5/20/13

From Gary... A rainbow, a gift and empty pockets


I went to Sunday evening services last night, expecting a perfectly normal time.  Then, a young man (He told us later on in the Adult Bible Class that he was 24) came in and sat down it the row of seats on the other side of the auditorium.  He was very dirty looking and most of the time just played with his cell phone.  When it ran out of juice, he just walked around until he found a charger and with nothing to do, he participated in the class.  He spoke as though he thought he was a wise old man and related his experiences with drugs and alcohol as if he had now conquered all his problems; this, while being homeless and asking us for food.  At the close of the service, most everyone reached in their pockets to pool money to buy him the nourishment he sought.  I felt awkward because I was broke and so I left as quickly as possible.  On the way home, I felt awful that I couldn't help him and I was depressed.  This morning, I was sprucing up some of the pictures for use on the blog and had a headache, so I sat in the recliner for a long time with Buddy using my left leg as prop.  As I closed my eyes, I thought of the picture at the top of this post and realized how hard life must be for those who live on the street; and how, even there, people know they can get help from "church folks".  And it was THEN, that I thought of this passage from the Gospel of Luke...

Luke, Chapter 7

1 After he had finished speaking in the hearing of the people, he entered into Capernaum.  2 A certain centurion’s servant, who was dear to him, was sick and at the point of death.  3 When he heard about Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and save his servant.  4 When they came to Jesus, they begged him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy for you to do this for him,  5 for he loves our nation, and he built our synagogue for us.”  6 Jesus went with them. When he was now not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, “Lord, don’t trouble yourself, for I am not worthy for you to come under my roof.  7 Therefore I didn’t even think myself worthy to come to you; but say the word, and my servant will be healed. 8 For I also am a man placed under authority, having under myself soldiers. I tell this one, ‘Go!’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come!’ and he comes; and to my servant, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” 

  9  When Jesus heard these things, he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude who followed him, “I tell you, I have not found such great faith, no, not in Israel.”   10 Those who were sent, returning to the house, found that the servant who had been sick was well. 


The Centurion knew he wasn't one of the chosen people and yet, in time of need, went to Jesus.  The soldier was a man of authority with a great deal of responsibility, but felt unworthy to even be in the presence of Jesus.  When his servant was healed, I can imagine him saying to himself... he did this for me???  The picture shows the rainbow coming right to you, as if it is yours for the taking.  A very special gift, just for you.  I think this is how the Centurion must have felt by Jesus' gift of healing for his servant.  And, I hope that the homeless man felt blessed by the help the church gave him.  I just wish that I had something in my pocket to help him in his time of hunger.  Maybe next time...

From Jim McGuiggan... Divorce or mere Separation?



Divorce or mere Separation?

