Bible Punch Lines

Bible verses read without pertinent context may be misleading. Sometimes, important verses are at the end of a passage and might be surprising, like a punch to the nose, not making us laugh like a punch line to a joke, but hitting us with simple statements of theological truth! Consider these two verses:

Bible Punch Lines

But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. – Matthew 6:33

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” – Luke 11:13

Matthew 6:25-44

The Matthew 6 verse is spoken by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” seems to be the theme of the pertinent pericope, Matthew 6:25-44. We are told not to worry about what we will eat or drink or wear or how long we shall live. The birds of the air and the lilies of the field do not have such worries and neither should we! We are told that our heavenly father knows we need these things.

And then comes that punch line: But strive first for the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. – Matthew 6:33

Luke 11:1-13

The Luke 11 verse begins with Jesus finishing a time of prayer and one of his disciples asking him to teach them to pray. The Our Father follows, and then Jesus tells of a man who is asking a friend for bread at an inconvenient time. The friend resists. Jesus says that persistence will pay off. At this point, persistence in praying for whatever we want or need, even something as simple as a loaf of bread, seems to be the theme of the pertinent pericope, Luke 11:1-13.

But then Jesus says something puzzling: “Ask, and it will be given you…for everyone who asks receives.” We can be tempted at this point to substitute whatever it is we want for that little two-word pronoun, it. But then comes the punch line which includes the proper reference for that pronoun.

If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” – Luke 11:13

Deeper Meanings/Lessons

One way to see the meaning of these lessons is that, if we truly seek first the “Kingdom of God and his righteousness,” we will be completely satisfied with whatever food and clothing we have and whatever life span we are given and will not be worrying about getting more of those earthly things. And if we sincerely ask God for the “Holy Spirit,” the single most important thing he wants to give us. he will give it to us.

We just need to be careful what we seek and what we pray for! And, when reading the Bible, we need to be careful about where to start and stop!

Closing Comment

As usual, one layman’s understanding and opinions. Comments, corrections, and questions are welcomed.

Herod, Herod, Herod, Herod, Herod, and Herod

Yes, there are six Herods in the New Testament. I’m not sure that has any theological significance, but does have some historical significance with respect to getting things in the right order and understanding who did what. And it may have some value in trivia game competition and crossword puzzle solving.

I started out to do some research on the subject with the goal of providing clear and simple explanations of these six characters. My search led to “The Good Book Blog,” The Talbot School of Theology Faculty Blog, and an article by Kenneth Berding, Professor of New Testament at that School.

His explanation was so clear and entertaining and short, with some humor, that it seemed the only fair thing to do was to share it. So here it is. Enjoy!

How Many Herods Are There in the Bible?
Kenneth Berding — 

Three Christian Evangelists

Fulton John Sheen (1895-1979) was a renowned theologian and Catholic Bishop who became famous through radio and television exposure from 1930 to 1968. Life is Worth Living was on television in the 1950’s, and The Fulton Sheen Program in the 1960’s. Bishop Sheen taught theology, emphasizing the common ground all Christian faiths share. His programs are still available on television on EWTN. I never watched the originals in the 1950’s and 1960’s but have enjoyed lots of the reruns on EWTN. He was a blessed and talented lecturer.

William Franklin Graham, Jr. (1918 – 2018) was known as Dr. Billy Graham. He was a Baptist evangelist who became famous around the world because of preaching to large crowds and broadcasting his sermons. Hour of Decision was his radio show. He preached to more than 200 million people in more than 185 countries. Graham’s focus was on inviting people to accept Jesus as their personal savior and to then connect with a local church for Christian education and service. He developed ties with Catholic leaders and encouraged unification of Catholics and Protestants. He was famous also for strongly opposing racial segregation when it was still well established. I was always a Billy Graham fan but attended only one of his preaching events. It was at the University of Tennessee’s Neyland Stadium.

