugene Peterson, qtd. in Bobby Gross, Living the Christian Year (Downer’s Grove: InterVarsity Press, 2009)

[wisdomfish]

"There is no genuine Jesus without his cross and no genuine Christians without that cross at the heart of their lives. Paul summed this up: “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Gal 6:14; see also 1 Cor 1:18). While his credentials as the prophesied Messiah—virgin-born, miracle worker, exorcist, master teacher and philosopher, and man of authority and compassion—are integral to this identity, none of his credentials can be understood aright apart from his cross. Even a defense of his divine-human nature it incomplete without his cross."

~ Groothuis, Douglas. Christian Apologetics (p. 513). InterVarsity Press.

[dk-thrive]

Let us not underestimate how hard it is to be compassionate. Compassion is hard because it requires the inner disposition to go with others to place where they are weak, vulnerable, lonely, and broken. But this is not our spontaneous response to suffering. What we desire most is to do away with suffering by fleeing from it or finding a quick cure for it.

Henri J.M. Nouwen, Hope for Caregivers: A 42-Day Devotional in Company with Henri J. M. Nouwen (InterVarsity Press, August 16, 2022)

[deathdyinggrief2023]

Thanatology Bibliography

THANATOLOGY READINGS 

Moll, Rob. (2010). The Art of Dying: Living Fully Into the Life to Come. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press. ISBN: 9780830837366 

Parkes, C., Laungani, P. and Young, W. (1997). Death and Bereavement Across Cultures. London: Routledge. ISBN: 9780415131377

SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Alford, John & Catlin, George. (1993). The role of culture in grief. The Journal of Social Psychology, 133(2), 173-84.

Aries, Philippe. (1976). The Hour of Our Death. New York: Bantom.

Burton, Laurel., & Tarlos-Benka, Judy. (1997). Grief-Driven Ethical Decision-Making. Journal of Religion and Health, 36(4), 333-343. Retrieved from www.jstor.org/stable/27511175

Castle, Jason. & Phillips, William. (2003). Grief rituals: Aspects that facilitate adjustment to bereavement. Journal of Loss & Trauma, 8(1), 41-71.

Corr, Charles A., Donna M. Corr, and Kenneth J. Doka. (2019).  Death & Dying, Life & Living. Boston, MA: Cengage.

Crunk, Elizabeth. Burke, Laurie., & Robinson, Mike. (2017). Complicated grief: An evolving theoretical landscape. Journal of Counseling & Development, 95(2), 226-233.

Doughty, Caitlin. (2015). Smoke gets in your eyes and other lessons from the crematory. New York: Northcott. 

Dresser, Norine & Wasserman, Freda. (2010). Saying goodbye to someone you love: Your emotional journey through end-of-life and grief. New York: Demos Medical Publishing. 

Frank, Arthur W. (2013). The wounded storyteller. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.

Guinther, Paul.,Segal, Daniel. (2003). Gender differences in emotional processing among bereaved older adults. Journal of Loss & Trauma, 8(1), 15-33.

Heath, Yvonne. (2015). Love your life to death: How to plan and prepare for end of life so you can live life fully now. Canada: Marquis Publishing.

Hemer, Susan. (2010). Grief as social experience: Death and bereavement in lihir, papua new guinea¹. The Australian Journal of Anthropology, 21(3), 281-297. 

Kalanithi, Paul. (2016). When Breath Becomes Air. New York: Random House.

Kellehear, Allan. (2002). Grief and loss: Past, present and future. Medical Journal of Australia, 177(4), 176-177.

Kwon, Soo-Young. (2006). Grief ministry as homecoming: Framing death from a korean-american perspective. Pastoral Psychology, 54(4), 313-324. doi:10.1007/s11089-005-0002-1

Lawrence, Elizabeth., Jeglic, Elizabeth., Matthews, Laura., & Pepper, Carolyn. (2006). Gender differences in grief reactions following the death of a parent. Omega - Journal of Death and Dying, 52(4), 323-337.

Leone Fowler, Shannon. (2017). Traveling with Ghosts. New York: Simon & Schuster. 

