6/18/13

From Gary.... Schadenfreude's boomerang



Schadenfruede: strange word; its meaning is given in the second of the two pictures.  When someone delights in the misfortune of others, then it is called schadenfrude.  The only thing is... when you wish evil upon others, oftentimes, it comes back to you.  When I think of this, I can't help but think of the book of Esther.  The whole book really should be read at one time to totally "get it", but for the sake of brevity, I have chosen some highlights...

Esther, Chapter 2
 19  When the virgins were gathered together the second time, Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate.  20 Esther had not yet made known her relatives nor her people, as Mordecai had commanded her; for Esther obeyed Mordecai, like she did when she was brought up by him.  21 In those days, while Mordecai was sitting in the king’s gate, two of the king’s eunuchs, Bigthan and Teresh, who were doorkeepers, were angry, and sought to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus.  22 This thing became known to Mordecai, who informed Esther the queen; and Esther informed the king in Mordecai’s name.  23 When this matter was investigated, and it was found to be so, they were both hanged on a tree; and it was written in the book of the chronicles in the king’s presence. 

Esther, Chapter 3
 1 After these things King Ahasuerus promoted Haman the son of Hammedatha the Agagite, and advanced him, and set his seat above all the princes who were with him.  2 All the king’s servants who were in the king’s gate bowed down, and paid homage to Haman; for the king had so commanded concerning him. But Mordecai didn’t bow down or pay him homage.  3 Then the king’s servants, who were in the king’s gate, said to Mordecai, “Why do you disobey the king’s commandment?”  4 Now it came to pass, when they spoke daily to him, and he didn’t listen to them, that they told Haman, to see whether Mordecai’s reason would stand; for he had told them that he was a Jew.  5 When Haman saw that Mordecai didn’t bow down, nor pay him homage, Haman was full of wrath.  6 But he scorned the thought of laying hands on Mordecai alone, for they had made known to him Mordecai’s people. Therefore Haman sought to destroy all the Jews who were throughout the whole kingdom of Ahasuerus, even Mordecai’s people. 

Esther, Chapter 5

 7  Then Esther answered and said, “My petition and my request is this.  8 If I have found favor in the sight of the king, and if it please the king to grant my petition and to perform my request, let the king and Haman come to the banquet that I will prepare for them, and I will do tomorrow as the king has said.” 

  9  Then Haman went out that day joyful and glad of heart, but when Haman saw Mordecai in the king’s gate, that he didn’t stand up nor move for him, he was filled with wrath against Mordecai.  10 Nevertheless Haman restrained himself, and went home. There, he sent and called for his friends and Zeresh his wife.  11 Haman recounted to them the glory of his riches, the multitude of his children, all the things in which the king had promoted him, and how he had advanced him above the princes and servants of the king.  12 Haman also said, “Yes, Esther the queen let no man come in with the king to the banquet that she had prepared but myself; and tomorrow I am also invited by her together with the king.  13 Yet all this avails me nothing, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate.” 


Esther, Chapter 6

 1 On that night, the king couldn’t sleep. He commanded the book of records of the chronicles to be brought, and they were read to the king.  2 It was found written that Mordecai had told of Bigthana and Teresh, two of the king’s eunuchs, who were doorkeepers, who had tried to lay hands on the King Ahasuerus.  3 The king said, “What honor and dignity has been bestowed on Mordecai for this?” 

Then the king’s servants who attended him said, “Nothing has been done for him.” 

  4  The king said, “Who is in the court?” Now Haman had come into the outer court of the king’s house, to speak to the king about hanging Mordecai on the gallows that he had prepared for him. 

  5  The king’s servants said to him, “Behold, Haman stands in the court.” 

The king said, “Let him come in.”  6 So Haman came in. The king said to him, “What shall be done to the man whom the king delights to honor?” 

Now Haman said in his heart, “Who would the king delight to honor more than myself?”  7 Haman said to the king, “For the man whom the king delights to honor,  8 let royal clothing be brought which the king uses to wear, and the horse that the king rides on, and on the head of which a crown royal is set.  9 Let the clothing and the horse be delivered to the hand of one of the king’s most noble princes, that they may array the man whom the king delights to honor with them, and have him ride on horseback through the city square, and proclaim before him, ‘Thus shall it be done to the man whom the king delights to honor!’” 