Robert Emmet Barron  (1959 – ) is a renowned theologian and Catholic Bishop who has become famous through his television news appearances, social media presence, public speeches, and his YouTube channel which has more than a million subscribers. Bishop Barron is the founder of Word on Fire which has the objective of evangelization, drawing people into the Christian Church, using Catholic history, art, architecture, philosophy, and theology to appeal broadly to interested folks. Bishop Barron is willing to record and publish theology discussions with just about anybody or any group, being faithful to Catholic theology while seeking common ground. I am a fan and am amazed at the depth of his theology and church history and his ability to be understood.

We should all thank God for Bishops Sheen and Barron and Dr. Billy Graham, who have been leading Christian evangelists of the last 100 years.

A Current Opportunity

Ten years ago, then Father Barron produced a ten episode course on Catholic theology. It is called Catholicism, and information about it and a free episode are here. For this month of September 2024, in celebration of the tenth anniversary of the course, all ten episodes are available free. The information is presented with visits to many important historical Christian locations and churches, understandable theological discussions, and information about early Church leaders and theologians. Protestants will learn about Catholic fundamentals that were rejected in the Reformation and will get a sound theological explanation of the great bulk of theology that is still common to Protestants and Catholics. I am currently enjoying an episode each evening and believe I would have enjoyed it even during my 32 Baptist, 16 Presbyterian, and 20 Lutheran years. It might help some Protestants better understand why some relatives have become Catholic. And it will be an excellent refresher of the basics for any Catholic. Certainly the many regrettable splits in the Christian Church have complicated the evangelism for which we are responsible, and better understanding of each other leading to more cooperation and less mutual criticism would help move us in the direction Dr. Billy Graham favored.

To read about it and get your free pass, go HERE.

 

 

 

Abortion – The Fundamental Problem

You have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not murder’; and ‘whoever murders shall be liable to judgment.’ But I say to you that if you are angry with a brother or sister, you will be liable to judgment; – Matthew 5:21-22 NRSV

 

In the United States, murder is illegal and subject to severe punishment, but there are still about 25,000 homicides per year, almost three per hour. About half of those murders go unsolved, the killers unidentified and unpunished. We don’t have a measure of how much unsatisfied murder-motivating anger there is.

 

Abortion legality is mixed and currently left to the states to regulate. About 190 Million people (57% of the population) live in states with no abortion restrictions. About 65 Million people (20%) live in states with gestational restrictions. About 80 Million people (23%) live in states that have banned most abortions.  Under these circumstances, abortion is quite common in the USA, about 25 abortions for each reported homicide or more than 600,000 per year.

 

Tagging abortion as murder is inflammatory and pretty much shuts down rational discussion of the issue but could it be possible to at least get general agreement that abortion is termination of human life at an early stage of development? If so, surely we could get general agreement that such action is at least regrettable since no one knows what those undeveloped unique humans might have contributed or accomplished or what kind of friends or parents or teachers or leaders or inventors they might have become.

 

Anti-abortion efforts are typically aimed at getting restrictive laws passed, blocking access to abortion clinics, and praying for an end to abortion. Are prayers for an end to abortion prayed with faith or in desperation or just with a sense of obligation? If such prayers were considered answered with total outlawing of abortion, would there still be abortions just like before abortions were legalized by Roe vs. Wade in 1973. Yes, of course there would still be abortions.

 

Perhaps, considering the current situation and Matthew 5:21-22, focus should be not on reducing abortions, but on reducing the desire for abortion. If there were no desire for abortion, abortions would be rare, only for serious medical reasons.

 

So, imagine a culture in which there is no desire for abortion. Family structure is strong with generations linked and loving and caring for each other. Every child conceived is conceived by a man and woman who would welcome a child. Family formation is a priority, valued over such as travel and wealth accumulation. The economy is strong and self-supporting, providing meaningful jobs of obvious value for all women and men who can and want to work. Education, even at the high school level, is aimed at preparing girls and boys to be productive, qualified for available jobs. Medical expenses are all covered by universal insurance. There is a network of loving homes available for children whose birth parents are unable or unavailable to serve. And even the most destitute, those ill or handicapped or unable to work, are supported at a reasonable level instead of just being kept barely alive with a few hundred dollars a month of food stamps or social security. There would be little or no desire for abortion in such a culture.

