A welcomed intrusion?

In our mens’ bible study we have been looking at what Jesus has to say on money and wealth. Those who know about these sort of things tell us that if we take all the words Jesus spoke as recorded in the gospels then put together He has more to say about money than any other topic. I can well believe it, after all you don’t get very far without it, do you?

In our study we have to date kicked into touch the so called ‘Prosperity gospel’, the idea that you can measure a man’s righteousness and standing before God by the size of his wallet and bank balance. Equally rejected is the other extreme where men and women abandon the material things of this world in some quest for inner spiritual enlightenment.

Scripture states clearly that ‘the earth is the LORD’s and the fulness thereof’ (Psalm 24:1) 

The ‘cattle on a thousand hills belong to the LORD’ (Psalm 50:10). By the same token so too do the vaults in a thousand banks.(Haggai 2:8). True, the farmers and bankers may not see this intrusion into their possessions in quite the same light but if all things belong to the LORD then whatever things we assign ownership to ourselves in this world are simply on loan to us from God.

I found an interesting case study which i would like to share here. It is the account in the gospel of Luke (chp 5:1-11) where Jesus has just started His ministry and is preaching along the shores of Galilee. Its recorded that He was being pressed on every side and in an attempt to get some space He steps into an empty fishing boat at the edge of the lake. No doubt Peter was a little bit puzzled and perhaps taken aback when Jesus climbed into his boat, his business asset, and when He asked him to put out a little into the water so that he could continue speaking to the crowds without the associated hassle.

It is recorded that Peter agreed though was he perhaps thinking to himself “What right does this man have to do this to me, its costing me time and money which in a small business like mine can make all the difference between staying financially afloat and going under” This is an interesting case where Jesus simply walks into Peter’s business and starts directing the business and making use of business assets for His own purposes!

When Jesus has completed his talk he then asks Peter to put the boat out and let the nets down. What is interesting is that when Peter remarks that they have already been fishing all night and have caught nothing but, nevertheless, if that is what he wished he would do so, he calls Jesus by the name επιστατα (pronounced ‘epistata’ a polite way of addressing someone as’Master’). When the nets go down they immediately run into a shoal of fish and the nets are so full of fish they need to quickly sub contract other local businesses to handle the catch.

Peter falls to his knees and declares to Jesus “Depart from me Lord for I am a sinful man”. Notice this time however he addresses Jesus as κυριος (pronounced ‘Kurios’ the Greek word for the divine name of God, YHWH)

Jesus replies to him ‘Don’t be afraid from now on you will be capturing men’. The Greek word translated as ‘capturing men’ is ζωγρεω , prounounced ‘zo-greo’. Its a word used to refer to fishing but also to the taking of men alive in a battle.

If this had been us perhaps the next thought would be to offer Jesus a partnership in the business. Of course we would need more boats and staff and would now be able to open that new store in Bethsaida. But what does it say happens next? “Having brought the ships to land, leaving all, they followed him”.

A similar incident occurs right at the end of Jesus’ ministry after He has risen from the dead and gone ahead into Galilee. In John 21:1ff we read that, presumably for want of something better to do Peter decides to go fishing and some of the disciples accompany them. They fish all night and again catch nothing. In the early morning Jesus stands on the shoreline and calls out ‘Children, do you have any food?’ They havn’t recognized Him yet and respond with a gruff “NO!”. “Throw the net out on the right side” the stranger adds once again telling the managing director how to run his business. Well with nothing to lose I suppose they agree and the net goes out and within moments it is bulging with so many fish that they need to get their competitors out to help. It is recorded that they caught 153 very large fish. I guess the fact the number is mentioned is an indication that it was a record catch Yet in spite of the large number the nets were not damaged.

No doubt the memories are jogged and they recognize the stranger instantly as Jesus and very soon they are on the beach around a fire sharing breakfast with Him.

As for the 153 fish well we don’t know for sure what happened. I would like to think that Peter, so pre-occupied with his Lord, shouts across to some young children playing to run up to the village and tell the locals ”Free fish for all down at the beach!” 

It’s not stated if Peter ever went fishing again or what happened to his business but we know that from that point on his ministry in the newly established church in Jerusalem takes all his energy and time he starts his new career path, ”capturing men alive”.

Lord grant us the grace to allow you full access to our wealth and possessions and when you intrude in our business affairs and our possessions that we might have the grace and humility to allow you to make use them as you please for your glory in kingdom building. May we always be gracious about our wealth and not arrogant, ever ready to share with those less fortunate than ourselves and bringing much glory to Yourself. Amen

 The Scribbling Scribe  23rd October 2009

A quarter of a shekel makes all the difference

Do you believe that God plans every step of your life? I know some people who believe that God has a perfect plan for their lives right down to the very last detail and that nothing can happen in their lives without God’s express permission. Equally however I know people at the other extreme who see life simply as a series of random events, good and bad, which happen to all and from which no-one is exempt.