Lewis, Clive Staples. (2009). The Problem of Pain. New York: Harper. 

Lopez, Sandra. (2011). Culture as an influencing factor in adolescent grief and bereavement. Prevention Researcher, 18(3), 10-13.

McCreight, Bernadette. (2004). A grief ignored: Narratives of pregnancy loss from a male perspective.Sociology of Health & Illness, 26(3), 326-350.

Miller, Eric. (2015). Evaluations of hypothetical bereavement and grief: The influence of loss recency, loss type and gender. International Journal of Psychology: Journal International De Psychologie, 50(1), 60-3. doi:10.1002/ijop.12080

Northcott, Herbert.C., & Wilson, Donna.M. (2017). Dying and death in Canada (3rd ed.) Toronto: University of Toronto Press. 

Nuland, Sherwin B. (1995). How We Die. New York: Vintage.

Penman, Emma., Breen, Lauren., Hewitt, Lauren., & Prigerson, Holly. (2014). Public attitudes about normal and pathological grief. Death Studies, 38(8), 510-516.

Rosenstein, Donald L. & Yopp, Justin M. (2018). The Group: Seven widowed fathers reimagine life. New York: Oxford University Press.

Rubinstein, Gidi. (2004). Locus of control and helplessness: Gender differences among bereaved parents. Death Studies, 28(3), 211-223.

Sandburg, Sheryl, & Grant, Adam. (2017). Option B: Facing Adversity, Building Resilience, and Finding Joy. New York: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group. 

Schonfeld, Davis., Quackenbush, Mike., & Demaria, Thomas. (2015). Grief across cultures: Awareness for schools. Nasn School Nurse (print), 30(6), 350-2.

Stelzer, Eva-Maria., Atkinson, Ciara., O'Connor, Mary F., & Croft, Alyssa. (2019). Gender differences in grief narrative construction: A myth or reality? European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 10(1),

Stroebe, Margaret., & Schut, Hank. (1998). Culture and grief. Bereavement Care, 17(1).

Swinton, John and Richard Payne. (2009). Living Well and Dying Faithfully. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans.

Tarakeshwar, Nalini., Hansen, Nathan., Kochman, Arlene., & Sikkema, Kathleen. (2005). Gender, ethnicity and spiritual coping among bereaved hiv-positive individuals. Mental Health, Religion & Culture, 8(2), 109-125.

Versalle, Alexis. & McDowell, Eugene. (2005). The attitudes of men and women concerning gender differences in grief. Omega - Journal of Death and Dying, 50(1), 53-67.

Walter, Tony. (2010). Grief and culture. Bereavement Care, 29(2), 5-9. 

Walter, Tony. (2010). Grief and culture: A checklist. Bereavement Care, 29(2), 5-9.

Winkel, Heidemarie. (2001). A postmodern culture of grief? On individualization of mourning in Germany. Mortality, 6(1), 65-79.

[christophe76460]

LA SYMPHONIE DE L'ÉCRITURE

Lorsque j'étais au Dallas Theological Seminary et que je me débattais avec la question du dispensationalisme, je suis tombé sur un petit livre de Mark Strom intitulé The Symphony of Scripture. En tant que dispensationaliste, ma compréhension de la Bible reposait sur les divisions de l’Écriture. En fait, la devise fondamentale des dispensationalistes est : « diviser correctement la Parole de vérité ». Malheureusement, l’unité de l’Écriture a été perdue dans la compréhension dispensationnelle de cette phrase biblique. Les thèmes et les fils sous-jacents qui relient tous les livres de l’Écriture ont été obscurcis et/ou ignorés. La discontinuité a été accentuée au détriment de la continuité, et la Bible a été découpée en segments séparés. Le livre de Strom a été l’un des premiers livres que j’ai lus à cette époque et qui m’a mis au défi de regarder la Bible d’une manière différente – de la considérer comme une histoire unifiée centrée sur le Christ. Cela reste l’une des introductions les plus utiles au message global des livres de la Bible que j’ai vues. Le livre, initialement publié par InterVarsity Press, est épuisé depuis près d’une décennie, mais il a récemment été réédité par P&R Publishing Company.

