As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!" (13:1)
A long discourse and argumentation in Jerusalem temple is mentioned in 12:44. Verse 1 unveils the scene in which Jesus leaves the temple. One of the disciples proudly told Jesus about the magnificence of the temple. The stones of the temple must have been beautifully adorned with delicate carvings. As a rare masterpiece of men’s work, the temple was exceptionally magnificent enough to marvel the people.
According to Jew’s fundamental spirit, such grandeur and magnificent temple does not hold much value. It would not be even desirable. This kind of undesirable attitude develops because, mesmerized by the physical beauty of the temple, people may begin to worship it as an idol. Such marvelous architect and culture is befitted to Babylonian civilization which built the Babel Tower or Hellenism and Roman civilization the people of which were proud of magnificent buildings.
Solomon was the builder of Jerusalem temple. His father, David planned to build it but he did not actually build the temple. According to the author of the Book of Chronicles David was not permitted to build the temple because his hands shed too much blood. In fact, Solomon also shed much blood like his father. David shed much blood in the battle but Solomon did it to get his throne. Solomon’s behavior seems much more mean-spirited. People could not understand the reason why such person built the temple which is supposed to be done by the blameless. Did he not build the temple in order to cover and hide his weak point?
The prophets did not support nor revere Jerusalem temple. They continually protested against the fact that God is not in such temple. Of course, they did not argue with the sacrifice in the temple itself. They criticized the formal sacrificial behavior which was given without righteousness, mercy and obedience which are the essence of worship.
How can we completely concentrate on God who exists beyond the beautiful temple and the stones?
20091020
Offering(10)
They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on."(12:44)
It is the meditation as an offering. I think I have discussed it only in an ideal way. A more pragmatic approach may be needed. Mostly people offer habitually. Even I also used to set some amount of money for Sunday offering and some for monthly offering. I normally offer in this manner. Whenever we offer, we do not realize the fact that everything is given by God out of his grace or my life depends on God. May be our spirituality is blunt. In my opinion, there should be some different and higher level of spirituality which is different from the level of spirituality followed by most people.
To be more practical, the value of individual’s offering will be different according to the requirement of finance of a church. If we attend and offer in an affluent church the value of our offering is ostensibly lesser than the same amount made in a poor church. This human calculation implies that one offers not on the basis of one’s sound relationship with God but according to the status of a community.
I do not want to blindly denounce these things as nonessential or not-religious thing. Sometimes good habit is necessary and also sometimes we may think of a community’s situation. This can also be the relationship with God in broad point of view.
In whatsoever motivation an individual offers, it is important to offer through worship service. It is because all our offering can be sublimed into a pure level of belief. It is the same case with the sacrificial activity found in the Old Testament that a butcher killed a cow habitually the cow was given to God as a burnt offering through worship, which became a fixed formality. In the same way bread and wine are accepted as the Lord’s holy body and blood through worship service.
It is the meditation as an offering. I think I have discussed it only in an ideal way. A more pragmatic approach may be needed. Mostly people offer habitually. Even I also used to set some amount of money for Sunday offering and some for monthly offering. I normally offer in this manner. Whenever we offer, we do not realize the fact that everything is given by God out of his grace or my life depends on God. May be our spirituality is blunt. In my opinion, there should be some different and higher level of spirituality which is different from the level of spirituality followed by most people.
To be more practical, the value of individual’s offering will be different according to the requirement of finance of a church. If we attend and offer in an affluent church the value of our offering is ostensibly lesser than the same amount made in a poor church. This human calculation implies that one offers not on the basis of one’s sound relationship with God but according to the status of a community.
I do not want to blindly denounce these things as nonessential or not-religious thing. Sometimes good habit is necessary and also sometimes we may think of a community’s situation. This can also be the relationship with God in broad point of view.
In whatsoever motivation an individual offers, it is important to offer through worship service. It is because all our offering can be sublimed into a pure level of belief. It is the same case with the sacrificial activity found in the Old Testament that a butcher killed a cow habitually the cow was given to God as a burnt offering through worship, which became a fixed formality. In the same way bread and wine are accepted as the Lord’s holy body and blood through worship service.
20091005
Offering(10)
They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on."(12:44)
It is the meditation as an offering. I think I have discussed it only in an ideal way. A more pragmatic approach may be needed. Mostly people offer habitually. Even I also used to set some amount of money for Sunday offering and some for monthly offering. I normally offer in this manner. Whenever we offer, we do not realize the fact that everything is given by God out of his grace or my life depends on God. May be our spirituality is blunt. In my opinion, there should be some different and higher level of spirituality which is different from the level of spirituality followed by most people.
To be more practical, the value of individual’s offering will be different according to the requirement of finance of a church. If we attend and offer in an affluent church the value of our offering is ostensibly lesser than the same amount made in a poor church. This human calculation implies that one offers not on the basis of one’s sound relationship with God but according to the status of a community.
I do not want to blindly denounce these things as nonessential or not-religious thing. Sometimes good habit is necessary and also sometimes we may think of a community’s situation. This can also be the relationship with God in broad point of view.
In whatsoever motivation an individual offers, it is important to offer through worship service. It is because all our offering can be sublimed into a pure level of belief. It is the same case with the sacrificial activity found in the Old Testament that a butcher killed a cow habitually the cow was given to God as a burnt offering through worship, which became a fixed formality. In the same way bread and wine are accepted as the Lord’s holy body and blood through worship service.
It is the meditation as an offering. I think I have discussed it only in an ideal way. A more pragmatic approach may be needed. Mostly people offer habitually. Even I also used to set some amount of money for Sunday offering and some for monthly offering. I normally offer in this manner. Whenever we offer, we do not realize the fact that everything is given by God out of his grace or my life depends on God. May be our spirituality is blunt. In my opinion, there should be some different and higher level of spirituality which is different from the level of spirituality followed by most people.
To be more practical, the value of individual’s offering will be different according to the requirement of finance of a church. If we attend and offer in an affluent church the value of our offering is ostensibly lesser than the same amount made in a poor church. This human calculation implies that one offers not on the basis of one’s sound relationship with God but according to the status of a community.
I do not want to blindly denounce these things as nonessential or not-religious thing. Sometimes good habit is necessary and also sometimes we may think of a community’s situation. This can also be the relationship with God in broad point of view.
In whatsoever motivation an individual offers, it is important to offer through worship service. It is because all our offering can be sublimed into a pure level of belief. It is the same case with the sacrificial activity found in the Old Testament that a butcher killed a cow habitually the cow was given to God as a burnt offering through worship, which became a fixed formality. In the same way bread and wine are accepted as the Lord’s holy body and blood through worship service.
20090918
Offering (9)
They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on."(12:44)
In yesterdays’ meditation, I mentioned that the offering of a widow was a peculiar offering made at the risk of her own survival. At the same time this offering unconsciously invokes the grace. Our present survival itself is a grace from God. The entire foundation of our life on the earth are not ours but the gift of God. It is so easy for us to neglect this point and treat it as a sort of some assumptions. This is the most precise insight for this world and human life.
In this connection, the way to solve the problem of offering in the church is not to impose force on its members but to let them and help them enter into God’s grace. If church members can conceive the secret of grace they can find out the right answer to the question of offering. Of course everybody can easily say like this but problem is that such awareness does not practically come or even though it comes, it is easily forgotten.
The doctrine of grace is applicable not only to an individual Christian but also to church community. If church community practically realizes that everything is God’s gift, then the church may not use their finance to enlarge the size of the church. If they have this spiritual awareness as far as possible, they would spend minimum amount for the church within and spend maximum for things of outside the church.
The most important thing for outside of the church is the survival of the church which does not stand by itself. In my opinion, the entire problems of dependent churches can be solved if the Korean church intends to do it. People say the entire church is one in Jesus Christ but in practice there is no such unity. It may be difficult to have such status of oneness until the coming of Jesus. Despite this fact, we have to follow the word of God. It is because we know that our survival is founded by God’s grace. Lord, help us.
In yesterdays’ meditation, I mentioned that the offering of a widow was a peculiar offering made at the risk of her own survival. At the same time this offering unconsciously invokes the grace. Our present survival itself is a grace from God. The entire foundation of our life on the earth are not ours but the gift of God. It is so easy for us to neglect this point and treat it as a sort of some assumptions. This is the most precise insight for this world and human life.
In this connection, the way to solve the problem of offering in the church is not to impose force on its members but to let them and help them enter into God’s grace. If church members can conceive the secret of grace they can find out the right answer to the question of offering. Of course everybody can easily say like this but problem is that such awareness does not practically come or even though it comes, it is easily forgotten.
The doctrine of grace is applicable not only to an individual Christian but also to church community. If church community practically realizes that everything is God’s gift, then the church may not use their finance to enlarge the size of the church. If they have this spiritual awareness as far as possible, they would spend minimum amount for the church within and spend maximum for things of outside the church.
The most important thing for outside of the church is the survival of the church which does not stand by itself. In my opinion, the entire problems of dependent churches can be solved if the Korean church intends to do it. People say the entire church is one in Jesus Christ but in practice there is no such unity. It may be difficult to have such status of oneness until the coming of Jesus. Despite this fact, we have to follow the word of God. It is because we know that our survival is founded by God’s grace. Lord, help us.
Offering (8)
They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything--all she had to live on."(12:44)
Jesus interpreted how the widow offered more as compared to that of the rich, and said, “They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.
Basically from the very beginning the offering of the wealthy people and poor are different. The wealthy people can make offering whenever he is interested to offer to God without any burden but it is not so for the poor. For the poor, to make offering would mean to risk their own survival.
One’s sound relationship with God can be practically revealed when one’s economic status is at the brim of collapse or at the point of bare means of survival. The first blessing of the Beatitude was the blessing for the poor. A poor situation leads his soul into the world beyond its visible situation. This is the very blessing for man. The offering of a widow belongs to this higher level of offering.
We lose this level in our daily life. We will helplessly witness it right before the last breath of life. At this juncture, the death shall be the way to salvation for the entire mankind. Whether a distinguished person or a good person or an evil person, everybody recognizes that their existence and their very being will be completely destroyed before death.
Practically there is no one who offers their entire wealth. The author does not want to say that. It is indirectly related to Jesus’ teaching. For example, the teaching “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” is the very one. It indicates the type of life to depend on God for one’s survival.
If there is a pastor who forces people to offer based on this account, he is a sort of person who falls under one of the following category of people- he is a fool who never knows God’s word or a cheater who tries to fulfill his pastoral desire.
Jesus interpreted how the widow offered more as compared to that of the rich, and said, “They all gave out of their wealth; but she, out of her poverty, put in everything—all she had to live on.
Basically from the very beginning the offering of the wealthy people and poor are different. The wealthy people can make offering whenever he is interested to offer to God without any burden but it is not so for the poor. For the poor, to make offering would mean to risk their own survival.
One’s sound relationship with God can be practically revealed when one’s economic status is at the brim of collapse or at the point of bare means of survival. The first blessing of the Beatitude was the blessing for the poor. A poor situation leads his soul into the world beyond its visible situation. This is the very blessing for man. The offering of a widow belongs to this higher level of offering.
We lose this level in our daily life. We will helplessly witness it right before the last breath of life. At this juncture, the death shall be the way to salvation for the entire mankind. Whether a distinguished person or a good person or an evil person, everybody recognizes that their existence and their very being will be completely destroyed before death.
Practically there is no one who offers their entire wealth. The author does not want to say that. It is indirectly related to Jesus’ teaching. For example, the teaching “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well” is the very one. It indicates the type of life to depend on God for one’s survival.
If there is a pastor who forces people to offer based on this account, he is a sort of person who falls under one of the following category of people- he is a fool who never knows God’s word or a cheater who tries to fulfill his pastoral desire.
Offering (7)
Calling his disciples to him, Jesus said, "I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. (12:43)
Jesus told his disciples that the poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. It is a complicated situation and a hyperbolic statement. In comparison, the amount of the widow’s offering is much smaller than that of the rich. However, the important point lies in the right attitude of the poor woman whose remarkable offering becomes the central point of the passage.
The life of a poor widow is always perilous. This person is put into triple difficulties. She was poor, a woman and a widow. Which situation comes first? Woman would be first. Then her husband died. There is no fixed rule that all widows should be poor but mostly helpless. In the ancient society, most people did not store their wealth. At the sudden demise of her husband who was the sole bread earner for the family it is evident that the widow had to face severe situation of life.
In verse 12:40 the author says, “They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers.” That signifies that the teachers of the law were responsible for the grim poverty of the widow. It is not sure whether the author has the intention to point out this or not but there is a possibility of this.
The relationship between wealth and poverty is dynamic. Greedy exploitation of the one side of the people brings about absolute poverty on the other side of the people. The property on the earth is limited and one side cannot escape from poverty if they have to go only one sided. To be prosperous it should work between nations and nations. There are many developed countries who act like the teachers of the law who devoured a widow’s property.
What is the meaning of the word of the Lord, “this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others”? It means that the relationship between God and man can be abundantly generated mostly for our survival. In other words, offering is the matter of death and life.
Jesus told his disciples that the poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others. It is a complicated situation and a hyperbolic statement. In comparison, the amount of the widow’s offering is much smaller than that of the rich. However, the important point lies in the right attitude of the poor woman whose remarkable offering becomes the central point of the passage.
The life of a poor widow is always perilous. This person is put into triple difficulties. She was poor, a woman and a widow. Which situation comes first? Woman would be first. Then her husband died. There is no fixed rule that all widows should be poor but mostly helpless. In the ancient society, most people did not store their wealth. At the sudden demise of her husband who was the sole bread earner for the family it is evident that the widow had to face severe situation of life.
In verse 12:40 the author says, “They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers.” That signifies that the teachers of the law were responsible for the grim poverty of the widow. It is not sure whether the author has the intention to point out this or not but there is a possibility of this.
The relationship between wealth and poverty is dynamic. Greedy exploitation of the one side of the people brings about absolute poverty on the other side of the people. The property on the earth is limited and one side cannot escape from poverty if they have to go only one sided. To be prosperous it should work between nations and nations. There are many developed countries who act like the teachers of the law who devoured a widow’s property.
What is the meaning of the word of the Lord, “this poor widow has put more into the treasury than all the others”? It means that the relationship between God and man can be abundantly generated mostly for our survival. In other words, offering is the matter of death and life.
Offering (6)
But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. (12:42)
There are some people who consider offering and material blessing as something closely related to each other by quoting related Bible verses mostly from the Old Testaments. Malachi mentions about tithe. It says, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”(Mal. 3:10)
When we interpret the word of God, especially the Old Testaments, one important action for us to take is to distinguish whether it is in general or in peculiar matter. The fact that God created the world is in the general term but the account on the prohibition to eat pork is in the peculiar form. The general one is applied beyond history but the peculiar one is limited only to the particular history. As pork is a peculiar matter, so also tithe a peculiar one limited to the history of Israel.
Our offering does not have any relationship with the material blessing. If you give an offering with the expectation of getting such blessing, then it will be a meaningless offering. On the contrary, even though we do not give offering, we can be materially blessed. Though Japan does not give offering in the arena of their Christian religious rites, they are abundantly and materially blessed.
Combining offering and blessing is to secularize the holy activity. Do we do business with God? We do not do that. It is because real relationship with God can only be established at the ground level of life. How can we buy the life with offering which is given to us and being kept? The only thing we can ask God for material thing is to pray, “Give us our daily bread”.