I don’t know for sure where the truth lies but I do know that God is able to intervene in our lives in both the miraculous and the mundane to ensure that His purposes are fulfilled. There is also I believe sufficient evidence to support this from scripture.

The first example I found was that of Saul in the Old Testament in the days before he became king. It is stated that some of the family donkeys had wandered off and Saul’s father Kish asked his son along with a servant to go looking for them. (1 Sam 9:3)

Saul and the servant set off and they wander aimlessly for a day or two in search of the donkeys finding nothing. By the end of a couple of days Saul has had enough and says to the servant ‘Lets go home, by now father will have forgotten about the donkeys and will be more concerned for us’. The servant however determined not to give up co-incidentally remembers that there is a prophet in a nearby town and recommends that they go and ask him for some advise. Saul agrees but then subsequently discovers that there is nothing to give him as a gift, which was the custom in those days. It seems that they would have to give up on the idea when the servant suddenly calls out ‘Hang about a bit (or words to that effect) I have here in my pocket a quarter of a shekel. Lets give him that’.

Well there is no arguing with that and off they go to the city. On the way they meet some servant girls fetching water at the well and ask them for directions. These girls must have been experiencing a boring sort of day for in return they give a very longwinded set of instructions and diretions, oh and by the way the prophet is arriving today for a big feast in the town. How co-incidental!

So the pair of them servant set off and on entering the city who is the first person they see and to whom Saul just happens to ask for directions? None other that Samuel the prophet himself. By the end of the day Saul is annointed king of Israel.

You can argue that to the casual onlooker it seems to be nothing more than a set of random events and circumstances that bring Saul to Samuel together and prepare the way for the fulfillment of the purposes of God in Saul becoming the first king of Israel. The donkey’s just happening to get lost, Kish asking his son rather than a servant to go looking, the servant just happening to be well informed about the location of prophets in Israel and of course finding the quarter of the shekel in his pocket at just the right moment which kept them going when they would otherwise might have just given up and gone home.

Yet the truth of the events are revealed in 1 Sam 9:16 where God says to Samuel “I will send to you a man..”

Another similar sort of example is found in Genesis 37:13 where Jacob asks his son Joseph to go and check up on his brothers in Shechem. Off he goes and when he arrives at Shechem they have moved on to another location. Joseph would like the rest of us simply have given up and gone home when it is stated that ‘a man found him wandering in the field’. They get into conversation and it just so happens that this man somehow overheard the brothers saying they were going to Dotham a city nearby. Joseph takes the advice of the stranger and heads off into a life changing adventure.

Many years later we read in Genesis 45:6 when Joseph meets up again with his brothers ” God sent me on ahead of you ..” In both these incidents God is directing circumstances and events down to the minutest detail to ensure that His purposes are fulfilled.

I am reminded of Psalm 1:6 (right to left)

 כִּֽי־יֹודֵ֣עַ יְ֭הוָה דֶּ֣רֶךְ צַדִּיקִ֑ים the righteous – the way of – YHWH – is knowing – For

I like in particular the use of the verb יודע (pronunced ‘yothea’ ) in its particple form. The translation ‘is knowing’ is perhaps a little over the top but nevertheless captures the meaning of the verse very well, God watching over our ways in love and with the greatest attention to detail.

Lord, grant us faith to believe that You are near and watching over our lives. Nothing can overtake us that is not already know in advance to You, the LORD omniscient from everlasting unto everlasting.

The Scribbling Scribe 22nd October 2009

Cut by the Rock

In a recent blog ‘Speak to the Rock’ I had posted some comments on what has become known as “the incident at Meribah” related in Numbers 20:12-14 where Moses demonstrates by his actions disrespect for Christ in the presence of the children of Israel. When asked by the LORD to “speak to the rock” that it would bring forth its waters he chooses rather to address the people directly in a very self righteous manner and at the same time with a provocative gesture striking the rock twice with his staff.

In so doing Moses seeks to take for himself glory for the provision of the waters that subsequently gushed forth.  I can’t help but think of the words that Jesus Himself would many centuries later speak to the lost sheep of Israel “Whoever honors me honors Him who sent me” and by the same token whoever dishonours Jesus Christ dishonours the Father that sent Him into this world. God was immediately displeased with Moses for his action and as a consequence he is denied the privilege to lead the people of God into the land of promise.

That privilege of crossing the Jordan and claiming the land in fact goes to Joshua, the servant of Moses. The Hebrew name Joshua translates into Greek as Jesus and whatever opinion we may have of the LXX (the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament, that would have been in wide circulation in the times of Jesus), the significance of the words from Matthew 1:21 ‘You shall call his name Jesus (Hebrew Joshua) for He shall save his people from their sins” and the parallel with this well known Sinai desert story would not have  been lost on those first century Jews and God fearing Gentiles alike.