Selon Strom, trois présupposés principaux façonnent les grandes lignes et la structure de son livre du début à la fin :

La Bible est essentiellement le récit des relations de Dieu avec son peuple sur des milliers d’années et au sein de plusieurs cultures différentes. Une histoire centrale et l'interaction constante de thèmes tels que le péché, le jugement et la grâce unifient sa diversité.

Jésus-Christ est la clé pour comprendre cette unité dans la diversité.

Les livres de la Bible doivent être lus dans le respect de leur contexte historique et culturel et des conventions littéraires qu’ils reflètent.

L'objectif principal du livre est de démontrer comment les personnages, événements, institutions et livres clés de la Bible s'intègrent dans l'histoire globale. En d’autres termes, Strom fournit une carte de la forêt avec un guide des points de repère importants le long du sentier. Le livre est une introduction aussi utile pour ceux qui n’ont aucune connaissance préalable des Écritures que pour ceux qui étudient la Bible depuis de nombreuses années.

Le livre de Strom est divisé en vingt-deux chapitres relativement courts (généralement une dizaine de pages). Douze chapitres sont consacrés à l'Ancien Testament et dix au Nouveau Testament. Il existe de nombreux graphiques et illustrations utiles tout au long du texte pour aider le lecteur à comprendre des sujets plus complexes. Chaque chapitre commence par un bref résumé du point principal à communiquer et se termine par plusieurs questions de discussion et exercices. Les exercices présentent au lecteur le texte même de l'Écriture qui a été discuté dans le chapitre. Le livre est structuré de manière à être particulièrement adapté à une étude biblique individuelle ou en groupe.

Beaucoup de nouveaux croyants (ainsi que d’anciens) sont souvent intimidés lorsqu’ils tentent de lire la Bible. Tant de questions se posent. A quoi servent les nombreuses généalogies ? Quel est le sens de tous ces étranges sacrifices ? Quelle est la pertinence de ces histoires d’anciens rois et prophètes ? Que signifient ces images étranges dans les livres prophétiques ? Pourquoi Jésus parle-t-il en paraboles obscures ? Pourquoi le Livre de l’Apocalypse est-il si mystérieux et difficile à comprendre ? Ces questions submergent souvent le lecteur des Écritures. C’est pourquoi une introduction comme celle-ci peut s’avérer extrêmement utile. Personne ne tente de faire un long voyage dans un pays étranger sans une carte et un guide. Lire la Bible pour la première fois, c’est comme partir pour un long voyage dans un pays étranger, et une bonne carte et un bon guide sont tout aussi utiles dans ce voyage que dans tout autre.

Cependant, Strom ne se contente pas de présenter les livres de la Bible. Il retrace également bon nombre des thèmes centraux qui parcourent toute la Bible. C’est probablement l’une des caractéristiques les plus utiles du livre. Le thème central de l’Écriture est, bien sûr, une Personne – Jésus-Christ, et Strom se concentre sur la façon dont la Bible entière le désigne. Mais Strom montre également comment d’autres thèmes tels que la grâce, le sacrifice, le jugement et l’alliance se retrouvent tous dans les livres de la Bible et trouvent leur sens ultime en Christ. Cet aspect du livre est ce qui s’est avéré le plus utile pour moi en tant que dispensationaliste en convalescence, et je soupçonne qu’il pourrait être tout aussi utile pour d’autres qui luttent contre les problèmes soulevés par ce système d’interprétation. Dans l’ensemble, Strom fait un travail remarquable en montrant comment les différents thèmes et motifs de la Bible s’assemblent pour former un tout cohérent et harmonieux.

Je recommanderais volontiers ce livre à toute personne désirant une meilleure compréhension des Écritures, qu'elle soit chrétienne depuis une semaine ou depuis plusieurs décennies.