 Does "apoluo" mean "divorce"? The correct answer's yes and no. It means divorce in some texts and it doesn't mean it in others. The basicidea of the word is some kind of loosing, freeing or separating from a given place, condition or circumstance. Apoluo is used of numerouskinds of separations or releases. It's used of the release of Barabbas, of a man being loosed from his illness or of people forgiving each other (releasing them) and Timothy freed from prison. In marital contexts in the Gospels it is the word of choice to speak of the separation that is divorce. In the NT the word doesn't occur outside the Gospels in a marital/separation/divorce context.
In a marital context in the Gospels it is correct to say apoluo means divorce but it's the marital context that gives apoluo the meaning of divorce—it doesn't have it otherwise! This word, like every other generic word, means in a given text what the author intends for it to mean.
Does aphiemi mean divorce? The correct answer's yes and no depending on what texts you have in mind. If you had many texts in mind like the 5th century BC Herodotus (Histories, 5.39) the answer would be yes. He tells us that Anaxandridas refused to "put away" his childless wife and marry another. This use comes all the way down to Paul who uses it of divorce in 7:11 and 13. All of this is uncontroversial, as the scholars show us.
Of course, the word is used of many kinds of separations and it's repeatedly used of sins being (so the speak) "sent away"—that is, forgiven, which is how it is rendered over and over again in the NT.  
Does chorizo mean divorce? The correct answer's yes and no depending on what text you have in mind. If you had numerous ancient marital-contract documents in mind the answer would be yes because the scholars tell us that's how chorizo is used in them. The answer would be no if you had Acts 1:4 or Hebrews 7:26 in mind where the apostles were told not to leave the temple and where Jesus is said to beseparated from sinners.
The answer would be yes in Matthew 19:6 and Mark 10:9 where Jesus, speaking of divorce, said what God joined together man must notseparate."
The answer would be yes in 1 Corinthians 7:10-11. In addressing a Christian woman Paul says he has a word from God through the Lord Jesus rather than one that comes from God through Paul. The word from the Lord Jesus in the gospels is about divorce and not mere separation. If the women are contemplating divorce Paul says the word from Jesus Christ is "me chorizeto"—do not put asunder (Matthew 19:6 and Mark 10:9). Jesus was talking about the destruction of a one-flesh union in a divorce section (see the texts) and he uses "chorizo" to cover it.
It isn't the mere use of the word "chorizo" that matters here, it's the fact that Paul takes the Lord's teaching on divorce and applies it in this 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 situation. To paraphrase loosely (but I think accurately) the teaching here we might say, "To married Christians I give this command. [The truth is, I'm only repeating what Jesus Christ himself taught us earlier so the command is from him. He has already spoken on the matter.] A wife must not divorce her husband."
It's legitimate to translate the word chorizo here as "separate" because that's what it means! The translators were uncertain about Paul's meaning so they give "separate," the undoubted and basic meaning, rather than "divorce" which is a specific kind of separation. It's also legitimate to translate the word chorizo as divorce because divorce is a marital separation, which is how it is used by early writers as the scholars show us. The matter is not settled by which word is used but by the context, which gives the generic word its specific content.
David Daube (368, see below) takes the word of Christ in Matthew 19:6, "What God has joined let not man put asunder" to mean: "What therefore God hath married into one let not man divorce." He speaks of chorizo as having a general and narrower use.
In applying the Lord's personal ministry teaching on divorce in 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 Paul uses the word chorizo. What does that tell you? It tells me two things: 1) This is a divorce section and 2) chorizo is being used of a separation that is a divorce.
David Daube in The NT and Rabbinic Judaism (363) speaks of Paul's use of chorizo in 1 Corinthians 7 saying, "No special justification is here needed, the verb being a proper term for divorce." This is typical of scholarship! Daube goes on to show relative to Roman and Greek sources that all manner of words are used to refer to divorce. Ekballein, apopempein (cast out and send away) and others like them are used.
To say these don't "really" mean divorce is silly. You can "separate" from a husband or a group of fellow-tourists but it's the context that gives "separate" its content. You can "throw out" a wife or a pair of old shoes and you can "send away" a husband or a ill-smelling piece of fish. Ekballein doesn't "mean" divorce but in a marital context it's a proper word to express the nature of the action in divorce.
Maybe 1 Corinthians 7:10-11 has nothing to do with divorce (though I don't believe that) but it's silly to base that conclusion on the fact that the word used is chorizo and not apoluo.
Such words are generic and they're given their specific "meaning" by the context in which they appear. In a marital context they are a specific illustration of the generic meaning. These words all have something basic in them, that is, some kind of loosing, freeing or separating from a given place, condition or circumstance and that basic idea remains even in the text where the rupture of a marriage is in view. Divorce is a severing, sending away, loosing, separating or casting out experience. In a discussion of marriage being ruptured we knowapoluo speaks of divorce rather than someone being commissioned for a task (as in Acts 13:3) but we know it not because the word apoluois used but because it is a marital context in which apoluo is being used.
No, the reason we debate the meaning of the word chorizo in 1 Corinthians 7 is due to our views on the biblical teaching on marriage, divorce and remarriage. To render the word "divorce" generates difficulties that need to be worked out. In my view, to render it "separate," meaning merely separation as opposed to divorce generates greater problems.

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, the abiding word.com.