The apostle Paul also develops this idea even further writing in the letter to the Corinthians concerning the children of Israel in the desert. Christ was with the Israelites in the desert and He was both the bread (manna) from heaven that fed them and the spiritual rock that followed them quenching their thirst during their journey:

“And drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ” (1 Cor 10:4)

I came across another reference to this story at the end of Psalm 114 where it is written:

הַהפְכִי הַצוּר אֲגַם־מָיִם חַלָּמִישׁ לְמַעְיְנוֹ־מָיִם׃

 “Who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water” (Psalm 114:8)

This psalm is a celebration of the deliverance of the people of God from Egypt and the signs and wonders that accompanied that deliverance. When reading the passage I was immediately struck by the use of the term ‘hard rock’.  On digging a little deeper I find that the Hebrew word translated as ‘hard’ is חַלָּמִישׁ (pronounced hal-lamish) and has the meaning of a sharp rock, or flint to be more precise.

In the LXX the word has been translated into Greek as ἀκρότομον (pronounced ‘akrotomos’). It’s a word not found in the New Testament but it does occur in a few occasions in the Old Testament in one or two revealing passages. One of which is Joshua 5:2 where God commands Joshua to circumcise the men of Israel. Note that the knives to be used in the act of circumcision were to be made not with metal but with flint (ἀκρότομον)

“At that time the LORD said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.”  So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth” (Joshua 5:2)

Circumcision was the sign of the covenant God had made with Israel. To make the process as quick and as painless as possible of course a very sharp instrument was required.

In the early days of the church many of the Jewish believers were still demanding adherence to the ritual of circumcision for the gentiles that had believed in Christ and been converted to the new ‘Way’. Paul however argued against this stating:

“No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code” (Romans 2:29)

The requirement for the believer therefore is still circumcision, but a circumcision of the heart performed by Christ through the Spirit. He is also the means, that sharp rock by which that circumcision is administered. It is unquestionably a painful exercise, and I am speaking here of the separation of the heart from the lusts and desires of this world that compete with God for a place on the throne of our hearts!

The Christ presented in today’s modern liberal society is often presented as a smooth, rounded stone that fits comfortably in the hand or pocket but this is not representative of the Christ found in the scriptures. He is sharp like a flint and when an individual truly encounters Christ it will be an uncomfortable experience with the individual most certainly experiencing the incision of his sharp edge in their life.

However let us not forget that the same sharp rock that cuts the heart in circumcision is the same sharp rock that poured forth pools of refreshing water in the desert place to sustain the children of Israel in their journey to the Promised Land. He is the same spiritual rock and it is the same living water we drink that Jesus Himself speaks of:

“Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him” (John 7:38)

 

“Lord grant us inwardly your grace and endurance as the sharp rock of circumcision cuts into our hearts to separate us from the worldly desires and lusts of this passing age that we with circumcised hearts as a sign of the new covenant may enter your kingdom and become true citizens of heaven worthy to bear Your Name”

Speak to the rock

When our two older children were of the age of restlessness and endless energy  we would, in an effort to exhaust them before bedtime, make regular visits to the Ulster Museum in the grounds of Botanic Gardens in South Belfast each Sunday for an afternoon’s outing. There was at that time a permanent geological display which seemed to be as much visited as the exhibition of modern art on the top floor. I guess most people still prefer dinosaurs to rocks and art any day don’t they?

In the course of time and in an attempt to increase the rock ratings the museum management devised what they assumed would be an instant crowd puller. It amounted in fact to nothing more however  than a small dimly lit room with some display cabinets exhibiting a few glowing rocks which, upon entry into the room, one would be greeted with the gentle tones of a man’s voice cautioning us about the dangers of the radiation we had unwittingly been exposed to.

That was 20 years ago, and thankfully the exposure was minimal and has left no permanent damage. For all I know the display may still be there, but in any event that that room became affectionately known by our children as the place of the ‘talking stones’

Talking stones and talking to stones is however not new  and I am not just referring to the realm of geological academia. I have been reading through Luke’s gospel of late and came across the following  text. It describes the temptation of Jesus just after His baptism.

The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread.”(Luke 4.3)

Earlier in ’s gospel we read that at His baptism the Spirit descended on Jesus in bodily form like a dove and the words came from heaven:

“You are my son, the beloved in whom I am well pleased” (Luke 3.22)  

At other occasions during the ministry of Jesus voices did come from heaven and on those occasions He himself remarked that they came for the benefit of the people who were with Him at the time. But on this particular occasion the fact that God was addressing Jesus Himself confirms that the voice was indeed for His benefit. At the start of His ministry comes confirmation from the throne of heaven that He is God’s son, the beloved one, the chosen saviour of His people.