There are some people who consider offering and material blessing as something closely related to each other by quoting related Bible verses mostly from the Old Testaments. Malachi mentions about tithe. It says, “Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it.”(Mal. 3:10)
When we interpret the word of God, especially the Old Testaments, one important action for us to take is to distinguish whether it is in general or in peculiar matter. The fact that God created the world is in the general term but the account on the prohibition to eat pork is in the peculiar form. The general one is applied beyond history but the peculiar one is limited only to the particular history. As pork is a peculiar matter, so also tithe a peculiar one limited to the history of Israel.
Our offering does not have any relationship with the material blessing. If you give an offering with the expectation of getting such blessing, then it will be a meaningless offering. On the contrary, even though we do not give offering, we can be materially blessed. Though Japan does not give offering in the arena of their Christian religious rites, they are abundantly and materially blessed.
Combining offering and blessing is to secularize the holy activity. Do we do business with God? We do not do that. It is because real relationship with God can only be established at the ground level of life. How can we buy the life with offering which is given to us and being kept? The only thing we can ask God for material thing is to pray, “Give us our daily bread”.
Offering (5)
But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. (12:42)
In yesterday’s meditation, I mentioned that God exercises his unique and exclusive ability to bring about salvation regardless man’s repeated acts of offering. Then does this imply the act of offering has no meaning at all? No. There are two important implications of offering.
First, offering is a symbol of religious confession that we as creatures absolutely depend on God, the source of life. Worship service is also a doxology of religious confession. Offering is a supplement to a worship service. Of course we can glorify God without formal worship service and offering. It does not matter does if one worships God alone. However, in the case of a big community where huge gathering becomes part and parcel a certain formality is required to be maintained.
Second, offering is a material foundation to maintain the well being of a church community. Offering is not at all necessary for the visible part of the church to earn salvation because the work of redemption has already been accomplished through the shedding blood of Jesus. However, it is necessary on the visible part of the church which still struggles in this temporal world. Practically money is needed to meet the expenses of a pastor or a father who serves the church community and also for the maintenance of the church and other miscellaneous expenses.
In this point, the act of offering could be a sort of a necessary evil. Precisely speaking, God does not want our money. Just as we do not pay anything for breathing or bathing in the sun which are God’s gifts, God does not expect anything from us for what he has done. The problem is that we have not yet entered into God’s complete rule. We are living in the ‘middle area’. Our lives loitering in the middle area is nothing but the temporal way of life. In such tentative world, we even partially use money as a mediator between God and us. In this sense, offering can be called a necessary evil for it comes as a mediator in our relationship with God.
In yesterday’s meditation, I mentioned that God exercises his unique and exclusive ability to bring about salvation regardless man’s repeated acts of offering. Then does this imply the act of offering has no meaning at all? No. There are two important implications of offering.
First, offering is a symbol of religious confession that we as creatures absolutely depend on God, the source of life. Worship service is also a doxology of religious confession. Offering is a supplement to a worship service. Of course we can glorify God without formal worship service and offering. It does not matter does if one worships God alone. However, in the case of a big community where huge gathering becomes part and parcel a certain formality is required to be maintained.
Second, offering is a material foundation to maintain the well being of a church community. Offering is not at all necessary for the visible part of the church to earn salvation because the work of redemption has already been accomplished through the shedding blood of Jesus. However, it is necessary on the visible part of the church which still struggles in this temporal world. Practically money is needed to meet the expenses of a pastor or a father who serves the church community and also for the maintenance of the church and other miscellaneous expenses.
In this point, the act of offering could be a sort of a necessary evil. Precisely speaking, God does not want our money. Just as we do not pay anything for breathing or bathing in the sun which are God’s gifts, God does not expect anything from us for what he has done. The problem is that we have not yet entered into God’s complete rule. We are living in the ‘middle area’. Our lives loitering in the middle area is nothing but the temporal way of life. In such tentative world, we even partially use money as a mediator between God and us. In this sense, offering can be called a necessary evil for it comes as a mediator in our relationship with God.
Offering (4)
But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny. 12:42)
What is offering? The greatest conventional misunderstanding is that God may need our offering. The idea is that God may feel hungry or lingers for something like a human being. But in reality it is not at all. God needs nothing. Different from human whose base of existence completely depends on the exterior God needs nothing, for his base of existence is the interior. God does not need our offering.
You may say offering is necessary in order to do some practical work of God. You would like to say preaching, education, services and even worship would be difficult without money. It is not like that. God is not the one who works with man’s offering. If God happens to be such a being, he would not have been called the creator. Our God works independently with his unique way which is completely different from our expectation.
When we read Psalm 50:9-13., it says, “I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?” Many other prophets also said the same.
What does it mean by the above mention verses in Psalm? It means that we must not emphasize too much on the activity of offering. Do we offer a Crore or thousand Crore? Though we offer such huge amounts, how much can it support God’s salvation activity? Though we do not offer anything, God’s salvation work cannot be hindered. People are proud of a penny of offering inwardly or outwardly. People say proudly that they send a missionary abroad- with much offering. They misunderstand as they are replacing God’s position in doing the work of salvation. Does God laugh at all these in heaven?
What is offering? The greatest conventional misunderstanding is that God may need our offering. The idea is that God may feel hungry or lingers for something like a human being. But in reality it is not at all. God needs nothing. Different from human whose base of existence completely depends on the exterior God needs nothing, for his base of existence is the interior. God does not need our offering.
You may say offering is necessary in order to do some practical work of God. You would like to say preaching, education, services and even worship would be difficult without money. It is not like that. God is not the one who works with man’s offering. If God happens to be such a being, he would not have been called the creator. Our God works independently with his unique way which is completely different from our expectation.
When we read Psalm 50:9-13., it says, “I have no need of a bull from your stall or of goats from your pens, for every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the creatures of the field are mine. If I were hungry I would not tell you, for the world is mine, and all that is in it. Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of goats?” Many other prophets also said the same.
What does it mean by the above mention verses in Psalm? It means that we must not emphasize too much on the activity of offering. Do we offer a Crore or thousand Crore? Though we offer such huge amounts, how much can it support God’s salvation activity? Though we do not offer anything, God’s salvation work cannot be hindered. People are proud of a penny of offering inwardly or outwardly. People say proudly that they send a missionary abroad- with much offering. They misunderstand as they are replacing God’s position in doing the work of salvation. Does God laugh at all these in heaven?
Offering (3)
But a poor widow came and put in two very small copper coins, worth only a fraction of a penny.(12:42)
A poor widow put in two very small copper coins worth only a fraction of a penny. Did the widow see the rich throwing large amounts into the box? The content of today does not tell us this. However, as readers of the Bible, we have to exercise our imagination and presume that the widow could have seen the rich man dropping offering into the box. If she saw this, she might be a little quailed. Even now this frequently happens to be quailed as a result of others offerings. What on earth, offering make people proud of or get quailed?
It happened when I was young. A church had a protracted meeting. At the end of the meeting, there was a program to unanimously decide the budget for the construction of church building. The preacher shouted, “Hands up with $10,000.” The amount of went down as he continued to invite congregation to voluntarily decide and make pledge in public. In this way the amount came down till $10. The leader approached the one who voluntarily decided to contribute for the cause and got a decision statement. The one who offered $10,000 was immediately known to the public. There was no second thought that such public declaration would hurt the sentiments of those who could not offer as much as the rich people.
It is not certain whether the same kind of system and church norm is found even today but there are many churches that continue to nurture the long-practice tradition of calling the name of those who voluntarily donate for the church building at worship service. No matter how hard I try I cannot understand why they did so. If there was a reason behind for doing this, it would be to stimulate others to offer more.
In my point of view, the audiences may not offer though they do like this. It works temporarily but it may not continue. On the contrary, declaration of the amount offered by someone in the service does not influence the congregation to offer more. The crux of the matter is how religious we have become as matured Christians.
A poor widow put in two very small copper coins worth only a fraction of a penny. Did the widow see the rich throwing large amounts into the box? The content of today does not tell us this. However, as readers of the Bible, we have to exercise our imagination and presume that the widow could have seen the rich man dropping offering into the box. If she saw this, she might be a little quailed. Even now this frequently happens to be quailed as a result of others offerings. What on earth, offering make people proud of or get quailed?
It happened when I was young. A church had a protracted meeting. At the end of the meeting, there was a program to unanimously decide the budget for the construction of church building. The preacher shouted, “Hands up with $10,000.” The amount of went down as he continued to invite congregation to voluntarily decide and make pledge in public. In this way the amount came down till $10. The leader approached the one who voluntarily decided to contribute for the cause and got a decision statement. The one who offered $10,000 was immediately known to the public. There was no second thought that such public declaration would hurt the sentiments of those who could not offer as much as the rich people.
It is not certain whether the same kind of system and church norm is found even today but there are many churches that continue to nurture the long-practice tradition of calling the name of those who voluntarily donate for the church building at worship service. No matter how hard I try I cannot understand why they did so. If there was a reason behind for doing this, it would be to stimulate others to offer more.
In my point of view, the audiences may not offer though they do like this. It works temporarily but it may not continue. On the contrary, declaration of the amount offered by someone in the service does not influence the congregation to offer more. The crux of the matter is how religious we have become as matured Christians.
Offering (2)
Jesus sat down opposite the place where the offerings were put and watched the crowd putting their money into the temple treasury. Many rich people threw in large amounts. (12:41)
Many rich people threw in large amounts. It is in contrast to small amount of money of a widow. Does the rich always give large amount of offering? It does not always hold true. If one becomes rich as a result of one’s careful management of money, he could be mean to make an offering. However, it is very clear that one can throw a large amount of money into the offering box when he or she has abundance of money. What is more, when the amount of offering is revealed it will have greater influence to others too.
Should the rich offer more than the poor? Yes. It is natural that the rich offers more than the poor. In certain aspects, we can say that offering is also a part of re-distribution of wealth. In this context, distribution of wealth does not apply to Korean church whose members are bound to pay tithe as their normal tradition. Those who have bigger income do not have much burden to pay tithe. But paying regular tithe is a burden for those who have less source of income. As tax regulates the proportion of amount to be paid so there is such differentiation of amount of offering from different people with different levels of income.
Christians of Korean give a lot of offering. They offer not only their regular tithes but they also offer the church in kind. Different forms of offering can also be seen in the present age. They give 60th year’s birth day offering and other offerings on some specific events. We can understand the intention of the offering of the old aged-people who acknowledge God’s grace and his protection throughout their lives. However, there are different kinds of offerings and it is hard to understand the real motive of each individual. Even now new items of offering are being developed.
Just as Roman Catholic’s indulgence in the Reformation period raised a great issue the reformation of Korean Protestant church depends on offering matter. How can we restore the real essence of offering?
Many rich people threw in large amounts. It is in contrast to small amount of money of a widow. Does the rich always give large amount of offering? It does not always hold true. If one becomes rich as a result of one’s careful management of money, he could be mean to make an offering. However, it is very clear that one can throw a large amount of money into the offering box when he or she has abundance of money. What is more, when the amount of offering is revealed it will have greater influence to others too.
Should the rich offer more than the poor? Yes. It is natural that the rich offers more than the poor. In certain aspects, we can say that offering is also a part of re-distribution of wealth. In this context, distribution of wealth does not apply to Korean church whose members are bound to pay tithe as their normal tradition. Those who have bigger income do not have much burden to pay tithe. But paying regular tithe is a burden for those who have less source of income. As tax regulates the proportion of amount to be paid so there is such differentiation of amount of offering from different people with different levels of income.
Christians of Korean give a lot of offering. They offer not only their regular tithes but they also offer the church in kind. Different forms of offering can also be seen in the present age. They give 60th year’s birth day offering and other offerings on some specific events. We can understand the intention of the offering of the old aged-people who acknowledge God’s grace and his protection throughout their lives. However, there are different kinds of offerings and it is hard to understand the real motive of each individual. Even now new items of offering are being developed.
Just as Roman Catholic’s indulgence in the Reformation period raised a great issue the reformation of Korean Protestant church depends on offering matter. How can we restore the real essence of offering?
The severest punishment
They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely." (Mk 12:40)
The word, “Such man will be punished most severely” exactly explains the standard of God’s judgment. At the last days God does not judge people with his social position or great achievement. Man likes high position and achievement but God does count them.
Some people may have the burning desire for a high position in this world regardless what will be the last days. Remember that a high position has greater risk of being par with hypocrites. I do not feel like explaining it in detail. A person’s desire to seat on a high position clearly shows his longing to be focused on. Though he does not know anything he pretends to know well showing himself of being a pious man. By virtue of his high position, he could also make unearned income. Besides, there is a high possibility of getting maximum benefit by taking advantage of the weak.
At the last judgment, the pastors may be judged most severely. Many lay leaders including the elders of church will also be included. Those who are seating in these positions have the opportunity to make lengthy prayer hiding their secular desire for materialism. According to the preaching of the Lord, “It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.” (Luke 17:2) the pastors and the church leaders should prepared for hundreds of millstones.
The wisest way in a religious life is to avoid any duty in a church. It would not make any difference even if even the post of the elders of church is handed over to others like a person in order to avert a bomb throws it to others. If such post comes to you inevitably, then you carry out your responsibility and do the best you can. However, we must not forget that there is stricter judgment for those high pos holders.
The word, “Such man will be punished most severely” exactly explains the standard of God’s judgment. At the last days God does not judge people with his social position or great achievement. Man likes high position and achievement but God does count them.
Some people may have the burning desire for a high position in this world regardless what will be the last days. Remember that a high position has greater risk of being par with hypocrites. I do not feel like explaining it in detail. A person’s desire to seat on a high position clearly shows his longing to be focused on. Though he does not know anything he pretends to know well showing himself of being a pious man. By virtue of his high position, he could also make unearned income. Besides, there is a high possibility of getting maximum benefit by taking advantage of the weak.
At the last judgment, the pastors may be judged most severely. Many lay leaders including the elders of church will also be included. Those who are seating in these positions have the opportunity to make lengthy prayer hiding their secular desire for materialism. According to the preaching of the Lord, “It would be better for him to be thrown into the sea with a millstone tied around his neck than for him to cause one of these little ones to sin.” (Luke 17:2) the pastors and the church leaders should prepared for hundreds of millstones.
The wisest way in a religious life is to avoid any duty in a church. It would not make any difference even if even the post of the elders of church is handed over to others like a person in order to avert a bomb throws it to others. If such post comes to you inevitably, then you carry out your responsibility and do the best you can. However, we must not forget that there is stricter judgment for those high pos holders.
Faith and Salvation (4)
"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road (Mark 10:52)
Bartimaeus followed Jesus after receiving his eye sight healed by Jesus’ word. Here many episodes of the story were omitted. If Bartimaeus received his sight then his family, relatives and neighbors would have been greatly delighted. They might have arranged a great feast of joy to celebrate the miraculous healing of Bartimaeus’ blindness. Many people must have gathered to see him and to hear the news. In this case, he might not have followed Jesus immediately after receiving his sight.
Furthermore, those who have received their sight for the first time in life would require a period of time for adaptation and familiarization with the new environment he has to adjust with. Think of the person who sees the world at the first time. It might be a greater change and challenge for him than that of a larva just hatched out to become a butterfly. The world comes to them in a completely different way. Bartimaeus must have also lived in a status of complete puzzle for quite long time. In such status, as the content of today says, he could not have immediately followed Jesus.