- Keith Mathison

[mrlnsfrt]

Law Fulfilled

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” - Matthew 5:17 NKJV

I have discussed these verses with so many people over the years. Many seem to interpret fulfillment to mean abolish, annul, or repeal. They interpret Jesus’ fulfillment of the law to mean, in a practical sense, that we can disregard it. When I read this verse, I see Jesus making the two ideas antithetical to each other, so destroy and fulfill are opposites, whereas the other interpretation makes the two practically synonymous. I am not sure if you have ever considered this before but I began to wonder if anyone else saw it this way. I will quote below several commentaries and books I found that reflect on Matthew 5:17. Before we get to the quotes, just remember that commentaries should be read critically. By this I mean that you should consider what you read and the argument made and decide if you agree or disagree or even partially agree. I am not saying I agree 100% with all of these, but I want to expose you to them so you can make up your own mind about how to best interpret Matthew 5:17.

Now Christ makes clear that he is not contradicting the law, but neither is he preserving it unchanged. He comes “to fulfill” it, i.e., he will bring the law to its intended goal. […] Fulfillment of Scripture, as throughout chaps. 1–4, refers to the bringing to fruition of its complete meaning. Here Jesus views his role as that of fulfilling all of the Old Testament. This claim has massive hermeneutical implications and challenges both classic Reformed and Dispensationalist perspectives. It is inadequate to say either that none of the Old Testament applies unless it is explicitly reaffirmed in the New or that all of the Old Testament applies unless it is explicitly revoked in the New. Rather, all of the Old Testament remains normative and relevant for Jesus’ followers (2 Tim 3:16), but none of it can rightly be interpreted until one understands how it has been fulfilled in Christ. Every Old Testament text must be viewed in light of Jesus’ person and ministry and the changes introduced by the new covenant he inaugurated. - Craig Blomberg, Matthew, vol. 22, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 103–104.

I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil—Not to subvert, abrogate, or annul, but to establish the law and the prophets—to unfold them, to embody them in living form, and to enshrine them in the reverence, affection, and character of men, am I come. - Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset, and David Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible, vol. 2 (Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1997), 20.

The verb “destroy” means to “loosen down” as of a house or tent (2 Cor. 5:1). Fulfil is to fill full. This Jesus did to the ceremonial law which pointed to him and the moral law he kept. “He came to fill the law, to reveal the full depth of meaning that it was intended to hold” (McNeile). - A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press, 1933), Mt 5:17.

He does more than obey them himself; he explains what obedience will involve for his disciples. He rejects the superficial interpretation of the law given by the scribes; he himself supplies the true interpretation. His purpose is not to change the law, still less to annul it, but ‘to reveal the full depth of meaning that it was intended to hold’. So then he ‘fulfils it by declaring the radical demands of the righteousness of God’. This is what he stresses in the rest of Matthew 5 by giving examples, as we shall see. - John R. W. Stott and John R. W. Stott, The Message of the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7): Christian Counter-Culture, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1985), 72.

The main thing here is the attitude to God’s law. The category of law is not abolished for the followers of Jesus. He came not to abolish the law but to fulfil it. Of course, some of the elements in the Old Testament law were abolished by being fulfilled. They had pointed forward to what had now eclipsed them in the fuller light brought by Jesus. But the moral law had not been abrogated. Indeed, Jesus goes on to intensify its demands. He is concerned to show his disciples in the kingdom that their righteousness must transcend the formal obedience which, at its worst, Pharisaism was capable of: the attitude that said, ‘Right, I have fulfilled precisely what is required of me, but I didn’t want to do it, and I shall not throw in one iota of extra commitment.’ Jesus looks for the inner disposition as well as the outer action. The law is not the limit of obedience; it is to be seen rather as the springboard for a life of devotion to Jesus and his Father. It is the kerbstone along the road of love. And Jesus proceeds, in the verses that follow, to give a number of examples of the outworking of that wholeheartedness. Greatness in God’s kingdom is measured by wholehearted obedience. - Michael Green, The Message of The Message of Matthew: The Kingdom of Heaven: The Kingdom of Heaven, The Bible Speaks Today (Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2001), 92.

This section presents the heart of Jesus’ message, for it demonstrates His relationship to the Law of God. Jesus was not presenting a rival system to the Law of Moses and the words of the Prophets, but a true fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets—in contrast with the Pharisees’ traditions. - Louis A. Barbieri Jr., “Matthew,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 30.