It is hardly surprising then that when the devil first arrives on the scene to tempt Him his opening remarks are ‘If you are the son of God’.  The similarities with his temptation of Adam and Eve in the Paradise of Eden are obvious, with the objective to cast doubt on the word of God.  Jesus had been in the desert for 40 days and was by now hungry so the devil continues ‘talk to this stone and tell it to become bread’

When I read this I am reminded of another occasion when someone else was instructed to ‘talk to the rock’. On that occasion it was Moses in the desert when God told him to ’speak to the rock’ that it bring forth water for the children of Israel who after wandering for 40 years in the desert were naturally complaining of thirst .

  “Speak to that rock before their eyes and it will pour out its water (Num 20:8)

Moses names the place where this incident occurred ‘Massah’ which means ‘testing’  and ‘Meribah’ meaning ‘quarrelling’.  For him this test was the turning point in his career that would in fact prematurely terminate his ministry just at the time the Israelites were poised to enter  the promised land of milk and honey.

When Moses spoke to the rock it is recorded that he did not glorify God but took the glory for himself. As a consequence of his action God told him that he would not lead the congregation of Israel into the Promised Land, for that privilege would go to another.

Moses pleaded with God to reconsider, presumably on numerous occasions for we read in Deut 3:26 God says ‘Don’t talk to me anymore about this, my decision is final’

What is even more intriguing is that the rock that Moses addressed and that followed the children of Israelite in the desert was none other than Christ Himself.

“and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ” (1 Cor 10:4)

Where Moses failed and was rejected by God to complete the deliverance of His people, Jesus faithfully succeeded. What if He had turned the stone to bread? He would have failed God in the time of temptation and disqualified Himself from being Israel’s deliverer. But He resisted the temptation, giving God honour and glory.

As for Moses, well, the irony is that in the end he did enter the promised land, albeit some 1300 years later.  It’s recorded in the gospels that when Jesus was transfigured Moses was brought to Him along with Elijah.

“Two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared in glorious splendour, talking with Jesus. They spoke about his departure, which he was about to bring to fulfilment at Jerusalem” (Luke 9:30)

The irony here, lost in the translation into English, is that the word ‘departure’ is in fact in the Greek text  none other than the word  ‘exodus’. How appropriate!

In the account of the transfiguration the face of the Lord far outshone that of Moses in his day, no veil being needed  and the voice from the cloud this time affirms ‘This is my Son whom I have chosen, listen to Him’.

Truly one greater even than Moses had arrived.

The Scribbling Scribe

19th Sept 2009

An Agonizing Fit

If someone were to ask what guidelines should be given to someone who has just come to faith in Christ to enable them to grow and deepen in faith what should we advise? The standard ‘out of the box’ answer might include prayer, reading the bible, sharing faith with others and joining a vibrant church that seeks to keep Christ in the center of Christianity. All very true of course but I often wonder if such an approach is somewhat naive? Are we perhaps missing something else equally important here? Do we do all the teaching of Jesus justice and indeed perhaps even belie our own experience also if we are honest?
I have been reading through the gospel of Luke recently and came across these words spoken by Jesus in chap 13:24 when He was asked by someone “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

Jesus response was “Make every effort to enter through the narrow door, because many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able to”. In the Greek the first part of the sentence reads as follows:

Ἀγωνίζεσθε εἰσελθεῖν διὰ τῆς στενῆς θύρας

Strive           to enter        through the narrow door

Some manuscripts read ‘gate’ in place of ‘door’. The adjective used to describe the gate is στενῆς (here pronounced ste-nes) and is translated as ‘narrow’ in the NIV. The word is not found elsewhere in the New Testament apart from the same passage in Matthew 7:13. However it does occur a few times in the Greek translation of the Old Testament. In 1 Sam 23:19, 24:1 we read that “David dwelt in the narrow passes of Engedi”. In 2 Kings 6:1 the prophets complained that the place they met with Elisha was too cramped for them. In Isaiah 49:20 Zion’s children call out ‘this place is too small for us, give us more space to live in”.

 
The general idea is one of being tight, pressed, crowded and uncomfortable. There is another passage where it is used that may also throw some light on the passage already referred to in Luke’s gospel and it can be found in Numbers 22:26. This is the account of Balaam who is hired by Balak to curse the children of Israel.