The authors of Bible did not include all the insignificant details. The important fact of this story is that the blind man, Bartimaeus has been saved and would go the way of disciple, the way the saved people should go. At this point, the above verse is the summary of the entire gospels. It says that those who are saved from sin and death become disciples of Jesus and follow him.
We all are Bartimaeus of today. Our status might be the status of a beggar and of the blind man. We cannot eat and live by ourselves. Though we have great power with us, we can only live depending on others. The fact we cannot see the real truth is exactly similar to helpless status of Bartimaeus. However, our destiny entered into totally different level through Jesus. By virtue of Jesus’ love, we are now able to see the truth and the life. Those who have such joyful experience cannot but follow Jesus for Jesus indeed is the source of life.
Bartimaeus followed Jesus after receiving his eye sight healed by Jesus’ word. Here many episodes of the story were omitted. If Bartimaeus received his sight then his family, relatives and neighbors would have been greatly delighted. They might have arranged a great feast of joy to celebrate the miraculous healing of Bartimaeus’ blindness. Many people must have gathered to see him and to hear the news. In this case, he might not have followed Jesus immediately after receiving his sight.
Furthermore, those who have received their sight for the first time in life would require a period of time for adaptation and familiarization with the new environment he has to adjust with. Think of the person who sees the world at the first time. It might be a greater change and challenge for him than that of a larva just hatched out to become a butterfly. The world comes to them in a completely different way. Bartimaeus must have also lived in a status of complete puzzle for quite long time. In such status, as the content of today says, he could not have immediately followed Jesus.
The authors of Bible did not include all the insignificant details. The important fact of this story is that the blind man, Bartimaeus has been saved and would go the way of disciple, the way the saved people should go. At this point, the above verse is the summary of the entire gospels. It says that those who are saved from sin and death become disciples of Jesus and follow him.
We all are Bartimaeus of today. Our status might be the status of a beggar and of the blind man. We cannot eat and live by ourselves. Though we have great power with us, we can only live depending on others. The fact we cannot see the real truth is exactly similar to helpless status of Bartimaeus. However, our destiny entered into totally different level through Jesus. By virtue of Jesus’ love, we are now able to see the truth and the life. Those who have such joyful experience cannot but follow Jesus for Jesus indeed is the source of life.
Faith and Salvation (3)
"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road (Mark 10:52)
Jesus says, “Your faith has healed you”, and immediately Bartimaeus received his sight. Such miracle had happened with a very simple word. It is a simple thing to believe it. Now the author of Mark’s gospel does not have much concern on the healing process of Bartimaeus. If it was a magical incident, such performance of magician or a sorcerer would have been evidently recorded in detail. However, the gospel does not have any interest in such evidence.
The gospels only try to highlight Jesus’ kingly and divine authority. Whether Jesus touched the other’s body or not it was not much important point in the gospels. The importance lies in the fact that a Messianic manifestation has happened through Jesus. The gospels were written according to the viewpoints of the ancient people.
Messiah is the Savior. If Jesus is the Messiah, showing his salvation power is natural. Yes. Jesus was able to say, “You are saved” or “Today salvation has come to this house.” In the case of Bartimaeus the salvation for him was to receive his sight.
What relationship does salvation and recovery of sight have? Salvation means deliverance of Israelites from the jaw of the enemies. Israelites were delivered from the Red Sea through the leading hands of God. Indeed Bartimaeus was saved for he was delivered from the world of total darkness. Human should be delivered from poverty, isolation and diseases. Ultimately human should be delivered sin and death which is the result of sin. Jesus is the Messiah for he saved human from sin and death. It was the understanding of the early Christians that Jesus is the savior.
Jesus says, “Your faith has healed you”, and immediately Bartimaeus received his sight. Such miracle had happened with a very simple word. It is a simple thing to believe it. Now the author of Mark’s gospel does not have much concern on the healing process of Bartimaeus. If it was a magical incident, such performance of magician or a sorcerer would have been evidently recorded in detail. However, the gospel does not have any interest in such evidence.
The gospels only try to highlight Jesus’ kingly and divine authority. Whether Jesus touched the other’s body or not it was not much important point in the gospels. The importance lies in the fact that a Messianic manifestation has happened through Jesus. The gospels were written according to the viewpoints of the ancient people.
Messiah is the Savior. If Jesus is the Messiah, showing his salvation power is natural. Yes. Jesus was able to say, “You are saved” or “Today salvation has come to this house.” In the case of Bartimaeus the salvation for him was to receive his sight.
What relationship does salvation and recovery of sight have? Salvation means deliverance of Israelites from the jaw of the enemies. Israelites were delivered from the Red Sea through the leading hands of God. Indeed Bartimaeus was saved for he was delivered from the world of total darkness. Human should be delivered from poverty, isolation and diseases. Ultimately human should be delivered sin and death which is the result of sin. Jesus is the Messiah for he saved human from sin and death. It was the understanding of the early Christians that Jesus is the savior.
Faith and salvation (1)
"Go," said Jesus, "your faith has healed you." Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. (Mark 10:52)
Till now I have been dealing with the meditation of Bartimaeus by focusing on his existential situation. The themes were ‘Have mercy on me’ and ‘I want to see’. These themes might be slightly got off the subject of the content. It may incorporate with the depth of faith in its own way but was not the point the author wanted to say. Though this story deals with Bartimaeus’ existential situation he was not a hero of this story but Jesus.
The above verse was just the central point the author of Mark would like to say. Hearing Bartimaeus’ answer to see, Jesus said, “Go, your faith has healed you.” Jesus did not any visible action to open his eyes. He neither touched Bartimaeus’ eyes with his hand nor did he put spit-mixed mud on his face. He just said, “Your faith has healed you.”
What is Bartimaeus’ faith here? He might not even believe Jesus as the Messiah. If he had confessed toward Jesus, “You are the Christ and Son of the living God” the author could have written about it. Then was it his conviction that his infirmity would be healed? To find out the answer about this is really difficult. However, it is also not very essential.
To some people this phrase is accepted as an emphasis of faith. They say, “Look, Bartimaeus was healed of his blindness by faith!” By applying this story, the Korean church justifies the doctrine of “Faith omnipotence”. The concept of faith like “Your Best life now” is one of such beliefs. The doctrine of faith omnipotence contradicts with the reality and does not have harmonious relation with the central point of the Bible.
Till now I have been dealing with the meditation of Bartimaeus by focusing on his existential situation. The themes were ‘Have mercy on me’ and ‘I want to see’. These themes might be slightly got off the subject of the content. It may incorporate with the depth of faith in its own way but was not the point the author wanted to say. Though this story deals with Bartimaeus’ existential situation he was not a hero of this story but Jesus.
The above verse was just the central point the author of Mark would like to say. Hearing Bartimaeus’ answer to see, Jesus said, “Go, your faith has healed you.” Jesus did not any visible action to open his eyes. He neither touched Bartimaeus’ eyes with his hand nor did he put spit-mixed mud on his face. He just said, “Your faith has healed you.”
What is Bartimaeus’ faith here? He might not even believe Jesus as the Messiah. If he had confessed toward Jesus, “You are the Christ and Son of the living God” the author could have written about it. Then was it his conviction that his infirmity would be healed? To find out the answer about this is really difficult. However, it is also not very essential.
To some people this phrase is accepted as an emphasis of faith. They say, “Look, Bartimaeus was healed of his blindness by faith!” By applying this story, the Korean church justifies the doctrine of “Faith omnipotence”. The concept of faith like “Your Best life now” is one of such beliefs. The doctrine of faith omnipotence contradicts with the reality and does not have harmonious relation with the central point of the Bible.
I want to see(3)
"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see." (Mark 10:51)
The answer of Bartimaeus could be an expression of his strong desire to escape from his inconvenient life caused by his sight impediment. He eagerly wanted to be free from social contempt and even risked his own existence. In his desperate state of life, to him there is no question of right or wrong to have such intense desire to be free from his burden of blindness. The fact is that Bartimaeus was captured by a certain absolute power. He wanted to come out from the world of darkness to the world of light. There is no greater intensity of desire for one to come out of the world of such total darkness.
The Zen priests in Buddhism set a certain question for meditation. Most of Zen priests basically take a peaceful rest in summer and winter. The learned and virtuous priests hold on to a question for meditation for lifetime. To hold a question for meditation does not mean that they should immediately get a certain answer. It is an endless process of quest for an answer to the question. It is an experience led by the absolute power. Though Christian belief is different from that of the Buddhism, the manner in which a blind man anxiously waits for the world with light bears similarity to the endless quest for an answer to a question in the life of a Buddhist priest.
However, such study is not easy. Truly speaking, it is hard for an ordinary person to feel a necessity of such study. People’s ignorance about the life can be a reason. What is more, people do not know the world of light. It is similar to Plato’s parable of cave. Those who were staying in the cave never accept the reality of the world outside despite repeated explanations about the outer world.
Do we want to see? If such inner desire gushes out from us, we do not give much concern to other things. It is just like children who excessively indulge in games become indifferent to the necessity of study. We are the people who want to see the light of God.
The answer of Bartimaeus could be an expression of his strong desire to escape from his inconvenient life caused by his sight impediment. He eagerly wanted to be free from social contempt and even risked his own existence. In his desperate state of life, to him there is no question of right or wrong to have such intense desire to be free from his burden of blindness. The fact is that Bartimaeus was captured by a certain absolute power. He wanted to come out from the world of darkness to the world of light. There is no greater intensity of desire for one to come out of the world of such total darkness.
The Zen priests in Buddhism set a certain question for meditation. Most of Zen priests basically take a peaceful rest in summer and winter. The learned and virtuous priests hold on to a question for meditation for lifetime. To hold a question for meditation does not mean that they should immediately get a certain answer. It is an endless process of quest for an answer to the question. It is an experience led by the absolute power. Though Christian belief is different from that of the Buddhism, the manner in which a blind man anxiously waits for the world with light bears similarity to the endless quest for an answer to a question in the life of a Buddhist priest.
However, such study is not easy. Truly speaking, it is hard for an ordinary person to feel a necessity of such study. People’s ignorance about the life can be a reason. What is more, people do not know the world of light. It is similar to Plato’s parable of cave. Those who were staying in the cave never accept the reality of the world outside despite repeated explanations about the outer world.
Do we want to see? If such inner desire gushes out from us, we do not give much concern to other things. It is just like children who excessively indulge in games become indifferent to the necessity of study. We are the people who want to see the light of God.
I want to see(2)
"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see." (Mark 10:51)
Imagine the psychological status of Bartimaeus who says “I want to see.” Did he know the meaning of ‘seeing’ something? Occasionally certain social leaders demonstrate the pathetic status of a blind man by walking with the help of a stick and with their eyes covered so as to learn the difficulties of a blind man. Such event has a meaning in drawing the attention of the society thereby arousing the concern for the physically handicapped people.
The people with impediment in sight experience things by the sense of feeling, hearing and smelling. There is no light in their world. They cannot experience and enjoy the sight of color and its form of the world that is made through a combination of light. They might be aware of it indirectly but they do not know it practically. A real realization is possible only through practical experience.
Jesus once told to the Pharisees and the Scribes saying, “I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father." (John 8:38) The thing the Pharisees heard was the Law of Moses. They heard many sounds that nobody in this world would compete with them but they could not see the source of the sound. They thought and tried to visualize with whatever they heard but they did not directly see the world of truth. Jesus told he had seen the Father’s presence. The word ‘seen’ signifies his identification with God.
How about us today? If we merely hear about Christianity as a piece of information, we are still far from real faith. If not then we are the people who are identified with faith. Others may find it difficult to identify which part we belong to and we can live secretly by hiding ourselves. However, we are aware of our own reality.
Imagine the psychological status of Bartimaeus who says “I want to see.” Did he know the meaning of ‘seeing’ something? Occasionally certain social leaders demonstrate the pathetic status of a blind man by walking with the help of a stick and with their eyes covered so as to learn the difficulties of a blind man. Such event has a meaning in drawing the attention of the society thereby arousing the concern for the physically handicapped people.
The people with impediment in sight experience things by the sense of feeling, hearing and smelling. There is no light in their world. They cannot experience and enjoy the sight of color and its form of the world that is made through a combination of light. They might be aware of it indirectly but they do not know it practically. A real realization is possible only through practical experience.
Jesus once told to the Pharisees and the Scribes saying, “I am telling you what I have seen in the Father's presence, and you do what you have heard from your father." (John 8:38) The thing the Pharisees heard was the Law of Moses. They heard many sounds that nobody in this world would compete with them but they could not see the source of the sound. They thought and tried to visualize with whatever they heard but they did not directly see the world of truth. Jesus told he had seen the Father’s presence. The word ‘seen’ signifies his identification with God.
How about us today? If we merely hear about Christianity as a piece of information, we are still far from real faith. If not then we are the people who are identified with faith. Others may find it difficult to identify which part we belong to and we can live secretly by hiding ourselves. However, we are aware of our own reality.
I want to see (1)
"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked him. The blind man said, "Rabbi, I want to see." (Mark 10:51)
Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him in this manner not because he did not know the answer. This question of Jesus reveals his absolute authority as the king. Jesus is the one who can solve problems and grant the demand of his people.
If we read it in the Korean version, there is a possibility to misunderstand his question. It is used like an intimate speech of a king. His simple question would be “What do you want me?” The absolute power of the kingdom of God was expressed in this intimate speech as Jesus’ action is completely based on the kingdom of God. Despite this, it would be different from the nuance of Korean free speech.
Bartimaeus, the Blind man answered, “Rabbi, I want to see.” It was quite natural to answer in that way. Seeing is the salvation for him. He gave the right answer to the right person, Jesus, the Savior.
Though the answer of Bartimaeus seemed natural, it was a peculiar in one sense. It was not easy to say “I want to see” for a blind man who had lived in total darkness without sight for a lifetime would certainly understand that seeing for him is impossible. His pathetic and helpless situation is similar to that of a bonded slave who could not even think of his freedom.
We keep our own style of living. The change of a world view is impossible. Each world view that has hardened in different way has a difficulty to communicate with each other. Do we surely want to see? Is there anything such seriousness in our life? What do we want to see? Can we see it?
Jesus asked him, “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him in this manner not because he did not know the answer. This question of Jesus reveals his absolute authority as the king. Jesus is the one who can solve problems and grant the demand of his people.
If we read it in the Korean version, there is a possibility to misunderstand his question. It is used like an intimate speech of a king. His simple question would be “What do you want me?” The absolute power of the kingdom of God was expressed in this intimate speech as Jesus’ action is completely based on the kingdom of God. Despite this, it would be different from the nuance of Korean free speech.
Bartimaeus, the Blind man answered, “Rabbi, I want to see.” It was quite natural to answer in that way. Seeing is the salvation for him. He gave the right answer to the right person, Jesus, the Savior.
Though the answer of Bartimaeus seemed natural, it was a peculiar in one sense. It was not easy to say “I want to see” for a blind man who had lived in total darkness without sight for a lifetime would certainly understand that seeing for him is impossible. His pathetic and helpless situation is similar to that of a bonded slave who could not even think of his freedom.
We keep our own style of living. The change of a world view is impossible. Each world view that has hardened in different way has a difficulty to communicate with each other. Do we surely want to see? Is there anything such seriousness in our life? What do we want to see? Can we see it?
The Blind man’s cloak
Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped to his feet and came to Jesus
(Mark 10:50)
Bartimaeus who heard the disciples saying, “The Lord is calling you” threw his cloak aside and jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. This sentence is quite dynamic. Three verbs throw, jump and come get connected. Could this be a literal technique of Bartimaeus to express his urgent state of mind?