By mentioning both the Torah and the Prophets Yeshua is saying that he has not come to modify or replace God’s Word, the Tanakh. Compare Lk 24:44–45.  - David H. Stern, Jewish New Testament Commentary : A Companion Volume to the Jewish New Testament, electronic ed. (Clarksville: Jewish New Testament Publications, 1996), Mt 5:17.

The quotes could have been much longer and I have really enjoyed the perspective these authors have brought to this biblical text. However, what if you don’t have access to these commentaries? How can you best interpret a challenging biblical passage, or any passage really? Your best friend is context. Let’s see what the next verses say.

Not a jot or tittle?

For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. - Matthew 5:18 NKJV

Jesus here reaffirms that not even the smallest components of individual words will pass away. The authority of scripture will endure for all time. However, Jesus also has an important qualification “till all is fulfilled.” The New Testament can help us navigate these aspects of the law, for example, the book of Hebrews describes how we no longer need to offer animal sacrifices. (see Hebrews 10:4-10 for example) Also, when Jesus died the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom (Matthew 27:51) which in my mind indicates an end to the ceremonial laws involving the earthly temple. It probably also reveals that Jesus’ death on the cross provides us direct access to God through Jesus. (Hebrews 4:16) We no longer need to go through a human priest.

When in His expiring moments on the cross, Christ exclaimed, “It is finished,” the veil of the Temple was rent from top to bottom. The need for the Jewish system of sacrifices and offerings had ended. Type had met antitype in the death of the One to whom the sacrifices pointed. A new and living way had been opened—a way by which Jew and Gentile, free and bond, could come to God and find pardon and peace.

Christ is to be uplifted as the Redeemer of the world. He is to be proclaimed as the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. - The Upward Look (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1982), 100.

“one jot” refers to the smallest of the letters in the Hebrew alphabet.

“one tittle” refers to one of the little strokes that distinguish one letter from another.

“till heaven and earth pass away” is a reference to the second coming of Jesus (Revelation 21:1-4) when all the laws and prophecies will be unquestionably fulfilled. So we have this tension that the law and prophecies will not change until the earth is made new, yet some aspects of it were being fulfilled by Jesus and continue to be fulfilled by us, His followers

Maybe this feels messy or confusing. But once again, context will help clarify things.

Breaking Commandments

Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 5:19 NKJV

The word translated as “break” is the Greek word λύω, which is closely related to the word translated as “destroy” (καταλύω) in verse 17. The “κατά” prefix adds a level of power, “far more” or “exceeding,” so in verse 19 we have “luo” or loose or set aside, and in verse 17 we have “kataluo” which would be an extreme loosening or setting aside.

Maybe it seems like I am majoring in minors but I believe this is worth our attention. What I get from Jesus’ words is a warning against teachers who loosen or set aside God’s requirements. As a teacher/religious leader, I take this very seriously. I must highlight God’s love and kindness and mercy and willingness to save even the worst of sinners. Yet I must be careful to never downplay the importance of God’s will as revealed in the Scriptures which in Jesus’ time were made up primarily of the law and the prophets.

The ranking makes me a little uncomfortable, especially in light of the parable of the laborers found in Matthew 20:1-16 that seems to rule out any ranking in heaven. One way of solving this apparent contradiction is to consider Jesus’ audience. It is likely that the Pharisees taught and the multitude believed that our ranking on earth was a reflection of God’s ranking or our ranking in the kingdom of God. If that was the case the Pharisees would be highly ranked in the kingdom of God and the poor, the lame, and the sick would be the least in the kingdom of heaven.

Variation of ranking within the community of God’s people is best taken as referring to those whom God will truly honor in the present age. - Craig Blomberg, Matthew, vol. 22, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 105.