  10  Then the king said to Haman, “Hurry and take the clothing and the horse, as you have said, and do this for Mordecai the Jew, who sits at the king’s gate. Let nothing fail of all that you have spoken.” 


Esther, Chapter 7

 3  Then Esther the queen answered, “If I have found favor in your sight, O king, and if it please the king, let my life be given me at my petition, and my people at my request.  4 For we are sold, I and my people, to be destroyed, to be slain, and to perish. But if we had been sold for male and female slaves, I would have held my peace, although the adversary could not have compensated for the king’s loss.” 

  5  Then King Ahasuerus said to Esther the queen, “Who is he, and where is he who dared presume in his heart to do so?” 

  6  Esther said, “An adversary and an enemy, even this wicked Haman!” 

Then Haman was afraid before the king and the queen.  7 The king arose in his wrath from the banquet of wine and went into the palace garden. Haman stood up to make request for his life to Esther the queen; for he saw that there was evil determined against him by the king.  8 Then the king returned out of the palace garden into the place of the banquet of wine; and Haman had fallen on the couch where Esther was. Then the king said, “Will he even assault the queen in front of me in the house?” As the word went out of the king’s mouth, they covered Haman’s face. 

  9  Then Harbonah, one of the eunuchs who were with the king said, “Behold, the gallows fifty cubits high, which Haman has made for Mordecai, who spoke good for the king, is standing at Haman’s house.” 

The king said, “Hang him on it!” 

  10  So they hanged Haman on the gallows that he had prepared for Mordecai. Then was the king’s wrath pacified. 


Esther became queen because of Vashti's pride, Mordecai was almost killed because of it, and Haman was hanged because of its prominence within his heart.  We are just human just human beings; if we are blessed in some way, so be it.  If not, then so what?  Christians are different- one of the ways we should be is how we look at our enemies; Jesus says...

Matthew, Chapter 5
 43  “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor, and hate your enemy.’   44  But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you,  45  that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust.   46  For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?   47  If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same?   48  Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect. 

The next time you are feeling "full of yourself", remember the following picture and be merciful towards others. Even those who are your enemies.

From Jim McGuiggan... Roman Triumphs and Psalm 68


Roman Triumphs & Psalm 68

The mention of aroma and fragrances and incense in 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 would naturally connect with the image of a Roman triumphal procession, but it would also connect with Israel's experience in the wilderness under Moses. Psalm 68 (67 in the Septuagint), with all its difficulties, does speak of God's leading Israel from Egypt to Sinai through the wilderness in triumph and on to Zion where God is enthroned.
Psalm 68:6 speaks of God leading forth prisoners and then (68:7), "O God when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou wentest through the wilderness..." The earth shakes and trembles as he leads. 68:17 speaks of his chariots and of leading captivity captive while he rides on in glory to further exaltation. While it's true that Moses was the one God chose to lead Israel from captivity through the wilderness to home, it was really God who did the leading (Numbers 9:17, 23). Isaiah 63:11-14 makes this very clear. That text also makes it clear that the procession through the wilderness is a manifestation of God's glorious power (63:12) by which God got himself glory (63:14). But Psalm 68:7-18 is even more martial in tone.
These texts should perhaps make us think of the use of thriambeuo by Paul in 2 Corinthians 2:14. The words of Psalm 68:24 are vivid. "Your procession has come into view, O God, the procession of my God and King into the sanctuary." From slavery in Egypt through the wilderness wandering into the Zion itself--in all of this God was leading Israel in triumph. See too Psalm 105:37-45. No Roman general demonstrated his power and glory in such a splendid fashion and in such redemptive ways. (Paul's use of the Greek Psalms and Isaiah is extensive in 2 Corinthians.)
In 2 Corinthians 1:23 Paul explained that one of the reasons he had not returned to Corinth was because he did not want to hand out punishment. But he is sensitive to the fact that this might be construed as bullying speech so he hastens to assure them that he isn't their Lord and has no wish to be even though he is God's appointed apostle. This was one of the things Moses was accused of in the Korah, Dathan and Abiram affair of Numbers 16:13-14 when they accused him of acting like a prince over them and claiming complete rule. With that in mind, with the triumph and aroma and then with Moses explicity mentioned in chapter 3 perhaps this gives us grounds for seeing a pattern and drift to Paul's "apology".