There it states that ‘Then the angel of the Lord moved on ahead and stood in a narrow place where there was no room to turn, either to the right or to the left’. This becomes more interesting when we read v 22 in the original Hebrew language:

 מַלְאַ֧ךְ יְהוָ֛ה בַּדֶּ֖רֶךְ לְשָׂטָ֣ן ל֑וֹ

” The messenger of the LORD in the road to oppose him ”
The verb ‘oppose’ in Hebrew is  לְשָׂטָ֣ן (here in the infinitive construct state, pronounced “sa-tan”). The Greek word used to translate ‘satan’ is ἐνδιαβάλλειν (pronounced en-dia-ba-lein). The Greek noun διαβολος (pronounced dia-ba-los) is related to this verb and, having a general meaning of opposer or slanderer, in the course of time became the Greek name for the one whom we now know as the devil.

Coming back to Luke 13:24 however what struck me this time round was that Jesus commands us to strive to enter in through this narrow gate. Most striking is the verb Ἀγωνίζεσθε (pronounced ag-on-id-zesthe). In the NIV it is translated as ‘make every effort’, other versions use ‘strive’ Our English word ‘agonize’ comes from it. It is used on a number of occasions in the New Testament, a few examples (NIV):

John 18:36 ‘If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight ’
1 Cor 9:25 ‘Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training’
1 Tim 6:12 ‘Fight the good fight’
2 Tim 4:7 ‘I have fought the good fight’

Back then to the original question as to what we should advise the newcomer to the faith, should we not also point him or her to the injunction of Jesus to ‘agonize to enter by the narrow gate’? Be sure it’s not going to be a leisurely stroll in the park. We do the new believer no favors if we do not point out clearly that instead of ‘having arrived’ they have only ‘just begun’ and have entered a spiritual struggle that will endure for the rest of their lives on this earth.

What is the narrow gate and just how narrow is it? Well we get some insight in the following chapters of Luke.
14:27 It is narrow but here is a paradox, it will easily accommodate your cross!

18: 17 The humble who bow the knee will easily pass through. The proud will not fit.

18:24 The gate is narrow so that the rich young man with all his possessions will not fit.

When I visualize this parable in my mind I see a small narrow gate that I must strive to enter through. It is a crowded, tight, uncomfortable place with many people and all their material and spiritual paraphernalia seeking to press through and an opposer in the way seeking at all costs to hinder our progress and stop us from entering the beautiful Kingdom of God that lies at the other side.

LORD, grant us grace, favor and share in Your victory that, with childlike trust, we may, forsaking all things for the true riches of knowing and loving You, taking our cross on our shoulders attain to and be found worthy of Your glorious kingdom. For the sake of Your Beloved Son, our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen

The Scribbling Scribe
18th September 2009

Please Wait – Computer starting up

When I arrive in work in the morning the first thing I do is start up the computer. The second thing on the list is to make a cup of tea which is much appreciated after my 20km cycle in the pitch dark and pouring rain. There is logic behind this programmed sequence of early morning events, namely, by the time I am sitting down to a brew of Earl Grey blend the computer is finally ready to go.

When I left the screen some 10 minutes earlier it was displaying a message ‘Please wait – Computer applying settings’. I would often stare into the cyberspace portal and wonder what exactly is it applying and where and why? If someone were to ask for an explanation of the process of starting a computer the best answer one with limited knowledge of the black box could possibly give would simply be that which is displayed on the screen ‘Please wait’ and hope that in the end it works.

However dig a little deeper and learn about system registries, autoexec.bat and other startup configurations and you can give a more informed explanation of what is going on behind the scenes.  Still further and you are soon unraveling the world of Ram and Rom and their Mother Board. The point is simple. The message ‘computer applying settings’ can be understood at many different levels.

We can draw a parallel here with our approach of the study of the Word of God.  The deeper our understanding the greater the appreciation of what God has done for us and the better equipped and prepared we are for the times of testing in our lives.

I have mentioned elsewhere that the study of the scriptures in their original languages greatly enhances our understanding of God. Be wary however of those people who appeal to scripture in the original tongues as an authoritative basis for a particular doctrine or teaching. It doesn’t work like that. It will not solve every theological dilemma and, as with acquiring knowledge in any domain, for every question you receive an answer to ten more are raised that you had never even thought about before.

So iIf you have already been giving it some though then why not consider adding a knowledge of either Greek or Hebrew grammer as tools to enhance your study of the Bible?.

‘A little effort can yield a large reward’

The Scribbling Scribe, 15^th September 2009

Lost in Translation – Part I An example of verb tense

In my last blog “Why Study Hebrew and Greek anyway?” I mentioned I would come back with some concrete examples of how the study of the scriptures in the original languages can greatly illuminate the sacred text and enhance our understanding of God and His Son Jesus Christ.

