Four Gospels

Hello Amy:

 

After reading the account of when Jesus went into the temple and overturned the tables of the money changers and chased people out, I would like to add my understanding of this event.

The temple was of course a holy place.  In fact, one area of the temple, the Holy of Holies, was closed off by a very tall curtain.  This area housed the Ark of the Covenant.  Only the High Priest was allowed in this area and only once a year, I believe.  The temple was the house of God and these merchants, thieves and moneychangers were disgracing this holy place by conducting business, showing how they valued money over God, and, no doubt, committed many other sins.  Jesus saw this in the same way that anyone would if they found vandals defacing their parent's home. 

 

As for the story of the fig tree, perhaps Jesus was demonstrating what happens to disciples that do not bear fruit.  In this very graphic way, Jesus is demonstrating that he can cast you off with a look if you do not bear spiritual fruit.   As Jesus said it in Matthew 10, "So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven, but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven."

Take care, and may God bless you,

 

Glenn Kirkland,

"Most people give-up just when they're
about to achieve success." ~ Ross Perot

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Four Gospels Questions

Hello:

 ⁴³"When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. ⁴⁴Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. ⁴⁵Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation."

I feel that this passage is telling us that if a person tries to give up their life of sin, but they do nothing to replace their old, evil ways, they are bound to fail and will go back to their old ways, plus add some other bad habits.  For example, if a person gives up watching porn but does not take up reading the bible, then eventually, they will just go back to watching porn and will, in fact, add other bad habits (i.e.: prostitution, abuse of drugs, etc.) to it.

The Bible tells us in James 2:14-17 that faith is not enough.  If it is not nourished, if the field the seed of faith is planted in is not worked and if it is left alone, then that faith will die and the field will soon be overgrown with weeds.  Faith is like a muscle.  It has to be exercised or it will become weak.

Glenn Kirkland,

"Most people give-up just when they're
about to achieve success." ~ Ross Perot

*******************************

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Four Gospels

Dear Amy:

The Blog did not allow me to register, so I am writing you with a question.

The Unvarnished Gospels is a very interesting translation, but it sometimes leaves me feeling uneasy.  For example, according to the Unvarnished Gospel, Matthew 11:6 reads as follows:

"And the person is in luck who doesn't let me down."

The ESV translates it as, "And blessed is the one who is not offended by me."

The Catholic Bible (1958) reads, "And blessed is he who is not scandalized in me."

The NIV says, "Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me."

The King James translates it as, "And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me."

And finally, The Amplified version reads, "And blessed-happy, fortunate and to be envied- is he who takes no offense at me and finds no cause for stumbling in or through me and is not hindered from seeing the Truth."

I just can not help but seeing Jesus,dressed in a pin-stripe suit and white hat, and talking like  Sheldon Leonard while saying, "is in luck who doesn't let me down."  I attribute luck to a gamblers good fortune from a random series of events.  The use of "... let me down." seems to me to be more of a modern slang than a direct translation.

Well, this is my feelings on this and I invite thoughtful, and probing feedback from others.

May God bless you,

Rev. Glenn Kirkland, D.D.

"Most people give-up just when they're
about to achieve success." ~ Ross Perot

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The Universal Life Church is a comprehensive online seminary where we have various classes in Christianity, one on Wicca, along with several Pagan courses, more than a few courses about Metaphysics with more being added regularly.