I especially appreciate the insights found in the Seventh-day Adventist Commentary regarding Matthew 5:19

Least commandments. The scribes had meticulously arranged all the precepts of the law of God, the laws of Moses, civil and ceremonial, and their own regulations in a scale of relative importance, on the presumption that when in conflict a requirement of lesser importance was nullified by one of presumably greater importance. By means of this petty legalism it was possible to devise means of circumventing the plainest requirements of the law of God. For illustrations of the application of this principle see Matt. 23:4, 14, 17–19, 23, 24; Mark 7:7–13; John 7:23. It was considered a rabbinical prerogative to declare certain actions “permitted” or “forbidden.” Jesus made it clear that, far from releasing men from the precepts of the moral law, He was even more strict than the official expositors of the law, the scribes and rabbis, for He granted no exceptions at any time. All were equally and permanently binding. - Francis D. Nichol, ed., The Seventh-Day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 5 (Review and Herald Publishing Association, 1980), 333.

I know there is a lot packed in here, but once again, let us keep reading and see how the following verse informs our interpretation.

The righteousness of the Pharisees

For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. - Matthew 5:20 NKJV

The scribes were the official expositors of the law and the Pharisees possessed artificially enhanced piety. Jesus mentions them because the scribes and Pharisees were the paradigm of the greatest righteousness conceivable in Jesus’ time. Imagine going to a sporting event and being told that you must outperform the professionals.

Remember what Jesus said in Matthew 5:6,10? (See Blessed are you part 1 and Blessed are you part 2) Jesus said that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness have a special blessing, along with those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. Being a follower of Jesus would require greater righteousness.

In my next posts, I’ll dive deeper into what this righteousness looks like. For now, you can continue reading Matthew 5. Remember, context is your friend.

Conclusion

When we consider God changing His mind or changing His laws it promotes the idea of God learning, growing, maturing, evolving, and I believe that is dangerous ground to treat on. Not only is it dangerous because The Bible is very clear that God doesn’t change (Malachi 3:6; Numbers 23:19; Isaiah 40:8, 28; 44:6; Psalm 102:25-27; 90:2; Matthew 24:35; Revelation 22:13) But we have to keep in mind it is not just about Old Vs New Testament, but God’s laws also maintains the wellbeing of the universe. (1 Corinthians 1:8; Hebrews 11:3; Acts 17:24; Psalm 119; 91; Revelation 4:11; Colossians 1:15-17)

The idea of God changing or breaking His laws would cause us to question everything the Bible teaches because it opens the possibility for things to change again in the future. The study of prophecy would become useless, and trust in God’s promises would erode.

When we observe Jesus’ teaching and behavior during His earthly ministry we may sometimes get the impression that he is breaking the Old Testament laws, or starting a new religion altogether, but Jesus was clear, He was only fulfilling everything the Old Testament pointed to.

Jesus had to come as our redeemer precisely because the Law of God is perfect and holy and changeless and it is impossible for sinful human beings to meet the standard of its requirements. If we could do it we would need a Savior. If the law is destroyed, so is our need for a redeemer. Jesus came and it is He who causes our lives to come into harmony with the principles of the law of God. Why do you think our lives are transformed once we give our hearts to Jesus? It is because He is shaping us into His likeness, bringing our lives into harmony with His changeless law.

There isn’t a single commandment of the law of God that is not for our good and happiness both in this life and in the life to come!

Jesus wants to put His laws into our hearts and write them in our minds (Hebrews 10:16). But Jesus will not force this change upon you. Revelation 3:20 describes Jesus knocking on the door, not knocking it down. Will you invite Jesus into your heart and allow Him to place His changeless law in your heart?

[rhiannawoodart]