From Mark Copeland... The Way To Greatness


                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                     The Way To Greatness (9:33-37)

INTRODUCTION

1. Quietly passing through Galilee, Jesus and His disciples came to
   Capernaum...
   a. On the way, Jesus foretold His suffering a death a second time
      - Mk 9:30-32
   b. Also on the way, the disciples disputed who would be the greatest
      - Mk 9:33-34

2. Jesus took this opportunity to teach His disciples the way to true
   greatness...
   a. A way involving servitude
   b. A way involving humility

[Like many other paradoxes found in the Scripture (e.g., Mt 5:4-5), the
way to greatness in the kingdom of God is different than the way to
greatness in the kingdoms of men.  From Jesus we learn it involves...]

I. THE WAY OF SERVITUDE

   A. IMPORTANCE OF SERVITUDE...
      1. "If anyone desires to be first, he shall be last of all and
         servant of all." - Mk 9:35
      2. Greatness in Christ's kingdom is different than kingdoms of men
         - cf. Mt 20:20-26
      3. To be first (great), we must serve, just as Jesus served - cf.
         Mt 20:27-28
      -- The way of servitude is the way to greatness!

   B. EXAMPLES OF SERVITUDE...
      1. Serve others in evangelism
         a. Someone led you to Christ, can you not lead another to Him?
            - Jn 1:35-42
         b. Begin by being hospitable, offering acts of kindness and
            service
         c. At the very least:  invite to services, offer a Bible
            correspondence course
         d. Open your home to host Bible studies
         e. Hone your skills in personal evangelism, seek to improve
            your ability to share the gospel
      2. Serve others in edification
         a. Many have contributed to your spiritual growth, can you help
            others? - Ep 4:16
         b. Begin by being present at every service, greeting every one
            present
         c. Take special interest in those who are new, encourage them
         d. Offer to teach the children, even if only to assist another
            teacher
         e. Volunteer whatever service you can render in the work and
            worship of the church
      3. Serve others in benevolence
         a. Has anyone ever showed you kindness?  "Be kind to one
            another" - Ep 4:32
         b. Visit the sick or elderly, at home and in the hospital
         c. Render service such as cleaning, transportation, errands,
            etc.
         d. Minister to the poor, the hungry, or those otherwise in need
      -- These are just a few ideas of how we can serve others

[In order to offer the kind of service that really pleases God, and
thereby makes one great in the kingdom of God, the virtue of humility is
required.  And so Jesus taught His disciples...]

II. THE WAY OF HUMILITY

   A. IMPORTANCE OF HUMILITY...
      1. Jesus used a little child to teach the importance of humility
         - Mk 9:36-37
      2. The humility of small children provides an example for us - cf.
         Mt 18:1-4
      3. Like servitude, humility is a cardinal virtue in the kingdom
         - cf. 1Pe 5:5
      4. When we humbly receive others in Jesus' name, we receive both
         Him and His Father in heaven - Mk 9:37
      -- The way of humility is the way to greatness!

   B. EXAMPLES OF HUMILITY...
      1. In the area of evangelism
         a. Be open to opportunities to learn how to do personal work
         b. Ask others if you can accompany them as they teach others
         c. Reach out to those who are different than you
         d. Especially those less fortunate than you - cf. Jm 2:5
      2. In the area of edification
         a. Gladly accept subservient roles in teaching, preaching,
            worship
         b. Encourage and assist those who teach our children
         c. Warmly welcome those below or above your "social status"
            - Jm 2:1-4
         d. Help with mundane tasks (e.g., cleaning the building)
      3. In the area of benevolence
         a. Help those less fortunate than you - Lk 14:12-14
         b. Perform menial tasks where needed
         c. Offer to babysit, provide meals, help with expenses, etc.
      -- These are just a few ideas of how we show humility toward
         others

CONCLUSION

1. It may not seem like much, but the way to greatness is not possible
   without...
   a. A servant heart and servant hand
   b. A humble heart and humble hand

2. Jesus proved the greatness of service and humility by His own
   example...
   a. Coming to this earth in the form of a servant - Php 2:5-7
   b. Humbling Himself to the point of death on the cross - Php 2:8
   c. Thereby being highly exalted by God - Php 2:9-11

If we desire to be great in the kingdoms of men, we are setting
ourselves up for a fall:

   "For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles
   himself will be exalted." - Lk 14:11

If we desire to be great in the kingdom of God, let us humbly serve one
another and those in the world...
 

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