The following is an example of where differences in the meaning of verb tenses between English and, in this instance, NT Greek make it difficult for Bible translators to render the full meaning encapsulated in a phrase without resort to ‘over-translation’ techniques (think Amplified Bible). In our modern day western society we are pre-occupied with time and this reflects in the way we use language to communicate with one another. When we employ a verb in a sentence (a ‘doing’ or action word) our primary focus is on when the action took place. Did it happen in the past, will it take place in the future or is in happening now? NT Greek verb tenses however, and Hebrew also for that matter, indicate not only time but more especially the kind of action involved. To illustrate this let’s look at a phrase in Mark 11:24 in the passage where Jesus tells us how, if we have faith, we can move mountains!

 
In the original Greek it v24 reads as follows:
διὰ τοῦτο λέγω ὑμῖν, πάντα ὅσα προσεύχεσθε καὶ αἰτεῖσθε, πιστεύετε ὅτι ἐλάβετε, καὶ ἔσται ὑμῖν.

The phrase in bold (pronounced ‘pi-stu-ete ho-tee e-la-bete kai es-tai hu-min’) is translated in the NIV as:
“believe that you have received it, and it will be yours”
In this phrase there are 3 verbs employed, the verbs ‘to believe’, ‘to receive’ and ‘to be’ in that order. Each verb in the original text is in the form of a different Greek tense, a present tense, a future tense and something we don’t find in the English language, an aorist tense.

The verb ‘to believe’ is in the present tense and it’s also in the imperative mode, that is to say, in the form of a command to us ‘Believe’. The Greek present tense indicates a continued or repeated action with the meaning, ‘Keep on believing or continue to believe’.

The verb ‘to receive’ is in an unfamiliar tense to us, the aorist tense (from the Greek word ‘oristos’ with the meaning ‘indeterminate’ or ‘indefinite’). The meaning of the tense is actually well demonstrated by this example of the verb to receive. Imagine the act of receiving as a form of transaction. There is a giver and there is a receiver and there is the act of giving in between. The giver holds the object of the transaction (here the thing we request in prayer) in his hand. The receiver extends his or her hand and takes the object from the hand of the giver. In this instance the transaction would take only a few moments, but of course the giver and receiver may be far apart and the former mails the object to the receiver who obtains it some days later. Or perhaps the giver leaves the object in a location where he knows the receiver will be in a few years time where they will be able to pick it up. What is important here is that the Greek Aorist tense does give any indication of the duration of the action, it could be short or long, it could even be a repeated action during the course of time, nor does the tense indicate anything about when the action actually occurred, it could have been in the past or be in the present or yet to happen or indeed a combination of these. What the tense however does indicate is that the transaction is being viewed in its entirety and as a completed, finished action, from the moment it leaves the giver to the moment it arrives in the receiver’s hand.

Lastly there is the verb ‘to be’ in the future tense. The phrase in the verse literally translates as ‘it will be to you (plural)’ i.e. it will be yours!
Putting these different shades of meaning together then Jesus is saying to us – “Therefore I say to you whatsoever things you pray and request for yourselves, keep on or continue to believe  that you have received (the prayer transaction is completed), and it shall be yours.

Of course faith is the evidence of things hoped for so once we have the request in our possession we no longer need to continue believing for it!

Al, the scribbling scribe dated 11-09-2009

Why study Hebrew and Greek anyway?

I am often greeted with a certain amount of surprise when I mention during the course of a conversation that I am still studying Hebrew and Greek.  This  borders on near astonishment when the listener then learns that I do it just for pleasure! Perhaps if I was studying for an academic qualification it might make some sense they conjecture and then toss in comments like “Well, these are dead languages anyway, are they not?”

The motivation however is really quite simple, a love of God’s Word and a desire to understand Him better. Surely enough motivation for a believer to dig that little bit deeper into the scriptures! Speaking of digging I would compare the study of the scripture in the original languages to prospecting for gold. In the early days of the gold rush people just turned up, strolled around the hills in the cool of the evening  picking up the nuggets as they went along. Nuggets, of course, only last for a while and as the fever intensified and more people wanted a share of the action the methods of searching intensified, tunneling mineshafts deep into the earth’s core and diverting the course of rivers with elaborate devices to sift out that elusive and precious yellow dust.  As time elapsed the effort required to obtain the same returns as in the early days dramatically increased. Eventually the rush was over but even today the gold is still out there and can be found if you are dedicated and patient.

It’s a bit like that with the study of the scripture in the original languages. In the early days scholars pocketed all the nuggets. Today for the most part it is hard labour panning for that elusive truth. Still, from generation to generation a few nuggets previously hidden just below the ground do surface, exposed by the latest developments in linguistic studies.

Some might argue “Why should I bother with learning the languages. I just need to read the right books” Well it is true that there are a few books out there if you can still find them (see note below), and there are still some teachers of the Word around who faithfully mine the scriptures in the original languages but such an approach does rely heavily on these good scribes making their finds accessible to those individuals who have neither the time nor inclination nor ability (or so they claim) to look for themselves. There is however much to be said for the excitement and pleasure one receives on finding, after a long day’s study, those few glistening specs of gold dust at the bottom of the pan that others before have overlooked, and by sharing them with others we can contribute to the sum of all our knowledge of God and His Wisdom over the ages.