Bibliography

Books

Author-Book Title-Year-Publisher-Location

Lister.K-A Curious History of Sex-2020-Unbound-London

Hirsch.D-Redeeming Sex-2015-InterVarsity Press-Illinois

Weiner.J-Who Do You Love-2015-Atria Books-New York

JLey.D-The Myth of Sex Addiction-2014-Rowman And Littlefield Publishers-New York

Carnes.S- Mending a Shattered Heart-2014-Ebook.com-N/A

Blumenfield.D-Overcoming Racism and Sexism-1995-Rowman and Littlefield-New York

Simone.S-What Every Man Thinks Apart From Sex-2011-Talent Shed Limited-

Crowborough

Paige.L-Sex Symbol-2017-Laurelin Paige-N/A

Johns.C-Sex or Symbol?-2000-Routledge-Oxfordshire

(ED)Zillman.D-Pornography-2012-Taylor and Francis-Oxfordshire

Saunders.D-On Pornography-2016-Palgrave Mac Millan-London

Dines.G-Pornography-2013-Taylor And Francis-Oxfordshire

Hamlin.H-Full Frontal Nudity-2013-Scribner-New York

Carr.P-Nakedness-2014-Reaktion Books London

Galleries

Museum-Exhibition-Date

Tate Museum- Women in Revolt-26/03/2024

Firsrsite Gallery-Big Women-18/06/2024

Tate Museum-Now You See Us-16/05/2024

Burlington House-Marina Abramovic-23/08/2023

Art Gallery of Creator Victoria -In the Flesh-31/03/2023

Websites

Author-Web Adress-Year-Date Accessed

Kelly Richman Abdou-www.mymodernmet.com-2018-21/02/2024

Balsas Takac-www.widewalls.ch-2019-21/02/2024

Alina Cohen-www.artsy.net-2019-21/02/2024

Rolf Lassese-www.jstor.org-2005-21/02/2024

Ineke Knudse-www.medium.com-2018-21/02/2024

Chris Harvey-www.telegraph.co.uk-2014-21/02/2024

Jonathon Jones-www.amptheguardian.com-2013-21/02/2024

Mike Wade-www.thetimes.co.uk-2022-21/02/2024

Rachel Cook-www.amptheguardian.com-2013-21/02/2024

Jonathon Goodman-www.whitehotmagazine.com-2012-21/02/2024

Emine Saher-www.amptheguardian.com-2016-21/02/2024

Lexi Mantakis-www.dazeddigital.com-2018-21/02/2024

Helen Molesworth-www.frieze.com-2020-22/02/2024

Laurie Barron-www.ocula.com-2021-22/02/2024

Angena Rigamonti-www.studiointernational.com-2023-22/02/2024

Desi Gonzakez-www.artnews.com-2013-22/02/2024

Stuart Jeffries-www.amptheguardian.com-2022-27/02/2024

Jennifer Higgie-www.frieze.com-2007-27/02/2024

Glenn O'Brien-www.interviewmagazine.com-2009-27/02/2024

[shammah8]

"He made known to us the mystery of His will according to His good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ…"

Ephesians 1:9

MYSTERY

Human beings always want to know “why?” and “why not now?” But it’s precisely because we are human we cannot know. That’s why mystery is so important to understand. The entire book of Job is all about the “why” of suffering and in the end God invites Job to see a bigger picture than even his suffering.

Creation is a mistake if all you see is your suffering. But if you lift your eyes wider and let your gaze roam over the whole universe with God, you can also see that creation has even more beauty and grace.

So we are to value mystery because it enables us to feel God’s love…love that was fully revealed in Christ.

Sometimes we get to see “why?” and “why not now?” (one of the good aspects of growing older). Often we don’t because we are the players of life in the universe, not the playwright.

Christine Mallouhi in her excellent book, Waging Peace on Islam, makes this significant conclusion:

The victorious and triumphant Christian life does not conjure up pictures of suffering and death and feelings of abandonment. But this was all part of God's victory in Christ. If this was the path the Master trod why should it be any different for the servants? Jesus cried out "why?" and "where are you?" to God when circumstances were crushing Him. God is always greater than our understanding of Him and there will always be mystery about Him that causes us to fall down in awe and worship. This mystery, which we want to tidily categorise, keeps causing struggles in our life. Every time we get God tidied up like a ball of rubber bands, another end bursts out and the struggle begins over again, until we learn to live in faith with untidy ends. If everything is clear then faith is irrelevant. We are not called to solve the mystery, but enter it. [26]

Response

Today I will value mystery because it enables me to feel God’s love.

Prayer

Thank You Lord that though the world around us if full of suffering, it is more full of beauty and grace. Help me to trust You and value mystery.