Here the expression of throwing his cloak aside has a great symbolic meaning. According to the Bible annotators, there are some transformed phrases. A certain transformed phrase describes that the blind man throw on his cloak before going to Jesus. The cloak has been spreading out for almsgiving on the street. And the others suggest that the blind man formally put on his cloak before a great teacher to show his respect.
Why does it vary in this manner? Though a certain insistence suggests that an oriental tinge has been added to the former and the latter was modified in the Greek way of life, it is hard for us to come to a specific conclusion. However, the important point we can learn here is the author’s deliberate effort to deliver the blind man’s high spirited emotion to the reader.
Though I may mention it in detail in the following verse 51, we can fully imagine how he was in such a status of high spirit. He should hang only on one fact. His status of being healed from his blindness is the most significant moment of his life. Compared to this aesthetic joy in his life other matters seems unimportant to him thereby making him throw his cloak aside. We also should throw it aside in times emergency.
Those who have not yet entered into the urgent status of the blind man neither know what the significance of cloak throwing aside is nor feel the necessity of this historic incidence. Lord! Have mercy on us!
(Mark 10:50)
Bartimaeus who heard the disciples saying, “The Lord is calling you” threw his cloak aside and jumped to his feet and came to Jesus. This sentence is quite dynamic. Three verbs throw, jump and come get connected. Could this be a literal technique of Bartimaeus to express his urgent state of mind?
Here the expression of throwing his cloak aside has a great symbolic meaning. According to the Bible annotators, there are some transformed phrases. A certain transformed phrase describes that the blind man throw on his cloak before going to Jesus. The cloak has been spreading out for almsgiving on the street. And the others suggest that the blind man formally put on his cloak before a great teacher to show his respect.
Why does it vary in this manner? Though a certain insistence suggests that an oriental tinge has been added to the former and the latter was modified in the Greek way of life, it is hard for us to come to a specific conclusion. However, the important point we can learn here is the author’s deliberate effort to deliver the blind man’s high spirited emotion to the reader.
Though I may mention it in detail in the following verse 51, we can fully imagine how he was in such a status of high spirit. He should hang only on one fact. His status of being healed from his blindness is the most significant moment of his life. Compared to this aesthetic joy in his life other matters seems unimportant to him thereby making him throw his cloak aside. We also should throw it aside in times emergency.
Those who have not yet entered into the urgent status of the blind man neither know what the significance of cloak throwing aside is nor feel the necessity of this historic incidence. Lord! Have mercy on us!
Greed and ostentation
They devour widows' houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. Such men will be punished most severely."(Mk 12:40)
The teachers of the law whom Jesus warned against to watch out had not only problems of lengthy robe, greetings and the most important seat but also had more serious problem as mentioned in the above verse. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. We do not know how they devoured widows’ houses and properties. Originally, the Jews give a special consideration to widows and orphans. The scripture says, “Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry.” (Exo. 22:22,23) A widow or an orphan refers to self-defenseless people.
A religious law and a secular law (a positive law) are basically made to protect the weak. Those affluent sections of people with power can live without the protection of law but for the weak it is impossible. Such basic intended purpose of making law has been disappeared today. Even a law has become an instrument for the strong to extend and aggrandize his power.
The teachers of the law might not directly violate the law. He might demand exorbitant charge for giving a legal assistance to a widow. We can find such cases of lawyers today. What is more, this teacher of law for a show made lengthy prayers. It is an instance where they skillfully make a cozy relationship between material greed and religious ostentation.
Is it not a basic nature of human being? Those who do not focus on God naturally try to decorate their external religious outlook. Is it not the phenomenon of overflowing various programs and events such as worship services and prayer meetings conducted in Korean church a gesture to hide their secular greed?
The teachers of the law whom Jesus warned against to watch out had not only problems of lengthy robe, greetings and the most important seat but also had more serious problem as mentioned in the above verse. They devour widows’ houses and for a show make lengthy prayers. We do not know how they devoured widows’ houses and properties. Originally, the Jews give a special consideration to widows and orphans. The scripture says, “Do not take advantage of a widow or an orphan. If you do and they cry out to me, I will certainly hear their cry.” (Exo. 22:22,23) A widow or an orphan refers to self-defenseless people.
A religious law and a secular law (a positive law) are basically made to protect the weak. Those affluent sections of people with power can live without the protection of law but for the weak it is impossible. Such basic intended purpose of making law has been disappeared today. Even a law has become an instrument for the strong to extend and aggrandize his power.
The teachers of the law might not directly violate the law. He might demand exorbitant charge for giving a legal assistance to a widow. We can find such cases of lawyers today. What is more, this teacher of law for a show made lengthy prayers. It is an instance where they skillfully make a cozy relationship between material greed and religious ostentation.
Is it not a basic nature of human being? Those who do not focus on God naturally try to decorate their external religious outlook. Is it not the phenomenon of overflowing various programs and events such as worship services and prayer meetings conducted in Korean church a gesture to hide their secular greed?
The people be greeted
As he taught, Jesus said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, (Mk 12:38)
The scribes who like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted often appeared in the marketplaces. Clad in the ceremonial dress with high dignity, they want to be greeted in public places.
It is natural that a junior greets a senior. A student ought to greet his teacher. Greeting is an expression of politeness and respect. However there is a conventional problem that a senior does not condescend to greet but takes a certain attitude to be greeted. A junior who does not have the etiquette and social sense to greet could be termed as wrong but it is not more serious than the matter of the senior. We can say this because the junior who does not have the sense of need to greet a senior is probably uneducated and socially immature but the senior who expects or even exerts himself to be greeted seems to have a distorted personality.
If the teacher of the law was a man of character he would not try to be greeted and would not even feel disappointed even if he is not greeted. For example, let us regard the teacher of the law as a professor of a seminary or a pastor of today. If the professor is a man of character he would not bother much whether his students greet him or not. For him the kingdom of God and his rule is everything. Those who are concentrating in an absolute thing are not swayed by a relative one.
Here the matter of greeting does not merely belong to the level of external etiquette. Once it goes further, it can be compared to bribe. A bribe is something offered to a boss in his favor. A formal greeting is also a kind of favor and so greeting and bribing are similar. If we are free from greeting and bribe, our life would be much lighter. However, it is not an easy mater. When we receive greeting and bribe, it makes us happy instantly and also helps our practical life. Jesus told the disciples to watch out the teacher of the law who enjoys to be greeted. Let us remember it.
The scribes who like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted often appeared in the marketplaces. Clad in the ceremonial dress with high dignity, they want to be greeted in public places.
It is natural that a junior greets a senior. A student ought to greet his teacher. Greeting is an expression of politeness and respect. However there is a conventional problem that a senior does not condescend to greet but takes a certain attitude to be greeted. A junior who does not have the etiquette and social sense to greet could be termed as wrong but it is not more serious than the matter of the senior. We can say this because the junior who does not have the sense of need to greet a senior is probably uneducated and socially immature but the senior who expects or even exerts himself to be greeted seems to have a distorted personality.
If the teacher of the law was a man of character he would not try to be greeted and would not even feel disappointed even if he is not greeted. For example, let us regard the teacher of the law as a professor of a seminary or a pastor of today. If the professor is a man of character he would not bother much whether his students greet him or not. For him the kingdom of God and his rule is everything. Those who are concentrating in an absolute thing are not swayed by a relative one.
Here the matter of greeting does not merely belong to the level of external etiquette. Once it goes further, it can be compared to bribe. A bribe is something offered to a boss in his favor. A formal greeting is also a kind of favor and so greeting and bribing are similar. If we are free from greeting and bribe, our life would be much lighter. However, it is not an easy mater. When we receive greeting and bribe, it makes us happy instantly and also helps our practical life. Jesus told the disciples to watch out the teacher of the law who enjoys to be greeted. Let us remember it.
The people wore in flowing robes
As he taught, Jesus said, "Watch out for the teachers of the law. They like to walk around in flowing robes and be greeted in the marketplaces, (12:38)
Jesus’ destiny gradually rides speedily like flowing of water. It means that Jesus’ clash against his enemy get more serious with the passage of time. Jesus had already faced unpleasant atmosphere after his triumphal entry to Jerusalem where he cleared the temple and faced theological castigation from the Jewish religious leaders. Now Jesus’ candid and one-side criticism begins. However it cannot be compared with previous one in its strength.
The criticism is directed against the Scribes. They were law scholars who took the role of controlling the entire theological foundation of Judaism. The argument whether the religious leaders practically wore a specific robe (talit) or not is still going on. According to scholars, it is an ostentatious tassel of the scribes’ robe or the Sabbath dress which only the rich could afford to wear. However, it is clear that the dress reveals the dignity of privileged class just as a lawyer puts on the gown of a judge.
There are different opinions about a pastor’s gown in the worship service. I prefer wearing a gown if possible. It is because the pastor in worship service is not a natural person but a technical person entrusted in doing a special role as the player wear a specific dress in order to do a certain role.
In verse 38, ‘..to walk around in flowing robes’ does not mean that wearing such dress is wrong. It reveals one’s desire for fame which works in human. A desire for fame cannot be easily overcome. People pretend that they have no interest in it at all but in most cases they inwardly cling to this desire for fame. Jesus taught them to watch out for such arrogant people. We can imagine how shameful it had been for the scribes and priests on hearing of Jesus’ word.
Jesus’ destiny gradually rides speedily like flowing of water. It means that Jesus’ clash against his enemy get more serious with the passage of time. Jesus had already faced unpleasant atmosphere after his triumphal entry to Jerusalem where he cleared the temple and faced theological castigation from the Jewish religious leaders. Now Jesus’ candid and one-side criticism begins. However it cannot be compared with previous one in its strength.
The criticism is directed against the Scribes. They were law scholars who took the role of controlling the entire theological foundation of Judaism. The argument whether the religious leaders practically wore a specific robe (talit) or not is still going on. According to scholars, it is an ostentatious tassel of the scribes’ robe or the Sabbath dress which only the rich could afford to wear. However, it is clear that the dress reveals the dignity of privileged class just as a lawyer puts on the gown of a judge.
There are different opinions about a pastor’s gown in the worship service. I prefer wearing a gown if possible. It is because the pastor in worship service is not a natural person but a technical person entrusted in doing a special role as the player wear a specific dress in order to do a certain role.
In verse 38, ‘..to walk around in flowing robes’ does not mean that wearing such dress is wrong. It reveals one’s desire for fame which works in human. A desire for fame cannot be easily overcome. People pretend that they have no interest in it at all but in most cases they inwardly cling to this desire for fame. Jesus taught them to watch out for such arrogant people. We can imagine how shameful it had been for the scribes and priests on hearing of Jesus’ word.
20090825
The community of the kingdom of God (2)
“Whoever does God’s will is my brother and sister and mother.” (Mk 3:35)
Now this is our question. If those people who do “the will of God” belong to Jesus’ family, then how can we acknowledge the will of God? Yesterday I mentioned that church community is very precious. It does not mean that the church itself is the absolute. Rather the church should obey the will of God. If she does not, then it is not an ideal church. In fact, when we look back the history of the church, we can discover that there are many things that go against God’s will. We have many such scars. We must put our concerted effort to come into the new flesh by agreeing on it even from now on. Without such an effort, the church cannot survive as a family of Jesus.
No one knows the perfect will of God. The Bible can be the answer. Yet, it is not easy to find out the will of God, since the Bible should also pass through the medium of interpretation. May be the life of faith could be the process of knowing the will of God. So Paul, who is much senior to us, said that he had not already obtained all. Not only that, he confessed that what he saw was a poor reflection as in a mirror.
Some Christians claim as if he or she knew all the will of God, and as if he was the only one who does the will of God. Pastors have greater risk of being exposed to such danger. As the pastoral experience getting piled up, any moment a pastor could be sunk in self-righteousness. Being aware of such possible danger, it is utmost important to strictly observe the ideal policy “I still don’t know many things”.
Now this is our question. If those people who do “the will of God” belong to Jesus’ family, then how can we acknowledge the will of God? Yesterday I mentioned that church community is very precious. It does not mean that the church itself is the absolute. Rather the church should obey the will of God. If she does not, then it is not an ideal church. In fact, when we look back the history of the church, we can discover that there are many things that go against God’s will. We have many such scars. We must put our concerted effort to come into the new flesh by agreeing on it even from now on. Without such an effort, the church cannot survive as a family of Jesus.
No one knows the perfect will of God. The Bible can be the answer. Yet, it is not easy to find out the will of God, since the Bible should also pass through the medium of interpretation. May be the life of faith could be the process of knowing the will of God. So Paul, who is much senior to us, said that he had not already obtained all. Not only that, he confessed that what he saw was a poor reflection as in a mirror.
Some Christians claim as if he or she knew all the will of God, and as if he was the only one who does the will of God. Pastors have greater risk of being exposed to such danger. As the pastoral experience getting piled up, any moment a pastor could be sunk in self-righteousness. Being aware of such possible danger, it is utmost important to strictly observe the ideal policy “I still don’t know many things”.
THE MOST IMPORTANT SEATS
“…and have the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets.“(Mk 12:39)
The synagogue is the Jews’ gathering place for having religious activities and ritual services. From here the Jews read or study the Bible or celebrate those festivals such as Passover. The religious activities are not sacrificial offering. A sacrificial offering can be performed only by the priest in the Jerusalem temple. In the synagogue meeting the ruler of synagogue and Rabbi sit at the seat of honor while the general public sits at the lower below. Seating arrangement at the synagogue meeting is similar to that of the Christian worship service in which the worship leaders sit in the platform and the congregation sits along the pews below.
We cannot arrange the seats in a uniform level in the meeting of synagogue or worship service. It is always better to separate the seats of the leaders from that of the congregation for the sake of mutual convenience in the worship service. Some criticize it as clericalism. For example, there is no fixed order or form in the Quake. They are sitting around and those who are impressed by the Holy Spirit pray, reading the word of God and preach. Such fundamental and dismantle position can be an alternative but it is hard to employ in the center of Christian tradition.
The word ‘watch out the teachers of the law who wants to sit at the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets’ does not mean to abolish the formality altogether. It is a warning against human love for fame. The love for fame is the desire to be recognized by others. Everybody has this natural instinct though the degree of one’s desire varies from one person to another. Therefore this natural tendency cannot be attributed to the teachers alone but it applies to everyone.
Such trend of psychology predominates even in the church. Most of elderly people in the church want to be an elder. It sounds a little ridiculous. If he a true Christian with deeper spirituality, he would certainly refuse to be apart of the elders. An attempt to be in the spotlight is an irritable thing in the real search for spiritual truth. How about our spiritual status?
The synagogue is the Jews’ gathering place for having religious activities and ritual services. From here the Jews read or study the Bible or celebrate those festivals such as Passover. The religious activities are not sacrificial offering. A sacrificial offering can be performed only by the priest in the Jerusalem temple. In the synagogue meeting the ruler of synagogue and Rabbi sit at the seat of honor while the general public sits at the lower below. Seating arrangement at the synagogue meeting is similar to that of the Christian worship service in which the worship leaders sit in the platform and the congregation sits along the pews below.
We cannot arrange the seats in a uniform level in the meeting of synagogue or worship service. It is always better to separate the seats of the leaders from that of the congregation for the sake of mutual convenience in the worship service. Some criticize it as clericalism. For example, there is no fixed order or form in the Quake. They are sitting around and those who are impressed by the Holy Spirit pray, reading the word of God and preach. Such fundamental and dismantle position can be an alternative but it is hard to employ in the center of Christian tradition.