©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... Jesus Before The Council (Mk. 14:53-65)


                          "THE GOSPEL OF MARK"

                  Jesus Before The Council (14:53-65)

INTRODUCTION

1. Jesus faced two trials prior to His execution...
   a. The ecclesiastical trial, in three stages
      1) The preliminary hearing before Annas - cf. Jn 18:12-14,19-24
      2) The midnight trial before Caiaphas and the council - Mk 14:53-65
      3) The morning consultation of the council - Mk 15:1
   b. The civil trial, also in three stages
      1) Before Pilate, the Roman governor - Mk 15:2-5
      2) Before Herod, the tetrarch over Galilee - cf. Lk 23:6-12
      3) Before Pilate again - Mk 15:6-15

2. In this lesson we turn our attention to the events of the midnight
   trial...
   a. The main stage of the ecclesiastical trial
   b. Where Jesus appeared before the council (Sanhedrin)

[Turning to Mk 14:53-65, let’s direct our attention to the details of
the trial, starting with...]

I. THE PARTICIPANTS

   A. CAIAPHAS THE HIGH PRIEST... - Mk 14:53
      1. Served for 18 years (18-36 A.D.)
      2. Presided over the council (Sanhedrin)
      3. This meeting occurred at his house - Lk 22:54; Mk 14:54
      4. He had predicted Jesus’ death - Jn 11:49-52
      5. He was involved with the plot from the beginning - Jn 11:53

   B. CHIEF PRIESTS, ELDERS, SCRIBES... - Mk 14:53
      1. Who had plotted to kill Jesus - Mk 14:1
      2. Those who had sent to arrest Jesus - Mk 14:43

   C. MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL... - Mk 14:55
      1. Also known as the Sanhedrin
      2. The supreme ecclesiastical court of the Jews
      3. Possibly including Joseph of Arimathea, even Nicodemus - cf. 
         Mk 15:43; Jn 3:1

   D. FALSE WITNESSESS... - Mk 14:55-56
      1. From whom the chief priests and council sought testimony
      2. But their testimony did not agree

   E. OTHERS PRESENT...
      1. Peter in the courtyard - Mk 14:54
      2. Another disciple, known by the high priest (John?) - cf. Jn 18:15-16
      3. Other servants and officers - cf. Jn 18:18; Mk 14:65

[With the majority present predisposed against Jesus, accusations were
brought against Him...]

II. THE CHARGES

   A. BY FALSE WITNESSES... - Mk 14:57-60
      1. Many bore false witness, but could not agree
      2. Jesus would destroy the temple and build another in three days
         without hands
      3. A false charge, misrepresenting what He taught - cf. Jn 2:19-22
      4. Against which Jesus refused to defend Himself - cf. Isa 53:7

   B. BY THE HIGH PRIEST (CAIAPHAS)... - Mk 14:61-64
      1. In response to the question, "Are you the Christ, the Son of
         the Blessed?"
      2. To which Jesus replied, "I am.  And you will see the Son of Man
         sitting..."
      3. Greatly angering the high priest, who tore his clothes
      4. Leading to the charge of blasphemy, deserving of death

[With the charge of blasphemy against Him, the physical abuse against
Jesus began to intensify...]

III. THE ABUSE

   A. BY MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL... - Mk 14:65
      1. Some began to spit on Jesus
      2. He was blindfolded and beaten
      3. He was mocked to prophesy

   B. BY THE OFFICERS... - Mk 14:65
      1. Struck with the palms of their hands
      2. As foretold by Isaiah - cf. Isa 50:6

CONCLUSION

1. The injustice at this trial is evident...
   a. The false witnesses and physical abuse
   b. Many say the midnight setting made it illegal

2. How difficult it must have been for some who were present...
   a. For fair-minded members of the council (e.g., Joseph and Nicodemus,
      if they were there)
   b. For Peter and John as they witnessed or heard the proceedings take
      place

3. Most importantly, how difficult it must have been for Jesus...
   a. Who knew what was coming - cf. Mk 8:31; 9:31; 10:33-34
   b. Who kept silent when He could have called a legion of angels - cf.
      Mt 26:53

Isaiah prophesied:  "He is despised and rejected by men, A Man of
sorrows and acquainted with grief.  And we hid, as it were, our faces
from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him." (Isa 53:3)

If we had been there, we would have likely been influenced by the
religious leaders.  But knowing what Jesus went on to do and why, may we
resolve never to be ashamed of our Lord...



Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

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