 

Maybe we should be demanding government support and development of that loving culture instead of government outlawing of abortion.

For or Against, Us or Jesus

The accusation, “You are either with us or against us!” has been used for centuries to divide and conquer, to build commitment, to arouse emotion, to win elections, etc. Republican President George W. Bush and Democrat Senator of New York Hilary Clinton both used it in September 2001 to encourage the support of other nations for a US war against terrorism. Those and many other examples including Sarah Palin using the phrase to gain 2016 support for Donald Trump are in this Wikipedia article.

 

The Gospels include four similar Jesus quotes that seem, at first glance and without context, to be contradictory. Two declare that everyone is either with Jesus or against him and two declare that whoever is not against the church (the disciples or Jesus and the disciples) is for it. Here are the four quotes, pronouns in bold print:

 

“Whoever is not with me is against me.” – Matthew 12:30a NRSV

“Whoever is not with me is against me.” – Luke 11:23a NRSV

“Whoever is not against us is for us.” – Mark 9:40 NRSV

“For whoever is not against you is for you.” – Luke 9:50b NRSV

 

In the Matthew 12 and Luke 11 examples, Jesus uses the first person singular, referring to himself, and says, “Whoever is not with me is against me.” These are apparently slightly different versions of the same incident, accusations by the Pharisees that Jesus has cast out a demon using demonic power and a lecture by Jesus that no divided kingdom can survive. So, in these two cases, the statement that “whoever is not with me is against me,” may be a personal reference by Jesus about his power vs. demonic power, absolute perfection vs. total unrepentant depravity. His statement challenges us to follow him.

 

In Mark 9, Jesus uses the first person plural (98% of English translations), apparently referring to himself and the disciples, and  says “Whoever is not against us is for us.” In Luke 9, Jesus uses the third person plural (80% of English translations), apparently referring to the disciples, and says, “whoever is not against you is for you.”

Both the Mark 9 and Luke 9 examples are apparently slightly different versions of the same incident, complaints by disciples that they had seen someone they didn’t recognize casting out demons in the name of Jesus. Perhaps it was an egotistical personal concern of the disciples about a stranger in their territory. Only Mark adds an interesting comment about the reward due to anyone who offers a cup of water to one bearing the name of Christ.

 

A lesson that might be drawn from the Matthew 12 and Luke 11 passages is that all lovers of Jesus, whether Baptists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Church of God, Orthodox, Non-Denominational, Catholic, whatever, should be united in following Jesus and fighting demonic power instead of criticizing each other.

 

And a lesson that might be drawn from the Mark 9 and Luke 10 passages is that all lovers of Jesus, whether Baptists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Church of God, Orthodox, Non-Denominational, Catholic, whatever, should be offering each other cups of water, figuratively speaking, instead of criticizing each other.

 

Either way, mutual criticism is not productive. So, perhaps all the various Christian lovers of Christ should be proclaiming the Gospel as they understand it without criticizing those with different understandings. Eventually, “The truth will out.”

 

Below are handy links for reading the four Jesus quotes in context.

 

Matthew 12:22-32

Luke 11:14-23

Mark 9:38-41

Luke 9:46-49

 

Confession: I’m not an authorized interpreter of Sacred Scripture but am just making observations and suggesting possibilities. And, I’m not qualified to discuss translation of Greek pronouns but suffice it to say that they are more complex than English pronouns, well at least more complex than English pronouns used to be. That is probably the reason for some variation in the pronoun translations in the Mark 9 and Luke 9 examples.

 

Comments, correction, and complaints are welcome.

“The Word of the LORD Came to Me”

This post may not be of much theological value but could come in handy in a game of Bible trivia. The phrase in the title above appears 61 times in the writings of the classical prophets in the NRSV Bible. It appears 49 times in Ezekiel, 10 times in Jeremiah, and twice in Zechariah.

There are a couple of other appearances of the phrase besides those in the classical prophet writings. In 1 Chronicles 22:18, the words are from dying King David explaining to son Solomon why he didn’t build a house for the Lord and why Solomon would do it. “But this word of the LORD came to me: You have shed much blood, and you have waged great wars. You may not build a house for my name, because you have shed too much blood upon the earth in my sight.” Well, to be completely honest and give credit where credit is due, David might have said that the word of the LORD came to him through Nathan the prophet. The interesting story is in 2 Samuel 7.