The word ‘watch out the teachers of the law who wants to sit at the most important seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets’ does not mean to abolish the formality altogether. It is a warning against human love for fame. The love for fame is the desire to be recognized by others. Everybody has this natural instinct though the degree of one’s desire varies from one person to another. Therefore this natural tendency cannot be attributed to the teachers alone but it applies to everyone.
Such trend of psychology predominates even in the church. Most of elderly people in the church want to be an elder. It sounds a little ridiculous. If he a true Christian with deeper spirituality, he would certainly refuse to be apart of the elders. An attempt to be in the spotlight is an irritable thing in the real search for spiritual truth. How about our spiritual status?
20090730
Leaving and Following (2)
At once they left the net and followed him. (Mark 1:18)
Yesterday I suggested illusively that in Mark 1: 18, the key point is “following”, but it has a dialectic relationship with “leaving”. The person, who had experienced his spiritual salvation through following Jesus, had no choice except giving up extra things. And what does it mean by leaving something in here in details?
While we are following description of the text, first of all, Simon brothers left their net. The net was a tool to make a living for them. Giving up their net by which they used to fish everyday means that they gave up their basic way of living in this world. In here it sounds a little bit strange to us. Even though there must be charisma in Jesus, isn’t it strange that they gave up everything to follow the person whom they met for the first time and who seemed to be in the same age as they were. I think I have mentioned before. Probably this could not be the first encounter between Jesus and Simon brothers. For a certain time, they might know each other, and Simon brothers could make up their minds to leave home just like Jesus. The Bible just likes to pay attention to Messianic character in Jesus, so that it does not say what happened in details. But we should think about what happened exactly while reading the Bible. Our expectation is not decisive for our faith, but definitely a literary imagination is required in order to read the Bible texts more vividly.
We can’t help asking a fundamental question in here. Was it a good thing for Simon brothers to give up the net? Even though we can’t figure out exact situation in details, the net might be a lifeline for Simon brothers, having tears and sweats for their life. Regarding Simon brothers having abandoned the precious net for a living, they did not seem to have a family to support or they did not have any desire to support family. Even though it must be very valuable to follow Jesus, abandoning family relationship like this did not look appropriate.
After today’s text, according to verse 30, there comes the incident that Simon’s mother-in-law had fever. It might be more serious problem for a married person to give up his net. And then is it possible to think like this? The description in the Bible that they gave up the net and followed Jesus could not mean literally abandoning family relationship, but it could be a loose kind of leaving home. What about this? Just in some special occasions like visiting Jerusalem in Passover, they might follow Jesus, and in other times they could stay at home to do routines. You could forget about this, because there is no any foundation for this kind of my imagination. Anyway, whether it means definitely leaving home or loosely leaving home, it is clear that Simon brothers transferred from family community to Nazareth Jesus community. The author of the Gospel might describe that situation as leaving the net to follow Jesus.
We cannot follow Jesus by the way of leaving home, because we are not in the same position as the disciples, and we don’t have to do it. But we should remember that they had abandoned their net. From old order to new one, from earthly order to heavenly one, from family community to Jesus community, they had moved the center stage of their life. For this nobody could describe precisely what we should give up in details. It should be decided on his own. Only it is a problem that only you could decide and choose for yourself. This is a decisive moment only between you and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Lord, help us to live as a person who has moved our living into Nazareth Jesus community. Amen!
Yesterday I suggested illusively that in Mark 1: 18, the key point is “following”, but it has a dialectic relationship with “leaving”. The person, who had experienced his spiritual salvation through following Jesus, had no choice except giving up extra things. And what does it mean by leaving something in here in details?
While we are following description of the text, first of all, Simon brothers left their net. The net was a tool to make a living for them. Giving up their net by which they used to fish everyday means that they gave up their basic way of living in this world. In here it sounds a little bit strange to us. Even though there must be charisma in Jesus, isn’t it strange that they gave up everything to follow the person whom they met for the first time and who seemed to be in the same age as they were. I think I have mentioned before. Probably this could not be the first encounter between Jesus and Simon brothers. For a certain time, they might know each other, and Simon brothers could make up their minds to leave home just like Jesus. The Bible just likes to pay attention to Messianic character in Jesus, so that it does not say what happened in details. But we should think about what happened exactly while reading the Bible. Our expectation is not decisive for our faith, but definitely a literary imagination is required in order to read the Bible texts more vividly.
We can’t help asking a fundamental question in here. Was it a good thing for Simon brothers to give up the net? Even though we can’t figure out exact situation in details, the net might be a lifeline for Simon brothers, having tears and sweats for their life. Regarding Simon brothers having abandoned the precious net for a living, they did not seem to have a family to support or they did not have any desire to support family. Even though it must be very valuable to follow Jesus, abandoning family relationship like this did not look appropriate.
After today’s text, according to verse 30, there comes the incident that Simon’s mother-in-law had fever. It might be more serious problem for a married person to give up his net. And then is it possible to think like this? The description in the Bible that they gave up the net and followed Jesus could not mean literally abandoning family relationship, but it could be a loose kind of leaving home. What about this? Just in some special occasions like visiting Jerusalem in Passover, they might follow Jesus, and in other times they could stay at home to do routines. You could forget about this, because there is no any foundation for this kind of my imagination. Anyway, whether it means definitely leaving home or loosely leaving home, it is clear that Simon brothers transferred from family community to Nazareth Jesus community. The author of the Gospel might describe that situation as leaving the net to follow Jesus.
We cannot follow Jesus by the way of leaving home, because we are not in the same position as the disciples, and we don’t have to do it. But we should remember that they had abandoned their net. From old order to new one, from earthly order to heavenly one, from family community to Jesus community, they had moved the center stage of their life. For this nobody could describe precisely what we should give up in details. It should be decided on his own. Only it is a problem that only you could decide and choose for yourself. This is a decisive moment only between you and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Lord, help us to live as a person who has moved our living into Nazareth Jesus community. Amen!
20090711
Leaving and following (1)
At once they left their nets and followed him. (Mark 1:18)
After Simon brothers listened to Jesus’ command, “follow me”, they at once left their nets and followed Jesus. Why did the author of the Gospel of Mark mention this happening? As a matter of fact, the net was not that important at the tense moment when someone’s fate would be decided. It is impossible for us to understand clearly if there must be some intentional effort from Mark for this sentence. Of course we could explain depending on the basis of faith like this. We could say that we need some courage to give up certain way of living in order to follow Jesus. We often seem to read the Bible this way. This point of view is well-known analysis that is ok pretty much.
But we could analyze this happening from a viewpoint of the Bible as a whole. This is what an analytical circulation of the part as well as of the whole means. This kind of point of view could decrease misunderstanding, and also open the deeper recognition of the text in the Bible. Look. The topic of the whole New Testament is basically Jesus Christ. When we read from that point of view, the essence of today’s text is Jesus Christ, not the net. It means that following someone is more important than leaving something.
Here it might be possible for us to ask this kind of question. Isn’t it the same thing leaving and following? And then why should we say that the latter is more important than the former? These two are related with each other. Of course without leaving the net, you cannot follow Jesus, and also without reservation to follow, it is impossible to leave the net. But analysis to emphasize on leaving is quite different from the one to put more weight on following. It is because the center of our life is Jesus Christ himself, depending upon his calling. Only when this calling is so strong, the meaning of leaving could have be much more important to us.
Sometimes some people put emphasis on leaving for faith. As an extreme example, there are rare cases in which there are some people who want to be a pastor because they have failed whatever they like to do in the world. They regard those kinds of failure as the Lord’s calling. Of course it could happen such things, but those things could distort essence of our faith in case of generalizing Christianity. Because in that case people could have regrets or desires for what he had left or had not achieved, it is possible that he could not have clear ideas about whom he should follow or he could have some bigoted attention.
What is worse, some pastors are saying without hesitation they have enough incomes through their books or speeches, so that they could give back all of their pay from their ministry as offerings. If they could give up material things, what many people are craving for, for the church that is the body of the Lord Jesus, it could be very praiseworthy enough, but if someone is boasting it off, it is because he is so foolish not to understand what the essence of our faith should be. At this point, I suggest we don’t put focus on “leaving” for sermons. There must be lots of things we should give up as a Christian, but that is not a key point for the Gospels. We should explain more about Jesus Christ, who is holding our hearts and souls enough to give up the net than such trivial things. We should try to let them understand the kingdom of God. Yes, we should. Our starting point is not to leave the net, but to follow the Lord Jesus. To differentiate this difference is related with making sure what the essence of the Gospels is.
Lord, we like to follow you as much as we could forget the net. Amen!
After Simon brothers listened to Jesus’ command, “follow me”, they at once left their nets and followed Jesus. Why did the author of the Gospel of Mark mention this happening? As a matter of fact, the net was not that important at the tense moment when someone’s fate would be decided. It is impossible for us to understand clearly if there must be some intentional effort from Mark for this sentence. Of course we could explain depending on the basis of faith like this. We could say that we need some courage to give up certain way of living in order to follow Jesus. We often seem to read the Bible this way. This point of view is well-known analysis that is ok pretty much.
But we could analyze this happening from a viewpoint of the Bible as a whole. This is what an analytical circulation of the part as well as of the whole means. This kind of point of view could decrease misunderstanding, and also open the deeper recognition of the text in the Bible. Look. The topic of the whole New Testament is basically Jesus Christ. When we read from that point of view, the essence of today’s text is Jesus Christ, not the net. It means that following someone is more important than leaving something.
Here it might be possible for us to ask this kind of question. Isn’t it the same thing leaving and following? And then why should we say that the latter is more important than the former? These two are related with each other. Of course without leaving the net, you cannot follow Jesus, and also without reservation to follow, it is impossible to leave the net. But analysis to emphasize on leaving is quite different from the one to put more weight on following. It is because the center of our life is Jesus Christ himself, depending upon his calling. Only when this calling is so strong, the meaning of leaving could have be much more important to us.
Sometimes some people put emphasis on leaving for faith. As an extreme example, there are rare cases in which there are some people who want to be a pastor because they have failed whatever they like to do in the world. They regard those kinds of failure as the Lord’s calling. Of course it could happen such things, but those things could distort essence of our faith in case of generalizing Christianity. Because in that case people could have regrets or desires for what he had left or had not achieved, it is possible that he could not have clear ideas about whom he should follow or he could have some bigoted attention.
What is worse, some pastors are saying without hesitation they have enough incomes through their books or speeches, so that they could give back all of their pay from their ministry as offerings. If they could give up material things, what many people are craving for, for the church that is the body of the Lord Jesus, it could be very praiseworthy enough, but if someone is boasting it off, it is because he is so foolish not to understand what the essence of our faith should be. At this point, I suggest we don’t put focus on “leaving” for sermons. There must be lots of things we should give up as a Christian, but that is not a key point for the Gospels. We should explain more about Jesus Christ, who is holding our hearts and souls enough to give up the net than such trivial things. We should try to let them understand the kingdom of God. Yes, we should. Our starting point is not to leave the net, but to follow the Lord Jesus. To differentiate this difference is related with making sure what the essence of the Gospels is.
Lord, we like to follow you as much as we could forget the net. Amen!
20090623
Follow me!”(2)
“Come, follow me“ Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”(Mark 1:17)
The verb in a sentence “follow me” is “follow”. Jesus did not say “find a Buddha in your heart!” or “make peace inside!” or “build up the ability for love”, but clearly he said, “follow” me. In here there exists the second core of Christianity. What does it mean by following Jesus in details? As we meditated in yesterday’s text, people have a tendency to religionize the characteristics of Christianity. Many people say that they would go to church for recovery or mental comfort from fear of death or painful life. What is worse, some people go to church in order to cut off smoking, gambling or just to live a good life. These are not Christian essentials. The center of Christianity does not remain in abstract or concrete joy or happiness or living as a role model, but in “following” Jesus who is a real historical person.
Here we’d better listen to Bonhoeffer’s explanation. Once he made definition of Christian identity as “following Jesus”(Nachfolge Christi). This does not mean simply taking the ideas of Jesus Christ or having religious dialogue with Him or learning mystery of God’s world through Him, but means to follow His life in details. It is like Martin Luther’s saying, “If Jesus is in the hell, I will choose to stay in the hell.”
If they were a little thoughtful Christians, they might understand explanation above. But they do not think seriously about what following Jesus means exactly. Being for others or new being or being a pioneer for world mission or nationwide evangelism, they do not have concrete ideas. Most people could think that having diligent church life could be a living like Jesus. That’s right. It must be true that living in that way could be a living to follow Jesus in a sense. The more people who are living like this, the brighter light Christian church could get as a community following Jesus.
But the basic meaning for following Jesus is not a partial following, but a total following. It means the fact that our total being should rely on Jesus Christ. Our thinking, our value, our resolution, our final destiny should be concentrated only on Jesus just like a person, who fell in love with someone and then thought about only that person for 24 hours. These kinds of people could be called followers for Jesus.
Do not misunderstand this. Does it mean we could neglect whatsoever except following Jesus? Does it mean that we should abandon jobs, hobbies? No way! The life style with those things is precious too, but the contents of life should be filled with Christ totally.
Considering as trinitarianistic point of view, following Jesus means that we rely on the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a power of life. So when we say we rely on the Holy Spirit, it means a living totally directed toward life. Now the meaning of totally following Jesus seems to come closer to us in full sense. It means we must be living life-oriented life. When we eat, take a walk, get conversation with a friend, learn or teach. it is possible for us to have a life-oriented life. When such direction toward life as well as toward Jesus incident could be harmonized in our life, it might be a living totally following Jesus.
Lord, hope all of my soul to listen carefully only to you. Amen.
The verb in a sentence “follow me” is “follow”. Jesus did not say “find a Buddha in your heart!” or “make peace inside!” or “build up the ability for love”, but clearly he said, “follow” me. In here there exists the second core of Christianity. What does it mean by following Jesus in details? As we meditated in yesterday’s text, people have a tendency to religionize the characteristics of Christianity. Many people say that they would go to church for recovery or mental comfort from fear of death or painful life. What is worse, some people go to church in order to cut off smoking, gambling or just to live a good life. These are not Christian essentials. The center of Christianity does not remain in abstract or concrete joy or happiness or living as a role model, but in “following” Jesus who is a real historical person.
Here we’d better listen to Bonhoeffer’s explanation. Once he made definition of Christian identity as “following Jesus”(Nachfolge Christi). This does not mean simply taking the ideas of Jesus Christ or having religious dialogue with Him or learning mystery of God’s world through Him, but means to follow His life in details. It is like Martin Luther’s saying, “If Jesus is in the hell, I will choose to stay in the hell.”
If they were a little thoughtful Christians, they might understand explanation above. But they do not think seriously about what following Jesus means exactly. Being for others or new being or being a pioneer for world mission or nationwide evangelism, they do not have concrete ideas. Most people could think that having diligent church life could be a living like Jesus. That’s right. It must be true that living in that way could be a living to follow Jesus in a sense. The more people who are living like this, the brighter light Christian church could get as a community following Jesus.
But the basic meaning for following Jesus is not a partial following, but a total following. It means the fact that our total being should rely on Jesus Christ. Our thinking, our value, our resolution, our final destiny should be concentrated only on Jesus just like a person, who fell in love with someone and then thought about only that person for 24 hours. These kinds of people could be called followers for Jesus.