26 Christine Mallouhi, Waging Peace on Islam (Downers Grove, IL: Intervarsity Press, 2000), p.52.

© 2013 Open Doors International. Used by permission

[wortzentriert]

1

A Survey of the History of the Interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11:2-16

A. Philip Brown II, PhD

Aldersgate Forum 2011

This essay examines two aspects of the history of how 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 has been

interpreted:1

(1) What did Paul mean when he said men should not be covered and women

should be covered when praying or prophesying, and (2) What do Paul’s requirements regarding

men’s and women’s hair mean.

The aims of this survey are, first, to orient the interpreter to the ways in which this passage

has been understood, thereby guarding against an interpretation uninformed by church history.

Second, it will demonstrate that the church has historically understood Paul to teach that women

should have long hair and men should not. Third, it will provide what I hope is a plausible

explanation for how the dominant understanding of this passage developed, that is, that Paul

requires women’s heads to be covered with both hair and a material head-covering.

The history of interpretation divides naturally into three periods: early and medieval

interpretation (AD 120-1500), reformation, post-reformation, and Wesleyan interpretation (AD

1500-1850), and modern interpretation (AD 1850-present). In each period, the identity, setting,

and views of the major interpretive figures are discussed, and the distinctive characteristics of

that period are summarized.

Early and Medieval Interpretation (A.D. 120–1500)

The majority of extant commentators from the early and medieval periods identified the

covering Paul requires in 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 as a material veil of some sort. These same

commentators also understood Paul to teach that a woman was to have long hair and that a man

was not.

AD 100-200: Irenaeus, Clement of Alexandria, and Tertullian

Irenaeus is the earliest church father to comment on 1 Cor. 11, though he does so only in

passing.2

In his treatise refuting Valentinian gnosticism,3

he notes that the Valentinians appeal to

1

At present, the only history of the interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 published is Linda A.

Mercadante’s From Hierarchy to Equality: A Comparison of Past and Present Interpretations of 1 Cor 11:2-16 in

Relation to the Changing Status of Women in Society (Vancouver: G-M-H Books, 1978). Mercadante, however,

begins her analysis with Calvin. Ralph N. V. Schutt, “A History of the Interpretation of 1 Corinthians 11:2-16”

(M.A. thesis, Dallas Theological Seminary, 1978), covered only two church fathers—Tertullian and Chrysostom—

and then jumps to Calvin, his only representative from the 16th century. Both Gerald Bray, ed., 1-2 Corinthians in

Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, ed. Thomas C. Oden (Downers Grove: InterVarsity Press, 1999),

7:106-109, and Judith L. Kovacs, 1 Corinthians: Interpreted By Early Christian Commentators in The Church’s

Bible, ed. Robert Louis Wilken (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2005), 179-184, provide citations of various

father’s views on specific verses, but they do not seek to provide a survey of the history of interpretation.

2

Irenaeus lived c. A.D. 120-202, was bishop of Lyons (France) and a disciple of Polycarp who was a

disciple of the Apostle John.

3

Valentinian Gnosticism, one of the most influential forms of Gnosticism, taught that Jesus gave his

disciples secret knowledge (gnosis) without which one cannot properly interpret Scripture. Only the spiritual mature

can appreciate this knowledge. For details, consult Einar Thomassen, The Spiritual Seed: The Church of the

“Valentinians” (Leiden: Brill, 2006).

https://comeafterme.com/web_documents/English/Articles/2011-10-25%20A%20Survey%20of%20the%20History%20of%20the%20Interpretation%20of%201%20Corinthians%2011.pdf

[dannydelosreyes]

Taking on too much at work without prioritizing, thinking I can be the savior of all who are convinced they need time with me, making commitments I cannot possibly keep without running myself into the ground, reacting and responding to every need as though it were mine to fix, trying to be perfect and never disappoint all of these compulsive behaviors ensure I will never come away and rest awhile.

Barton, R. H. (2018). Invitation to Retreat: The Gift and Necessity of Time Away with God. (p. 3) InterVarsity Press.

[jessicalinnevans]

Remembering

This little girl is trying to remember something in this picture. I can’t post all the illustrations I finish, but this one was extra fun! #NotFinishedYetBook by Sharon Brown is coming out from InterVarsity Press in 2024. #watercolor#kidlit#kidlitart#childrensbooks#childrensbookillustration#childrensillustration#process