The 4 Esdras instance can, I think, be ignored since it is from an apocryphal book sometimes labeled 3 Esdras, 5 Ezra, 4 Ezra, or 6 Ezra. It is in the Latin Vulgate Appendix as 4 Esdras. I have not even tried to find it, let alone read it.

But, back to the Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Zechariah instances. We are immediately reminded of these words from the Nicene Creed: I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is adored and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.

Well, there is some mighty theological value, the reason we take the writings of the Old Testament prophets seriously and search for meaning in them.

To think about that issue in modern terms, I suggest that if a living, campaigning, politician says, “The word of the Lord came to me,” and then keeps talking, we should vote for a different politician.

So, here is the trivia question: What Old Testament classical prophet made greatest use of the phrase, “The Word of the LORD came to me?” (I know, I usually can’t remember what I just read either.)

The Glory of the Lord

Recent Mass readings from Ezekiel bring  the inspiring phrase, the glory of the LORD, to our attention. It shows up 41 times in the Bible, only 3 of those in the New Testament. It is in Ezekiel 10 times, more than in any other bible book. Here are the New Testament instances.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields,
keeping watch over their flock by night. 
Then an angel of the Lord stood before them,
and the glory of the Lord shone around them,
and they were terrified. 
But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—
I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people. – Luke 2:8-10
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Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 
And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord
as though reflected in a mirror,
are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another;
for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit. – 2 Corinthians 3:17-18
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With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches
for his proclaiming the good news; and not only that,
but he has also been appointed by the churches to travel with us
while we are administering this generous undertaking for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our goodwill. – 2 Corinthians 8:18-19
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Below is the Strong’s Concordance explanation of the Greek word translated glory.

Lost in Translation Issue?

The Hebrew word translated glory in the Old Testament has a deeper meaning than the New Testament Greek Word or the modern English glory. It suggests weight, importance, worth, and value. At the website of a Christian organization in Israel, Firmisrael.org, there is a simple and well written explanation of the Hebrew word Kavod. I can’t improve on it, so I recommend it. Maybe we should always bow when hearing the Old Testament phrase The Glory of the Lord. Maybe we should always be capitalizing glory along with Lord.

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The chart below reveals the location of the 41 instances of the phrase in the Bible. Ezekiel leading the way.

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In the Catechism

The phrase Glory of the Lord appears three times in the Catechism, the first two in the section on Liturgy and the third in the section on prayer, none seeming to suggest the weight of the Hebrew word. The second one, incidentally, is especially provocative, reminding us that God “has neither a body nor a face.” Footnote 27 identifies St. John Damascene, De imag. 1, 16: PG 96: 1245-1248 as the source of that quote. In CCC-2676, the pertinent phrase is in the 11th line from the top.

Sinning Against Me?

The Gospel Mass reading for August 14, 2024 is Matthew 18:15-20. In the NABRE it begins with, “If a brother sins [against you]” and ends with “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” It seems to me that an issue is that the following verses, 15:21-22, include this phrase: “Lord, if my brother sins against me, how often must I forgive him?”  There seems to be a good case that verses 15-22 comprise a pericope and should not be separated.

 

Supporting that case is the fact that, according to the footnote for 18:15 in The Catholic Study Bible NABRE, the bracketed “against you” is not in some of the oldest and most important texts. (Remember that there are no extant original versions off any of the Gospels.) So, perhaps “against you” has been erroneously added to later manuscripts to match up with “against me” in verse 21. (Maybe not all of those copiers were theologians.) I checked all the English translations of verse 15 on biblegateway.com and found that a dozen or so, the NIV included, do not say “against you.” Some that do and some that don’t point out the issue in footnotes. The simple answer is that we don’t know what the original said.