Do not misunderstand this. Does it mean we could neglect whatsoever except following Jesus? Does it mean that we should abandon jobs, hobbies? No way! The life style with those things is precious too, but the contents of life should be filled with Christ totally.
Considering as trinitarianistic point of view, following Jesus means that we rely on the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a power of life. So when we say we rely on the Holy Spirit, it means a living totally directed toward life. Now the meaning of totally following Jesus seems to come closer to us in full sense. It means we must be living life-oriented life. When we eat, take a walk, get conversation with a friend, learn or teach. it is possible for us to have a life-oriented life. When such direction toward life as well as toward Jesus incident could be harmonized in our life, it might be a living totally following Jesus.
Lord, hope all of my soul to listen carefully only to you. Amen.
20090620
“Follow Me!” (1)
“Come, follow me“ Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”(Mark 1:17)
Jesus’ saying “follow me” have shaken so many souls from the bottom for last 2 millenniums. It could not be one or two people who had left their worldly lives giving up all the achievements for the monastery or a remote land according to this saying. There is no greater saying among what famous people had said to influence human history than this from Jesus. This sentence is composed of two words. It is a very short sentence with “me” and “follow”.
The focal point in Christian faith is Jesus written as “me”. Jesus is an absolute person as center of Christian faith. This Jesus is a real historical person who lived as a son of a carpenter 2000 years ago. Every incident happened to him as well as his destiny is both roots and fruits for Christianity. On the other hand, Buddhism is quite different. Historical person, Siddhārtha, is very important person for beginning of Buddhism but is not an absolute one for this faith. It is because they say that everyone is able to be a Buddha and should be. If there exists already a Buddha inside the heart of the Buddhists, a real Buddha could not be an absolute being for them. But none of Christians could be either Jesus or Christ. Jesus Christ is only one, and it is possible for salvation only through Him.
If we accept this fact as truth, we should pay attention only to Jesus Christ. Probably someone could ask why I am talking about such an evident fact. Do you think we pay attention only to Jesus these days? Do you really believe that? What a happy person he is if he really could give attention only to Jesus Christ! But as you know it is not that easy to pay attention only to Jesus.
Look at us. Generally speaking, we don’t try to know who Jesus is, but instead try to believe. We only rely on our own religious experiences. It might be possible to say that such attitudes could be just efforts to make us satisfied with our narrow minds, not sincere care for Jesus Christ. Healing by prayers, speaking tongues, or growing up churches in magnitude used to be highlighted in Christianity, but you can see such things from other religion too.
I am not talking about any possibilities or judgment of value in most religions. I am saying that Christianity basically does not regard those things as their essentials. Christianity is not a faith for recognition, which is looking for a Buddha in their hearts, and not like a Baal worship, which guaranteed an abundant life with god’s help. Christianity depends upon basically knowing who Jesus is. The most important thing is to know who Jesus is exactly. We should know historical Jesus and also what kinds of incident in Him lead to salvation. Why? The reason is that we are the people living according to the faith from his command “follow me”.
From some time ago Korean churches have been fallen into sentimentalism like “praise and worship”. This is a psychological spirituality imported from America. Leadership training or counseling is getting much attention from people. But what on earth are these things? How could such things be related with understanding Jesus, Jesus incidents, Jesus destiny, and what does it matter with being in accord with Him? To a person who has interest in these things, “the Kingdom of God” through Jesus does not have any impact. They don’t even imagine what an eschatological hope means. They don’t care why the day of Advent is the beginning of church calendar. It is good enough for them to get comforts while singing “you are the person to be born for getting love” with two raised arms. Please forgive my way of speaking which sounds like to find fault in the remarks. You are not a person being born to get love, but a person whose birth is already God’s love. It is because creation is just like love. Many Korean Christians regard their faith as a soap opera, which cling to love relationship.
This trend in Korean churches is natural consequences of church leaders’ faults. Now many Christians who have this tendency are out of control just like flood. Because they have interest only in religious self-satisfaction now, it might be impossible to ask them to follow Jesus only. Even it is impossible to tell them to look at mystery of life.
Today I think I talked too much. Since the person who had said “follow me” seemed to be hurt these day, I was a little bit agitated. But we don’t have to be discouraged as long as people following Jesus remain to make up their minds to follow only Jesus and also mystery of life as well as of salvation. Probably this could be a just normal phenomenon. It could be inevitable that the number of people who have accepted the truth “follow me” is so short among the awakened.
Lord, Only Jesus is everything for our life. Amen.
Jesus’ saying “follow me” have shaken so many souls from the bottom for last 2 millenniums. It could not be one or two people who had left their worldly lives giving up all the achievements for the monastery or a remote land according to this saying. There is no greater saying among what famous people had said to influence human history than this from Jesus. This sentence is composed of two words. It is a very short sentence with “me” and “follow”.
The focal point in Christian faith is Jesus written as “me”. Jesus is an absolute person as center of Christian faith. This Jesus is a real historical person who lived as a son of a carpenter 2000 years ago. Every incident happened to him as well as his destiny is both roots and fruits for Christianity. On the other hand, Buddhism is quite different. Historical person, Siddhārtha, is very important person for beginning of Buddhism but is not an absolute one for this faith. It is because they say that everyone is able to be a Buddha and should be. If there exists already a Buddha inside the heart of the Buddhists, a real Buddha could not be an absolute being for them. But none of Christians could be either Jesus or Christ. Jesus Christ is only one, and it is possible for salvation only through Him.
If we accept this fact as truth, we should pay attention only to Jesus Christ. Probably someone could ask why I am talking about such an evident fact. Do you think we pay attention only to Jesus these days? Do you really believe that? What a happy person he is if he really could give attention only to Jesus Christ! But as you know it is not that easy to pay attention only to Jesus.
Look at us. Generally speaking, we don’t try to know who Jesus is, but instead try to believe. We only rely on our own religious experiences. It might be possible to say that such attitudes could be just efforts to make us satisfied with our narrow minds, not sincere care for Jesus Christ. Healing by prayers, speaking tongues, or growing up churches in magnitude used to be highlighted in Christianity, but you can see such things from other religion too.
I am not talking about any possibilities or judgment of value in most religions. I am saying that Christianity basically does not regard those things as their essentials. Christianity is not a faith for recognition, which is looking for a Buddha in their hearts, and not like a Baal worship, which guaranteed an abundant life with god’s help. Christianity depends upon basically knowing who Jesus is. The most important thing is to know who Jesus is exactly. We should know historical Jesus and also what kinds of incident in Him lead to salvation. Why? The reason is that we are the people living according to the faith from his command “follow me”.
From some time ago Korean churches have been fallen into sentimentalism like “praise and worship”. This is a psychological spirituality imported from America. Leadership training or counseling is getting much attention from people. But what on earth are these things? How could such things be related with understanding Jesus, Jesus incidents, Jesus destiny, and what does it matter with being in accord with Him? To a person who has interest in these things, “the Kingdom of God” through Jesus does not have any impact. They don’t even imagine what an eschatological hope means. They don’t care why the day of Advent is the beginning of church calendar. It is good enough for them to get comforts while singing “you are the person to be born for getting love” with two raised arms. Please forgive my way of speaking which sounds like to find fault in the remarks. You are not a person being born to get love, but a person whose birth is already God’s love. It is because creation is just like love. Many Korean Christians regard their faith as a soap opera, which cling to love relationship.
This trend in Korean churches is natural consequences of church leaders’ faults. Now many Christians who have this tendency are out of control just like flood. Because they have interest only in religious self-satisfaction now, it might be impossible to ask them to follow Jesus only. Even it is impossible to tell them to look at mystery of life.
Today I think I talked too much. Since the person who had said “follow me” seemed to be hurt these day, I was a little bit agitated. But we don’t have to be discouraged as long as people following Jesus remain to make up their minds to follow only Jesus and also mystery of life as well as of salvation. Probably this could be a just normal phenomenon. It could be inevitable that the number of people who have accepted the truth “follow me” is so short among the awakened.
Lord, Only Jesus is everything for our life. Amen.
20090619
Response of the crowd
David himself calls him 'Lord.' How then can he be his son?" The large crowd listened to him with delight. (Mark 12:37)
The large crowd agreed to all the teachings of Jesus. The meaning ‘listened to him with delight’ is to agree with. Not only in this paragraph but also in the previous paragraph (Mark 12:34) ‘no one dared ask him any more questions’. When the crowd heard Jesus’ teaching about Caesar’s tax they were amazed at him. (Mark 12:17)
During the public life of Jesus, the crowds sometimes fervently supported him and sometimes they withdrew support. However, their response to Jesus was generally amicable. Then they turned their back to Jesus in hostility when Jesus was tried. It signifies that there was no constancy in their response.
This is the very nature of the audience, crowd or the public. They sensitively respond to something which will give them some profit. Populism is echoing to such public psychology. I am not saying that the public is always opportunistic and incited but they are quite vulnerable to the enticement of political and religious leaders.
Jesus was far from such populism. It was quite natural. He absolutely depended on the kingdom of God. At this point we, cannot agree with some people’s contention that the public and the kingdom of God are one. Though the kingdom of God can have the similar character of the public liberation, but in reality, public liberation cannot be made equal with the kingdom of God.
Let us come back to the content again. The response of the crowd that the author of the gospel describes is not an objectified one. The crowd was not the representative of the entire Israel or the people of Jerusalem. The concern of the authors was not the crowd but Jesus. The central point of their concern was the teachings of Jesus and the work was to proclaim the gospel to the people.
The large crowd agreed to all the teachings of Jesus. The meaning ‘listened to him with delight’ is to agree with. Not only in this paragraph but also in the previous paragraph (Mark 12:34) ‘no one dared ask him any more questions’. When the crowd heard Jesus’ teaching about Caesar’s tax they were amazed at him. (Mark 12:17)
During the public life of Jesus, the crowds sometimes fervently supported him and sometimes they withdrew support. However, their response to Jesus was generally amicable. Then they turned their back to Jesus in hostility when Jesus was tried. It signifies that there was no constancy in their response.
This is the very nature of the audience, crowd or the public. They sensitively respond to something which will give them some profit. Populism is echoing to such public psychology. I am not saying that the public is always opportunistic and incited but they are quite vulnerable to the enticement of political and religious leaders.
Jesus was far from such populism. It was quite natural. He absolutely depended on the kingdom of God. At this point we, cannot agree with some people’s contention that the public and the kingdom of God are one. Though the kingdom of God can have the similar character of the public liberation, but in reality, public liberation cannot be made equal with the kingdom of God.
Let us come back to the content again. The response of the crowd that the author of the gospel describes is not an objectified one. The crowd was not the representative of the entire Israel or the people of Jerusalem. The concern of the authors was not the crowd but Jesus. The central point of their concern was the teachings of Jesus and the work was to proclaim the gospel to the people.
Son of David
David himself calls him 'Lord.' How then can he be his son?" The large crowd listened to him with delight. (Mark 12:37)
The verse mentioned above is a little complicated. It is contended that the Lord cannot be the son of David because David himself called Christ ‘Lord’. Then this is a statement to refute those who called Christ as son of David. Here ‘Lord’ means Jesus Christ. The phrase “Son of David” is used in many occasions as another corresponding name for Jesus Christ. Then does the above verse contradict with this fact?
The title Jesus as the son of David often appears in the gospel of Mark. A blind beggar on the way to Jericho from Jerusalem called him son of David (10:48) and the crowd in the scene to enter into Jerusalem also praised the approaching kingdom of David (11:10). The above mentioned verse also comes under this category. Meanly this title was developed within the Judean Christian community of Palestine. It is an unavoidable circumstance. The Christians in Palestine have to accept their tradition about the Messiah in order to persuade the Jews.
However, as we can confirm from the above verse that the early Christianity accepted that Jesus as the son of David in a totally different manner. Jesus is not a son of David according to his parental chronicle. Jesus is rather the Messiah, the Christ whom David called ‘Lord’. Jesus had shifted his position to another which is beyond the ancestral chronicle as a pre-existing being. According to John’s gospel, Jesus was retroactive to the time of creation.
By accepting the tradition of Jews, the Judean Christian community accepted two identities of Jesus. One is son of David and the other is Christ. The former points out the true humanity while the latter the true divinity. Here the fact remains, that, these two characters become a single personality and this is the mysterious being of Jesus Christ that the early Christians understood.
The verse mentioned above is a little complicated. It is contended that the Lord cannot be the son of David because David himself called Christ ‘Lord’. Then this is a statement to refute those who called Christ as son of David. Here ‘Lord’ means Jesus Christ. The phrase “Son of David” is used in many occasions as another corresponding name for Jesus Christ. Then does the above verse contradict with this fact?
The title Jesus as the son of David often appears in the gospel of Mark. A blind beggar on the way to Jericho from Jerusalem called him son of David (10:48) and the crowd in the scene to enter into Jerusalem also praised the approaching kingdom of David (11:10). The above mentioned verse also comes under this category. Meanly this title was developed within the Judean Christian community of Palestine. It is an unavoidable circumstance. The Christians in Palestine have to accept their tradition about the Messiah in order to persuade the Jews.
However, as we can confirm from the above verse that the early Christianity accepted that Jesus as the son of David in a totally different manner. Jesus is not a son of David according to his parental chronicle. Jesus is rather the Messiah, the Christ whom David called ‘Lord’. Jesus had shifted his position to another which is beyond the ancestral chronicle as a pre-existing being. According to John’s gospel, Jesus was retroactive to the time of creation.
By accepting the tradition of Jews, the Judean Christian community accepted two identities of Jesus. One is son of David and the other is Christ. The former points out the true humanity while the latter the true divinity. Here the fact remains, that, these two characters become a single personality and this is the mysterious being of Jesus Christ that the early Christians understood.
20090617
David’s speaking
David himself, speaking by the Holy Spirit, declared: "'The Lord said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand until I put your enemies under your feet." ' (Mark 12:36)
The above verse is quoted by Jesus from Psalm 110:1. This verse found in the Old Testament is mostly quoted in the New Testament. The verses in Acts 2:34, 35, 1 Cor. 15:25, Heb. 1:13 also quoted the same verse. The phrases that are applied in the Apostle Creed are ‘My right hand’, “He ascended into heaven, and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty.” The authors of the New Testament thought that the particular verse in the Psalm talk about Jesus Christ.
Did David really think about the Messiah in this Psalm? We have to give much effort in studying the Biblical and theological background in order to clarify this matter. We cannot deal with question at this moment; rather, first I would like to set a direction only. Though the particular verse in this Psalm does not directly mean the Messiah, there is the possibility of right interpretation of the authors of the New Testament.
This is important. The Old Testament, the Jewish unique history, is clearly the record of God’s revelation among the Jews. However, this God’s revelation and the Messianic mission have been extended not only to the Jews but also to the entire mankind in the world. It is evident that the early Christians had a unique experience with Jesus Christ. Through their unique experience with Jesus, the history of the Jews becomes the universal history of salvation in due course of time.
The word of David is not limited with his own. It might not be the word of God which was limited in the age of David. However, now it is connected to the universal Messiah and his salvation that goes beyond a person and a history. Likewise, history is opened to the end of the world. What meaning and impact will our speech and activity have in the end?