At the moment I am working on a blog called ‘Lost in translation’ in which I will look at the benefits of this type of study in greater detail and how study of the original text can put back some of those things that have got lost, even in the best of Bible translations.

 

Note - a couple of the classics:

 Synonyms of New Testament Green – Archbishop Trench  (Republished as Synonyms of the New Testament (With Some Etymological Notes by A L Mayhew M.A.))

Word Studies in New Testament Greek  - Kenneth Wust

The Scribbling Scribe

9th Sept 2009

“Littlefaiths”

“Why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labour or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith” Matthew 6:30 (NIV)

In this passage the disciples are addressed by Jesus as “O you (plural) of little faith”.
This is a translation of the single Greek word ὀλιγόπιστοι. Pronounced ‘ol-ig-op’-is-toi’, it’s a combination of the two Greek words, ὀλιγός and (ol-ig-os) meaning ‘little’ and πιστος (pi-stos) meaning ‘faith’. The word only occurs 4 times in the New Testament in the gospel of Matthew (once again in Luke 12:28 but in that instance referring to the same passage cited here in Matt 6:30). The four instances are Matthew 6:30, 8:20, 14:31 and 16:8. Apart from Matt 14:31 where Peter is addressed individually, in each case the word is in both in the plural and in the vocative case (the case of address). In each of the cases cited the word is directly attributed to the spoken words of Jesus. ὀλιγός is found in Hellenistic or ‘common’ Greek (the Greek of the New Testament) in many other combinations with other Greek words. For example it is combined with the word for soul with the meaning ‘fainthearted’, or literally ‘little of soul’. An example of this usage is found in Isaiah 35:4 in the Greek translation of the Old Testament:

“Say to those with fearful hearts, ‘Be Strong, do not fear; your God will come’..”

What is remarkable however is that the word ὀλιγόπιστοι though found very occasionally in later Christian writings is not in fact found elsewhere in secular Greek writings of the first century AD or before. So where did the word come from?

We know that Jesus gave nicknames to James and John, the ‘Sons of thunder’ (Mark 3:17). We also know He added the name Peter (from the Greek Petros, meaning rock) to Simon Bar Jonas (Mark 3:16). We also know that Jesus was fond of using word play, wit and irony throughout his teaching so is it indeed possible that the Lord Himself coined this very word ‘little–faiths’ as an affectionate name for his doubting disciples?

Throughout His ministry Jesus met many people with very different levels of faith. From the sense of hopelessness of the crippled man who lay at the pool of Bethesda (John 5:1-15) to the woman who knew if she could but touch the hem of his garment she would be made whole (Matt 9:20-22)

However two of the more interesting examples of faith are those demonstrated by the Roman Centurion (Matt 8:5-13) and the woman of Canaan (Matt 15:21). What is remarkable about these gentiles was the maturity of their faith. Unlike a child who is always demanding ‘give me this, give me that’, the centurion and the Canaanite woman recognize their own sense of worthlessness before the Lord. The centurion identifies with the submission of Jesus to His Father’s authority. “For I also am a man under authority” he declares, the woman is happy to be under the table.
Both demonstrate remarkable faith which Jesus both acknowledges and responds with equally remarkable answers:

Matt 8:13 to the centurion      

Υπαγε, ὡς ἐπίστευσας γενηθήτω σοι –  Go, as you believed let it be for you

Matt 15:28 to the Canaanite woman      

ω γύναι, μεγάλη σου ἡ πίστις: γενηθήτω σοι ὡς θέλεις – O woman, great of-you the faith; let it be for you as you wish

What I find remarkable here is the maturity of the response from Jesus in that instead of simply declaring the servant of the centurion and the daughter of the Canaanite woman well, He makes no mention of them but rather empowers the faith of these two individuals to achieve the things they had requested.

When I read the above passages I can’t help being drawn to the usage here of the word γενηθήτω (pronounced ge-ne-the-to) used in both instances and, being in the imperative mood, having the meaning ‘Let it be’.
This is of course none other than the same word from the Greek version of Genesis 1:4 (et al) where God declares “Let there be light”. It is in turn a translation of the Hebrew word יְהִי (pronounced yehi ), being the divine directive for the creation of celestial phenomena.