 

So, perhaps in the original there are two separate cases. The first is about sin against God observed in a loved brother, a fellow member of the Church, and how that sin should be addressed by a loving concerned friend. The second case is about appropriate responses to personal offenses. That seems reasonable since even some disciples apparently had a tendency to be self-centered and worried about how they would be treated.

 

An example of the first case would be a member observed stealing or committing adultery or swearing and a loving brother wanting to help the person repent and be forgiven. The second case is introduced by Peter’s question,  “What if my brother sins against ME?” That is answered by Jesus’s statement about forgiving seventy seven times. Just to make the lesson absolutely clear, the parable of the unforgiving servant follows.

 

That two-issues understanding even takes the mystery out of the verse 17 statement by Jesus that one who refuses to listen to the church, should be treated as a Gentile or a tax collector. That sounds like rejection or expulsion. But, wasn’t Jesus frequently accused of dining and associating with such folks and inviting them to believe?

 

So, the simple bottom line for Matthew 18:15-22 seems to be, if someone offends me, I should forgive and forget. If someone needs spiritual assistance, I should offer help and pray for them. I like that understanding. Besides, I don’t recall cases of anyone sinning against me. Maybe I have just forgotten.

More than a Meal

Introduction

Yesterday I delivered Meals on Wheels, a short route that time with only seven stops. The last stop was to see a gentleman who is 102 years old. I’ve delivered to him for at least two years. He used to meet me at the door with a welcoming smile and tell me how glad he was to see me. Now he is bedridden, barely able to talk, wondering why he is still alive. The last few times I have delivered to him, I have taken a half pint of ice cream as an addition to the meal we provide. He says he loves ice cream. I don’t know for sure that he still enjoys it, but I still take it, along with a half pint for his care-giver, a hero in my opinion. I love and enjoy these sobering and inspiring visits.

The History

Ash Wednesday 2021 was coming up and I was wondering what to give up for Lent. Giving up time to take on a new or expand a current service activity has always appealed more to me than giving up some food, beverage, or normal routine.

I had been aware for some time of Meals on Wheels (MOW). I have a clear memory of being engaged in a Home Works of America project at the home of an elderly woman and seeing a man deliver a meal to her. She was sitting on the porch and he just placed the meal on the banister near her and turned and left. No interaction at all. I had the thought that I would certainly take a very different approach if I were an MOW deliverer.

So, in the winter of 2021, I decided to volunteer and showed up at the Senior Resources Millwood Street headquarters on Ash Wednesday looking for information. The volunteer coordinator had a group of sorority girls from the University of SC being briefed for their one-day service project. I joined them, got the essential information, and took on a route. I had trouble finding some of the addresses and had little idea about what to say to the recipients, but I enjoyed it and decided to make it a habit.

The Statistics

I’ve been delivering now for 39 months and have delivered about 4700 meals. My engineering background almost guaranteed that I was going to keep some records of the activity. Here are the statistics, not to brag (some others do more), but just to give my opinions and observations some credibility.

More than a Meal

Getting involved is justified by the joy that comes from interactions with recipients, showing and receiving some love and respect, and getting better and better at delivering More than a Meal (The organization motto). Real success is in the joy that comes from brightening the days, in some small ways, of the meal recipients. More on that later.

Routes and Clients

MOW Routes vary and clients come and go on a weekly basis. Necessary information about the individuals and where to find them is on a phone APP that works like a charm and is a joy to use.

Not all clients are destitute. Some are just elderly, have lost the ability to take care of themselves, and need assistance. Some are truly destitute and live in places volunteers may be uncomfortable visiting.

Some clients are joyful and greet volunteers with smiles and thanksgiving. Some are depressed or worried or just unhappy. Some have family members around, perhaps taking care of morning and evening meals, and some are completely alone.

Most are elderly, and it is not unusual to find that a client has died or moved to assisted living or hospice care or been admitted to a hospital since the last visit. Such changes are sources of sadness for volunteers who have gotten acquainted with them.

Some clients will never be seen or engaged. They will leave instructions about where to leave the meal. Those are always disappointing but just something to get used to.

Volunteers are reminded every day they serve that so many people are in worse shape than themselves.