Again in the temple
While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he asked, "How is it that the teachers of the law say that the Christ is the son of David? (12:35)
It is not an exaggeration to say that the most important time of Jesus’ public life was the last one week of his earthly life. Precisely speaking, the important events happened during his last week were his triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm’s Sunday, his execution on the cross on Friday and the subsequent burial. The series of incidents that happened were shown in a compressed and focused manner and so it is hard to find the correct and spontaneous flow of time and incidents. However, the important fact we can grasp is that, the incidents happened after Jesus entered into Jerusalem is a clear evidence of Jesus’ crucifixion.
Those incidents happened mostly in and around the temple. Sometimes it does not give a detailed clue that certain events happened in the temple, but as a whole it happened in the temple. Jesus mainly did two things in the temple: teaching (sermon and argument) and acting as a critic for the temple. After the incidence of temple cleaning (Mark 11:15), Jesus had several arguments with many people and finally he prophesied the destruction of the temple. (Mark 13:1) Seeing all these activities of Jesus, the temple leaders might have resolved to get rid of Jesus at any cost.
According to the above mentioned verse, Jesus again taught others in the temple. What place is the temple for? It was not only a religious symbol of Israel but it also the spiritual pivot of the Israelites. It had the authority that even Roman Empire was not able to touch. Saying something about God in the temple itself was a serious challenge against the authority. It is not a strange thing for us who confess Jesus as Christ but it was extremely strange to the people of those days, especially the Priests. However, no one was able to argue with Jesus’ teaching at the level of the truth. From there, Jesus was branded as the dead. It is human history.
It is not an exaggeration to say that the most important time of Jesus’ public life was the last one week of his earthly life. Precisely speaking, the important events happened during his last week were his triumphant entry into Jerusalem on Palm’s Sunday, his execution on the cross on Friday and the subsequent burial. The series of incidents that happened were shown in a compressed and focused manner and so it is hard to find the correct and spontaneous flow of time and incidents. However, the important fact we can grasp is that, the incidents happened after Jesus entered into Jerusalem is a clear evidence of Jesus’ crucifixion.
Those incidents happened mostly in and around the temple. Sometimes it does not give a detailed clue that certain events happened in the temple, but as a whole it happened in the temple. Jesus mainly did two things in the temple: teaching (sermon and argument) and acting as a critic for the temple. After the incidence of temple cleaning (Mark 11:15), Jesus had several arguments with many people and finally he prophesied the destruction of the temple. (Mark 13:1) Seeing all these activities of Jesus, the temple leaders might have resolved to get rid of Jesus at any cost.
According to the above mentioned verse, Jesus again taught others in the temple. What place is the temple for? It was not only a religious symbol of Israel but it also the spiritual pivot of the Israelites. It had the authority that even Roman Empire was not able to touch. Saying something about God in the temple itself was a serious challenge against the authority. It is not a strange thing for us who confess Jesus as Christ but it was extremely strange to the people of those days, especially the Priests. However, no one was able to argue with Jesus’ teaching at the level of the truth. From there, Jesus was branded as the dead. It is human history.
20090613
Wisdom and the kingdom of God
When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, "You are not far from the kingdom of God." And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions. (Mark 12:34)
Hearing the scribe’s answer, Jesus said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” Does Jesus mean the wise answer given by the scribe become the precondition for reaching to the kingdom of God? Can a person enter the kingdom of God without possessing such wisdom?
Wisdom is important in the tradition of Jews and the Greek. A large portion of the Old Testaments belongs to the literature of wisdom such as Ecclesiastes, Psalms, Job and Proverbs. Here the meaning of wisdom is the thinking power to understand God’s will. Truly speaking, wisdom belongs to God. When God the source of wisdom allows men to possess wisdom as a gift, human being can be a wise creature on earth.
Greek regarded Philosophy as an important subject. Philosophy is a compound word of ‘Sopia’ meaning wisdom and ‘Philos’, love. Thus Philosophy literally means love of wisdom. According to Ancient Greek, philosophy meant the ability to discern whether myths were true or false. Ancestors of Christianity also positively accepted such Greeks’ philosophical tradition. The thought of Plato, Aristotle and Zenon deeply influenced Christian doctrine of God, anthropology and doctrine of Logos.
In general point of view, such wisdom is the power of thinking to which a person can attain through some professional disciplines. However, it is not always right. Rather the discipline pulls us apart from wisdom. We can see such phenomenon from the lives of the Pharisees and the scribes. True wisdom may be attained through a right attitude toward the truth rather than learning from discipline. Though there is less availability of professional discipline, those who open their ears to the sound of truth can judge wisely. Jesus’ aphorism, “He who has ears, let him hear” is not an empty word.
Power of the Words
“Come, follow me“ Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.”(Mark 1:17)
Jesus talked to Simon and Andrew who were casting fishing net like this, “follow me”. This is surely the first incident that Jesus spoke to the person. You know Jesus spoke. Jesus, the Son of God, spoke to the man with a human voice.
Do you know when human beings have started to talk? For this, we might need archeological help, but actually we don’t have to know exact date. Instead we could get a little bit of information from a newborn baby. The most important thing for a newborn baby thrown just out of mother’s body is to breathe as well as to cry for his life. Before that time the baby might not need these basic things inside of the womb, because it should be provided every possible things for sustaining his life through a navel string. But baby’s crying is not a word yet. The baby’s crying shows only that he is breathing and his vocal cord is functioning normally. When I observe newborn babies in my church, I could see that it takes a lot of time for them to start talking. Some hasty parents seem to believe that their kids have begun talking with them, even though babies still need more time in order to start talking.
Why is it so hard to learn to speak? It is because speaking is an experience of life existence. Speaking is a life phenomenon that does not happen when he exists by himself and that only it could happen when he recognizes the existence of other beings. So the newborn baby cannot talk because of lack of recognition. Of course even it could be very hard for him to activate his vocal cord. And then when he can recognize his mother and father, he learns to speak. The more objects he could recognize, the more vocabularies the baby could use, and his speech skill improves very fast.
We do not know when anthropoids, our ancestor, started speaking; probably the use of language could not be that long like newborn babies. Probably even they started talking, it might take such a long time before it improved like modern language with abundant vocabularies. Sometimes we could see people who like to train a chimpanzee to talk, but the result seems to be very insignificant, because chimpanzee does not have a deep understanding about existence. Since I am not a linguist, I think I should get back to the text in the Bible.
Actually Jesus spoke to Simon Brothers. This could be happening routinely, but also it is a great encounter. That means that between Jesus and Simon Brothers some great things had started to happen. The words of Jesus began to have a new meaning for their lives. It is an existential power of the word.
Everyday we live talking to each other. But most of our talking could be like garbage. It is much possible for lots of speaking from lots of preachers including me could be garbage. Why? It is because there is no existential power in their words. In order to show him off we call friends and try to persuade them without existential power in our words. Think about it carefully. What kind of words did we speak out of our mouth today? With life and truth, hope and power of love did we talk in our speaking? Just like Jesus did to Simon Brothers?
Christianity had lost the power of the words from some time ago. The world does not have any attention to the words from the church. Our words having life could never sound strange to the worldly people, but instead our words seem to have so much of our greed. Think about it. Does Christians’ opinion to oppose minority religious group, who insist alternative public service to keep their peace-oriented faith, have life in their words? I don’t want to talk about these things in details in here.
Urgently we need like that encounter of words, what Jesus did to Simon Brothers. This encounter does not require complicated theological reasoning. It depends upon that our spirit is open to the spirit of truth or not. Or open to the spirit of love. Can I say one more word? This is upon relationship with the Holy Spirit. That is the relationship with the spirit of life. The core of this event is an open heart to the spirit of Truth, not a close heart for himself. Since Jesus is that person who was in accord with the Holy Spirit, his words could be an event to save human beings.
Did my explanation sound too ideological? The conclusion is concrete like this: “Think carefully before you talk”.
Lord. Hope our talking could be related with the spirit of life. Amen.
20090611
The distortion of the bunt offerings
The distortion of the bunt offerings
To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices."(Mark 12:33)
A wise man keeps talking. He says to love God and neighbor is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. This content is a mere repetition of what Jesus’ mentioned in verses 30, 31. The scribe simply added the items of burnt offerings and sacrifices. However, through this account we can clearly find out what is more important and what is less essential in our religious life.
The burnt offering was an act of worship of the ancient Jews. They offered burnt offering because they thought their sin would be forgiven through this act of burning offering. They had a strong impression that their sacrifices offered to God would be accepted when the smoke goes up to heaven as they burn the sacrificed animals. The burnt offering was the holiest act of worship for them.
However, problem crept in when the burnt offering has lost its spiritual dynamic character and has distorted its original meaning as time went by. For them, the refined form of burnt offering became more important than the close relationship with God. The priests especially wanted to confirm their religious ability or even earn money through the activity of burnt offering. The holiest act has degraded into the most secure and self-centered act.
How about the Korean Church today? There are many churches that have lost the original spirit of worship. Populism penetrates into the worship service. Various forms of worship programs are being developed to quench the religious thirst and feelings of the congregation. The hero in their worship is not God but man. They give too much emphasis on offering. Gradually all the acts and tenets of worship begin to fall on the line of the temporal laws. In spite of this fact, most of the people may not even know the reason why this has become a problem.
20090610
God is one (8)
"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. (Mark 12:32)
We are now having the 8th meditation based on the title “God is one”. By this meditation I would like to fold up this topic. The last meditation is an explanation about the fact that ‘God is one’ is the very God who declared ‘I am that I am’ which is found in the account Moses. (Exo. 3:14)
Everything in this world cannot exist by itself. We all are born depending on our parents and even now we are living mainly depending on certain food material. If we are not provided oxygen for ten minutes, our life will be ended. It is not only the human beings but the entire nature also has the same destiny. The existence of the earth depends on the son the bigger nebula.
Basically, in quality, God is totally different from all other things. He exists by himself. The word exists by itself means that the ground of existence is not from without but from within. The ground of existence of all living creatures is from outside force. The creatures cannot directly share the experience of life with the creator whose ground of existence is from within. By any means, we cannot recognize him completely. He alone can say about himself. We have to shut up our mouth before him who says “I am that I am”. He is the very God.
Such being can be only ‘one’. ‘One’ means the whole. He will reveal his complete self on the last day. This is the meaning of the concept of ‘one’. The one God loved the world and gave his son. The son is the very Jesus Christ. The only way for us to experience direct relationship with God is to meet Jesus Christ personally. The fact that Jesus is the real image of the humbled God (Kenosis) is still the shrouded mystery of God’s existence.
We are now having the 8th meditation based on the title “God is one”. By this meditation I would like to fold up this topic. The last meditation is an explanation about the fact that ‘God is one’ is the very God who declared ‘I am that I am’ which is found in the account Moses. (Exo. 3:14)
Everything in this world cannot exist by itself. We all are born depending on our parents and even now we are living mainly depending on certain food material. If we are not provided oxygen for ten minutes, our life will be ended. It is not only the human beings but the entire nature also has the same destiny. The existence of the earth depends on the son the bigger nebula.
Basically, in quality, God is totally different from all other things. He exists by himself. The word exists by itself means that the ground of existence is not from without but from within. The ground of existence of all living creatures is from outside force. The creatures cannot directly share the experience of life with the creator whose ground of existence is from within. By any means, we cannot recognize him completely. He alone can say about himself. We have to shut up our mouth before him who says “I am that I am”. He is the very God.
Such being can be only ‘one’. ‘One’ means the whole. He will reveal his complete self on the last day. This is the meaning of the concept of ‘one’. The one God loved the world and gave his son. The son is the very Jesus Christ. The only way for us to experience direct relationship with God is to meet Jesus Christ personally. The fact that Jesus is the real image of the humbled God (Kenosis) is still the shrouded mystery of God’s existence.
God is one (7)
"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. (Mark 12:32)
I have an additional account to be added to the topic of judgment that I discussed yesterday. In fact, this additional account is fundamental and factual rather than a mere supplement. The conventional belief is that God’s judgment starts with the beginning of the end of time. But in reality, judgment has already begun long time ago. The judgment of God has been manifested in Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection is rather the judgment of God. This is the central point of distinction which clearly distinguishes Christianity from Judaism. Thus the doctrine of resurrection plays an important role in the lives of Christians.
Why does Jesus’ resurrection have the precedence over the judgment? I need to explain the fundamental concept of resurrection. Resurrection is the completion of life. Life is the ultimate outcome of God’s creation and his creative power is beyond our understanding and imagination and therefore we can neither produce nor improve his creation. The impact and the value of Jesus Christ’s resurrection are so great that now all human efforts to achieve personal heights become meaningless. This is the grace of God.
Deeply think about these paragraphs. The ultimate goal of human’s effort to achieve personal greatness is resulted in the crucifixion of Jesus. The Jewish religious power and political power of Roman could not accept Jesus for they thought that Jesus was an obstacle to their way of religious and political achievement. In this way, they judged to get life. However, we cannot get life in this manner. God raised Jesus from the dead. It was an incident that human trial to achieve self completely turned out to be an attempt ended in a state of futility and helplessness.
God’s judgment is in the completion of life. It had already happened in the time of Jesus two thousand years ago. Presently, we are tentatively living in the gap between Jesus’ resurrection and the life that follows the end of time. The one who leads the entire history is the one God the Creator. The reason why Jesus’ resurrection is the completion of life can be proved by the historical facts. Amen.
I have an additional account to be added to the topic of judgment that I discussed yesterday. In fact, this additional account is fundamental and factual rather than a mere supplement. The conventional belief is that God’s judgment starts with the beginning of the end of time. But in reality, judgment has already begun long time ago. The judgment of God has been manifested in Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection is rather the judgment of God. This is the central point of distinction which clearly distinguishes Christianity from Judaism. Thus the doctrine of resurrection plays an important role in the lives of Christians.
Why does Jesus’ resurrection have the precedence over the judgment? I need to explain the fundamental concept of resurrection. Resurrection is the completion of life. Life is the ultimate outcome of God’s creation and his creative power is beyond our understanding and imagination and therefore we can neither produce nor improve his creation. The impact and the value of Jesus Christ’s resurrection are so great that now all human efforts to achieve personal heights become meaningless. This is the grace of God.
Deeply think about these paragraphs. The ultimate goal of human’s effort to achieve personal greatness is resulted in the crucifixion of Jesus. The Jewish religious power and political power of Roman could not accept Jesus for they thought that Jesus was an obstacle to their way of religious and political achievement. In this way, they judged to get life. However, we cannot get life in this manner. God raised Jesus from the dead. It was an incident that human trial to achieve self completely turned out to be an attempt ended in a state of futility and helplessness.
God’s judgment is in the completion of life. It had already happened in the time of Jesus two thousand years ago. Presently, we are tentatively living in the gap between Jesus’ resurrection and the life that follows the end of time. The one who leads the entire history is the one God the Creator. The reason why Jesus’ resurrection is the completion of life can be proved by the historical facts. Amen.
God is one (6)
"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. (Mark 12:32)
Some insist that Jesus has clearly pointed out the imminence of the judgment by fire in hell. In Luke 16:19-31 speak about the parable of Lazarus, a beggar and a rich man. The beggar Lazarus was received by the angels and embraced by Abraham after his death, while the rich man was thrown into the lake of fire.
A pastor named Yoon frequently quotes this particular verse. In his preaching, the pastor even adds what the Bible does not mention by adding that the beggar Lazarus was sincere to God while he was on earth and as a result of his sincerity and faithfulness to God he was warmly embraced by Abraham. The Bible mentions about the beggar Lazarus’ suffering in this world and there is no mention of his sincerity to God. The Bible never mentions about the rich man’s belief.