When God spoke the words “Let there be ” did He ever for one moment doubt that perhaps nothing might happen? I speak here from the standpoint of our human understanding of God of course when I ask the question. But it raises the question if God in fact has or indeed needs faith or putting the question in a wider context we might also ask does God have hope? We are told there are three things that will remain, faith, hope and love (1 Cor 13:13). We also told that God is love (1 John 4:16) but is this His only attribute? Is God not also the source of hope and faith?
In similar fashion to both the centurion and the Canaanite woman we too come to God through Christ when we pray. Is our attitude of prayer childish or mature in nature. Do we come with the same level of maturity of faith as these two individuals?

Christ has already given the mandate
“All things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing you shall receive” (Matt 21:22)
When we come in faith to Christ we have the assurance of His response ”According to your faith let it be for you”
“The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective” (James 5:16). Our prayers of faith can change and shape the world around us through the same power that God Himself exercised in the beginning when He spoke those words “Let there be” and His will came to pass and God saw that it was good.

The Scribbling Scribe
30th Aug 2009

Sufficient for the day

Matthew 6:25-34 is the well know passage where Jesus commands us not to take any anxious thought for tomorrow as the events of tomorrow are under the control of a loving Father. At the end of the passage He adds the phrase “sufficient for the day is the evil thereof”. In the original Greek it reads: ἀρκετὸν τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ἡ κακία αὐτῆς  (‘ sufficient  for-the-day the-evil of-it ’)

I always thought the wording of this phrase just a little curious, particularly as this passage has as its primary concern the daily provision of a loving Father. Could He perhaps have had some other idea or word association in mind when He said this? Most scholars and commentators agree that there is a reference in this passage to the events in the desert many centuries earlier described in Exodus 16 where God provides manna, bread from heaven to a hungry nation. Perhaps there is more here that first meets the eye? Let’s go back and investigate a little deeper.

The story so far. The children of Israel are in bondage in Egypt, ruthlessly abused and in enslaved labour. They are forced by their task masters to make bricks to build the Egyptian cities of Ramses and Pithom (Exodus 1:11-14). However their pain and suffering has not gone unnoticed by God (Ex 3:7-8) and He calls Moses to the challenge of leading His people out of bondage into the land flowing with milk and honey.

Somewhat reluctantly Moses agrees and sets off with Aaron his brother to confront the Pharaoh. The Pharaoh would seem to be somewhat bemused by the initial request and sends them away with a firm No! telling them not to waste his time anymore. No sooner have they gone than Pharaoh calls his hench men and instructs them to increase the work load on God’s people.

Up until that point in time the Egyptians provided the straw that was required to manufacture the bricks but now the children of Israel are told they must also now gather the straw to make the bricks but still produce them in the same quantities as before.

In Exodus 5:19 it’s recorded that “The Israelite foremen were told..”You are not to reduce the number of bricks required of you for each day” . The phrase in italics reads in the Hebrew (r to l):  דְּבַר־יוֹם בְּיוֹמוֹ׃ ( ‘In-its-day the thingof – the day’)

The word  דְּבַר (here in it’s construct form) is from the root for ‘word’ but can also mean as it does here a generic ‘thing’ or ‘task’. A good translation therefore here would be, in the context of the manufacture of bricks, the Israelites were being told to meet “the quota of the day on the day”

Interestingly the same phrase turns up again in Exodus 16:4 when the Israelites are now in the desert and complaining to Moses of hunger. God is speaking here (phrase is shown in italics again):

“I will rain down bread from heaven for you. The people are to go out each day and gather enough for that day. In this way I will test them and see whether they will follow my instruction” 

When I first read these passages I couldn’t but help to notice the underlying similarity in thought to the Mattew passage. Did Jesus have these passages in mind in His dialogue? We can only but speculate.

In a strange way the cruelly of the Egyptian slave masters kept the Israelites focused on the evil of their day. I can image that once they got home in the evening the most they could rise to was to make a little food and then go straight to bed exhausted. There was no thought of tomorrow and certainly no desire to think about the prospect of another day of pain and cruelty.

Not long afterwards in the desert following the exodus God Himself would tell the Israelites to gather only sufficient manna for the day. It was His way of testing the people to see to what extent they were prepared to trust Him purely on a day by day basis without any thought or preparation for the morrow. Some Israelites however kept manna over only to discover the following morning that it had gone stale and was inedible.

Whether we are concerned about food or clothing, or a job or our children’s future or whether it’s about manna in the desert or the cruelty of the Egyptian task masters Jesus commands us not to be anxious for tomorrow because our heavenly Father knows all about tomorrow and knows already what we will need. The primary message of the passage in Matthew is that we spend all our energy and efforts today into seeking God and His righteousness and kingdom, putting on His armour daily to engage in the spiritual warfare that rages around us and having done all at the end of the day to remaining standing steadfast in His victory. As for tomorrow, it is in God’s hands, sufficient for today is the quota of evil for the day.   

The Scribbling Scribe

2nd Aug 2009