This Post

My motive for this post is to encourage interested folks to give MOW a try. Here are suggestions for those who will do so.

Relax and Take Your Time –  This process is about more than delivery of a meal. A little chat can do a world of good for both volunteer and recipient.

Remember the Clients and Call Them by Name – Start with a smile and address first or second time clients as Mr. Mrs., or Miss Last Name and tell them your first name. After a few visits, switch to Mr. or Mrs. or Miss First name. A little later it may be comfortable to use the first name. “Hi Mary or Hi Bill, I always love to see your smile.”

Show You Care with Compliments and Questions – If there is a nice yard, pretty flowers, new paint on the house, colorful dress, or good house-keeping, compliment them. If they are smiling, thank them for the smile. If they are waiting at the front door, thank them for being ready. Ask how long they have lived there or if they have some children or other relatives nearby. Tell them the food smells good and you hope it tastes good. If they say they love you, tell them you love them.

Listen to the Clients, Even Their Longwinded Stories – Be willing and able to spend a few minutes with the client. After five minutes or so it is fine to say that other clients are waiting on their meals and offer a warm goodbye. Some clients will talk for thirty minutes if there were time and patience. Of course many clients don’t want to talk or be friendly. They just want the food and that is OK.

Do Something Special and Unusual When There is an Opportunity – In one case I had given a lady’s no fish meal to someone else by mistake. I asked her if she would like a hamburger, and that brought a big smile. So I drove to a nearby Sonic Drive In, bought a burger, and took it back to her. She always reminded and thanked me on subsequent visits. One house I referred to Home Works of America and they came and did some repairs. If a homeowner is not home on the first try, I often call or come by later in the route before giving their meal to somebody else.  Sometimes they have been away for a short time and are back home. They really appreciate the second try.

Give Thanks for the Opportunity and Pray for the Clients – What we are doing is more important for us than for the client. If we don’t deliver, somebody else will. Our satisfying job is to deliver more than a meal in various ways at various times consistent with our skills and interests. Pray for the clients between visits.

Acknowledge Caregivers – Caregivers, professionals or family members, are heroes. Acknowledge and thank them for what they do. An elderly lady invited me in for a chat with her disabled husband and their joyful caregiver. That was a fun visit.

Drive Safely and Defensively

Maps, GPS systems, client lists, and U-turns, not to even mention coffee and music, can be distractions. Be careful, and always expect the other driver to do the wrong thing.

The MOW Organization

For information about Meals on Wheels America and opportunities to serve, go to their website. Enter a zip code to find out what is going on in your community. In Columbia, SC, the key contact is Senior Resources, 2817 Millwood Ave, 29205. Service opportunities are available daily, once a week, once or twice a month, or once in a while. It’s a good way to spend a lunch hour.

I’m already looking forward to seeing my 102 year old friend again and hoping he will be suffering less.

 

 

The Bible Creation Stories

The two creation stories in the first two chapters of Genesis are theological treasures worthy of considerable study and contemplation. They differ from each other in starting point and order of creation, presumably because they are based on two different oral traditions passed down in different parts of the world and originating at different times. Scholars consider the Genesis 2 story to be much older than the Genesis 1 story.

We have learned much about the universe God created so our 21st century viewpoints about how that creation occurred are certain to be different from the viewpoints and understandings of a people occupying a tiny part of the universe, their known world, thousands of years ago.

Excuse me for making a statement that may upset some readers, but I have no trouble considering that God, outside of time and space as we know them, may have created this universe through an evolutionary process. I think it is fair to say that the methods in Genesis, by speaking and by hand, are examples of anthropomorphism, the assignment of human qualities to God, a considerably different process from what it means to say that God created us in his image. It seems more appropriate to consider that creation statement as referring to spiritual and perhaps mental image rather than to physical image. What ever the means of creation, The God-Inspired theological truths are the same. It was definitely not “atheistic evolution.”

The creation information chart below was first designed during a 2003 Old Testament Theology course at the Columbia SC Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary. Recent revisions were cosmetic and formatting changes to improve readability. The fundamental information remains the same.

Please take a look and do a little contemplating. I welcome comments and observations.