The parable of the beggar Lazarus was not a teaching about the existence and nonexistence of hell. It only declares the fact that God’s judgment is totally different from our expectations. The parable about the last judgment recorded in Matthew’s gospel also talks about the same thing. Those who thought that they have not done anything good for the Lord are unexpectedly placed on the right hand side for salvation while those who thought that they have done many good things for the Lord are surprisingly placed on the left hand side for judgment. This ultimate result shows us that we can deceive man but not God. This also signifies the feebleness of human cognition before the God’s absolute character.
Now, I cannot deny the certainty of God’s imminent judgment. If there is no judgment, there is no life either. Judgment is meant for the removal of the power that destroys life. By removing and separating the chaff which is pseudo-life and anti-life from the grain at harvest, the activity of God’s creation will be fully accomplished. However, insisting on God’s judgment as the punishment for the people outside the church would rather transmute its true meaning.
Some insist that Jesus has clearly pointed out the imminence of the judgment by fire in hell. In Luke 16:19-31 speak about the parable of Lazarus, a beggar and a rich man. The beggar Lazarus was received by the angels and embraced by Abraham after his death, while the rich man was thrown into the lake of fire.
A pastor named Yoon frequently quotes this particular verse. In his preaching, the pastor even adds what the Bible does not mention by adding that the beggar Lazarus was sincere to God while he was on earth and as a result of his sincerity and faithfulness to God he was warmly embraced by Abraham. The Bible mentions about the beggar Lazarus’ suffering in this world and there is no mention of his sincerity to God. The Bible never mentions about the rich man’s belief.
The parable of the beggar Lazarus was not a teaching about the existence and nonexistence of hell. It only declares the fact that God’s judgment is totally different from our expectations. The parable about the last judgment recorded in Matthew’s gospel also talks about the same thing. Those who thought that they have not done anything good for the Lord are unexpectedly placed on the right hand side for salvation while those who thought that they have done many good things for the Lord are surprisingly placed on the left hand side for judgment. This ultimate result shows us that we can deceive man but not God. This also signifies the feebleness of human cognition before the God’s absolute character.
Now, I cannot deny the certainty of God’s imminent judgment. If there is no judgment, there is no life either. Judgment is meant for the removal of the power that destroys life. By removing and separating the chaff which is pseudo-life and anti-life from the grain at harvest, the activity of God’s creation will be fully accomplished. However, insisting on God’s judgment as the punishment for the people outside the church would rather transmute its true meaning.
God is one(5)
"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. (Mark 12:32)
Some of you may feel uncomfortable to hear the word ‘Universalism’. I can understand such feeling. It is a serious matter not merely because of the pervading feeling but because it is closely related to the matter of our souls. Evidently, the salvation through Jesus Christ has its exclusive character. We cannot deny this fact.
The important point related to this fact is God’s judgment. The topic of judgment is found mentioned in Jesus’ parable about the kingdom of God. Chaff is burnt on the day of harvest. The virgins who did not prepare their oil in advance could not enter into the banquet and they were left outside the banquet weeping. Jesus’ second coming indicates the final judgment. Then do the terms universalism and judgment contradict each other?
The two doctrines appear to be contradictory to each other when we look at it in a single layer. But they do not seem to oppose with each other when we look into its central part and see it through the multi-layers of it. The combined study of these two doctrines clearly shows us a certain truth just like the right way is directed with the pointing of the forefinger. It appears to be a doctrine of contradiction because we do not have the cognitive ability to clearly see the pointed direction. If we open our sight a little wider and see the reality, we can come to know the fact that the direction of the finger of universalism and judgment is finally identical to each other. In other word, the doctrine of universalism and judgment are no longer contradictory but complementary to each other.
First, imagine, why the Bible talks about judgment though judgment damages God’s creation and his grace. This appears to be a negative view point in relation to God’s absolute character. God’s creation and his subsequent sovereign rule are beautiful and perfect. However, this world is ruled by evil and sin. This world is now in the transitional age. At the end of time when the activity of creation is completed, the countries with absolute truth and righteousness will come to surface. The only way to deal with the gap of the two extreme worlds is judgment. We have to regard the image of judgment as something that brings about the completeness of the kingdom of God rather than that throws certain objects into the eternal lake of fire in hell.
Some of you may feel uncomfortable to hear the word ‘Universalism’. I can understand such feeling. It is a serious matter not merely because of the pervading feeling but because it is closely related to the matter of our souls. Evidently, the salvation through Jesus Christ has its exclusive character. We cannot deny this fact.
The important point related to this fact is God’s judgment. The topic of judgment is found mentioned in Jesus’ parable about the kingdom of God. Chaff is burnt on the day of harvest. The virgins who did not prepare their oil in advance could not enter into the banquet and they were left outside the banquet weeping. Jesus’ second coming indicates the final judgment. Then do the terms universalism and judgment contradict each other?
The two doctrines appear to be contradictory to each other when we look at it in a single layer. But they do not seem to oppose with each other when we look into its central part and see it through the multi-layers of it. The combined study of these two doctrines clearly shows us a certain truth just like the right way is directed with the pointing of the forefinger. It appears to be a doctrine of contradiction because we do not have the cognitive ability to clearly see the pointed direction. If we open our sight a little wider and see the reality, we can come to know the fact that the direction of the finger of universalism and judgment is finally identical to each other. In other word, the doctrine of universalism and judgment are no longer contradictory but complementary to each other.
First, imagine, why the Bible talks about judgment though judgment damages God’s creation and his grace. This appears to be a negative view point in relation to God’s absolute character. God’s creation and his subsequent sovereign rule are beautiful and perfect. However, this world is ruled by evil and sin. This world is now in the transitional age. At the end of time when the activity of creation is completed, the countries with absolute truth and righteousness will come to surface. The only way to deal with the gap of the two extreme worlds is judgment. We have to regard the image of judgment as something that brings about the completeness of the kingdom of God rather than that throws certain objects into the eternal lake of fire in hell.
20090608
God is one (4)
"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. (Mark 12:32)
After reading the previous meditations, some of you may think and question “do you mean I don’t need to believe Jesus now?” If they can be saved whether they believe Jesus or not, or whether, they do good things or evil things, they may think that they do not need to believe Jesus right now with much hardship. Such question and concept of a man are quite far from the real Christian belief.
It is a wrong concept to hold the view that believing Jesus is a hardship. To believe Jesus is not a hardship but a joyful thing. It is not a matter of heavy burden but it is something that is light and easy to carry. Jesus once told his disciples, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” The law is really a heavy burden. But the gospel gives freedom and emancipation to listeners just as a poet or an artist derives joy from their creative and imaginative activities. If someone feels burden with his religious life, there goes something wrong with him.
Do you find it hard not to tell a lie, not to drink, attend early morning prayers, to give offering and attend the church despite family’s objection for believing in Jesus? Belief in Jesus does not have any relationship with those things that we cannot do. Sorry to say that those Korean Christians who still find it difficult to do most of the things that Christians aught to do with ease are far from the essence of Christian faith.
The essence of faith is to know and accept the salvation of God that has been completed through Jesus Christ. This is really wonderful and joyful news. From here only we can get real peace and complete rest. It is so, because, it cannot be obtained by our own effort but it is a gift from God. Those who have received this gift enjoy the joy of it and pray for all the people in the world that the salvation of God may be with them too. May God grant them the same mercy that God has given us!
20090607
The Power of Daily Life
“As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. (Mark 1:16)
The author of the Gospel of Mark describes so simply the meeting between Jesus and Simon and his brother. It says that Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee and saw Simon and his brother Andrew who were fishing. We could not say decisively because the text did not describe in details, but it might be very possible that Jesus used to go for an early morning walk everyday to the beaches of Galilee. In that case maybe Jesus could see them more often. Probably he could talk with them several times. Jesus used to take a walk to the beaches everyday, and Simon and his brother did fishing everyday.
Take a close look at the description in today’s text. You could see it very simple and dry. Look at verbs only. Walked beside, saw, casting. It ends with the sentence “they were fishermen.” Every description has every aspect in everyday life. We live like this. We wake up and walk beside in the morning, we cast for making money, we see people, and we live with having our name and title. Some people who have a little bit professional jobs teach, study, play music, or fight. Everything happens in this world could be our daily lives.
Such things like these might seem to be boring on the surface. So people could easily fall into mannerism. But there is no greater event than everyday life. Our daily life in which we breathe, eat, excrete, give a birth, live to look at each other is in accord with God’s creation. I don’t think I have to explain these things in details. It is so strange that our daily life has cosmological meanings to someone who has the insights for daily life, but to someone it could be so meaningless. Why does such a thing happen?
The answer is that they cannot see mystery of daily life. For example, it is so mysterious for us to feel gravity, I am saying. What you feel gravity means that you are alive, and also that the earth is working out mechanism of life. If we could feel gravity among our steps of our simple and fatal daily lives, mystery of our daily lives could be enlightened wonderfully. Between people as well as between man and insects, actually there exists a mysterious organism. We just miss the point in them.
Jesus walked beside the beach as usual and he saw Simon and Andrew who were fishing as usual. What on earth did it happen between them? Through the Bible, we could not figure out what had happened exactly. If we did not know the story after this event, we might not have any glimpse of what would happen. Luckily we know what’s going on in the Gospel. Their encounter became a turning point for history of Christianity, and even more for history of the world.
Don’t you think that some amazing events like this are hiding in our daily lives? Those could be exposed or buried in actual history. The results could be enormously important or insignificant according to your point of view. You don’t have to think about it consciously because nobody knows the answer. But it would be nice if we remember that our daily lives are related with history of God’s salvation. There is none excluded from this. Even tax collecters, prostitutes, or sinners are not excluded. All the daily lives are related with the event of Christ in a secret way.
Lord, we like to open our eyes to mystery of our daily lives. Amen.
The author of the Gospel of Mark describes so simply the meeting between Jesus and Simon and his brother. It says that Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee and saw Simon and his brother Andrew who were fishing. We could not say decisively because the text did not describe in details, but it might be very possible that Jesus used to go for an early morning walk everyday to the beaches of Galilee. In that case maybe Jesus could see them more often. Probably he could talk with them several times. Jesus used to take a walk to the beaches everyday, and Simon and his brother did fishing everyday.
Take a close look at the description in today’s text. You could see it very simple and dry. Look at verbs only. Walked beside, saw, casting. It ends with the sentence “they were fishermen.” Every description has every aspect in everyday life. We live like this. We wake up and walk beside in the morning, we cast for making money, we see people, and we live with having our name and title. Some people who have a little bit professional jobs teach, study, play music, or fight. Everything happens in this world could be our daily lives.
Such things like these might seem to be boring on the surface. So people could easily fall into mannerism. But there is no greater event than everyday life. Our daily life in which we breathe, eat, excrete, give a birth, live to look at each other is in accord with God’s creation. I don’t think I have to explain these things in details. It is so strange that our daily life has cosmological meanings to someone who has the insights for daily life, but to someone it could be so meaningless. Why does such a thing happen?
The answer is that they cannot see mystery of daily life. For example, it is so mysterious for us to feel gravity, I am saying. What you feel gravity means that you are alive, and also that the earth is working out mechanism of life. If we could feel gravity among our steps of our simple and fatal daily lives, mystery of our daily lives could be enlightened wonderfully. Between people as well as between man and insects, actually there exists a mysterious organism. We just miss the point in them.
Jesus walked beside the beach as usual and he saw Simon and Andrew who were fishing as usual. What on earth did it happen between them? Through the Bible, we could not figure out what had happened exactly. If we did not know the story after this event, we might not have any glimpse of what would happen. Luckily we know what’s going on in the Gospel. Their encounter became a turning point for history of Christianity, and even more for history of the world.
Don’t you think that some amazing events like this are hiding in our daily lives? Those could be exposed or buried in actual history. The results could be enormously important or insignificant according to your point of view. You don’t have to think about it consciously because nobody knows the answer. But it would be nice if we remember that our daily lives are related with history of God’s salvation. There is none excluded from this. Even tax collecters, prostitutes, or sinners are not excluded. All the daily lives are related with the event of Christ in a secret way.
Lord, we like to open our eyes to mystery of our daily lives. Amen.
20090604
God is one (3)
"Well said, teacher," the man replied. "You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. (Mark 12:32)
The earlier two meditations might have been delivered to you with the nuance that, possibility of salvation is opened even to the people outside of the church. It is right. There are two reasons for this. First, Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection is the universal power of salvation. Second, the power of God’s creation is able to overcome the evils of men. Having these reasons in hand, now it is time to give the third reason.
The Holy Spirit, a person of the Trinity, is the spirit of life. The Spirit is the spirit of creation, the spirit of resurrection and the spirit of everlasting. The spirit creates life not only in the church community but also in the entire world. Christianity alone cannot completely monopolize the life. In other word, Christianity cannot monopolize the Holy Spirit.
According to the teachings of John’s gospel, the Holy Spirit is just like the wind which we do not know where it comes from and where it goes. To be free like the wind has some personal implications. He creates life in the world in his own way and at his own discretion. Christians believe the spirit of life as the one God. Therefore, we should not put a limitation on the activity of the spirit by confining his activity within the walls of Christianity.
I hope you do not misunderstand what I mean. I do not mean that all the religious activities in the world are the acts of the Holy Spirit. Many of them are controlled and occupied by the evil spirit. Idol worship is an act of being manipulated by the evil spirit. An act of incantation and spell of charms is also the work of evil spirit at the cost of damaging man’s spirit.
Furthermore, we must understand the fact that complete submission of ourselves as an empty vessel for the work of the Holy Spirit does not mean that we fall into a religious autism. There is a big difference between a state of belief that firmly holds on one’s wholehearted resolute belief and that easily falls into a religious autism.
The Holy Spirit who works beyond our thoughts and imagination is the Spirit of life. The Spirit fills the entire universe. O Come, Holy Spirit!
The earlier two meditations might have been delivered to you with the nuance that, possibility of salvation is opened even to the people outside of the church. It is right. There are two reasons for this. First, Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection is the universal power of salvation. Second, the power of God’s creation is able to overcome the evils of men. Having these reasons in hand, now it is time to give the third reason.
The Holy Spirit, a person of the Trinity, is the spirit of life. The Spirit is the spirit of creation, the spirit of resurrection and the spirit of everlasting. The spirit creates life not only in the church community but also in the entire world. Christianity alone cannot completely monopolize the life. In other word, Christianity cannot monopolize the Holy Spirit.
According to the teachings of John’s gospel, the Holy Spirit is just like the wind which we do not know where it comes from and where it goes. To be free like the wind has some personal implications. He creates life in the world in his own way and at his own discretion. Christians believe the spirit of life as the one God. Therefore, we should not put a limitation on the activity of the spirit by confining his activity within the walls of Christianity.
I hope you do not misunderstand what I mean. I do not mean that all the religious activities in the world are the acts of the Holy Spirit. Many of them are controlled and occupied by the evil spirit. Idol worship is an act of being manipulated by the evil spirit. An act of incantation and spell of charms is also the work of evil spirit at the cost of damaging man’s spirit.
Furthermore, we must understand the fact that complete submission of ourselves as an empty vessel for the work of the Holy Spirit does not mean that we fall into a religious autism. There is a big difference between a state of belief that firmly holds on one’s wholehearted resolute belief and that easily falls into a religious autism.
The Holy Spirit who works beyond our thoughts and imagination is the Spirit of life. The Spirit fills the entire universe. O Come, Holy Spirit!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)